That a gallery
was built there by Sir Richard Cholmley, the Great Black Knight of the
North, in the reign of Elizabeth, appears from the record which says "that
the saide S^r Rychard Cholmley did send Gyles Raunde and George Raude two
masons to the Quenes Castell of Pyckeringe whenn he builded his gallerye
at Roxbye to polle [pulle] downe the chefe stones of Masonn work owt of
one howse in the same castell called the King's Haull, and took owte of
the pryncypall and cheffest Towre of the same castle the stones of the
stayres which they did and the said S^r Rychard caused xiiii wayne lodes
of the same stones to be caryed by his Tenantes to his owne house at
Roxbye."

[Footnote 1: "Memoirs of Sir Hugh Cholmley," p. 7.]

Leland,[1] who wrote in the reign of Henry VIII., tells us that at Wilton
there was "a Manor Place with a Tower longging to _Chomeley_." He also
says "This _Chomeley_ hath a Howse also at _Rollesley_ (_Rottesby_): and
_Chomeley's_ Father that now is was as an Hedde officer at _Pykeringe_,
and setter up of his name yn that Quarters." "Thens to _Pykering_: and
moste of the Ground from _Scardeburg_ to _Pykering_ was by Hille and Dale
meate (metely) plentifull of Corn and Grasse but litle Wood in sight.

[Footnote 1: "The Itinerary of John Leland the Antiquary," Thomas Hearne,
1745. Vol. i. pp. 64 and 65.]

"The Toune of _Pykering_ is large but not welle compact togither. The
greatest Part of it with the Paroch Chirch and the Castel is on the South
Est Part of the Broke renning thorough the Toune, and standith on a great
Slaty Hille. The other Part of the Toun is not so bigge as this: the Brook
rennith bytwixt them that Sumtyme ragith, but it suagith shortely agayn:
and a Mile beneth the Toun goith into Costey [the Costa].

"In _Pykering_ Chirch I saw 2 or 3 Tumbes of the Bruses wherof one with
his Wife lay yn a Chapel on the South syde of the Quirr, and he had a
Garland about his Helmet. There was another of the Bruses biried in a
Chapel under an Arch of the North side of the Body of the Quier: and there
is a Cantuarie bering his Name.

[Illustration: Pickering Castle from the Keep, looking South-West.

The gate tower is just shown on the left. In the centre is the Mill or
Miln Tower, with the circular stone staircase projecting like a turret at
one corner, and in the foreground is one of the ruined towers that guarded
the inner gateway. In the distance is the broad Vale of Pickering. The
high ground