with a view to trace the remains of the Roman road.-" An investigation," says Mr. Edgell, the gentleman chiefly engaged in the research, 66 was commenced in Mr. Forbes' field, west of Broomhall, near the road leading to Sunninghill, in which situation may be seen a remarkable specimen of Roman road in its most perfect state whilst in the fields, still more to the westward, are scattered fragments of Roman bricks, tiles, and lead, affording sufficient indication that a Roman town, which must have been of considerable extent, once existed there. The continuance of the road was then traced with great assiduity, and scientific knowledge, by Lieutenant Gray, of the 83rd Regiment, to the boundary stone south of the Belvidere. This gentleman discovered on the descent from thence, a fine sample of the road, with the heath growing upon it, which appears never to have been disturbed. Its course was kept in view for some distance; crossing the western road, it passed north of the clock case, and terminated on the brow at the extremity of the heath. It would have been interesting to a large company, assembled on this spot, to have viewed the existing road on the brow. Many of them witnessed the large stones dug up in the sandpit fields, now placed in the garden of Mr. Clode, which appear to have formed the substruction of some large house, or place of defence; but, in consequence of the injury which must have been occasioned to the growing and valuable crops, it was impracticable to proceed on the higher ground to see the Roman road. Still the remarkable and undeviating line taken by the Roman engineer was observed, bearing to the north side of Ashford church, where, in my recollection, a portion of the

Roman road existed perfect; but now it is nearly, if not entirely, destroyed by the plantations, &c. From a bridge crossing the Thames below Staines, from those of the large encampments adjoining the river, together with the bridge at the ford at Ashford, must the station of Pontes have been denominated. For the account of the road from Ashford to London, that by Dr. Stukely must be referred to. He traces it east of the powdermills on Hounslow Heath, by Turnham Green, and Oxford road, to the London stone near St. Swithin's."*

These antiquarian researches, however, relate rather to the neighbourhood of Windsor than to the place itself; we must be content with a later date for the commencement of our inquiries relative to the latter. It is here that poetry and tradition have associated with it the romance of King Arthur; and, in the preface to the "Black Book," or register of the Garter, we are gravely informed that this deservedly noted and famous prince, "in whose reign the riches and power of the Britons largely increased, began that noble tower at Windsor, and there instituted his Round Table." It need scarcely be remarked, that there is no historical evidence whatever to support such a statement, and that the greater part of what is related respecting that celebrated personage is purely fictitious.

* 66

Observations upon certain Roman Roads and Towns in the south of Britain."-Appendix, p. 45.

"This was (if we may believe authors) a seat made of an extraordinary wood, drawn round into a circle and beautifully adorned, which Arthur had set apart for those select knights which he had chosen and united for himself: and was still further ennobled by the consecrating hand of the then Archbishop of Canterbury."-BLACK BOOK.

There can be no doubt that, at a very remote period, the

Saxon kings had a palace at Old Windsor.

name of Wyndleshora, a Saxon appellation,

It then bore the

referring to the

A town of some

Though

winding banks of the Thames in that vicinity. extent existed there prior to the Conquest, and in the reign of William the Conqueror contained a hundred houses. Saxon urns, at different times, have been dug up in the neighbourhood, no one yet has been able to identify the site of the royal palace. Wherever it stood, it seems to have been the resort of the Saxon princes; and here, it is said, Edward the Confessor held his court. A story is related of him by William of Malmsbury, which, while it confirms the fact of his residence at Old Windsor, furnishes an example of the marvellous statements which obtained credence in that ignorant and superstitious age." One Wulwin, surnamed Spillicora, son of Wulman de Nutergarshall, cutting down fuel in the wood Bruelle (now Brill, in Bucks), after hard labouring, fell into a sleep, and, by a settlement of blood in his eyes, lost his sight for seventeen years. Upon the strength of a dream, he then went round to eighty-seven churches, to beg relief from the respective saints, and at last came blind to the king's court at Windsor, and was cured by the touch of the king's hand; after which he was keeper of the king's palace at Windsor, for several years after the death of his royal healer."* Edward the Confessor stands conspicuous among the saints of the middle ages, a period during which superstition was often mistaken for piety, though it may be charitably hoped that piety was often mingled with superstition.

* Pote's "History of Windsor," p. 42.

In accordance with his saintly character, he was a munificent benefactor to the church, and it is in an ancient deed of gift from the monarch to the monks of Westminster, that we first find the name of New Windsor, destined at length, by its surpassing fame, to throw the remembrance of its elder sister into the shade. The king," for the hope of eternal reward, the remission of his sins, the sins of his father and mother, and all his ancestors, to the praise of Almighty God, granted, as an endowment and perpetual inheritance, to the use of the monks there that served God, Windsor, and its appurtenances.'

But the brotherhood at Westminster were not permitted long to retain the gift, for William the Conqueror, having taken possession of the domain at Old Windsor, was attracted by the beauty of this neighbouring spot, and also by its natural strength, so important in those days of warfare, and selected it as the site of a new residence. He required the monks to resign it into his possession, and compensated them for the loss, by the grant of certain estates in the county of Essex. William ascended the English throne in the year 1066, and probably at an early period of his reign erected the castle at Windsor, since in " Domesday Book," which was completed in the year 1086, the castle is referred to as already in existence, and containing within its boundary half a hide of land, parcel of the manor of Clewer. Being extremely fond of the chase, the king appropriated for that purpose the forest for many miles round, and established laws for the preservation of the game. No description of William's castle remains, but it was probably of the same character

* Pote's "History of Windsor," p. 2.

with other Norman strongholds, of which many remains may be seen in different parts of the kingdom. A high solid rampart, flanked by salient towers, and defended by a parapet, enclosed an open space, in which, near the extremity, and on the highest elevation which could be obtained, stood the keep, the citadel of the fortification, and, in some cases, the residence of the lord. The entrance was accessible only by a precipitous flight of steps exposed to the missiles of the besieged, or by stairs of studied intricacy. The approach was guarded by a stockdale, or a second rampart and ditch, dividing the enclosure into the upper and lower bailey or ward. Sometimes within the ramparts other buildings were erected, as the residence of the owner of the fortress, rather more adapted to domestic habitation than the cheerless keep.* The castle at Windsor, though intended as a hunting seat for the Conqueror, would, as a matter of course, in a warlike age, and under circumstances such as those which attended his accession to the sovereignty of England, partake of the nature of a fortress. The accommodation it afforded must have been of limited extent, and therefore the festivities of his court at Windsor, to which authors refer, must have been held at the old Saxon palace.

Henry I. increased the buildings at New Windsor, where, in the year 1109, he kept the feast of Whitsuntide, and invited the nobles of the realm to attend the solemnity. This is the first undoubted instance of a court being held in the new palace; and it was on this occasion that ambassadors came to solicit the hand

* See Introduction to the splendid Illustrations of Windsor Castle, by Sir Jeffry Wyatville.