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A VISITATION
OP
OF THE
NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN
OJ'
GEEAT BEITAIN AND IBELAND.
BT
SIE BEENABD BUBKE,
Ulster King of Akms,
Author of " The Landed Gentry" "Family Romance," &c.
%nm\ %mn.
VOL. II.
I
I
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LONOON :
HUE8T AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHEJ
(SIJCCESSOES TO HENRY COLBURN,)
13 GREAT MAELBOROUGH STEEET.
MDCCCLV.
t/
HIST. REF,
CSV1
3ii
london:
peinted bx sercombe and jack, 10, gbeat windmill street.
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TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
EDWARD-GRANVILLE, EARL OF ST. GERMANS,
THE DISTINGUISHED EEPBESENTATIVE OF A LONG LINE OF ANCESTRY,
AND THE HONOURED INHERITOR OP ONE OF THE
HISTORIC HOMES OF ENGLAND,
THIS VOLUME OF
ۤt % Mtato nf (0ttat $ritam attu grtlattu*,
IS,
WITH THE AUTH0R'S GRATITUDE AND ESTEEM,
MOST RESPECTFULLY 1NSC1UBED.
Record Tower, Duhlin Castle,
lOth October, 1855.
VIEWS OF SEATS
Arborfield, Berks
Badby House, co. Northampton
Bramshtll, Hants - •
DlNGESTOW COURT, CO. MoNMOUTH
DoVENBY HALL, CUMBERLAND
Etwall Hall, co. Derby
GOODNESTONE PaRK, KeNT -
Hall Place, Kent
Ingwell, Cumberland
KlLLINEY CASTLE, CO. DuBLIN
Knockdrin Castle, co. Westmeath
Manley Hall, co. Stafford-
Port Eliot, co. Cornwall -
Steephill Castle, Isle of Wtght
Stowlangtoft Hall, Suffolk
Thrybergh Tark, co. York -
-TODDINGTON, CO. GloUCESTEK
PAOE.
228
19.
164.
209.
147^
107
226
196'
148»
146-
163
70
I
Frontispiece. •
209
216-
122-
1
A VISITATION
OF THE
SEATS OF THE NOBLEMEN MD GENTLEMEN
OF
GEEAT BEITAIN AND IEELAND.
BINNS HOUSE, in the co. of Linlithgow,
about fifteen miles to the west of Edinburgh,
is the seat of Sir William C. C. Dalyell,
Bart. Captain in the Royal Navy. This
is a place of great beauty, situated on
the slope of a hill, commanding the Firth,
and surrounded by a well-wooded park, with
extensive shrubberies and thriving plantations.
On the summit of the hill, a quarter of a mile
above the house, stands a high round tower,
from which there is a lovely view of the
Firth of Forth on the one side, and of
the fertile plains of West Lothian on the
other. The House is a very ancient mansion,
of great height and considerable extent ;
which was enlarged and improved in its inte-
rior accommodation about twenty-five years
since, by the elder brother of the present
baronet, a man of considerable taste and ac-
quirements, who, however, failed in his archi-
tectural design. He removed the ancient
pointed windows, so characteristic of an old
Scottish chateau, and replaced them with
battlements, which are entirely out of keeping.
At the same time he built handsome public
rooms on the ground-floor, and enlarged the
gardens, and added much to the beauty of the
park, by plantations and tasteful approaches.
In fomier times, before these recent changes,
Binns House remained very much in the
state in which it was inhabited by its distin-
guished proprietor in thereign of King Charles
II., General Thomas Dalyell, and it might
pass for an excellent specimen of the residence
of a considerable Scottish country gentleman
of the middle of the seventeenth century.
However, thehouse dates from a considerably
older period, and the roof of the ancient and
spacious drawing-room is ornamented with a
profusion of old-fashioned stucco mouldings,
in which the impaled arms of Dalyell and
Bruce are prominent. This marks the time
of the father and mother of the general, viz.,
the reign of Charles L, or the latter part of
that of James I. of Great Britain. It is even
not improbable that some portion of the build-
ing may be as old as the original proprie-
tors of the ancient house of Meldrum.
Binns has had the honour of beingthe abode
of two very eminent men, of whom the first
was celebrated as a hero of romance, and the
other as a distinguished historical character.
We allude to" Esquire Meldrum" and General
Thomas Dalyell. The history of " Esquire
Meldrum," written inverseby SirDavidLind-
say of the Mount, in the year 1550, may be
considered the last romance of chivalry, though
there isnothing in it that is extravagant or be-
yond probability. It is the life of a gallant feu-
dal squire of the end of the fifteenth, or the be-
ginning of the sixteenth century, drawn up
from his own recital, by an aflectionate friend
and companion, and that no less a statesman,
poet, and courtier than Sir David Lindsay,
Lord Lion King-of-arms, the preceptor of
James V. of Scotland.
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
William Meldrum, laird of Binns, was
" Of noblesse lineally descendit,
"Whilk their gude fame has aye defendit,
Gude Williara Meldrum he was named,
Whose bonour hricbt wus ne'er defamed."
We cannot minutely follow the fortunes
of this Scottish knight. His historian
intends to represent in him the mirror of a
gentleman of that period, and it is prohahle
that he adheres very closely to facts, as all
that " Esquire Meldrum" says and does is
within the strictboundsof prohability. He com-
menced his career under the Earl of Arran,
whom JamesIV. sent, with 3,000 men, to as-
sist the King of France against Henry VIIL,
In passing, he made a descent on Ireland,
where he had some singular adventures in
love and in war ; and in some respects his
Irish story might seem to be the original of
the ballad of " the Spanish Lady's love." In
France he greatly distinguished himself, and
returned home to Scotland in triumph, where
he was beloved and esteemed as the pattern
of an accomplished knight. Soon after his
return, he had another love adventure, which
exercised a more lasting influence on his future
life than that in Ireland. He had gained
the aflection of a lovely and wealthy widow,
to whose late husband he was related. And
while waiting for a dispensation from Kome,
his hopes were cruelly blighted by Stirling of
Keir, a neighbouring baron, who, having
planned to marry the fair widow to one of his
own friends, caused Meldrum to be waylaid,
and after a desperate contest, left him for
dead in the field. He was rescued, and re-
stored to life, by the great French knight
the Seigneur De la Bastie, Vice-Governor of
Scotland, under the Scoto-French Regent, the
Uuke of Albany, who, happening to pass that
way, found the unfortunate hero apparently
in a hopeless state. He not only saved the
life of Meldrum, but apprehended the cowardly
assassin. But before the trial came on, the
brave French knight was himself most cruelly
waylaid and murdered by Hume of Wedder-
burn. The sick-room of Meldrum is now
described as minutely as had previously been
his lady's bower, and the assiduous care of his
physicians is detailed. But his slow recovery
was retarded by learning that his lovely mis-
tress had been compelled to marry his mortal
enemy, whom the assasination of De la Bastie
had liberated from prison. On the restora-
tion of his health, Meldrum was invited, by
his dear friend the aged Patrick Lord Lindsay
of the Byres, to live with him ; and he ob-
tained the honourable office of Sheritf of Fife,
wherein he approved himself an equal judge
and a generous friend to the poor. He
vowed celibacy for the sake of the beauteous
lady to whom he had been betrothed. After
some y ears he died ; and the account of his will,
his funeral, and hisfuneral-feastismost quaint
and singular, as well as sumptuous, and gives
a curious picture of the manners of the
times.
Soon after the death of " Esquire Mel-
drum, " the hero of this old romance, the estate
of Binns was purchased by a person of the
name of Dalyell, who had previously pos-
sessed a small property near the suburbs of
Edinburgh, and had acquired money. His
son, Thomas Dalyell, of Binns, born 1571,
married into one of the best families in Scot-
land, Bruce of Kinloss, and, to judge from the
present mansion-house of Binns, which was
undoubtedly inhabited by him, he must have
been a country-gentleman of good fortune.
We have already alluded to the heraldic
blazon which ornamented the ceiling of his
drawir.g-room at a time when coat-armorial
was not so arbitrarily adapted as at present.
But the family of Dalyell of Binns owes its
celebrity to the third laird, Thomas Dalyell, a
man of bokl, energetic character, who, while
faithful to his sovereign, was a cruel and un-
comprising foe to all the enemies of the Royal
cause. His name is, even now, held in horror
throughout Scotland for the barbarity which
he exercised on the misguided fanatics of the
reign of Charles II., who, however, in their
sufterings, displayed a singleness of purpose and
heroism, which have gained for them the
sympathy of posterity.
Thomas Dalyell was early imbued with
sentiments of devoted loyalty to King
Charles L, and all his influence was exerted
onthe King's side. He succeeded to the estates
of Binns in 1642; but had previously entered
the military service. After the death of
Charles, he adhered to the fortunes of his son ;
was appointed Major-General in 1651, and in
that capacity, served at the Battle of Wor-
cester, where he was made prisoner. He
afterwards escaped, and carried on a struggle
for sometime in the Royal cause in the North
of Scotland. The affairs of Charles II.
having become desperate, General Dalyell
offered his services to the Czar of Russia,
Alexis Michaelowitch. By him he was
quickly made a General, and displayed great
bravery in his wars against the Turks and
Tartars. He was a stern, commanding old
soldier, with high notions of military dis-
cipline, strict views of what he regarded as
duty, and a loyalty that could not be shaken.
Although his rank was high, and his power
great at the court, and in the camp of the
Czar, he could not resist the impulse of his
loyal feelings, which urged his return to his
native country, on the restoration of the
Stuart line. He accordingly came back to
Scotland, an old and war-worn veteran. The
diploma which he received from the Czar
shows the value which was entertained for
his services, and how much he was appreciated
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
by that sovereign. He also accumulated
much wealth in the Russian service, and his
descendants still preserve the inventories of
the rich and costly plate with which he re-
plenished the buffet at Binns, cups of gold
and vessels of silver in profuse abundance.
He was made Commander-in-Chief of the
Forces in Scotland, and a privy-councillor in
166G. He exercised his military authority so
strictly, as to cause him to be branded with
the charge of unmerciful cruelty. He quelled
an insurrection in the West, and defeated
the rebels on the Pentland Hills. In 1666, he
raised a foot regiment, and shortly afterwards,
the Scots' Greys.
After he had gained a lasting name in war,
he fixed his old age at his seat at Binns, which
he adorned with avenues, parks, and gardens,
and where he cultivated curious trees and
plants. He died, at an advanced age, in 1685.
His long residence in foreign countries, his
outlandish appearance and habits, his vener-
able white flowihg beard, which he never had
shaved since the murder of Charles I., and a
certain reserve and mystery in his manners
and deportment, contributed to environ him
with superstitious awe, and he was noted far
and wide as a necromancer and wizard. He
enjoyed the wonder anddread with which this
reputation inspired his country neighbours. He
surrounded his pleasure grounds with walls, in
which he formed secret passages, and in the
house of Binns, there are hidden stairs and
concealed doors, which enabled the General to
maintain a character for ubiquity as well as pre-
ternatural knowledge. There are two portraits
of him preserved at Binns. In one he is
beardless, and clothed in complete armour,
with a battle-field in the distance. In the
other he is represented as dead, with his white
beard, long, and flowing far down his breast,
covering his coat of mail. It is difflcult to
look upon this portrait of the wizard, painted
after his death, and hanging in his accustomed
sitting room, without a shudder of awe.
About 1685, after the General's death, his
son, Thomas, was created a Baronet of Nova
Scotia, with remainder to his heirs of entail
succeeding to the estate of Binns. This in-
cluded his eldest daughter Magdalen, heiress
of Binns, on her brother's death. She mar-
ried James Menteith of Auldcathy, descended
from the family of Menteitlrof Kerse, who
claim a descent from the old Earls of Men-
teith. Herson, Sir James Menteith Dalyell,
succeeded his uncle, Sir Thomas, the second
Baronet, who died unmarried. Sir James's
grandson, Sir James, the fifth Baronet, greatly
adorned and improved this seat. He was
succeeded by his brother, Sir John, who had
previously been knighted, and was a man of
some literary and scientific eminence. He
was succeeded by his brother, Sir William,
the present, and seventh baronet.
DONNINGTON PRIORY, Berkshire, near
Speen, and about a mile from Newbury; the
seat of John Hughes, Esq., descended from
a Flintshire family connected in late years
with that of Salusbury of Llanwern. Don-
nington Priory is at present occupied for a
term by the Earl of Arundel and Surrey.
This seat formerly belonged to the family
of the Cowslades, which seems to have pos-
sessed it from time immemorial, and probably
from the era of the Reformation.
The last of this name residing here was an
old bachelor, from whom it passed — by inhe-
ritance — to a former vicar of Speen, by name
Parry. By his widow, Mrs. Parry, it was
sold to Mr. Hughes, cousin to the late Dr.
Penrose, of Shaw House.
The present mansion occupies the site of an
old conventual establishment, mentioned by
Camden as the " Friary." That the site of
the two structures is precisely the same, may
be inferred with tolerable certainty from the
evidence of certain bricks and encaustic tiles,
which were found, though few in number, at
the time when alterations were being made in
the north side of the structure. The more
modern mansion would seem, from some
account, to have been built out of the ruinous
parts of Donnington Castle, which stands on
the brow of the hill, and had suffered consi-
derably from the cannon of the Parliamen-
tarian army in the great civil war. The
neighbourhood of this castle lends an addi-
tional interest to the whole vicinity, not
merely from its having been a place of impor-
tance both to Cavaliers and Roundheads, but
still more, because it was once the abode of
Geoffrey Chaucer, the greatest of English
poets after Shakspeare. Stories indeed are
told of an old oak, under which the venerable
bard composed many of his poems ; but cer-
tain matter-of-fact folks have been at great
pains to destroy this Dalilah of the imagina-
tion, but those who have any fancy, may feel
as little disposed to part with this belief as the
good monk was to exchange his established
and time-honoured " mumpsimus" for the
reformed " sumpsimus." At all events, a
noble grove of oaks, about half-way down the
hill, on which the castle stands, has always
borne the name of " Chaucer's Grove ;" and
" Chaucer's Head " served as the sign of an
old public-house that still existed during the
present century. It would seem probable
that the present mansion was built soon after
the termination of the civil wars ; but since
then it has undergone considerable alterations
and improvements. It stands at the bottom of
the hill above-mentioned, and part of the land
attached to it is situated in the parish of Speen,
where, in the time of Mr. Hughes' great great
grandfather, his maternal ancestors, — the
Watts's of that place, — had an estate of
larger amount.
SEAT3 OP GRBAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
The neighbourhood of the Priory has some
beautiful scenery ; but is yet more remarkable
for the various places around of historical
notoriety. A field near the castle yet retains
the name of "ZWfo'er's Meadow," in remem-
brance of a parliamentary leader, so called,
who had established a battery there. Shaw
House, and the bright little river, Lamborne,
passing through its grounds and those of the
Priory, are also connected with the chro-
nicles of those troubled times ; while, at no
very great distance, Newbury, were it only
for its celebrated " Jack of Newbury," be-
comes a place of interest at least, if not of
importance. Altogether, it is a spot well
suited to the poet and the scholar ; and its
present possessor is both. Miss Mitford, in
her " Literary Reminiscences," cites a pas-
sage from Mr. Hughes' " Lays of Past
Days," and Sir Walter Scott, in the preface
to Quentin Durward, alludes to his " Pro-
venceandthe Rhone." The Essay on Poetry,
in the Encyclopsedia Metropolitana, is from
Mr. Hughes' pen.
CLAREMONT, Claremorris, Ireland, the seat
of James Browne, Esq. The proprietor in
fee of this estate is Lord Oranmore. The
late possessor of the lease (for ever) was the
father of the present owner, the Right Hon.
Denis Browne, brother of the first Marquess
of Sligo.
The mansion was built about two hundred
years ago by the grandfather of the present
Lord Oranmore and Browne. It is a solid
structure of grey stone, in the Palladian
style of architecture, and stands on the top of
a gentle hill, facing the town of Clare. The
approach to it is by a noble avenue of beech
trees, that cover about two-and-twenty (sta-
tute) acres.
According to an old legend, this house, like
so many others in Ireland, is, or was, fa-
voured by the occasional visits of a Banshee.
It used to occupy the leads in astormy night,
and it once made its appearance over the
window of the present Mr. Browne. The
peasant considered it as ominous of good.
BONVILSTONE HOTJSE, South Wales, in
the co. of Glamorgan, near CardifF, and about
four miles from Cowbridge, the seat of
Richard Bassett, Esq.
This property has been held by the Bas-
setts for a very long period, the faniily having
resided here, uninterruptedly, since the year
1450, when a branch of the Beaupre - Bassetts
came to Bonvilstone.
In 1838, the old house was pulled down,
and the present mansion erected on its
site. The new house is of the Grecian style
of architecture, and is pleasantly situated in a
very interesting part of the country, the soil
of which abounds in excellent limestone.
HARDENHUISH, Wiltshire, about a mile
north of Chippenham, the seat of Edmund
Lewis Clutterbuck, Esq.
The appellation of this house is said to have
been derived from the name of one of its
early possessors — Ewyas, corrupted into
huish. The manor itself has, in the course of
time, passed through the families of Ewyas,
Chevereux, Scudamore, Reynes, Hungerford,
and Botreaux ; while in more modern days it
has been held by the Colbournes and the
Hawkins', from the last of whom it was bought
by Thomas Clutterbuck, Esq., the father of
the gentleman now possessing it.
It is not known whether any mansion
existed here before the present one, which
was built by the family of Colbourne, though
since that time greatly improved by Mr. T.
Clutterbuck. The building is in the Palladian
style of architecture, and exceedingly conve-
nient, possessing all the accommodations
required in a country dwelling. Annexed to
it is a well-wooded park, occupying the slope
and summit of an undulating ridge. At
a little distance, within the grounds, is the
village church, built in 1779, by Wood, the
Bath architect. In the churchyard are bmied
Thomas Thorpe, the author of " Registrum
Roftense," and Mr. David Ricardo, the cele-
brated financier, who was grandfather to the
present owner.
At this mansion, in 1815, died Christopher
Anstey, the well-known author of the " Bath
Guide." His brother-in-law, Henry Bosan-
quet, Esq., was then residing here.
LOTA PARK, Cork, Ireland, the seat of
Lieutenant-Colonel North Ludlow Beamish,
K.H., F.R.S., a magistrate for the county of
Cork.
Lota Park was the original deer park of the
extensive domain of Lota, or Loughta, and
since the year 1600, the property, in fee-
simple, of the ancient family of Galway, or
de Galway, by whom it was leased in 1694,
to the ancestor of W. R. Rogers, Esq., High
SherifFof the City of Cork, 1844. By the father
of the latter occupant it was again leased in
1799, for 893 years to the late John Cour-
tenay, Esq., of Ballyedmond, and by him in
1801, the park portion of the estate was let
for a term of seven hundred years— to John
Power, of Cork, Esq. We next find it in the
possession of James Roche, Esq., the cele-
brated "J. R.," of the Gentlemarfs Maga-
zine, whose contributions to that periodical
obtained so much favour with the public that
they were re-printed and published at Cork,
in two octavo volumes, under the title of
" Critical Essays of an Octogenarian."
From this gentleman, Lota Park succes-
sively passed through the hands of John
Molony, Esq., William Ware, Esq., and
Jeremiah James Murphy, Esq., till, in 1850,
SEAT3 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
it was bought of the last-named owner by
Colonel Beamish.
The house of Lota Park is of the simple
Grecian style of architecture, consisting of a
centre and two wings. The centre comprises
two stories, with a basement, and was erected
in 1 801 , by the John Power already mentioned,
as having purchased the long lease cf the Cour-
tenay family ; the cost of it is said to have been
not less than four thousand pounds, in addition
to the large sums expended upon the grounds
and plantations. Wings were added to this
main body by Mr. Roche, at a cost of about
three thousand pounds. They contain, the
one a ball-room, the other a library, each
being thirty-five feet long, twenty-five feet
wide, and fifteen feet high. The entrance is
by a stone portico from the rear, where a steep
rise of the ground shelters the building from
the north. The front has a southern aspect,
and is decorated with an iron balcony, over-
hanging a terrace two hundred feet in length,
and commanding a view of the river. At a
subsequent period, a conservatory was at-
tached to the building, and yet more recently
Mr. Murphy completed the work of his pre-
decessors by erecting a handsome entrance-
lodge, and by various other improvements, of
less or greater magnitude.
In point of situation, Lota Park is one of
the most delightful residences upon the far-
famed river of Cork —
" The spreadins; Lee, that, like an island fair,
Encloseth Curk with its divided tlood."
Spenske.
The house commands a view of the Lee, from
the village of Blackrock, on the west, to Pas-
sage Reach on the east, and embraces in the
distance the high lands of Maryborough, Old
Court, and the various country seats and re-
sidences that occupy and adorn the opposite
side of the river. In the intermediate dis-
tance are seen the picturesque promontory of
Lakelands, Hop Island, and the Douglas
Channel, while immediately in front stands,
up.on a projecting cliff, the ancient castle of
Blackrock, erected by the Lord Deputy
Mountjoy, in the reign of James I. ; but
since then greatly extended and beautified by
the artistic hand of Pain. From a terrace in
front may be seen crowds of shipping on their
way between Cork and Queenstown, from the
stately merchantman to the small river
steamer, flavmting yacht, or humbler fishing-
boat. In lively contrast to this scene upon the
river, is the Passage railway train, which is
almost constantly in action; the pauses of
rest, like the poefs angel-visits, being " few
and far between."
Colonel Beamish can trace a descent from
Charlemagne, Emperor of the West, thiough
his grandiuother, Alice, daughter of Major
North Ludlow Bernard, of Castle Bernard,
ancestor of the Earl of Bandon, which descent
through Williamthe Conqueror has been duly
recorded in the Heralds' College, London.
KILCORNAN, Ireland, in the county of Gal-
way, the seat of Sir Thomas Nicholas Reding-
ton, K.C.B., a magistrate and deputy-lieu-
tenant for that county.
The present mansion was commenced in
1837, by Sir T. N. Redington. The castle,
which is of very ancient date, was the resi-
dence of a younger branch of the Clanricarde
family, viz.: — the Burkes, of Kilcornan, from
whom it passed to their representatives, the
Redingtons. The last proprietor of the Burke
family was Christopher Burke, grandfather of
the present owner.
The building is of the Tudor style of archi-
tecture, and stands in the middle of an exten-
sive park.
MARSK HALL, Yorkshire, near Richmond,
the seat of Timothy Hutton, Esq.
Marsk originally belonged to the family of
Cleseby, and passed, with the heiress of that
name, in the fifteenth century, to the Conyers,
a branch of the great house of Conyers of
Hornby. They held it until the end of the
sixteenth century, when it passed, with the
heiress of Conyers, to Arthur Phillip, of Brig-
nal, from whose descendants Sir Timothy
Hutton purchased it in the year 1598. It
still continues in the possession of the last-
named family.
TheoldHall, which waserected by Sir Wrn.
Pennyman, in the reign of Charles L, was
pulled down and rebuilt about a hundred
years ago. The present is a large and con-
venient mansion, in the style of architecture
pecuhar to what has been called the Georgian
era, and contains some handsome apartments.
There are to be seen several interesting family
portraits, including several of the Darcies, and
a portrait of Lady Raleigh and her som
Some splendid old family plate deserves also
to be remembered, amongst which is the co-
vered cup of gold that was given by Queen
Elizabeth to her god-daughter, Elizabeth
Bowes, who afterwards became the wife of
Sir Timothy Hutton. The apartments are
wainscoted throughout.
Attached to the mansion is a large deer
park. The gardens are laid out with much
taste, and contain some of the finest speci-
mens of the silver fir to be seen in England.
Mr. Hutton possesses, also,
CLTFTON CASTLE, Yorkshire, near Bedale.
This isamodern structure, as regards the date
of its erection, having been built by the pre-
sent o wner . It is situated about fourteen miles.
from Thirsk, in the liberty of Richmondshire.
LAWBENNY FABK, in the county of Pem-
broke, the seat of George Lort Phillips, Esq.
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
This seat, which has by some been called
Lawrenny Hall, was in the possession of the
Barlows for some hundred years. The last of
this name died in 1802, and wassucceeded, as
heir-at-law, by the father of the present pro-
prietor.
The old Hall was erected in 16S0, by one of
the family of Barlow ; but has lately been
pulled down, and is in the course of being re-
built by Mr. Phillips, in the castellated style
of architecture. It stands upon an eminence,
in the midst of a fine park of about five hun-
dred acres, on a pointof land that has Milford
haven upon the west, and on the south a wide
creek branching from it in a north-easterly
direction towards Cresswell. The views around
are lovely in the extreme ; the ruined castle of
Carew forming a picturesque and most inte-
resting object in the distance ; and from the
terrace may be seen the church, which stands
in the grounds, and lifts its fine old tower on
high amidst the woods.
The living is in the gift of the owner of the
estate.
FAIR OAK PARK, Hampshire, the seat of
James Edward Bradshaw, Esq.
This gentleman traces his descentin a direct
line from Sir John de Bradshaw, to whom
William the Conqueror extended his protec-
tion, allowing him to retain possession of his
estate.
In addition to this seat, Mr. Bradshaw also
possesses
DARCY LEVER HALL, Lancashire, built by
the Bradshaws in the last century, though the
estate has been possessed by the family since
the reign of King Edward IV.
This mansion is a handsome brick edifice,
and had formerly extensive gardens. The
whole district is in a thriving condition, the
soil producing coal in abundance, while the
Bolton canal aftords great facilities to manu-
facturing and mining enterprise.
GYRN CASTLE, co. Flint, the seat of
James Spence, Esq., by whom the estate was
purchased from the executors of the late John
Douglass, Esq.
The mansion stands on a bold elevation,
overlooking the Dee and the opposite coast of
Cheshire. Having been extended and added
to at several periods, the lines of the principal
front are varied, advancing or recessed. The
angles thus formed are supported by but-
tresses, and the whole being clothed with
luxuriant ivy, which climbs to the summits of
the towers, the contrasts of light and shadow
produce an effect of picturesque beauty which
a more studied architecture might have failed
to give.
From the top of the massive clock tower,
the Isle of Man may be discerned, and occa-
sionally the mountains of Cumberland. The
south front contains a picture gallery, the pro-
portions of which are admired, being G0 feet
by 30, with a coved ceiling, rising to a height
of 28 feet. The late owner possessed here a
fine collection of paintings of the Italian and
Spanish schools, which was dispersed at his
death. The walls are now hung with Flemish
tapestry of the sixteenth century.
This front of the building overhangs a
richly-wooded ravine, in which several large
sheets of water follow successively the decli-
vity of the surface. Pursuing the course of
the stream that runs through them, other
woody glens open to the right, of much natural
and sequestered beauty. Gyrn is distant from
Holywell seven, from St. Asaph nine miles.
The ancient parish church of Llanasa adjoins
the estate. It contains the stained glass win-
dows formerly at Basingwerk Abbey, and in
the churchyard are many curious and remark-
able tombs. In the neighbourhood are the
ruins of Dyserth Castle. Numerous tumuli
and other remains of the ancient Britons
give interest to the locality, and the Saxon
work, so well known as " OftVsdike," can be
traced very distinctly over a length of two
miles.
L0CK0 PARK, Derbyshire, about two miles
and a half from the Derby and Nottingham
turnpike road, and from the Spondon station
on tlie Midland Railway, is the seat of
William Drury Lowe, Esq.
This mansion is a handsome stone edifice,
with an architectural front, of good design,
flanked on one side by a chapel, which was
erected in 1669, and consecrated in 1673, and
which has sculptured on its parapet, " Domus
mea vocabitur domus orationis." On the other
side is a wing containing a drawing-room,
with the inscription, " Doctus et Phcebi chorus
et Minervai ducere laudes." The house is de-
lightfully situated in a secluded valley, sur-
rounded by an extensive deer-park and pas-
ture lands, that, from the undulating character
of the ground, are extremely picturesque.
The whole is well wooded, and enlivened witli
a fine sheet of water, with many delightful
views breaking upon the various glades and
openings. The gardens, too, are laidout with
nnich taste, and are in the course of being
ornamented with fountains ; and the house
itself is also undergoing a thorough repair,
with the addition of a tower, which, when
completed, will form a handsomearchitectural
picture in the landscape.
Locko was for many centuries the seat of
the Gilberts, and was purchased from tliem by
John Lowe, Esq., earlyin the eighteenth cen-
tury. It has since been the seat of the Lowes,
instead of Denby, the old family mansion,
which still remains.
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
COMPTON VERNEY, anciently " Compton
Murdok," in the connty of Warwick, about
two miles from Kineton, the seat of Lord Wil-
loughby de Broke.
The first portion of the early, as well as
modern name of this mansion, is derived from
its low situation — "Coom," signifying avale.
The more ancient half was derived from
one of its most distinguished owners, Robert
Murdak, who obtained possession of it in the
reign of King Henry I. With his descen-
dants it remained till Edward III. 's time,
when it was granted to Alice Perers, the King's
mistress, who was afterwards married to Sir
William Windsor. On the union of one of
his daughters with Robert Skene, ofKingston-
upon-Thames, the estate was made over to
him, but he shortly afterwards sold it to Sir
Richard de Verney, the ancestor of the pre-
sent noble family, and who built here a noble
mansion in the reign of Henry VI. He seems
to have been a stanch adherent of the Lan-
casterians, for, in addition to his own arms,
" he set up, in a fair canton window, towards
the upper end of the hall, the arms of King
Henry VI., Queen Margaret, Humphrey, Earl
of Staffbrd, afterwards created Dukeof Buck-
ingham; and the Lord Zouch, with some
others. A descendant, Sir Richard Verney,
in 1691, claimed and obtained the ancient
title of Baron W r illoughby de Broke, in right
of his maternal ancestor, who was sister to Sir
Fulk Greville, Lord Broke."
The old mansion was pulled down in or
near 1751, and a new building erected in its
place, more adapted to the notions and re-
quirements of the time. It is a large and
handsome edifice, with a Corinthian portico
leading to the entrance-hall, which is panelled
with paintings of Italian views, by Zuccarelli.
A domestic chapel adjoins the house.
The pleasure-grounds are of considerable
extent, and abound in wood as well as water,
presenting a great variety of surface. They
were laid out by Browne ; but since his time
plantations have been added, with a finesheet
of water, called Combrook Water. In the
garden are some fine cedars of Lebanon, and
a few other curious and valuable trees.
Some good paintings are to be seen here ;
in particular, a portrait of Sir R. Heath, by
Jansen ; another of Queen Elizabeth ; one of
Sir Fulk Greville, Lord Broke ; besides some
good family portraits.
THOMASTOWN, Irelaml, King's County,
the seat of Francis Valentine Bennett, Esq.,
who succeeded to the estate while yet a minor,
in 1839.
There is an old castle upon this estate :
this was besieged and reduced to ruins
by Cromwell's army, which seems to have
swept over the land with all the destruc-
tive violence of lava from a volcano. Many
curious reliques have been, from time to time,
picked up amongst the mouldering and dis-
jointed fragments.
The present mansion was built in the year
1730, by Mr. Leggat, and standsin the centre
of a well-wooded park, commanding a fine
view of some distant mountains. The grounds
are much celebrated for the beauty of their
walks and drives.
TTtEGOTHNAN HOTJSE, in the co. of Corn-
wall, in the parish of St. Michael Penkevil,
and east division of the Hundred of Powder,
the seat of Viscount Falmouth.
Up to the middle of the fourteenth century,
this estate was possessed by the Tregothnans,
when Johan, daughter and heiress of John de
Tregothnan, conveyed it, by marriage, to John
de Boscawen. Since that time it has con-
tinued to be the principal seat of the last-
named family, who derived their name from
the lordship and manor of Boscawen Rose, in
this county, of which they were the owners
in the reign of King John.
The present mansion was erected, not many
years ago, near the site of the old dwelling,
and stands upon an elevated spot not far from
the river Fal. It is in the arxhitectural style
of Henry VII.'sreign, the exterior abounding
in small towers and pinnacles, and, with ita
sculptured compartments and mullioned win-
dows, presents a very grand appearance. The
great staircase, which is forty-two feet high,
and occupies the large central tower, is en-
tered from a corridor under the porto-arches.
Around it are placed the drawing-room — fifty-
four long by twenty-eight feet wide, — break-
fast-room, dining-room, billiard-room, and
study, the latter communicating with the
private apartments above. The library opens
to the drawing-room and study.
The corridor and staircase are the only
portions of the interior that at all resemble
the character of the external building. The
latter gives access to the principal rooms
above, by two flights branching off right and
left, from the central flight. The ceiling is a
handsome example of the florid Gothic.
The house is surrounded by a terrace with
a wide parapet, from which is a descent to the
lawn, surrounded by plantations of shrubs and
evergreens. The gardens abound in all sorts
of fruit trees, that flom-ish here in the greatest
luxuriance. The private walks are exceed-
ingly delightful, and though extending in
different directions over a considerable emi-
nence, the whole is eftectually screened from
the winds by the thickness of the surrounding
foliage. These walks are covered with fine
gravel, and lined with dense laurel hedges,
that open occasionally into charming seclu-
sions, wherein the most tender plants and
flowers thrive in great perfection. The park,
8
SEATS OF CxREAT BRITAIN AXD IRELAND.
which is stocked with deer, occupies a range
of fertile hills, rising with much rapidity from
the eastern side of the Fal, and commanding
a variety of heautiful scenes over its navigahle
waters. A coach-road runs through the
grounds for several miles, commanding a
series of the most delightful prospects.
CEOME COTJKT, Worcestershire, about four
miles from Upton-upon-Severn, and near the
village of EarVs Crome, the seat of the Earl
of Coventry.
This estate at one time formed a part of
the extensive possessions of Urso d'Abtot,
Earl of Worcester. In the year 1543, the
lordship of Crome, — or Cromb d'Abtot, the
name of the parish, — was possessed by the
Clare family ; from them it was bought in
1503, by Sir Thomas Coventry, who in the
third year of James I., was made a Judge of
the Court of Common Pleas, and died in
1606 ; when he was succeeded by his son and
heir, Thomas. The latter followed in the
steps of his father, till he, at length, went
beyond ; and after successively filling the
oflices of Recorder of London, Solicitor-
General, and Attorney-General ; was ad-
vanced in the first year of Charles L, to be
Keeper of the Great Seal. In the fourth
year of the same reign, he was created a
peer, by the title of Baron Coventry of Ailes-
borough. His youngest daughter, Lady
Packington, has, by many, been considered
to be the authoress of the " Whole Duty of
Man;" but, however general the belief, the
matter is somewhat doubtful.
At the commencement of the last century,
the greater part of the old house at Crome
was taken down, and replaced by the present
mansion, which was partly erected on its
foundations. In few places has nature done
so little, or art so much, to produce a great
result. Wliat was at one time a barren heath,
is now a wood, or cultivated fields ; and a
dreary level has been changed by the hand of
art, into a semblance of hill and dale. All
this has been the work of less than half-a-
century, and does great creditto the architect,
Brown ; but, perhaps, still more to the late
Earl, who was the life and soul of all these
improvements ; he " planted the slopes,
draincd the morasses, drew the belts of
plantations round lands rendered fertde by
his skill and honourable perseverance ; and
lias thus left a praiseworthy memorial of his
own abilities, and an example to succeeding
generations. In short, as a late surveyor
(1814) of this country has observed, the
whole demesne is now kept in the highest
style of neatness, well watered, and better
wooded ; the soil, indeed, is not rich, being
often moist gravel or clay ; but being well-
drained, and aided by other agricultural im-
provements, such as good roads, the covering
an indifferent soil with good turf, and stock-
ing it well with valuable cattle, all these have
comein unison with the moreelegantbranches
of landscape gardening, and with all that
neatness and picturesque effect from judicious
planting, for which this place is so cele-
brated."
The scene is still farther enlivened by a
sheet of water, that has been carried on for
about a mile and a half, and which is not
only ornamental but useful, as it is the great
receptacle of the various drains, without
which the whole tract must still have re-
mained a barren waste. Upon the ground,
which is now a lawn, formerly stood the old
parish church ; this was pulled down in 1763,
and a new church having been erected, to
supply its place, upon a commanding emi-
nence, thither all the monuments, cofiins, &c,
were removed.
The mansion is built of stone but is in a
plain, unpretending style of architecture, be-
speaking comfort rather than magnificence.
In the south front is a handsome portico of the
Ionic order. Within, are many valuable pic-
tures, amongst which may be particularly
enumerated, portraits of the Lord Keeper
Coventry ; Thomas, Lord Coventry ; the
Duchess of Hamilton, and Lady Coventry.
In the drawing-rooms are some paintino;» of
more general interest, from their higher pre-
tensions as works of art, as a brilliant land-
scape in imitation of Claude Lorraine, if not
by the hand of the great master himself;
four heads admirably painted ; an exquisite
Madonna ; an Italian landscape ; a singular
picture of a Cabinet of Curiosities, well
drawn, and in the most lively colours, but
which, instead of offending the judicious eye
by sharp and violent contrasts, melt and
blend harmoniously into each other ; a beau-
tiful piece of " Venus in retirement " attended
by Cupid, and with a Satyr peeping ; two
pictures of Cleopatra, the one in all the joy-
ous bloom of life, the other suffering from
despair and the bite of the aspic.
A second drawing-room is remarkable for
being hung with the finest tapestry now in
England. It is the Gobelin manufacture ; of
crimson ground, with coloured figures and or-
naments, and the name of Boucher on it as
the artist. The library contains some antique
models. The hall is supported by elegant
columns, and is floored with a handsome mar-
ble. The long room is a gallery of admirable
proportions, extending along one entireside of
the mansion, and commanding a fine view of
the lake and adjacent grounds, of which we
have already spoken, as a noble specimen of
what may be eftected by taste and ingenuity in
adorning lands of the least promise. We
conclude with a brief extract from the agri-
cultural survey of one who was an undoubted
judge in such matters; his remarks containing
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
some useful hints for those disposed to follow
in the same tract of improvement, although
his work was written so far back as the year
1794.
" The most skilful drainer I know," says
Mr. Darke, " is the Earl of Coventry. His
part of the country was a morass not half-a-
century back, and is at this present time (1 794)
though formerly a moorish, fetid soil, perfectly
dry, sound for sheep and other cattle. He has
but few under-drains. His principal drains are
open-formed, and turfed to the bottom, so that
cattle can graze without any loss of herbage.
No water ever stands ; and Croome is now
noted for its dryness, as well as being well
kept ; and although the house is surrounded
with fourteen hundred acres under his own
inspection, you do not see a tree, bush, or
thistle, growing upon it, undesigned, or out of
place. It may very justly be called a pattern
farm to this kingdom, from its well-formed
plantations, and its judicious and extensive
drains.
DUDBINGSTOTJN, in West-Lothian, the seat
of the Earl of Hopetoun, belonged formerly to
G. Hamilton Dundas, Esq.
No scenery in Scotland is more lovely than
the southern coast of the Frith of Forth. The
shore of West-Lothian forms a high ridge
oi Brhanging the sea, adorned by cultivation,
and exhibiting a great variety of most beauti-
ful marine views. The Forth assumes a
variety of aspects; promontories, bays, vil-
lages, seats, and cultivated fields, all bordering
upon a fine sheet of water, which has the ap-
pearance of a great lake, a noble river, or a
broad estuary, according to the point from
which it is seen.
West-Lothian was the ancient seat of the
great family of Dundas, many branches of
which possessed extensive estates there, but
most of which have passed away to other
faniilies. Besides Dundas of Dundas, who
still retains the estate which has been handed
down to him since the llth century, Dudding-
stoun, New Liston, Philipston, and Stanie Hill
Tower, all belonged tobranches of this family,
and all have passed away from them, the
three last having been absorbed by the Earl
of Hopetoun.
The estate of Duddingstoun anciently be-
longed to a family of the name of Lindsay, an
early branch of the great house whose chief is
the Earl of Crawford. In the beginning of
the 16th century it passed, by marriage, to a
branch of the family of Dundas. The old
mansion of Duddingstoun was a long low
range of ancient building, with two projecting
wings, forming three sides of a quadrangle,
surrounded by a park, which on one side was
bounded by an extensive and beautiful natural
wood. Though within a few hundred yards
of one of the finest marine views in Scotland,
it was built in a hollow, so as to be sheltered
from the sea, and to command no view but
that of its own woods. About the end of last
century, tliis ancient mansion was destroyed
by fire, and to supply its place, a lofty castel-
lated building was erected in its immediate
vicinity, but on a height commanding a view
of extraordinary beauty. The estuary of the
Forth, making a sweep, presents the appear-
ance of a wide lake, interspersed with islands,
and enlivened with shipping.
About the year 1S20, extensive additions
were made to Duddingstoun, in the same
castellated style of architecture ; wings were
built which were fl^nked with round towers,
and numerous turrets were added to the ori-
ginal building. It had altogether a very
massive and imposing appearance, and the
interior contained a handsome suite of public
rooms of large dimensions, and a great extent
of excellent accommodation. At the same
time that the last improvements were made
on the house, the park was enlarged and
beautified with judicious plantations; extensive
shrubberies were formed, and a large and fine
set of offices were built in the same castellated
style with the house. Altogether Dudding-
stoun, with its fine situation, its extensive
wood, and the improvements which liad
been made upon it, was one of the most
striking seats on the West-Lothian bank of
the Frith of Forth.
About the year 1839, this estatewas sold to
the Earl of Hopetoun, and as it is now incor-
porated with his extensive domains, and will
no longer be the residence of a separate
family, the place has, within the last two or
three years, been partially dismantled.
Tlie family of Dundas is among the most
ancient in Scotland, and boasts of the noblest
descer,t, being, in its origin, one and the same
with the powerful and illustrious house of
Dunbar, Earl of March. Its remote ancestor
was Crinan, a great noble who flourished long
before the Norman Conquest. His son, Mal-
dred, married Elgitha, daughter of Uchtred,
Earl of Northumberland, by Elgiva, daughter
of Ethelred, King of England ; and his son,
Cospatrick was, in 1068, Earl of Dunbar.
His grandson, the third Earl of Danbar, had,
besides his eldest son, Cospatrick, 4th Earl,
the ancestor of the illustrious line of the Earls
of Dunbar and March, who played so great a
part in Scottish history, a younger son,
Uchtred, who, in the reign of King David I.,
acquired the lands of Dundas in West-
Lothian. His son, Helias de Dundas, died in
1166, and was father of Serlo de Dundas,
who died in 1214. His son Helias died in
1240, and his son Ranulphus flourished about
1256, and was father of two sons, — Serlo, who
svvore fealty to Edward L, and Saer de Dun-
daf, who died before 1300. The son of the
latter, Hugo, was an-ally and companion of
C
10
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
the renowned Sir William Wallace. His son
Ranulphus was the father of James, whose son
John Dundas of Dundas, in 1364, obtained
the barony of Fingask, in addition to his an-
cient possession of Dundas. His son James
Dundas of Dundas and Fingask died in 1430,
having married Christian Stewart, daughter of
the Lord of Lorn and Innermeath. He had
four sons. His eldest, Sir James, married
Elizabeth Livingstone, daughter of Sir Alex-
ander Livingstone, who performed so very
prominent a part in the minority of King
James II., and at one time was seated on the
highest pinnacle of power in Scotland. His
subsequent fall involved that of his son-in-law,
Sir James Dundas, whose extensive estates
were forfeited, and his line failed. II. Sir
Archibald, of whom hereafter. III. Duncan,
ancestor to Dundas ofNew Liston, nowrepre-
sented, in the female line, by the Earl of Stair.
IV. Alexander, who, in 1423, obtained the
estate of Fingask. He is ancestor to the
existing family of Dundas, of Fingask, with
its younger branches, the Earl of Zetland, and
the extinct Lord Amesbury.
Sir Archibald Dundas, the second son, ob-
tained a grant of the forfeited estates of Dun-
das through the favour of the Earl of Douglas,
and, consequently, in compliment to that
family, his descendants, the subsequent Lairds
of Dundas, have invariably borne the Douglas
crest — a Salamander in flames proper, on a
compartment below their shield of arms. Sir
Archibald Dundas of Dundas, carried on the
line of the family by his wife, a daughter of
the Lord Borthwick. His son, Sir John
Dundas of Dundas, was a great favourite of
King James III., and was created by him
Earl of Forth, a very short time before he lost
his crown and his life. This Earldom, how-
ever, was not recognized by his successor.
Sir John died in 1494, and was succeeded by
his son, Sir William Dundas of Dundas, who,
by his wife, Margaret Wauchope, daughter of
the ancient house of Niddrie-Marischal, had
two sons ; first, Sir James, ancestor of the
existing family of Dundas of Dundas, and its
great and distinguished branch, Dundas of
Amiston, with its younger branch, Dundas
Viscount Melville, and Dundas, Bart., of
Dunira. Second, William, who by his wife,
Marjory Lindsay, heiress of Duddingstoun,
was ancestor to this tamily. His son, David
of Duddingstoun, married Marjory, daughter
of John Hamilton, of Orbiston, great-grand-
son of Gavin, fourth son of Sir James Hamil-
ton, Lord of Cadzow. By her he had two
sons ; first, James ; second, George, ancestor
of the family of Dundas of Manor, from
whom are descended Sir David Dundas, late
Solicitor-General. and Sir John Dundas, Bart.,
of Richmond. James Dundas of Dudding-
stoun, married 25th May, 1G07, Isabella Maule,
daughter of Willkun Maule, brother of Lord
Panmure, and by her had a son, George Dun-
das of Duddingstoun, who married, 23rd Feb.
1836, Catherine, daughter of John Money-
penny of Pitmillie, and maternally descended
froni the house of Colville of Ochiltree, and
Colville of Culross. By her he had a son,
John Dundas of Duddingstoun, who married,
17th Feb., 1670, Anne, only child of Sir David
Carmichael, Baronet, of Balmedie, and the
Hon. Anne, daughter of the Lord Carmichael.
She died 1711. Their son, George Dundas
of Duddingstoun, married Magdalen Lindsay
Craufurd, second surviving daughter of the
Hon. Patrick Lindsay Crawford, son of John,
seventeenth Earl of Crawford, by Lady Mar-
garet Hamilton, sister of James and William,
Dukes of Hamilton. Magdalen's mother
was Margaret Crawfurd, daughter and heiress
of Sir John Crawfurd, Bart., of Kilbirnie,
by the Hon. Magdalen Carnegie, daughter
and heiress of David Lord Carnegie, and
heiress of line of the Earls of Southesk.
George Dundas and Magdalen Lindsay
Crawford had a son, John, who had no issue
by his wife, Lady Margaret Hope, daughter
of the first Earl of Hopetoun ; and a daughter,
Agnes, heiress of Duddingstoun, who married
Gabriel Hamilton of Westburn, representa-
tive of Hamilton of Torrance, a great branch
of the Duke of Hamilton's family. She had
a numerous family, but only three who left
descendants : I. John Hamilton Dundas,
of Duddingstoun and Westburn, born 1745,
married a daughter of Llamilton of Barns,
representative of the great Raploch branch of
the Hamilton family ; by whom he had a
son, Gabriel Hamilton Dundas, of Dudding-
stoun and Westburn. He married Isabella,
eldest daughter of James Dennistoun of Col-
graine, and heiress, through her mother, of
Ruchil and other valuable estates in the
neighbourhood of Glasgow. Mr. Hamilton
Dundas became, along with the Earl of Glas-
gow, co-heir of the great house of Crawford
and Lindsay in 1833, on the death of his re-
lation, Lady Mary, the sister and heiress of
the twenty-second Earl of Crawford. In
1839 he sold Duddingstoun to the Earl of
Hopetoun. II. Christian, wife of the
Hon. Charles Napier, of Merchiston Hall,
second son of Francis, fifth Lord Napier,
by whom she had issue, Admiral Sir Charles
Napier, K.C.B., Count Cape St. Vincent, and
Grandee of Portugal of the first class; and
Major-General Thomas Erskine Napier.
III. Mary Anne, wife of Robert Gray, of
Carntyne, by whom she had the Rev. John
Hamilton Gray of Carntyne, in the county
of Lanark.
OKEOVER, near Ashbourne, in the co. of
Staftbrd, the seat of Charles Okeover, Esq.
This is a fine specimen of the mansion of
an old English squire, surrounded by vener-
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
11
able trees, adorned with extensive and
ancient gardens and shrnbberies, and en-
joying all the advantages which the imme-
diate neighbourhood, the most picturesque
scenery of Derbyshire, canbestow. Dovedale
is close at hand, and all around, fertile and
well-wooded vales, beautiful country seats,
smiling villages, and venerable churches, con-
tribute to make this spot one of the most
highly-favoured in England.
Okeover Hall is a spacious old mansion,
which, though it possesses no architectural
beauty, wears the thorough stamp of the old
English country aristocracy. It is not with-
out some artistic treasures. Among other
paintings, there is a Holy Family of great
beauty, which has generally been attributed
to Raphael, and, at any rate, is a very fine
specimen of his school.
The present Mr. Okeover inherits his
estates from a very remote and distinguished
ancestry, from whom they have descended to
liim in direct succession, though not invariably
in the male line. But the heirs of line have
assumed the ancient name of Okeover, and
thus the family has been kept up. Besides
Okeover, he possesses a considerable estate in
Warwickshire, near Atherstone, on which are
situated the ruins of a very extensive and im-
portant old castle, and alsothe well-preserved
remains of a Roman camp.
Mr. Okeover's mother was daughter of
General Sir George Anson, and cousin of the
Earl of Lichfield. Her second husband was
the late distinguished Robert Plumer Ward,
Esq., the author of " The Law of Nations,"
"Tremaine," " De Vere," &c, &c. We
cannot better illustrate the subject of Okeover
tlian by adding quotations from his life and
correspondence, as lately published by the
Hon. Edmund Phipps : —
" Among the most pleasing passages in
' De Vere ' is the description of the man of
content, the ' master of Okeover HahV By
one of the coincidences which are stranger
than fiction, Mr. Ward, while searching for
an appropriate name for the abode of this, one
of his favourite characters, had fixed on
Qkeover Hall. Years after this, and by
events subsequent to his marriage, he saw
himself, in right of his wife, as the guardian
of her only son, ' the master of Okeover
Hall;' and, most assuredly, in the peaceful
life and social circle there established, he
realized, in the best sense, the ' man of
content.' "
In aletter dated 28th October, 1838, Mr.
Plumer Ward thus describes Okeover Hall :
" I feel more comfortably offin this delight-
ful, as well as respectable old abode, than
ever I was in my life ; and far happier than
at Gilston. One thing quite surprises me
as well as pleases. There is really a corner
in England left, in which thc old-fashioned
feeling of attachment from well-used tenants
to an old landlord's family, is still preserved.
I never saw it so exemplified as among all
the tenants of this beautiful estate upon our
ai-rival, and, indeed, ever since. Had our
boy been a prince of the blood, they could
not have shown more regard than for
Okeover of Okeover. As his mother, my
wife comes in for her share, and as her hus-
band, I come in for mine. The family is far
more ancient than I thought ; the pedigree
deiiving them from Ormus, one of William
the Conqueror's soldiei - s, who being endowed
with this place, his descendants styled them-
selves De Okeover, and have continued its
representatives ever since. There are tombs
in the church with Saxon inscriptions, which
I don't understand ; but they are of the cha-
racters of the oldest Henries, and have the
Okeover arms upon them."
GAESCUBE, in the county of Dumbarton,
near Glasgow, the seat of Sir Archibald Ilay
Campbell, Bart., M.P. for the county of Ar-
This beautiful seat is situated within four
miles of Glasgow, on the banks of the river
Kelvin, and though in the immediate vicinity
of the second city of the empire, it possesses
the beauty, as well as retirement, of the most
remote country scenery. Within the paik
no one could imagine the possibility of being
so near the hurry and bustle of the greatest
mart of British trade.
This mansion was built about thirty-five
years ago, by the grandfather of the present
proprietor. The former house was of consider-
able antiquity, and a portion of it has been
incorporated in the present building. It is in
the Tudor style of architecture, according to
the taste displayed during the reign of Henry
VIII., and it may be said to be one of the
most beautiful specimens of that style in Scot-
land. The outer hall is entered from the
carriage porch, and opens into the great hall,
which is a noble apartment, rising to the en-
tire height of the house, and &urrounded by
galleries. The staircase is handsome. The
principal public rooms are entered from the
great hall, and are of very large dimensions,
forming a fine suite ; boudoir, morning-room,
billiard-room, library, drawing-room, and di-
ning-room. The drawing-room opens into a
handsome conservatory. The interior of the
house is finished in the same beautiful style
wish the exterior, and it is decorated and
furnished with the greatest taste. There are
many costly and beautiful objects, such asan-
tique chandelabra, magnificent cabinets, and
valuable paintings. These are distributed in
the drawing-room, billiard-room, and morning
sitting-room. Among them is a portrait of
uncommon beauty, which has generally been
attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci ; and a land-
12
SEATS OF GREAT BEITAIN AND IRELAND.
scape which is the chef d'ceuvre of Hob-
bima.
