Rights for this book: Public domain in the USA. This edition is published by Project Gutenberg. Originally issued by Project Gutenberg on 2016-02-10. To support the work of Project Gutenberg, visit their Donation Page. This free ebook has been produced by GITenberg, a program of the Free Ebook Foundation. If you have corrections or improvements to make to this ebook, or you want to use the source files for this ebook, visit the book's github repository. You can support the work of the Free Ebook Foundation at their Contributors Page. The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Stately Homes of England, by Llewellynn Frederick William Jewitt and S. C. (Samuel Carter) Hall This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: The Stately Homes of England Author: Llewellynn Frederick William Jewitt and S. C. (Samuel Carter) Hall Release Date: February 10, 2016 [eBook #51173] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STATELY HOMES OF ENGLAND*** E-text prepared by Giovanni Fini and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/statelyhomesofen00jewiiala THE STATELY HOMES OF ENGLAND THE STATELY HOMES OF ENGLAND BY LLEWELLYNN JEWITT, F.S.A., E TC ., E TC AND S. C. HALL, F.S.A. COMPLETE IN TWO SERIES. ILLUSTRATED WITH THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD NEW YORK A. W. LOVERING, IMPORTER. INTRODUCTION. NGLAND is rich—immeasurably richer than any other country under the sun—in its “Homes;” and these homes, whether of the sovereign or of the high nobility, of the country squire or the merchant-prince, of the artisan or the labourer, whether, in fact, they are palace or cottage, or of any intermediate grade, have a character possessed by none other. England, whose “Home! sweet home!” has become almost a national anthem—so closely is its sentiment entwined around the hearts of the people of every class—is, indeed, emphatically a Kingdom of Homes; and these, and their associations and surroundings, and the love which is felt for them, are its main source of true greatness. An Englishman feels, wherever he may be, that “Home is home, however lowly;” and that, despite the attractions of other countries and the glare and brilliancy of foreign courts and foreign phases of society, after all “There’s no place like home” in his own old fatherland. Beautifully has the gifted poet, Mrs. Hemans, sung of English “Homes,” and charmingly has she said— “The Stately Homes of England, How beautiful they stand Amidst their tall ancestral trees O’er all the pleasant land!” and thus given to us a title for our present work. Of these “Stately Homes” of our “pleasant land” we have chosen some few for illustration, not for their stateliness alone, but because the true nobility of their owners allows their beauties, their splendour, their picturesque surroundings, and their treasures of art to be seen and enjoyed by all. Whether “stately” in their proportions or in their style of architecture, in their internal decorations or their outward surroundings, in the halo of historical associations which encircle them, or in the families which have made their greatness, and whose high and noble characters have given them an enduring interest, these “Homes” are indeed a fitting and pleasant subject for pen and pencil. The task of their illustration has been a peculiarly grateful one to us, and we have accomplished it with loving hands, and with a sincere desire to make our work acceptable to a large number of readers. In the first instance, our notices of these “Stately Homes” appeared in the pages of the Art-Journal , for which, indeed, they were specially prepared, with the ultimate intention, now carried out, of issuing them in a collected form. They have, however, now been rearranged, and have received considerable, and in many instances very important, additions. The present volume may be looked upon as the first of a short series of volumes devoted to this pleasant and fascinating subject; others of a similar character, embracing many equally beautiful, equally interesting, and equally “stately” Homes will follow. LLEWELLYNN JEWITT. W INSTER H ALL , D ERBYSHIRE CONTENTS OF FIRST SERIES. PAGE I. — A LTON T OWERS , S TAFFORDSHIRE 1 II. — C OBHAM H ALL , K ENT 37 III. — M OUNT E DGCUMBE , D EVONSHIRE 54 IV . — C OTHELE , C ORNWALL 70 V . — A LNWICK C ASTLE , N ORTHUMBERLAND 78 VI. — H ARDWICK H ALL , D ERBYSHIRE 116 VII. — A RUNDEL C ASTLE , S USSEX 153 VIII. — P ENSHURST , K ENT 172 IX. — W ARWICK C ASTLE , W ARWICKSHIRE 192 X. — H ADDON H ALL , D ERBYSHIRE 221 XI. — H ATFIELD H OUSE , H ERTFORDSHIRE 294 XII. — C ASSIOBURY , H ERTFORDSHIRE 308 XIII. — C HATSWORTH , D ERBYSHIRE 322 [viii] [ix] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FIRST SERIES. Page I.