At the upper, probably the eastern, end, and in front of the window, was a chair for the Queen of England. Against the wall on her left, a bench for thirteen barons; on her right, leaving space for passage between it and the wall, was a bench for twelve earls. Across the hall, 13 yards from the upper (east) end, and 8 yards from the lower end, was a bar, extending on the barons’ side nearly to the wall, but on the earls’ leaving space for passage. Within, close to the bar and opposite Elizabeth’s seat, was a chair for Mary.
The points of the compass are not marked upon the plan, but it is clear, from the disposition of the passage, that the door was on that or the north side, and most probably near to its west end. The door of a castle-hall would never have opened towards the defences of the place, but into the inner court.
The block for the execution was placed at the upper end of the hall; probably, therefore, where Elizabeth’s chair had stood during the trial.
The fireplace in which, after the execution, the block and bloody drapery were burned, probably was placed in the centre of the south wall.
Possibly, during a season of drought, some local antiquary may succeed in establishing the actual position of the door, the bay window, and the fireplace.
GROSMONT CASTLE, MONMOUTHSHIRE.
GROSMONT is one of five strong places disposed along the right or south-west bank of the Munnow river, the others being, below it, Skenfrith, and above it Oldcastle, Longtown, and the fortified house of Perthir; Monmouth Castle, and the town beneath its protection, occupied the junction of the Munnow with the Wye. These are some of the fortified buildings scattered broadcast over the Welsh marshes, and especially abundant in the county of Monmouth, and the remains of which, always picturesque, are often tolerably perfect.
In the rear of these castles on the Munnow were those of Brecknock, Tretower, Crickhowell, and Abergavenny, upon the Upper Usk; and over the whole of that country there is scarce a hill-top or point of vantage which is not occupied by some defensive earthwork, showing the importance attached to it by each of the several races, Celt, Roman, Saxon, and Norman, who in turn either attacked or defended this devoted soil.
Grosmont, about four miles above Skenfrith and five below Oldcastle, is placed, like the former fortress, upon the high concavity of a sharp bend of the river, about a hundred yards from its margin. Very near to it is the fine old cross church, which, having shared in the prosperity of the castle, has escaped its decay, and still remains in tolerable repair, although requiring a few subtractions and restorations at the hand of a judicious architect.