Garscube is surrounded by an extensive
park, through which flows the beautiful river
Kelvin, about a stone's throw from the terrace
upon whicli the principal suite of apartments
opens. Both sides of the river are planted
with a profusion of flne woods, and the
shrubberies and walks extend for about a cou-
ple of miles on each side of the stream. The
only drawback to this beautiful place is its
immediate proximity to Glasgow. Not that
its picturesque retirement is thereby injured
at present. But the value of property so near
such a city is too great to admit of a doubt,
that within half a century, squares and cres-
cents will be built where groves of oak and
masses of evergreen now delight the eye.
The family of Sir Archibald Ilay Campbell
is descended from an early branch of the house
of Argyle. His immediate ancestor was Ar-
chibald Campbell, who was bred to the law,
and held the oflice of one of the principal
clerks of the Court of Session. He died in
] 790, and was succeeded in his estate by his
eldest son, Ilay Campbell, who was admitted
a member of the Scottish bar in 1757, and
made sucli progress in the performance of his
legal duties, that he speedily became a bright
ornament of his profession. No man possessed
a knowledge of the law more profound than
his ; and liis oratory, from his perspicuous
mode of illustrating a case, interested the feel-
ings by its energy, at the same time ihat it
carried conviction by irrefragable arguments.
In 1783 Mr. Campbell wasappointed Solicitor
Generai of Scotland, and in 1784 Lord Advo-
cate. He was member of Parliament for the
Glasgow district of boroughs. In 1789 he was
advanced to the high situation of Head of the
Scottish Bar, as Lord President of the Court of
Session. His great experienceand legal know-
ledge, joined to his integrity and assiduity,
enabled him to fill this distinguished oflice in
a manner equally advantageous to the country
and honorable to himself until 1S08, when
being advanced in years, he resigned ; and at
the same time he was created a Baronet.
Sir Iiay Campbell died in 1823, and was
succeeded by his only son Sir Archibald, who,
like bis father, having been bred to the bar of
Scotland, was in 1849 appointed one of the
Judges of the Court of Session, with the hono-
rary title of Lord Succoth, which he took, as
is usual in such cases, from the landed estate
wliich had been longest in his fainily. He
retired, in 1824, and died in 1S46. Sir Archi-
bald married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of
Jolin Balfour, of Balbirnie, in the county of
Fife, by whoin he hadnumerous issue. Among
his sons, the eldest, John, who pre-deceased his
father, was member of parliament for the
county of Dumbarton, and by his wife Anna
Jane Sitwcll, niece of Sir Sitwell Sitwell,
baronet, and cousin of Sir George Sitwell of
Renishaw, in the county of Derby, was father
of the present baronet. One of his younger
sons, the Rev. Ramsay Campbell, is Rector of
Aston, in the county of York, and married
Mary, daughter of the late John Anstruther
Thomson, of Charleton, in the county of Fife.
One of his daughters, Elizabeth, married Da-
vid Earl of Leven and Melville, by whom she
has issue. And another, Susan, married
William Grant, of Congalton, by whom she
has an only child, who married Lord Charles
Pelham Clinton, son of the late Duke of New-
castle. Sir Archibald was succeeded by his
grandson, Sir Archibald Ilay Campbell, third
baronet and member of Parliament for the
county of Argyle.
KILLERMONT, in the co. of Dumbarton,
the seat of John Campbell Colquhoun, Esq.
This handsome seat is situated on the pic-
turesque banks of the river Kelvin, about
four miles from Glasgow. An approach on
the river side, half a mile in length, con-
ducts to the house, which is commodious,
though without any claim to architectural
beauty. Mr. Campbell Colquhoun's origirial
family name is Coates. His ancestors were
among the more respectable families of Glas-
gow merchants, during last century. His
grandfather, John Coates, a merchant in
Glasgow, held the ofiice of Lord-Provost of
that city in the year 1784. This gentleman
succeeded to tlie property of Clathick, in the
co. of Perth, on which occasion he assumed
the name of Campbell. His son, and heir,
was bred to the Scottish bar, and made a dis-
tinguished figure there. He was appointed
Lord Advocate of Scotland, and represented
the co. of Dumbarton in Parliament. He
was afterwards appointed Lord Register of
Scotland, an office which he held until his
death, about the year 1819 or 1820. Some
years previous to his death, Mr. Campbell
had succeeded to the estate of Garscadden,
in the co. of Dumbarton, on the extinction of
the family of Colquhoun, of Garscadden, a
cadet of the ancient house of Luss. In con-
sequence of this succession, he assumed the
name of Colquhoun. Garscadden is a valu-
able estate situated not many miles from Kil-
lermont, which had been the original property
of Mr. Coates, Provost of Glasgow. Mr.
Campbell Colquhoun represented the co. of
Dumbarton, and afterwards the borough of
Kiimarnock in Parliament. In 1827, he
married the Hon. Henrietta Maria Powys,
eldest daughter of Thomas, second Lord
Liiford, by whom he has issue.
NEWE, in the co. of Aberdeen, the seat of
Sir Charles Forbes, Bart., of Newe and
Edinglassie.
On thc north bank of the river Don, and
6EATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
13
added to the old mansion of the family, erected
in 1004, stands the stately castellated house of
CastleNewe.builtin 1831,bySirChas.Forbes,
Bart. The old house has been retained as
part of the building, and neither hnpairs the
external appearance nor the internal conve-
nience of the ediiice. The architecture is high-
ly appropriate to the situation and the circurn-
stances of the house, being in the simple and
massive style of an old Scottish mansion, with
many gable ends, slender towers with pointed
roofs, and solid and substantial round towers
at the corners. It is well adapted to the severe
and grand surroimding scenery. To the north
of the house rises the mountain Ben Newe,
and to the south is a lawn extending to the
noble river Don. About four miles from
Newe, stands the old house of Edinglassie,
which was for some time the abode of the
family, and which belonged to the maternal
ancestors of the first Sir Charles, a very old
family of the name of Stewart.
Newe has been for centuries in the pos-
session of the Forbes'. William, the first pro-
prietor of that name, was a younger brother
of Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo, ancestor of
the Lords Pitsligo. The house of Pitshgo is
an early branch of the Lords Forbes, and is
now represented, in the male line, by Sir
Charles Forbes. The family of Newe
branched off, about the year 1500, from that
of Pitshgo, which became extinct in the
direct male line on the death of the master of
Pitsligo, the heir of the attainted Peer of
that name, in 1781. Then the branch of Newe
became the sole male representative of the
family ; while Sir William Forbes, Bart., of
Monymusk, became the heir in the female
line, and assumed Pitsligo as his desiguation.
The family of Forbes of Newe diverged
into two branches. The last heir male of
the elder branch was Major John Forbes of
Newe, who died without male issue in 1792.
His only child was Lady Grant, mother of
the present Baronet of Monymusk. On the
death of Major Forbes, the family of Newe
was represented by his cousin, the Rev.
George Forbe3,andsincehisdeath in 1779, by
his son Sir Charles. This gentleman, in early
life, went to India, where his father's brother,
John Forbes, had already laid the founda-
tions of a great fortune, which he himself
completed. He was a man of princely mag-
nificence : and his acts of liberality and
charity, as well in Bombay as in London, will
long be remembered with gratitude. A
splendid colossal statue, by Chantrey, records
the sense entertained of his benefits by the
inbabitants of Bombay. Sir Charles suc-
ceeded to extensive estates, in Aberdeenshire,
from his uncle. He was long a member of
Parhament, and was created a Baronet in
1823. In 1833, he was served by a jury, heir
male of Alexander, Lord Forbes of Pitsligo.
His eldest son, John, one of the best and
most amiable of men, and long an able and
distinguished director of the East India Com-
pany and member of Parliament, was re-
moved from tliis world, prematurely, by death
in 1840, to the inexpressible sorrow of a large
circle of attached friends, and sincerely re-
gretted by all who had an opportunity of
appreciating his worth, wisdom, and benevo-
lence. He was educated at Magdalen College,
Oxford, and, soon after he was of age, he
became a member of Parliament; and, on
being elected an East India Director, devoted
himself to the business of that important
situation. In 1828, he married the daughter
of H. L. Hunter of Beech Hill, in the co.
of Berks, by whom he had, among other
children, an only son, Charles, who succeeded
to the Baronetcy and family estates, at the
death of his grandfather, Sir Charles, the
first Baronet, in 1849. Sir Charles, the
second Baronet, died in Madeira in 1852,
and was succeeded by his uncle, Sir Charles,
the present and third Baronet, late a captain
in that distinguished corps, the seventeenth
Lancers, and heir male of the ancient house
of Pitsligo. Sir Charles is one of those High-
land gentlemen who still promote and main-
tain the customs of the Gael. He annually
assembles the clan " Forbes," by commission
from their chief, Lord Forbes, and marching
them to Braemar, the head-quarters of the
district in which they dwell, encamps thern
during the gathering of the Duff, Forbes, and
Farquharson clans. His camp, complete in
all its details as to Highland arms and equip-
ments, has been twice honoured by the visit
of Her Majesty, who, upon the last occasion,
presented a banner to the " Forbes " clan.
JORDAN-HILL, Renfrewshire, about four
miles west of Glasgow, the seat of James Smith,
Esq., formerly a captain in the Renfrewsbire
militia, and now a magistrate for the counties
of Renfrew, Lanark, Stirling, and Dumbarton.
This estate was anciently possessed by the fa-
mily of Crawford, cadets of the Crawfords of
Kilburny. Sir Hew Crawford Pollok repre-
sents both famihes. Captain Crawford, of
Jordan-hill, is celebrated for the capture of
Dumbartou Castle. In the year 1750, the
place was sold to Alexander Houston, Esq. ;
and in 1850, to Archibald Smith, Esq., father
of the present proprietor.
The house of Jordan-hill stands, beauti-
fully situated, upon an eminence, commanding
an extensive view of the valley of the Clyde.
It is a substantial square building, and was
erected by Colonel Houston, in 1780.
BTJRWOOD PARK, in the co. of Surrey, the
seat of Sir Richard Frederick, Bart, whose
family descends from Christopher Frederick,
serjeant-surgeon to King James I.
14
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AKD IRELAND,
At one time this estate belonged to the
Lattons, of Wiltshire ; hut it was then of
much more limited dimensions. Of them it
was purchased hy one of the Frederick
family, but the sale must have taken place
subsequent to 1727, since in that year John
Latton, deputy-lieutenant for Surrey in the
reign of Queen Anne, died here at the ad-
vanced age of eighty-three.
Tbe mansion is convenient and well ar-
ranged, with ahandsome saloon, billiardrooin,
dining-room, drawing-room, and library. In
one of the windows appear the arms of tbe
Lattons.
There is a good collection of paintings, as
well as miniatures, and family portraits. In
an attached conservatory are sorne emblem-
atical images of tbe four seasons, of the Ml
life-size of the human figure, with some rare ex-
otics, and orange-trees in a fiomishmg condi-
tion. A carriage drive winds through the park.
ASHLEY PARK, in the co. of Surrey, ad-
joining Walton upon the south-west, the seat
of Sir Henry Fletcber, Bart.
In many old docirments tbe name of tbis
place is written Asheley, and has been de-
scribed as " consisting of one messuage,
which, with the lands thereto belonging, was
parcel of tbe possessions purchased by Krng
Henry VIII., and annexed to Hampton
Court, and subsequently granted, by letters
patent, to Boger Yonge, by King Edward VI.,
in tbe fourth year of his reign." Grants of a
Hke nature were made to several individuals
by Queen Elizabeth and King James I.
In the time of the last-named sovereign, this
estate was possessed by a younger brother of
the Duke of Buckingharu, ChristopherVilliers,
Earl of Anglesea, who died fn the year 1624.
In 1 668 we hnd Ashley Park possessed by Hen-
ly, Lord Arundell. Subsequently it passed,
by successive cbanges, through the hands of
Sir Walter Clarges, of Sir Bichard Pyne, Knt.,
Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, and of many
others, till, in 1718, it was disposed of to
Bichard Boyle, Viscount Shannon, wbose
daughter and heiress, Grace Boyle, manied
CharlesSackville,EarlofMiddlesex,andafter-
wards second Duke of Dorset. By her Ashley
was bequeathed to her cousin, Colonel John
Stephenson, after whose decease, in 1 786, it
devolved to Sir Henry Fletcher (the rnaternal
nephew of the Countess of Middlesex), who
was created a baronet on the 20th of May,
1782. In this family it still remains.
This mansion is spacious, and built of red
brick, presenting that somcwhat motley, but
still picturesque, appearance which charac-
terises the architecture of the Tudor ages.
Thougb there is no existing record of the fact,
the house is said to have been built by Cardi-
nal Wolsey. However this may be,we shall
probably not be much out in assigning the date
of its erection to the time of Henry VIII., the
edifice in its older parts being strongly marked
with the features peculiar to that period. It
is in the shape of the letter H, with gables at
either end, the original form having been al-
tered by the introduction of semichcular pro-
jections below the gables. Originally the win-
dows were square-headed, and divided by stone
mullions, but these, for the greater part, have
been modernized, much to the increase of in-
ternal convenience,though perhapsnot to the
improvement of its external architecture.
liichard Boyle, Viscount Shannon, made
considerable additions to the house, as well as
to the park and grounds, which within the
last half century have been mucb augmented
by purchases and allotments. Great changes
too have more recently been made in tbe
hall, a lofty room that occupies the entire
height of the mansion froru its basement, and
is wainscoted with oak, the upper compart-
mentsof which are embellisbedwithportraits.
The ceiling is painted to imitate wood-groin-
ing, the divisions being filled witb the family
armorial bearfngs. A large and bandsome
staircase rises at the inner end of tliis ball ; a
gallery, one hundred feet long, runs along
the entire length of one side of the building,
in which are many family portraits.
The park and grounds contahi about three
hundred acres. The former is extremely well-
wooded, and presents some noble specimens
of oak, elm, and lime, that flomish here in
great luxiuiance, as well as the pinus silves-
tris, or Scotch fir, the latter of such prodigious
size, and in such numbers, that the like is
scarcely to be seen in England. Many of
these trees are upwards of a hundred years
old, and rueasure from ten to twelve feet in
girth at three feet from the ground — the
largest is thirteen feet — with a clear stem of
from thirty to forty feet. The height of these
forest giants is proportionate, extending in
some instances to a hundred feet, while
amidst theh* luxuriant horizontal branches,
the heron has made its nest hi considerable
numbers. Their wood is said to be fully
equal to the best of foreign deal, and at all
events it is remarkably close and solid,
DYFFRYN ALED, hi the co. of Denbigh,
and parish of Llandannan, the seat of Pierce
Wynne York, Esq.
The name of this place is deiived from its
situation, Dyffryn Aled signifying the "val-
ley of the Aled." It has come down to the
present owner in direct succession from a
period of great antiquity.
The date of the old house cannot be exactly
ascertained ; but it must have been very
ancient, from the circumstance of the cele-
brated Welsb bard, Tudor Aled, having lived
there, who is known to have flomished in the
year 1490. Its site was in the bottom of the
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
15
valley, upon the north of the Aled. The
modern mansion stands nearly opposite to it,
on a rising ground, about two hundred feet
above the river, and presents a very pic-
turesque appearance. It was built, in 1777,
by Diana, daughter and heiress of Piers
Wynne, which lady was twice married ; first,
to Ridgeway Meyrick, of Bodorgan, Anglesey ;
and secondly, to Philip Yorke, of Erddig,
Denbighshire. In the same year, also, were
erected both the parish-church and the bridge
across the Aled, which are still extant.
The mansion of Dryffyd Aled is built of
fine Portland stone. It consists of a centre
and two wings, connected to the main body
by two intervening lesser buildings. It has
something of the Grecian character, though
it cannot be said to decidedly belong to any
particular style of architecture.
The neighbouring country has the usual
features of Welsh scenery, which is rarely
without its peculiar charms for the poet and
the painter.
BRADSTON BEOOK, in the co. of Surrey,
near Shalford, the seat of George Carew Gib-
son, Esq., a niagistrate for Surrey and Sussex,
and a deputy-lieutenant for the co. of Sussex.
This gentleman married, first, in 1841,
Eliza, youngest daughter of the late Robert
Pardoe, Esq., of Poole House, Bewdley, Wor-
cestershire, deputy-lieutenant and Major of
the Militia for that county ; and secondly,
in 1849, Anna Maria Arabella, daughter of
the late John Locker, Esq., chief magistrate
in Malta, and registrar of the admiralty in
tliat Island. By the Queen's royal license
and authority, dated July 10, he assumed the
surname of Carew, in addition to, and before,
that of Gibson, in consequence of his descent
from the Carews of Carew Castle and Crow-
combe Court in Somersetshire.
The house of Bradstone Brook is a plain,
square edifice built of red brick, in the midst
of a small park, well covered with timber,
though not much above forty acres in extent.
It was erected upon some family property, in
1791, by Thomas Gibson, Esq., descended
from the Gibsons of Durie, in Fifeshire.
H0TIGHT0N HALL, in the co. ofNorfolk,
the seat of the Marquess Chohnondeley.
This mansion was built by Sir Robert Wal-
pole during the time when he was Prime Mi-
nister. The original design was by Colin
Campbell, the author of the " Vitruvius
Britannicus ; " but the execution of it was
entrusted to the Architect Ripley, so severely
satirized by Pope ; but who is said to have
greatly improved upon Campbell's plan. The
date of the building is ascertained by an in-
scription over the south entrance : —
"Roeertus Walpole Has jEdes Anno
S. M:D:CC:XXII. Inchoavit. Anno
MD.CC.XXXV. Perfecit."
It is a noble edifice, of freestone, with two
fronts, ornamented at each corner with a cu-
pola and lantern. The west front, which is
the principal, has a double balustraded flight
of steps, leading up to a rustic basement
story. The pediment over the entrance, con-
taining the arms, is supported by Ionic pillars.
The entablature is continued round. The
centre, or main building, is quadrangular, and
is one hundred and sixty-six feet square. The
offices are in the wings, connected with the
centre by handsome balustraded colonnades,
of the Tuscan order, the extent of the whole
front being four hundred and fifty feet.
The interior of this noble mansion is sump-
tuously fitted up, and has many noble apart-
ments. The great hall is a cube of forty feet,
with a gallery running three parts round it.
The ornaments of the ceiling are by Altari,
as also the frieze, in which are bas reliefs of
Sir Robert Walpole, and of Catherine, his
first wife, as well as of Robert Lord Walpole,
their eldest son, and MargaretRolla, hislady.
Over the chimney is a bust of the Earl of Or-
ford, by Rysbrach ; opposite, is a cast of the
Laocoon, in bronze, by Girardon, for which
the Empress of Russia offered the Earl of
Orford five thousand pounds. The figures
over the gTeat door, and over the lesser doors,
are by Rysbrach. In and rovmd the hall are
the following pieces of sculpture : — Busts of
Marcus Aurelius, Trajan, Septimius Severus,
and Commodus, all antiques ; a young Her-
cules, Faustina Senior, Jupiter, a young Com-
modus, a Philosopher, Hadrian, and Pallas,
which also are antiques ; Homer and Hesiod,
modern ; and Baccio Bandinelli, by himself.
On the tables are the Tiber and the Nile,
executed in bronze ; two vases, of the same
material; busts of a Roman Empress and a
female, both antique.
The great staircase is painted in chiaro ob-
scuro, by Kent. In the centre, four Doric
columns support a cast of the Gladiator, in
bronze, executed by John of Boulogne, and
presented to Sir Robert Walpole by Thomas,
Earl of Pembroke.
The saloon, which is entered from the hall,
is forty feet in length, in width thirty feet,
and in height forty feet. The ceiling was
painted by Kent. The chimney-piece and
tables are of block marble. Amongst the
other rarities of this room are principally to
be noticed a whole length portrait of the Em-
press of Russia, by Brompton ; an CEdipus
Colonus, Castor and Pollux, and Philos-
tates.
The drawing-room is of somewhat less di-
mensions, being only thirty feet long and
twenty-onefeet wide. The ceiling was trans-
ferred hither from the dining-room at the old
1G
SEATS OF GEEAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
house, built by Sir Edward Walpole, grand-
father to the minister.
The library is a spacious apartment, though
not so large as the rooms already mentioned.
At one time, this mansion contained a
splendid collection of pictures, alike honour-
able to the owner and the country. These,
however, were sold, in 1779, by George, Earl
of Orford, to the Empress Catherine of Russia,
for forty-five thousand pounds, a sum much
below what they had cost the original col-
lector.
The plantations annexed to this noble man-
sion are extensive, and laid out with much
taste and judgment. The grounds are most
advantageously seen on the road from Syder-
stone.
STAPLEFORD HALL, in the co. of Leices-
ter, bordering upon Rutlandshire, about four
miles from Melton Mowbray, is the seat of
the Earl of Harborough.
In ancient writings, the parish, from which
the seat derives its name, is variously spelt,
Stableford, Stapelford, Stopilford, and Sto-
pulford. In the ecclesiastical division of the
county, it is within the deanery of Framland,
and is about nineteen miles from Leicester.
The estate at one time belonged to a family
called Hauberk, from whom it passed,
a.d. 1402, by marriage with Agnes Hauberk,
to Robert Sherard, Esq., an ancestor of the
present noble owner.
The mansion stands upon a gentle eminence
in the midst of an extensive park. It con-
sists of three distinct portions, erected at
different times, each retaining the character of
its age. Of these, the most ancient was
raised in the year 1500, as \ve learn from a
date upon the eastern front. A second in-
scription tells us that, " William, Lord Sher-
<trd, Buron of Letrijm, repaired this building,
An. Do. 1631." It displays a very curious
specimen of the English domestic architecture
of the time, has square-headed windows with
mullions, and is ornamented with fifteen
statues, each in its appropriate niche. These
statues are intended to represent different
persons, ancestors, or founders of the
familVj six of them being inscribed with
the following names, — Schirard, Lord of
Chelterton ; King William ihe Conqueror ;
Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester ; Ber-
tram, Lord Verdon ; Walterde Lacy, Baron of
Trini, and Earl of Ulsier; James de Bra-
banzon, the celebrated warrior. In addition
to these statues, there are several coats of
arms, and pieces of sculpture in basso relievo.
There is a tradition, extant from generation
to generation, " That the long bridge across
the river Eye, (which divides the lordship of
Stapleford from tlic prexsincts of Wymondham,
Whissendine, Saxby, Freeby, Wyverby, and
Brentingby, in its course to Melton Mowbray)
consisting of seven arches, was built by seven
brothers and seven sisters of the house of
Sherard ; and that of the seven brothers, each
constructed one arch, and the seven sisters
completed the other part of the bridge for
the use of the publick ; and that their gene-
rosity at that time has fixed a perpetual ex-
pense on the proprietors of this manor, at
whose expense it hasbeen repaired, within his
[Healy's] memory, without any levy or
charge upon the parish for that purpose." —
The narrator of this, a Mr. Healy, adds that
" at this bridge was a passable ford for
hrough the water, in his
but for want of attention,
or rather through negligence somewhere, it is
now choked up for want of scouring and
cleaning." Healy was an ancient inhabitant
and native of Stapleford, about seventy years
old at the time whenhe made these communica-
tions to Sir Thomas Cave. Sincethen, in 1773,
the bridge,which had also become much impair-
ed, was pulled down, and a new one built in its
place, by the Earl of Harborough, about forty
yards from the site of the old structure. The
present bridge has one large, handsome arch,
wheel-carriages
memory [1756] ;
the span
feet.
of which, within, is thirty-two
WAVEELEY ABBEY, in the co. of Surrey,
about three miles from Farnham, the seat of
George Thomas Nicholson, Esq.
Upon this estate was situated, at one time,
a convent of Cistercian monks, which was
founded in the year 1128, by William Giffard,
bishop of Winchester, and which in its ruined
state, still lends a peculiar interest to this
spot. It was for a time considered the prin-
cipal monastery of the Cistercians, from its
having been, if not the first, amongst the first,
of that order established in England. This
priority, however, was contested by the abbey
of Furness, in Lancashire, but with no great
show of right, for although Furness was un-
questionably the older establishment, yet it
was for a long time a house of Benedictines,
being an oftset from the Benedictine monastery
of Savigni, in France. The fourth abbot of
Savigni, in a general chapter, surrendered his
convent to Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux, in
order that it might become Cistercian, a
change so strongly opposed by the abbot and
monks of Furness, that they appealed to Pope
Eugenius III., and obtained from that Pontiff
a confirmation of the Benedictine rule within
their own walls. On the return of the abbot
from this mission, he passed through France,
when he was arrested by the monks of Savigni,
compelled to resign his oftice, and to become
a Cistercian in their convent. His successor
at Furness submitted, in consequence, to the
dictates of the older house, and was converted
to the Cistercian discipline. Hence arose the
subsequent disputes for supremacy between
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND 1RELAND.
17
the abbots of Fumess and Waverley, which
was finally pacified by an agreement that,
" the abbot of Furness should have precedence
through the whole generation of the houses of
Elemosyna in England, and the daughtevs of
Savigni, in England only ; and that the abbot
of Waverley shoidd have precedence as well
in the chapters of the abbots throughout
England, as also a superiority over the whole
order."
Additions would appear to have been made
to the original building in the year 1179, at
which time the aqueduct and lavatory were
completed, the water being brought from a
spring, called Ludewell, in Moor-park, about
half a mile from the abbey. In the Annals
of Waverley, we are told that "in 1216, the
fountain of Ludewell, which had for a series
of years supplied abundantly the lavatory of
the abbey, furnishing water for all purposes,
was almost entirely dried up. Brother Simon,
one of the monks, after carefully considering
the cause of this misfortune, laid open the
ground in search of new springs, which with
much difficulty he discovered ; and having
united them with greatlabour and industry, he
conducted them, by a subterranean channel,
to one spot, where the waters spring up in a
copious perennial fountain ; this was called
St. Mari/s Well."
Up to the time of Henry VIII., this abbey
went on increasing in wealth and honour,
having received various benefactions, as well
as having sent out from its bosom several
abbots, or priors, of other Cistercian monas-
teries. King Henry, however, in 1536, sup-
pressed the abbey, and in the following year —
" alieni appetens, sui profusus "— bestowed
the royal plunder upon Sir William Fitzwil-
liam, treasurer of bis household, and after-
wards created Earl of Southampton, who sefc-
tled his newly-acquired lands upon himself
and the Lady Mabel, his wife, and their issue ;
with remainder to his half-brother, Sir An-
thony Brown. Waverley Abbey thus devolved
to Sir Anthony's son, Lord Viscount Mon-
tagu, by whose grandson it was sold, in the
time of James L, to the Coldham family. By
them it vvas again disposed of to William Ais-
labie, a director of the East India Company,
whose representatives sold it to an attorney
at Guildford, named Child. In 1747, the
successor of Mr. Child parted with it to
Thomas Orby Hunter, Esq. ; and in 1771 it
was made over to the trustees of Field-Marshal
Sir Robert Rich, Bart., then deceased. His
son died in 1786, without male issue, leaving
a daughter and heiress, Mary Frances, mar-
ried to the Rev. Charles Bostock. The latter,
having succeeded to the estate in right of his
wife, assumed the surname of Rich, and in
1792 was made a baronet by George III.
About four years afterwards, this family sold
the estate to a Russian merchant — John
Thomson, Esq. — who, by sign manual of
George IV., took the name of Poulett, in
1820, in honour of his mother, the heiress of
the Pouletts, of Goathurst, in Somersetshire.
Waverley, however, would appear to have
remained but a short time in this family, for
some time between 1832 and 1840, it was
again sold, and to its present owner.
Aubrey, to whom, with all his gossip, the
antiquarian world is so much indebted, has
left us the following description of the mo-
nastic ruins, as they existed in the year 1673.
" Here is a fine rivulet runs under the
house, and fences one side, but all the rest is
walled. By the lane are stately rocks of
sand. Within the walls of the abbey are sixty
acres ; the walls are very strong, and are
chiefly of rag-stones, ten feet high. Here
also remain walls of a fair church ; the walls
of the cloyster, and some part of the cloysters
themselves, within and without, are yet
remaining ; within the quadrangle of the
cloysters was a pond, but now it is a marsh.
Here was also a handsome chapel (now a
stable), larger than that at Trinity College,
Oxford. The windows are of the same fashion
as the chapel-windows at Priory St. Maries
(Kington), in Wiltshire. There areno escut-
cheons or monuments remaining ; only in the
parlour, and chamber over it (built not long
since), are some roundels of painted glass, viz.,
St. Michael fightingwith the Devil ; St. Dun-
stan, holding the Devil by his nose with his
pincers, his retorts, crucibles, and chymical
instruments about him ; with several others ;
but so exactly drawn, as if they were done
from a good modern print, they are of about
eight inches diameter. The hall was very spa-
cious and noble, with a row of pillars in the
middle, and vaulted over head. The very
long building, with long narrow windows,
in all probability was the dormitory ; there
are many more ruins."
Cobbett, also, who was employed upon this
estate when a boy, speaks rapturously in his
" English Gardener," of the old monastic
kitchen-garden. " The peaches," he says,
" nectarines, apricots, and fine plums, never
failed ; and although I have seen, and ob-
served upon, as many fine gardens as any
in England, I have never beheld a garden
equal to that of Waverley." True it is, that
when Cobbett came to write of this same
place at a later period, his enthusiasm had
somewhat cooled ; but perhaps we ought not
for this to blame him, or to accuse him of
inconsistency ; every one, who reflects at all,
must be conscious how very difterent have
been the feelings suggested at difterent times
by the same object.
These venerable ruins were considerably
dilapidated when in the possession of the
Coldhams. They were yet farther injured
by Sir Robert Rich, who used them as mate-
D
18
SEATS OF GREAT BEITAIN AND IRELAND.
rials for building, with a species of economy
that will find scant praise from any lover of
the ancient or the pictnresqne.
Of the old mansion at Waverley, the cen-
tral portion was built by Thomas Orby Hun-
ter, Esq., in the reign of George II. The
wings were added by Sir Itobert Rich. This
house, however, was in part destroyed by
fire in 1833, and the present mansion is a
restoration of the old building by Mr. Nichol-
son. It stands upon a gently-rising knoll,
surrounded by woods and shrubberies.
Through the grounds, which include an area
somewhat exceeding five hundred and twenty
acres, runs a branch of the river Wey. They
are besides ornamented by two large sheets
of water, one of which is known under the
designation of the Black Lake, and stands
in the midst of a plantation of fir-trees. A
greater portion of the ground is arable, the
soil being exceedingly productive.
EASTON HALL, near Grantham, in the co.
of Lincoln, the seat of Sir Montague John
Cholmeley, Bart.
The old Hall of Easton has been the resi-
dence of this ancient branch of the great
Cheshire house of Chohnondeley for upwards
of two centuries. While Marquis Cholmon-
deley, the head of the family, has retained
the original orthography of the name, the
branches which have settled in Yorkshire and
Lincolnshire, have adopted a different way
of spelling it. This difference does not be-
token a different origin, and the family of
Sir Montague Cholmeley is an undoubted
branch of the great Norman stock. His
ancestors have been settled in Lincolnshire
since the beginning of the seventeenth century.
Sir Henry Cholmeley, Knight, son of Chol-
meley of Copenhall, in Staffordshire, was
seated at Kirkby Underwood, in the co. of
Lincoln, and died 1620. His son, Henry
Cholmeley of Easton, was, it is said, created
a Baronet by King Charles I. However,
owing to the troubles of the times, the patent
was never made out. He married Elizabeth,
daughter of Sir Itichard Sondes, Baronet, of
Throwley, and sister to Sir George Sondes,
created Earl of Feversham in 1676. Her
mother was Susan Montague, daughter of Sir
Edward Montague, Bart., of Boughton, son of
the Cliief Justice Montague, and maternally
descended from Sir James Harington, of
Exton, by Lucy, his wife, sister of Sir Henry
Sidney, K.G. The son of this marriage was
Montague Cholmeley of Easton, who married
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edward Hartopp,
Bart. His son, Montague, married Alice,
daughter of Sir Richard Brownlow, Bart., of
Great Humby, and was grandfather of John
Cholmeley, who inarried Penelope, daughter of
Joscph Herne, and maternally descended from
the Baronetical families of Mordaunt and War-
burton. His son, Montague, married a
daughter of the family of Sibthorp of Can-
wick, near Lincoln, by whom he had a nu-
merous family. One of his daughters mar-
ried the eldest son of Mr. Austin of Kipping-
ton, in Kent ; and another married Mr.
Johnstone of Alva, in Scotland. His eldest
son, Montague, was for many years M.P. for
Grantham, and in 1806 was created a bar-
onet. He married Elizabeth, daughter and
heiress of John Harrison of Norton Place,
in the co. of Lincoln, by whom he had issue :
the present baronet, James, who maraed a
daughter of Mr. Johnstone of Alva ; Henry,
who married Miss Way ; and two daughters,
the wives of Sir John Jacob Buxton, Bart.,
of Shadwell Court, and of Sir Glynne Earl
Welby, Bart., of Denton Hall. Sir Montague
Cholmeley was long in Parliament, first for
the borough of Grantham, and subsequently
for the co. of Lincoln. He married Lady
Georgiana Beauclerk, daughter of the eighth
Duke of St. Albans.
Easton was an old Hall surrounded by ex-
tensive farm offices, and a considerable vil-
lage inhabited by the servants of the family.
The grounds were pleasantly diversified, and
there were many good trees, and an old-
fashioned garden with a river and yew-hedges.
The late Sir Montague made considerable
alterations in this old Hall and grounds, but
in doing so he injured their quaintness,
which was their only claim to notice. The
present baronet has completely changed the
place. Retaining the best portions, both of the
original building and of the later alterations
he has given something of a feudal charac-
ter to the whole ; and has made extensive
additions in excellent taste. The village and
farm offices have been removed. New offices
have been built in keeping with the manorial
character which has been given to the house.
A stone court has been constructed in front,
which is entered under a gate tower, and
through an arched gateway. The old gar-
den has been restored, and terraces have
been constructed descending from the house
to the stream. Many great additions have
been made to the internal accommodation.
The entrance hall has been panelled vvith
carved oak, and raised to the height of the
second story, and there is a handsome suite
of dining-room, library, two drawing-rooms,
and conservatory. The fitting-up of the in-
terior has been made as much as possible to
correspond with the style of the exterior,
which is intended to represent the Eliza-
bethan age.
N0BT0N PLACE, about ten miles to the
north of Lincoln, is also the property of Sir
Montague Cholmeley, Bart.
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SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND 1RELAND.
19
This estate belonged to John Harrison,
Esq., M.P. for Grimsby and Thetford, and he
was succeeded in its possession by his daugh-
ter, Lady Cholmeley, from whom it descended
to her son. Norton Place is a handsome
liouse, built about a hundred years ago, and
situated in the midst of a small park, with
extensive pleasure grounds and a piece of
water at one side of it. The public rooms
are of moderate dimensions, and there is con-
siderable accommodation.
BALLYCTJKBIN CASTLE, Mayo, Ireland,
the seat of Charles Lynch, Esq., High Sheriff
for the county.
In the olden time this property belonged to
a family of the name of Currin, from which
it received the appellation tliat it still retains.
An old house stood here, built, according to
the current tradition, about the middle of the
seventeenth century, by Maurice Lynch,
Esq., who was great great grandfather of the
present owner, and is believed to have been
a captain in the army. The more modern
mansion was erected in 1828, by Captain
Peter Lynch. It is a commodious building,
of an oblong form, upon the banks of Lough
Corrib, with stone quoins, base, parapets, and
chimney-shafts, and is three stories in height,
including the basement story. The rooms are
large and well-proportioned, and the situation
of the house delightful. From the drawing-
room windows may be seen the lake, with its
numerous islands stretching as far as Oughter-
ard, a distance of eight miles across, and the
picturesque chain of the Connaught mountains.
The islands of the lake have, in many in-
stances, been tastefully laid out and planted
by the present owner, and add greatly to the
general beauty of the scene. Much attention,
also, has been paid to the arrangement and
planting of the grounds, besides which is a
well-enclosed, extensive garden, abounding
in all the natural products of the island.
To the westward of the house, and within
about sixty yards from it, stands one of these
fine old ruins called a double castle. It is in
good preservation, but clothed with ivy from
base to summit, and forms a prominent fea-
ture in the landscape.
Henry — commonly called Harry — Lynch,
Esq., of Ballycurrin, the grandfather of the
present owner, was High Sheriff for the co. of
Mayo in 1772.
THE ISLAND, Castle Connell, in the co.
of Limerick, the seat of Sir Richard de
Burgho, Bart.
Tne Island, upon which Castle Connell
stands, is partly occupied by the ruins of a
monastery of the Conventual Franciscans,
founded in the year 1291 — reign of Henry
III. — by William Fion de Burgh, or De
Burgho, Baron of Castle Connell. He mar-
ried Ania, daughter to Donald 0'Brien, King
of Limerick. This site, however, was granted
to Edmond Seaton, and now belongs to the
Percy family, under the name of St. Francis'
Abbey.
This estate has been for time immemorial
in the possession of the De Burghs, a family
of the noblest Norman origin. The present
niansion, which is of the Doric style of
architecture, was erected in 1815 by Sir John
Allen de Burgho. It is situated on the most
elevated position of a picturesque Island
in the river Shannon, and has a com-
nnmication witli the main-land by means
of a battlemented causeway. Both the house
and grounds command a near view of the
ancient Castle Connell, once the seat of the
Kings of Munster, subsequently granted to
Richard de Burgho, Earl of Ulster, and dis-
mantled in the year 1691. Ferrars, the
historian of Limerick, tells us, " Brigadier
Stuart was sent to take Castle Connell ; this
was a strong fortress, and would have given
the English much trouble to reduce it, if the
Governor, Captain Barnwall, who had one-
hundred and twenty-six men under his com-
mand, had defended it properly. But he
immediately surrendered at discretion, and,
with his garrison, were [was] brought
prisoners [prisoner] to the camp."
BADBY HOUSE, in the co. of Northampton,
near Daventry, the seat of Charles William
Watkins, Esq.
Tliis seat is so called from the neighbouring
village of Badbg—or, as it was anciently
written, Badetri — which, says Baker, " may
be derived from the Saxon, Bad, or Bade, a
pledge, and Bye, a dweUing or habitation ;" in
allusion possibly to circumstances now forgot-
ten, in connection with its original foundation.
Mr. Watkins traces his descent from Wil-
liam of Wykeham, through the families of
Rushworth and Danvers.
In the parish of Badby are numerous
springs ; and several quarries of a hard blue
stone, known by the name of mg-stone, and
very serviceable for building as well as paving.
CASTLE SHANE, Ireland, in the parish,
barony, and county of Monaghan, the seat of
the Right Honourable Edward Lucas, a ma-
gistrate for the county, which he represented
in three parliaments.
This gentleman belongs to a family, of
which several members migrated from Eng-
land to Ireland in the early part of the
•seventeenth century. The various branches
may still be found in the counties of
Clare, Cork, King's County, and Monaghan.
In the last named district they acquired,
partly by purchase, and partly by Royal
grant, considerable estates, whieh were erected
into a manor by patent of Charles II., in
20
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
1683, "to be called the Manor of Castle
Shane;" the greater part of this property has
ever since remained in the family.
The precise time, at which Castle Shane
was first erected, is not known with certainty ;
it is, however, believed to have been raised in
1591, because in that year Ross Bane Mc
Bryan Mc Mahon, who had received a grant
of the lands of Syan, and others adjoining,
from Queen Elizabeth, (which now form the
nucleus of the Castle Shane manor,) was
made sherifi" of the county in preference to
Mr. afterwards Sir John Talbot of Malahide,
"in respect he hath builded a house of
strength in these borders;" and there is no
tradition, or trace, of Ross having built a
house either at Monaghandufle, (his original
estate,) or elsewhere.
Ross Bane sold to Sir Edward, first Lord
Blayney, the lands of Shcan, and others above
alluded to. Lord Blayney, by will, devised
those lands, " including his Castle of Shean to
his son, Arthur;" he sold them to the
Reverend John Symonds, whose heirs dis-
posed of the property to Francis Lucas, Esq.,
a comet of horse, sometime between 1650 and
1657, in which latter year he died seised of it.
In 1836 the original edifice was pulled
down, when it was replaced by a new building
of moderate size, consisting of a small tower
four stories high, and of a manor-house ad-
joining. The tower was copied from a larger
one at Ardgonnel, in the county of Armagh,
built by the 0'Neills ; the house is in the
style, called Elizabethan, but more properly
(in this case) that of James the First. The
whole, with its annexed offices, presents an
imposing appearance from the mail-coach
road, which passes through the demesne, lead-
ing from Castle Blayney to Monaghan. It is,
however, to be regretted that a work, correct
in its design, should not have been executed
in more durahle materials than rubble-stone
coated with cement.
The view from the house is not very exten-
sive ; the annexed demesne comprises one
hundred acres of woodland and pleasure
ground, and two hundred of arable and pas-
ture, and possesses much of the beautiful and
the picturesfpie.
DRYBURGH ABBEY, Scotland, in the co.
of Berwick, and parish of Merton, the seat of
the Earl of Buchan.
This seat takes its namefrom the celebrated
ruins of the adjoining monastery, situated on
a peninsula, formed by the Tweed, ten miles
above Kelso, and three below Melrose, on the*
south-western confine of the co. of Berwick.
" Saint Modan, who was one of the first
Christian missionaries inBritain, was Abbotof
Dryburgh about the year 522, and made
apostolical excursions into the north-western
parts of Scotland, particularly in tbe districts
of Stirling and Dumbarton, where his me-
mory is still to be traced in popular tradition.
" There is some reason to conjecture that
on this spot there has been more antiently a
Druidical establishment, because the Celtic or
Gaelicetymology of thename Darach-bruach,
or Darach-brugh, or Dryburgh, can be no
otherwise interpreted than the bank of the
sacred grove of oaks, or the settlement of the
Druids ; and we know that it was usual for
the first planters of Christianity in Pagan
countries to choose such sacred haunts for
the propagation of the Gospel. Bede, how-
ever, in his ecclesiastical history is silent on
this subject ; and as more than a century had
elapsed from the days of Modan to those of
the venerable historian, it is probable the
religious residence had been transferred to
Melrose long before he composed his annals.
"The new abbey of Dryburgh was found-
ed by Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauder-
dale, and his wife, Beatrice de Beauchamp,
about the year 1150, who obtained a charter
of confirmation from King David L, who
assumes in the deed the designation of found-
er; and to this charter Hugo de Morville is a
witness ; but it sufficiently appears from the
chronicle of Melros, that this abbey, on its new
foundation, owed its establishment to these
illustrious subjects, and was afterwards taken
under the protection of the sovereign. The
church-yard was consecrated on St. Martin's
Day, 1150, as appears from the following
entry quoted by Hay, in his Reliquice
Sacrce, Scot., p. 301, vol. L, ' Quo die
ccemiterke sacris utibus consecratffi sunt ne
demones in us grassarentur.'
" The monks of the order of Premontre — ■
Premonstratensis — were brought to Dryburgh
from Alnwick in the year 1152.
"This abbey was burnt, and a considerable
part of it destroyed, by the army of Edward
II., in the year 1323, and was repaired at the
expense of King Robert I. From several
appearances in the ruins now remaining, there
is reason to believe that there had been build-
ings at Dryburgh of the ancient foundation
when the new works were erected by Hugh
de Morville and Beatrix de Beauchamp ;
fragments of a more ancient style of archi-
tecture being intermixed with those of the
age of King David.
" The freestone of which the monastery of
Dryburgh, and the most elegant parts of Mel-
rose was [were] built, is of a most beautiful
colour and texture, and has defied the in-
flucnce of the weather for more than six
centuries; nor is the sharpness of sculp-
ture, in the least aflected by the ravages of
time. The quarry, from which it was taken,
is still successfully wrought at Dryburgh, and
no stone in the island seems more perfectly
adapted for the purposes of architecture, as it
hardens by age, and is not subject to be
SEAT8 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
21
coiToded nor decomposed by the weather, so.
that it might even be used for the cutting of
bas reliefs and statues."
Dryburgh Abbey " was purchased in the
year 1786, by the Earl of Buchan, from the
heirs of Colonel Tod, who bought it from
Haliburton of Newmains, the heir of the
antient family of Haliburton of Mertoun, a
very old cadet of the chief family of Haly-
bnrtons of Piteur, and of Halyburton of
Halyburton."
When Pennant visited Dryburgh, though
little remained of the church, a considerable
portion of the convent still existed, — "the
refectory supported by two pillars, several
vaults, and other otfices ; part of the cloister-
vvalls, and a fine radiated window of stone-
work." But since his time, the refectory has
fallen, though the gable ends are still re-
maining.
Sir Walter Scott, who represented the
ancient barons of Newmains, was buried here,
by the side of his wife, and in the sepulchre
of his ancestors, on the 26th of September,
1832, and has thus lent to the locality an
undying interest»
CRAWFOED PEIOEY, in the co. of Fife, the
seat of the Earl of Glasgow.
This is a new name, which has superseded
the original one of Struthers, a place which
was for many centuries the abode of the great
family of Lindsay, Lord Lindsay of the Byres,
and Earl of Lindesay, and aftervvards Earl of
Crawford, from whom it has descended to the
present proprietor. John, tenth Lord Lind-
say, was created an Earl by King Charles L,
and he afterwards became seventeenth Earl of
Crawford, having obtained the Earldom of the
elder brancli of his family. He married the
Lady Margaret Hamilton, daughter of the
second Marqnis of Hamilton, and sisterof the
two first Dukes of that family. One of the
daughters of this marriage was the Duchess
of Rothes. William, the eldest son, carried
on the immediate line of the family. From
Patrick, the younger son, the last Earls of
Crawford and Lindsay were descended.
. In the latter days of the seventeenth Earl
of Crawford, during the reign of King Charles
II., Struthers is thus described : — ■" It is a
very large old house, with magnificent gar-
dens, great orchards, and vast enclosures and
plantings."
The late Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford,
from whom this estate passed to the present
proprietor, was imbued with a great reverence
for feudal times, and for the memory of her
ancestors, a feeling which prompted her to
erect Crawford Priory near the ancient seat
ofStruthers, which had fallen into suchdecay
tliat very little remains of ruined grandeur are
visble ; the greater portion of the building,
with its towers and battlements, having been
removed. Indeed, only a few gable walls re-
main ; the site of the extensive gardens being
occupied by a farm-house and offices. How-
ever, the vestiges of a very fine avenue may
still be traced. Lady Mary erected an ex-
pensive, but tasteless, modern building, which
she called a Priory, instead of reproducing
the old Scottish castellated abode of her an-
cestors. This was her habitual residence, and
it may not be out of place here to quote the
description of her funeral in 1833, from the
pen of Lord Lindsay, in his " Lives."
" It was in the Gothic hall of Crawford
Priory that the funeral service of the Church
of England was read over her remains.
About the middle of the service, the sun's
rays suddenly streamed through the painted
glass, on the groined roof and on the trophies
of ancient armour disposed round the walls,
and lighted up the very pall of death with the
gules and azure of the Lindsay cognizance
emblazoned on the window, and then died
away again. The service over, the proces-
sion moved slowly from the priory door,
ascending by a winding road, cut through a
wood of pines, to the mausoleum, on the sum-
mit of a lofty eminence, where her brother,
Earl George, was buried. Numbers of the
tenantry and of the townspeople of Cupar and
Ceres attended, and the hills were covered
with groups of spectators. A more impres-
sive scene I never witnessed. And thus,
amidst a general subdued silence, we com-
mitted to the dust the last of the long line of
the Lindsays of the Byres."
No family in Scotland is more ancient, and
few are so royally allied as that of Lindsay.
They can boast of four direct intermarriages
with the family of the reigning monarch — lst,
Sir William de Lindsay, who died in 1200,
married Marjory, grand-daughter of David
L, and sister of Malcohn IV., and William,
the Lion King of Scotland. 2nd, Sir William
de Lindsay, who died 1283, married Ada,
sister of John Balliol, King of Scotland. 3rd,
Sir Alexander Lindsay, whodied 1382, married
EgidiathesisterofRobertII.,KingofScotland.
And 4th, David Lindsay, first Earl of Craw-
ford, married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert
II., and sister of Robert III., Kings of Scot-
land. Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford, the
builder of Crawford Priory, was the last direct
descendant of her immediatebranch of this most
illustrious line. The last remaining descen-
dants of that branch are — the Earl of Glasgow,
who, as eldest heir of line, inherited the en-
tailed estates ; the Right Honourable David
Boyle, Lord Justice-General of Scotland; Mr.
Hamilton Dundas ; Admiral Sir Charles Na-
pier, and Mr. Hamilton Gray.
We have said that John, seventeenth Earl
of Crawford and Lindsay, who was seated in
splendour at Struthers, in the reign of Charles
L, during the Commonwealth, and in the
22
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
reign of Charles II., had two sons. The line
ofhis eldest son, William, eighteenth Earl,
failed in the person of his distingnished grand-
son, John, twenty-first Eaid, a nohle and
heroic warrior, whose high deeds of arms
added to the lustre of his great family. This
nobleman had no children by his beautiful
Countess, the eldest daughter and co-heiress
of the second Duke of Athol, and dying on
Christmas Day, 1749, he was succeeded by
his kinsman, George, Viscount Garnock, de-
scendant of his grand uncle, the Honourable
Patrick Lindsay, second son of John, seven-
teenth Earl of Crawford, and Lady Margaret,
sister to the Duke of Hamilton.
This Earl of Crawford and Lindsay had
held the first place in his native country, as
leader of the Presbyterian party. He had
long filled the ofhce of Lord High Treasurer,
to which Charles II., on his accession, re-
stored him. Released from the tedious im-
prisonment in which he had been held in
VVindsor, during the Commonwealth, he re-
turned to Scotland, where he was received
with enthusiasm. His entrance into Edin-
burgh was a triumphal procession. However,
it was not long before it vvas discovered that
Presbyterianism had few friends at court.
Episcopacy was re-established as the form of
religion in Scotland. Crawford and Lindsay,
the sole hope of the Presbyterians, main-
tained a gallant, but fruitless struggle for the
Kirk and Covenant. When desired by the
King to renounce the covenant, he replied,
" that he had suffered for his Majesty's sake
nine years' imprisonment, forfeiture and ruin
of fortune, so he was resolved to continue his
Majesty's loyal and faithful subject, and serve
him in what he could do with a good con-
science ; but as for renouncing the covenant,
that he could not do with a goodconscience."
He therefore resigned the oftice of Lord High
Treasurer, and, givingup the Courtandpublic
business, he finally returned to Scotland, and
retired to the Struthers, in November, 1GG3,
and spent the remainder of his days, until his
death, when he was an octagenarian, in~the
house of his ancestors. He was a nobleman
of great virtue, high spirit, very good abilities,
and a most exemplary life. He suftered much
for his fidelity to tlie King, and hisconscience
prevented him from repairing his fortune by
means of court favour ; so that the wealth of
the Lindsay family, which in his person had
reached its culminating point, began with
him, also, to decline.
Providence, however, alleviated the mis-
fortunes of the latter days of the aged Earl,
by providing for the wealth and prosperity of
his second son, whose line was destined ulti-
mately to carry on the family; and tliis piece
of good fortune was the direct result of the
honesty and consistency of the old peer.
News of Lord Crawford's resignation of his
Treasurership and retirement from Coitrl,
having reached Sir John Crawfurd, Baronet,
of Kilbirney, a very wealthy gentleman of
Ayrshire, he sent for the Countess of Craw-
ford, who, being the Duke of HamiltoiVs
sister, was his own cousin-german, and thus
addressed her — "I am glad to hear that my
noble lord, your husband, has lost his advan-
tageous place, but kept his good old princi-
ples. I have a fortune, and no son to enjoy it.
I will count it an honour if my noble lord and
your ladyship will consent that your second
son shall marry my young daughter, and enjoy
my estate." It may be supposed that this
ofter was joyfully accepted. Sir John Craw-
furd immediately delivered up to the Countess
the charters and rights of his great estates,
along with his daughter, desiring that she
might keep her and educate her until the re-
turn ofher second son from France. Itmust
be admitted that Sir John Crawfurd's conduct
was not altogether free from blame in this
proceeding, as he had an elder daughter,
Anne, the wife of Sir Archibald Stewai-t,
Bart., of Blackhall, from whom the present
Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, Bart., is lineally
descended. However, Sir John passed over
this line of his descendants, in order to enrich
the son of the house of Lindsay, who, on his
marriage with the Kilbirney heiress, assumed
the surname of Crawfurd.
