Edward I. introduced a new style of castellated architecture; the stronger portion, therefore, now remaining was probably erected by direction of that monarch, being in the style generally adopted during his reign. On the union of Wales it was no longer important as a place of defence, and the building began gradually to decay, although in the civil war it was repaired and garrisoned for the king, and afterwards escaped the almost general demolition of royal fortresses by its surrender to the parliamentary army in 1645. The Castle subsequently reverted to the burgesses, who resigned it to Charles II. and that monarch presented it to Lord Newport. It is now the property of the Duke of Cleveland, and is occupied by J. C. Pelham, Esq. one of the members for the borough. The present remains have a picturesque effect, and are composed of a deep red stone. They consist of the keep, the walls of the inner court, and the great semi-circular arch of THE INTERIOR GATEWAY, from which the last Norman Earl of Shrewsbury issued with the keys of the gates to make submission to Henry I. Although the masonry of the jambs of this noble gateway is singularly irregular, it has, through a period of nearly 800 years, retained its strength unshaken amid the ravages of time and war. It was formerly defended by a portcullis and towers. The keep consists of two large round towers, embattled and pierced, connected by a square building of about 100 feet in length. [Picture: Gateway of Castle] The interior is much altered from its original appearance, and now forms a handsome private residence, modern pointed windows having been placed therein when it was repaired by Sir William Pulteney, about the close of the last century. The drawing room is supposed to have been the guard chamber in the time of Charles I. The castle still retains one mark of its ancient dignity, for in the area of the inner court the knights of the shire are nominated, and when the result of the election is declared, are girt with their swords by the Sheriff. On the north-east side of this court is a postern, built in the time of Charles I.; and the battlements of the western wall have an interior platform, and are curiously pierced with narrow eyelets for the convenience of the cross-bowmen, around which time has wove its ivy mantling. On the south side within the court is a mount, {16} rising upwards of 100 feet above the bed of the river. The summit is surrounded by a wall, and crowned by a watch tower, which forms a bold and beautiful object. The tower was rebuilt during the repair of the castle, from a design and under the superintendance of the late Thomas Telford, Esq. who was then residing with Sir William Pulteney. In this elevated tower Mr. Telford wrote the beautiful poem to his countryman Burns, and thus alludes to its site near the river Severn:—