—ALTON TOWERS. Lion Fountain 1 Ruins of Alton Castle 2 Alton Towers, from the Terrace 4 ” from the Lake 6 The Octagon 8 The Conservatories and Alcove 11 The Temple 19 The Conservatories 22 The Pagoda 24 Choragic Temple 27 View from the Lower Terrace 29 The Gothic Temple 31 Part of the Grounds 33 Hospital of St. John 34 II.—COBHAM HALL. Initial Letter 37 Cobham Hall 38 The Three Sisters 43 The Lodge 45 Interior of the Church 48 The College Porch 50 The College 52 III.—MOUNT EDGCUMBE. The Eddystone Lighthouse 54 Plymouth Breakwater 57 Mount Edgcumbe, from Stonehouse Pier 59 The Mansion 61 Lady Emma’s Cottage 64 The Gardens 65 The Ruin, the Sound, Drake’s Island, &c. 68 The Salute Battery 69 IV.—COTHELE. The Mansion 73 The Landing Place 75 V.—ALNWICK CASTLE. Lighting the Beacon 78 Plan of Alnwick Castle 80 Alnwick Castle, from the River Aln 81 The Barbican 83 The Prudhoe Tower and Chapel 85 The Keep 87 Norman Gateway in the Keep 89 The Armourer’s Tower 91 Figure of Warrior on the Barbican 93 The Well in the Keep 94 The Constable’s Tower 95 Figure of Warrior on the Barbican 96 The East Garret 98 The Garden Gate, or Warder’s Tower 99 Bond Gate: “Hotspur’s Gate” 103 Alnwick Abbey 105 The Percy Cross 107 Hulne Abbey: The Percy Tower 109 ” The Church 111 The Brislee Tower 114 VI.—HARDWICK HALL. Ancient Pargetting, and Arms of Cavendish 116 Hardwick Hall, with the Entrance Gateway 118 The West Front 122 The Great Hall 125 The Grand Staircase 127 The Chapel 129 The Presence Chamber 131 Mary Queen of Scots’ Room 133 The Picture Gallery 135 Ancient Lock, and Arms of Hardwick 137 Hardwick Hall, from the Park 139 The Old Hall at Hardwick 142 Interior of the Old Hall 144 Fac-simile of the Countess of Shrewsbury’s Signature 145 Hault Hucknall Church 146 The Grave of Hobbes of Malmesbury in Hault Hucknall Church 148 VII.—ARUNDEL CASTLE. Horned Owls in the Keep 153 The Quadrangle 156 Entrance Gate, from the Interior 158 The Keep 160 The Library 163 The Church of the Holy Trinity 169 Tombs of Thomas Fitzalan and Lady Beatrix in Arundel Church 171 VIII.—PENSHURST. The Bell 172 Penshurst, from the President’s Court 174 North and West Fronts 177 View from the Garden 179 The Baron’s Court 182 The Village and Entrance to Churchyard 185 The Record Tower and the Church, from the Garden 186 The Hall and Minstrels’ Gallery 188 IX.—WARWICK CASTLE. The Swan of Avon 192 The Castle, from the Temple Field 194 The Keep, from the Inner Court 196 Earl of Warwick and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester 198 Earl of Warwick’s Combat before the Emperor Sigismund and the Empress 199 Earl of Warwick Departing on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 200 Badge of the Earl of Warwick 201 Cæsar’s Tower 202 The Castle, from the Bridge 203 The Castle, from the Island 205 Guy’s Tower 206 The Warder’s Horn 207 The Castle, from the Outer Court 209 The Inner Court, from the Keep 211 Guy’s and the Clock Tower, from the Keep 212 The Castle, from the banks of the Avon 214 The Beauchamp Chapel; Monument of the Founder 216 The Confessional 217 The Oratory 218 Warwick: The East Gate 219 X.—HADDON HALL. Dorothy Vernon’s Door 221 Haddon, from the Meadows on the Bakewell Road 223 The “Peacock” at Rowsley 225 Haddon, from the Rowsley Road 226 Arms of Vernon quartering Avenell 227 Arms of Lord Vernon 230 Haddon, from the Meadows 234 The Main Entrance 235 Inside of Gateway 236 Ground and Garden Plan of Haddon 237 The first Court-yard 239 Gateway under the Eagle Tower 240 The Chaplain’s Room 241 The Chapel 242 Norman Font in the Chapel 244 Wall-paintings in the Chapel 248 Steps to State Apartments 249 Roman Altar, Haddon Hall 250 The Banqueting-Hall: with the Minstrels’ Gallery 251 Old Oak-table in the Banqueting-Hall 252 The Hand-lock in the Banqueting-Hall 252 Staircase to Minstrels’ Gallery 253 Oriel Window in the Dining-room 255 Ante-room to the Earl’s Bed-room 256 The Ball-room, or Long Gallery 257 Steps to the Ball-room 259 Dorothy Vernon’s Door: Interior 260 Dorothy Vernon’s Door: Exterior 261 The State Bed-room 263 The Archers’ Room, for Stringing Bows, &c. 264 The Rack for Stringing the Bows 265 The Eagle, or Peverel Tower 266 Gallery across Small Yard 267 Room over the Entrance Gateway 268 The Terrace 270 The Hall from the Terrace 271 Arms of Family of Manners 272 Arms of the Duke of Rutland 278 The Foot-Bridge 279 Ring found at Haddon Hall 280 Washing-Tally found at Haddon Hall 281 Bakewell Church 283 Monument of Sir John Manners and his Wife, Dorothy Vernon 286 Ancient Cross, Bakewell Churchyard 290 XI.