The Honourable Patrick Lindsay, thus pre-
ferred to a fair young wife and rich estate,
was a man of good parts and great worth.
The wedding took place at Holyrood, on the
27th December, 1GG4, and they lived in great
happiness at Kilbirney until October, 1681,
when they died within thrce days of each other
of a pestilential fever. It was remarked, at
the time of their death, that " in the day of
the sickening of the laird and lady of Kil-
birney, whereof they shortly died, his dogs
went into the close, and an unco (strange)
dog coming in amongst them, they all set up
a barking, with their faces up to heaven,
howling, yelling, and yoviping ; and when the
laird called upon themthey wouldnotcometo
him as in former times when he called on them.
The same day the laird and lady sickened ! "
As Kilbirney became henceforward the
most valuable possession of the Lindsay
Crawford family, it is fitting that here we
should give some account of it.
KILBIRNEY CASTLE, in the co. of Ayr,
the property of the Earl of Glasgow.
Kilbirney Castle, now a ruin, consists of
two parts ; the square tower common in
feudal times, andan addition toit the front in
more modern style. Being situated on rising
ground, the ruins are seen to a considerable
distance, and have much imposing grandeur
of appearance. On the Kilbirney estates
stand the ruins of another castle, of still
SEATS OF OREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
23
greater antiquity and magnificence, Glengar-
nock, which, for several centuries, was the
residence of a branch of the Cunninghams,
but aftervvards was acquired by the Craw-
furds. These ruins present a bold and digni-
iieil aspect, and ibrin a very prominent object
in the siurounding country, and the prospect
from them is beautifully varied and extensive.
Kilbirney anciently belonged to the power-
fvd family of Barclay, who were settled there
long before 1149. In 11G5, Sir Walter Bar-
clay of Kilbirney was made, bylving William
the Lion, Lord High Chamberlain of Scotiand.
In 1470, Jolm Barclay of Kilbirney died
without heirs male, and his great estate went,
with his daughter Margaret, to Malcohn
Crawfurd of Greenock, a descendant of Craw-
furd of Loudon, who became the founder of
the family of Crawfurd of Kilbirney. His
descendant, John Crawfurd of Kilbirney,
married into the ancient family of Blair of
Blair, and died 1G22. His son John married
Lady Mary Cunningham, daughter of James,
Earl of Glencairne, and sister of the Mar-
chioness of Hamilton ; and in 1G27 he rebuilt
Kilbirney Castle in a style of great magniii-
cence. He was succeeded by his eldest son
John, who was created a baronet in 1642, by
King Charles I. He married the Hon.
Magdalen Carnegie, daughter and heiress of
David, Lord Carnegie, and heiress of line of
the Earls of Southesk ; and by her he had two
daughters, co-heiresses, of whom, Anne was
the wife of Sir Archibald Stewart, Baronet, of
Blackhall, and Ardgowan and Margaret was
wife of the Hon. Patrick Lindsay.
The issue of this marriage was numerous,
but we will only mention a son and two daugh-
ters, who alone left descendants. The eldest
son, John, first Viscount Garnock, carried on
the line of the family ; but, as his posterity is
now extinct, the only remaining descendants
of the great house of Lindsay Crawfurd are
sprung from the two daughters — viz., Mar-
garet, wife of David Boyle, Earl of Glasgow,
and Magdalen, wife of George Dundas of
Duddingstoun. The descendants of the latter
are Mr. Hainilton Dundas, Admiral Sir Charles
Napier, and Mr. Hamilton Gray, and they,
together with the Earl of Glasgow 's family, are
now the sole representatives of Lindsay
Crawford.
John Lindsay Crawford, born in 16G9, was
a man of much political importance, and, in
1703, he was created Viscount Garnock. He
married a daughter of the iirst Earl of Bute,
and in December, 1708, he died, and was
succeeded by his son Patrick, second Viscount
Garnock. He died in May, 1735, and his
eldest son dying in 1738, his second son,
George, became fourth Viscount Garnock ;
and in 1749, he also succeeded to the Earl-
dom of Crawford and Lindsay, on the death
of his cousin, the twenty-first Earl. He mar-
ried, in 1755, Miss Hamilton, co-heiress with
her sister, the wife of Hugh, twelfth Earl of
Eglinton, of Robert Hamilton, of Bourtree
Hill. And he was living with his Countess
and infant family at Kilbirney Castle, when
an accident occurred which drove him awav,
and which consigned the ancient mansion to
permanent ruin.
On a Sunday morning, in April, 1757,
when the family were unconscious of danger,
a servant going to the stables observed smoke
issuing from the roof of the mansion-house,
and gave the alarm. Lord Crawford came
instantly down, and, seeing the danger, ran to
Lady Crawford's bed-room, and, seizing his
infant daughter, hurried with her into the
open air. The whole members of the family
followed. The alarm soon spread. Crowds
of people assembled to oifer vain assistance ;
for, amidst the unavailing services of a lament-
ing peasantry, the stately mansion of Kil-
birney was completely destroyed. It was
never rebuilt, and its ruins remain in melan-
choly contrast to its former grandeur. The
cause of theiire waslonginvolved in mystery;
and there are legends still floating in the
neighbourhood which throw an air of romance
over the destruction of this residence. Some
years previous, when Lord Crawford was
absent, the lower part of the house was in-
habited by tenants. They used lo hear
strange sounds in the rooms above ; the
rustling of richly-attired dames pacing along
the corridors ; and when the clock struck
twelve, shrieks and groans fell on their
listening ears. As these were supposed to
indicate secret crimes connected with the
mansion, the destruction of the house was
regarded by the superstitious as an act of re-
tributive justice.
No attempt was ever made by the family
to restore this ancient seat. They then iixed
their residence in Fifeshire, where, as has
been already mentioned, a Gothic mansion,
Crawford Priory, erected close to the old
house of Struthers, forms a powerful and
splendid contrast to the dilapidated Castle of
Kilbirney. The Earl of Crawford, in whose
time this fire occurred, had three sons and
two daughters. Of these, the two younger
sons predeceased their elder brother George,
who, in 1781, became twenty-second Earl of
Crawford, and died unmarried in 1808. The
eldest daughter, Lady Jean, married, in
1772, Archibald, eleventh Earl of Eglinton,
and died without issue. The second, Lady
Mary, was her brother's sole heir, and held
the great family estates in Fifeshire and Ayr-
shire from 1808 until her death, in 1S33 ;
when she was succeeded in them by her
cousin, the eldest co-heir of her family, the
Earl of Glasgow, who now possesses this mag-
niiicent fortune.
The situation of Kilbirney is very bcautiful
24
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
and the lake of that name is a fine featuTe in
the scenery. The old parish church of Kil-
birney contains some cnrious relics of family
pride. Under the directions of the first
Viscount Garnock, ahout 1700, that edifice
was repaired, and the family seat was splen-
didly ornamented with architectural decora-
tions in oak. On the front of the gallery
there are blazoned the armorial bearings of
twelve distinguished houses with whom that
of Kilbirney was allied ; and the other parts
of the interior display much fanciful work-
manship, which renders that church an object
unique in its kind, and attracts the notice of
the curious in heraldry and antiquities.
The property which Lord Glasgow in-
herited, as eldest co-heir of the house of
Lindsay Crawford, is of very great value, and
that value is on the increase, from the mineral
wealth contained in the Kilbirney estates in
Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. The family of
Boyle is undoubtedly one of great antiquity,
but very inferior in illustration and importance
to that of Lindsay Crawford, the representa-
tion of which it is a high honour for the Earl
of Glasgow to share. Therefore, as he has
the good fortune to possess all the estates, by
a special entail, it would be only natural that
he should also adopt the surnames of Lindsay
Crawford in addition to his own family name.
The descendants of this great house are now
very few in number; anditis unfortunate that
he among them to whom the estates have
fallen, does not pride himself in keeping up
the name and arms of so illustrious a race.
GLAMIS CASTLE, in the county of Forfar,
the seat of the Earl of Strathmore.
The castle of Glamis, situated in the centre
of the vale of Strathmore (which signifies
great valley), is one of the most noble and
venerable edifices in Scotland, andis rendered
the more interesting from its being one of
the most ancient habitable houses in the
kingdom, while at the same time it has not
been destroyed by the improvements of
vitiated taste. This castle may be regarded
as the most remarkable monument of domestic
antiquity in the part of the country where it
is situated. It originally consisted of two
rectangular towers of very great height, with
walls of fifteen feet in thickness. These tow-
ers were connected by a square projection,
and, together, formed a figure like the letter
" Z," a form which afibrded mutual defence to
all parts of the building. The stone is a red-
ish grey freestone, and a portion of the castle
is of great, though unknown, antiquity ; yet
the story of its having been the house where
King Malcolm II. died, in 1033, is a mere
fable. Tliat prince is said to have received
his death wound in the neighbourhood, and to
have been conveyed afterwards to Glamis
Castle to die. The room where he expired is
shown, and also the dagger with which he is
falsely said to have been assassinated. Mal-
colm II. appears however to have been con-
nected, in some way, with this locality ; and
he may, very probably, have died in a house
on the site of which Glamis Castle now
stands. But the present building, though
very old, was probably not erected for several
centuries after King Malcolm II. 's reign.
The central tower contains a spacious spi-
ral staircase, one end of the steps resting on
a light hollow pillar, continued to the topmost
story. The stairs consist of 143 steps. To the
left of the staircase is a vaulted stone hall, 70
feet in length, and 25 in breadth. At the sides
of the windows are curious little rooms, cut out
in the thick walls. Adjoining the stone hall
is a library, and at the south end is a room 45
feet in length, and two stories high, intended
for a drawing-room. Immediately above the
stone hall is the great hall of the castle, of the
same dimensions. The arched ceiling is 30
feet high, ornamented with heraldic blazonry.
Above the great fire place is rich stucco work
extending to the roof. The date of the finish-
ing of this noble apartment is 1621. By the
side of the hall is the chapel, fitted up with
dark oak, and ornamented with curious paint-
ings of the apostles, and scripture subjects.
A door in the side of the end window of the
hall, leads to the grand drawing-room, 60 feet
by 30, and 24 feet high. The breakfast-room
is wainscoted, and is partly hung with curious
tapestry. In an upper story is the room
fabulously called by the name of King Mal-
colm ; probably on account of its having the
royal arms above the fire place. Many of the
bedrooms are fitted up with antique beds, with
heavy velvet hangings ; and in some of them
the ponderous chairs are carved and gilded.
The great kitchen is 60 feet by 30, and 30 feet
high ; and it contains eight fire places.
Great alterations were made in thisgrand
old house by Patrick first Earl of Kinghorn, in
1606. The architect whom he employed was
Inigo Jones, and his work bears a resemblance
to Heriot's Hospital in Edinburgh, and har-
monizes very well with the ancient, lofty,
central building. This place is thus described
in a work entitled "Journey through Scotland,"
which was published in 1723. " This paiace
as you approach it, strikes you with awe and
admiration by its many turrets and gilded
ballustrades at the top. It stands in the mid-
dle of a well-planted park, with avenues cut
through, in every way, to the house. The
great avenue is thickly planted on each side,
at the entrance of which there is a great stone
gate, with offices, on each side, of freestone,
like a little town, and it leads you in half a
mile to the outer court, which has a statue on
each side as big aslife. On the great gate of
the inner court areballustrades of stone finely
adorned witb statues. From this court, by
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
25
balustrades of iron, you bave a full prospect
of the gardens on eacb side, cut into grass
plots, and adorned with evergreens. Tbe ball
is ornamented with family pictures; and bebind
tbe ball is a cbapel, with a large organ. On
the altar is a good picture of the last supper.
The ceilings of many of the rooms are painted
by De Witt, a painter whom Earl Patrick, the
Earl's grandfather, brought from Holland.
In the drawing room are pictures of Mary of
Modena, the Duke of Lauderdale, Lord
Dundee, with a crowd of half lengths of the
Scottish nobility. Whenthe Pretenderlay here,
they made up eighty-eight beds within the
house, for him and his retinue, besides the
inferior servants who lay in the offices out of
doors."
In this castle there is a concealed room,
the secret of whicb is said to be only known,
in successive generations, to tbree persons
at once — the proprietor, if of age, and two
otbers. In it, a number of fugitives are said
to have been concealed in 1746, after the
Battle of Culloden. Tradition speaks of a
less authentic secret chamber in this mansion,
which is tenanted by "uncanny" guests.
Alexander Lindsay, fourth Earl of Crawford,
called " Earl Beardie," or the " Tiger Earl,"
who died 1454, is said to be still alive ;
and is believed to be playing at cards,
" the de'ils books," in a mysterious cbamber
at Glamis Castle, of which no one now
knows the entrance — doomed, thus, to play
there until the end of time. It is said, that
upon one occasion, the Earl was constantly
losing ; wben one of bis companions advising
him to give up the game, "Never," cried be,
" till the day of judgment." The evil one
instantly appeared, and both chamber and
company vanished. No one has since dis-
covered them. But in the stormy nights,
when the winds bowl drearily around the old
castle, the stamps and curses of the doomed
gamesters may still, it is said, be heard ming-
ling with the blast. This story is a curious
Scottish pendant to the German legend of
the Wild Huntsman.
There is much probability that the legend of
the murder of King Malcolm II. is altogether
fabulous. The chronicle of Melrose concurs
with the Irisb annals, in saying that Malcolm
II. died quietly at Glamis. Fordun was the
first who asserted that this aged King met a
violent death. There is shown in the churcb-
yard at Glamis, a rude mass of stone, without
inscription, sixteen feet high and five broad,
called " King Malcolm's grave-stone." This
may be his monument ; but this piince was
entombed with his ancestors at Iona. No
monarcb of the ancient Celtic house had con-
solidated his power with so many murders, or
with such oppression as Malcolm II. ; and tbe
injuries wbicbhe had inflicted on the rival line
of the royal race, was avenged by its heiress
Gruach, Lady Macbeth, upon his grandson
and heir. Yet it appears, that the aged Mal-
colm died in 1033, without fealing the point
of the dirk, or the poison of the bowl, though
revenge stood panting for her prey. In
whatever way he died, it seems certain that
his death was connected with Glamis Castle,
although, we must believe, with an earlier
mansion on the same site.
Another royal tragedy has been asso-
ciated with Glamis viz., — Tbe murder of
King Duncan, grandson of Malcolm II.
Glamis shares, with five or six other
castles, the evil fame of this assassination.
Tradition says that in the twelfth and
thirteenth centuries, a castle of smaller
dimensions and less height stood on this spot,
commanding a wide extent of level country ;
and bounded, in one direction, by the range
of the Dunsinane hills. This old stronghold
is said to have been an occasional residence of
Macbeth, who is, by Sbakspeare, stated to
bave been Thane of Glamis ; It is possible
that he may have been Lord of Glamis. and
that he may have sometimes lived here.
But his country was much furtber north,
And it is far more probable that the murder.
of Duncan was perpetrated either in the
castle of Cawdor, or in tbat of Forres, or, at
least, in castles which, in very early times
occupied the sites of those ancient edifices.
Cawdor Castle is, indeed, said to be
the most ancient inhabited house in Scot-
land; yet, the antiquity of the oldest por-
tion of the actual buikling, falls far short
of the tenth or eleventh century. Mac-
beth's castles may have existed on the exact
sites, both of Cawdor and Glamis, and on
their foundations may have been erected the
edifices now so well preserved, as relics of tbe
past, by the Earls of Cawdor and Strath-
more.
Sbakspeare is entirely wrong in giving to
Macbeth the title of Thane, either of
Glamis, or of Cawdor. Tbane was a Saxon
title, and had not then been introduced into
Scotland. Saxon usages were not generally
brought in, until two generations subsequently
to the fall of Macbeth, by King Edgar, the
son of a Saxon princess, who had been placed
on the throne by tbe aid of his kindred
Saxons, and under the auspices of a Norman
King. Macbeth's title was Maormer, a Cel-
tic dignity corresponding with Duke or Earl,
or whatever in those earliest times was next
in rank to the King. He was tbe great heredi-
tary chief or Maormer of Ross and Moray, and
a potent rival of tbe royal Celtic race. In his
immortal tragedy, Shakspeare has entirely
failed in giving an historical view of the cir-
cumstances. Had he done so, he would have
invested his principal characters with tenfold
intercst. Macbeth was Maormer of Ross,
son of Finlegh, a great noble, who had been
26
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
slain in battle by Malcolm II. in 1020. Gruach
was heiress of the elder line of Celtic sove-
reigns, and her grandfather had been nmrdered
by Malcolm II., the head of a yovinger line.
His jealousy pursued her, and he burnt her
father-in-law, Maolbride, the Maormer of
Moray, and her lmsband, with fifty of their
clan, within their castle in the year 1032.
The lady Gruach fled with Lulach, her
infant son, to the protection of Macbeth, who
was her husband's cousin, and who ruled the
neighbouring province of Ross. In the
meantime the aged tyrant died, as seems
probable, in the older castle of Glamis ;
leaving two daughters, his ^o-heiressess, the
one wife of Crinan, Abbot of Dunkeld, and
the other wife of Sigurd, the Scandinavian
Earl of Orkney. Both of these princesses
had issue, and their descendants are, of
course, joint co-heirs of the royal Celtic
race. The inheritance of Malcolm's crown
fell to Duncan, the son of his daughter who
had married Crinan the Abbot
Meanwhile the injured Gruach was nursing
vengeance. She had married her protector
Macbeth ; and the policy of the young King
invested him with the additional Maormership
of Moray, which had belonged to his uncle
Maolbride, in the hope of making him his
friend. But Lady Macbeth was implacable,
and before Duncanhad reigned six years, she
avenged upon him all the wrongs which his
grandfather had heaped upon her and her
house. Duncan was a young man at the
time of his death, in 1039. His father
Crinan, the Abbot of Dunkeld, attempted,
unsuccessfully, to maintain the cause of his
family. Macbeth was all-powerful, and
reigned gloriously from 1039 to 10.56; when
he, in his turn, was slain by the son of Dun-
can, then grown to man's estate, and aidedby
the Saxons. Yet, even after Macbeth's death,
his wife'sson, Lulach, reigned for six months;
and according to our idea of succession, he
was much better entitled to the crown than
the posterity of Duncan, who now reign ;
because he was of the elder branch of the
great Celtic royal house. This digression is
not entirely out of place, considering that
Glamis was probably the scene of the death
of old King Malcolm ; and has been, though
erroneously, clahued as the place where his
much more estimable grandson, Duncan, paid
the forfeit of the crueUies which had been
unavenged upon himself. It is hoped that
this sketch of true history will place Macbeth,
and more particularly his Queen, in a less
odious light ; and will enlist in their favour the
sympathies of the readers of Shakspeare's
master tragedy.
We cannot distinctly trace the fate of Glamis
for some centuries after the time of its original
royal occupant. It seems to have been crown
property. For the next account we have of it,
is its being granted, under very romantic cir-
cumstances, by King Robert II., to Sir John
Lyon in 1372. This John Lyon was an
extremely handsome and accomplished youth,
who was patronized by Sir James Lindsay of
Crawford (at that time head of his family, and
cousinofthe first Earl), who presented him to
KingRobert II. This monarch, on Lindsay's
recommendation, made him his private secre-
tary. He had not been long in this situation,
before he seduced the Princess Jean, secoinl
daughter of the King. As it was soon apparent
that the consequences of this intrigue conld not
be concealed, the secretary entreated the as-
sistance of his former patron, Lindsay ; who
planned and executed a most ingenious way
of saving, at once, the head of his protegee,
and the honour of the Princess. He induced
another young gentleman, with whom he was
familiar, to take the blame on himself, and to
fly the country, as being guilty. And then,
as he was very intimate with the King, he
advised him to make the best of a bad busi-
ness by patching up a marriage between the
frail fair one and the handsome young Lyon ;
who, he dared to say, would not refuse to
lend himself to the King's wishes, especially
if his majesty would provide handsomely for
him. The King being anxious to screen his
daughter from infamy, thought this a wise
proposal ; and thus Lyon obtained the hand
of his mistress, and the lands of Glamis by
way of a dowry.
This is the origin of the Earls of Strath-
more. His royal father-in-law treated John
Lyon with much honour ; for he assigned him
the double tressure of fleurs-de-lis round his
shield of arms; and gavehim, by way of crest,
a lady, richly dressed, holding a Scots thistle
in her hand, in order to commemorate his
marriage with the princess. John Lyon's
career, if happy and prosperous, was short.
He fell by the very hand that had raised him.
Lindsay of Crawford, his earlypatron, became
dissatisfied with him, and thought him un-
grateful. Finding his own credit with the
King to decrease, and that of Lyon to in-
crease, and imputing this to his thankless
ingratitude, he became highly incensed at
him : and, one day, meeting him accidentally,
not very far from Glamis Castle, at a place
called the Moss of Balhall, he set upon him
and slew hiin.
By the princess, Lyon was father of a son,
Sir John Lyon, who inherited Glamis, and
carried on the line. He, too, made a royal
alliance with the Lady Elizabeth Graham,
daughter of Patrick, Earl of Stratherne, by
Euphemia Countess Palatine of Stratherne,
only child and heiress of Prince David,
Earl of Stratherne, eldest son of the second
marriage of Robert II., king of Scotland
Those accpiainted with Scottish history, know
how very dangerous the pretensions of the
SEATS OF GKEAT BRITAIN AND IKELAND.
27
Houseof Stratherne were eonsidered for many
generations by the Kings of Scotland. They
claimed a better right to the crown than that
possessed by King Robert III. who was
son of Robert II. by his first marriage,
which was said to have been contracted within
the prohibited degrees, and without a regular
papal dispensation. However, this has, within
the last century, been set right, the regular
dispensation having been found in theVatican.
The second Sir John Lyon had a son, Patrick,
who in 1445 was created a Peer of Parliament,
with the title of Lord Glamis.
In 1538, the Lyon family became implicated
in a fearful tragedy. The sixth Lord Glamis
hadmarried, in 1521, amostbeautiful woman,
Janet Douglas, sister to the Earl of Angus, who
married Margaret of England, Queen dowager
of Scotland. She seems to have been a woman
of bad character, having been, again and
again, accused of witchcraft and murder. Her
husband died in 1528; and very soon after,
her Ladyship was summoned to answer for
aiding her brother Angus in his rebellion.
This affair ended in her forfeiture and flight.
In 1532, a far darker crime was laid to her
charge than that of caballing with rebels. She
was summoned to stand her trial at the county-
town of Forfar, for having poisoned her hus-
band. The crimes of poisoning and witch-
craft were, in those days, generally associated,
and the potency of drugs was increased
by incantations. Hence the mala farna of
Lady Glamis as a witch. It appears that, on
this occasion, she got off, from a ditficulty in
collecting a jury. In 1537 she was again
brought to trial, for conspiring to poison
King James V. She was then married to a
second husband, a gentleman of the name of
Campbell. Her son, Lord Glamis, was in his
16th year, and she a youthfid matron in the
full maturity of her charms. The King was
still overwhelmed with grief for the loss of his
beloved Magdalen of France, who had just
been prematurely cut off ; when, to the asto-
nishment of the court, this noble and beautiful
lady was publicly arraigned for conspiring the
King's death by poison; pronounced guilty,
and condemned to be burnt. She suftered her
fate at the stake, with the courage of a Doug-
las ; and the sympathy of the people, in spite
of her former doubtful fame, ascribed her
condenmation to the hatred of the King
against her house. Her son was also con-
denmed, but the King pitied his youth, and
remitted his punishment. Her husband,
Campbell, in attempting to escape from Edin-
burgh Castle, was dashed in pieces among
the rocks. Though this tragedy is involved
in obscurity, there is too much reason to be-
lieve Lady Glamis guilty of an attempt to
poison ; whatever we may think of the charge
of witchcraft.
In 1543, John, the son of this unhappy
woman, was restored to his estates and rank,
and became Lord Glamis. His daughter
Margai-et, was wife of John, first Marquess of
Hamilton, and a favourite friend of Queen
Mary, who gave her a watch, which is still in
the possession of one of her descendants. His
son, John, eighth Lord Glamis, perished in the
streets of Stirling, in an accidental encounter
between his followers and those of the Earl of
Crawford, in March, 1578. This was the
second time that the head of the house of
Lindsay had been fatal to the Lyons, after a
lapse of two centuries. His son, Patrick, ninth
Lord Glamis, was, in 1604, created Earl of
Kinghorn. He it was that made great altera-
tions and additions to his ancient castle of
Glamis. His grandson, Patrick, third Earl
of Kinghorn, in 1677, obtained from King
Charles II. the title of Strathmore, in addition
to his other titles, so that he became Earl of
Strathmore and Kinghorn, and in the first
Parliament of King James VII., a decree of
precedency was passed in favour of the
Earldom of Strathmore. After the revolution
in 1688, he returned to his castle of Glamis,
which had been so much improved by his
grandfather, and he spent the remainder of his
daysin addingnew embellishments to thisnoble
seat. He also greatly improvedandbeautified
Castle Huntley, the name ofwhichhe changed
to Castle Lyon. He died in 1695.
His son, John, fourth Earl, is thus described
by a contemporary 150years ago. " Heis well-
bred and good-natured, and hath not ye
endeavoured to get into the administration,
being no friend to Presbytery. He hath two
of the finest seats in Scotland, Glamis and
Castle Lyon. He is tall, fair, and fifty years
old." He married the only child of the
second marriage of Philip, second Earl of
Chesterfield, with the daughter of James,
Duke of Ormond. By her he had six sons,
who all succeeded each other, two as Lords
Glamis, and four as Earls of Strathmore. One
of these, the sixth Earl of Strathmore, married
the beautiful Lady Susan Cochrane, and,
three years after, was kuled in a fray at For-
far, occasioned by a . hig bout after a
dinner, which follovved the funeral of Miss
Carnegie of Lour. The man by whose hand
Lord Strathmore fell, was Carnegie of Fin-
haven. His Countess lived after his death at
Castle Lyon, and in 1745, married George
Forbes, her groom.
John, ninth Earl of Strathmore, nephew to
the last mentioned peer, married in 1767,
Mary Eleanor Bowes, heiress of the extensive
and valuable property of Streatlam Castle,
and Gibside, in the county of Durham. He
died in 1776, and the Countess, two years
after, married Andrew Robinson Stoney ; a
union little less miserable and unfortunate than
28
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
that of her beautiful predecessor in the former
generation. The female alliances of this
family have been strangely eventful. An
intrigue with a princess first raised it from
obscurity. Its existence, as a great family,
was put in jeopardy by the witchcraft of one
dowager, who perished at the stake. And in
its later generations, two other dowagers have
through their unfortunate adventures, become
the by-words of their time. The present
proprietor of Glamis Castle is the twelfth Earl
of Strathmore, who succeeded his grandfather
in 1846.
In conclusion, we recommend any one who
desires to see the beau-ideal of a grand old
Scottish castle, to visit Glamis. Its square
towers, round towers, breastwork of stone, and
numerous turrets, form a most imposing, pic-
turesque, and lofty centre, while Inigo Jones'
wings are so contrived as to harmonize with the
older building. It is moreover surrounded by
a lordly domain, and is altogether a most
worthy specimen of mansions of its class.
The many historical associations which it has
been our endeavour to recal, as connected
with the place, will it is hoped add to the
interest which its venerable and noble appear-
ance, even independent of them, would be sure
to excite in the lover of the domestic archas-
ology of his country.
EENTWOKTH HALL, Hampshire, the seat
of J. Robert Ives, Esq., High-Sheriff, 1854.
This estate was in the family of the Fitz-
herberts for upwards of a century. The man-
sion was erected in 1830 by R. Horman Fisher,
Esq., and was purchased, in I848,byitspresent
owner, who has recently added a considerable
wing to the west of the main building. Such
a specimen of black flint-work is rarely to be
seen, every flintbeing cuhed. The coping is of
Portland stone ; and the mansion is entered by
a porch of considerable architectural beauty.
The gardens and pleasure-grounds enclose
about six acres, and the park extends to about
one hundred and fifty. The entrance lodge,
about half a mile from the house, is very
pretty, and is built in exactly the same
style.
MtJETHLEY CASTLE, near Punkeld, in the
co. of Perth, the seat of Sir William Druin-
mond Stewart, Baronet, of Grandtully.
Murthley is situated on the banks of the
river Tay, four miles from Dunkeld. Towards
the east, the view extends above twenty miles,
over a rich champaign country, and on the
west and north rise the Grampian Mountains.
From different points of the ground are to be
seen magnificent views of the Tay, winding
majestically round tlie richly-wooded emi-
nence on which the house stands. An ancient
avenue of lime-trees leads to the lawn before
the mansion. The house is large, very old,
and extremely irregular. One of the towers
was erected upwards of 600 years ago. The
character of the whole building is of a quaint
and curious antiquity, reaching back beyond
the period of the Scottish chateau derived from
the French. There are, it is true, both
gable-ends and turrets, but these are
combined with masses of more ancient
building. Adjoining the house is a very old
garden, formal and correctly laid out, in
strict coi-respondence with the character of
the place.
About twenty years since, the late Baronet
built, by the side of the former house, a most
magnificent mansion, in the early English
style, of great size and much architectural
beauty ; but of this the walls alone have been
completed ; andit has i-emained in itspresent
unfinished state for about fifteen years. If it
be ever finished, it will be one of the finest
mansions in this part of Scotland. The pre-
sent baronet has made some additions to the
ancient house, in great good taste ; particu-
larly a dining-hall, which is a noble room,
and'is beautifully fitted up. Between the
house and the river, on a rising ground, em-
bowered among dark fir-trees, stood formerly
a Roman Catholic Chapel, which had fallen
to decay, and had been converted into a
family burying-place. Sir William D. Stewart,
who some years ago conformed to the Church
of Rome, has rehuilt this ancient chapel with
great magnificenee. It is a fine specimen of
a place of worship, in the Byzantine style.
It has cost a considerable outlay, and has
been effected with much good taste. At-
tached to it is the family mausoleum ; and on
the day of its consecration, the funeral rites
were performed for the Rev. Thomas Stewart,
Sir William's brother, a well-known and
respected priest of the Church of Rome, who
resided for many years in Italy, and wasthere
assassinated
The family of Stewart of Grandtully is of
great antiquity, and no less illustration. Its
ancestor was Sir James Stewart, son of Sir
John Stewart, of Bonkill, who fell at the
battle of Falkirk, in 1298 ; and who was son of
Alexander, sixth Lord High Steward of
Scotland. Sir James Stewarfs direct de-
scendant, Alexander, obtained a grant of the
lands of Grandtully in 1414, in the reign of
James I., King of Scotland. His descendant
was Sir William Stewart of Grandtully,
Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King James
VI. This gentleman purchased the estate of
Murthley about two lmndred and fifty years
ago. His younger son, Henry Stewart, had
a son, Thomas, who was proprietor of Bal-
caskie, in Fife, now the seat of Sir Ralph
Anstruther, Bart. He was a Lord of Ses-
sion, and was created a Baronet by King
Charles II., in 1683. He married the
daughter of George, Earl of Cromarty. His
SEATS OF GREAT BKITAIN AND IRELAND.
29
eldest son, Sir George, seeondBart., inherited
the Grandtully and Murthley estates on the
death of his cousin, and dying without issue,
he was succeeded by his brother, Sir John
Stewart, third Bart. This gentleman married,
I.,ElizabethMackenzie, daughterof Lord Roy-
ston, by whom he had a son, John, afterwards
Sir John ; II., Lady Jane Douglas, sister
of the duke of Douglas, by whom he had a son,
Archibald, who inherited the immense Doug-
las estates, and was created Baron Douglas,
of Douglas ; III., Helen, daughter of
Alexander, fourth Lord Elibank. Sir John,
the fourth haronet, had ason, Sir George, the
fifth Baronet, who married Catherine, daughter
of John Drummond of Logie Almond, a cadet
of the Earls of Perth, and heiress to her
brother, Sir William Drummond, long ambas-
sador at Naples. His eldest son, Sir John
Archibald, had no issue by his wife, Lady
Jane Stuart, daughter of the Earl of Moray,
and dying 1838, was succeeded by the pre-
sent and seventh baronet. Besides Murthley,
Sir William Drummond Stewart possesses
Grandtully, a very curions and ancient man-
sion, also in the county of Perth.
In the grounds, and not far from the house
of Murthley, are two low hills, called tronachs,
said to be the burying-place of the Picts and
Scots, in the last battle fought between them.
CASTLE MENZIES, in the co. of Perth, the
seat of Sir Robert Menzies, Baronet.
This is a building of very considerable
antiquity, having been commenced in 1571
by Sir John Menzies, and completed in 1578.
It is a fine specimen of an ancient Scottish
castle. Some of the rooms are of great
size — the dining-hall is forty-five feet in
length. The late Baronet made great addi-
tions and improvements in the style of the
original building, which was a spacious and
imposing old mansion, and a fit residence for
a great Highland chief. The castle stands
250 feet above the level of the sea ; and the
rock which rises immediately behind, is 1,100
feet. The appearance of this ancient castle
accords extremely well with the rich and
romantic scenery by which it is surrounded.
It is placed at the foot of the northern side of
Strathtay, and is under a beautiful bank,
covered with well-grown timber. The house
is of considerable magnitude, having a
widely extended plain in front, exhibiting
high agricultural improvement. The dark
woods rising boldly above, and reaching to
the summit of the hill, and the grey rocks
peeping between, are exquisite embellish-
ments to the beautiful vale. The lawn near
the castle is adorned by many trees of the
largest dimensions, particularly three very
fine planes. There are also large chesnuts
and pines, and a noble avenue of oaks, a
mile in length. The family motto, " Will
God 1 shall," and the date, 1571, are carved
on the froirt of the castle. The family of
Menzies is of very high antiquity and noble
origin. They are said to be descended from
a common ancestor with the house of Man-
ners. They have been long established in
Scotland ; and have spread into several
branches, of all of whom Sir Robert is the
chief. Though of Norman origin, the Men-
zies are a Highland clan, having been settled
in Athol from a very early period. In 1487,
Sir Robert Menzies had his estates created
into a free barony. In 1665, Sir Alexander
Menzies was created a baronet. The late
Sir Neil Menzies, Bart., married, in 1816, the
Hon. Grace Norton, sister of the present Lord
Grantley, by whom he had Sir Robert, who
in 1844, succeeded him as seventh Baronet of
Menzies, and hereditary chief of his ancient
clan. The Menzies' tartan is white, with a
broad scarlet check.
R0STELLA.N, Ireland, in the co. of Cork,
the seat of the Marquess of Thomond.
The Marquess is descended from the royal
house of Thomond, a race of kings that num-
ber amongst them the celebrated Brian
Boroihme, who commenced his reign a.d.
1002, and terminated it in the arms of victory,
at Clontarfte, in the year 1014.
Murrough 0'Bryan appears to have been
the first of his race who surrendered his regal
claims, and accepted an English peerage. He
was created Earl of Thomond by Henry VIII.
on the lst of July, 1543, with remainder to
his nephew, Donough 0'Bryan.
In all the works on peerage, the name ia
omitted of Connor 0'Brien, who was third
Earl of Thomond, in 1572. It is certain,
however, that such a person existed, and had
fallen much from his ancestral dignity, as
appears from the following contrite and sub-
missive letter, from an individual ofthatname
to Queen Elizabeth : — ■" I, thesaid Earl, moost
greved and repentant from the bottom of my
harte for my transgression, moost beseech my
said Soveraigne to accept and allovv this, my
moost humble, trewe, and undoubted deter-
mynacon, as condigne amends for my trans-
gression, which is, that during my life naturall
(for my will, power, and habilitie), I will ob-
serve and accomplishe all and singular the
contents of the articles ensuing, and for testi-
fyinge thereof have reade and taken a corporall
oath upon the holie and blessed bible: That I
shall be and continue duringe my naturall life,
her highness, her heirs, and successors, moost
humble, trewe, andfaithful obedient subjecte.
Item, that I shall not make warre upon any sub-
jecte, nor make peace, nor grant salfe conduct
with, or to any rebell or malefactor, without
licence. Item, that I shall not exact any taxes,
tolladge, or thinge of any subjecte, contrary
the goode-will of the gever or paior. Item, tliat
30
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IKELAND.
I shall permit and sufFer all and everie her
Majestie's trewe and faithful suhjects quyetlye
to pass and repass througheThomond. Iteni,
that I shall not marye, gossope, nor fostre
contrarie the statute without lycens. Item,
that I shall advance and further, from tyme to
tyme, by all ways and means possible for my
riches and power, the contents of the commu-
nion booke, called the Booke of Common
Prayer, and admynestracon of the Sacra-
ments, and likewise the injunctions set forth
by her Higness. — Connor Thomond. — 27th
Sept. 1572."
The power of Elizabeth, and the arbitrary
way in which she wielded it, may be esti-
mated from this letter. Yet the Queen is not
altogether to be condemned. Though some
of these provisions refer to the enactments of
the statute of Kilkenny, which were passed in
the time of Lionel, Duke of Clarence, Lord
Deputy to his father, King Edward III., and
which cannot be too much condemned ; still the
state of Ireland was such, at this time, as to
require the strong hand of government, even
for its own welfare. The Irish chieftains
claimed, like the German nobles up to the
reign of Maximilian, the right of making war
upon each other, and of plundering any one
who was richer; and atthe same time weaker,
than themselves. Nor were the Anglo-
Norman families, settled in Ireland, a whit
behind them in this respect ; so that, in fact,
the best, if not the only friend of the humbler
classes, was the monarch.
The Earl of Thomond was elevated to
a Marquisate in the year 1800; and the title
of Baron of the United Kingdom was added
in 1820.
Rostellan Castle is a spacious edifice, at the
eastern extremity of Cork harbour, and close
upon the sea. Around and about stretch the
receding shores, locking in the beautiful bay
of Cove from the wide Atlantic. The bay,
however, is at all times alive with vessels of
every description, from the war-ship to the
steam-packet, presenting a cosmorama of
perpetually changing interest.
The mansion, which commands a fine view
of Spike Island and Hawlbowline, abounds in
well-proportioned rooms, of good dimensions ;
and those not few in number. At one time
the great hall was adorned with a variety of
weapons — spears, swords, shields, and pieces
of armour — amongst which was to be seen the
helmet of the celebrated Brian Boroihme, in
whose reign the whole country was reduced
to such excellent order that a lady under-
took, and achieved unharmed, the soaewhat
perilous task of making a pilgrimage; alone
and unprotected, through the land; and
achieved it too, although loaded with precious
jewels, and —
" Iler beauty was far bcyond
The sparkling geins on her snow-white wand."
Here, also, not many years ago, was a
splendid collection of paintings; but they
have since been removed to England, witli
sundry other objects of interest,
The grounds are extensive and well-ar-
ranged ; the waters of Rostellan Bay skirting
thein for a distance of about two miles. Close
to the sea is a tower, said to have been erected
to commemorate a visit to this seat by tbe
celebrated Siddons. A little further on is a
holy well, much venerated by the lower
classes, who, despite the prohibitions of the
Catholic clergy, still pay their orisons at this
favourite shrine; the force of long-established
habit being stronger than any precept.
An ancient castle, which formerly stood
here, and of which some traces yet remain,
underwent the usual fortunes of war during
the memorable years following 1641. It fell
into the hands of Lord Inchiquin ; but, in
1645, was besieged by Lord Castlehaven, who
took Lord Inchiquin's brother and Colonel
Courtenay prisoners.
BLAIR ADAM, in the co. of Kinross, the
seat of William Adam, Esq.
This is the principal gentleman's seat in
the county of Kinross ; and is celebrated in
that district for its beautiful woods, and the
success which has attended the arbori-
culture of several generations of enterprising
proprietors.
The late Right Hon. Wm. Adam, the pre-
sent Mr. Adam's gi-andfather, had written a
most interesting account of this property, and
its various productions ; and he described the
pains which he and his father had bestowed
upon its improvement. This, however, though
many years ago printed forprivate circulation,
was never published.
The plantations which have now grown to
be fine woods, were commencedby hisgrand-
father, previous to 1738; and were much
increased by his father and himself, until the
whole estate has become beautifully wooded,
though in most places about 550 above the
level of the sea. The woods consist of very
fine trees — all sorts of pines, oaks, ashes,
beeches, and elms. The grounds are beauti-
fully varied with meadows, little hills, and
rocky eminences ; and are intersected by pic-
turesque glens and valleys.
The ornamental woods in the vicinity of the
mansion-house, are ofthe greatest beauty, and
contain fine specimens of the rarest trees.
The shrubberies and gardens are extensive, and
are most tastefully combined with the forest
scenery. The house is very irregular, having
been begun about a hundred years ago, as a
mere temporary residence for the then pro-
prietor, during occasional short visits, when he
commcnced his great improvements on the
property.
SEAT3 OF OKEAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
31
As the family became more and more
attached to the place, the housewasgradually
enlarged, so thatitisnow of very commodious
size, and occupies a considerable space of sur-
face, some portions of it being only one story
high — convenience has been studied, and not
beauty. Yet the long ranges of building em-
bowered amid venerable trees, and surrounded
on all sides by beautiful pleasure-grounds, pro-
duced a most pleasing efFect.
Blair-Adam has, during the last century,
been regarded in the part of Scotland where
it is situated, as an instance of high improve-
ment, both in agriculture and arboriculture,
carried on by successive public-spirited pro-
prietors, in spiteof considerable disadvantages
of climate and soil. In making these improve-
ments, picturesque effecthas been consulted as
well as utility ; so that Blair Adam now yields
to few places in Scotland, in point of rural and
woodland beauty.
This estate was originally purchased by
William Adam; who, having applied himself
to the business of architecture, became so
eminent in his profession, that he had no
equal in the kingdom ; and he thereby
acquired a large fortune ; and was enabled to
purchase extensive estates. His father was
John Adam, and his mother was Helen
Cranston, a cousin of Lord Cranston, and
William Adam was their only son.
The family of Adam is of considerable
antiquity, and the ancestors of William Adam
possessed landed estates in the county of For-
far. Tlie immediate progenitor of this family
was Sir Duncan Adam, who flourished in the
reign of Alexander II., King of Scotland,
whodied 1210. He was witness to a donation
of the patronage of the church of Wemyss, by
a progenitor of the Earl of Wemyss. His
successor, Alexander Adam, lived in thereign
of King Alexander III., and was father
of Duncan Adam, who flourished in the i - eign
of King Robert Bruce. He had a son Duncan
Adam, who, with several other brave Scottish
gentlemen, accompanied James Lord Douglas
in the expedition which he undertook in order
to convey the heart of King Robert Bruce to
the Holy Sepulchre. It is believed that the
cross croslets, whicli form the principal part of
the armorial bearing of the Adam family, are
derived from the part which their ancestor
took in that expedition. Contemporary with
this Duncan Adam, was Reginald Adam,
probably hisbrother, Bishop of Brechin. He
was one of the most influential men in Scot-
land ; and was frequently employed by the
estates of the nation in foreign negotiations,
during the troubled reign of King David
Bruce ; in all of which he acquitted himself
ably and honourably.
Duncan Adam was father of Reginald
Adam, who, in the reign of King Robert II.,
took part in an expedition into Northumber-
land, conducted by Sir James Douglas and
John de Vienne, Admiral of France. His
lineal descendant, John Adam, was killed at
the battle of Flodden in 1513. He had a
son, Charles Adam, who, in 1549, was pro-
prietor of the estate of Fanno, in the co. of
Forfar. Fanno continued to be the desig-
nation and residence of the family for four or
five generations, until the reign of Charles I.,
when Archibald Adam of Fanno sold that
property, and purchased King's manor, also
in the co. of Forfar. The son of his eldest
son dissipated his fortune, sold the family
estate, and died without issue. His second
son, John, carried on the line. He married,
as we have before stated, a lady of the family
of Cranston, by whom he had an only child,
W T illiam, who was literally the architect of
his fortune.
He purchased considerable landed pro-
perty, among others the estate of Blair, to
which has been added the family name of
Adam, in order to distinguish it from other
places of the name of Blair, which is a com-
mon territorial designation in Scotland.
W T illiam Adam married Mary Robertson,
daughter of William Robertson of Gladney,
a cadet of the ancient house of Robertson of
Strowan. She was aunt to the celebrated
Dr. William Robertson, principal of the Uni-
versity of Edinburgh, author of the History
of Charles V.. &c, &c. By her he had
several children : John, his heir; Robert, a
most celebrated architect. He built many of
the greatest edifices of his time, among others
the Adelphi. He was architect to King
George III., a Fellow of the Royal Society,
and in 17G8, he was returned Member of
Parliament for his native co. of Kinross.
Susannah married John Clerk of Eldin, son
of Sir John Clerk, Bart., of Pennycuick, by
whom she had a son,'John Clerk, who was long
a most distinguished advocate at the Scottish
bar, and was afterwards a Lord of Session,
with the title of Lord Eldin.
John Adam of Blair-Adam, the eldest son,
in 1750, married Jean, daughter of John
Ramsay, immediately descended from a
younger son of Ramsay, Baronet of Balmain,
in the co. of Forfar, whose ancestor, Ramsay
of Balmain, was created Lord Bothwell in
1483, by King James III. ; but, in 148S,
was attainted by his rebellious son. By her
he had, with several daughters, one of whom
married Mr. Loch, and another married Mr.
Kennedy of Dunure, in the co. of Ayr ; he
had a son, William, who succeeded his father
in the estate of Blair-Adam, and was one of
the m6St distinguished public characters in
his time. He was called to the English
bar ; and during a long life he filled high
situations, and took a great lead in politics.
He was the confidential friend and legal ad-
viser of King George IV., when he was
32
SEATS OF GREAT ERITAlN AND IRELAND.
Prince of Wales. He was for many years
Member of Parliament for the co. of Kinross.
He was a Privy Councillor. He was made a
Baron of Exchequer in Scotland, and Lord
Chief Commissioner of the Jury Court,
when that court was established. He was,
until his death, Lord Lieutenant of the co.
of Kinross. For many years before his death,
he retired from public life, and spent his old
age at his seat of Blair-Adam.
The Right Hon. William Adam married
the Hon. Eleanor Elphinstone, daughter of
Charles, tenth Lord Elphinstone, by the
Lady Clementina Fleming, daughter and
heiress of John, sixth Earl of Wigton, by his
marriage, in 1711, witli Lady Mary Keith,
sister and sole heiress to the last Earl Maris-
chal and to Field-Marshal Keith. Mrs.
Adam's brothers were the eleventh Lord
Elphinstone and Admiral Viscount Keith,
and her sister Clementina was married to
James Drummond, Lord Perth, by whom she
had the present Baroness Willoughby de
Eresby. The issue of this marriage was
several sons and a daughter. One of the sons
was amost distinguishedmember of the English
bar; another held very high situations in
India, and dming twelve months, had the
important functions of Govemor General of
India entrusted to him. Both of these sons
died without issue, during the lifetime of their
father. The eldest surviving son, Charles,
was a distinguished Admiral, K.C.B., Lord
Lieutenant of the county of Kinross, and
died Governor of Greenwich Hospital in
1 853. He succeeded his father at Blair-Adam,
and married Miss Brydone, daughter of
Patrick Brydone, and sister of the Countess
of Minto. " By her he had issue : William
Adam, the present proprietor of this estate.
The next son, Frederick, had a very brilliant
career in the army. He was a General, G.C.B.,
Privy Councillor, and filled thehigh offices of
Governor of Madras, and Lord High Com-
missioner of the Ionian Islands. He died in
1853. The same grave may be said to have
closed over those two distinguished bi-others,
as they died within three weeks of each
other. The Right Hon. William Adam's
only daughter, Clementina, married John
Anstruther Thomson of Charleton, in the co.
of Fife, and was mother of the present Mr.
Anstruther Thomson.
F0K.T EYRE, Ireland, in the co. of Gal-
way, about half a mile froin the town of that
name, the residence of the Rev. Edward
Eyre Maunsell, A.M., and of his son Edward
Eyre Maunsell, Esq., J.P., present High
Sheriff for Galway.
This mansion was erected, in 1822, by the
Rev. Edward Eyre Maunsell ; and is seated
upon an eminence. It is a spacious and
handsome edifice in the modern style of
building. Attached to it is a square tower,
about seventy-feet in height; an embattled
screen thickly covered with the giant-leaved
ivy completely masks the offices.
The demesne of Fort Eyre, consisting of
about thirty acres, is ornamentally laid out in
pleasure-grounds, and weU planted. The
grounds occupy an elevated position, com-
manding fine and extensive views of the town
and bay of Galway, as well as of the river
and lake Corril.
STOCKGRGVE, Buckinghamshire, the seat
of Lt. Col. Hanmer, K.H., late M.P. for Ayles-
bury.
The ancestors of Sir George Staunton,
Bart., had lands here for many generations.
This was originally a Roman villa, or a
military station ; as appears from the tesselated
pavement, coins, and an antique seal, found
here at various times. The house erected in
1795, by Edward Hanmer, Esq., (son of Sir
Walden Hanmer, Bart.,) was pulled down in
1834, and a new mansion was built in its
place by the present owner. It is in the
Italian style of architecture, from the design
and under the superintendence of Mr. Deci-
mus Burton. A park of about a hundred
acres surrounds the house, which commands
some extensive and very pleasing views.
Col. Hanmer has of late greatly improved
the property, by the purchase, from Lord
Leigh, of the Leighton estate and manor.
LULWORTH CASTLE, Dorsetshire, nearly
twelve miles from Weymouth, and about a
mile and a- half from the sea, the seat of
Joseph Weld, Esq.
There can be little doubt that a castle stood
here in the old baronial times. In " TyrreFs
History of England," we aretoldthat, Robert,
Earl of Gloucester, took Lullwarde Castle for
the Empress Maude. The present pile was
erected by Thomas, Viscount Bindon, in or
near 1588 ; and, for the most part, out of the
materials of Mount Poynings and Bindon.
According to some, Inigo Jones wasthe archi-
tect. As to its name, it seems to be doubtful
whether it was so called from having suc-
ceeded the former edifice, or whether it de-
rived its name from being built in that form.
Be that as it may, the foundations of the
castle, which was never designed for a strong-
hold, were laid, as we have already stated, in
the year 1588; but it was not completed, even
externally, till 1609; and though we find
Theophilus, Earl of Norfolk, residing here in
1GC5, still little of the inside work was finished
whenit cameinto the possession of Mr. Weld.
Lulworth is an exact cube of eighty feet,
with a round tower at each corner, thirty feet
in diameter, rising sixteen feet above the
walls, which, as well as the towers, are em-
battled. The walls are no less than six feet
thick; the offices are underground, andarched
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
33
with stone. The house consists of three
stories only, while the tovvers have four. In
each front are three rows of four windows ; in
the towers are four rows of three each, exclu-
sive of the office. Both the hall and dining-
room are large, and niost of the other rooms
are eighteen feet in height, some of them con-
taining family portraits by Sir Peter Lely.
Tlie principal tront, which is faced with Chil-
mark stone, is upon the east. Before it was
a large court, now laid into the lawn conduct-
ing to the landing-place with a stone balus-
trade, which, in the late Edward WehVstime,
extended only along the east front, and called
" the Cloisters," from having been paved with
the stone that was taken from the cloisters of
Bindon Abbey. This has been continued by
the present owner of the estate along the
north and south sides, at the end of which it
joins a terrace to the west, of the same height
with itself. Above the doors stand two
figures of ancient Romans, in their togas.
Upon either side of the door, which is sup-
ported by four pillars of the Ionic order, is a
large niche; and over them are two shields,
whereon are the arms of Weld, properly bla-
zoned. In the niches are images, representa-
tive of painting and music.
During the Great Civil War, this castle was
at one time garrisoned for the king; but in
the years 1643 and 1644, it washeld by Capt.
Thomas Hughes for the Republican party, as a
check upon Corfe Castle. When the garrison
broke up, it would seem that they committed
a great deal of unnecessary havoc, carrying
off, or selling, the iron window-bars, the
leaden water-pipes, and a great portion of the
wainscot.
Lulworth has often been the object of
voyal visits. In 1615, King James was en-
tertained here, when he came, in his western
progress, to hunt in the park and the Isle of
Purbeck ; and, at the time of the Great
Plague in London, in the year 1665, it was
visited by Charles II., attended by the Dukes
of York and Monmouth, who have left their
names respectively to the apartments in which
they slept. George III. was at Lulworth more
than once. In 1789 he came by sea, together
with the Queen and the three elder Princesses,
from Weymouth, and took up his abode here
for several weeks. In 1791, the same party
repeated their visit by land, when they passed
many hours in examining the house and lands.
