THE OUSE Bridge

Is an object highly deserving of notice from the lover of drawing; with the surrounding objects, it composes a scene that would have delighted. Cannaletti, and rivals many of his finest Venetian views. The bridge is composed of five arches; the centre arch is a noble portion of a circle* twenty-seven yards wide, and from the spring of the arch seventeen yards high. On the Bridge is the Great Council Chamber, and the Prison for Debtors and Felons; these, with the various irregular buildings that decorate the A a 2 banks

In this assertion, though corroborated by a subsequent remark, MR. DAYES appears to stand alone. Among the artists who have made drawings of the Bridge, are the Royal Academician, FARINGDON, whose view of it was engraved by BIRCH; VARLEY, the Elder; and GIRTIN, two of whose sketches are now before me; all of whom have delineated the great arch as pointed. That it should assume a different appearance in the eyes of my deceased friend, who made a sketch of each side of the Bridge, from one of which the annexed view was engraved, is extremely singular; but that it really did so, is evident, not only from the sketches themselves, but also from a note twice repeated in his sketchbook in these words, the Great Arch is circular. This contrariety of opinion was unknown to me when I visited York in December, 1803, or I should have endeavoured to have discovered the cause in which it originated: since the present work was at press, however, the subject has been mentioned to a friend, who, in a letter lately received from York, observes, that he went beneath the arch in a boat, and that it is certainly pointed. E.

banks of the river Ouse, the craft, and a multitude of busy figures employed in loading and unloading the vessels, present a fine set of objects for the attention of the draughtsman. It is in contemplation to remove the buildings on the Bridge; but whenever that takes place, much of the picturesque character of this fine scene will be destroyed. It is a singular circumstance, that most of the persons who have drawn this Bridge, have described the centre arch as a pointed one; perhaps this error may have arisen from the immensity of the arch, as the intersection of the opposite side, to the spectator, presents an angle so exceedingly sharp, as to deceive a superficial observer into a belief of its being really pointed.

Four principal gates, or bars, and five posterns, compose the various entrances into this City; but the only one deserving of particular notice is that called MICKLEGATE BAR. This is situated in the south-west quarter of the City, on the London road. The whole is in form a triplet, supporting a massy pile of Gothic turrets, &c. Antiquaries consider the interior gate as a Roman work; it forms a true segment of a circle, of wellfinished masonry, in millstone grit. The outer gate had formerly a massy iron chain across it, and also a portcullis; it has still strong double wooden gates, which are closed every night at ten o'clock. This Bar presents a picturesque fea

ture

ture from the London road, which is much improved by including the remains of the Hospital of St. Thomas.

The Castle, as it is called, is a modern building, serving for the County Jail, and other purposes: near it is a high Mount, on which is CLIFFORD'S TOWER. The ground-plan of this building is singular; it is formed by the segment of four circles joined together, and meeting within one larger circle. There is no doubt that the mount on which this building stands is artificial: the Tower is said to have been the work of William the Conqueror, who appointed one of the Clifford Family to be the governor, from which circumstance it has derived its name. On the festival of St. George, in the year 1684, the magazine took fire, and blew up, leaving the Tower a mere shell, which it remains to this day. Over the entrance are the Royal arms, and those of the Cliffords, Chequèe and a Fess, ensigned with an Earl's coronet. From the summit of this building is a comprehensive view of the City, and surrounding country. It is now, with its accompanying works, in private hands: the ditch having been converted into a garden, is full of trees.

On the manor-shore, close by the river Ouse, are the small remains of the once magnificent ABBEY OF ST. MARY. The ruins occupy a considerable

1

derable tract of ground, but present little to entertain the eye, excepting some fragments of the Church. This building does not appear to have been in the form of a cross, as is usual in Gothic churches; for though the west entrance, with the side aisles, may be easily traced, and the north side, and part of the east end, are yet standing, there is no appearance of any transept. Church seems to have been small; but its remains exhibit specimens of great richness in ornament.

The

There is a striking similitude in the character of the Architecture of all the religious foundations in Yorkshire; they form quite a school of the Gothic, whoever was the person it originated with. This is easily observed, by comparing St. Mary's Abbey with Rippon Minster, parts of Fountains, Rievale, Byland, and others. Indeed, there is not only a resemblance in the style, but also a classical elegance in the buildings, not to be exceeded by any in Great Britain. The deeply recessed doorway does not occur so frequently in Yorkshire as in other parts of the kingdom, which, in my opinion, is a proof of a superior taste in the builders, who thereby avoided that tiresome repetition of similar mouldings, which fatigue the eye to look on, particularly where the recess is great.

This was a Benedictine Abbey, and one of the richest in England. Browne Willis mentions it in