—HATFIELD HOUSE. Armed Knight 294 The Old Palace at Hatfield 295 The Front View 297 The Garden front of Hatfield House 299 The East View 302 The Gallery 304 The Hall 305 XII.—CASSIOBURY. Crest of the Earl of Essex 308 Back View 310 From the Wood Walks 313 From the South-west 315 The Swiss Cottage 317 The Lodge 318 Monument in the Church at Watford 320 XIII.—CHATSWORTH. Entrance to the Stables 322 The Old Hall as it formerly stood 325 Chatsworth from the River Derwent 333 The Entrance Gates 335 The Grand Entrance-Lodge at Baslow 340 Edensor Mill Lodge and Beeley Bridge 341 Entrance Gate 342 The Bridge over the River Derwent, in the Park 343 The Great Hall and Staircase 344 Vista of the State Apartments 346 Grinling Gibbons’ Masterpiece 348 The Old State Bed-room 349 The State Drawing-room 351 The State Dining room 352 The Drawing-room 355 The Hebe of Canova 356 The Library 357 Fireplace by Westmacott in the Dining-room 359 The Sculpture Gallery 360 Mater Napoleonis 361 The Pavilion and Orangery, from the East 363 Carving over one of the Doors of the Chapel 365 Carving over one of the Doors of the Chapel 366 Carvings in the Chapel 367 The Private or West Library 370 The Sculpture Gallery and Orangery 372 Bust of the late Duke of Devonshire 373 The French Garden 374 The Great Cascade 375 The Alcove 376 Waterworks—The Willow Tree 377 Part of the Rock-work 378 The Great Conservatory 379 Part of the Rock-work—The Rocky Portal 380 The Emperor Fountain 381 The Garden on the West Front 382 West Front from the South 383 The Hunting Tower 384 Mary Queen of Scots’ Bower 385 The late Sir Joseph Paxton’s House 386 The Victoria Regia 388 Edensor Church and Village 389 Monumental Brass to John Beton 391 Cavendish Monument, Edensor Church 392 Tomb of the Sixth Duke of Devonshire 393 The Chatsworth Hotel, Edensor 395 ALTON TOWERS. WE commence this series with A LTON T OWERS , one of the most interesting of the many Stately Homes of England that dignify and glorify the Kingdom; deriving interest not alone from architectural grandeur and the picturesque and beautiful scenery by which it is environed, but as a perpetual reminder of a glorious past—its associations being closely allied with the leading heroes and worthies of our country. The Laureate asks, apparently in a tone of reproach— “Why don’t these acred sirs Throw up their parks some dozen times a year, And let the people breathe?” The poet cannot be aware that a very large number of the “parks” of the nobility and gentry of England are “thrown up” not a “dozen times” but a hundred times in every year; and that, frequently, thousands of “the people” breathe therein—as free to all the enjoyments they supply as the owners themselves. Generally, also, on fixed days, the chief rooms, such as are highly decorated or contain pictures—the S TATE A PARTMENTS — are open also; and all that wealth has procured, as far as the eye is concerned, is as much the property of the humblest artisan as it is of the lord of the soil. And what a boon it is to the sons and daughters of toil—the hard-handed men—with their wives and children—workers at the forge, the wheel, and the loom,—who thus make holiday, obtain enjoyment, and gain health, under the shadows of “tall ancestral trees” planted centuries ago by men whose names are histories. Ruins of Alton Castle. Indeed a closed park, and a shut-up mansion, are, now, not the rule, but the exception; the noble or wealthy seem eager to share their acquisitions with the people; and continually, as at Alton Towers, picturesque and comfortable “summer houses” have been erected for the ease, shelter, and refreshment of all comers. Visitors of any rank or grade are permitted to wander where they will, and it is gratifying to add, that very rarely has any evil followed