In 1792, their Majesties, accompanied by the
Prince of Wales, five of the Princesses, and
other members of the Royal Family, went again
to Lulworth, in commemoration of which the
then owners of the seat caused two Latin in-
scriptions, upon oval stones, to be placed over
the door of the principal front of the castle.
A fraternity of Trappists, expelled from
France in the days of the Revolution, was
hospitably received here by the late proprie-
tor, who was a Roman Catholic. This gen-
tleman converted some extensive farm-build-
ings into a monastery ; and here the brethren
resided for many years. In 1786, the first
stone was laid of the present chapel, which
stands at a small distance from the castle, to
the south-west. Beneath were placed coins
of the reign, and a plate of brass, with this
inscription : —
" Lapis sacer auspicalis in fundamenta fu-
turi templi jactus, anno MDCCLXXXVL,
IV. nonas Februarii, quod temphun Thomas
Weld, publice meo in solo primus omnium
mitescente per Georgium tertium legum pe-
nalium acerbitate, in honorem Virginis Bea-
tissimge Dei genetricis adgredior extruendum.
Tu vero Deus optime maxime opus tantis
auspiciis inchoatum custodi, protege, fove, ac
confirma ut quaqua Britannias patent religioni
sancta? templa adcrescant templis cultores."
This chapel is a circular shape, increased
by four sections of a circle so as to form a
cross, and is covered witha domeandlantern.
In it are a well-toned organ, a copy of the
Transfiguration, by Raphael, and two other
Scriptural pieces, brought from Italy.
On the lOth June, 1794, this chapel was
broken into and robbed of its valuable com-
munion plate and various other articles ; but
they vvere found again, eight days afterwards,
in a chalk-pit about half-a-mile ofF.
Upon the death of Thomas Weld, Esq., the
estate descended to his son Thomas, who,
upon the decease of his wife, became a
Catholic Clergyman — was soon after made a
Bishop — and obtained eventually a Cardinal's
Hat. His Eminence died in 1837, and was
succeeded by his brother, the present Joseph
Weld, Esq., of Lulworth. At one time the
castle was inhabited by Mr. Baring, who
was drowned by the upsetting of a boat near
the coast, and within sight of his family. At
a later period it was occupied by Sir Robert
Peel, and afterwards by his Royal Highness
the Duke of Gloucester.
The neighbouring village of West Lulworth,
or, as it is commonly called, Lulworth Cove,
is remarkable for the romantic appearance of
the rocks, which are worn into various fan-
tastic shapes. The remains of Bindon Abbey,
hitherto so roughly treated, are now, by the
good taste of the ovvner, preserved from any
further spoliation. Trees have been planted
about the ruins, the fish-ponds cleared out and
stocked with fish, and the extent and plan of
the Abbey may now be clearly traced.
CAWBOS CASTLE, in the co. of Nairne, the
seat of the Earl of Cawdor.
This is supposed to be the oldest habitable
mansion in Scotland, and its locality possesses
peculiar interest, as being connected vvith one
of the most stirring events of ancient Scottish
history. The situation of Cawdor Castle — six
miles from the town of Nairne — is extremcly
romantic, as it stands on a height overlocking
34
SEATS OF GREA.T BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
the river Calder, and commands a wide tract
of woodland conntry, bonnded on the north
by the Moray Firth. No mansion has the
stamp of hoary antiqnity more clearly im-
pressed npon it. Its architecture is mde and
simple, but strong and substantial ; a portion
of it, which is without date, shows the traces
of very great age. The most modern part
bears the inscription A.D. 1510. It has a
moat and drawbridge, and has evidently
been, in early times, a place of great impor-
tance.
Its origin is involved in mystery ; and con-
nected with it is a strange legend, for the
truth of which a substantial witness still re-
mains. Tradition says that the builder of
Cawdor Castle was desired by a seer to load
an ass with the gold which he proposed to
expend on the work — to follow where the ass
should lead — and to commence the edifice
wherever the ass should stop. The spot where
the animal stopped was at a hawthorn tree in a
remote part of the forest, and close to the banks
of the Calder river. Here, accordingly, were
the foundations of the castle laid ; and in order
to make sure of whatever mysterious advan-
tage the hawthorn might possess, it was care-
fully built into the central chamber of the
lower story of the castle. There it still
stands, with its roots in the earth, and its stem
rising through the flooring, and now worn
away, to be as a slender wooden pillar in the
midst of the antique apartment. It is regarded
as the Palladium of the family. Beside it
stands the coffer which is said to have con-
tained the gold upon the ass's back.
Cawdor is, with greater probability than
Glamis, claimed as the scene of the murder of
Duncan by Macbeth. It is situated in Mac-
beth's own country, as he was the governor of
Moray and Ross. And though it is highly
improbable that any portion of the present
building existed in the time of Duncan, the
tragedy may have taken place in an older
mansion on the same site. However, Forres
and Inverness are rival claimants for the
honour of tlie assassination.
At the western extremity of the town of
Forres, there is an eminence commanding the
river, the level country to the coast of Moray,
and the town. On this strong site stood the
ruins of an ancient castle, the walls of which
are very massive, and the architecture early
Norman. Before this castle was built, there
stood a fort where a still earlier Scottish king,
Duffus, was murdered in 965. This was pro-
bably a residence of Duncan, and afterwards
of Macbeth. Boece tells us that Macbeth's
castle, in which Duncan was murdered, was
that which stood on an eminence to the south-
east of the town of Inverness. It is certain
that a castle which stood there was razed to
the ground by King Malcohn Canmore, the
son of Duncan, who constructed another on a
different part of the hiil. It is, however, very
doubtful if any buildings now exist which can
be said to belong to this ancient period, except
the Ronian remains, which are of course many
centuries older, and the vitrified forts, which
are of unknown antiquity. These vitrified
forts are supposed by some to have been
burnt into their present fused and solid con-
sistency, on purpose to render them hard and
impregnable ; while others suppose that they
were anciently watch-towers, of which the
beacon-fires gradually vitrified the stones.
Admitting, as we do, the venerable anti-
quity of Cawdor, we do not believe that the
halls now existing can have witnessed the
train of Duncan mingling in revel with the
household of Macbeth, or the revengeful
Maormer, excited by the keen sense of deadly
injury, stealing, dagger in hand, to the couch
of his victim. However, supposing, as is very
probable, that this murder did take place in a
castle at Cawdor, of still earlier date than the
present, the abode might well answer Shak-
speare's description of being "a pleasant
seat." The castle stands high over the river,
which runs past the mound at its base, and
commands a fine view of the surrounding low-
lands to the sea, and the distant mountains.
It may well be imagined, that, as the locality
of Cawdor possesses so good a claim to Dun-
can's murder, and as the castle is of such un-
questioned high antiquity, tradition has been
confident in pointing out the most minute par-
ticulars of the transaction. Accordingly, a
portion of Duncan's coat-of-mail is shown
here, and also the chamber in which he was
murdered ; with the recess cut out of the
thickness of the wall, in which the King's
servant hid himself during the perpetration of
the act.
The researches of more modern times liaVe
thrown some doubt upon the fact of Duncan's
murder ; and, altogether, both Macbeth and
his queen are likely to be better appreciated
by our posterity, than they have been, at
least since Shakspeare's tragedy was pub-
lished. If Duncan was slain, as some suppose,
in battle, Macbeth'scharacter will be relieved
of all stain ; for he was, in right of his
wife, better entitled to the Scottish crown
than Duncan ; and he himself was the head of
a t^reat rival family, and ruled over a province
which had never fully submitted to the yoke
of the Scottish monarchs. The power of
Macbeth extended over a large portion of the
country inhabited by theNorthern Picts, who
were not included in the conquest which
Kenneth MacAlpin, King of the Scots,
achieved over the Southern Picts, and who
always maintained a stormy independence,
never acknowledging the rights of the Scoto-
Pictish kings of the race of Alpin and Ken-
neth. Thus was Macbeth little beholden to
Duncan, and still less was his wife, the Prin-
cess Gruach, who was the only surviving lieir
of the elder branch of the line of Kenneth
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
.35
MacAlpin. The law of suecession in the old
Scoto-Pictish monarchy was not from father
to son ; but the eldest and most capahle prince
of the royal race was selected to reign. This
method of selection necessarily gave oc-
casion to many disoroters. King Malcolm I.
had two sons, DufFus the eldest, and Kenneth
the III., the youngest, who both reigned.
DufTus had a son, Kenneth the IV., who
reigned from 995 to 1003, when he was slain
by Malcolm, the second son of Kenneth III.
Tbis prince reigned for thirty years, and his
sole aim was to consolidate his power by the
destruction of every rival. He persecuted
with relentless fury the family of his prede-
cessor, which was at length reduced to a bro-
ther and sister, grandcbihlren of the late
king. One of the last acts of Malcolm's life
was to put this prince to death ; and he had
heaped the most deadly injuries upon the
Princess Gruach, whom her brother's murder
left sole heiress of the race, by shedding the
blood of her husband and father-in-law in the
most barbarous manner.
Gruach had married Gilcompian, the Maor-
mer or prince of Moray, son of tbe aged and
noble Maolbride. The people of Moray and
Ross belonged to the nation of the Korthern
Picts, who had never been thoroughly sub-
dued by the Scots, and can scarcely be said
to have formed a portion of the Scoto-Pictish
monarchy, as established by Kenneth Mac-
Alpin. Tbe Maormers, or princes of the
Northern Picts, were often at war with their
Southern aggressors. Malcolm I. had to wage
war against the Picts of Moray under their
prince, Cellach, whom he slew ; but he him-
self was afterwards slain by them in 953, at
Fetteresso, to avenge their leader's death.
His son, Kenneth III., was, in like manner,
frequently at war with the Northern Picts ;
and having slain one of their chiefs, was
assassinated by that chiefs mother, Finella,
to avenge her son's death. She decoyed the
king into her castle of Fettercairn, where she
had prepared an infernal machine to destroy
him. She led him to a pavilion in order to
see a beautiful statue. On entering, Kenneth
beheld the image of a cross-bowman, set on
springs, so constructed that it shot an arrow
into the king's heart as he crossed the
threshold. This happened in 994. Many
historians say that Finella was motber of
Macbeth ; however, the dates will hardly suit.
She must have been his grandmother.
Malcolm II., the son of Kenneth III., was
no less determined to oppress the hated race
of Moray, than to extirpate the elder branch
of bis own line. And it so happened that the
interests of these, his most powerful rivals,
were identified by the union of Gilcomgan,
the young heir of Moray, with the Princess
Gruach. In 1032, the year before the death
of the hoary tyrant, he burnt the Maonner of
Moray, the aged Maolbride, with his son Gil-
comgan, and fifty of their chief followers,
within their castle. Gruach, in despair, fled
with her young son Lulach, at once heir of
the house of Moray and of the elder line of
Scoto-Pictish kings, to the province of Ross,
where Macbeth reigned, who was son of
Finlegh, brother of Maolbride, and thus the
nearest agnate of the house of Moray. He
married Gruach, and adopted her son ; and, as
a matter of course, he being the nearest heir
male, succeeded to the Maormership of Moray,
which he added to his own province of Ross.
Macbeth thus united in himself all the
power of the great house of Moray, and all
the influence of the royalty of Kenneth IV. ;
while his wife, a lady of great strength of
character, had the most terrible injuries con-
stantly rankling at her heart — a grandfather
dethroned and slain, a father persecuted 10
death, a brother assassinated, a husband and
father-in-law burnt. All these incitements
urged her to avenge herself upon Malcolm II.
But he was now dead in his bed, and his
grandson had mounted the throne, whom she
doubtless regarded as a usurper ; for, in truth,
her own son was better entitled to the ciown.
Malcolm II. had two daughters, Beatrix and
Dovada. The latter was wife of the famous
Sigurd, Earl of Orkney, whose descendants,
the Earls of the house of St. Clair and their
representatives (the family of Anstruther
Thomson of Charleton, co. Fife), are coheirs
along with the representatives of King Duncan,
of the ancient race of Scoto-Pictish Kings ;
while the former was wife of Crinan, the
Abbot of Dunkeld, who appears to have been
one of the most influential men in the Scoto-
Pictish kingdom, and united great wealth
with a high position in tbe Church. He was,
in fact, Metropolitan of Scotland. Duncan,
the son of Crinan ,and Beatrix, was placed
upon the throne by the partisans of his family.
But it is not surprising tbat he was resisted to
the utmost by Macbeth and his injured wife.
The history of that early time is obscure. Some
maintain that Duncan vras™ slain in battle ;
while others assert that he was murdered by
Macbeth, in his castle of Inverness, Forres,
or Cawdor. However this may be, enough has
been said to place Macbeth and his Que. n
in a different light from that in which Sbaks-
peare has handed them down to us. Instead
of being a mere envious, ambitious woman,
Gruach was the impersonation of Nemesis,
who had accumulated injuries and crimes to
avenge upon the race of the guilty oppressor.
Macbeth reigned with great renown and po-
pularity during seventeen years, and there is
every reason to believe that Cawdor was his
occasional residence. After his defeat at
Dunsinane, he fled to the north, and main-
tained his cause for some time among his own
Northern Picts ; but be was at last slain by
36
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
the hand of Macduff, on the 5th of Decemher,
1050, at Lumphanan. His step-son Lulach,
the real heir of the Scottish crown, reigned
for six months after this event, acknowledged
as king by the Northern Picts. He was then
a young man of twenty-six. He and Malcolm
Canmore, the son of Duncan, at length
met in a decisive combat, at Essie, in Strath-
bcgie, on the 3rd of April, 1057, where
Lulach fell. He left only a daughter to trans-
mit his rights.
Tradition assigns Lulach's place of sepulture
on the field of battle, in a small mound called
Milledun, or " the place of a thousand graves."
Tn order to ascertain the truth of this tradition,
Sir Andrew Leith Hay lately caused an ex-
cavation to be made in the mound. About ten
feet below the surface, he came upon a grave
carefully made of small stones, about eight
feet long and four feet wide, in which were
laid the bones of a gigantic man. They were
covered with a large slab, but without any
inscription. Presuming these to be the bones
of this unfortunate monarch, Sir Andrew
Leith Hay conveyed them to his own seat of
Leith Hall, and has buried them in a grave
of the same dimensions in his garden.
We find, after the accession of King Mal-
colm Canmore, in 1057, that a certain Hujjh
was Lord of Cawdor, with the title of Thane,
which was a Saxon grade of rank, introduced
into Scotland in consequence of the English
connexion, which became so close in the
reign ofthe sovereigns of the line of Athole,
as the race of Crinan the Abbot, is called.
There appears to have been a long succession
of Thanes of Cawdor, of the same family,
down to William Thane of Cawdor, who is
said to have been the last person in Scotland
that used that ancient Saxon title of honour,
which had been universally abandoned ; its
holders having obtained the rank of free
Barons, in conformity with Norman andfeudal
usage. This William had the Thanedom and
other lands belonging to hini erected into a
free Barony, in the year 1476. He married
Marjory Sutherland, daughter to the Earl of
Sutherland; by whom he had a son, John de
Cawdor, who, dying in 1493, left an infant
daughter and heiress, Muriella de Cawdor.
King James IV., in 1494, appointed this child's
maternal uncle, Hugh llose, of Kilravock, and
Archibald, second Earl of Argyle, to be her
guardians. In 1499, Kilravock delivered her
up to Campbell of Inverliver, who had come
with sixty Campbells to carry her to Argyle-
shire to be educated under the eye of the Earl
of Arsjyle. But on their way to Inverary,
they were pursued by Muriella's nearest niale
relation, Hugh de Cawdor, and a strong band
of men, who came up with them in Strath-
nairn, with a view to attack them and rescue
the heiress. Inverliver executed his trust
with great courage. He sent on the child
with one of his sons and a few men, and him-
self stayedbehind andgavebattle to theenemy.
Several of his sons, and many of his men,
were left dead on the field ; but he came olf
victorious, and overtook the advanced party
and carried his prize to Inverary. The Earl
of Argyle was much pleased with his little
captive, vvhom he designed as a wife for his
younger son. But it struck him, that after
all, his plans might be defeated by the death
of the little Muriella, before she attained a
marriageable age. On mentioning this ground
of doubt and uneasiness to his trusty Inver-
liver, that sagacious retainer replied, " Hoot-
toot, my Lord, she can never die as long as
there's a red-haired lassie to be found on Loch
Awe side ! "
The young lady was carefully educated at
Inverary ; and in 1510 she was married to Sir
John Campbell, second son of the Earl of
Argyle by his countess, Elizabeth, daughter
of John, first Earl of Lennox. After this
marriage, Sir John Campbell continued to use
his own name, instead of adopting that of his
wife, which is common on occasion of mar-
riage with considerable heiresses ; and thus
he seemed rather to begin a new family, than
to continue an old one. Nevertheless, the
Campbells of Cawdor are the lineal descen-
dants and representatives of the Thanes who
have possessed Cawdor since the downfall of
Macbeth. The marriage of Sir John Camp-
bell and Muriella Cawdor produced a nume-
rous family of sons and daughters. From the
former, several gentlemen in Argyleshire of
the name of Campbell are descended ; and the
latter made suitable marriages with northern
chiefs.
The subsequent generations of Campbells
of Cavvdor allied themselves with the follow-
ing distinguished families: — Grant of Grant;
Keith, Earl Marischal ; Campbell of Glen-
orchy, ancestor of the Marquess of Bread-
albane ; Brodie of Brodie ; and Stewart, Earl of
Murray. The sixth in descent from Sir John
and Muriella was Sir Alexander Campbell of
Cawdor, who married Elizabeth, sister and
sole heir of Sir Gilbert Lort, Bart. of Stack-
pole Court, in Pembrokeshire. In consequence
of this marriage with a Welsh heiress, the
Campbells of Cawdor have been transplanted
from their native north to Pembrokeshire,
which they have made their principal resi-
dence in their later generations. Indeed, it
is said that the Welsh heiress was so anxious
that her husband should settle entirely in
Wales, that she induced him to abandon some
of his most important interests in Scotland.
In compliance with her wishes, Sir Alexander
sold the magnificent island of Isla, which was
purchased hy Mr. Campbell of Shawfield,
factor to the Duke of Argyle, for the trifling
sum of £10,500. His great-great-grandson
sold that island the other day for £450,000 !
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
37
The son of Sir Alexander Campbell was John
Campbell, of Cawdor Castle and Stackpole-
Court, who died, 1775. His grandson, John
Campbell, was raised to the peerage in 179G,
by the title of Lord Cawdor. By his wife,
Lady Caroline Howard, daughter of Frederick,
fifth Earl of Carlisle, he had issue John
Frederick, who succeeded his father in 1821,
and in 1827 was created Earl of Cawdor and
Viscount Emlyn. By Lady Elizabeth Thynne,
eldest daughter of the second Marquis of
Bath, he has numerous issue.
MALLOW CASTLE, Ireland, in the co. of
Cork, the seat of Sir Denham Jephson
Norreys, Bart., M.P.
This castle, with the adjoining lands, was
at one time a seignory belonging to the
Earls of Desmond. Upon the attainder of
an Earl of Desmond, who was slain the llth
of November, 158.3, the castle and manor
were granted in 1584, by Queen Elizabeth,
to Sir Thomas Norreys, Lord President of
Munster. This srallant knight was not in the
o o
number of those who pass into oblivion,
" quia carent vate sacro, " for Spencer pre-
sented him with a copy of his Faerie Queen,
composed at Kilcohnan, in this neighbour-
hood, and thus celebrates Sir John's recent
success in settling the family of Braganza
upon the throne of Portugal : —
" Who ever gave more honourable prize
To the sweet Muse, than did the martial erew,
That their bi ave deeds she might immortalize
In her shrill trump, and sound their praises due ?
VVho, then, ought more to favour her than you,
Most noble Lord, the honour of this age,
And president of all that arms ensue, —
Whose warlike powers, and manly true courage,
Temper'd with reason and advisement sage,
Hath filFd sad Belgia with victorious spoil,
In France and Ireland left a famous gage,
And lately shake't the Lusitanian soil ?
Sitli then each where thou hast dispread thy fame,
Love him that thus hath eternizcd your name."
Upon the death of Sir Thomas Norreys, the
estate fell to his only child, a daughter, by
whose marriage with Major-General Sir John
Jephson, of Froyle, Hants, it came into the
family of the present owner. The son of
this marriage was Envoy to Sweden in the
year 1657, and of him it is recorded that,
while representing Stockport in the parliament
of the Commonwealth, he nioved in the House,
that " the Protector should take the title of
King."
The family name was Jephson, until the
lSth of July, 1838, when the representative
of the house, by sign-manual, obtained the
surname and arms of Norreys ; and shortly
afteiwards, upon the 6th of August, was
created a Baronet. This family, through
their descent from the Norreys, may claim
kinship with the most illustrious stocks in
England — viz., Plantagenet, the Clare, Mar-
shall, Strongbow, Holland, Salisbury, Zouch,
Quincy, Bellamont, Galloway, Longespie,
D'Eincourt, De Vere, Grey of Rotherfield,
Beaumont, Williams of Thame, Dacre, Ilid-
dlesford, Devereux, Molyneux, Gurney, and
many others.
The old castle of Mallow — or, to speak more
correctly, so much of it as now remains — is
situated upon the brow of a hill overlooking
the Blackwater river, and a large extent of
interesting landscape. Three huge towers
still witness for the former grandeur of the
place, when the Lord President of Munster
held his court within its precincts. They are,
however, in so shattered a state, that they
seem to be only kept from falling by the
masses of ivy which cling about them, sup-
porting rather than supported.
" Oh, a dainty plant is the Ivy green,
That creepeth o'er ruins old ;
Of right choiee food are his meals, I ween,
In his cell so lone and cold.
The walls must be crumbled, the stones decayed,
To pieasure his dainty whim ;
And the mouldering dust that years have made,
Is a merry meal for him.
Creeping where no life is seen,
A rare old plant is the Ivy green."
Close to these venerable remains, and yet
apart froin them, stands the new mansion, a
noble edifice, in the genuine Elizabethan style
of architecture. Here are mullioned windows,
pointed gables, tall chinmeys, and all those
various intricacies of building which charac-
terized our noblest seats in the days of the
Virgin Queen ; somewhat fantastic, it is true,
but picturesque in the extreme. Within the
house there prevails the same imitation of the
good old times, when our worthy ancestors
" Carved at the meal
With gloves of steel,
And drank the red wine througli the helmet barred" —
viz., an oaken staircase, with heavy balus-
trades ; chambers richly wainscoted in panels,
and stained glass windows, through which the
day sheds "a dim religious light." One
quaint, old-fashioned casement is splendidly
emblazoned with heraldic bearings — the arms
of the Norreys family — and this painting is
taken from one in the ancient residence of the
Norreys' in England. In one of the rooms is
a fine picture of King William III., in his
robes, painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller, and
presented by the monarch to an ancestor of
the present owner of the estate.
The grounds are exceedingly varied, and
abound in picturesque landscapes, rendered
yet more interesting by the proximity of the
far-famed Blackwater. The ruins themselves
are connected vvith three centuries of historical
recollections ; and the history of the castle
would, in fact, be a history of the south of
Ireland during the reigns of Henry VIII.,
Queen Elizabeth, and James I.
38
SEATS OF GREAT DRITAIN AND IRELAND.
AIRTHREY CASTLE, near Stirling, the seat
of Lord Abercromby.
This place is rich in natural beauty, in a
part of the country where picturesque scenery
abounds. The entrance to the park of Airthrey
is at the distance of two niiles from the town of
Stirling, and its woods and pleasure-grounds
skirt the road from Stirling to Kinross for a
mile and a half. The scenery within the park
gates combines a singular variety of beauty,
undulating rivers, noble woods, a large artifi-
cial piece of water, so managed as to have all
the effects of a natural lake ; and, above all,
precipitous and most picturesque rocky hills,
richly wooded and afFording a great extent of
the most pleasant walks. These grounds pos-
sess innumerable points of view which com-
mand the most glorious prospects, particularly
of Stirling Castle, and the valley of the Firth.
Through this valley, one of the most iinportant
rivers in Scotland winds in a manner so tor-
tuous as scarcely to be conceived without hav-
insr been seen. The windin^s of the Forth in
the midst of this fertile and delightful valley,
are much more numerous than art would even
devise with a view to imitate nature. When
seen from the heights above Airthrey the
river resembles an immense silver serpent roll-
ing and twisting itself upon the emerald
green of the meadows. The meandering of
the Forth forms many beautiful green penin-
sulas, on one of which, immediately opposite
Stirling Castle, stands the venerable ruins
of the magnificent Abbey of Cambusken-
neth, once one of the richest and most
important religious houses in Scotland.
Three very remarkable rocky hills are
seen from the grounds of Airthrey- — Stirling
Castle Rock, Abbey Craig, and Craig Forth ;
and in the distance, down the river, the lofty
Ochil mountain range is seen rising perpen-
dicularly above Alva House.
The scenery is altogether very interesting,
not only for its beauty but its great variety.
Gentlemen^s seats, thriving woods. villages,
and white sails of vessels going down the
Forth ; and in the iinmediate vicinity the well-
wooded undulations of Airthrey park with its
large sheet of water. The house is built in
badtaste, with castellated pretensions, such as
were common towards the end of last century
and the beginning of the present. It was
erected about the year 1780 or 1785 by Mr.
Haldane, who was then proprietor of this
beautiful place. It is of no great size ; but if
it had not been surmonnted with battlements
it might have been passed unnoticed as a good
gentleman's house. In the interior it is com-
modious ; and the rooms, though of very mode-
ratedimensions are pleasant and well arranged,
Airthrey has passed through several hands
during thelasthundred and fifty years. Pre-
vious to the year 1700 it belonged to Mr.
Hope, of Hopetoun ; and when that gentleman
was created Earl of Hopetoun in 1 703, his
second title was Viscount Airthrey. This
has never been used as a title by courtesy of
the eldest son of the Hopetoun family, on
account of the alienation of the Airthrey
estate soon after the creation of the peerage.
Lord Hopetoun wasextremely anxious tobuy
up all the land that he could in the immediate
vicinity of Hopetoun House, which, when
built, was nothing more than a magnificent
villa, hedged in on all sides by the estates of
the ancient landowners of that part of West
Lothian. One of the properties which lay the
nearest to the EaiTs handsome mansion was
Staniehill Tower, the seat of Mr. Dundas of
Manor, a cadet of the ancient and distin-
guished family of Dundas of Duddingstoun.
Lord Hopetoun had for some time tried
every means in his power to induce the old
laird of Manor to sell to him the tower of his
fathers ; but in vain. However, he bided his
time, and found the young laird less impracti-
cable. He induce<% him to listen to what was
indeed a very advantageous proposal , and ex-
changed with him the beautiful estate of Air-
threy for Staniehill Tower, which now forms a
fine object in the midst of the pleasure-grounds
of Hopetoun House.
The Dundas's of Manor could not have pos-
sessed Airthrey for much more than half a
century, as we next find it in the possession of
Captain James Haldane, to whom Dundas of
Manor sold it. Captain Haldane was a branch
of the very ancient family of Haldane of
Gleneagles. He died in 1768, and was suc-
ceeded hy his son, Robert Haldane of Air-
threy, who was, in some respects, one of the
most remarkable men of his time; and suc-
ceeded in producing a very decided religious
impression bothin Scotland and in Switzerland
in the earlier portion of the present century.
He was originally an officer of the navy ; but
at an early age he left that profession and es-
tablished himself at Airthrey, where he built
the present house, and was prepared to enjoy
his ample fortune. But it was not long before
an extraordinary change was effected in his
mind. From being wholly devoted to the
concerns of this world, he became still more
exclusively occupied with thoughts of eter-
nity. The change was sudden, but total and
permanent. The things of this world had no
longer any charm for him ; and he was re-
solved henceforward to devote every energy
of his mind and faculty of his soul to working
out his salvation, and promoting what he be-
lieved to be the kingdom of God. He had
no definite notion of Church government, and
it would be difficult to say to what sect he
was attached. His religious views probably
coincided more with those of the Congrega-
tional Union than any other. Having made
up his mind to devote himself to religion, his
activity and zeal knew no bounds. He de-
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
39
cided upon spending his life and fortune on
niissions to the heathen on a grand scale. He
therefore sold his estate of Airthrey, and was
the more anxious to accomplish this because
he felt that it was a sacrifice, and he consi-
dered that the possession of a terrestrial abode
of such beauty might interfere with his devo-
tedness to the grand cause of evangelization,
to which his future life was to be consecrated.
Having, therefore, converted his large for-
tune into money, he prepared to set out ainong
the heathens, and Hindostan was the field of
labour which he selected. However, he found
that unexpected impediments were thrown in
his way by the Government of India, who
were, as is well known, exceedingly jealous of
religious interference with their native sub-
jects, and considered that it might be prudent
to keep so zealous a missionary at a distance.
Being bafiied in this project, he set himself to
build chapels, and endowed preachers at home.
And he himself and his younger brother ofii-
ciated in this ministry. They also spent
much time on the Continent of Europe, and
there is no doubt that they were the means of
producing a very great religious awakening
among the dead or Socinian Protestants of
Switzerland and some parts of France. Since
he was not permitted to be wholly a mission-
ary, Mr. Haldane resumed his position as a
country gentleman ; and as if by way of con-
trast to beautiful Airthrey, and with a view to
produce constant mortification, he purchased
a tract of moor-land midway between Edin-
burgh and Glasgow, where he built a hand-
some house and planted young wood to a
great extent. The name of this place is
Auchengrey, and it is as ugly as Airthrey is
lovely. Mr. Haldane died a few years ago,
and carried with him to the grave the respect
and esteem which his great talents, burning
zeal, and thorough disinterestedness could not
fail to command even from those who were
the most diametrically opposed to his peculiar
doctrines and views of Church government.
When Mr. Haldane sold Airthrey, its pur-
chaser was General Sir Robert Abercromby,
G.C.B., great-granduncle of the present pro-
prietor. The family of Abercromby is of
great antiquity. Abercromby of that ilk was
long settledin the countyof Pife, and became
extinct in the seventeenth century. The
oldest cadet ofthis family was Abercrombie of
Birkenbog, now the chief of the name. I heir
immediate ancestor was Humphredus de Aber-
crombie, who, about the year 1313, obtained a
grant of lands from King Robert Bruce. His
descendants continued for many generations
in the county of Aberdeen as Abercrombie of
Pitmedden. Alexander Abercrombie of Pit-
medden, lived in the time of Queen Mary.
His eldest son, James, was designed of Bir-
kenbog, and his younger, Alexander, was of
Fetternear. The son of the latter, on marry-
ing the Baroness Sempill in her own right,
was created a peer of parliament for life by
King James VII. (second of Britain), with
the title of Lord Glasford. James Aber-
crombie was succeeded by his son Alexander
of Birkenbog, who was falconer to King
Charles I. His son Alexander was created a
Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1G37. He had
two sons, Sir James the second baronet of
Birkenbog, from whom is descended the pre-
sent Sir Robert Abercromby, fifth baronet of
Birkenbog. and Alexander, the ancestor of this
family, The present baronet has built a
splendid mansion at his ancient family seat at
Birkenbog. Before we trace the younger
branch of this family it is worth while to
mention a singular peculiarity regarding the
vault of the ancient house of Abercrombie
which is mentioned by Pennant. This vault,
if so it may be called, is lodged in the wall
of the church ; and is only the repository of
the skulls of the family. The bodies are
placed in the earth beneath, and when a laird
dies, the skull of his predecessor is taken up
and thrown into this Golgotha, which in Pen-
nant's time contained nineteen !
Alexander Abercromby, second son of the
first baronet, settled at Tullibody a moderate
estate in the county of Clackmannan, which
is still the property of his descendants. He
had a son, George Abercromby, of Tullibody,
who connected himself by marriage with the
family to which Airthrey then belonged ; for
his wife was Mary, daughter of Ralph Dun-
das of Manor. The issue of this union was
three very distinguished sons. l,Ralph; 2,
Robert; 3, Alexander. The youngest, Alexan-
der, born 1745, was a member of the Scottish
Bar, and rose rapidly in his profession. In
1792 he was made a Lord of Session, with the
title of Lord Abercromby, and he died in 1795.
His second son, Robert, was a distinguished
officer. He was a Knight of the Bath, and a
general in the army. His services in India
were very important, and there he realized a
large fortune. When Airthrey, which had
belonged to his mother's family, was sold by
Mr. Haldane, he became the purchaser ; and
here he lived for many years ; and on his
death, at a great age in 1828, he was suc-
ceeded in this beautiful estate by his nephew,
the eldest son of his elder brother Ralph.
This excellent man and distinguished general
was born 1738. He attained the highest
rank in the army, and acquired the greatest
fame ; and after a series of brilliant services,
he died gloriously in the moment of victory
at the celebrated battle of Alexandria, in
1801, having had the command of the ex-
pedition to Egypt. Sir Ralpli was a Knight
of the Bath, and had he survived his victory
he would have been raised to a peerage,
which was conferred upon his widow, Mary
Anne, daughter of John Menzies, of Fernton,
40
SEATS OF GREAT BKITAIN AND IREEAND.
a son of the Bavonet of Menzies. She was
created Baroness Abercromby of Aboukir.
Sir Ralph Abercromby was the father of
George, Lord Abercromby, who succeeded
his mother in the peerage ; and of James
Abercromby, who was Lovd Chief Baron of
Exchequer in Scotland, then during several
parliaments Speaker in the House of Com-
mons, and was subsequently raised to the
peerage, with the title of Lord Dunfermline.
George, Lord Abercromby, married the daugh-
terof the present Viscount Melville, by whom
he had issue George, 2d Lord, who succeeded
in 1837, and died in 1852, leaving his son
George Ralph, present and 3d Lord Aber-
crombie, and proprietor of Airthrey and Tulli-
body, a minor. The two last Lords were Lords
Lieutenant of the County of Clackmannan.
EIDGEWAY, South Wales, in the co. of
Pembroke, near the flourishing market-town
of Narberth, the seat of Mrs. Emily Foley,
widow of the late John Herbert Foley, Esq.,
and only daughter of Abraham Chambers,
Esq., of Woodstock, Kent. This estate has
been held by the family of Foley for many
centuries — certainly as far back as 1383, and
it seems probable enough, that their possession
dates from a yet earlier period. Be this as it
may, in the year just named, John Foley,
constable of Llawhaden, and Ellen, his wife,
got a grant of lands in Lettardiston (or
Letterston), from Adam Hoton, Bishop of
St. David's, which charter, with others, is yet
extant at Ridgeway, dated Sth of June, 1383.
In the time of the great Civil War, another
of this family was again constable of Llawha-
den Castle, where he was besieged by Crom-
well in person. He had the misfortune to be
killed; and the castle, though strong, and
standing upon an elevated ground, about three
miles from Narberth, was soon afterwards
surrendered A story is told of his widow
and two sons having, upon the fall of the
place, been brought before Cromwell, who
patted them familiarly on thehead, pvomising,
that if they continued good, no haim shoidd
happen to them. He did not, however, the
less confiscate a considerable portion of their
lands, which he bestowed on Colonel Skyrme,
whose descendants still possess them.
The date of the original house at Ridgeway
is unknown. It stood at some distance from
the present mansion, which was built in the
eighteenth century, by John Foley of Ridge-
way, Esq., and is a plain, but comfortable
mansion, standing on higli ground, and com-
manding an extensive prospect.
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Foley, G.C.B.,
younger brother of the late John Herbert
Foley, Esq., of Ridgeway, highly distinguished
himself at St. Vincent, and the battle of the
Nile, for which services he received two
medals, bearing respectively the words St.
Vincent and Nile, in letters of gold.
ARDNARGLE, in the north of Ireland, near
Newtownlimavady, co. of Londonderry, the
seat of Robert Leslie Ogilby, Esq.
This property has been for some time pos-
sessed by the Ogilbys; the present owner
having inherited it, in theyear 1849, upon the
death of his brother, James Ogilby, Esq. The
house, built about the year 1780 by the late
John Ogilby, Esq., was originally a plain,
substantial mansion without any particular
architectural ornament ; but it has been greatly
improved and enlarged by the gentleman now
possessing it, and these alterations are still in
progress. It is beautifully situated upon a
rising ground, on the west bank of the river
Roe, one mile north of Newtownlimavady.
The grounds contain about sixty acres, and are
laitl out with much taste, and regard to the
natural advantages of the locality. There
are some fine old tvees to be seen heve, but
pvincipally ash and beech, fov which the soil
appeavs to be well adapted.
NEWTON, in the co. of Lanark, the seat of
J. B. H. Montgomery, Esq.
This estate anciently belonged to Hamilton
of Newton, a younger branch of the Duke of
Hamilton's family ; now represented by the
Rev. John Hamilton Gray, of Cavntyne. It
was an oviginal possession of the house of
Douglas, and was, about the yeav 1500,
bvought, as the dowvy of a daughtev of that
family, to her husband, James Hamilton of
Silverton Hill. He was the son of Alexander
Hamilton of Silverton Hill, next brother of
James, Lord Hamilton, and second son of Sir
James Hamilton, tifth Lord of Cadzow, by
Janet, daughter of Sir Alexander Livingstone,
of Callander. Hamilton of Silverton Hill is
the nearest branch to the ducal house after the
Marquis of Abercorn, and comes before any
of the numerous families of Hamilton in
Scotland.
James Hamilton and the heiress of Newton
of the House of Douglas had a son and heiv,
John Hamilton of Newton and Silverton
Hill. He made Newton his principal designa-
tion. He married a daughter of Sir John So-
merville, Baron of Camnethan. He died in
1535, and was ancestor of the family of Sil-
verton Hill, Newton, and Goslington, His
great-grandson, Sir Andrevv Hamilton of Gos-
Hngton, was a most faithful friend to Queen
Mary, who conferred on him the honour of
knighthood. He supported the royal cause
at the battle of Langside, for which he was
forfeited ; but his extensive estates were re-
stored to him by the treaty of Perth in 1572.
He died in 1592, and was succeeded by his
son, Sir Robert Hamilton of Goslington. He
married Elizabeth, daughter and sole heiress
of Sir William Baillie, of Provan, Lord Pro-
vident of the Court of Session, who brought a
great accession to his estate. He died in
1592, and had a mimerous family. His eldest
SEATS OF GKEAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
41
son and heir, Edward Hamilton of Silverton
Hill, was the father of the first baronet of the
family, Sir Robert, so created in 1646 by
king Charles I., with whom lie was in high
favour ; and justly so, as he expended his
large fortune in supporting the i - oyal cause.
He is the immediate ancestor of Sir Frederick
Hamilton, Baronet, of Silverton Hill.
From one of the younger sons of Sir Robert
Hamilton of Goslington, is the branch of
Newton descended. His grandson James
Hamilton had a grant of the estate of Newton,
in 1672, and here he fixed his residence. In
1694 the ancient mansion-house was destroyed
by fire, and all the titles and deeds connected
with the estate, and all the family papers
were burnt. After this, James Hamilton
obtained a new charter of the estate from
Anne, Duchess of Hamilton, his chief, from
whom it was feudally held. In 1695 he com-
menced a new house in a pleasant situation,
which he adorned with woods and gardens ;
but it was unfortunate that he did not select
another site for the mansion-house, on a pro-
montory jutting out at the confluence of the
Clyde and the Calder. Nothing can exceed
the picturesque beauty of the high wooded
banks of Newton, overhanging these two fine
i - ivers, which here form a junction ; and no place
could have been better adapted for a pleasant
residence. The house which Mr. Hamilton
built was in the style common in Scotland in
that day ; but it had not the quaintness and
ancient venerable character of the former
mansion-house, which was burnt.
James Hamilton of Newton was twice
married : first, to a daughter of Gabriel
Hamilton of Westburn, by a daughter of Sir
Robert Cunningham of Gilbertfield ; and
2ndly, to a daughter of Robert Montgoinery
of Macbie Hill, by a daughter of Sir James
Lockhart of Lee. He diedin 1724. His de-
scendants continued to flourish for several gene-
rations. They intermarried with the families of
Clelland of Clelland, Pollock, Bart. of Pollock,
and Buchanan of Drummakill ; and their last
heiress on whom the estate devolved, married
Colonel Richard Montgomery, first cousin of
Sir George Montgomery, Bart., of Macbie
Hill, and Sir James Montgomery, Bart., of
Stanhope. She outlived her only son, and
died in 1823. On her death, her cousin,
Robert Gray of Carntyne, became sole repre-
sentative of this branch of the family of
Hamilton, in right of his grandmother, the
daughter of James Hamilton of Newton. He
died in 1833, and was succeeded by his son, the
Rev. John Hamilton Gray of Carntyne,Deputy
Lieutenant of Lanarkshire. Mrs. Montgo-
mery, however, left the property (the dis-
posal of which was in her own power) to Sir
James Montgomery, Bart., of Stanhope.
This gentleman was son of a younger son
of the Macbie Hill family, which was an early
cadet of Montgomery of Ardrossan and Eglin-
ton, afterwards Earls of Eglinton. Adam
Montgomery of Macbie Hill, a remote de-
scendant of that family, was born in 1598.
His son, Robert Montgomery of Macbie Hill,
had, along with a daughter, Margarite, wife
of James Hamilton of Newton, as already
stated, a son, William, who carried on the
line of the family. His grandson, William
Montgomery of Macbie Hill, had two sons :
first, William ; second, James.
lst. William settled in Ireland, where he
twice married, and bad numerous issue. Three
of his daughters were celebrated for their
extraordinary beauty ; and they form the
group of the three Graces adorning the
Altar of Hymen, by Sir Joshua Reynolds,
which is one of the most admired among the
modern pictures in the National Gallery.
These ladies were, Elizabeth, wife of Luke
Gardiner, Viscount Mountjoy ; Barbara, wife
of the Right Hon. Jolm Beresford ; and Anne,
wife of George, Marquess Townshend, by
whom she had a daughter, married to the
Duke of Leeds. He had also another daugh-
ter, Harriet, wife of George Byng, of
Wrotham Park, for fifty-six years M.P. for
the county of Middlesex, elder brother of
the Earl of Straftbrd. Mr. Montgomery was
created a baronet in 1774, and dying in
178S, he was succeeded by his son, Sir George
Montgomery of Macbie Hill, M.P. for the
county of Peebles, on whose death, in 1831,
the baronetcy became extinct.
2nd. The second son of William Mont-
gomery of Macbie Hill, was James, who being
bred to the law, became a distinguished
member of the Scottish Bar. He was ap-
pointed Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer
in Scotland; an oftice which he held formany
years, and on his resignation in 1801, he was
created a baronet. Hepurchased the estates
of Stanhope and Stobo Castle, in the county
of Peebles, and was succeeded by his son Sir
James, who, in 1804, was appointed Lord-
Advocate of Scotland, an office which he held
for two years. He was for many years Mem-
ber of Parliament for the county of Peebles.
He married— first, Lady Elizabeth Douglas,
daughter of Dunbar, Earl of Silkirk ; and
secondly, MissGraham, heiressof Kinross. In
1823, Sir James succeeded to the estate of
Newton, by the will of the heiress of the
family of Hamilton, the widow of his cousin,
Colonel Richard Montgomery. He died in
J 839, and was succeeded in his Peebleshire
estates by his eldest son, Sir Graharn Mont-
gomery, now M.P. lor the county of Peebles ;
and in the property of Newton, by his second
son, the present proprietor.
Thus did this estate, originally a possession
of the HouseofDouglas, come by a marriage
into the family of Hamilton of Silverton
Hill, in the second generation after it
o
42
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
branched off from the main stem of Earls
of Arran and Lord Hamilton. It con-
tinued in the possession of the family
of Hamilton of Silverton Hill, and its
younger branch, Hamilton of Newton,
during upwards of three centuries; when it
was, in 1823, alienated from the representa-
tive of the family, and bestowed on a branch
of the family of Montgomery.
Very soon after Newton came into the
possession of Sir James Montgomery, the old
mansion-house was consumed by fire, as the
original one had been in 1694.
LISMORE CASTLE, Ireland, in the co. of
Waterford, the seat of the Duke of Devon-
shire.
This castle was founded in the year 1185
by the young Earl of Moreton, who after-
waids became King John, and is said to be
the last of three fortresses erected by him
during his stay in Ireland, which did not ex-
ceed eight months. Four years afterwards it
was surprised by the native Irish, who slew
the governor, Robert de Barry, as well as his
garrison, and laid the fortress itself in ruins.
It was soon, however, rebuilt, and made the
episcopal residence, till in 1589, Miles
Magrath, with consent of the Dean and
Cbapter, granted the castle and manor to Sir
Walter Raleigh, at a small annual rent.
From this great, but unfortunate man,
Lismore passed, with his other lands, to Sir
Richard Boyle, the celebrated Earl of Cork,
who enlarged and beautified the castle with a
view to making it his residence. The room
in which his seventh son, Robert, was born,
may still be seen, almost in its original
state.
When the Great Civil War broke out in
1611, the castle of Lismore became an object
of importance and interest to both parties. It
was consequentiy invested by five thousand
Irish under Sir Richard Beling, and as
stoutly defended by Lord Broghill, the Earl
of Cork's third son, who eventually com-
pelledhis assailants to raise their sicge. But,
indeed, Broghill seemed to have possessed the
two principal qualities of a great commander
— undaunted valour and consummate pru-
dence. His letter to the Earl before the
actual commencement of hostilities against
Lismore, itself sufficiently explains his cha-
racter, and though it has been often quoted,
niay well admit of repetition : —
" I have sent out my quarter-master to
know the posture of the enemy. They are,
as I ani informed by those wlio were in the
action, five thousand strong, and well armed,
and that they intend to attack Lismore.
When I have receivcd certain intelligence, if
1 am a thivd part of their number, I willmeet
thein to-morrow moming, and give them one
blow beforc they besiege us. If theirnumbers
be such that it will be more folly than valour,
I will make good this place which I am in.
" I tried one of the ordnance made at the
forge, and it held with a poimd charge ; so
that I will plant it upon the terrace over the
river. My lord, fear nothing for Lismore ;
for if it be lost, it shall be with the life of him
that begs your lordship's blessing, and styles
himself, my lord, your lordship's most
humble, most obliged, and most dutiful son
and servant, " Broguill."
And well did the heroic defender keep his
word, as we have already related. Two years
afterwards, the castle was again besieged ; but
the assailants met with no better success. Of
this last attempt upon Lismore, a very cir-
cumstantial account is left us in a manuscript
diary of the Earl of Cork, which is yet pre-
served, with many other interesting reliques,
in the castle library : —
"1643. July 10. This day the rebel
lieutenant-general Purcell, commanding again
in chief, in revenge of his former defeat, re-
ceived at Cappoquin, reinforced his army to
seven thousand foot and nine hundred horse,
with three pieces of ordnance, and drew near
again to Cappoquin, and there continued four
days, wasting and spoiling the country round
about, but attempted nothing of any conse-
quence. And when the 22nd, at night, that
the Lord Viscount Mushrie came to the Irish
army with some addition of new forces, they
removed from Cappoquin in the night before
my castle of Lismore. And on Sunday morn-
ing, the 23rd July, 1643, they began their
battery from the church to the east of Lismore
House, and made a breach into my own house,
which Captain Broadripp, and my wardei - s,
being about one hundred and fifty, repaired
stronger with earth than it was before ; and
shot there till the Thursday, the 27th, and
never durst attempt to enter the breach ; my
ordnance and musket-shot from my castle did
so ply them. Then they removed their bat-
tery to the south-west of my castle, and con-
tinually beating against my orchard-wall, but
never adventured into my orchard, my shot
from my turrets did so continually beat and
clear the curteyn of the wall. The 28th of
July, God sent my two sons, Dimyarvan and
Broghill, to land at Youghal, out of England,
and the 29th they rode to the Lord of Inchi-
qnin's, who with the army were drawn to
Tullagh, and stay'd there in expectation of
Colonel Peyn, with his regiment from Tymo-
lay, who failed to join ; but Inchiquin, Dun-
garran, and Broghill, and Sir John Powlett,
the Saturday in the evening (upon some other
directions brought over by Dungarvan froin
his Majesty), he made a treaty that evening
with Mushrie and others, and Sunday the 30th
they agreed upon a cessation for six days.
Monday night, whon they could not enter my
house, they removed their siege, and withdrew
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
43
their ordnance and army, two or three harrels
of powder, two or three pieces of ordnance,
of twenty-three pounds, and killed hutone of
my side, God he praised."
Two years afterwards, — that is, in 1G45, —
the castle of Lismore sustained a third siege ;
and this time with better success to the insur-
gents, who, under Lord Castlehaven, took the
place and nearly burntit down. The garrison
consisted of one hundred of the Earl of Cork's
tenantry, commanded by Major Power, who,
however dencient they might be in the prac-
tice of war, made a most heroic defence,
killing five hundred of the besiegers, and not
capitulating till their powder was entirely
expended.
When the internal dissensions that had so
long shaken the country had ended, and things
began to flow in their usual channel, Lismore
Castle was restored by Richard, second Earl
of Cork and Burlington, who made it his prin-
cipal place of residence. Over the grand
gateway he placed his father's well-knovvn
motto, which may yet be traced — " God's
Pkovidence is our Inheritance." Healso
materially improved upon what the building
has originally been.
The next noticeable event in connection
with Lismore, is the brief visit paid to it hy
James the Second in 1G90, when he was flying
from the lost field of the Boyne, and breathed
a moment on his way to Waterford for em-
barkation. He halted here for a few hours
only ; but short as was his stay, tradition has
heen at work and given his name to an em-
bayedrecess, which is still called King James's
window. It is said, that after having taken a
hurried refreshment, and preparations were
being made for his farther flight, he rose to
amuse himself with the prospect from a large
bay window that overhung the river. The
view, at all times heautiful, was now rendered
douhly so by the glow of a summer evening ;
but probably his nerves had been too much
unstrung hy his recent disasters : he saw him-
self on the brink of a precipice, with a river
rolling rapidly below, and instantly started
back in terror.
In 1753, upon the death of Richard, fourth
Earl of Cork, and third of Burlington, the
greater part of the family estates, both in
England and Ireland, devolved on his
daughter, the Lady Charlotte Boyle, who in
1748 had married William Cavendish, fourth
duke of Devonshire. The present duke has
expended large sums upon the repairs and pre-
servation of this interesting pile. Many
internal changes have been made in
conformity with the improved taste of
modern times, and the increasing demands
for comfort and convenience. Externally,
the ancient and picturesque character of the
building has been jealously preserved. The
battlemented towers, the loop-holed grates,
and the flanking walls, each in all their
originalgrandeur, as little changed in appear-
ance as the river that dashes along below
them.
INCHIDQNY ; or, THE ISLAND, co. Cork,
the Seat of Thomas Hungerford, Esq., is called
" The Island" from being entirely insulated
at high water. It is approached from the
mainland by a causeway, constructed at great
expense. The original mansion of the family
is now in ruins ; their present residence occu-
pies a picturesque site a few hundred yards
from the water's edge, looking towards the
mainland. From the foot of the Island, on
its southern side, an elevated tract of sand
runs out into the sea, and terminates in a high
green bank, which forms a pleasing contrast
with the little desert behind it, and the hlack
solitary rock immediately beneath. There is a
wild tradition, that the Blessed Virgin Mary
cameonenight to this hillock to pray, and was
discovered kneeling, by the crew of a vessel
that was about anchoring near the place. They
scoffed at her piety, and made some irreverent
remarks on her heauty ; whereupon, a storm
arose, and destroyed the ship and her crew.
Since that time, no vessel has been known to
anchor near the spot. Upon this local legend
the following graceful stanzas were written hy
a youthful poetnamed Callanan, who was, we
believe, destined for the priesthood ; but who
died prematurely of consumption.
THE VIRGIN MARY'S BANK.
The evening star rose beauteou* above the fading day,
As to the lone and silent beach the Virgin eame to pray ;
And hill and wave shone brightly in the moonlight's
mellow fall ;
But the bank of green where Mary knelt, was brightest
of theni all.
Slow moving o'er the waters, agallant bark appear'd,
And her joyous crew look'd from the deck, as to the land
shenear'd ;
To the cahn and sheltered haven, she floatedlike a swan,
And her wings of snow, o'er the waves below, in pride
and beauty shone.
The Master saw our lady, as he stood npon the prow,
And mark'd the whiteness of her robe, and the radiance
of her brow ;
Her arms were folded gracefully upon her stainlesa
breast ;
And her eyes look'd up among the stars, to Him her soul
lov'd best.
He show'd her to his sailors, and he hail'd her with a
cheer,
And on the kneeling Virgin, they gaz'd with laugh and
jeer ;
And madly swore a form so fair, they never saw before ;
And they curs'd the faint and lagging breeze that kept
them from the shore.
