of the walls had been cleaned, careful coloured drawings were
made, then colour wash was applied again, and the priceless paintings
disappeared for a generation. The objections to what had been considered
improper wall decoration for a parish church in the nineteenth century
having been reasoned away, the pictures once more appeared, but in a
very different condition to their first resurrection. However, the
drawings were in existence, so that a careful restoration was possible,
and as we see them to-day the subdued tones closely follow the
original colours.

The simple Norman arcade on the north side of the nave has plain round
columns and semicircular arches, but the south side belongs to later
Norman times, and has ornate columns and capitals. At least one member
of the great Bruce family, who had a house at Pickering called Bruce's
Hall, and whose ascendency at Guisborough has already been mentioned,
was buried here, for the figure of a knight in chain-mail by the lectern
probably represents Sir William Bruce. In the chapel there is a
sumptuous monument bearing the effigies of Sir David and Dame Margery
Roucliffe. The knight wears the collar of S.S., and his arms are on
his surcoat.

When John Leland, the 'Royal Antiquary' employed by Henry VIII., came to
Pickering, he described the castle, which was in a more perfect state
than it is to-day. He says: 'In the first Court of it be a 4 Toures, of
the which one is Caullid Rosamunde's Toure.' Also of the inner court he
writes of '4 Toures, wherof the Kepe is one.' This keep and Rosamund's
Tower, as well as the ruins of some of the others, are still to be seen
on the outer walls, so that from some points of view the ruins are
dignified and picturesque. The area enclosed was large, and in early
times the castle must have been almost impregnable. But during the Civil
War it was much damaged by the soldiers quartered there, and Sir Hugh
Cholmley took lead, wood, and iron from it for the defence of
Scarborough. The wide view from the castle walls shows better than any
description the importance of the position it occupied, and we feel, as
we gaze over the vale or northwards to the moors, that this was the
dominant power over the whole countryside.

Although Lastingham is not on the road to Helmsley, the few additional
miles will scarcely be counted when we are on our way to a church which,
besides being architecturally one of the most interesting in the county,
is perhaps