Curiosities of Great Britain: England and Wales Delineated Vol.1-11: Historical, Entertaining & Commercial; Alphabetically Arranged. 11 Volume set.Dugdale, Thomas
History
Curiosities of Great Britain: England and Wales Delineated Vol.1-11: Historical, Entertaining & Commercial; Alphabetically Arranged. 11 Volume set.
Dugdale, Thomas
Great Britain -- Gazetteers
[C] ARUNDEL, is situated on the declivity of a hill, on the north bank
of the river Arun, over which there is a bridge. It consists of two
principal streets, one of which runs north and south, and the other
westward from the point of the union. Many of the houses are built in
the castellated style. The church, situated at the north end of the
town, originally belonged to a priory of Benedictines, and is supposed
to have been founded soon after the conquest of Roger de Montgomery,
Earl of Arundel. It is a handsome gothic building with transepts, from
the centre of which rises a square tower, with a wooden spire. Some
beautiful monuments of the Earls of Arundel may be seen; and one, more
magnificent than the rest, is of alabaster, a calcareous earth, which
differs from marble, in being combined not with carbonic, but with
sulphuric acid. This monument is erected to the memory of Thomas
Fitz-Alan, and Beatrice, his countess, a daughter of John, King of
Portugal. The charter by which the town is governed, was granted by
Queen Elizabeth. It formerly sent two members, but by the Reform Bill,
it now sends but one; the ten pound householders are calculated at 380.
The borough comprises the parish of Arundel and the returning officer is
the mayor. Here was formerly a harbour sufficient to contain vessels of
one hundred tons burthen, but it has suffered great damage by the sea.
Great quantities of timber for ship building, are still shipped from
this place, which has but little trade, yet it is much benefitted in
summer by the numerous visitors who resort to it for sea bathing. Of the
castle, which stands on the north-east side of the town, mention is
first made in the will of King Alfred, who bequeathed it, with the town,
to his nephew Adhelm. A popular tradition ascribes the foundation of it
to Beris, "a giant of ancient times," in confirmation of which opinion a
tower is still pointed out, called Beris Tower. The Conqueror gave it to
his kinsman Roger de Montgomery, whom he also created Earl of Arundel,
which title belonged to three persons of this family, till Robert
Bellesme was outlawed by Henry I. for the assistance he gave to that
monarch's brother, Robert. The castle was then settled on Queen Adeliza,
who, after the death of her royal consort, gave her hand to William de
Albini, one of the most accomplished men of his age. Here the
dowager-queen performed the rites of hospitality towards the Empress
Maud, in the attempt of that princess to ascend the throne. The last
male heir of the name of Albini, died in 1243, when the castle and manor
of Arundel fell to his sister, Isabel, whose husband, John Fitz-Alan,
made the castle his residence, and assumed the title of Earl of Arundel.
The fourth in descent from him forfeited his life and estates, in the
attempt to ruin the Despensers, favourites of Edward II.; but the
estates were restored to his son, whose successor, in the reign of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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