The ocean from its bosom, shook off the moonlight
sheen,
And up its wrathful billows rose, to vindicate their queen:
And a cloud canie o'er the heavens, anda darkness o'er
the iand,
And the scofling crew bcheld no more, that lady on the
strand .
44
SEATS OP GREAT BKITAIN AND IRELAND.
Out burst the pealing thunder, and the lightning
leap'd about,
And ru^hing with his watery war, the tempest gave a
shout :
And that vessel from a mountain wave, came down with
thundeving shoek .
And her timbers flew like scattered spray on Inchidony's
rock.
Then loud from all that guilty crew, one shriek ros e
wild and high ;
But the angry surge swept o'er them, and hush'd their
gurgling cry ;
And with a hoarse, exulticg roar the tempest pass'd
away,
And down, still chafing from their strife, the indignant
waters lay.
When the calm and purple morning shone out on high
Dunmorc,
Full many a mangled corpse was seen on Inchibony's
shore :
And to this day the fisherman shows, where the scoffers
sank,
And still he calls that hillock green, " The Virgin Mary's
Bank."
The Irish family of Hungerford descends
from Walter, Lord Hungerford, Lord Trea-
surer, sixth, Henry VI., through his ]ordship's
second surviving son, Sir Edmund Hunger-
ford, of Down Amponey, co. Gloucester.*
The connexion of the Irish with the English
house is very distinctly traced by the will of
John Hungerford, of Lincoln's Inn, dated
24th May, 1729; and in a cause connected
with that will, which was tried in the English
Court of Chancery. The common ancestor
of all the existing Irish Hungerfords, was
Captain Thomas Hungerford, who resided at
" The Little Island," at Rathbarry, up to the
year 16S0, in which year he died, and was
interred in the cathedral of Ross-Carbery. He
had three sons, of whom the eldest, Colonel
Richard Hungerford, of Inchidony, or " The
Island," was the lineal ancestor of the present
Thomas Hungerford, Esq. The Hungerfords
of Cahirmore, co. Cork, also descend from
Captain Thomas Hungerford, of the Little
Island, who also was ancestor of the present
family of Daunt, of Tracton Abbey ; his
daughter Elizabeth, having married in 1667,
Achilles Daunt, Esq., of Tracton Abbey, from
which marriage the existing Dauntsof Tracton
are descended. Colonel Richard Hungerford
is believed to have fixed his residence at In-
chidony in 1690. The seat is distant about
a mile from the seaport town of Clonakilty.
CARMICHAEL HOTJSE, near Lanark, in the
co. of Lanark, the seat of Sir Wyndham
Carmichael Anstruther, Bart.
The ancient domains of the noble House of
Carmichael are of great extent, and the family
bas long held the first place in the county of
Lanark, next to the lordly Houses of Hamilton
and Douglas. The great woods of Carmichael
are stretched on two sides of the lofty emi-
nence called Carmichael Hill, and are distant
not many niiles from the high mountain of
* See SirBichard Colt Hoare's " Huiigerfordiana."
Tintock and the noble river Clyde. The man-
sion-house is embowered among venerable
trees, and altogether the scenery is sylvan,
wild, and striking. On the other end of the
property there is a fine woodland sur-
rounding the House of Westerraw, which has
belonged, for some centuries, to the Carmi-
chael family, but was anciently the heritage
of the Johnstones. An exchange, however,
was effected, by which the Johnstones were
transferred to Dumfrieshire, and they be-
stowed the name of their original possessions
upon their more recent acquisition. This is
the origin of the estate of Westerraw or Wes-
ter Hall in the county of Dumfries, which has
been for some centuries the seat of the distin-
guished baronefs family of Johnstone, who
are now representatives of the House of
Annandale, and claimants of the title of
Marquis.
The original Westerraw is situated at the
foot of the noble mountain of Tintock, and is
surrounded by extensive and ancient woods.
It has been an occasional residence of the
Hyndford family, and was inhabited by the last
Earl until his death. His brother and pre-
decessor built an imposing modern castle upon
his paternal estate of Mauldesley, on the
banks of the Clyde, where he constantly re-
sided. But Carmichael House was the usual
abode of the earlier Earls of Hyndford, as it
had been of their predecessors, the Barons of
Carmichael, from time immemorial.
The ancient mansion has long ceased to
exist. Abouta century and a half since, a new
house was commenced on a grand scale. The
wings were built, and then a stop was put to
the work; and the house consists of these
wings, merely joined together by a gallery.
If the original plan should ever be followed
out it would make a noble mansion, for even
the wings afford very considerable accommo-
dation. Here the great ambassador, the 3rd
Earl of Hyndford, resided after he had retired
from the busy political life in which he acted
so distinguished a part ; and here he died, in
1767. His Countess survived him during forty
years, which she spent here until her death,
in 1807. Since then, Carmichael House has
been very little inhabited by the successive
proprietors, which is an unfortunate circum-
stance, as it is the central point of a great do-
main, and possesses many attractions to the
lover of picturesque and woodland scenery.
We have no trace of any other family ever
having possessed this estate than the noble
race which thence derived its name. The
earliest ancestor whom we find on record
is William, Lord of Carmichael, who lived in
1350. But it is probable that his ancestors
had held the estate during many previous ge-
nerations. His great-grandson, Sir John de
Carmichael, a noble knight, held a high com-
mand in the Scottish auxiliary force sent to
SEATS OF GREAT BKITAIN AND IRELAND.
45
the assistance of King Charles VI. of France,
against the English. He distingnished him-
self in 1422 at the battle of Beauge by un-
horsing the Duke of Clarence, a feat which
decided the victory in favour of the French
and Scots. Sir John married Lady Mary
Douglas, daughter of George, Eaid of Angus,
and died in 1436. He had two sons, William
his heir, and John. From the latter were
descended two distinguished families. 1. Car-
michael of Meadowflat. 2. Carmichael of
Balmedie. The Carmichaels of Meadowflat
held for six generations the office of Captain
or Castellan of the Castle of Crawford, and
they existed until 1G58 ; having been allied to
many distinguished families. The sister of
the last Castellan of Crawford married Carmi-
chael of Hyndford. Carmichael of Balmedie
possessed an estate in the county of Fife, and
is now represented by Sir James Robert Car-
michael, Bart.
William, the eldest son of Sir John de Car-
michael, was the ancestor of the great house of
the name. His descendants flourished in an
uninterrupted succession of Barons of Carmi-
chael for seven generations. Sir John, the
fourth in descent, married alady of the House
of Somerville ; Sir John, the fifth, was Lord
Warden of the Marches, and was Ambassador
to Denmark to negotiate the marriage be-
tween James VI. and Princess Anne. He
married the sister of the Earl of Angus, and
of the Regent Earl of Morton. He was mur-
dered in 1G00 by the famous outlaw, Johnny
Armstrong, while in the exercise of his higli
olfice of Warden of the Marches. His grand»
son, Sir John, was the last baron of Carmi-
chael in direct descent. He was the victim
of misfortune, and thus paid the forfeit of
the great prosperity which so long a line of an-
cestors had enjoyed without interruption.
Getting very much involved in debt, he was
wholly unable to extricate himself ; and as is
often the case withthehead of adistinsruished
famdy under such circumstances, he became
the mark of persecution of his relations, his
friends, and his neighboms. The world turned
its back upon him, andhe was annoyed on all
hands by nndtiplied pecuniary claims.
The worst mischance that befell him, was
the high prosperity of a very distant relation
of his own name, James Carmichael of Hynd-
ford, whose ancestors had branched off from
the house of Carmichael about five genera-
tions back. This James Carmichael had ori-
ginally been a man of very inferior fortune
to his chief, though he was well descended.
His mother was a daughter of the Castellan
of Crawford, and his grandmother was a Camp-
bell of Loudon, the maternal granddaughter of
the Earl of Lennox, and his Countess, a
HamiJton, the daughter of Princess Mary, and
grauddaughter of James II. and Queen Mary
of Guelders. By his descent from the Earl
of Lennox, James Carmichael had the honour
of being third cousin to King James I. of
Great Britain.
While his chiefs, Sir John and Sir Hugh,
the grandfather and father of the last un-
happy Sir John, were filling the highoffice of
ambassadors from the Scottish monarch tohis
majesty of Denmark, James Carmichael left
his small paternal property of Hyndford, in
order to push his fortune in a humble way at
the court in Edinburgh. Being a supple, active
young fellow, he was selected as one of a
number who should play a match at footbali
for the amusement of the monarch. James
Carmichael kept up the ball the longest, and
delighted the king, who immediately noticed
him ; and finding that he was a gentleman
by birth, and even not very remotely related
to his paternal house of LenViox, he gave him
an invitation to continue at court. His ad-
dress was insinuating, and his appearance
prepossessing. He soon won the favour of
the king, who first appointed him his cup-
bearer, then his carver, and then his cham-
berlain, which office he continued to fill with
great credit for many years. He was created
a baronet in 1627. About this time, the
troubles and embarrassments of Sir John, the
Baron of Carmichael, came to their climax ;
and this circumstance fostered the ambitious
hopcs of Sir James, who desired nothing so
much as to fill the place of Baron of Car-
michael, which he had from his earliest youth
regarded with admiration and envy. He had
made a good deal of money, and possessed
considerable credit. He accordingly made
use of both, and bought up all the claims of
every creditor against his unfortunate chief;
and when he had got him wholly into his
power, he lost no time in forcing him to sell
his entire estates, which he was thus enabled
to purchase at an easy rate, and then he
found himself, to his no small satisfaction, Sir
James Carmichael, Baronet of that ilk !
He held high and important ofiices, having
been Lord Treasurer Depute and Lord Jus-
tice Clerk, and a Privy Councillor. He
proved himself a faithful subject and servant
to King Charles I. in his distress, and lent
him large sums of money. To reward his
services, the king raised him to the peerage in
1647, with the title of Lord Carmichael. He
was deprived of his office of Lord Justice Clerk,
and fined to a large amount, by Cromwell ; but
was restored on the accession of KingCharles
II. After a very long and extremely prosperous
life, he died at Carmichael House in 1672, at
the age of ninety-four. He was the first Car-
michael who possessed Westerraw, the ancient
seat of the Johnstones ; and he was for some
years designed of Westerraw before he ousted
his chief from the family inheritance of Car-
michael.
Lord Carmichael preserved his great bodily
46
SEAT3 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
vigour until the very close of life. Of this
there is a curious proof. At the marriage of
his granddaughter, Anne Carmichael, in the
church of Lanark in 1670, he was pi-esent,
and gave to the bride as a keepsake two large
gold coins of King Charles L, and one of
these he bent with his teeth, in order, as he
said, to show what a vigorous man he was at
the age of 92. One of these coins is still
preserved by Mr. Hamilton Gray, who is the
bride's great-great-grandson.
Lord Carmichael's eldest son died before
him ; and by the daughter of the first Mar-
quess of Douglashe left a son, John, who was
created Earl of Hyndford in 1701. This
nobleman had strenuously supported the
government of William III. , and was one of
the great promoters of the union with Eng-
land. By the daughter of the third Lord
Maderty, he had numerous issue. We must
mention three sons : first, James ; second,
William ; third, Daniel. First, James, second
Earl of Hyndford, by a daughter of the fifth
Earl of Lauderdale, had a son, John, and a
daughter, Lady Margaret, wife of Sir John
Anstruther, Bart., of Anstruther. John
became third Earl of Hyndford, and was one
of the most remarkable men of his day. He
was born 1701. In 1739, he was made Lord
Lieutenant of the county of Lanark. In
1741, he was sent as envoy-extraordinary to
Frederick the Great ; and was extremely suc-
cessful in accommodating the difFerences be-
tween that monarch and the empress-queen.
He was made a Knight of the Thistle, with
which order he was invested by the hand of
Frederick the Great, in the palace of Char-
lottenburg, in virtue of a commission from
King George II. The King of Prussia
granted to him the arms of Silesia in addition
to his paternal coat. In 1744, hewas sent as
Ambassador to Russia, and was very instru-
mental in bringing about the peace of Aix-la-
Chapelle. From 1752 to 1764 hewasambas-
sador at the court of Vienna. While he thus
served his country in a public capacity, he
was highly useful at home in carrying on
extensive improvements on his estates, making
considerable buildings, and planting great
woods at Carmichael House and Westerraw.
Upon these, in some years, much more than
the annual rents of his estates were expended.
Lord Hyndford died at Carmichael House in
1707, in the sixty-seventh year of his age.
He had no family by his Countess, who sur-
vived him, and lived at Carmichael House
during forty years.
His ' sister, Lady Margaret Anstruther,
had a son, Sir John Anstruther, Baronet,
of Anstruther, who was properly the heir
of line of the Carmichael family. But the
title and estates went in preference to the
heir male, who was son of William, second
son of the hrst Earl. This gentleman
had ason, John, and a daughter, Helen, wife
of John Gibson of Durie. John succeeded
his cousin as fourth Earl of Hyndford, and
died without issue in 1787. He was suc-
ceeded in his paternal property by his grand-
nephew, Sir John Gibson, Bart., who took
the name of Carmichael. His nephew is the
present Sir Thomas Gibson Carmichael, Bart.,
of Castle Craig, in the county of Peebles.
The Hyndford title, and the great Carmi-
chael estates devolved upon the fourth EaiTs
cousin, the descendant of Daniel, third son of
the first Earl. Thisgentleman had the estate
of Mauldsley on the Clyde, and his great-
grandson, Thomas, became fifth Earl of
Hyndford, on the death of his cousin. He
died without issue in 1810, andwas succeeded
by his brother, Andrew, sixth Earl, who also
dying without issue, was succeeded in his
paternal estate of Mauldsley by his nephew,
Mr. Nesbitt, of Carfin ; while the great
Carmichael and Westerraw estates devolved
upon the heir of line of the family, the great
grand-nephew of the ambassador, the third
Earl, Sir John Anstruther, Bart., of Ans-
truther. He added the name of Carmichael to
his paternal name of Anstruther; which,
however, he retained as his principal name,
it being the more ancient andnoble of the two.
The present proprietor of these great estates
is Sir Wyndham Carmichael Anstruther,
Baronet. The titles are unfortunately extinct.
KOCKINGHAM, in the co. of Roscommon ;
the seat of Viscount Lorton,
Rockingham is a stately palace of pure
white marble, erected in the midst of a mag-
nificent domain, which has within its circuit,
every variety of picturesque scenery.
The house was built about fifty years ago ;
and contains a noble suite of apartments on
the first story. The entrance hall, great
gallery, drawing-room, saloon, library, and
dining-room, are of fine proportion, and
great size. In the upper stories, the bedroom
accommodation is in a corresponding style of
magnificence ; and the ofiices in the basement
story are extremely well contrived, and on a
grand scale. The mansion is altogether
suited for the accommodation of a princely
establishment, and for the entertainment of
numerous companies of guests. The rooms
are both magnificently and commodiously
furnished. The architecture is Italian, and
considering the date of its building, it is well
that it is so ; for a large mansion in the
Elizabethan or castellated style, built in the
beginning of the present century, would, in all
probability, have been in the worst possible
taste ; whereas Rockingham is avery perfect
specimen of an Italian palace, adapted to the
circumstances of our climate, and conformed
to our ideas of comfort. The roof is so con-
trived as to afford a pretty extensive walk,
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
47
from whence the most glorious scenery can be
enjoyecl.
The view extends over the rich and well-
wooded domains of Lord Lorton ; while im-
mediately in front, there is a large lake, with
its banks covered with beautiful plantations,
and its broad surface dotted with innumerable
islands, each adorned with a grove of venera-
ble trees, or a tangled thicket of copse. All
around the house extend beautiful shrubberies,
which on three sides are bounded by the park,
and in front cover the steep bank, which
descends to the lake. These shrubberies com-
municate with the gardens, which are very
extensive, and supplied with a profusion of
hothouses. Beyond the shrubberies, the
park is intersected by noble avenues of ancient
trees, and by woods spreadingformany miles
around, especially on the margin of the lake;
and running into it with promontories and
peninsulas.
Some notion of the scale of grandeur of this
noble place may beformedfrom the fact, that
within the park gates there are drives to the
extent of between seventy and eighty miles :
that is to say, this distance may be traversed
through the woods, along the lawns, and by
the side of the lake, without ever tvvice
driving along the same road. The carriage
roads also are broad and level, and kept in
admirable repair. Lord Lorton has taken
care to erect numerous towers and other bnild-
ings throughouthiswide domain, fromwhence
extensive views may be obtained, as well of
thebeautiesof thelake,asoftheinlandscenery.
After a drive of seventy miles through
these enchanting grounds, a very imperfect
notion is all that can as yet be obtained of the
beauties of Rockingham. In order fully to
appreciate them, it is needful next, to embark
in a boat, and spend a day in sailing or row-
ing about upon the lake, which is spread in
their centre as an ornamental piece of water.
The extent of this fine sheet is about four
miles in one direction, and three miles in
another ; and its beauties are still more
varied than those of the park, from the number
of islands covered with wood, and from the
great variety of irregular banks, jutting
promontories, steep headlands, and bold
peninsulas, all richly wooded, whichbreak the
line of its margin.
Two of these islands are of considerable
interest ; the one containing the ruins of an
ancient religious house, of which the church
is still in tolerable preservation, and possesses
some very fine architectural specimens of
the decorated style. On the other is situated
the ancient castle of the old lords of this
region, the MacDermotts. This is a pic-
turesque irregular turriform sh-ucture of con-
siderable size, which has always been kept in
good repair, and is now perfectly habitable.
The island on which it is sitnated is not verv
distant from the shore, and is just opposite the
house of Rockingham.
At one end of the park stands the town of
Boyle, which may be regarded as a depen-
dency of the estate, for all the surrounding
country belongs to Lord Lorton. There is here
an ancient building, which has been con-
verted into a barracks ; and the ruins of the
abbey of Boyle are well worthy of being in-
spected. They are among the finest in
Ireland on account of their extent, the rich-
ness and beauty of their architecture, and
the good state of repair in which they are
kept by Lord Lorton. The east window and
the arches and pillars of the aisles are of
peculiar elegance, and belong to the deco-
rated style of architecture.
There are very few places in England to be
compared with Rockingham in point of extent
and picturesque beauty ; and it is considered
as, beyond all comparison, the finest seat in
Ireland. It possesses in perfection the tvvo
peculiar characteristics of Irish seats — fresh-
ness and beauty of verdure, and lovely lake
scenery. Nature, in that favoured island,
bestows what in England so much expense is
lavished in order to procure — viz., verdant turf
and ornamental water : these are the native
adornments of Ireland, and these are pos-
sessed in the richest abundance by Rock-
ingham.
Notwithstanding the innovations of cotton
lords and iron kings, the real ancient aristo-
cracy of England and Scotland are still to be
found lords of the soil. The British peerage
may be taken as a fair type of the highest class
of tbe British nobility ; and the different races
in both countries have been so much fused to-
gether by time, territorial neighboiu-hood, and
matrimonial alliance, that to trace out the
difference of national origin is a matter of
difficult antiquarian research.
It is true, that in Scotland the Highlander
can be easily distinguished from the Low-
lander ; but it is of no practical importance to
prove any given family to be of Pictish,
Danish, Saxon, or Norman origin. There is
now no question of conqueror or of conquered.
No Caledonian clan can point to the territories
of which they were dispossessed by the Nor-
wegian sea-king ; and no Saxon Franklin is
plotting to oust a Norman invader from his
ancestors' broad acres.
The case is, unfortunately, widely difFerent
in Ireland. An Irish " Peerage," or a " His-
tory of the Irish Gentry," would give but an
inadequate accountof thei - oyaI andnoble blood
of that island. A very few of the ancient races
of the land have found their way into the
peerage, and some are still in possession of
the estates of their ancestors ; but we must
look for the representatives of the realancient
Hibernian nobility in the service of Austria
and Spain, or in mud-walled cabins and peat-
48
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
bogs of their native country. The territories
of the ancient reguli and the lordships of the
aboriginal nobles of the land, are now in the
hands of the descendants of the barons of
Henry II., the knights and gentlemen of
Elizabeth, the London apprentices of Crom-
well, and the troopers of William III. ; while
the north is possessed by canny colonists from
Scotland. An almanac of Tara, and an Irish
peerage, would be found to contain scarcely
any families in common !
It may be guessed from these remarks, that
Rockingham has changed hands since the days
when
"Malachy vrore the collar of gold."
The ancient chiefs of that portion of Roscom-
mon where this magnificent place is situated,
were the MacDermotts, princes of Coolavin
and lords of Moylurg. Their descendant
and representative still popularly retains
the title of " Prince of Coolavin." The
palace of this ancient race of rulers was
the picturesque castle in the isle of the lake
in Lord Lorton's park, of which mention has
already been made. But it deserves to be
noted that the ancestors of the present vene-
rable proprietor obtained possession of the
MacDermott property by fair means, and
neither by violence nor treachery. The price
was fairly and honestly paid for it in money ;
so that if a day of reckoning ever comes
between the Milesian and Saxon, the posses-
sions of the house of King, in the county of
Roscommon, will be secure. Such is the
popular tradition andbelief in that part ofthe
country. Concerning the great and noble
race of the MacDermotts, frequent and au-
thentic notices will be found in that curious
and valuable work, " The Annals of the Four
Masters."
The family of King is of ancient English
origin, and in their original country they be-
longea to the class of the higher gentry.
They do not trace their pedigree in the male
line to the barons who came over with
Strongbow in the reign of Henry II.,
neither is their connection with Ireland the
more recent one associated with the
names of Oliver Cromwell and William of
Orange. The family of King was ancient
and respectable in the county of York;
and the first of its members that settled in
Ireland was Sir John King, who obtained from
Queen Elizabeth, in requital for his military
services, a lease of the Abbey of Boyle, in
the county of Roscommon ; and in the sub-
sequent reign, he was enriched with valuable
grants of land, and very lucrative political
appointments.
By Catherine, daughter of Robert Drury,
and grand-niece of the Lord Deputy, Sir
William Drury, he had a son, Sir Robert
King, who held high appointments under
government. This gentleman had two sons,
progenitors of two distinct branches of the
family, which have been united by marriage.
His eldest son, Sir John, was ancestor of the
first line of Lords Kingston. His younger
son, Sir Robert, was ancestor of the present
line of Earls of Kingston.
Sir John King acquired by marriage with
Catherine Fenton the great estate of Mit-
chelstown, in the county of Cork ; and was
created a peer by King Charles II., with the
title of Lord Kingston, in 1660. His male
line failed with his grandson James, fourth
Lord Kingston, in 1761, who left an only
child, Margaret, heiress to his great estates ;
who, by her husband, Richard Fitzgerald of
Ophally, had an only child, Caroline Fitz-
gerald, heiress of the elder line of the house
of King, and of Mitchelstown, and other
great possessions in the south of Ireland.
Sir Robert, the younger son of the first
Sir Robert King, was seated at Rockingham ;
he was M.P. for the county of Roscommon,
and was created a Baronet in 1682. His
grandson Sir Robert, fourth Baronet, was
created Baron Kingsborough, in 1748; but
dying without issue, he was succeeded by his
brother, Sir Edward, as fifth Baronet of Rock-
ingham, who was created Baron Kingston in
1764 (soon after the extinction of that title in
the elder line), Viscount Kingsborough in
1766, and Earl of Kingston in 1768. Among
other children he had a daughter, Lady Jane,
married to Laurence Parsons, Earl of Rosse ;
and a son, Robert, who, at his father's death
in 1797, became second Earl. He had, in
1769, married the heiress of the elder line of
his family, Catherine Fitzgerald of Mitchels-
town Castle. This was a very early marriage
on both sides, as may be seen from the fact
that the youthful Lord Kingsborough, his
still more youthful wife, and their eldest son,
when their several ages were calculated to-
gether, could not reckon up more than thirty-
one years ! The issue of this union was very
numerous. The eldest son, George, third
Earl of Kingston, inherited the great estates
of the elder line of the family in the south of
Ireland, and was seated at Mitchelstown
Castle. His eldest son, Edward, Viscount
Kingsborough, who predeceased him in 1837,
was author of a curious and splendid work
on the antiquities of Mexico ; the expense of
the preparation and publication of which,
amounted to near thirty thousand pounds;
and on which Lord Kingsborough had be-
stowed the labour and study of many years.
His second son, Robert Henry, succeeded
him as fourth Earl of Kingston in 1839.
The second son of the second Earl of
Kingston, and the heiress of Mitchelston,
the Hon. RobertEdward King, born in 1773,
inherited the great estates of the junior line
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
4«)
of the faniily, and was seated at Rockingham,
in the county of Roscommon, which he has
greatly improved and adorned, so that it is
now (as has heen already mentioned) cele-
hrated as the most beautiful and extensive
domain in Ireland. He is a General in the
army, and Lord Lieutenant of the county of
Roscommon. InlSOOhewas created Baron
Erris, and in 1806, Viscount Lorton. In
1799 he married his cousin, Lady Frances
Parsons, only danghter and heiress of Lau-
rence, Earl of Rosse. Viscountess Lorton
died in 1841. By her he had issue, with
several daughters, two sons : —
1. The Hon. Rohert King.
2. The Hon. Laurence Harman King, who
assumed the additional surname of Harman
in 1838, on inheriting the great Newcastle
estates in the county of Longford, on the
death, in that year, of his maternal grand-
niother, Jane, Countessof Rosse, widow of Lau-
rence Parsons, Earl of Rosse. These estates
came to the Earl of Rosse in right of hismother,
Anne, only child of Wentworth Harman.
MAULDSLEY CASTLE, in the co. of Lanark,
the seat of James Hozier, Esq., of Newlands.
This beautiful property was originally a
portion of the estate of the family of Daniels-
toun, or Dennistoun. In the year 1374 Sir
John de Danielstoun resigned Mauldsley and
other lands into the hands of King Robeit II.,
and obtained from that monarch a re-grant of
them. His son Robert died in 1399, leaving
only two daughters, the heiresses of these large
estates. Of these, the elder married Sir
Wi.liam Cuninghame of Kilmaurs, and was
ancestor to the Earls of Glencairn ; and the
younger married, in 1402, Sir Robert Maxwell,
the iirst of the Caldervvood branch of that
great house. Mauldsley was a portion of the
lands which this alliance hrought into the
Maxwell family, in whicli it continued until
the middle of the seventeenth century, when
it was alienated in consequence of the extra-
vagance of the first Baronet of Calderwood,
and was acquired by the Lord Carmichael,
at that time one of the most rising men
in Scotland. It afterwards became the in-
heritance of a younger son of the great
family of Carmichael, Earl of Hyndford.
John, second Lord Carmichael, was bovn in
1638, andsucceeded his grandfather, the first
Lord, in 1672. Entering early and heartily
into the revolution, he was much favoured by
King William III. and Queen Anne. He
was appointed Secretary of State in 1696, and
in 1701 he was created Earl of Hyndford.
By his wife, the Hon. Beatrix Drummond,
daughter of David, third Lord Maderty, he
had numerous issue His third son, the Hon.
Daniel Carmichael, inherited the estate of
Mauldsley, beautifuDy situated on the banks
of the Clyde. The grandson of this Daniel,
Thomas Carmichael of Mauldsley, succeeded
his cousin as fifth Earl of Hyndford in 1787.
The family estates, which he inherited along
with the title, were very extensive and valu-
able. But the chief mansion of the family,
Carmichael House, was possessed by Jean,
Countess of Hyndford, widow of the distin-
guished ambassador, the third earl, who sur-
vived her husband forty years, until 1807.
Thomas, Earl of Hyndford, was, moreover,
justly partial to his paternal property, and here
he resolved to erect a fine baronial mansion.
Nothing can be more picturesque than the
situation of Mauldsley, on a fair and smiling
meadow, close to the broad stream of the
Clyde, and adorned with a lovely background
of hills, covered with orchards and woods.
The scene is a perfect picture of natural
beauty and fertility, and it is one of the most
pleasant spots in Scotland. Lord Hyndford
removed the old house, which had been in-
habited by his father and grandfather; and
about sixty years ago he constructed a castle
according to the notions entertained at that
time of feudal and castellated buildings. It
is hardly necessary to say that Mauldsley
Castle is built in the very worst possible taste.
It is a large square mass, iianked with round
towers, and a few pepperbox turrets, and the
roof is surrounded with battlements. Yet,
notwithstanding the ineftectual att( mpt at
Gothic imitation, it is a striking huilding, and
has an imposing appearance when seen from
a distance, rising proudly on the lovely banks
of the broad and clear river, and surrounded
by extensive lawns and woody slopes. The
interior is in no way remarkable, though it
contains several handsome rooms.
Thomas, Earl of Hyndford, made Maulds-
ley Castle his constant residence. He died
unmarried in 1811 ; and was succeeded by his
brother Andrew, sixth Earl of Hyndford, who
enjoyed the honours only during a few years,
and was chiefly resident at another seat,
Westerraw, though he occasionally inhahited
Mauldsley. He, too, died unmarried ; and|the
great and noble family of Carmichael became
extinct in the direct male line. There are,
doubtless, some remote branches of the family
of Carmichael ; but there exists no male
representative of James Carmichael of
Hyndford, who was third cousin to King
James VI. — was an especial favourite of
that monarch — and was by him created Lord
Carmichael.
On the death of the sixth Earl of Hyndford,
the great family estates of Carmiehael and
Westerraw — the former of which had heen
for ages the seatof his ancestors — went to the
rightful heir ofline of the house of Carmichael,
Sir John Anstruther, Baronet of Anstruther
and Elie, in the county of Fife. His great-
grandmother, Lady Margaret Anstruther, the
wiie of Sir John Anstruther, was eldest sjster
u
50
SEATS OP GEEAT BEITAIN AND IEELAND.
of the third Earl of Hyndford, the distin-
guished ambassador ; and the Carmichael
estates are now the property of Sir Wyndham
Anstruther, Bart., whothus represents two of
the most distinguished houses in Scotland—
that of Carmichael, and the infinitely more
ancient one of Anstruther.
While the great family estates went to the
rightful heir of line, the paternal estate of the
two last earls, Mauldsley Castle, descended
to their nephew, Mr. Nesbitt of Carfin,
in the county of Lanark. After many years
it was disposed of by the heirs of that
gentleman ; and it has been recently pur-
chased by Mr. Hozier, the present pro-
pnetor. The grandfather of this gentleman,
whose name was Maclehose, acquired a for-
tune in the city of Glasgow ; and in the
year 1784 he purchased the estate of New-
lands from Mr. Gray of Dalmarnock and
Carntyne. This property being now in the
suburbs of Glasgow is of very great value ;
and as it was the earliest landed possession of
his family, it has been their designation ever
since. Mr. Maclehose was succeeded by his
son, who abandoned his original surname of
Maclehose, and assumed that of Hozier. He
married the daughter of Mr. Coats, Provost
of Glasgow, the paternal grandfather of Mr.
Campbell Colquhoun, and by her he had a
son, the present Mr. Hozier of Newlands, who
succeeded to a fortune which had been greatiy
augmented by his father. Besides the original
estate of Newlands, which Mr. Maclehose, his
grandfather, bonghtfrom Mr. Gray of Dalmar-
nock and Carntyne, Mr. Hozier has acquired
by purchase several properties in the county
of Lanark — St. Enoch's Hall, and more
recently this beautiful residence on the banks
of the Clyde, which had been the favourite
abode of the fifth Earl of Hyndford. Mr.
Hozier married the daughter of Sir William
Fielden, baronet, by whom he has issue. He
has recently settled at Mauldsley Castle,
which, as it has been only occasionally in-
habited since the deatli of the fifth Earl of
Hyndford, will doubtless receive many im-
provements from the judicious expenditure of
the present proprietor. It forms one of a
series of beautiful seats which adorn the banks
of the Clyde between Hamilton and Lanark.
These are too numerous to be here specified;
but we may mention Dalziel House, the
castellated mansion of Hamilton of Orbieston;
Camnethan, the ancient seat of the great
baronial house of Somerville, now the property
of Mr. Lockhart, a branch of the great family
of Lee ; and Milton Lockhart, the residence
of Mr. Lockhart, M.P. for Lanarkshire.
These three seats, together with Mauldsley
Castle, stand upon the same side of the river
Clyde, a very few miles distant fromeach other,
and enliven with their uncommon beauty the
great natural loveliness of the scenery.
WISHAW, in the co. of Lanark, the seat of
Lord Belhaven.
This mansion which is the old paternal seat
of the family of Hamilton of Wishaw, has
been enlarged arid beautified by the present
Lord Belhaven. The style of architecture
is castelled, and the whole is a very success- ■
ful alteration of an ancient mansion. The
front has an extremely handsome appearance,
the outline being much variedby the difierent
heights and projections of the embattled walls
and towers. The apartments are suitable to
the extent of the house, and some of them are
particularly worthy of attention for their
beauty and good proportion. There are
several good family pictures at Wishaw ; one
of Sir James Balfour, by Vandyke. There is
also a picture of John, second Lord Belhaven,
who, in the reign of Queen Anne, made so
strenuous an opposition to the treaty of union.
This estate has been for many generations
in the possession of the family of Hamilton
of Wishaw, on whom the Belhaven peerage
devolved within the last few years. Its value
has immensely increased from the seams of
coal which have been recently discovered,
and which are now worked to great profit.
The family of Hamilton of Wishaw is a cadet
of Hamilton of Nielsland, which is a cadet
of Hamilton of Raploch, a great branch of
the ducal house ; so that Lord Belhaven is
not an immediate younger branch of the
family of Hamilton, but belongs to that
numerous class of families of the name of
Hamilton, of which Hamilton of Barns, as
representing the great House of Raploch, is
chieftain, under the headship of tlre duke.
The Belhaven peerage devolved upon the
family of Wishaw in a curious manner. It
was originally conferred in 1675 on John
Hamilton of Broomhill, the descendant of an
illegitimate son of the first Lord Hamilton.
He married the illegitimate daughter of the
first Marquis of Hamilton, but had no son.
He had several daughters, one of whom mar-
ried Sir Robert Hamilton, baronet, of Silver-
ton Hill, by whom she had several children.
Among these, a daughter, Margaret Hamilton,
married John Hamilton, of Presmannan, a
younger branch of Nielsland, which was a
younger branch of Raploch. The first Lord
Belhaven fixed upon the husband of this
grandchild as his heir; and in favour of him
he resigned his peerage to the crown, getting
a new grant of it with remainder to him. John
Hamilton accordingly became second Lord
Belhaven. He was an eminent man and a
distinguished patriot. Hediedin 1708, and
his line failed in 1777 with James, fiftli lord.
Upon his death the great Belhaven estates
went to his cousin and nearest heir, Mary
Eamilton, the wife of William Nesbitt of
Dirleton ; but as the Belhaven peerage could
not be held by a female, it fell for a time into
SEATS OF GREAT BEITAIN AND 1BELAND.
51
abeyance. Mrs. Hamilton Nesbitt's estate
of Biel is now possessed by the only child of her
son, Mary,whomarried — first, the Earl of Elgin,
froin vvhom she was divorced, and secondly,
Mr. Fergusson, of Raith. Her heir is her
danghter, Lady Mary Bruce, the wife of R.
A. Dundas Christopher, M.P. Mrs. Hamil-
ton Nesbitt's estate of Pencaitland went to
her daughter, the wife of Mr. Campbell of
Isla ; and her eldest daughter and heiress,
HamiltonCampbell, married the present Lord
Belhaven. Thus one of the original Bel-
haven estates has been again brought into
connection with the title !
On the death of the fifth Lord Belhaven
in 1777, the peerage was claimed by Captain
John Hamilton, as the representative of the
eldest uncle of the second lord. But he was
found by the House of Lords to have no right,
because it more properly belonged to the
descendantsofthesecondlord'syoungestuncle.
This was Mr. Hamilton of Wishavv, and he
accordingly became Lord Belhaven. The
present peer is the eighth Lord Belhaven. He
has been created a British baron with the
title of Lord Hamilton of Wishaw, and he
has frequently been Lord High Commis-
sioner to the General Assembly of the Kirk of
Seotland. He is Vice Lieutenant of the
county of Lanark. There are several
younger branches of the family of Hamilton
of Wishaw, among others, William Richard
Hamilton, late minister at the court of Naples.
TULLYALLAN, Perth, the seat of the late
Viscount Keith.
Tullyallan, which is now held in trust
for Viscount Keith's male heir, is an ex-
tensive and valuable property, lying on the
north bank of the great tide river Forth,
where its waters are upwards of tvvo miles
wide. Many hundreds of the most fertile
acres of this property have been reclairaed
from the river. The house is a large and
imposing pile, built by the late Viscount, of
beautiful white freestone. It boasts of no
particular style ; but the rooms are fine, and
are arranged with every modern appliance for
light, warmth, and comfort. It is, however,
situated so close to the ship-building and trad-
ing tovvn of Kincardine that nothing less than
the skill and judgment of the Countess Fla-
hault (the eldest daughter of Lord Keith),
could have so disposed the transplanted trees
and shrubs upon the lawn, which separates it
within very restricted limits from the urban
streets, as to give the appearance of a belt of
wood, only terminated by the noble river.
The park is large, but the approach on the
town side is short and confined. On the oppo-
site side it sweeps through a reach of tvvo
miles before it joins the Queensferry road ;
and it traverses an old fir forest, enlivened and
adorned by an undergrowth of rhododendrons,
and which abounds in pheasants and other
game. On the skirts of this forest, at some
distance, there is a small and lovely lake, on
the banks of which the late lord erected or
restored a little chapel, in which his mortal
remains now repose. The doorway is sup-
ported by tvvo sinall columns of polished gra-
nite, which he brought with him firom Egypt.
The gardens of Tullyallan are particularly
beautiful, disposed in all styles, from the
arboretum to the conservatory ; and amongst
them the most admired for its brilliant and
tastcful display is the French garden, laid out
by the Countess Flahault, in tiny beds, with
gravel walks betvveen.
At the end of the gardens, and close above
the river, there is an elevated terrace, which
commandsone of the finest views in Scotland.
It embraces the course of the Forth, from its
rise in the Grampians to its expansion into
sea, and overlooks the rich carse of Falkirk
and the lovely vale of Stirling, with all their
parks and pleasure-grounds, their romantic
rocks and woods, their hills and glens, their
castles and towers. At a distance in the plain
are the tovvns of Linlithgow and Falkirk. On
the margin of the river are those of Kincar-
dine, Alloa, and Stirling.
The castle of the latter shows proiully on
its basaltic rock, while on either side of it rise
the corresponding rocks of the Abbey Ciaig
and Craig Forth, like islands from amid a sea
of corn. On one side the vievv is skirted by
the bold range of the Ochils, overhanging
the frith, and adorned vvith the extensive
woods of Alva. In thesame fair valley stand
the towers of Alloa and Clackmannan, and
near Tullyallan, the ruins of the castle of
Blackader, once the fortified residence of the
family of that name, the former proprietors of
Tullyallan. On the opposite shore of the
Forth lies the park of Uunmore, so named
from its present possessors, but the ancient
domain of the Elphinstones. This magnifi-
cent view may be said to be framed in the
picturesque ranges of the Ocliils and the
Campsies, and terminated by the towering
grandeurs of Ben Lomond and Ben Ledi.
Tullyallan belonged, in the olden time, to
the great and ancient family of Edmondstone,
and was a portion of the estates of John de
Edmondstone, Baron of Ednam, in the reign
of King Robert II., whose daughter, the
Countess Dowager of Douglas, he married.
Their grandson, James de Edmondstone, had
from King James II. a renewal of the charter
of the lands of Tullyallan, and other lands, to
himself and Janet Napier, bis wife, daughter
of Alexander Napier of Merchiston, in 14.5G.
They had no male issue ; but two daughters,
of vvhom the eldest married Blackader of that
ilk, in the shire of Berwick, and carried with
her into that family the lands of Tullyallan.
The Blackaders of that ilk were a family of
52
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
great antiquity. One of their most noted
members was Robert Blackader, Bishop of
Glasgow, in whose ineumbency the see of
Glasgow was erected into an archhishopric,
with a view to place Scotland on the same
footing with England as regarded ecclesiasti-
cal matters ; the see of Glasgow hclding to
St. Andrew's the relation pf York to Canter-
hury. This event occurred iii 1491, not
without vehement opposition from the pride
and ambition of the Primate of St. Andiew's.
Archbishop Blackaderwas a muniiicent hene-
factor to the Cathedral of Glasgow. He hnilt
the great stair which lcacls fiom the crypt to
the nave, and he erecttd the southern tran-
sept, which still bears his name. He was
much occupied with aflairs of state ; he was
also a great traveiler, and died while on a
pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1508.
Robert Blackader of that ilk, prohahly
nephew to the Archbishop, married Lady
Alison Douglas, sister to Archibald, sixth
Earl of Angus, the husband of Margaret of
England, Queen Dowager of James IV. of
Scotland. Soon after this, the line of Black-
ader of that ilk failed in two coheiresses, llie
danghters of Robert Blackader, who married
two biothers, younger sons of Hume of Wed-
derburn. From the eldest coheiress, Jane,
and her husband, John Hume, was descended
the family of Hume of Blackader, in Ber-
wickshire.
The family of Blackader of Tullyallan con-
tinued to exist for several generations after
the extinction of the elder line. The heiress
of the Eclmondstones was succeeded in the
estate of Tullyallan, by her son, Sir Patrick
Blackader, who had, among other chihlren, a
danghter, Jane, whomarried Sir David Bruce
of Clackmannan, about 1.542. His grandson,
Sir John Blackader of Tullyallan, married the
Lady Christian Graham, daughter of John,
sixth Earl of Menteath, who died in 1598.
This ancient family haslongbeen extinct, and
the lands of Tullyallan have passed throngh
the hands of other proprietors. At one time
they belonged for several generations to a
family of the name of Lindsay. Duncan
Lindsay of Tullyallan, was grandfather of
Adam Lindsay of Tullyallan, who wasstrved
heir to him in 1673.
Lord Keith acquircdthisestateby purchase.
This distinguished nobleman was the younger
son of a very illustrious but impoverished
family ; and entirely through his own merit,
he acquired higli rank, great fortune, and
extensive influence, and was for many years
at the head of the Naval Service of Great
Britain. Charles, tenth Lord Elphinstone,
was the younger son of the ninth lord, and
could boast as high a pedigree as any in Scot-
land; but the great estates of the family had
been alienated, and he had little to depend
upon but his profession, whieh was the navy.
However, he found favour in the sight of the
noblest and, at the same time, one of the
fairest and niost worthy heiresses in Scotland,
the Lady Clementina Eleming, only chiid of
John, sixth Earl of Wigton, by his second
wife, Lady Mary Keith, eldest daughter of
William, ninth Earl Marischal, and sister of
the forfeited Earl Marischal and the famous
Field-Marshal Keith. Lady Clementina was
heiress ofline of these twoillnstrious families,
as well as of the Drummonds, Earls of Perth,
and the Kers, Earls of Roxbutgh. Very few
persons in Great Britain possessed so perfect
a nobility as this htdy. Her sixty-four
quarters are without a flaw. Her thirty-two
quarters belong entirely to the highest families
of the Scottish Peerage: —
Fleming, Earl of Wigton (thrice)
Keith, Earl Marischal (twicej
Setpn, Earl of Dunfermline
Drnmmond, Earl of Perth (twice)
Hay, Earl of Kinnoid
Douglas, Earl of Morton (twice)
Douglas, Duke of Douglas
Livingstone, Earl of Linlithgow
Erskine, Earl of Mar
Hay, Marquess of Tweeddale
Gordon, Dnke of Gordon (twice)
Ker, Earl of Roxburgh (twice)
Graham, Dnke of Montrose
Home. Earl of Home (twice)
Hamilton of Sanquhar, acadet of theDuke of
Hamilton
Lindsay, Earl of Crawford
Haliburton of Pitcur, a cadet of the Lord of
Dirleton
Lyon, Earl of Strathmore
Oliphant, Lord Oliphant
Stuart, Duke of Lennox (twice)
Ker, Marquess of Lothian
Campbeli, Duke of Argyle
Maitland, Earl of Lauderdale
It is notoften that so many quarters of the
very highest nobility belong to one indi-
vidual in Great Britain ; a country where,
happily, no lineof demarkation exists between
the classes, as in most continental countries,
and where mixed marriages are consequently
frequent.
Charles Elphinstone married the Lady
Clementina Fleming in 1735, and it was not
until eighteen years after, that he becameheir
apparent to his father's peerage, in conse-
quence of his elder brother's death ; and he
did not become Lord Elphinstone until 1757.
He died in 1781. His wife, who had inherited
the fortune of her own great family, survived
until 1799, when she clied at the age of 80,
in the house of her son, Viscount Keith, in
London.
George Keith Elphinstone, the fifth son of
this marriagc, was born 1747, andwentto sea
in 1702. He was a captain in 1775, rear-
adniiral in 1794, vicc-admiral in 1798, and
SEATS OP GKEAT ERITAIN AND IRELAND.
admiral in 1801. He was a Knight of the
Bath, and of the Crescent, and other orders.
In 1797, he was created a peer of Ireland as
Baron Keith; inlSOl, a British peer as Baron
Keith ; and afterwards in 1814, a visconnt,
with the same title. The last peerage was
limited to the heirs male of his body. Lord
Keith's services were very distingnished, and
he possessed the esteem and respect of the
Navy, and of the country at large, from the
members of the Royal Family, with most of
whom he was on very intiinate terms, down to
the poorest peasant of his native land, who
felt an honest pride in the honours which
he had won by his unaided exertions ; for
though so nobly born, he had no original court
favour, or ministerial influence to push him
on. Lord Keith made extensive purchases in
SScotland, and spent the latter years of his life
at his seat of Tullyallan, where he built and
improved on a large scale. He married — first,
Jane, daughter and heiress of Colonel Mercer
of Aldie, by whom he had a daughter, Mar-
garet, who succeeded to the Mercer estates,
and to the ancient Scottish Barony of Nairne
in right ofher mother, and married the Count
de Flahault, by whom she has issue several
daughters, the eldest of whom is married to
the Earl of Shelbume. Lord Keith married,
secondly, in 1808, Hester, eklest daughter and
heiress of Henry Thrale, of Streatham, M.P.
This lady, who still survives, was the pupil of
that great philosopher and moralist, Dr.
Johnson, and is probably the only person now
alive who enjoyed the intimate intercourse of
that celebrated literary and social circle with
which he is identiiied. By her Lord Keith
had a daughter, Georgiana, married, 1831, to
the Honourable Augustus Villiers, second son
of the present Earl of Jersey.
Viscount Keith died in 1823, when histitle
of viscount became extinct, but his English
and Irish baronies devolved on his eldest
daughter, the (Jountess de Flahault, who is now
a peeress of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Viscount Keith left his estate of Tuliyallan in
the hands of trustees, in behalf of an heir
male of either of his daughters.
Though a fifth son, the Viscount was the
most eminent and distinguished member of
his family, and didmuchtoraiseits considera-
tion and influence.
His eldest brother, John, succeeded his
father as eleventh Lord Elphinstone. By the
daughter of lord Ruthven, he was father of
the twelfth Lord (whose son is the present
peer), and Admiral Charles Fleming, who, on
inheriting the Wigton estates of Biggar and
Cumbernauld, assumed that surname.
His next brother, the Honourable William
Fullerton Elphinstone of Carberry, had a
numerous family. Viscount Keith's sister,
the Honourable Eleonora Elphinstone, mar-
ried theRight Honourable William Adam,
of Blair Adam, M.P., Lord Lieutenant of the
county of Kinross, and Lord Chief Commis-
sioner of the Jury Court. She died in 1800,
leaving issue —
Admiral Sir Charles Adam, K.C.B. of
Blair Adam, M.P., died 1853.
General the Right Hon. Sir Frederick
Adam, G.C.B., late Governor of Madras, and
Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian
Islands, died 1853.
Clementina, wife of John Anstruther Thom-
son of Charleton, in the county of Fife, and
mother of the present John Anstruther
Thomson of Charleton.
The viscount's youngest sister, the honour-
able Clementina filphinstone, married, 1785,
James Drummond Lord Perth, and had one
child, the Honourable Clementina Sarah
Drummond, heiress of Perth, married, 1807,
the Lord Gwyder, now Lord Willoughby de
Eresby.
KILKEEEAN, in the co. of Ayr, the seat of
Sir James Fergusson, Bart.
This beautiful seat is about twelve miles to
the south of the town of Ayr. The sur-
rounding country is hilly and pastoral, being
a fine specimen of the best lowland Scottish
scenery. The park of Kilkerran is adorned
witli magniiicent old trees, and lofty green
hills rise all around. The woods and plan-
tations are on a large scale, and the shrub-
beries and pleasure-grounds are very exten-
sive, and of great picturesque beauty. Three
long approaches lead to the mansion-house
from difterent points of the public roads, and
are conducted through the park with great
taste. About a mile and a half or two miles
from the present house stands the castle of
Kilkerran, whichwas the ancient residence of
the family. The walls are in good preser-
vation.
On Sir James Fergusson's estate, and at
the distance of two miles from the town of
Maybole, is the Abbey of Crossraguel,
founded in 1244 by Duncan, son of Gilbert,
Earl of Carrick. It is more entire than any
other abbey in the west of Scotland. The
situation is very low ; the surface of the
ground is irregular, swelling into hills on all
sides. The view is therefore confined, except
towards the east. The walls of the church
are almost entire, about 1(30 feetlong and 62
feet high. Near the west end of the church,
on the north side, is a door of a conic form,
9 feet high, and at the bottom 5 feet broad.
Towards the east remains the niche where the
principal altar stood. On the right of this
is the vestry and the abbofs ecclesiastical
court, all entire, and arched much in the style
of the cathedral of Glasgow. There are
besides several vaults and cells, all built of
fine hewn stone. At the west end of the
abbey stands the abbofs house. In this
the stair is entire from top to bottom of a
tcwer 30 feet high, with several apartments
54
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
all of freestone. Atthe south end a building
like a dovecot, of a singular construction, is
still extant. The shaft of it is circular, and
surrounds a well of excellent water. The
whole huilding stands in the middle of eight
acres of land, called the Abbofs Yard. This
ruin is preserved with considerable care, the
tenants not being permitted to take down and
use any stones from the abbey, an abuse
which has been too much practised in other
places to the destruction of the ancient mo-
nastic and feudal memorials of Scotland.
Of this religious house, at the time of the
Reformation, Quentin Kennedy, fourth son
of the second Earl of Cassilis, was abbot.
He was a man of singular piety and great
austerity of manners ; and in 1562 ofFered to
dispute publicly with John Knox, on tbe sub-
ject of the sacrifice of the mass, a challenge
which the Reformer accepted. The parties
met at Maybole, and the disputation lasted
three days. This so much gratified the
Romisli clergy, that the abbot, dying in 1564,
was canonized as a saint. He published
" Ane compendious treatise conforme to the
Scriptures of Almighty God, reason, and
authoritie, declaring the nearest and onlie
way to establishe the conscience of ane
Christiane man."
The family of Fergusson is one of remote
antiquity ; they have been seated from tiine
immemorial at Kilkerran, which never be-
longed to any other family on record. After
a long succession of distinguished ancestry,
the first of the family who was a baronet was
Sir John Fergusson, so created by Queen
Anne in 1703. His son and successor, Sir
James, was an eminent judge of the Court of
Session. He married Lady Jean Maitland,
only child of James, Lord Maitland, eldest
son of John, fifth Earl of Lauderdale. This
lady was heiress of line of the great family of
Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn, Lord Mait-
land's mother, Margaret, Countess of Lauder-
dale, being only child of Alexander, tenth
Earl of Glencairn. Sir Adam Fergusson,
third baronet of Kilkerran, M.P. for the
county of Ayr, claimed the title of Glencairn
as heir of line; but an unfavourable decision
was given to his claim in the House of Lords
in 1797. The chancellor said, that though
from his respect for Sir Adam Fergusson he
was disposed to regard his claim in a favour-
able light, he was, nevertheless, reluctantly
compelled to say, that though he had clearly
proved himself to be heir general of the
Earls of Glencairn, he had not established
his right to the title. There is no douht that
the Fergussons of Kilkerran are heirs of line
of the Earls of Glencairn ; and notwith-
standing this adverse decision of the House
of Lords, they have still considerable
grounds for believing themselves entitled to
this peerage. Many facts concerning their
elaim were brought out in the late case of
the claim of the Earl of Crawford and Bal-
carres to the Dukedom of Montrose.
Sir A dam Fergusson was succeeded by his
nephew, Sir James, third baronet, who mar-
ried the daughter and coheiress of Sir David
Dalrymple, Bart., Lord Hailes ; andsecondly,
the daughter of Lord Viscount Duncan, and
sister to the Earl of Camperdown. By his
first wife he had issue, Sir Charles, fifth
baronet, a man of rare worth, honour, and
piety, who assumed the name of Dalrymple
on succeeding to his maternal estate of Hailes.
