From the Fair of May Fair.

* * * * *

BAMBOROUGH CASTLE

Is situate on the romantic coast of Northumberland, “over against” an obscure town of the same name.  It stands upon a basalt rock, of a triangular shape, high, rugged, and abrupt on the land side; flanked by the German Ocean, and strong natural rampires of sand, matted together with sea rushes on the east; and only accessible to an enemy on the south-east, which is guarded by a deep, dry ditch, and a series of towers in the wall, on each side of the gateway.  Nature has mantled the rock with lichens of various rich tints:  its beetling brow is 150 feet above the level of the sea, upon a stratum of mouldering rock, apparently scorched with violent heat, and having beneath it a close flinty sandstone.  Its crown is girt with walls and towers, which on the land side have been nearly all repaired.  The outer gateway stands between two fine old towers, with time-worn heads; twelve paces within it is a second gate, which is machicolated, and has a portcullis; and, within this, on the left hand, on a lofty point of rock, is a very ancient round tower of great strength; commanding a pass subject to every annoyance from the besieged.  This fort is believed to be of Saxon origin.  The keep stands on the area of the rock, having an open space around it.  It is square, and of that kind of building which prevailed from the Conquest till about the time of our second Henry.  It had no chimney; but fires had been made in the middle of a large room, which was lighted by a window near its top, three feet square.  All the other rooms were lighted by slit or loop holes, six inches broad.  The walls are of small stones, from a quarry at Sunderland on the sea, three miles distant:  within them is a draw well, discovered in 1770, in clearing the cellar from sand and rubbish; its depth is 145 feet, cut through solid rock, of which seventy-five feet are of whinstone.  The remains of a chapel were discovered here, under a prodigious mass of land, in the year 1773; its architecture was pure Saxon, and the ancient font being found, was preserved in the keep.  The chapel has been rebuilt on the old foundations.

[Illustration:  (Bamborough Castle before the general repairs.)]

The founder of the Castle is stated by Matthew of Westminster to have been Ida, King of Northumberland.  Sir Walter Scott sings

  Thy tower, proud Bamborough, mark’d they
       here,
  King Ida’s castle, huge and square,
  From its tall rock look grimly down,
  And on the swelling ocean frown.[4]

    [4] Marmion.