Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/341

 CAERNARVON CASTLE. 241 This shows us that the works at Caernarvon were no longer under the charge of Richard de Abingdon, and we accordingly find mention of his successor, Robert de Belvero, in the office of Chamberlain, who was to be allowed in his accounts 69/. 12.^. lO^d., which he had delivered to Queen Eleanor, the king's wife, as a gift from the monarch. The following entries throw further light upon the condition of the town and Castle during the term of this second Cham- berlainship. Otho de Grandison was appointed warden of tlie Castle in 1286, and there is an allowance to him of 51. for 50 quarters of salt for victualling it in the 14t]i year of Edward I., and of 1 71. Ss. 6^d. which he had expended in the purchase of 300 staves for cross-bows, wax, skins, varnish, cord, and other things delivered to Wilham, the King's Attiliator in Caernarvon Castle ("ad attiliariam suam inde faciendam"). Also 50/. 14.S'. paid to the said William for his wages at 8d. a-day for 1521 days, ending at Pentecost in the 18th year, also 1/. 3s. id. paid to two preparers (" apparatores ") of bows and arrows in Caernarvon Castle, for their wages for 11 weeks, ending Aug. 4th, the 14th year. It appears from the Liberate Roll (18 Edward I.) that the wall round the town was built in the 1 4th year of this reign (1286), as 6/. Is. Ad. was paid to some burgesses as a recom- pense for the loss they had sustained by their houses being- pulled down to allow its erection. Simon Corbet and John de Dalhngton also took 371. 13s. 8d. for keeping the gates of the town, and for divers men occupied in the fortification of the town, from the 15th to the 18th year, at lAd. a- week each. There is no mention made on the Rolls of any particular person to whom the planning or direction of the works at these several fortresses was confided. A few years later, Edmund Crouchback was authorised to direct what works should be executed, but the only individual now named who seems likely to have had any control over the archi- tectural part is William de Britan, who is spoken of as the artilleryman {attiliator) in the castles of Wales, and who took for his wages from the 1st of June (13th), 1285, to the 9th of November the same year, 5/. 14^. Sd., or at the rate of 8 of. a-day. These unusually high wages, at all events, show that he was above a common workman, though whether VUL. VII. K K