By his wife, the daughter of the Right Hon.
David Boyle, Lord Justice General of Scot-
land, he had among other issue, Sir James,
the present and sixth Baronet of Kilkerran,
and a younger son, who has taken the name
of Dalrymple, and possesses the Hailes
estates.
The most romantic portion of the Kilkerran
estate is that in the vicinity of the house,
where, amongst knolls, rocks, and glens, there
are walks of great extent cut along the side
of a precipice, and overlooking a dashing
torrent. This is called the Lady Glen, from
an ancient ruinous chapel at the lower ex-
tremity of this wild and romantic dell.
ARDGOWAN, in the co. of Renfrew, the
seat of Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, baronet, of
Black Hall and Greenock.
This mansion was built in the beghming q£
this century by Sir John Shaw Stewart, great-
grand-uncle to thepresentbaronet. It stands
near an ancient tower which formed part of
the old house, and is indeed the only portion
of it now in existence. The present house
is a considerable square building, with wings,
containing a saloon 30 feet square leading to
a handsome staircase. On the first floor
there are four very spacious sitting-rooms,
with several handsome suites of bedrooms.
The second floor contains a large sitting-room
and a number of bedrooms ; the third is
wholly laid out in bedrooms. The billiard
room is on the ground floor, and opens on the
lawn. The whole forms a commodious
family residence. The situation of Ardgowan
is very fine. Elevated on a most beautiful
terrace, overhanging the Frith of Clyde, it
commands an extensive, varied, and pic-
turesque marine prospect, enlivened by
numerous vessels passing to and from Glas-
gow and Greenock and PortGlasgow; adding
to the finest natural objectsthe cheering traces
of commercial activity and mercantile spirit.
There are very many magnificent views from
the woods and pleasure-grounds of Ardgowan.
The noble and broken outline of the moun-
tains of Arran is contrasted with the less
rugged features of Bute and Cumbray, all
embraced in one grand prospect, with the
background of the hills of Cowal. The fine
peaked and Alpine character of Arran is seen
from the grounds of Ardgowan to peculiar
SEAT3 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
55
advantage ; and when partially obscured by
the mists or light clouds floating round its
summit, these rugged and picturesque points
seeni to pierce the skies, and present a pros-
pect unrivalled. The immediate scenery
round Ardgowan is very beautiful. It stands
quite close to the sea, and the well-wooded
park adjoins the shore. Behind rise hills
covered with wood, and on all sides there is a
fine union of natural scenery and tasteful
improvement.
The first Stewart of Ardgowan was an
illegitimate son of Robert III., King of
Scotland. This prince was a man of a mild
and amiable disposition, but of no energy of
character. In person he was tall and well
formed, of a comely countenance, with a long
and venerable beard as white as snow ; his
eyes expressive of checrfulness and good-
nature ; his face oval and of a ruddy com-
plexion. He was unfitted for warlike exer-
cises by a lameness caused in early life by
a kick of a horse. Though generally moral
and strict in his sense of domestic duty, he
had, when a young man, an illegitimate son,
and this was John Stewart, to whom his father
gave the lands of Achingowan in 1390, Black-
hall in 139G, and Ardgowan in 1404. Black-
hall has always been the designation of the
family, while Ardgowan has been their place
of residence.
Like their kinsmen, the Stewarts of Bute,
descended from an illegitimate son of Ilobert
the Second, the Stewarts of Blackhall liave
existed in honour and undiminished estate
upon the lands which they received from their
royal progenitor, though they have continued
in their original knightly station ; while the
House of Bute, a century and a half ago, sud-
denly rose to high honours in the peerage.
After many generations, Archibald Stewart
of Blackhall was created a Baronet of Nova
Scotia by King Charles II. in 1667. He
married Anne, daughter and coheiress of Sir
John Crawford, Bart., of Kilbirney ; and in
right of her, the present Sir Michael Shaw
Stewart shares with the Earl of Glasgow and
Mr. Hamilton Dundas the honour of repre-
senting, as heir of line, the great Houses of
Crawford, Baronet of Kilbirney, and Carnegie,
Earl of Southesk. His gi-andson, Sir Michael
Stewart, the third baronet, was an accom-
plished scholar, and remarkable alike for the
simplicity of his manners and habits, and the
acuteness of his mind and vivacity of his
parts. He succeeded in 1724, and died in
1796 in the eighty-fourth year of his age.
He made a very wealthy marriage with
Helen, eldest daughter of Sir John Houston
of Houston, by Margaret, daughter of Sir
John Shaw, Bart., of Greenock.
The harony of Greenock belonged an-
ciently to the family of Galbraith, whose
heiress brought it into the family of Shaw of
Sauchie in the reign of King Robert III. In
1687, Sir John Shaw of Greenock was
created a baronet by King James II., on
account of his services to King Charles II.,
and his zeal for the interests of the crown.
In 1694 he was succeeded by his son Sir
John, second baronet, who married Eleanor,
daughter and coheiress of Sir Thomas Nicol-
son of Carnock. By her he had a son, Sir
John, who succeeded him in 1702, and two
daughters, the eldest of whom married Sir
John Houston of Houston. ■ Sir John, the
third Baronet of Greenock, had one daughter,
Marion, who married Charles, Lord Cathcart,
from whom is descended the present Earl
Cathcart, who is heir of line of the Shaws.
But as the Greenock estates were destined
to the descendants of his sister rather than
to those of his own daughter, Sir John,
at his death in 1752, was succeeded by his
grand-nephew, John Stewart, son of Sir
Michael Stewart of Blackhall and Helen
Houston, daughter of Sir John Houston and
Margaret Shaw, his eldest sister. He accor-
dingly united in one the Blackhall and
Greenock estates, while the Nicolson estate
of Carnock, in the county of Stirling, became
the appanage of the heir apparent or pre-
sumptive of the family.
The estate of Greenock is situated in the
county of Renfrew, and" very near to that of
Ardgowan. The curious old mansion-house
of the Shaws is now surrounded by a large
and flourishing town. Greenock, although as
a seaport it ranks among the most important
in Britain, is not of ancient origin. In the
beginning of the seventeenth century, the
town consisted of a single row of thatch-
covered huts, without any harbour. Even in
1700, when its inhabitants presented a peti-
tion to the Scottish Parliament for aid to
assist them in building a harbour, they met
with a direct refusal, so little importance was
then attached to it. However, the inhabi-
tants did not abandon the project. They
entered into a contract with Sir John Shaw,
the superior, to assess themselves to a certain
amount, in order to defray the expense ; and
in 1 707 the work was begun with vigour. It is
now a very great and populous commercial
town. In 1757 it was erected into a borough
of barony, with magistrates, &c, &c.
Sir John Shaw Stewart of Blackhall and
Greenock had no children, and was succeeded
by his nephew (son of his younger brother)
Sir Michael, the fifth baronet. This gentle-
man had, among other children, Sir Michael,
the sixth baronet, and Margaret, now Duchess
of Somerset. His grandson is Sir Michael
Shaw Stewart, the present and seventh baro-
net, who married Lady Octavia Grosvenor,
daughter of the Marquis of Westminster.
He is a Deputy Lieutenant of the couuty of
Renfrew.
56
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
TORRANCE, in the co. of Lanark, the seat
of Miss Stewart.
Torrance House is situated in the parish of
East Kilbride, about ten miles distant from
Glasgow. There was on the estate a very
ancient residence, whichwas reduced to ruins
ahout two hundred and sixty years ago, and
of wliich nothing nowremains hut the founda-
tions. Closc adjoining is an aged holly tree,
which covers an area of thirty feetin diameter,
and which has long survived the mansion
which it was intended to adom.
The name Torrance is derived from Tor, a
little hill, or artificial mound of earth, situated
a quarter of a mile from the house. It is
a hundred yards round the base, and twenty
of ascent. The area on the top is oval. The
present mansion-house was built in 1G05, when
the estate belonged to the Hamiltons, cadets
of the duke's family. It was originally a
square tower of considerable height ; and it
has been made hy the improvements and ad-
ditions of the family of Stewart, hoth commo-
dious and handsome. The situation is high,
and commands an extensive and beautifully
diversified prospect. The ancient portion of
the house stands in the centre, and there are
two buildings on each side attached to the
central tower, wbich gives an appearance of
considerable extent. The adjoining banks of
the river Calder coritain a great variety of
natural beauties. Ahout sixtyyears ago they
were Laid out in serpentine walks, which bring
into view beautiful cascades, purling streams,
rugged rocks, and distant landscapes. Such
rural and romantic scenes succeeding each
other in a manner so agreeably striking, are
rarely met witb to tlu> same extent. These
varied walks are connected by a neat wooden
bridge tbrown over the river Calder. Buttbe
improvements on the estate of Torrance have
not been confined to the immediate vicinity
of the mansion-house and the banks of the
river. Upwards of a hundred years ago,
Colonel Stewart planted very extensively ; and
in the latter part of the last century, his suc-
eessor, the late Mr. Andrew Stewart followed
his example.
From time immemorial the estate of Tor-
rance belonged to an ancient family, which
derived its name from the territorial posscs-
sions. At lengtb the last Torrance of that
ilk died without heirs male ; and his daugbter
and Ji.ii- i carried the estate to a branch of
tbe ducal family of Hamilton. John Hamil-
ton, fourth Lord of Cadzow, had a younger
son, Thomas Hamilton of Darugaber. He
married a daughter of Douglas of Lochleven,
ancestor to the Earl of Morton, by whom he
b.al two sons, James, ancestor to the great
and wide-spreading brancb of Raploch, now
represented by Barns, and Thomas, who, by
marriage witli the heiress of the ancient
family of Torrance of that ilk, became pro-
prietor of this estate, and founded the family
of Hamilton of Torrance, which continued
to possess these lands for two hnndred years.
His descendant in the fifth degree was Mat-
thew Hamilton of Torrance, who by a
daughter of the ancient family of Muirhead
of Lachope, and niece to Hamilton of Both-
wellhaugh, wbo assassinated the Regent Earl
of Murray, had two sons — James, who carried
on the line of Torrance, and Archibald, an-
cestor to the family of Hamilton of West-
burn, which is now the sole representative of
the House of Torrance. From Hamilton of
Westburn is descended Mr. Hamilton Dundas
of Duddingstoun, and in the female line, Ad-
miral Sir Charles Napier and Mr. Hamilton
Gray of Carntyne. The descendants of
James Hamilton of Torrance, the elder
brother of Westburn, continued for three
generations, when they became extinct, and
Westhurn carried on the line of the family.
Previous to their extinction, they had sold the
estate of Torrance about the middle of the
seventeenth century. Besides Westhurn, the
families of Hamilton of Aitkenhead and Ha-
milton of Woodhall were cadets of Torrance.
From Woodhall was descended Sir James
Hamilton of the county of Monaghan.
The estate of Torrance, which had continued
in a direct line, first of the Torrances, and
secondly of their representatives, the Hainil-
tons, was purchased by the scion of a racenot
less ancient and noble, James Stewart, the
younger son of Sir Archibald Stewart of
Castlemilk and Fynnart, by the Honourable
Anne Sempill, eldest daughter of Robert,
fourth Lord Sempill. Sir Archibald was
descended from Sir William Stewart of Castle-
milk, slain at the siege of Orleans in 1429,
who was brother to Sir John Stewart of
Darnley, ancestor to the Earl of Lennox, and
to the Stewart kings of Great Britain. Sir
John of Darnley and Sir William of Castle-
milk were descended from Sir Allan Stewart,
second son of Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl,
born 1246, who was second son of Alexander
the Lord High Steward of Scotland, who died
12S3.
James Stewart, the purchaser of Torrance,
was the ancestor of Andrew Stewart of
Torrance, one of the most distinguished men
of his time in Scotland. He was guardian to
James George, 7th Duke, and Douglas, 8th
Duke of Hamilton ; and he conducted the
famous Douglas cause, which was decided in
the Scottish courts favourably to the interests
ofhis wards, which decision was reversed by
the judgment of the House of Lords. Mr.
Stewart publishedin 1773, a series oflettersto
the Earl of Mansfield, the Lord High Chan-
cellor, remonstrating with him on the course
which he took in this important aftair. On the
deatb of Sir John Stewart, the late baronet of
Castlemilk, Andrew Stewart, as next heir
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN ANI) IHELAM).
57
male of the family, assumed the designation of
Castlemilk.
There are two remarkable genealogical in-
vestigations which he conducted, the one of
public and tbe other of more private interest.
He is generally understood to have set at rest
the question of the legitimacy of Robert
III., King of Scotland, on which so many
doubts have been cast ; doubts which, could
they have been substantiated, would have
thrown the stigma of bastardy on the Royal
Familyof Scotland, and might have entitled the
descendant and representative of Prince
David, Earl of Strathem, the son of Robert
II's second marriage, to advance a claim to
thecrown. Robert II's first wife, Elizabeth
Mure, was his kinswoman within the prohibited
degrees ; and it was alleged that he had never
procured a papal dispensation, which would
have been necessary in order tolegitimate her
offspring. In the researches which Andrew
Stewart made in the Vatican, he was so fortu-
nate as to discover proofs of this papal dis-
pensation.
The other genealogical investigation to
which allusion has been made, was concerning
the headship of the House of Stewart, on the
death of the Cardinal Duke of York, the last
of the royal family : who w r as Stewart of that
ilk? On this subject, Andrew Stewart pub-
lished a work in which he very ably contended
that, failing the royal line, the descendants of
Stewart of Darnley, the head of all the
Stewarts, was Stewart of Castlemilk, and con-
sequently that he himself was Stewart of that
ilk, being the heir maleof that ancient family.
This question is now of little consequence, the
heir male of the Stewarts being still to seek ;
for Andrew Stewart left no son to inherit his
splendid claims. He married the daughterof
Sir William Stirling, Baronet of Ardoch. This
lady, after Mr. Stewart's death, married
secondly, in 1804, Sir William Johnstone
Pulteney, the father of the Countess of Bath,
and the fifth Baronet of Wester Hall. Mr.
Andrew Stewart of Castlemilk and Torrance
left issue three daughters, the eldest of whom
is proprietrix of the estate of Torrance. The
youngest daughter, Charlotte, in 1830, married
Robert Harington, younger son of Sir John
Edward Harington, eighth Baronet of Rid-
lington, *in the county of Rutland, by whom
she has a son and a daughter.
LITTLE GRIMSBY HALL, in the co. of Lin-
coln, the seat of Lord Frederick Beauclerck.
Little Grimsby Hall is situated three miles
from the tcwn of Louth, in a rich and well-
cultivated, though unpicturesque portion of
Lincolnshire. The house was built about a
hundred and fifty years ago, of red brick, in
the taste which prevailed at that time, and
which somewhat resembles the style of a
Dutch country-seat. On one side there is a
flower-garden, opening upon fish-ponds, and
bounded by a shrubbery, which separates the
grounds of the Hall from the little old parish
church, which has been restorcd by Lord Fre-
derick, who is patron of the living. It is a
very diminutive place of worship, the parish
being small, and the parishioners consisting
only of Lord Frederick's family and some of
his tenants. On the other side of the Hall
there is a kitchen-garden of some extent, witli
a fine evergreen hedge. In front there is a
lawn ; while behind there are commodious
oflices. The only feature in the interior of
the house which claims particular noticeis the
hall, which is a very handsome room, entirely
wainscoted, and furnished with massive dark
carved oak ; and the staircase also of carved
oak, to correspond with the hall. The manor
house is situated in the midst of the estate,
which is well cultivated, well wooded, and
abounding in game.
Little Grimsby Hall belonged, for several
generations, to a family of the name of
Nelthorpe, a branch of the Nelthorpes of
Scawby, in the county of Lincoln, of which
the head, Sir John Nelthorpe, was created a
baronet in 1GG6. John Nelthorpe of Little
Grimsby Hall had issue a son, wlio died un-
married, and a daughter, Maria Janetta, who
was heiress of the family estate, and who, in
1799, married Lord William Beauclerk, who,
in 1S16, became eighth Duke of St. Albans.
This was not his first connection with the
Nelthorpe fainily ; his first wife, by whom he
had no issue, being the daughter and heiress
of the Rev. Robert Carter of Redbourne Hall,
by a daughter of Sir Henry Nelthorpe, the
fifth baronet, Redbourne is now the prin-
cipal residence of the Duke of St. Albans.
The fainily of the eighth Duke of St. Albans
and the heiress of Little Grimsby was nume-
rous ; and this estate was settled upon their
second son, Lord Frederick, born in 1808.
Being next brother to the late duke, he is, at
present, heir presumptive to the dukedom.
He adopted the navy as his profession, in
which he is now a commander, and served,
during many years, in various parts of the
world. In February, 1848, he married Je-
mima Eleanora Johnstone, daughter of the
late James Raymond Johnstone, of Alva, in
the county of Stirling, and sister of Mr.
Johnstone, M.P. for Clackmannanshire, Mrs.
Hamilton Gray, Lady Muir Mackenzie, and
the Hon. Mrs. King Harinan. The issue of
this marriage is two sons.
ALLANTON, in the co. of Lanark, the seat
of Lady Seton Stewart.
Allanton deserves to be regarded with pe-
culiar interest by every lover of arboriculture ;
and its late proprietor, Sir Henry Stewart,
very justly claims the thanksof every country
gentleman who desires to add to the beauty of
1
58
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
his pleasure-grounds and park ; for, by his
ingenious discoveries in the art of transplant-
ing full-grown trees, and by his perseverance
in uniting example to precept, he has taught
to those who had no trees the valuable secret
of immediately obtaining them ; while the
possessor of a well-wooded park may derive
additional beauty from new arrangements in
grouping his timber.
Sir Henry Stewart may lay claim to the title
of the Evelyn of Scotland ; and if inferior to
his English predeceseor as an author of ac-
complishment and interest, he has, at least,
produced a work wliich is of much greater
practical utility to a planter, though it has less
pretensions to genius and fancy, to make it
attractive to a general reader.
Allanton is situated in an ungenial moor-
land country, which has neither fertility nor
beauty to recommend it. When Sir Henry
succeeded to the estate, in 1772, the park was
destitute of trees, excepting a few old ashes,
planted near the mansion-house. He was at
that time a minor ; but he had not long
settled in life before he began the ornamental
improvement of his estate ; and although his
fortune was but iimited, yet, by devoting the
energies of along life to the task, he succeeded
in creating a scene of great picturesque beauty,
which, under ordinary management, would
have been the work of three generations. By
a careful study of the physiology of plants, and
the.judicious adaptation of soils, he succeeded
in transplanting successfully trees of large
growth ; and in the course of a lifetime he
surrounded himself with venerable groves and
extensive woods, which have transformed Al-
lanton into a place of great and cultivated
beauty, very ditferent from the bleak andun-
lovely domain which he inherited.
We would strongly recommend Sir Henry
Stewarfs work on transplanting trees to the
attention of every country gentleman. His
method will be found invaluable by any man
who, with ample command of money, wishes,
in a few years, to create aplace, andto obtain
a start of half-a-century in ornamental plant-
ing. Sir Henry's experiments have now stood
the test of about fifty years ; and it will be
seen by any one who examines the park of
Allanton, that his transplanted trees continue
to grow and toflourish as vigorously as if they
had occupied the ground from seedlings.
Though he had not the power of conducting
liis operations on a very extensive scale, he
Bucceeded, by dint of skill and perseverance,
in liis object, and created a beautiful park
around tlie house of his ancestors.
The family of Stewart, descended from on
early branchof the stock of the High Stcwards
of Scotland, has possessed Allanton since the
middle of the fifteenth century. Allan Stewart,
Laird of Allanton, was bom in 1185, and died
in 1518. llis son, Allan Stewart uf Allanton,
married Marion, daughter of James Lockhart
of Lee. In his time the doctrines of the Re-
formation made great progress in Scotland. He
was the particular friend of the celebrated
George Wishart, who frequently concealed
himself in Allanton House. He diedin 1574.
His son, JamesStewartof Allanton, born 1537,
married Helen Somerville, daughter of a cadet
of Lord Somerville's family. He was very
intimate with John Knox, whose doctrines he
zealously promoted. He enjoyed much of the
confidence of the Regent Earl of Murray,
and was one of his active partisans. He died
in 1607, of grief, on account of the death of
his son James, who was born in 1575, and
died immediately before his fatber. By his
wife, Marion Carmichael, daughter of Walter
Carmichael of Hyndford, sister to the first
peer of that family, and third cousin to King
James I. of Great Britain, he had two sons,
Walter and James.
James Stewart, the younger son, born after
bis father's death, in 1608, was bred a mer-
chant and banker in Edinburgh, and acquired
a large fortune, and was knighted. He was
Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1649 and in
1669; he was a zealous Covenanter, and one of
the most infiuential men of his time in Scot-
land. After the restoration of King Charles
II., he sufiered much on account of his Whig
and Covenanting principles, by fines and im-
prisonment. He purchased the estates of
Kirkfield and Coltness, both of which had
anciently belonged to the great family of
Somerville of Camnethan. Sir James Stewart
died in Edinburgh in 1681, after a very active
life, spent amid the bustle of commerce, the
jarring of religious controvers)', and the con-
tention of parties. lle was the founder of
three families, each of whom obtained the
dignity of Baronet of Nova Scotia — viz.,
Stewart of Coltness, Stewart of Goodtrees,
and Stewart of Allanbank. The Coltness
Baronetcy, as well as estate, became ulti-
mately merged in the family of Goodtrees.
The eldest son of James Stewart, younger,
of Allanton, and of Marion Carmichael, was
Walter, born a year before hisfather's death,
in 1606. He was-aman of similar religious
principles with his brother, and had conside-
rable influence with the Presbyterian party in
Scotland. He was knighted, and rnarried
Margaret Hamilton, daughter of Sir James
Hamilton of Broomhill, sister to Sir John
Hamilton of Broomhill; who, for his loyalty
to KingCharles L, was created, in 1647, Lord
Belhaven ; and to James Hamilton, Bishop of
Galloway. It is said that in 1650, Oliver
Cromwell, after the battle of Dunbar, in his
progress through Lanarkshire, halted. with his
attendants, at Allanton House, where he was
hospitably entertained by Lady Stewart, and
where he spent the night. Sir Walter, though
he belonged to the Whig and Cuvenanting
SEATS OF GREAT DRITAIN AND IRELAND.
59
party, was attached to monarchical principles,
and wished well to Charles I. He therefore
took care to be out of the way on this occa-
sion. On CromwelFs arrival, some choice
canary and other refreshments were presented
to him ; but he would sulfer nothing to be
touched until he himself had first said grace,
which he fervently did for more than half-an-
hour. He then courteously inquired after Sir
Walter ; and on drinking to the health of the
faniily, he observed that his own mother was
a Stewart, and that he always felt a kindness
for the name. He had, however, found
nieans to stifle those kindly emotions when he
cut ofFthe head of King Charles I.
By Margaret Hamilton, Sir Walter Stewart
had several children. His daughter Marion
was the wife of John Boyle of Kelburn.
Her son was the first Earl of Glasgow, and
from him the present Earl of Glasgow. the
late Lord Justice General of Scotland, the
Marquis of Hastings, and several other
distinguished families descended. His
daughter Anne was wife of Claud Hamilton
of Barnes, M.P. She is ancestress to the
family of Hamilton of Barns, Lord Gray of
Gray, Mr. Hamilton Dundas of Dudding-
stoun, Admiral Sir Charles Napier, and the
Rev. J. Hamilton Gray of Carntyne. Sir
Walter died in 1672, and was succeeded by
his son, William Stewart of Allanton, who
was persecuted for his religious and political
opinions in the reign of Charles II. IJe mar-
ried his cousin Margaret, daughter of his
uncle, Sir James Stewart of Allanbank. One
of his wife's brothers dexterously embracing
opposite political principles, became Secretary
of State for Scotland under James II., and
AlIanton's fines were remitted. He was even
offered a baronetcy by James II ., which he
refused, and then it was given to his cousin of
Allanbank. He died in 1700, and was suc-
ceeded by his son, James Stewart of Allanton,
who, by his wife Cecilia Dunmore, had a son,
James, and a daughter, Marion, wife of
Andrew Mac Dowal of Logan, Lord Bankton,
and Lilias, wife of Andrew Murray, a brother
of Lintrose. He died in 1752, and was suc-
ceeded byhis son, James Stewart of Allanton,
who, by Margaret, daughter of Henry
Stewart Barclay, of Collairney, in Fifeshire,
was the father of Henry Stewart of Allan-
ton, born in 1759.
This gentleman, as has already been stated,
devoted his life to the iinprovement and
adornment of his property. He published a
most useful work on arboriculture, and in
earlier life he published a translation of Sal-
lust. In 1787 he married Lilias, daughter of
Hugh Seton of Touch, in the county of
Stirling, by whom he had an only daughter,
Elizabeth, wife of Reginald Macdonald of
Stalfa. Sir Henry was created a Baronet by
King George III., with remainder to the
husband of his daughter. On the death of
Sir Henry, about the year 1835, he was
succeeded by his son-in-law, Reginald Mac-
doi.ald, as second Baronet, and on his death
in 1S38, his eldest son, by the heiress of Al-
lanton, inherited the title, and is the present
Sir Henry James Seton Stewart, third Baro-
net. He married in 1833 Miss Montgomery,
niece to the late Sir James Montgomery,
Bart. Lady Stewart, the heiress of Allanton,
added in 1835 the surnama of Seton to her
patronymic of Stewart, on succeeding, as sole
heiress, to her uncle, Archibald Seton of
Touch. As representative of this very an-
cient family, Lady Seton Stewart holds the
honourable office of hereditary armour-
bearer to the queen and squire of the royal
body. A curious coincidence that both sove-
reign and official should be ladies !
MSECHISTON HALL, near Horndean,
Hampshire, the seat of Vice-Admiral Sir
Charles Napier, K.C.B., Count Cape Saint
Vincent.
This handsome country residence was pur-
chased some years since by the gallant Ad-
miral to whom the command of the Baltic
fleet has been entrusted ; and the name of
Merchiston Hall was given to it in conse-
quence of that having been the designation
of the residence, near Falkirk, in Scotland,
of Sir Charles's father, the Hon. Charles
Napier, Captain in the navy. Merchiston
Hall is a good modern house, with handsome
public rooms and considerable accommodation,
situated in the midst of a lawn, with garden,
shrubberies, and farm-offices attached to it.
The surrounding country is rich and beau-
tiful. There is nothing in the place to claim
our notice, excepting the fact that it belongs
to one of the most gallant and successful
officers in the British navy, to whom the most
important trust that the Government of his
country had it in its power to bestow, has
been confided.
• Sir Charles Napier is the eldest surviving
son of the Hon. Charles Napier of Merchiston
Hall, in the county of Stirling, who was the
second son of Fraiicis, fifth Lord Napier, by
the Lady Henrietta Hope, daughter of the
Earl of Hopetoun. His mother was a
daughter of the ancient family of Hamilton
Dundas of Duddingstoun, in West Lothian,
and Westbum, in the county of Lanark.
After a series of distinguished services during
the late war, Sir Charles, in the long interval
of peace, entered the Portuguese service for
the purpose of taking the command of the
fleet of the Queen of Portugal, with which
he entirely defeated and destroyed that of
Don Miguel, and may be said to have secured
the Portuguese throne for Donna Maria da
Gloria ; and given a decisive blow to the
pvinciples of absolutismin the Spanish penin-
GO
PEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
sula. For tliis great achievement he was
created aCount and Grandee of the first class
of Portugal, with the title of Cape Saint
Vincent;' and he had his commission of post
captain in the British navy restored to him,
which had been of necessity resigned when
he took the command of the Portuguese fleet.
His next exploit was at Acre, when the suc-
cessful issue of the war in Syria was decided
by his skill and prowess. And after dis-
tinguishing himself by his valour in arms, he
showed no less talent as a diplomatist, and
W(;n the respect and admiration of the veteran
JNlahomet Ali.
Merchiston Castle. near Edinburgh, is the
original seat of the ancient family of Napier ;
and it is here that that illustrious philosopher,
John Napier, B iron of Merchiston, brought
his logarithms to perfection. It is still the
property of the present Lord Napier. When
the Hon. Charles Napier acquired a landed
estate, his regard for the traditions of his
faniily induced him to give to it the naine of
his father's ancient castle, and the same
praiseworthy feeling actuated Sir Charles
when he became by purchase a Hampshire
proprietor. Sir Charles married the widow of
Captain Ellers, of the Royal Navy, by whom
he has an only child, a daughter, the wife of
the Rev. Henry Jodrell, nephew of Sir
Richard Paul Jodrell, Bart., by whom she
has a numerous family.
MALAHIDE CASTLE, co. Dublin, the resi-
denceofthat practically patriotic nobleman,
Lord Talbot, hence styled " de Malahide,"
— has been the unalienated, unconfiscated in-
heritance of his lordship's ancestors, from the
date of the grant of the manor by Henry the
Second to Richard de Talbot, who had ac-
companied him thither. This Richard was
the great-grandson of Richard Talbot of
Hereford Castle, in the time of William the
Conqueror. His own great-grandson, another
Richard, was one of the Irish chiefs who aided
the subsidy raised to enable Edward the First
to prosecute the Scottish VVar, and who aftei-
wards personally signalized himself in resisting
Edward Bruce's insane invasion. In the
reign of the fourth Edward, Thomas Talbot,
then proprietor of Malahide, received a royal
grant of High Admiral of the Seas, with full
ppwer and ai thority to him to hear and
determine, in a Court of Admiralty, all tres-
passes, &c, bythe tenants or vassals, or others
resident within the town of Malahide. In
1488, Sir Richard Edgecombe, when he came
to take oaths of impurgation and allegiance
from those of Ireland, who liad espoused the
causeof Lambert Simnel, Ianded at Malahide,
and " there a gentlewoman called Talbot
received him, and madehim right good cheer;
and tlie same day, at afternoon, the Bishop of
Meath and others came to Malahide aforesaid,
well-accompanied, and fetched the said Sir
Richard to Dublin, and at his coming thither
the mayor and substance of the city received
him at the Black Friars' gate, at which Black
Friars (the site of the present Fourth Courts) the
said Sir Richard was lodged." In a few days
after, Sir Peter Talbot, then Lord of Malahide,
made his homage and fealty to Sir Richard.
From Malahide Castle, in 1545, the Lady
" Aleanora " Fitz Gerald directed a petition
for pardon to the inexorable Henry VIII.
She was the aunt of the unfortunate
enthusiast, Lord Thomas Fitzgerald,
popularly styled "the silken lord," and
had married, for her first husband, Mac
Carty, a powerful chief of Munster, on whose
death she became the wife of a yet more in-
dependent chieftain of Ulster, Manus, son of
Hugh 0'Donnell, the Dynast of Tyrconnel.
When the royal vengeance had flooded the
scaffbld of the Tower with the blood of Lady
Aleanora's brothers and her nephews, her
second husband sheltered the last hope that
remained to preserve the line — the infant
Gerald. The "treason" of each of her
marryings with such Irish houses was heart-
lessly pressed upon the jealous King, where-
upon she, in 1545, humbly addressed her
" most dread sovereign lord," acknowledged
her " ottending his princely magnificence,
but rather by ignorance than presumption."
"Yet," she adds, " considering your most
kingly clemency, extended to all sorts, and
such, especially, as with incorrupt heart,
submit themselves unto your accustomed
mercy, I, your grace's humble oratrix and
suppliant, most lowly beseech your highness,
in the honour of God, not to resent my sad
ottences," &c, &c, &c Thus this crushed
lady, of one of the proudest Anglo-Norman
families of Ireland, implored her appeal from
the castle of Malahide, the place which the
Lord Deputy and Council had assigned for
her sojourn," untilsuch time as His Majesty's
determinate pleasure should be signified
therein." Her pardon was a singular ex-
tension of King Henry's mercy.
In 1(5:59, Lord Strattbrd sought to wrestfrom
Richard Talbot, the then inheritor of Mala-
hide, the before-mentioned privileges of the
admiralty of its port, with his valuable fran-
chises ; but, on his pleading and producing
the charters under which his ancestors had
enjoyed them, the court gave judgment
against the Crown, and Strafibrd's designs
were on this occasion defeated. John Talbot,
the son and heir of Richard, having, in 1641,
embraced that side to which misguided
loyalty, ill-requited enthusiasm, and yet more
religious fidelity had hurried the gallant aud
respectable gentry of Ireland, shared with
thein the ruinous consequences. He was
ousted from this castle, which, with a park of
500 acres, was granted to Miles Corbet, the
SEATS OP GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
Cl
regicide, in whose time tradition says Oliver
Cromwell sojourned for a srort tiine here.
From this port, Corbet, when outlawed at the
Restoration, took shipping for the Continent,
and subsequently " expiated his errors," as
Brewer mildly says, hy a degrading death.
In 1661 he was executed at Tyburn, and the
Talbot family were immediately restored to
their ancient rights here. In 1782, Richard
Talbot of Malahide was one of the chivalrous
and well-intentioned gentlemen whoundertook
to raise a regiment of volunteers for the service
of his country . Each regiment on this memora-
ble occasion was to consistof eight companies,
without levy money, while Government was
to provide accoutrements, arms, and pay.
The castle is large but irregular, and un-
equal in its height; nearly square in its outer
form, and flanked at its principal front with
circular towers, richly invested with ivy. It
stands elevated on a limestone rock, and com-
mands a fine view of the town and bay. A
handsome modern porch opens into aspacious
hall, whence a spiral staircase leads to an an-
tique apartment, lighted by a single pointed
window of stained glass. The wainscoting of
this room is of lrish oak, that has long since
acquired the sombre tint of ebony, and is
divided into compartments ornamented with
exquisitely carved sculpture of Scriptural
designs ; while the chimney-piece presents in
its centre, figures of the Virgin and Child beau-
tifully executed. Adjoining this room is the
saloon, a spacious, handsome apartment, en-
riched with eostly specimens of porcelain, and
containing some good paintings, particularly a
valuable little altar-piece that once belonged
to Mary, Queen of Scots. It was painted by
Albert Durer, and represents the Nativity,
Adoration, and Circumcision ; purchased by
Charles II. for £2,000, it was given by
him to the Duchess of Portsmouth, who is
said to have presented it to the grandmother of
the late Colonel Talbot. There is also a por-
trait of that Duchess as caressing a dove ; one
of Charles I., dancing with the Infanta of
Spain at the Escurial, by Vandyke; James
the Second and his Queen, Anne Hyde, by Sir
Peter Lely ; Richard Talbot, the celebrated
Duke of Tyrconnel, and the ladies Catherine
and Charlotte Talbot, his daughters, also by
Lely ; one of Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrews-
buryj on enamel ; with many other portraits
ofillustriousmembers of tbe Talbot family.
The demesne is embellished with some
splendid old oaks, elms, ash, and sycamore,
tnat seem the representatives of a forest
nobility, almost as ancient as that of the
family by whom they were planted. Beside
the castle are the venerable i-emains of its an-
cient chapel, the entrance to which is flanked
by two magnificent guardian sycamores. The
interior is now thickly shaded with venerable
in chestnut trees, that their season of foliage
cast a still more sombre interest over the
monuments they shadow.
LAINSHAW, in the co. of Ayr, the seat of
J. Cuninghame, Esq.
The ancient castle of Lainshawis beautifully
situated in a fertile meadow on the banks of
the river Annack, at the distance of a mile
from the thriving manufacturing town of
Stewarton, and eighteen miles from the city
of Glasgow. It is the manorhouse of a large
estate, which has been much improved by the
agricultural skill of the late proprietor, and
which has increased in value from the rising
importance of the town of Stewarton, which
is chiefly built on the property. The popu-
lation of the parish of Stewarton, including a
large tract of country round the town, is not
less than from 5,000 to 6,000 souls.
There is an approach of about a mile,
leading through the park to the mansion-
house, which is embowered in venerable trees,
and stands near the river-side, with a fine
variety of woodland and rich meadow all
around. The ancient house of Lainshaw
fornierly consisted of a very large old square
tower, and a lesser one of a different style, and
some more modern erections connecting them
together, and forming a mansion of great size,
and of considerable convenience, notwith-
standing the many additions which had been
made to it at diflerent times. However, the
late Mr. Cuninghame, at very great expense,
removed the greater partof the old buildings,
and replaced them by a large and handsome
castellated edifice, which contains a fine suite
of public rooms, and a great extent of bed-
room accommodation, and servanfs offices.
Mr. Cuninghame devoted himself assiduously,
for many years, to the improvement and em-
bellishment of his estate and mansion, which
is one of the most considerable in this part of
the county of Ayr.
Lainshaw anciently belonged to a family
of Montgomery, founded in the beginning of
the 16th century, by Sir Niel Montgomery,
second son of Hugh, first Earl of Eglinton,
who received this estate from his father as
his patrimony. He was killed in 1547, at
Irvine, in a feud, by the Lord Boyd and his
adherents. His son, Sir Neil Montgomery,
married Jean, only daughter of John, fourth
and last Lord Lyle, whose ancient family were
thenceforth represented by the Montgomery's
of Lainshaw. Atlength, after six generations
of existence as a separate family, the senior
line of the Montgomcrys of Lainshaw became
extinct in the male line, about the middle of
the eighteenth century, but a branch estab-
lished in America still remains, and is now
represented by Austin Montgomerie, Esq., of
Philadelphia.
In the year 1783, the ancient mansion-house
and large estates of Laindiaw passed, by
62
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
sale, to William Cuninghame (one of the
most opulent of the great Virginian merchants
in Glasgow), descended from an ancient
Ayrshire family — Cuninghame of Colellan, a
cadet of Cuninghame of Caprington, sprung
from Thomas, younger son of Sir William
Cuninghame, Lord of Kilmaurs, ancestor to
the Earl of Glencairn. Mr. Cuninghame,
the purchaser of Lainshaw, was thrice married.
By his second wife, a lady of the name of
Campbell, he had a son, the late proprietor
of Lainshaw. By his third wife, whom he
married in 1780, Margaret Cranstoun, grand-
daughter of the fifth Lord Cranstoun, he had
issue the present proprietor of Lainshaw, and
several daughters, one of whom married, in
1805, the second Lord Ashburton.
Mr. Cuninghame, on his death, was suc-
ceeded by his son William, who had gone to
India early in life, in the civil service of the
East India Company. He was a man of very
great ahilities, and peculiar talent for business ;
and had he remained in India, he woidd
doubtless have acquired great distinction
there. But the death of his father called him
home, before many years, to take possession
of his estates ; and he settled himself at
Lainshaw, whencehe rarely moved, excepting
to make an annual visit to London.
His time was entirely occupied with the
management and iinprovement of his estates,
and with the more important undertaking of
difiusing religious knowledge among the young
and the poor around him. Of no man can it
be more truly said that he " walked vvith
God," than of William Cuninghame of Lain-
shaw. For many years of his life, he devoted
himself to the study of the prophetic Scrip-
tures, and more especially the Book of Reve-
lation. This is not a proper place to review
works of a religious character ; more especially
those written on abstruse and difficult points.
We may, however, say, that the result of Mr.
Cuninghame's laborious and prayerful re-
searches, has been a number of very curious
and valuable works on sacred chronology,
which evince great learning and uncommon
acquaintance with the Word of God. The
best known of his writings ishis " Dissertation
on the Apocalypse," which has gone through
several editions. But Mr. Cuninghame's
tiine vvas not spent in solitary meditation.
The instruction of the young and the poor on
his extensive property was his daily and
weekly task ; and some of the boys of his
Snnday Schools at Stewarton might have
taken theological honours in a university, in
so far as knovvledge of Scripture proofs and
of sacred history was concerned. It may be
safely said that no man lived in the more
daily habit of having his loins girt, and his
lamp burning, and earnestly waiting for the
comingofthe Lord, thanWilliam Cuninghame.
And a higher eulogium it is impossible to
pronounce than that a man evinces the
sincerity of his faith by the activity of his
good works. Mr. Cuninghame was removed
from the scene of his useful and benevolent
labours by a gentle and easy death, at an
advanced age, in autumn, 1849, and was
succeeded by his half-brother, who is now
proprietor of Lainshaw.
P0L0C, in the co. of Renfrew, the seat of
Sir John Maxwell, Baronet.
At the distance of about five miles from
Glasgow stands the tovvn of Pollockshaws,
the property ofSir John Maxwell ; and in the
immediate vicinity is his seat of Pollock
House, or Nether Pollock, as it is called, in
order to distinguish it from a neighbouring
mansion of the same name, belonging to the
ancient Baronefs family of Pollock, of that
ilk. An account of this place, published a
century and a half since, thus describes it : —
" Not far from Pollockshaws, towards the
vvest, stands the castle of Nether Pollock, the
principal manor of an ancient family of the
name of Maxwell, a branch of the house of
Caerlaverock (ancestor to the Earl of Niths-
dale), adorned vvith curious orchards and
gardens, with large parks and meadows,
excellently vvell planted with a great deal of
regular and beautiful planting, vvhich adds
much to the pleasure of this seat. Upon an
eminence near to this stood the old Castle of
Pollock, the ancient seat of that family,
where are still the remains of a drawbridge
andfosse." These two families of Maxwell
and Pollock, vvho divided this noble doniain,
vvere of equal antiquity ; the former being a
hranch of the great border house of Nithsdale,
and the latter being an ancient indigenous
race, existingin the neighbourhood of Glasgow
from time immemorial.
The town of Pollockshaws is one of the
most flourishing in this part of the populous
county of Renfrew. It numbersagood many
thousand inhabitants, having greatly in-
creased vvithin the last forty years, vvhen the
number was between three and four thou-
sand. About half a century ago it was
erected into a borough of barony, with a
magistracy, consisting of a provost, a baillie,
and six councillors, to preside over and keep
peace among its numerous inhabitants. It is
cheerfully situated by the water of Cart,
which aflbrds great facdity to various branches
of manufacture, vvhich are carried on here
with great activity and ingenuity ; such as
bleaching, dyeing, andtanning. The greatest
source of employment, however, is the cotton
manufacture. Much work is also done by the
aid of steam machinery, even to the weaving
of cloths. From tvvo to three hundred looms
are put in motion by one engine. It may be
iniagined from the foregoing description that
the estate of Pollock is of great value ; and
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
63
this value is increasing yearly, as it extends
froni the town of Pollockshaws a considerahle
way towards the city of Giasgow. Pollock
House, or Poloc, as it is now written, possesses
no picturesque beauty. It is an old mansion of
very nioderate size, and has nothing worthy of
reniark either internally or externally. It is
situated in aflat park, with some ancienttrees.
The family of Maxwell may be regarded as
one of the most ancient and distinguished in
Scotland. They can be traced back, as per-
sons of consideration, as far as the year 1100.
About the year 1250, Aymer de Maxwell,
Lord Chamberlain of Scotland, married the
heiress of Roland, Lord of Mearns, with
whom he acquired a great estate in the
neighbourhood of Glasgow. He had two
sons — first, Herbert, ancestor of theMaxwells
of Caerlaverock, afterwards created Earl of
Nithsdale ; second, Jolin, ancestor of the
families of Maxwell of Pollock, and Maxwell
of Calderwood. In the reigns of Robert II.
and III., lived Sir John Maxwell of Pollock,
who married Isabel, daughter of Sir James
Lindsay of Crawford, by Egidia, sister of
King Robert II. Of this marriage there
were two sons : first, Sir John of Pollock;
second, Sir Robert of Calderwood. In 1400
these two brothers entered into a mutual in-
denture and entail, whereby it was provided
that in case of failure of heirs male of either of
their bodies, their estates should devolve on
the surviving heirs male of the other. The
estate of Pollock was transmitted, without
intermission, in tlie line of Sir John during
five generations, until 1647, when Sir John
Maxwell of Pollock died without issue. He
had, in 1642, been createdaBaronet of Nova
Scotia. He was an extremely prudent man,
who liad considerably augmented his estate,
and was much disgusted at the reckless and
prodigal nianner in which his kinsman, Sir
James Maxwell, the first Baronet of Calder-
wood, had dissipated a portion of his. He
was resolved to prevent his estate from
falling into such profuse hands. He there-
fore, disregarding the bond into which the
two brothers, his ancestors, had entered in the
year 1400, determined to disinherit his right-
ful heir. He had a neighbour of his own name,
though no relationship to liis family could be
traced This was John Maxwell of Auld-
house, the proprietor of a small estate in the
immediate neighbourhood of Pollock. Sir
Jolm fixed upon his son George as his heir,
and some time before his death he made a
disposition in his favour, and to the prejudice
of his kinsman and real heir, the Baronet of
Calderwood. This disposition took efFect, and
Sir John was gratified by putting his neigh-
bour in possession of his estate twelve months
before his own death in 1647.
George Maxwell, of a new family, thus be-
canie proprietor of Pollock. The Baronet of
Calderwood endeavoured to reduce this dis-
position, as being a deed in prejudice of the
entail of 1400 ; but having greatly involved
himself by his extravagance, he was ill
qualified for carrying on a difficult and ex-
pensive lawsuit against an adversary of great
sagacity and prudence. His claim was im-
properly managed and neglected ; and some
of his most important papers werelost through
carelessness. The pretensions of the house
of Calderwood to their rightful inheritance
of Pollock were renewed in 1695 by Sir
William Maxwell, the second Baronet; but
the estate having then been nearly forty years
in the possession of the Auldhouse faniily, his
claim came to nothing.
George Maxwell of Auldhouse was great-
grandson of a John Maxwell, who obtained a
grant of the lands of Auldhouse in 1572. After
he became proprietor of Pollock, he was
knighted by King Charles II. ; and dying in
1677, he was succeededby hisson, John Max-
well, who was created a fiaronet by the same
monarch in 1682. In 1696 he was appointed a
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury ; and in
1699 a Lord of Session, and Lord Justice Clerk,
Having no son, he was succeeded in the estate
of Pollock, as well as in his paternal hmds of
Auldhouse, by his cousin, John Maxwell of
Blawart Hill, who became second Baronet of
Pollock of the new creation. He had several
children. Two of his daughters were married
and had issue. Their descendants are the
families of Hamilton Dundas of Dudding-
stoun, and Hamilton of Barns. His three
sons were successively Baronets of Pollock.
The youngest of these, Sir James Maxwell,
sixth Baronet of Pollock, was grandfather of
Sir John, the eighth and present Baronet, who
married the Lady Matilda Bruce, daughter of
the late Earl of Elgin. Sir John was for
some years Member of Parliament for the
county of Lanaik. He is a Deputy Lieute-
nant of the counties of Lanark and Renfrew.
His nephew is Mr. Stirling of Kier, Member
of Parliament for the county of Perth.
CALDERW00D CASTLE, in the co. of
Lanark, the seat of Sir William Maxwell,
Baronet.
This beautiful seat is distant about ten
miles from Glasgow, and is surrounded by
extensive woods and pleasure-grounds ; its
situation is extremely picturesque and roman-
tic, the house overhanging the rocky and pre-
cipitous banks of the River Calder. The
place has an air of great seclusion, though
not of gloom ; and altogether it realizes our
idea of an ancient mansion of the days of
chivalry. Within the last few years, the
present proprietor has added considerably to
the accommodations and embellishments of
this old faniily residence.
The founder of this branch of the great
64
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
house of Maxwell was Robert, second son of
Sir Jolin Maxwell of Pollock, who got from
his father the Barony of Calderwood and
other lands. He greatly added to his estate
by marriage, and became a very rich and in-
fiuential man. In 1400 he niade a solemn
contract with his elder brother, the Knight of
Pollock, that failing heirs male of either of
tlieir bodies, the whole family estates should
devolve upon the heirs male of the other. The
descendants of Sir Robert continued in wealtli,
power, and iniiuence as Barons of Calderwood,
until the time of Sir James, who possessed a
very opulent fortnne, and was in 1627created
a Baronet of Nova Scotia by King Charles I.
But byhis prodigal expenditure lie greatly re-
duced his fortune and alienated the esteem of
his kinsman, the last of the family of Pollock,
vvho, regardless of the solemn bond between
their ancestors, disinherited him and left his
great estate to a different family of the same
name. Sir James was succeeded by his son,
Sir William, the 2nd Baronet ; and he by his
cousin, Sir John, the 3rd Baronet. from whom
the present and 8th Baronet is lineally
descended.
The Earls of Farnham, in Ireland, now re-
presented by Baron Farnham, are descended
from a younger son of this family — Robert,
second son of John, the second Baron of Cal-
derwood, who received from his father the
lands of Newland, in the Barony of Kilbride.
He went over witli his family to Ireland and
settled there in the beginning of the reign of
King James VI. His son Robert was
Bishop of Kilmore in the reign of Charles I.,
and from him were the Earls of Farnham
descended. Sir William Maxwell is a deputy-
lieutenant ofthe county of Lanark.
CURRAGHMORE, the splendid seat of the
Marquess of Waterford, is situated in the
Barony of Upper-Third and county of Water-
ford, on the picturesque river Clodiagh, about
three miles from its junction with the Suire,
and ten miles west of the city of Waterford.
The demesne is five miles in length, with a
breadth at the greatest of three miles, occupy-
ing tlie valley through which the aforesald
river carries off the many streams tliat descend
from the eastern declivities of the Cummeragh
mountains, and, on emerging from the de-
niense, works with its accumulatedpowers tbe
fine factory of Portlaw. The greater part
of the timber in Curraghmore is indigenous to
the soil, and in the park are many venerable
oaka and some of the largest firs in Ireland.
The woods cover about one half of the estate,
the total area of whichis 1,000 acres, including
a portion of the celebrated golden valley of
the Suire. Few scenes can in truth present
more attractive features than are traceable in
the lofty hills, the rich valleys, and almost
impenetrable woods of Curraglnnore. The
front approach to the mansion lies through
an oblong court-yard of extraordinary dimen-
sions, flanked by two magnificent ranges of
offices, and closed at the farther end by the
front of the ancient castle, surmounted by a
figure larger than life of " a stag lodged,"
the le Poer crest. Immediately contiguous to
this, the ancient stronghold of the Powers of
Waterford, stands the present house, erected
in 1 700, as dated on the pedestal of the door-
case. "The portico," says Smith, " consists
of two pillars of the Tuscan order, over
which, in a pediment, is inserted the arms
of the familv, above which, in a niche, stands
a statue of Minerva. The hall is lofty and
spacious, and fronting the entrance is a fine
staircase, which, after the first landing,
divides on each hand by two fliers to the
landing-place of the first story. The whole
walls and ceiling are adorned with beautiful
paintings, columns, festoons, and between
them several landscapes by Vander Egan,
various other of whose works are here pre-
served, especially ' The Landing of King
AVilliam the Third near Carrickfergus.' The
ceiling is paintedin perspective, and represents
a dome, the columns seeming to rise though
on a flat surface. The tapestry hangings are
agreeably designed."
"The house, " continues Smith, " is a large
square building, except on the east side, from
the centre of which the castle projects. In
alarge room, part of that castle, is a chimney-
piece carved in wood, representingthe cartoon
of St. Paul preaching at Athens, by a Mr.
Houghton, who had a premium from the
Dublin Society for this performance. Besides
the staircase, there is a spacious room below
also entirely painted by Vander Egan ; and in
this room a sleeping Cupid, on a marble table ,
deserves attention. There are some ancient
family portraits here, which by their manner
seem to have been done by Dobson, Sir Peter
Lely, and other famous portrait painters. The
gardens are of a considerable extent, and laid
out in a fine taste. On the right is a natural
wilderness of tall venerable oaks, through
which an artificial serpentine river is cut,
which, from an adjacent hill, that affords an
entire prospect of the improvements, has a
fine effect. The house has the advantage of
water on three sides, laid out in large, elegant
canalsand basins, well stored with carp, tench,
and perch. Swans and other wild-fowl con-
tribute to enliven the scene ; and the banks and
terraces are adorned with statues. Facing
two fronts of the house are cascades, one of
which falls from step to step in the form of a
" perron," and the other from basin to basin.
A third is designed to face the other front.
There is also a shell-house erecting, which
promises when finished to be very curious, as
also a handsonie green-house. From the
front of the house, besides a prospect of the
SEATS OP GEEAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
65
gardens, you see beyond these, in the centre,
a beautiful extended lawn, on either hand are
rising grounds covered with wood, and in the
neighbouring hills are several young planta-
tions. The prospect is terminated by the
Cunnneragh mountains, which elevate their
rocky sides at about seven miles distance,
Down one of their steeps a rivulet tumbles,
and beautifi.es the scene with a natural
cascade." Such is the description of Doctor
Charles Smithin 1746. Upwardsofacentnry
has elapsed, and local inquiry has elicited
nothing to improve, or even vary this descrip-
tion. The church of Clonegam stands on a hill
about a mile east of the house, and is an
object of much interest. Near its comnmnion
table are two handsome busts of Sir Marcus
Beresford and Lady Catherine Poer, the
founders of the present noble family ; and in
the graveyard are various tombs to com-
memorate the Beresford race. From the
door of this church is a fme prospect of
Curraghmore and the surrounding country,
while yet more strikingly the eye can trace,
from a tower in the demesne, the windings of
the Suire into Waterford, witli the coast and
the sea at the south.
