Antiquities: Mansion houses

Ancient Mansion Houses.

Ancient Mansion Houses.]—There are few ancient mansion houses in this county independently of the castles, which contain any thing remarkable, or worthy of particular notice, except the large square tower, of three or four stories, which was attached to most of them, with walls of great thickness; intended for the retreat and defence of the family, upon any sudden predatory incursion of the Scots. The chamber on the ground-floor was vaulted, and the entrance secured by a strong grated iron door. These towers are to be seen at Muncaster, Irton-hall, Netherby, Nether-hall, and several other mansion houses, at present occupied by the gentry of the county, though frequently almost hidden by modern alterations. One of them stands detached from any other building, at KirkAndrews-upon-Eske: this, which is quite entire, has a projecting parapet resting on brackets, and indented gable ends, in the style of the ancient buildings in the neighbouring part of Scotland: at one corner is a stone stair-case; the dimensions of this tower are twenty-eight feet by thirty-seven feet six inches.

Dalston-hall, Hewthwaite-hall (fn. n1), Lamplugh-hall, Drumburgh-castle, Harbybrow and Hardrigg-hall, are ancient mansion-houses, still retaining altogether, or in part, their original form; but neither of them appear to be of an earlier date than the beginning of the sixteenth century.