the political history of our English parliaments.
Parliament-house. North end interior.
We have already observed its embattled mansion rising under the hands of its wealthy proprietor, and we now find his royal patron visiting the spot which the favourite took such delight in embellishing. The turbulence of the Welsh occasioned Edward to pass much of the 5th year of his reign in their country. From the 25th of August to the middle of December 1277, his time was entirely spent betwixt Rothelan (Rhyddlan) and Shrewsbury. In the ensuing year, he attested writs on the 26th and 27th of August at Church Stretton; on the latter day at Rushbury, and on the 28th at Longnor. These three places are close to Acton Burnell, but it does not appear that he honoured his chancellor by taking up his residence under his roof. In 1282 he stayed here for three days in May. The bishop had not received the royal permission to erect his new house, and the king must therefore have taken up his abode in the old family dwelling of the bishop's ancestors, the venerable remains of which still exist. In the ensuing year 1283, he was again at Acton Burnell, for nearly six weeks, namely, from the 29th of September to the 12th of November[1]. The chancellor had not yet received the royal licence to crenelate his dwelling, and the king on all these occasions must have resided in some other building, most probably in the one to which the attention has just been directed. And here it will be desirable to describe it. Little indeed remains to point out its original extent, there being only left standing at the present day the northern and southern gables; these are supported by buttresses, and pierced by long narrow, square-headed windows, exhibiting that simplicity which marks both the early Edwardian, and the Norman styles of architecture. It
- ↑ MS. Itinerary of Edw. I. among the Miscellaneous Records in the Queen's Remembrancer's office.