Roger le Poer, one of the knights who
accompanied Strongbow into Ireland, obtained
for his services there, from King Henry II.,
a grant of the city of Waterford, and the
surrounding territory, to an extent that in-
cluded Curraghmore, where his descendants
fixed their capital residence. One of these,
Richard, was created Lord le Poer, Baron of
Curraghmore, by Henry VI., in 1452, andhis
grandson and namesake, Sir Richard Poer,
did such service to the state, that he was, on
the advice of the Earl of Ossory, appointed a
Baron of Parliament by the title of Baron
Poer and Curraghmore.
In 1537, commissioners having been
appointed to make survey of the King'slands,
" towards the parts where James Desmond is,"
reported that " in the county Waterford were
customs called 'srahe' and 'bonnet,' in addi-
tion to coin and livery, or as modifications of
them. Lord Kildare and Lady Katherine
Poer (wife of Sir Richard, and daughter of
Pierce, Earl of Ormonde), not only required
coin and livery for their own horses and boys,
but also of all their guests, English or Irish,
particularly when they kept Easter and Christ-
mas. When either Kildare or Poer hunted,
their dogs were supplied with bread and milk,
or butter. When the Deputy or any great
man came to Lady Poer, she levied a subsidy
at her pleasure for meat, drink, and candle,
under the name of ' mertigeght. ' When Ossory
or Poer married a daughter, the former de-
manded a sheep from every flock, and the
latter a sheep of every husbandman, and a
cow of every village ; and when their sons
were sent to England, a tribute was levied in
every village or townland. Lady Poer took
of a tenant, who had his horse or cattle stolen,
five marks for his ivant of vujilance ; she also
tooka fine for disobeyingher sergeant, whether
he were right or wrong ; and a beef, called
' keyntroisk,' for refusing coin and livery ;
and when sbe took a journey to Dublin, an
assessment was made for the charges of her jour-
ney." Sir RichardPoer, Lord Curraghmore,
was afterwards slain by Connor 0'Callaghan.
He had married, asbefore mentioned, the Lady
Katherine Butler, by whom he had issue —
Piers, the second Lord Poer, born in 1522.
This latter nobleman sat in the Parliament of
1541, as Lord Poer, though under age, and
in consideration of that youth, and of his
"having but little to live by," the Earl of
Ormond besought in 1542licenseforhimfrom
the Council of Ireland " to repair to the King's
majesty, there to continue for a year or two,
and to be admitted as a pensioner to attend
upon his Highness." In 1544 he was ap-
pointed a captain-general of Kerne, as " a
toward and a hardy young gentleman, being
very desirous to serve the King's Highness ;"
but in the year following he died unmarried,
when his brother, John Poer, born in 1527,
succeeded to the title.
The state papers make mention of " various
contentions and tumults that lately chanced
in the county of Waterford, between Lady
Katherine Butler (as she is styled by her
maiden name) and her son, this Lord Poer, on
the one part, and Sir Gerald Fitzjohn of
Desmond, on the other." ThisLord Poer died
in 1607. It was in his time that Sir Henry
Sidney, making his report to the Lords of the
Council of his journey through Munster, wrote
(1575): "The day I departed from Water-
ford, I lodged that night at Curraghmore, the
house that the Lord Power is baron of, where
I was so used, and with such plenty and good
order entertained, as (adding to it the quiet of
all the country adjoining, by the people called
Power-country, for that surname has been
since the beginning of Englishmen's planting
inhabitants there), it may be well compared
with the best ordered country in the English
Pale ; and the lord of the country, though he
be of scope of ground a far less territory than
his neighbour is, yet he livesin showfar more
honourably and plentifully than he or any
other, whatsoever he be of his calling, that
lives in this province." His great-grandson,
Richard le Poer, was advanced to the Vis-
county of Decies and the Earldom of Tyrone,
and died in 1690 ; as did his eldest son John,
the second Earl, in 1693, unmarried; where-
upon the honours of this house devolved upon
James, the brother of Earl John, who died in
1704, leaving an only daughter and heiress,
the Lady Catberine Poer, who, in 1717, mar-
ried Sir Marcus Beresford, of an ancient Staf-
fordshire family, a scion of which had settled
G6*
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
in Coleraine upon the plantation of Ulster.
Sir Marcus, in consequence of this alliance,
was, in 1720, advanced to the peerage of
Ireland, as Baron Beresford of Beresford,
County Cavan, and Viscount Tyrone. He
was subsequently, in 1746, created Earl of
Tyrone, and died in 1763. His son, the
second Earl of Tyrone, was, in 1789, created
Marquis of Waterford, in the peerage of Ire-
land. He was the father of the present
Primate of Armagh, and the grandfather of
Henry de la Poer Beresford, now the noble
proprietor of Curraghmore.
MYETLE GEOVE, at Youghal, in the co. of
Cork, formerly the seat of the Hayman
family,* is rendered interesting from its asso-
ciations with Sir Walter Raleigh.
This mansion originally formed part of
" Our Lady's College of Youghal," and is
traditionally remembered as the residence of
the Warden. Youghal College was founded
27th December, 1464, by Thomas, eighth
Earl of Desmond, Lord Deputy of Ireland,
and proprietor of the town. The community
consisted at fh - st of a warden, eight fellows,
and eight choristers, who lived in a collegiate
manner, having a common table and all other
necessaries provided for them, with an annual
stipend each. The value of the whole dona-
tion was £600 per annum, a very consider-
able sum in those days. This house was
endowed with the following parsonages and
vicarages : — the churches of Youghal, Clon-
priest, Kilcredan, Ardagh, Ightermurragh,
Garrivoe, andthe vicarage of Kilmacdonough;
all adjacent to the town of Youghal ; which
clmrches were to be served by the warden
and fellows. They had the parishes of Bal-
lynoe, alias Newtown, Ahern, and Moyallow,
in the diocese of Cloyne ; Carrigaline, in that
of Cork ; Myros and Cahei-agh, in that of
Ross ; and four more in that of Ardfert. In
the charter of foundation there is mention
made only of the parishes of Newtown,
Olchun, Ahern, and Moyallow ; but the
othera were granted afterwards by the Earl of
Desmond and some of the Popes. The foun-
dation was confirmed by James, ninth Earl
of Desmond, in 1472, and by Maurice, the
tenth Earl, in 1496 ; and the several appro-
• Now rcsidcnt at South Abbey, Youghal. This Abbey,
or rather Friary, was a house of the 1'ranciscans, and
was the first of its kind in Ireland. It was founded in
1224 by Maurice, second LordOphaley; and at the dis-
Bolution, wae granted to George Isham by letters patcut,
bearing date of lGth June, 1597. This grant passed,
soon aftcr, by purchasc, to Sir Ricbard Boyle, subse-
qucntly creatcd Earl of Cork. Ilis son and successor,
Richanl, thc second Earl, by leasebearing date 21stJuly,
1055, demised the South Abbey, togcther with the dis-
solved Nunnery or Chapel, called st. Anne's Cbapcl, and
the several housea, tenements, and lands, to Samuel
Hayman, Esq., a Somersetsbire gentleman; from whom
dcsccnds, in the fifth remove, Matthew IIayman, Esq.,
riow of Soutb Abhey, a magistrate of the co. Cork.
[See " Visitation of Arms" aud •' Landcd Gentry.")
priations were ratified, at various periods, by
the Bishops of Cloyne, in whose diocese the
establishment was situated, and by Popes
Alexander, Julius, and Paul, who granted
indulgences to sueh persons as contributed to
the revenues. The college enjoyed its lands
and privileges for a considerable period after
the Reformation; but, about the year 1590,
Nathaniel Baxter, the warden, finding that
the establishment was likely to share the fate
of other monastic institutions, privately
authorized Godfrey Armitage, Edmund Har-
ris, and William Parker, to dispose of the
college revenues, who accordingly demised
them and the college house to Sir Thomas
Norris, the Lord President of Munster. Dr.
Meredith Hanmer, the author of the well-
known " Chronicle of Ireland," succeeded
Baxter, and renewed the lease made by his
predecessor, demising the revenues of the es-
tablishment to William Jones, in trust for Sir
Walter Raleigh. We have thus brought
down the account of the place (which, as the
reader will perceive by glancing at the name
heading our paper, is now called " Myrtle
Grove,") to Raleigh's time; and we shall here
supply a few particulars of his personal his-
tory.
When Raleigh first came to Ireland, in
1579, he was a mere soldier of fortune. On
the breaking out of the Desmond* revolt in
this year, reinforcements were sent to the
Lord Deputy, Lord Grey de Wilton, from
Devonshire ; and Raleigh, then in his twenty-
seventh year, raised a troop of horse in his
native country, and with them repaired to the
scene of Irish hostilities. Here he did such
good service with his few troopers — exhibiting
undaunted heroism, united with clear-headed
discretion — that he rose without delay to the
highest honours. Before the close of the
succeeding year, we find him one of three
Royal Commissioners, who were appointed to
govern Munster during Ormonde's absence in
England ; and on the attainder of Desmond,
a warrant of privy seal, dated 3rd Feb.,
1585-86, granted him three seignories and a
half, containing forty-two thousand acres of
land, of the Earl's forfeitures in the counties of
Cork and Waterford ; which grant was con-
firmed by letters patent bearing date 16th
October, 29 Eliz. (1586). The locale of this
grand allotment was the valley of the river
* Gerald, the unfortunate sixteenth Earl of Desmond,
the " ingens rebellibus exemplar," as the historians call
him, was, at the time of his insurrection, the most
powerful sutiject in Europe. His lands in Munster
strctched from sea to sea, comprising the counties of
Cork, Waterford, Limerick, and Kerry, or the greater
part of them, and were considered to contain 574,028
English acres. He could bring together by his sum-
mons six hundrcd eavalry and two thousand footmen ;
and of these, five hundred were geutlemen of his own
name and kindred. He perished miserably, llth Nov.;
1583, being slain by one Daniel Kelly ; and his hejfd was
spiked on the old London Bridge.
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN ANP IRELAND.
G7
Blackwater, extending from the city of Lis-
more to the sea, and including the Geraldine
town of Youghal, where Raleigh now took up
his residence, in the warden's house of the
(dissolved) collegiate establishment.
In this quiet retreat, far away from the
noise of courts and the intrigues of party, and
in the company of his beloved friend Spenser,
Raleigh is believed to have written some of
his most pathetic verses, as the following, for
instance : —
" Heart-tearing cares and quiv'ring fears,
Anxious sighs, untimely tears,
Flv, fly to Courts,
Fly to fond worUUing's sports ;
Where s'train'd sardonic smiles are glozing still,
And Grief is forc'd to laugh against her will ;
Where mirth's but mumiuery,
And sorrows only real be.
" Flv from our country pastimes, fiy,
Sad troop of human misery !
Come, serene looks,
Clear as the crystal brooks,
Or the pure azur'd heaven, that smiles to see
The rich attendance of our poverty —
Peace, and a serene mind,
Which all men seek, we only flnd.
" Abused mortals, did you know
Where joy, hearfs ease, and comforts grow,
You'd scorn proud towers,
And seek them in these bowers ;
Where winds.perhaps, our woods may sometimes shake ;
Uut blustering care could never tempest make,
Nor murmurs e'er come nigh us,
Saving of fountains that glide by us.
e e a • *
" Blcst silent groves ! O may ye be
For ever mirth's best nursery !
May pure contents
For ever pitoh their tents
TJpon these downs, these meads, these rocks, these
mountains ;
And peace still slumber by these purling fountains !
Which we may every year
Find, when we come a-fishing here."
If these breathings of tuneful song poured
themselves forth at his Youghal residence, are
not they sufficient in themselves to immor-
talize it ?
How long the restless spirit of Raleigh may
have contented itself in the privacy of retire-
ment, it is diihcult to determine. He was
Mayor of Youghal in the years 15S8 and 1589 ;
an appointment which would imply settled resi-
dence, save that the Corporate records show
he discharged his duties for the most part by
a deputy, Mr. William Magnor. In the latter
year he was certainly in Ireland ; for we find
him then visiting his friend Spenser at his
castle of Kilcohnan. This interview the poet
has celebrated in " Colin Clout :" —
" I sate, as was my trade,
Under the foot of Mole, that mountain hore ;
Keeping my sheep amongst the cooling shade
Of the green alders, by the MuUa's shore.
There a strange shepherd chanced to iind me out,
Whether allured with my pipe's delight,
Whose pleasing sound yshrilled far about,
Or thither led by chance, I know not right ;
\\ hom when I asked from what place he came,
And how he hight himself, he did ycleep
The Shepherd of the Ocean by name,
And said he came far froiu the niaiii sea deep/ '
Here we find manifest allusion to RaleigVs
dwelling by the sea-shore at Youghal, where
the ocean-wave breaks freshly from the Irish
sea.
The biographers of Spenser generally state
that the approval which Raleigh gave during
this visit, to the " Faerie Queen," submitted to
him in manuscript, was the immediate cause
of the appearance of that magnificent allegory
in the early part of the succeeding year. It
is certain that the twain " friends beloved"
embarked for England together, soon after
this memorable interview ; and as Youghal
was at the time the favourite port for all such
voyages, we may without blame conclude
that here was the scene of their departure.
" In this spot," writes Mrs. S. C. Hall,» of
the garden at Myrtle Grove, " beyond ques-
tion, have been often read portions of the
"Faerie Queene," longbefore the worldbecame
familiar with the divine conception —
« At whose approach the soul of Petrarch wept.'
For here, certainly, the immortal bard held
cominunion with his ' deare friend ' and
brother poet, whom he described as ' the
somer nightingale' —
• Himselfe as skilful in that art as any.'
In the garden there is a group of four aged
yew trees, which tradition states to have been
planted by Raleigh ; and where it requires uo
stretch of fancy to believe that he has many
a time sat, read, and talked, or lolled in the
summer time, dreaming of El Dorado, in the
vain search for which he sacrificed his fortune,
and ultimately his life." Another modern
writerf pursues the train of meditations sug-
gested by the theme and place, and warms
into enthusiasm :— " To the pilgrim, who
loves to linger on scenes which genius has
hallowed by sojourning amongst them, the
whole place [Youghal] is full of— Raleigh.
His house is here, quite unchanged in its
outward appearance, and but slightly modi-
fied in its internal arrangements ; and while
one gazes on that rooftree, it is hard to keep
the fancy from wandering away to the inci-
dents in the chivalrous being's history. Gene-
rations have come and gone since then ; and
from Raleigh's day to our own, his old man-
sion has never wanted occupants — but what
of them ? ' How lived, how loved, how died
they V will comprise everything. They fretted
out their little hour here, and then the grave-
sod sufficed to enwrap their fame and their
frailties all at once ; and you, good beholder !
care not for their names, nor inquire for their
condition. It is not so with the soldier-
poet : heis not only your one leading thought,
* Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Hall's " Ireland," Vol. i~, p. 87.
+ "Dublin University," Vol. xxvi., p. 319. Sept., 1845.
68
SEATS OF GEEAT BEITAIN AND IEELAND.
but, without effort, the broken events of a
life where romantic adventure was a daily
occurrence, pass before you in shadowy re-
view. Aye, witli half-closed eye you behold
again the first introduction to his sovereign —
so admirably painted in ' Kenilworth' — when
the 'broidered cloak, hastily removed from
the shoulder, was made a carpet for the royal
foot to tread upon ; and you remark the be-
nignant expression of that proud woman's
eyes, as with one glance she rewarded such
duteous gallantry. You see him again, when
Ambition had enkindled her fires in his
bosom, tracing out on the pavilion's window
pane, the legend —
' Fain ivould I climb, but that I fear to fall ' —
that motto which first conducted him to
the proudest heights of glory, and then
brought him down to defeat and ruin. You
accompany his restless spirit to the new
world, where, in remembrance of its royal
donor, his settlement received the name it
yet bears, 'Virginia;' a graceful and ac-
ceptable tribute. You picture him, too, a
prisoner in the Tower, with his matchless
lady sharing joyfully his captivity, when the
evening closed in dark and wild, after his
busy day; and still you behold a great man.
He turued, as you know, calmly to study
and reflection ; and prepared to meet his
death with a serenity of purpose which
baffled the malice of his many foes. And
tlien the last scene of all flits before you ;
the headsman's axe in the Old Palace Yard,
1 that sharp cure for all diseases ; ' the my-
riads of human faces encircling the scaffold,
some indignant, some pitying, a few trium-
phant ; the sun-rays flashed back from the
descending steel ; the dull, dead sound, and —
stillness.
" And in the gardens of his Youghal
retreat, with the world all untried by him, as
it then was, you can readily imagine what
day-dreams were doubtless present to that
mind, now expanding in youthful freslmess
and vigour. Beneath those trees — they are
not too young for the honour — he must often
have sate in his fixed musings on the Dorado
which he was never to find; andhere, in more
thoughtful moments, were haply composed
some of those writings which remain to our
day, to prove him an ahnost uniyersal genius.
' 'i outh is the period of ourbusiest thoughts,
of endless aud unwearied speculation.' To
all it is the season of romance ; but to those
whose lips the muse has touched with her
hallowed Sre, it is also the era of their chief
poetical expression. What visions of fame are
theirs, andoffuture greatness ! — what desires
to live and make known the thronging, tumul-
tuous imaginings of their minds ! What
longings, too, to be known beyond the small
circle of their daily acquaintance !— yea, more !
beyond the generation born with them, who
are daily passing down into the gaping grave,
that they may not, like the rest, ' die and be
forgot,' but hereafter be kept in memory —
' Contemporains de tous les hommes,
Et citoyens de tous les lieux !'
These feelings, and others still higher and
exceeding our expression, were, we doubt
not, present to the heroic knight on these
scenes ; for here, with Spenser himself for a
companion, did he linger over the " Faerie
Queene," as yet in manuscript, and pronounce
upon it the approving fiat which gave it forth
to an admiring world."
The mansion of Myrtle Grove is in the
Old English style, and bears so close a resem-
blance to Raleigh's birthplace in Devon,
Hayes' Farm, that his quick eye must have
often noticed the similarity. Three high-
pointed gablets crown the east front, and
beneath the central one are the hall and
entrance doorway. Within, the house has
undergone butlittle alteration. The windows
have been modernized — the old glazing con-
sisted of small lozenge panes set in lead; and
the position of the chief staircase has been
changed. The large dining-room is on the
ground floor, and from it is a subterraneous
passage into the great church-tower, being
one of the old communications of the college.
In one of the kitchens the ancient wide-arched
fireplace remains, but is disused. The walls
of the mansion are in great part wainscoted
with Irish oak, which some former occupier
sought to improve by partially painting in
colours (!) The drawing-room retains most
of its antique beauty in the preservation of
its fine dark wainscot, its deep projectingbay-
window, and its richly-carved oak mantle-
piece, which is worthy of Grinling Gibbons.
The mantlepiece rises to the full height of
the ceiling, its cornice resting upon three
figures representing Faith, Hope, and Charity,
between which are enriched, circular-beaded
panels ; and a variety of emblematical
devices fill up the rest of the structure. The
Dutch tiles, which anciently adorned the fire-
place, have been removed ; and instead of the
low andirons on which the bickering yule-log
would burn, a modern grate andstave chimney-
piece have been, with bad taste, inserted. In
an adjoining bed-room is another mantlepiece
of oak, barbarously painted over ; and here
the tiles remain. They are about four inches
square, with Scrrptural devices inscribed in a
circular border. Behind the wainscoting of
this room, a recess was a few years since re-
vealed, in which a part of the old monkish
lihrary, hidden at the period of the Reforma-
tion, was discovered. One volume especially
is a curious specimen of early printing. It
SEATS OF GREAT BKITAIN AND IKELAND.
69
consists of two distinct portions. The first
was printed at Mantua in 1479, in black
letter, with colonred initials, being a compen-
diuin of Scriptural events from the creation to
the days of the Apostles ; the other portion
was printed at Strasburg in 1483, and is
Peter Comester's Historia Scholastica, dedi-
cated to Prince Gonzales by John Schallus,
Professor of Physic at Hornfield. The owner
took some pains to inscribe on its leaves, more
than once, his name and his ability to establish
his claim if disallowed. He wrote very
plainly the solemn words, " Johanes Nellang,
est verus possessor hugus Uhi. Possum pro-
ducere testem." We doventure on the hope
that the good monk's piety was not on a par
with his Latinity. This ancient volume is
in the possession of Matthew Hayman, Esq.,
of South Abbey.
The grounds are remarkable for the luxu-
riant growth of myrtles, bays, the arbutus,
and other exotics, in the open air. Some of
the myrtles exceed twenty feet in height ; and
from their embowering shade, have given the
place the name of Myrtle Grove. It was
knovvn to Raleigh as " The College House of
Youghal." In the garden are four yew trees,
said to have been planted by Raleigh's own
hand ; they are very lofty, and form a square
with a complete canopy at the top. Here,
also, potatoes, originally brought from Vir-
ginia, were first planted in Ireland ; and the
traditionary story, as given by Smith, the
Cork historian, is amusing : " The person
who planted them, imagining that the apple
which grows on the stalk was the part to be
used, gathered them, but not liking their
taste, neglected their roots, till the ground
being dug afterwards to sow grain, the po-
tatoes were discovered therein, and, to the
great surprise of the planter, vastly increased.
From these few this country was furnished
with seed." It is difticult to say whether the
introduction of this escvdent has been a bane
or a blessing to Ireland, if we look to the
matter in the abstract. Cobbetfs denuncia-
tion of the root is too well-known than to be
more than alluded to ; and the recent distress
in the island bears testimony to the truth-
fulness of some of his positions.
It but remains for us briefiy to notice the
history of this interesting place subsequent to
Raleigh's occupation of it. His sun went
down at the death of his royal mistress ; and
on the accession of her successor, he was ac-
cused, and, through the instrumentality of a
venal jury, convicted of participation in the
alleged treason of the Lady Arabella Stuart.
Fearing an attainder, he had disposed of his
Irish estates, in 1602, for £1,500, to Sir
Richard Boyle, created subsequently Earl of
Cork. In the deed of transfer, which is dated
7th December of this year, special mention
is made of the College of Youghal, including
of course the warden's house. In 161G, Sir
Lavvrence Parsons, Attorney-General for the
Province of Munster, was appointed Recorder
of Youghal, and took this mansion from the
Earl of Cork for a residence. His grandson,
Lavvrence Parsons, Esq., of Birr, conveyed
the house, 17th Januai-y, 1661, to Robert
Hedges, Esq., of Beacanstown, co. Kildare ,
for a thousand years, at a peppercorn rent,
in consideration of the sum of £135, with
the rent reserved by the Earl of Cork, of a
new almanac yearly. William Hedges, after-
wards Sir William Hedges, son of the afore-
said Robert Hedges, sold the house, 24th
February, 1670, to John Atkin, Esq., of
Youghal ; and the latter, by his last will,
dated 20th October, 1705, demised the house
to his grandson, John Hayman, Esq., M.P.
for Youghal, 1703-1713. The place con-
tinued the residence of the Hayman family
until the death of Walter Atkin Hayman,
Esq., in 1816.
W00DLANDS, co. Dublin,the seat ofThomas
"White, Esq., Colonel of the Dublin County
Militia ; who is married to the Hon. Julia
Vereker, daughter of the late Viscount Gort.
The entrance to this demesne was pronounced
by Prince Puckler Muskau to be " the most
delightful thing in its kind that can be
imagined." " Gay shrubs," he proceeds,
" and wild flowers, the softest turf and giant
trees, festooned with creeping plants, fill the
narrow glen through which the path winds, by
the side of the clear, dancing brook, which,
falling in little cataracts, flows on, sometimes
hidden in the thicket, sometimes resting like
liquid silver in an emerald cup, or rushing
under overhanging arches of rock, which
nature seems to have hung there as triumphal
gates for the beneficent naiad of the valley
to pass through."
This manor was granted by King John to
Sir Geofliy Luttrell ; and in the possession
of his descendants (ennobled as Earls of Car-
hampton) it remained until the commence-
ment of the present century, when the last
Lord Carhampton disposed of the estate to
Luke White, Esq., father of the present pro-
prietor. Woodlands is esteemed one of the
finest residences in the vicinity of the Irish
metropolis. It is a castellated mansion of the
Tudor period, situated in a demesne rich in
picturesque scenic attraction.
KILLYM00N CASTLE, co. Tyrone, the seat
of Lieut.-Col. Stewart.
This property originally belonged to the
Earls of Tyrone, from whom it passed, by
purchase, to the ancestor of the present pro-
prietor. The ancient mansion was many
years since destroyed by an accidental fire;
and the present edifice was erected after the
designs of the well-known architect, Mr.
70
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
Nash, at a cost of £80,000. Killymoon
fonns a quadrangle, the north and east sides of
whicb contain the chief apartments, and pre-
sent two grand architectural fronts,in the Saxon
style. The great hall is at thenorth side, and
conducts to a staircase of stone having double
flights. At the east end open oft' the dining
and drawing-rooms, the wood-work of which
throughout is polished oak. The east front
has a large circular tower about midway, and
terminates towards the north in an octagon
tower of exceeding heauty. The Kildress
river flows through the demesne, and is
spanned not far from the castle by a pictu-
resque bridge of five arches. The lands are
celebrated for their varied beauty, and rich
succession of charming views ; and Killymoon,
taken as a whole, occupies a deserved pre-
eminence among the chief seats in the wealthy
province of Ulster.
0RMEATJ, co. Down, the seat of the Mar-
quess of Donegal, on the river Lagan, within
a mile and a quarter of Belfast.
The original residence of the family was in
the town of Belfast. It was a large castel-
lated building, erected in the early part of the
seventeenth century, and continued in occu-
pation until the year 1708, when it wasburned
to the ground by a fire caused through the
carelessness of a female servant. By this
catastrophe, the Ladies Jane, Frances, and
Henrietta, daughters of Arthur, third Earl of
Donegal, unhappily lost their lives. The
family, after this terrible visitation, removed to
their present residence.
Ormeau is in the Tudor style, and has been
at different times considerably added to by the
successive occupants. It is now a mansion
of large size, containing every accommodation
becoming a family of our nobility. The
demesne is of limited extent ; but the views
from it are of considerable beauty. The
scenery of the Belfast Lough, with the sur-
rounding mountains, is largely taken in ; and
walks, skilfully designed, conduct the visitor
to every point whence the prospect is desirable
or is best attainable.
ANTRIM CASTLE, the seat of Viscount
Massareene, situated at the town of Antrim,
on the banksof the Six-Mile-Water river, and
immediately adjoiningto Lough Neagh.
The great front of the castle has square
towers built at its angles ; and these again have
circular turrets carried up along their quoins,
as high as the summit. 'i ne entrance is hithe
Louis Quatorze style, and is reached by a
niagnificent double stone staircase of con-
siderable size. The fvont is further embellishrd
with medallion portraits of Charles I. and II.,
and in conspicuous places with armorial
shields of the Clotworthys and Skeffingtons.
The side of the Castle runs parallel with the
river, and is divided from it by a low parapet
wall. In the gardens are several fish-ponds ;
and the flower-knots are laid out in the fanci-
ful French style of the seventeenth century,
the beds forming pensecs, Jfeurs-de-Us, and
other elegant devices. The trees are of great
age and beauty ; and there are some specimens
of rhododendrons fifteen feet high. The gate-
house, which leads to the town of Antrim, is
built of limestone, and is in the Tudor style
of architecture.
HOLLYEXOO:; HALL, co. of Wicklow, the
seat of Sir Frederick John Hodson, Bart.
This manor was anciently the property of
the Adair family, who claimed descent from
Maurice Fitzgerald, fourth Earl of Kildare.
The last of the Adairs, Mr. Foster Adair, of
Hollybrook, M.P., left an only daughter and
heir, Anne, who became the first wife of
llobert Hodson, Esq., created a Baronet of
Ireland, 28th Aug., 1787, and brought with
her this fine estate.
Hollybrook is eleven miles from Dublin, and
about one from the town of Bray. It was
erected by Mr. Morrison, an able Dublin
architect, and is an exquisite specimen of the
domestic Tudor or Old English style of
architecture. The material used was mountain
granite, squared and chiselled ; and the
mansion has three several fronts. That to the
east contains the library and drawing-room,
and overhangs a picturesque lake. The
principal front is to the north ; and the hall
is of singular beauty. It is panelled with oak,
and is lighted by one stained-glass window,
fourteen feet six inches high, by eight feet six
inches wide. The staircase is of oak, and
conducts to a gallery crossing the hall, froni
which open out the several sleeping apart-
ments. All the chief rooms are lighted by
oriel windows, commanding the richest views
of the scenery for which Wicklow county is
celebrated.
MANLEY HALL, Staffordshire, is in the
parish of Wisford, four miles from Lichfield.
The present edifice was built by John
Shawe Manley, Esq. It is in the Tudor style
of architecture, which prevailed in the reign
of Henry VII. for the country residences of
the nobility and gentry.
The interior of the mansion was arranged
on Mr. Manley's own plan, and the external
architecture was designed by Mr. Thomas
Trubshaw, architect, of Great Haywood,
Staffordshire. The building was commenced
in 1831 and completedin 1836. It stands on
an eminence, commanding a view of a beau-
tiful valley, through which passes a consider-
able stream, which has been enlarged, oppo-
site the house, into an ornamental piece of
water.
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8EAT8 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
71
TAINFIELD HOUSE, Somersetshire, the seat
of William Edward Surtees, Esq., D.C.L.
(the author of "A Sketchof the Lives of Lords
Stowell and Eldon," and some contributions
to periodical literature), and of his wife,
Lady Chapman.
The stagnations of a little stream, flowing
from Cothelston, one of the Quantock hills,
across the rich valley of Taunton Dean, into
the river Tone, gave, as late as the com-
mencement of this century, the name of
Middle Marsh to the property now called
Tainfield.
In 180S, Lieutenant-General Richard Chap-
man, of the Royal Artillery, laid the founda-
tion of the present mansion, and named it
Tainfield, after an estate called Tain, which
he possessed in Berhice. He died 2nd Feb.,
1S12, having devised the house and land to
his widow, a lady of the family of Remnant.
Of her they were afterwards purchased by her
third son, Lieutenant-General Sir Stephen
Remnant Chapman, C.B. and K.C.H. This
distinguished officer of engineers served with
the highest credit in the Peninsular War; and
was hence permitted to bear, as an augmen-
tation to his arms, a castle, with the super-
scription " Torres Vedras," and was deco-
rated with a gold medal, engraved with the
name of "Busaco." He subsequently filled
the situation of Secretary of the Ordnance,
and concluded his public career as Governor
of the Bermudas. In 1840 he retired to
Tainfield, where he died, 6th March, 1851.
He devised the mansion and estate to his
widow, Caroline, the daughter of the Rev.
George Pyke, of Baythorn Park, an old family
property in Essex. This lady married se-
condly, in 1853, her second cousin, William
Edward Surtees, Esq., of a family widely
scattered amongst the landed gentry of Dur-
ham and Northumberland.
Tainfield House is built in the Italian villa
style, and commands an extensive view of the
vale of Taunton. It contains some good pic-
tures, amongst which may be specified — ■" The
Circumcision," by Rembrandt ; "A Holy Fa-
mily," by Murillo; "A lady squeezing into
an urn the blood from the heart of her mur-
dered lover," by Guercino ; and " The Rat-
catcher," by Vischer. It contains also a few
antiquities brought from Italy, both in terra-
cotta and marble.
STOUKTON CASTLE, Staffordshire, vene-
rable on account of its antiquity, and inte-
resting from its historical associations, stands
in a beautiful valley, through which the river
Stour winds along beneath its walls. The
situation is thus described by Mr. Scott in his
" History of Stourbridge and its Neighbour-
hood:"—
" On a commanding eminence on the west
side of the river stands the ancient castle,
overlooking a verdant vale beneath ; while at
a short distance to the south-west the bold
edge of Kinver, with its contisruous range of
hills, rises majestically to view. Nor is the
opposite acclivity on the left bank of the river
deficient in picturesque effect. A range of
minor eminences, branching from Dunsley
bank, and crowned with clumpsof trees, flank
the road which leads to Kidderminster, from
whence a branch from Dunsley to the town
of Kinver rises above the village. Part of a
sand-rock intercepting the view down the
valley, being excavated by art, affbrds a pas-
sage for the channel of the canal. The entire
coup-d 'os.il of Stourton, with its extensive
wharf and rural accompaniments, with the
parallel rivers, the respective formation of
nature and art, stretching to the town of
Kinver, ispleasing and interesting."
Dr. Plot knew this castle to be of great an-
tiquity, although he could not exactly trace
the descent. Local tradition asserts that it
was either the birthplace of King John, or
his residence at some time. Until within the
last thirty years it retained marks of great
age, and indeed even now some few archi-
tectural data can be discovered which point to
a remote period of erection.
The earliest mention we find of the castle is
in the time of Edward IV., when John
Hampton was lord of Stourton and its castle ;
but as it was in existence more than 300
years previous to this date, we may trace the
descent of the manor, supposing that its lords
were probably possessed of the castle also.
Philip Holgate held the manor and forest of
Kinver, temp. Henry II. Richard I. gave
the town and forest of Kynefare and Storton
to Philip, son of Holgate, in which family it
seems to have remained for a considerable
time. John de Vaux of Stourton was Lord of
Kinfare, 9 Edward II. (1315); Hugo Tirel,
34 Edward III. (1359), held both Kenefare
and Stourton (Rot. pat.); and in EdwardIV.'s
time, as above, the castle was held by John
Hampton, who died in 1472. The arms of
this family still remain in the windows of the
parish church. The forest of Kinver, men-
tioned above, extended over many of the
neighbouring parishes, according to the Great
Perambulation, 28 Edward I. (1299) now pre-
served in the Tower. It was afforested by
Henry II., and disafforested by the Chartade
Forestis, 9 Henry III. (1224).
In the year 1500, Reginald Pole was born
here, afterwards a cardinal, and the avowed
enemy of Henry VIII. He was younger son
of Sir Richard Pole, Lord Montague (cousin-
german to Henry VII.) and of Lady Mar-
garetPlantagenet, hiswife, daughter of George
Duke of Clarence (brother to Edward IV.)
and the Countess of Salisbury. This cele-
brated man obtained church preferment at a
very early age, and after having been sent as
72
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
papal legate to England, eventually succeeded
Cranmer as Archbishop of Canterbury in
1555, and died in 1558 — sixteen hours after
Queen Mary. He had been twice elected
Pope, and twice had declined the papal crown.
In the 1 Edward VI. (1546), Edward, son of
John Whorwood, died, seised of this castle,
Thomas, his son, being then seven years of
age ; and in this family, very anciently seated
at Compton Park, a few miles distant, it re-
mained till about 1679, when Wortley, son of
Sir William Whorwood, sold Stourton Castle
and Kinver to Philip Foley, in whose descen-
dant, the present W. Hodgetts Foley, Esq., of
Prestwood, it still remains.
During the Civil Wars, Stourton Castle was
a gai-rison, and surrendered to the King, 23rd
March, 1644. There are many traditions
still extant relating to the siege. Two towers
are said to have been completely demolished,
and a cannon-ball, shot by Cromwell (!!)
from Kinver Edge (about three milesdistant)
is described to have passed through the oak
entrance-door and struck a porringer from the
hands of a domestic who was crossing the
court-yard. Certain it is, there were for-
merly three towers, one of which only remains
(the foundations of another were discovered
on the north side some years ago), and the
ancient oak door is probably still preserved
pierced with balls, which were discharged
certainly at a shorter range than three miles,
and most likely out of cannon bearing the
royal crown, and under the command of Gil-
bert Gerrard. It is said some broken cannon
were dug up in the gardens during alterations
some years ago.
' In 1659, William Talbot was born here ;
afterwards successively Bishop of Oxford,
Salisbury, and Durham ; and it appears to
have been occupied by his family, probably
only as tenants, for about thirty years or more.
His father died here 1686. After this date it
seems to have fallen into disrepair, and Dr.
Wilkes says in his time it was occupied as a
farm-house ; but for the last fifty years it has
been held by the following " respectable
tenants" — Thomas Sellick Brome, Esq.,
and afterwards by Mrs. Stewart; the late
Thomas Worrall Grazebrook, Esq., resided
here for many years ; Mrs. Grazebrook, his
relict, occupies it at the present time — 1 830.
Mr. Grazebrook extensively repaired the
old castle, which in his days retained all its
feudal chai-acteristics. Entering on the west
side, under the sole remaining tower, lofty
and massive, by mounting a flight of steps
which led up to the portal deeply sunk in walls
upwards of six feetin thickness — the large oak
door itself, thickly bossed over with iron, was
much perforated by cannon-balls, the effects
of its former siege. Passing over the thres-
old, the feet struck upon a large square trap-
door (also studded with iron nails) by which
prisoners were ]et down to the dungeons be-
neath ; and extending over head was a beau-
tifully groined roof. Immediately beyond
this was the open court-yard, on entering
which, the chambers on the left were devoted
to kitchens and servants' lodgings, which
opened into the court, while the other two
sides of the quadrangle contained the private
apartments of the family. Immediately oppo-
site was the great hall, out of which all the
other rooms and passages entered. The door
of the hall was through a small turret in the
right-hand corner, and above the " fine
arch" in this were some mosaics andthe date
1101. Mr. Scott describes this " eastern
part of the building as containing a noble
range of apartments, rising boldly from the
valley." Along a passage at the north end of
the hall stood the great wide staircase, which
led to the rooms above ; and in this, the
north-east corner of the castle, is the room in
which Cardinal Pole was born ; it contained
a large and handsome fireplace, about six feet
wide, and very deeply and handsomely
moidded. Besides this there was nothing
particularly interesting in the castle, except
the large fireplace in the great hall, and also a
winding stone staircase, which led to the top
of the tower, and gave entrance to its
vaulted rooms.
Mr. Scott says : "Onaminute examination
it appears that the tower is built of stone, as
also a part of the northern side-wall of the
interior of the area. The remaining build-
ings, consisting of a capacious mansion with
appurtenances, are entirely of brick. This
part, thongh ancient, is probably of a date
considerably later than the period when the
towers were erected, the latter may be con-
jectured to have been constituent parts of the
original fortress." In addition to this account,
we would remark that evidently the ancient
fortress extended over the whole area at pre-
sent occupied, and was also of much larger
dimensions ; the foundations mentioned before
were those of a tower which must have stood
some little distance to the north. An ancient
terrace-walk passed round all this northern,
and also a portion of the eastern part on the
outside.
About twenty-five years ago, James Foster,
Esq., entering as a leaseholding tenant, made
immense alterations, and changed the old
castle we have been describing into the
splendid modern mansion which it now is.
The open court was turned into a very large and
lofty hall, round which now hangs the valua-
ble collection of paintings of the present
holder ; the old hall was changed into a
splendid receiving room ; roofs were raised ;
floors were lowered ; wings were erected ; a
wide and handsome terrace was built round
three sides of the castle ; and although all the
old still remains, yet so much has it been
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
73
changed, that it would be difficult to recognise
the residence of the Hamptons and Whorvvoods
in the elegant Stourton Castle of modern
days. Wiiliam OrmeFoster, Esq., nephew to
the late tenant, now occupies it.
The grounds are pleasant, and the gardens
extensive, with theriver Stourwinding through
them, and forming a handsome waterfall. The
surrounding neighbourhood abounds in beau-
tiful scenery. The village of Enville, with its
celebrated woods and sheep-walk, is within a
few miles; and the whole district is alike
interesting to the lover of Nature and to the
antiquary. Kinver Edge is a conspicuous
object from the windows. Some say that the
ancient camp on its summit is the work of
Danes, and some of the Ancient British.
Kinvaur signifies a great edge in Celtic, to
which nation we are inclined to attribute the
fortification. It was used as an outpost by
Henry IV. in 140.), when pursuing Owen
Glendwr, who had plundered Worcester. Near
to it is an ancient bolt-stone — a curious relic.
On the east side is a barrow surrounded by
a ditch, and assigned by tradition as the
burial place of some great chief. On the north
side is a curious cavern, called Meg o'Fox
Hole, supposed to have been a hermit's cell,
and from which a subterranean passage is said
to extend to a well in the village (a curious
and ancient one), about a mile and a half
off.
The seats of many noblemen and gentlemen
are scattered round, and the country town of
Stourbridge is about three miles distant.
Views of this castle are engraved in Shaw's
History, and also among " Wesfs Views in
StafFordshire."
MITFOED CASTLE, in the co. of Northum-
berland, the seat of Admiral Mitford.
The ancient castle of Mitford, near which
stands the modern dwelling, is now little more
than a heap of ruins. It is unknown by
whom or when this fortress was erected ; but
according to all probability it dates from a
period anterior to the Norman Conquest. At
that time it was possessed by Sir John Mit-
ford, whose only daughter and heir, Sibille,
was given in marriage by the conqueror to
Sir Bertram, a Norman knight.
In the seventeenth year of King John's
reign, Roger Bertram joined the northern
barons in opposing that fickle tyrant, who, at
the head of his Flemish riitters, was laying
waste the land without remorse. Upon this
occasion John seized the castle and burnt the
town of Mitford, at the same time putting the
inhabitants to death. The riitters above
alluded to were German mercenaries, who,
like the Swiss and the Italian condottieri,
were i - eady to fight for any one who woidd
pay them. Their name is probably derived
from the German word rotte, which, in the
olden warfare, was used to signify a body of
men under one common leader, but of uncer-
tain number. The phrase almain — that is,
German, riitter — is of frequent occurrence in
our early dramatists.
The next year, and probably while it re-
mained in King John's hands, the castle was
besieged by Alexander, King of Scotland, as
we read in " Leland's Collectanea," though he
omits to tell us whether it was or was not
taken.
The barony of Mitford was given by the
Crown to Philip deUlcote; but upon John's
demise, Bertram not only contrived to make
his peace with Henry III., and obtain a
restitution of his lands, but even grew into
high favour with that monarch. In the same
reign, however, Bertram's successor was un-
lucky enough to unite himself with the insur-
gents at Northampton, when he was taken
prisoner and his estate seized to the King's
use. Subsequently it was granted by Edward
III. to Eleanor Stanour, the wife of Robert
de Stoteville.
We next find it successively passing through
the hands of Gilbert Middleton, a freebooter,
and of Adomer de Valence, Earl of Pem-
broke, " who seems," says Hutchinson, " to
have a divine interdict impending over him
for his atrocious deeds. He was a tool to
his prince, and servilely submitted to the
mandates of the crown, contrary to the dic-
tates of humanity, honour, and justice. He
sate in judgment on Thomas, Earl of Lan-
caster, and impiously acquiesced in his sen-
tence. He was a chief instrument in appre-
hending the famous Scotch patriot, Wiiliam
Wallace, in 1305, accomplishing his cap-
ture by corrupting his bosom friends, and by
the tveachery of his most intimate associates,
andthose in whom he placed his utmost confi-
dence — Sir John Monteith and others of
infamous memory. Adomer, on his bridal
day, was slain at a tournament held in honour
of his nuptials, and left a wife at once a
maiden, bride, and widow. It is said that for
several generations of this family a father was
never happy enough to see his son, the pro-
scribed parent being snatched ofi'by the hand
of death before the birth of the issue."
The above passage is worth quoting, as an
example of what men will write, and perliaps
believe, when led away by party feeling or
national prejudice. True it is that old chro-
niclers have given this tale with much solem-
nity, but it is not very creditable for a writer
in the eighteenth century to have repeated
such absurdities except to express dissent.
That the fathers of many successive genera-
tions should die without seeing the birth of their
issue would hardly find a fitting place in a
romance.
This barony afterwards came to the Earl of
Athol by his wife, Johanna, of the Pembroke
L
74
SEATS OP GBEAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
family. From them it passed by female
heirs to the Percys. In the reign of King
Henry VIII. the castle and manor were pos-
sessed hy Lord Brough. In the fourth year
of Queen Mary, Lord Brough granted these
possessions to Cuthhert Mitford and Robert
his son, for ever — collateral descendants of the
ancient owner hefore the Norman Conquest.
He, however, reserved the site of the castle
and the royalties, which, coming afterwards to
the crown, were granted to the ahove-named
Robert Mitford in the reign of Charles II.
This castle stands upon an eminence on the
southern brink of the Wansbeck. On the
south and east, great labour has been em-
ployed in forming a ditch out of the rock
under its walls, which are still in many places
thirty feet high. The keep is circular, of
rough, strong masonry, and contains small
gloomy dungeons, with thick walls and narrow
loop-holes. The other buildings within the
area are totally demolished.
The modern edifice, as we have already
observed, stands near these ruins, in the midst
of a picturesque and interesting country.
NTTTWELL COTJRT, Devonshire, the seat of
Sir Thomas Trayton Fuller Elliott Drake,
Bart.
Risdon says : " This Nutwell Court, which
signifies a mansion-house in a signiory, came
to the family of Prideaux as Lympston did" —
that is, by purchase. In later times it was in
the possession of Lord Dynham ; but it owes
its chief celebrity to having been at one time
the abode of the gallant Sir Francis Drake,
an ancestor of the present owner, and, indeed,
the founder of the family. As such, a brief
sketch of his life will be hardly out of place.
Sir Francis was born in or near Tavistock,
in 1545. His father was a minister, who fled
into Kent for fear of the six articles, in King
Henry VIII. 's time, and who, probably being
in narrow circumstances, bound his son ap-
prentice to the master of a small bark, which
traded into France and Zealand. In this
hard service he acquired tbe first elements of
that nautical skill for which he was afterwards
so eminently distinguished, and gave such
satisfaction to his master, that when the
latter died he bequeathed his vessel to the
young seaman. Drake, however, found this
sphere of life much too contracted for his
bounding spirit ; and selling his ship, he
embarked with Captain John Hawkins upon
a venture to the West Indies, where his goods
were seized by the Spaniards at St. John de
Uloa, and he himself narrowly escaped. Tliis
single circumstance seems to have given the
direction of his future life ; or, as Prince
quaintly tells it — " To make him satisfaction,
Mr. Drake was persuaded by the minister of
his ship that he inight lawfully recover the
value of the King of Spain ty reprisal, and
repair his losses upon him anywhere else.
The case was clear in sea-divinity ; and few
are such infidels as not to believe doctrines
which make for their profit; whereupon
Drake, though then a poor private man, under-
took to revenge himself upon so mighty a
monarch."
From this moment Drake carried on a con-
stant war against the " so mighty a monarch "
upon his own account — a system quite in har-
mony with the general feelings of his country-
men in those days, and for the carrying out of
which he found little difliculty in obtaining
the requisite supplies. The very name of
Spaniard was as hateful to English patriotism
as the galleons, with their cargoes of gold and
silver, were attractive to English cupidity ;
and when Drake returned loaded with plun-
der, " his return being carried into the
church, there remained few or no people with
the preacher ; all running out to observe the
blessing of God upon the dangerous adven-
tures and endeavours of the captain, who had
wanted [qy. wasted ?] one year, two months,
and some odd days in this voyage." Un-
questionably the success of Drake did much
to foster the national spirit, while it taught
the seamen to regard nothing as impossible to
their courage. His achievements, so great in
proportion to his means, would almost seem
incredible, were it not that we find similar
enterprises undertaken and carried out by
others of the same age. He had sailed with only
two ships, the one of seventy tons burden,
and the other of twenty-five, their joint crews
consisting of no more than seventy-three men
and boys ; yet, with this inconsiderable force,
he attacked, and, in a few hours, stormed the
city of Nombre de Dios. He next carried
and pillaged Vera Cruz ; and though he found
but little spoil in the town, on returning to
join his ships he was fortunate enough to take
" a rewe of fifty mules, each carrying three
hundred pound weight of silver, and some
bars and wedges of gold."
The same restlessness and love of enterprise
which had sent Drake to the Spanish coast,
now led him to embark as a volunteer in the
wars in Ireland, that were now being carried
on under Walter, Earl of Essex. Uj>on his
return, he was presented by Sir Christopher
Hatton to Queen Elizabeth, and found so
much favour with her that he was soon
enabled to undertake his celebrated voyage
round the world. The wonders that the ad-
venturers met with in this expedition have
been detailed with all that simple good faith
which characterizes our early voyagers, their
own implicit confidence in the miracles they
relate lending that same peculiar charm to
them which belongs to a well-told story of
romance.
Upon bis coming home, he was graciously
received by the Queen, who visited him aboard
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
75
his ship at Deptford, and knighted him in
1581. Seven years afterwards, when the
Spanish Armada threatened England, Sir
Francis was appointed vice-admiral, imder
Charles Lord Howard of Effingham, and had
the good fortune to capture the great galleon,
commanded by Don Pedro de Valdez, the
reputed projector of the enterprise. By this
blow the captors divided amongst them iifty-
five thousand ducats.
Drake now undertook, in company with
Hawkins, what proved to be his last and only
unsuccessful voyage. The Spaniards having
had timely notice of his coming, removed
their treasures to a distance from the shore ;
and the failure of the enterprise so preyed
upon his spirits, that he fell into a fiux, of
which he died. " Sickness," says his his-
torian, " did not so properly untye, as sorrow
did wrend at once the roab of his mortality
asunder. This great spirit, always accus-
tomed to victory and success, was not able to
bear so great a check of fortune; so that
coming near Bella Porta, in America, he
departed this mortal life upon the sea."
Nutwell stands upon the east side of the
river Exe, nearly opposite to Powderham
Castle. Originally it was a castellated
building, but when Lord Dynham came into
possession of it, about the time of Edward IV.,
" he altered it and made it a fair and stately
dwelling-house. It standeth very low, by an
arm of the sea, so that the higli fioods rise
almost to the house. It is open only to
the west, being defended otherwise with
little hills." Since Risdon's time — from
whom we have taken the above quotation —
the house has been nearly rebuilt. The plan-
tations, also, have been extended and much
improved.
LONGWORTH, in the co. of Hereford, the
seat of Kobert Biddulph Phillipps, Esq., a
Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant
for the county. This gentleman also served
as High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1838.
The Longfords, who took their name from
the place, are its earliest known possessors.
Subsequently we find it held by the Tuber-
villes, and at a later period by the Paunceforts.
The next change upon record was in the time
of Henry V., when wehave a deed conveying
it to Joan, Lady Beauchamp. In 1418,
only four years afterwards, it was sold by her
to William Walwayne. In the reign of
Charles II., it was disposed of by one of his
descendants to Herbert Croft, Bishop of
Hereford ; but in about six years the place
once more passed into the family of the Wal-
wyns or Walwayns, the bishop selling it to
James Walwyn, a West India merchant, and
cousin to the Nicholas before mentioned.
With his descendants it remained until the
year 1805, when the last proprietor of that
name sold the property to his maternal uncle,
Robert Phillipps, Esq., a younger son of the
family of Eaton Bishop in this county.
The present house was nearly rebuilt some-
what more than sixty years ago. It is a
handsome structure, builtof brick, and stands
in a pleasant situation at a convenient dis-
tance from the Hereford and Ledbury road.
The view it commands is highly picturesque,
extending to the Malvern Hills and the Black
Mountains on the east and west ; while to
the south is the village of Mordesford, em-
bosomed in trees. It is fitted up with much
taste, and decorated witha few good pictures.
In the library is a small but valuable collec-
tion of books.
At no great distance from the present seat
are the ruins of Old Longworth, at one time
the mansion-house, though for many years
used for a farm-house. It is surrounded by
a moat, and has a small chapel that presents
a very interesting example of the early per-
pendicular style of architecture.
FEYSTON HALL, Yorkshire, in the West
Riding, one mile from Ferrybridge, two from
Pontefract, eleven from Wakefield, and fifteen
from Doncaster; the seat of Robert Pemberton
Milnes, Esq., who is a Deputy Lieutenant for
Yorkshire, and has represented the borough
of Pontefract in several parliaments.
At one period this estate belonged to the
family of Crowle ; from them it . was pur-
chased by Richard Milnes, Esq., of Great
Houghton and Peniston, and in this family
it still remains.
The mansion is a commodious building,
with a handsome Ionic front ; the date of its
erection being uncertain. It is an old manor-
house, to which the Ionic front is no doubt a
modern addition.
The gardens are fine, and provided with
hot-houses for the cultivation of the more
delicate kinds of fruit. There is in them a
sarcophagus of Thomas, Duke of Lancaster,
beheaded at Pontefract.
