quarian & Topographical Cabinee fromaDrawing by TWhichele Entrance to Carrisbrook Castle, Isle of Wight. Published for the Proprietors by W. Clarke Bond Street. May 1.1807. CARISBROOK CASTLE, ISLE OF WIGHT. THIS Castle stands on an eminence, about one mile from Newport, and overlooks the village of Carisbrook. Historians relate that a castle existed in this place when Britain was subdued by Vespasian, A. D. 45, in the reign of the emperor Claudius, and that it was repaired by the Romans; it was afterwards rebuilt by Withtgar, the Saxon, then sovereign of the Isle of Wight, about the year 519, who called the Castle Wight Garisbourg, from which its present name Carisbrook is supposed to be derived. This building falling to decay, in a great measure through length of time, was re-edified in the reign of Henry I. by Richard de Rivers, earl of Devon; and Camden relates that it was once more rebuilt by a governor of the island. Queen Elizabeth made some additions, and considerably repaired the ancient building; the date of these reparations is sculptured on a shield placed over the outer entrance. Under the date are the initials E. R. from which it has been inferred that this gate was erected by Elizabeth. The walls of the ancient edifice enclose a space, whose area is about an acre and a half; its shape is a right-angled parallelogram, with the angles rounded off; its greatest length from east to west. The entrance is on B |