This was the next place of interest. The grounds, nearly twelve acres in extent, were enclosed in a high brick wall, which went all round. The lodge stood at the corner of what is now Pembury-road, and through the gates one could catch a glimpse of the beautiful hydrangeas, and other flowers bordering the carriage drive, leading to the mansion, which stood not far from Lordship-lane. It was a good old house, with a fine entrance hall; it struck me as being very gloomy upstairs, the bedroom doors all being painted black. There were many pretty, shady walks in the gardens and fields; in one part was a nut walk. When the hall was pulled down in 1867 a portion of the ground was thrown out to widen Lordship-lane, which was at that time very narrow. There was a row of pretty, small cottages on the right-hand side of the lane, several of them built of wood. The tenants took great pains with their gardens and grape vines, which were covered with bunches of white grapes. The houses that came next, called Bruce-terrace, were built by Mr. Thomas Finney, an ironfounder. They have one peculiarity—each house has an iron step at the gateway in lieu of stone. From this point to Bruce Castle grounds there were fields on both sides. On the left-hand side there was a row of majestic elm trees. The white house in the middle of the field was the residence of Mr. Francis Fox. BRUCE CASTLE. Bruce Castle has always had a fascination for me, thinking of the changes that have taken place since Robert Bruce, father of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, who died in 1303, lived in the castellated mansion that formerly occupied the site. Later on, when it came into the possession of Sir William Compton, he re-built it, and again it seems associated with Scotland, for on the Saturday after Ascension Day, in 1516, King Henry VIII. met his sister, Margaret, Queen of Scots, at “Maister Compton’s house beside Tottnam.” One can imagine the scene that was enacted there, when Sir William’s grandson, Henry Lord Compton, was honoured by a visit from Queen Elizabeth in May, 1578. History says the Castle was repaired, and almost re-built, in the latter part of the Seventeenth Century, by Henry Lord Coleraine, who succeeded the Comptons. He removed the arms of Compton from the old porch, and placed them over the entrance of the inside, out of respect to that illustrious family. At this time there was stabling for twelve horses, and a treble coach-house, with lofts over. Gradually the glory of the place departed; it passed from owner to owner, and when Mr. Ede, a merchant, of London, purchased it in 1814, these stables and coach-houses were pulled down. Up till the early part of last Century the principal entrance was in the centre of the Castle, and on either side of the door orange and lemon trees were growing in large tubs, which gave it a very pretty appearance. This door was afterwards closed, and the entrance made at the side. In 1827 Mr.