land. The
Scottish king and his son Prince Edward both fell during the siege. King
David gained possession of the town in 1135. William the Lion, who took
part with young Richard, afterwards Coeur de Lion, against his father
Henry II., entered Northumberland in 1174, with 80,000 men, and laid
siege to Alnwick; but the attempt was a failure, and William was taken
prisoner.

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co., Ltd._

ALNWICK CASTLE.

One of the finest examples of a feudal fortress in England.]

LANERCOST PRIORY, CUMBERLAND

=How to get there.=--Train from Euston _via_ Carlisle. L. and N.W.
Railway.
=Nearest Station.=--Brampton (Lanercost Abbey is situated 2 miles
north of Brampton).
=Distance from London.=--317 miles.
=Average Time.=--Varies between 6 to 9 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=--Single 40s. 10d. ... 24s. 4d.
Return 81s. 8d. ... 48s. 8d.

=Accommodation Obtainable.=--At Brampton--"Howard Arms,"
"White Lion Hotel."
=Alternative Route.=--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

Lanercost Priory is situated in a singularly beautiful sylvan valley
watered by the river Irthing. Only the shell of the chancel remains, but
the nave has been restored, and is now used as the church of the parish.
The walls of the roofless transepts as well as the central tower are
still standing. The pillars on the south side support a much decayed
clerestory, but on the opposite side both the triforium and clerestory
are in a fairly good state of preservation.

A side chapel in the choir contains some very finely carved but battered
altar-tombs belonging to the Dacre family--one of them is believed to be
that of Lord William Howard. Under what was the refectory of the
conventual buildings, one may find the crypt in a very good state of
preservation. In it are preserved some Roman altars and carvings
discovered at various times in the locality. A number of Roman
inscriptions having been discovered on the walls of the Priory Church;
it is generally supposed that much of the building material was obtained
from the Roman wall. The Rev. J. Maughan has argued for the existence of
a Roman station at this point, and its name is believed to have been
_Petriana_.

The monastery adjoining the Priory Church belonged to the order of St.
Augustine, and its endowments consisted of all the land lying between
the Picts' wall and the river Irthing, upon which the buildings stood,
an