Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/218

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i^oticcs of Ncto publications. The Visitors Guide to Reixjak, in the North Riding of the County of York, with an Historical and Descriptive Account of Coat- ham, Kirkleatham, Wilton, Eston Nab, Ormesby, Middlesbroug-h, Marske, Saltburn, Skelton, Upleatham, Guisbrough, &c. &c. By John Richard WaI/BRAN, Corresponding Member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scot- land, Honorary Member of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon- Tyne, and Local Secretary of the Archaeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. I'imo. Harrison, Ripon ; Simpkin and Co., London. 1848. Mr. Walbran is already favourably known by his work on the antiqui- ties of Gainford, in the county of Durham, noticed in our thii'd volume^; and although his present unpretending brochure aspires only to the charac- ter of a guide-book, it will be found to contain an amount of research and information which would do honour to any topographical essay. The ac- count of Guisbrough and its priory is particularly worthy of perusal : the following view of the state of the building and adjacent country, con- tained in a letter to Sir Thomas Chaloner, written in the latter half of the sixteenth century, may be quoted with advantage to our readers. " At the weste ende of the Abbey Church, ouer a doore in a Steple, are certaine auntyent letters circular wise written^. Auncyent Men sometyme broughte upp in the Monastery told me that a Dutchman was INIaister- workmaii of the abbey when it was builte, and yt seemeth to mee, that the inscription is in Dutch. I remember that I had conference once with you concerning the peopling of England. It is manifeste that that Parte of the Country called Cleveland hath been wonderfully inhabyted more than yt is nowe ; for wdthin the length of a fewe Myles the Lordes following have had their Seates ; at Kyldale Castle the Perceys, Earles of Northumberland ; at Aton, Nevyll of Westmorland ; at Wharlton Castle the Lord Menell ; at Skelton Castle, the Lord Conniers ; at Danby Castle the Lord Latymer ; at Harlsey Castle, S"" James Strangwaies ; at Wilton Castle, S"^ Ralf Bulmer ; at Mulgrave Castle S"^ Ralf Bigott ; at Ingleby, the Lord Eure; all these great Personages dwelte together in a small Cyrecuite, and in the mydeste of them the Prior of Gysbrough, who kepte a moste pomi^ous House, inso- much that the Towne consystinge of 500 Householdeis, and had noe Lande, 3- Archaeological Journal, vol. iii. p. manner, that the west front of the nave 184. was flanked by two towers, after the " " It may reasonably be inferred from fashion of our chief cathedral and colle- this jiassage, which has hitherto been giate churches. The inscription alluded printed in an incorrect and imperfect to was most likely Longobardic."