are of unusually large dimensions, the principal remaining apartment
being 220ft. by 28: the entire western part, including the _Little
House_ at the northern extremity, extends about 150 yards. The
designs for the whole castle are said to have been furnished by
Huntingdon Smithson, (an architect noticed by Walpole,) but he did not
live to witness its erection. He collected his materials from Italy,
where he was sent by the Duke of Newcastle for the purpose. Smithson
died at Bolsover, in 1648, and was buried in the chancel of the church,
where there is a poetical inscription to his memory, in which his skill
in architecture is commemorated.

The whole pile is now wearing away. Trees grow in some of the deserted
apartments, and ivy creeps along the walls; though the ruins have little
of the picturesqueness of decay. The best point of view, or north-west,
is represented in the Engraving; a short distance hence lies the village
of Bolsover.

[1] The duke was an important personage in the hostilities between
his soverign and the parliament. In 1642, he was appointed
general of all his majesty's forces, raised north of Trent,
with very full powers. He levied a considerable army at his own
expense, with which he for some time maintained the king's cause
in the north. He, however, possessed little of the skill of a
general, though he was a splendid soldier of fortune. He gained
a signal victory over Lord Fairfax, near Bradford, and some
others of less importance; but he was utterly defeated at
Marston Moor, after which he left the country in despair of the
royal cause. He resided for some time at Antwerp with his lady,
where they were frequently in much distress. On his return to
England, at the Restoration, he was received with the respect