Haddon has been a prolific theme for writers, and an endless source of inspiration for poets and artists, and long will it continue to be so, for no “olden” place can be more picturesque or more romantic. It is said that Mrs. Radcliffe was so struck with it, that she laid the scene of her “Mysteries of Udolpho” here; and Allan Cunningham, the Countess de Carabrella, and numberless other writers, have made it a theme for some of their pleasantest productions; William Bennett took it and its hospitable owner, Sir George Vernon, as the subject of one of his most successful novels, “The King of the Peak;” while D. Cox, Nash, Cattermole, Harding, Rayner, Morrison, and a host of other artists, have added to their reputations by painting some of its more attractive features. [Illustration: _The Foot-Bridge._] As may naturally be expected, in a neighbourhood so rich in interest as that of Haddon, some singular discoveries have at one time or other been made. Among these the Roman altar, described on a preceding page, is perhaps the most important. The opening of barrows in the neighbourhood has brought to light many interesting remains of the ancient British period, and also of Romano-British times. These consist of interments in which have been found cinerary urns, drinking-cups, bone mesh-rules, flint implements, bronze celts, and other articles. Some fine antlers, and parts of antlers, of the red deer, one of which, with four points at the top, measured more than three feet along its outer curve, and was six-and-a-half inches in medium circumference, have also been found. But these are not the only remains of extinct animals found in the neighbourhood, for those of the wild dog, the wild hog, the horse, the deer, the roebuck, and the ox—both the _Bos urus_ and the _Bos longifrons_—all of which once ran wild in Derbyshire, have been found, in the course of deep draining near the Hall, and preserved under the careful direction of Mr. Nesfield. [Illustration: _Ring found at Haddon Hall._] Perhaps the most elegant relic yet discovered is the ring shown in our engraving, which is in possession of his Grace the Duke of Rutland. It was found a few years ago, not far from the “Bowling Green,” and is evidently of the fifteenth century, and is of extremely fine workmanship and elegant design. The hoop is wreathed, and has originally been enamelled, and bears between the foliage the inscription, in old English letters, “de boen cuer,” which is one of frequent occurrence as a posy upon mediæval rings, probably in this case, meaning _de bon cœur_, and showing the hearty affection of the giver to the receiver. The little figure engraved on the besel is St. John the Baptist, with the Lamb enfolded in his mantle, and has most likely also been enamelled. It is probably a kind of charm-ring—_i.e._, a ring possessing physical or phylacteric qualities against epilepsy, the _mal de St. Jean_. It is of the purest gold, and weighs ninety-seven grains.