such license. At Alton Towers, a few shillings usually pays the cost consequent upon an inroad of four thousand modern “iconoclasts:” the grounds being frequently visited by so many in one day. The good that hence arises is incalculable: it removes the barriers that separate the rich from the poor, the peer from the peasant, the magnate from the labourer; and contributes to propagate and confirm the true patriotism that arises from holy love of country. Alton, Alveton, Elveton, or Aulton, was held by the Crown at the time of taking the Domesday survey, but, it would appear, afterwards reverted to its original holders; Rohesia, the only child of the last of whom, brought Alton, by marriage, to Bertram de Verdon, who had been previously married to Maude, daughter of Robert de Ferrars, first Earl of Derby. Alveton thus became the caput baroniæ of the Verdon family, its members being Wooton, Stanton, Farley, Ramsor, Coton, Bradley, Spon, Denston, Stramshall, and Whiston. From the Verdons, through the Furnivals and Neviles, Alton passed to the Earls of Shrewsbury, as will be seen from the following notice of the Verdon family. Godfreye Compte le Verdon, surnamed de Caplif, had a son, Bertram de Verdon, who held Farnham Royal, Bucks, by grand sergeantry, circa 1080. He had three sons, one of whom, Norman de Verdon, Lord of Weobly, co. Hereford, married Lasceline, daughter of Geoffrey de Clinton, and by her had, with other issue, Bertram de Verdon, who was a Crusader, and founded Croxden, or Crokesden, Abbey, near Alton, in the twenty-third year of Henry II., anno 1176. He married twice: his first wife being Maude, daughter of Robert de Ferrars, first Earl of Derby (who died without issue in 1139), and his second being Rohesia, daughter and heiress of a former possessor of Alton, through which marriage he became possessed of that manor, castle, &c. He was Sheriff of the counties of Warwick and Leicester, and, dying at Joppa, was buried at Acre. By his wife Rohesia (who died in 1215) he had issue—William; Thomas, who married Eustachia, daughter of Gilbert Bassett; Bertram; Robert; Walter, who was Constable of Bruges Castle; and Nicholas, through whom the line is continued through John de Verdon, who, marrying Marjorie, one of the co-heiresses of Walter de Lacie, Lord Palatine of the county of Meath, had issue by her—Sir Nicholas de Verdon of Ewyas-Lacie Castle; John de Verdon, Lord of Weobly; Humphrey; Thomas; Agnes; and Theobald, who was Constable of Ireland, 3rd Edward I., and was in 1306 summoned as Baron Verdon. He died at Alton in 1309, and was buried at Croxden Abbey. His son, Theobald de Verdon, by his first wife, Elizabeth, widow of John de Burgh, Earl of Ulster, and daughter and one of the co-heiresses of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, by “Joane de Acres,” had a daughter, married to Lord Ferrars of Groby; and, by his second wife, Maude, daughter of Edmund, first Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, had issue, besides three sons who died during his lifetime, three daughters, who became his co-heiresses. Alton Towers, from the Terrace. One of these, Margaret (who married three times), had Weobly Castle for her portion; another, Elizabeth, married to Lord de Burghersh, had Ewyas-Lacie Castle for her portion; and the other, Joan, had for her portion Alton, with its castle and dependencies. This lady (Joan de Verdon) married, firstly, William de Montague; and, secondly, Thomas, second Lord Furnival, who, for marrying her without the king’s licence, was fined in the sum of £200. She had by this marriage two sons, Thomas and William, who were successively third and fourth Barons Furnival, lords of Hallamshire. This William, Lord Furnival, married Thomasin, daughter and heiress of Nicholas, second Baron Dagworth of Dagworth, and had by her a sole daughter and heiress, Joan de Furnival, who, marrying Thomas Neville of Hallamshire, brother to the Earl of Westmoreland, conveyed to him the title and estates, he being summoned in 1383 as fifth Baron Furnival. By her he had issue, two daughters and co-heiresses, the eldest of whom, Maude, “Lady of Hallamshire,” married, in 1408, John Talbot, afterwards first Earl of Shrewsbury and sixth Baron Talbot of Goderich—“ Le Capitaine Anglais .” This nobleman, whose military career was one of the most brilliant recorded in English