LLANERCHYDOL, Montgomeryshire, about
a mile from Welsh Pool, and seven and
a half from Montgomery, the seat of
David Pugh, Esq., a Magistrate and
Deputy Lieutenant for this county. Major
Pugh served as High Sheriff for Mont-
gomeryshire in 1823, and was returned for
the Montgomeryshire boroughs to the
reformed parliament in 1832.
The house in which the owners of this estate
formerly dwelt was accidentally destroyed
by fire. The existing edifice was erected
about the year 1770, but it has been very
much altered and improved by the gentleman
now possessing it. The entrance-hall and
the two drawing-rooms make together forty-
76
SEATS OF GREAT BEITAIN AND IRELAND.
one feet, opening into a conservatory twenty-
eight feet long. The dining-room is a hand-
some apartment, thirty-one feet in length, and
twenty-one and a half in hreadth. There are
two sitting-rooms of less dimensions, with
good hed-rooms, and excellent domestic
offices. The ascent to the honse from the
town of Welsh Pool is hy a winding road,
which at every tnrn presents a new and ro-
mantic scene, with all the varied and pic-
turesque features of a Welsh landscape.
Llanerchydol is a compact estate in a ring
fence, including a fertile garden, walled round,
and having within its circuit hot-houses, ice-
houses, and the various other appurtenances
of modern luxury and refinement.
NUNNYKIRK, in the co. of Northumber-
land ; the seat of Charles William Orde, Esq.,
a Magistrate for the county.
This place was comprised in Ranulph de
Merley's grant of Ritton to Newminster, the
abbot of which house built here a chapel, a
tower, and other edifices. Time, however, or
the ravages of war, or other accidents, have
completely swept away all that the good abbot
raised at so much cost ; nor is there any de-
scription of it remaining to us, so far as is
known, in either book or record. Hutchinson
says, that " fragments of buildings have indeed
been found, and human bones dug up lately
in sinking for new foundations ; and when the
crown granted it in 1G10 to Sir Ralph Grey,
the letters patent described it as a tower and
other buildings, called Nunkirke, with all the
lands belonging to it, lying near toRedesdale,
late in the tenure of John Fenwick, and now
of Sir Ralph Grey, Knight, and of the
annual rent of £200."
We next find this estate in thepossession of
the Wards of Morpeth, who bought it of the
descendants of Sir Ralph Grey. From the
Wards it devolved by inheritance to the
present owner, who has made large additions
to the old manor-house.
Mr. Orde's mansion is situated near the
head of a winding haugh, in a narrow valley,
which is closed in upon all sides with steep
woody banks, except the south. Through
this opening is seen the little hamlet of Heley-
side, which terminates the prospect at the
distance of about a mile. The Trent here
issues from a deep rocky dell, overhung with
oaks, and continues its course on the west side
of the haugh and house in a southern direc-
tion. The bed in which the stream flows is
rocky ; and on its right is an oak wood, while
on the other side spreads a curtain of tall
trees and underwood, that screen it from the
meadow.
HANHAK HALL, Gloucestershire, about
five miles from Bristol; the seat of J. Whittuck
Whittuck,. Esq.
Hanham Hall has been possessed by the
ancestors of the present owner for a great
number of years. Before their time it was
probably possessed by the ancestors of Sir
William Newton, to whom the valuable
estate and formerly magnificent seat of Barr's
Court at one period certainly belonged. This
last named place, however, has also been in
the family of the Whittucks for several genera-
tions, though not so long as Hanham.
Annexed to Barr's Court is a beautiful little
chapel, in Bitton Church — one of the finest in
this part of England — which Mr. Whittuck
has fitted up with memorial windows ; a large
one at the east end to his father, and at the
side of it smaller ones to his brothers and
sisters. The design of the floor is also very
beautiful, on encaustic tiles. This chapel has
for years been the burial-place of the Whit-
tucks and before their time was used for the
same purpose by the Newtons.
The mansion of Hanham Hall was erected
in the year 1570, and belongs to the Eliza-
bethan style of architecture, so picturesque
and at the same time so truly national. It
has a double staircase, lined wilh oak, of great
beauty, and strongly recalling to the mind the
memory of the olden time. The dining-room,
which is spacious, presents the same charac-
teristic features, as indeed do the rest of the
apartments.
The grounds attached to the dwelling are
richly wooded, and laid out in parterres and
terraces. These are surrounded by handsome
avenues of lime and elm in the distance.
RAGLAND (or Raglan) CASTLE, Mon-
mouthshire, near the village of thesame name,
and about seven miles and a half from Mon-
mouth ; the property of the Duke of
Beanfort.
Itis difficult to trace the pedigree — if we
may be allowed the term — of this estate
through all its ramifications, eventheaccurate
Dugdale involving himself in some contradic-
tions with regard to it. In his " Baronage" he
tells us that the great family of Clare was
seized of the Castle of Raglan ; and Richard
Strongbow, the last male heir of that line,
gave the castle and manor, in the time of
Henry II., to Walter Bloet, from whom it
came to the family of Berkeley But in
another document (Article — Lord Herbert of
Cherbury) he states that Sir John Morley,
who lived in the reign of Richard II., resided
in this castle ; and that his daughter and
heiress conveyed it by marriage into the family
of Herbert. From the Herberts it came to
the Somersets, with whom it still remains.
Without attempting to reconcile these
accounts, so inconsistent with each other, we
may observe that Raglan Castle does not
appear to have continued long in the Berkeley
family ; and that Sir William ap Thomas, son
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
77
of Sir Thomas ap Gwillim by Maud his wife,
diiughter and coheir of Sir Jolm Morley, of
Ragland Castle, was proprietor in the reign
of Henry V. Iiis eldest son, William, a
man of distinguished abilities, was created
by Edward IV., Lord of Raglan, Chepstow,
and Gower. By the king's command, his
pedigree was traced by four bards, who are
called, " chiefest men of skill within the pro-
vince of South Wales ;" and he was ordered to
discontinue the Welsh custom of changing the
surname at every descent, and to assume that
of Herbert, in honour of his ancestor, Herbert
Fitz Henry, who was chamberlain to King
Henry I.
This William was a zealous friend to the
House of York, and so highly was his loyalty
esteemed by Edward IV., that he entrusted to
his safe-keeping the Earl of Richmond, after-
ward King Henry VII. The Earl, whom
Lord Herbert had treated with the greatest
kindness, was during his absence released
from confinement by Jasper, Earl of Pem-
broke, and conveyed into Brittany.
Upon the attainder of Jasper in 1469, Lord
Herbert was created Earl of Pembi-oke, and
warmly exerted himself in favour of hisroyal
benefactor by raising an army of Welshmen
amongst hisnumerous retainers, andmarching
at their head to oppose the Lancastrians under
the Earl of Warwick. Being taken prisoner
at the battle of Danes Moor, he was beheaded
at Banbury, when he met his fate with forti-
tude, givinga striking instance of his fraternal
affection as well as of his contempt for death.
As he was about to lay his head upon the
block, he exclaimed to Sir John Conyers,
who superintended the execution, " Let me
die, for I am old ; but save my brother, who
is young, lusty, and hardy, mete and apt to
serve the greatest prince in Christendom."
His son William, Earl of Pembroke, resigned
that title in 1479, and was created Earl of flun-
tingdon, — Edward IV. wishing to dignify his
son, the Prince ofWales, with the Earldom of
Pembroke. At his lordship's death in 1491,
without male issue, his daughter and heiress,
Elizabeth, conveyed the Castle of Raglan to
her husband, Sir Charles Somerset, a natural
son of Henry Beaufort, Dukeof Somerset (who
was beheaded in 1463 for his adherence to the
House of Lancaster). Upon the accession of
Henry VII., to whom he was nearly allied in
blood, he was rapidly advanced to high honours,
being successively appointed a privy coun-
cillor, admiral of the king's fleet at sea, a
knight banneret, knight of the garter, captain
of the gliards, and lord chamberlain. He
was twice employed as ambassador to the
Emperor Maximilian, the first time conveying
to him the order of the garter, and the second
concluding two treaties against the Turks.
His high favour with the king, and perhaps
no less his personal attractions, obtained for
him in marriage the hand of Elizabeth, sole
daughter and heiress of William, Earl of Hun-
tingdon, and in her right he bore the title of
Bavon Herbert of Raglan, Chepstow, and
Gower.
Even the death of his royal benefactor
proved no impediment to his farther increase
in rank and honours, for he attained to an
equal degree of favour with Henry VIII. In
the French wars he highly distinguished him-
self. At the siege of Tevouenne he com-
manded a division of six thousand men, and
greatly contributed in forcing the place to a
survender ; at the siege and capture of Tour-
nay, where he held a high command, he con-
ducted himself with no less skill and intre-
pidity. Being deputed, on the pacification,
to restore the last-named place to France, he
would not allow the Marshal de Chatillon to
enter it with banners displayed, but furled, it
being, he said, yielded voluntarily, and not
obtained by conquest ; and he is highly praised
by Lord Herbert of Cherbury, in his history of
Henry VIII., for having thus vindicated the
honour of his prince and country. In 1518,
he ratified the articles of peace with France ;
and in 1521, mediated the pacification between
Francis I. and his great rival, the Emperor
Charles V. In reward for these signal ser-
vices he was appointed lovd chambevlain for
life, and advanced to the dignity of Earl of
Worcester.
" He had the honour of representing the
person of Henry VIII. at the coronation of
the Princess Mary ; and soon after the acces-
sion of Francis L, was commissioned to be-
troth the king's infant daughter to the infant
dauphin, according to an article of the recent
pacification. But a report being circulated
which gave rise to much raillery among the
wits of the times, that the young bridegroom
was either not yet born or had died soon after
his birth, the Earl of Worcester, with his col-
league, the Bishop of Ely, were ordered to
verify the child's existence. They accord-
ingly vepaived to the Castle of Amboise,
wheve the queen resided, and being intvo-
duced to the dauphin affectionately embvaced
him."
William, Eavl of Worcester, in virtue of
his descent from the royal blood, was per-
mitted to assume the arms of England, which
are still borne by his descendant, the present
Duke of Beaufort.
Raglan was long considered as the chief
fortress in Monmouthsire, its great strength
making it more capable of resisting artillery
than any other stronghold of the kind in the
same county. It isparticularly distinguished
for the siege which it sustained by the Parlia-
mentarians under the command of Fairfax.
It was then defended by Henry, fifth Earl,
andfirst Marquessof Worcester, and notwith-
standing its scanty garrison and extensive
78
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
outworks, was almost the last fortress in the
kingdom that was reduced by the forces of the
Roundheads. Heath, however, gives a some-
what different accoimt of its capabilities for
sustaining a siege. He says, " The Castle of
Ragland was a very strong place, having a
deep moat encompassing it, besides the river
rmming by it. There were delivered up
with it twenty pieces of ordnance, only three
barrels of powder ; but they had a mill with
v/hich they could make a barrel a day. There
was found great store of corn and malt, wine
of all sorts, and beer. The horses they had
left were not many, and those that were,
almost starved for want of hay ; so that the
horses had like to have eaten one another for
want of meat, and therefore were tied with
chains. There vvere also great store of goods
and rich furniture found in the castle, which
Fairfax committed to the care and custody of
Mr. Herbert, commissioner of the army, Mr.
Roger Williams, and Major Tuliday, to be in-
ventoried, and tliat in case any of the country
should make a just claim to any of them, as
having been violently taken from them, or
they compelled to bring them in thither, they
should have them restored."
The castle was surrendered upon conditions,
one of them being to the effect that " the
officers, gentlemen, and soldiers of the garri-
son, with allother personstherein, shallmarch
out of the said garrison with their horses and
arms, with colours flying, drums beating,
trumpets sounding, matches lighted at both
ends, bullets in their mouths, and every soi-
dier with twelve charges of powder, match
and bullet proportionable, and bag and bag-
gage, to any place within ten miles of the
garrison where the governor shall nominate ;
where, in respect his Majesty hath no garrison
in England, nor army anywhere within this
kingdom and dominion of Wales, their arms
shall be delivered up tosuch as his Excellency
shall appoint to receive them, where the sol-
diers shall be disbanded."
Tliere were other clauses providing for the
personal security of all who had borne arms,
unless such as bad been especially exempted
from pardon and composition by any previous
orders of the parliament.
After the surrender, a long conference took
place between the Marquess and Fairfax, of
which the following characteristic details
are given in the "Apophthegms of the Earl of
Worcester."
" After much conference between the Mar-
quesse and Generall Fairfax, wherein many
things were requested of the Generall by the
Marquesse, and being, as he thought himself,
happy in the attainment, his Lordship was
pleased to make a merry petition to tlie
Generall as he was taking his leave, — viz., in
the behalf of a couple of pigeons, which were
wont to come to his hand and feed out of it
constantly — in whose behalf he desired the
Generall that he would be pleased to give
him his protection for them, fearing the little
command that he should have over his soldiers
in that behalf. To which the Generall said,
' I am glad to see your Lordship so merry.'
' Oh,' said the Marquesse, ' you have given me
no other cause ; and, as hasty as you are, you
shall not go until I have told you a story : —
There were two men going up Holborn to be
hanged ; one of them being very merry and
jocund, gave offence unto the other, who was as
sad and dejected, insomuch as that the down-
cast man said unto the other, ' I wonder,
brother, thatyou can be so foolish, considering
the business thatwe aregoingabout.' 'Tush,'
answered the other, ' thou art a fool ; thou
wentest a thieving, and never thought what
would become of thee ; wherefore, being on a
sudden surprised, thou fallest into such a
shaking fit that I am ashamed to see tliee in
that condition ; whereas I was resolved to be
hanged before ever I fell to stealing, which is
the reason, nothing happening strange or un-
expected, I go so composed unto my death.' —
'So,' said the Marquesse, ' I resolved to un-
dergo whatsoever, even the worst of evils that
you were able to lay upon me, before ever I
took up arms for my sovereign ; and therefore
wonder not that I am so merry.' "
From this conference it would appear that
the Marquess was included on the black list of
those excepted from hopes of grace and par-
don. At all events he was brought up to Lon-
don, committed to the custody of the Black
Rod, put upon his trial, and condemned, not-
withstanding his advanced age — he being at
the time in his eighty-fifth year. It seems,
however, that hopes of mercy had been held
out to him, for only a few hours before his
death he observed to Dr. Bayley, " If to
seize upon all my goods, to pull down my
house, to sell my estate, and send for sueh
a weak body as mine was, so enfeebled
by disease, in the dead of winter, and
in the dead winter of my age — be merciful,
what are they whose mercies are so cruel ?
Neither do I expect that they should stop at
all this, for I fear they will persecute me after
death." Being informed, however, that Par-
liament would permit him to be buried in his
family vault in Windsor Chapel, he cried out
with great sprightliness of manner, " Why,
God bless us all ! why, then, I shall have a
better castle when I am dead than they took
from me whilst I was alive."
The losses sustained by the Marquess in the
royal cause were enormous, for his liberality
was equal to his gallantry. Of either, many
instances might be given. Upon one occasion,
when the king was thanking him for his large
loans, he replied, " Sir, I had your word for the
money, but I never thought I should be so
soon repayed; for now you have given me
SEATS OF UREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
79
tlianks, I have all I looked for." At another
time, the king, apprehensive lest the stores of
the garrison should be consumed by his suite,
empowered him to exact from the country
such provisions as were necessary for his
maintenance and recruit. " I humbly thank
your Majesty," he said, "but my castle will
not stand long if it lean upon the country ;
I had rather be brought to a morsel of bread,
than any morsels of bread should be brought
me to entertain your Majesty."
Raglan Castle stands upon a gentle emi-
nence near the village. It is thus quaintly
describedby Churchyard inhis " Worthines of
Wales." After having spoken of the castle
wherein Henry V. was born : —
" Not farre from thence, a famous castle fine,
That Ragland hight, stands moted almost round ;
Made of freestone, upright as straight as line,
Whose Tvorkmanship in beautie doth abound.
The eurious knots, wroYight all with edged toole,
The stately tower, that looks ore pond and poole,
The fountaine trim, that runs both day and night —
Doth yield in showe a rare and noble sight."
When Raglan Castle surrendered to Fairfax
it was dismantled ; but in addition to the
injuries it sustained from the Parliamentary
army, considerable dilapidations have since
been occasioned by the numerous tenants in
the vicinity, who have carried away from
time to time considerable portions of stone,
as well as other materials, for their own uses.
No less than twenty-three staircases were
removed by these spoilers, though this havoc
has of late years been put an end to by the
good taste of the ducal owner.
At a little distance it appears only as a
heavy, shapeless mass, half hid by the inter-
vening trees ; on a nearer approach, it
assumes a rnore distinct form, presenting an
assemblage no less grand than beautiful.
Including the citadel, these magnificent
remains occupy a tract of ground not less
than one-third of a mile in circumference.
The citadel stands to the south of the
castle. It is a detached building, at present
half demolished, but which was at one time
a large hexagon, defended by bastions, sur-
rounded with a moat, and connected with the
castle by means of a drawbridge. Its original
appellation was Melyn y Gwent, or the Yellow
Tower of Gwent. A stone staircase leads to
the top of the remaining tower, from which
is an extensive prospect, bounded by the
distant hills and mountains in the neighbour-
hood of Abergavenny.
The shell of the castle encloses two courts,
each of which communicated with the terrace
by means of a gateway, and a bridge carried
overthe moat. The pile was faced with hevvn
freestone, not much injured by time, and im-
parting a light, elegant appearance to theruins.
It is of a whitish-grey colour, beautifully
grained, andassmoothasif ithad been polished.
The grand entrance is the most magnificent
portion of the ruins. It is formed by a Gothic
portal, flanked by two massive towers ; the
one beautifully tufted with ivy, the other so
entirely covered that not a single stone is
visible. At a short distance, upon the right,
appears a third tower, lower in height, almost
wholly free of ivy, and, with its machicolated
summit, presenting a highly picturesque ap-
pearance. The porch, which still retains the
grooves for two portcullises, leads into the first
court, once paved, but now covered with turf,
and sprinkled with shrubs. The eastern and
northern sides contained a range of culinary
oflices, of which the kitchen is remarkable for
the size of its fireplace ; the southern side
appears to have formed a grand suite of
apartments, and the great bow-window of
the hall, at the south-western extremity of
the court, is finely canopied with ivy. The
stately hall, which divides the two courts, and
seems to have been built in the days of
Queen Elizabeth, retains the vestiges of
ancient hospitality and splendour ; the ceiling
has fallen down, but the walls still remain.
It is sixty feet long, twenty-seven broad, and
was the great banqueting-room of the castle.
At the extremity are placed the arms of the
first Marquess of Worcester, sculptured in
stone, and surrounded with the garter ; under-
neath is the family motto, which fully marks
the character of him who so gallantly de-
fended his stronghold against Fairfax —
" Mutare, vel timere, sperno " (I scorn to
change or fear). The fireplace is remarkable
for its size, and the peculiar construction of
its chimney. This hall is occasionally used as
a fives' court.
To the north of the hall are ranges of offices,
which appear to have been butteries ; beyond
are the traces of splendid apartments. In the
walls above I observed two chimney-pieces in
high preservation, neatly ornamented with a
light frieze and cornice ; the stone frames of
the windows are likewise in many parts, par-
ticularly in the south front, distinguished by
mouldings and otlier ornaments.
The western door of the hall led into the
chapel, which is now dilapidated ; but its
situation is marked by some of the flying
columns, rising from grotesque heads, which
supported the roof. At the upper end are two
rude, whole-length figures in stone, several
yards above the ground, discovered by Mr.
Heath under the thick clusters of ivy. Be-
yond the foundations of the chapel is the area
of the second court, skirted by a range of
buildings, which at the time of the siege
formed the barracks of the garrison. Not the
least vestiges remain of the marble fountain
which once occupied the centre of the area,
and was ornamented with the statue of awhite
horse.
Most of the apartmenls of this splendid
edifice were of great dimensions, andthe com-
munications easy and convenient. The
80
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
strength of the walls is still so great that if the
parts yet stancling were roofed and floored, it
might even now be formed into a magnificent
modern dwelling.
Raglan is more than most of the castles in
Monmouthsbire. If any parts of the old cas-
tellated mansion, which existed in the time of
Sir Jobn Morley or his predecessors, still re-
main in the present structure, they bave been
so much altered and adapted to the subsequent
improvements as not to be easily discriminated.
The earliest style perceivable in the building
is not anterior to the reign of Henry V.,
and the more modern as late as the time of
Cbarles I. ; the fashion of the arches, doors,
and windows, and the style of the ornaments,
are progressively of the intermediate ages.
We may therefore ascribe its construction
principally to Sir William ap Thomas and his
son, the Earl of Pembroke. Parts were since
added by the Earls of Worcester ; the citadel
and outworks probably originated with the
gallant marquess who last resided here.
The great extent of the castle, with the size
of its cellars and offices, gives proof of a
baronial magnificence scarcely conceivable in
the present day. In the account of Raglan
Castle by Heath, already alluded to, is a
minute account of his household and re-
tainers — more resembling the palace of a
sovereign than the mansion of a subject. For
a considerable time he maintained a garrison
of eight hundred men ; and on the surrender
of the castle, besides his own family and
friends, the officers alone were no less than
four colonels, eighty-two captains, sixteen
lieutenants, six cornets, four ensigns, and four
quartermasters. In addition to these Avere
fifty-two esquires and gentlemen.
The demesnes of the castle correspondpe
with all this splendour. Besides the gardens
and pleasure-grounds adjoining the house,
the farms were numerous and well-conditioned.
Tbe meadows around Landenny were appro-
priated to the dairy ; an extensive tract of
land, clotbedwith beech and oak, formed the
home-park, while the red-deer park stretched
beyond Llandeilo Cresseney.
From this ancestral Castle, so rich in
chivalric associations, the gallant Lord Fitzroy
Somerset has chosen the title, by which he
will hereafter be recorded in History as the
Commander of the British forces in Turkey.
HAREFIELD PLACE, in the co. of Middle-
sex, three miles from Uxbridge and eigbteen
from London ; the seat of Charles Newdigate
Newdegate, Lsq., Member of Parliament for
Warwicksbire.
It is remarkable, as Lysons observes, that
the manor of Harefield, with the exception of
a temporary alienation, has descended by
intermarriages and a regular succession, in
tbe families of Backewortb, Swanland, and
Newdegatt^, from the year 1284, when, by
verdict of a jury, it appeared that Roger de
Backeworth and his ancestors had thenheld
it from time immemorial. The same writer
adds, that it is tbe only instance in which he
had traced such remote possession in the
county of Middlesex. The alienation above
alluded to occurred in 1585, when John
Newdegate, Esq., exchanged the manor of
Harefield for that of Arbury, in Warwick-
sbire, then possessed by Sir Edmund Ander-
son, Lord Cbief-Justice of tbe Common Pleas.
In 1601, Sir Edmund conveyed thisestate to
Sir Tbomas Egerton, Lord Keeper of the
Great Seal, his wife Alice, Countess Dowager,
and to her three daughters, the Ladies Anne,
Frances, and Elizabeth Stanley.
The mansion-house, which is situated near
the church, was the ancient residence of the
lords of the manor, and Norden tells us that
"Harefield Place was a fair house, standing
on the edge of the hill ; the river Colne pass-
ing near the same, through the pleasant
meadows and sweet pastures, yielding both
delight and profit." Here it was that, in 1G02,
the Lord Keeper Egerton and the Countess
Dowager of Derby were honoured by a visit
from Queen Elizabeth, in one of her usual
progresses ; and it says not a little for her
patience that she could endure the entertain-
ments provided for her. On this occasion it
happened to rain, and sitting on horseback,
under a tree for shelter, she had to listen to a
long dialogue between " two persons — the one
representing a bayliffe, the other a dayrie-
maide, who met her in the demesne grounds
of Harefielde, near the Dayrie Howse."
Then came " The humble Petition of a guilt-
lesse Lady, delivered in writing upon Munday
Morninge, to the Q. by the La. Walsingham :"
" Beautie's rose and Vertue's booke,
Angell's minde and AngelFs looke,
To all Saints and Angells deare ;
Clearest Majestie on earth,
Heaven did smile at your faire birth,
And since, your daies have been most cleare.
" Only poor St. Swythen now
Doth heare you blame his cloudy brow ;
But the poore Sainte devoutly sweares,
It is but a tradition vaine
That his much weeping causeth raino,
For Saints in Heaven shedde no teares.
" But this he saith, that to his feast
Commeth Iris, an unbidden guest,
In her moist roabe of collers gay ;
And she cometh, she ever staies
For the space of fortie daies,
And more or lesse raines every day.
" But the good Saint when once he know
This raine was like to fall on you,
If Saints could weepe, lie had wept as much
As when he did the Lady leade*
That did on burning iron tread —
To Ladies his respect is such.
* TJpon tlvis, Nichols observes, " I am not clear about
thislegend. Was it St. Swithin who, in 1(M1, led Queen
Emma (wife of Ethelred, the Saxon monarch, and aftcr-
wards of Canute) over bars of burning iron ? This could
not literally be the case, for St. Swithin died in the
middle of the ninth century, and Emma in the middle
of the eleventh ; but as she is said to have spent the
night previous to tlie ordcal in prayers at the tomb of St.
Swithin, what the saint was, I suppose, believed to do
by invisible agency, the poet feigns him to have done
personally, leading " the lady tliat did on burning iron
tread."
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
81
" He grently flrst bids Iris goe
Unto the Antipodes below.
But siiee for that more sullen gtew :
"When he s;iw that, witli angry looke,
From her ber rayneie roabes hetooke,
Which heere he doth prcsent to you.
" It is fitt it should with you remaine,
For you know better how to raine ;
Yet if it rains still as before
St. Swithin praies that you would guesse
That Iris doth more roabes possesse,
And that you should blame him no more."
It should not be forgotten that at the time
of these verses this " beautie's rose" was onhj
in her sixty-ninth year.
From the family of Stanley, Harefield
passed to George Pitt, Esq., of Stratfield
Say, in Hampshire, by marriage; but he
conveyed, by bargain and sale, the manors of
Harefield and Marshall to Sir Richard New-
digate, Bart., Sergeant-at-Law, in whose de-
scendants the estate remained vested till
1760, when the late Sir Roger Newdigate,
Bart., having fixed his residence in Warwick-
shire, sold Harefield Place (retaining the
manor and his other estates in the parish) to
John Truesdale, Esq., whose executors, in
1780, sold it to William Baines, Esq., from
whom, or his representatives, it passed by
purchase to the widow of the late Charles
Parker, Esq., and is now the property of her
son, Charles Newdigate Newdegate, Esq., to
whom the late Sir Roger Newdigate be-
queathed his Middlesex estates, and also the
reversion of his Warwickshire estate.
Lysons says that Harefield Place wasburnt
down about the year 1660. The fire is tra-
ditionally attributed to the carelessness of Sir
Charles Sedley, much celebrated for wit in
his day, though the writings he has left us
show much less of that quality than of mere
licentiousness. Tlie story runs that this acci-
dent originated from his reading while in
bed.
Harefield Lodge, the present dwelling of
the owner of the estate, and which has super-
seded the older mansion, stands near the
southern extremity of the parish of Harefield,
at a short distance from Uxbridge. It is a
handsome modern villa of brick, chiefly built
by Sir Roger Newdigate, and occupies an ele-
vated site, commanding extensive views over
the surrounding countiy. The most promi-
nent objects are Windsor Castle and its at-
tached forest.
HINBLIP, in the co. of Worcester, and
near the provincial capital of that name, the
seat of Viscount Southwell.
This place is variously written, Hindelep,
Hinlip, Hendlip, and Henlip. It takes this
appellation from the Saxon, and signifies
" saltus cervarum," that isto say, The Hinds'
Leap.
In the reign of Henry IV., Hindlip was
held by a family of the name of Solley. After
the death of Thomas Solley, without heirs of
his body, it passed to his near cousin, Hum-
phrey Coningsby, who in the fifth year of
Elizabeth's reign, sold it to John Habington,
or Abingdon, cofierer to the queen. His son,
Thomas, who married Mary, sister of Lord
Monteagle, succeeded to his father's estate,
but not to his father's real or affected loyalty,
for he was a stanch partizan of Mary, Queen
of Scots, andforhis assisting in the attempt to
release her, he sufiered a six years' imprison-
ment in the Tower. Here, according to the
old cynic, Anthony a Wood, "he profited
more in that time in several sorts of learning
than he had beforein all his life."
But however beneficial this long imprison-
ment might be as regards his advance in
learning, it by no means lessened his propen-
sity to embarking in the dangerous designs
against the government. Shortly after his
retirement to Hindlip, he became involved in
the Gunpowder Plot, and was condemned to
die for having concealed Garnet and Old-
corn. Luckily for him, his wife, anxious to
save the life of her brother, Lord Monteagle,
wrote the well-known letter to him that led to
the discovery. By her intercession, joined to
that of Lord Monteagle, he escaped the axe.
Nash, in his county history, has given, from a
manuscript in the Harleian Library, a very
curious and interesting account of the search
made at Hindlip after the conspirators : —
" A true discovery of theservice performed
at Henlip, the house of Mr. Thomas Abing-
don, for the apprehension of Mr. Henry Gar-
net, alias Wolley, provincial of the Jesuits,
and other dangerous persons, there found in
January last, 1605.
" After the king's royal promise of bountiful
reward to such as woidd apprehend the
traitors concerned in the powder conspiracy,
and much expectation of subject-like duty,
but no return made thereof in so important a
matter, a warrant was directed to the right
worthy and worshipful knight, Sir Henry
Bromlie ; and the proclamation delivered
therewith, describing the features and shapes
of the men, for the better discovering them.
He, not neglecting so a weighty a business,
horsing himself with a seemly troop of his
own attendants, and calling to his assistance
so many as in discretion was thought meet,
having likewise in his company Sir Edward
Bromley, on Monday, Jan. 20 last, by break
of day, did engirt and round beat the house of
Mayster Thomas Abbingdon, at Henlip, near
Worcester. Mr. Abbingdon, not being then
at home, but ridden abroad about some occa-
sions best known to himself ; the house being
goodlie, and of great receipt, it required the
more diligent labour and pains in the search-
ing. It appeared there was no want; and
Mr. Abbingdon himself coming home that
night, the commission and proclamation being
M
82
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AXD IEELAND.
shown unto hini, ho denied any such men to
be in his house, and voluntarily to die at his
own gate, if any such were to be found in his
housc, or in that shire. But this liberal, or
rather rash speech could not cause the search
so slightly to be givcn over; the cause en-
forced more respect than words of that or any
such like nature ; and proceeding on, according
to the trust reposed in him, in the gallery over
the gate there were found two cunning and very
artificial conveyances in the main brick-wall,
so ingeniously framed, and with such art, as it
cost much labour ere they could be found.
Three other secret places, contrived by no
less skill and industry, were found in and
about the chimneys, in one whereof two of the
traitors were close concealed. These chinmey-
conveyances being so strangely formed, having
the entrances into them so curiously covered
over witli brick, mortared and made fast to
planks of wood, and coloured black, like the
other parts of the chimney, that very diligent
inquisition might well have passed by, without
throwing the least suspicion upon such unsus-
picious places. And whereas divers funnels
are usually made to chimneys according as
they are combined together, and serve for
necessary use in several rooms, so here were
some that exceeded common expectation,
seeming outwardly fit for carrying forth
smoke ; but being further examined and seen
into, their service was to no such purpose,
but only to lend air and light downward into
the concealments, where such as were con-
cealed in them, at any time should be hidden.
Eleven secret corners and conveyances were
found in the said house, all of them having
books, massing stuff, and popish trumpery in
them, only two excepted, which appeared to
have been found on former searches, and
therefore had now the iess credit given to
them ; but Mayster Abbingdon would take
no knowledge of any of these places, nor that
the books, or massing stuff, were any of his,
until at length the deeds of his lands being
found in one of them, whose custody doubt-
less he would not commit to any place of
neglect, or where he should have no intelli-
gence of them, whereto he could then devise
any sufficient excuse. Three days had been
wliolly spent, and no man found there all
tliis whilc ; but upon the fourtli day, in the
morning, from behind the wainscot in the
galleries, came forth two nien of their own
voluntary accord, as being able no longer
able there to conceal themselves; for tliey
confessed that they had but one apple between
theni, which was all the sustenance they bad
received during the time that thcy were thus
hidden. One of them was named Owen,
who afterwards murdcred himself in the
Tower; and the other Chambers; but they
would take no other knowledge of any other
nieifs being in the house. On the eighth
day the before-mentioned place in the chimney
was found, according as they had all been at
several times, one after another, though
before set down together, for expressing the
just number of them.
" Forth of this secret and most cunning
conveyance came Henry Garnet, the Jesuit,
sought for, and another with him, named
Hall ; marmalade and other sweetmeats were
found there lying by them ; but their better
maintenance had been by a quill or reed,
through a little hole in the chimney that
backed another chinmey into the gentle-
woman's chamber; and by that passage
cawdles, broths, and warm drinks had been
conveyed in unto them.
" Now in regard the place was so close
did much annoy them
that made entrance in upon them, to whom
they confessed that they had not been able to
hold out one whole day longer, but either
they must have squeeled, or perished in the
place. The whole service endured the space
of eleven nights and twelve days, and no
more persons being there found, in company
with Mayster Abbingdonhimself, Garnet, Hill,
Owen, and Chambers, were brought up to
London to understand further of his high-
ness's pleasure."
Though, as we have already seen, con-
denmed to death in the first instance, Abing-
don had the good fortune to escape with no
worse punishment than that of confining hini-
self during life to Worcestersbire, a prison
of very tolerable limit. It moreover was
attended with this advantage — it led to his
collecting the materials for a history of the
county, and these have served as a ground-
work for Nash's compilation.
Hindlip passed from the Abingdons to Sir
William Compton, wliose family terminated
in a daughter, Jane, who married Jolin
Berkeley, Esq., (younger brother to Robert
Berkeley of Spetchley), and was mother of
Jane, Viscountess Southwell, who died 26th
Oct., 1853.
Tlie mansion-house is supposed to have
been erected by John Abingdon, cofferer to
Queen Elizabeth, and is in the style of archi-
tecture peculiar to that period. Within it is a
complete chateau of romance, with towers,
turrets, dark closets, and winding passages.
There is scarcely a room without some myste-
rious mode of access, the walls being per-
forated with staircases and secret hiding-
places lurking bchind the chimneys ; or, as
Gray so aptly describes a building of this
kind — ■
" To raise (he cciling's fretted height,
Each panel in achievements clothing,
Rich windows thatexclude the light,
And passages that lead to nothing."
TRALEE CASTLE, in the co. of Kerry, and
SEATS OF GKEAT BRITAIN AND 1UELAND.
83
province of Munster, about fifty-eight miles
from Cork, the seat of Sir Edward Denny, Bart.
The name of this place was anciently
written Traleigh, that is to say, the strand of
the Lelgh, a name derived from the neigh-
bouring town, which itself was so called
because of its position near the point at
which the river Leigh empties itself into the
broad sandy bay of Tralee.
At one time Tralee Castle belonged to the
Earl of Desmond, upon whose forfeiture and
death it was granted to Sir Edward Denny.
At the breaking out of the war in 1641, all
the English families in and about Tralee took
shelter in the castle, where Sir Edward had
assembled all his tenants, with a view to its
defence. Other duties, however, calling hiui
away, he left the garrison under the command
of Sir Thomas Harris, who for six months
kept the besiegers at bay. At the end of that
time, the governor being killed, and the brave
defenders worn out by fatigue and hunger,
the castle was surrendered.
The ancient family of Denny occupies a
distinguished place in historic records. Jolin
Denny is noted as having been a gallant war-
rior, slain in the French wars of Henry V.
Sir Anthony Denny, Bart., was Groomofthe
Stole in 1518, and a member of the Privy Coun-
cil to Henry VIII., with whom he appears to
have been an especial favourite. When the
king was at the point of death, he was the
only one of the courtiers who dared to inform
bini of his real condition, and received, as the
reward of his frank loyalty, the present of a
magnificent pair of gloves, worked in pearls.
Others of this house have been scarcely
less eminent in the service of the state,
some holding civil and others military rank
and ofiice.
GOSFIELD HALL, in the co. of Essex.
Soon after the Norman Conquest, we find
this estate possessed by Robert de Clare, Earl
of Gloucester, from which family it was
alienated to the Veres, Earls of Oxford, and
held of them by Adam de Gosfield. In the
reigns of Edward I. and II., when the York-
ists preponderated, it passed into the hands of
John Bellowes, Chevalier, and for a]ongtime
the lordship took its name from him. At a
yet later period it devolved to the Rolfes, and
from them, by an heiress, to the Wentworths
of Lodham Hall. The heiress of the last-
named family brought it in marriage to
Richard, second son of Lord Ryche, from
whom it passed to the Lords Grey. At the
commencement of the eighteenth century, it
was sold to the Millingtons, and again in a
short time to Jolm Knight, Esq., who, dying
in 1735, bequeathed the manor and lordship
to his wife Anne, second daughter of James
Craggs, Esq. Three years subseqnently the
widow married Robert Nugcnt, Esq., after-
wards Earl Nugent, from whom, in 1788, this
estate devolved to his son-in-law, George,
Marquess of Buckingham, and eventually
passedinto other hands.
This structure, in its original form, was a
large brick pile, enclosing a quadi - angular
court, into which all the windows of the
ground-floor opened, while those of the upper
stories were strongly barricaded. Atonetime
the only internal communication wasfrom one
room to another. Altogether it presents an
interesting example of the domestic architec-
ture that prevailed in the residences of the
nobility during the reign of Henry VII., who
strictly enforced the ancient prerogative of
the crown, in prohibiting his subjects from
erecting castles, though it had been com-
pounded for by Stephen. The nobles thus
in some measure evaded the law, giving to
their houses the strength, if they dared not give
them the form, of castles.
The west side of the quadrangle remains
nearly in its pristine state ; the communica-
tion being, not by a common passage, but
from one room to another, such as formerly
was the case throu<>h the entire building.
The north, east, and west fronts were built
at the beginning of the last century ; but
since that time various alterations were
made by Lord Nugent, and afterwards by the
Duke of Buckingham, who added several
rooms and passages to the south and east sides.
The park attached to this mansion is exten-
sive, and contains many iine old trees of dif-
ferent kinds. It is farther ornamented by a
beautiful sheet of water, which was increased
to the extent of one hundred and two acres,
by the late Earl Nugent.
TREFUSIS HOUSE, in the co. of Cornwall,
the seat of Lord Clinton.
The family of Trefusis, who derived their
name from this manor, was seated here at the
time of the Norman Conquest, and their de-
scendants have retained possession of it in
uninterrupted succession to the present day.
This house, although of no great antiquity,
is, from the general absence of the family, in
a state pf decay, their usual residence being
at Maxtock, in Warwickshire. The apart-
ments are numerous as well as commodious ;
but do not present any peculiar architectural
features. The situation of the edifice is
remarkably grand, one, indeed, of the finest in
this part of the kingdom.
CLAKENDOF PAEK, Wiltshire, about three
miles from Salisbury, thc seat of Sir Frederick
H. Hervey Bathurst, Bart.
This is a convenient modern edifice, sur-
rounded by extensive pleasure-grounds. The
woods abound in fine trees, and near one
extremity is a lake of considerable size, from
whicli issues a small river.
84
SEATS OP GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
The celebrated Edward Hyde derived his
title of Lord Clarendon from this domain.
Ahont a mile from the house are the ruins of
the ancient palace of Clarendon, which must
have been built before the time of Henry II.,
and was successively the abode of several
English monarchs. Nothing now remains
but ruined walls and heaps of rubbish, to
mark what was once the seat of so much
glory.
ln connection with this spot, a strange story is
toldby Sir Thomas Elyot in his "Bibliotheca."
" About tbirty years past, I myself beynge
with my father, Syr Rycharde Elyot, at a
monasterye of regular chanons, called ' Ivy
Churche,' at the west angle of the church,
two miles from the city of Sarybyri, behelde
the bones of a dead man, founde depe in the
ground where tbey digged stone ; which
beynge joined together was in length 14 feet
10 inches ; whereof one of the teethe my father
had, which was of the quantitie of a great
walnut. This have I written because sonie
men will believe nothing that is out of the
compasse of their owne knowlege. And yet
some of them presume to have knowlege
above any other, contemnyng all men but
themselves and such as they favour." This
Sir Thomas Elyot died in 1514.
CALLT0NM0R, Scotland, in the parish of
Lochgilphead, Argyllshire, the seat of Neill
Malcolm, Esq., of Poltalloch, who represented
Boston in the Parliaments of 182G and 1830.
This mansion, which is built of Kenmure
stone, was erected by Neill Malcom, Esq., of
Poltalloch, from the designs of Mr. Burn.
It is in the style of architecture peculiar
to the reign of James I., and stands upon
a succession of terraces facing the south,
about three miles distant from the original
seat of the Poltalloch family. Within, it is
exceedingly convenient. The view from it
extends over the hay of Crinan, the pic-
turesque range of the Knapdale Hills, and
the plain through which flows the river Add,
or Ad, the principal stream in the parish.
At a little distance from the house is a
small episcopal church, completed in 1854 by
the present owner of Calltonmor. It is a
pretty specimen of early English architecture,
highly ornamented, with windows of stained
glass.
The country around is well wooded ; and
thc old house of the Poltalloch family is
justly celebrated for its extensive and beau-
tiful views of Loch Craignish, with the islands
of Scarba, Jura, Mull, &c.
CARDIFF CASTLE, South Wales, in the co.
of Glamorgan, the seat of the Marquess of
Bute.
The castlc is said by Sir Edward Mansel,
to have been built by Robert Fitzhamon,
after he had driven the Welsh chieftain,
Jestyn ap Gwrgan, out of the town of Cardiff.
VVe are, however, told in the Truman manu-
script, under Morgan Hen — who began his
reign in the early part of the tenth century —
that " Morgan was the first that built the
castle of Cardiff, and the town, where an old
town had been built before by Didi Gawr, a
Roman conqueror, which town had been de-
stroyed by the Saxons." The Didi Gawr,
above-mentioned, is conjectured by Mr.
Edward Williams to have been Aulus Didius.
Before the final annexation of Wales to
England, it would seem that Cardiff Castle
was often subjected to attacks from Welshmen.
Leland in his " Collectanea" tells us : " In the
year 1404, the fourth of the reign of King
Henry, Owen Glendwr burnt the southern
part of Wales, and besieged the town and
castle of Cardiff. The inhabitants sent to
the king to supplicate assistance ; but he
neither came himself nor sent to their relief.
Owen took the town, and burnt the whole
except one street, in which the friars minors
resided, which, with the convent, he spared
on account of the love he bore them. He
afterwards took the castle and destroyed it,
carrying away a large quantity of treasure,
which he found deposited there. When the
friars minors besought him to return them
their books and chalices, which they had
lodged in the castle, he replied, ' Wherefore
did you place your goods in the castle ? If you
had kept them in your convent, they would
have been safe.' "
The same author has given us the following
account of Cardiff Castle, as it appeared in
his time : — " The castelle is on the north-west
side of the town waulle, and is a great thing
and a strong, but now in sume ruine. There
be 2 gates to entre the castelle, whercof the
biggest is caullid Sherehaul gate, the other is
caullid the Escheker gate. There is by
Shirhaul gate a great large tour caullid white
tour, wherein is now the kinge's armory. The
dungeon tour is large and fair. The
castelle toward the toun by est and south is
plain, but is diked by northe, and by west it
is defended by Taphe river. There be cer-
tain places inthe castelle limited to every one
of the 13 peres or knightes that cam with
Haymo, Erle of Glocester in King William
Conqueror's dayes and wan Glamorgan
countery ; and eche of these he bound to the
castelle garde."
The castle, although part of it has gone to
ruin, still retains much of its original gran-
deur. The western front, with its bold oc-
tagonal tower presents a remarkably fine
appearance from the road in approaching the
town on that side. The old architecture has
here been preserved, and carries back the
fancy of txie unaginative spectator to the
feudal tiines. Some years ago the interior of
SEATS OF GREAT BKITAIN AND IRELAND.
85
this part was repaired and modernized with a
view to its heing made the residence of Lord
Monnstnart ; hnt his accidental death put an
end to theimprovements ere their completion.
During these proceedings the original win-
dows in the eastern front were destroyed, and
large sasli windows snhstituted in their place
— a change much more conducive to internal
comfort tlian to the external beauty of the
edifice.
Within the castle enclosure, upon an ele-
vated circular monnd, stand the ruins of the
keep, commanding extensive views of the
adjacent conntry. The ditch that formerly
surrounded this building has been filled up,
and the ground converted into a level lawn,
in singular but not unpleasing contrast to the
ruins. The rampart within the external wall
of this enclosure has been planted with shrubs,
and on the top a terrace-walk extends the
whole length. Adjoining the gate by which
the court is entered from the town, are the
ruins of what is called the Black Tower,
assigned by tradition as the prison of the un-
fortunate Robert Curtoise, Duke of Nor-
mandy, the son of William the Conqueror,
who was confined by his brother, William II.
He died here in 1133, after an imprisonment
of thirty-six years.
The only historical event connected with
this place, subsequently to the union of Wales
and England in the reign of Henry VIII., is
the siege it sustained in the time of the Great
Civil War. It was garrisoned for Charles,
but was betrayed into the hands of Cromwell
by one of the Royalists, who is said to have
conducted his troops into the castle through a
subterraneous passage which communicated
with the country. This tale, however, has
been disputed, and apparently with good
reason.
ARDROSS CASTLE, Scotland, Ross-shire, the
seat of Alexander Matheson, Esq., Member
of Parliament for the Inverness district of
Burghs.
In former times this property belonged to
the Mackenzies of Ardross, by whom it was
sold in 1832 to the late Duchess-Countess of
Sutherland. In 1845 it was purchased by
Mr. Matheson of the Duke of Suttieriand.
Ardross Castle stands upon the banks of
the wild and romantic river Alness, which
divides the parish of Rosskeen from the neigh-
bouring parish. It was built in the years 1 848
and 1852 by the present proprietor, Alex-
ander Matheson, upon the site of a yet
older edifice, which he caused to be pulled
down. It is in the Scotch style of architec-
ture that prevailed during the sixteenth cen-
tury, a style which, though hardly acknow-
ledged by the architect, is by no means desti-
tute of picturesque effect. In fact it is a
mixture of the old French and casteliated
fashions, with turrets, peppei-boxes, and other
similar adornments, the impression of the
whole being heightened by the amphitheatre
of lofty mountains that surround it.
Mr. Matheson is also the proprietor of the
estate of Lochalsh in the same shire, the
ancient patrimony of the chiefs of Matheson,
from wliom he is descended. This edifice
takes its name from the loch so called, a por-
tion of an inlet, or arm of the sea, which
divides the western end of Glensheil from the
parish of the same appellation.
MOEVAL HOTJSE, in the co. of Cornwall, in
the hundred and deanery of West, about two
miles and a half from the post town of
Looe, and nearly five and a half from Lis-
keard ; the seat of John Buller, Esq., a Magis-
trate and Deputy Lieutenant for the county.
This gentleman formerly represented West
Looe in Parliament, and was High SherifF of
Cornwall in 1835.
The manor of Morval was for many genera-
tions the property andresidence of the Glynns.
A singular tale is relatedin connection with tliis
family, exhibiting a state of barbarism andlaw-
lessness that we could hardly have supposed to
have existence in England at the latter end
of the fifteenth century. It is thus given in
Gilberfs History of Cornwall : — " In the year
1471, John Glynn, Esq., was barbarously
murdered at Higher-Wringworthy, in this
parish, by several rufiians employed by
Thoraas Clemens, whom he had superseded
in the office of under-steward of the duchy. In
the preceding year he had been assaulted and
grievously wounded in the face by the re-
tainers of Clemens, as he was holding the
king's court at Liskeard ; and thrown into Lis-
keard prison, where he signed a compulsory
obligation not to prosecute. Some months
preceding the murder, the retainers of
Clemens went to Morval, and plundered the
house and premises of goods and chattels to
the value of £200 and upwards, as then esti-
mated. All this appears from the petition of
Jane Glynn, the widow, to Parliament, which
sets forth that she could have no redress for
their horrible outrages in the county of Corn-
wall, by reason of the general dread of the
malice of Clemens and his lawless gang ; she
prayed, therefore, that her appeal might be
tried in London by a Cornish jury ; and ihat
in default of Clemens appearing to take his
trial, he might be dealt with as convicted, and
attainted. Her petition wasgranted."
In the widow's petition, the details of the
murder are given with frightful minuteness.
"The said Thomas Flete, &c, &c, then and
there, at four of the clock in the mornyng,
hym felonsly and horribly slewe and murdred
and clove his head in four parties, and gave
hym ten dede woondes in his body ; andwhen
he was dede, they kutt of oon of his legges, and
8G
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
ooneof his avmes, and his hede from his body,
to make hym sure ; and over that, then and
there his purs and £22 of money numbered, a
signet of golde, a grete signet of sylver in the
same purs conteyned, a double cloke of muster
deviles, a sword and a dagger to the value of
G marks, of the goodes and catels of the said
Jolm Glyn, feionsly from hym they robbed,
take, and bare awey."
In the reign of Henry VIII. this manor
passed, with one of the coheiresses of Glynn,
to the Coodes ; and with the heiress of Coode
to a younger branch of the Bullers, a family
particularly distinguished in the person of Sir
Francis Buller, one of thejusticesof the King's
Bench, and afterwards of the Common Pleas.
The house of Morval appears from its in-
terior to be of high antiquity, while its exterior
is somewhatplain and massive. The staircase
is remarkably heavy, and hung with portraits
tliat, from their early date, seem in admirable
keeping with all around them. In the library
and other apartments are several good portraits
of the Buller family.
The site of this house has been exceedingly
well chosen, the scenery around it being, per-
haps, as picturesque and interesting as any to
he found in England. It stands at the head
of an extensive lawn, dotted with large trees,
through which is carried a coast-road, after-
wards continued through shady glens that
border on an estuary of the Looe ; whence
the eye catches a pleasing glimpse across the
water, and the beautifully-wooded grounds of
Trenant Park. But perhaps the finest part
of the landscape is at Tregarland Bridge ;
there the solitude of the calm stream, the ver-
dure of the banks, the rapid ascent of the
mountain-woods, mingled with dark and (
lowering masses of rock, altogether form a
delightful picture to the tourist.
SHAW HILL, Lancashire, about two miles
from Chorley, in the parish of Leyland, the
seat of Thomas Bright Crosse, Esq., who
served the office of High Sheriff of Lanca-
shire in 1S37, and is a Magistrate and Deputy
Lieutenant of the county.
This estate was for many years possessed by
the ancient family of Crosse, till Richard
Crosse, Esq., having succeeded to it in 1802,
settled his paternal lands in Lancashire upon
Anne Mary, the youngest of his daughters, in
remainder, after the death of his second son,
Richard Townley Crosse. In 1828, this lady
married Thomas Bright Ikin, Esq., who in
consequence assumed, under the royal sign
manual, the surname and arms of Crosse.
The house is alarge andhandsome mansion
that was existing in the seventeenth century.
Several improvements, however, were made
in the year 1807; and since that time it has
again undergone many important alterations,
which have converted an uninteresting pile,
with little or no ornament, into a handsome
specimen of Roman architecture, with
cornices, architraves, trusses, and other like
embellishments. The colonnade, which is of
the Uoric order, extends to sixty feet in length,
running along the whole line of the front, and
projecting in the centre at the grand entrance.
The pile is surmounted by a bold and massive
cornice with blocking. The chief entrance is in
the north front, the west and south-west
opening upon lawns and shrubberies. On the
west front is a terrace between three and four
hundred feet in length, commanding an ex-
tensive view across the park. Upon the east
side are the offices.
Columns, entablatures, cornices, &c, orna-
ment the entrance-hall, which is used as a
billiard-room. Both thelibrary and drawing-
room are handsome, as well as spacious, the
latter being rendered liglit and cheerful by
the addition of a bow-window that occupies
the whole of one end. On each of the four
sides of the staircase, upon the upper land-
ing, are open arches richly decorated, and
round it runs a Corinthian entablature, copied
from the temple, at Rome, of Jupiter Stator.
The light is supplied to it by a skylight. By
the turnpike-road that leads from Chorley to
Preston, stands the lodge, a handsome speci-
men of Greek architecture applied to the
domestic purposes of modern life. It con-
sists of a portico, and two rusticated wings,
with double pilasters at the angles — the whole
being a reduced copy of the Ionic temple on
the banks of the Kissus. The site of this
building is about two miles from Preston.
The grounds were laid out under the direc-
tion of Mr. Gilpin, and are well worthy of his
reputation in such matters. A well-wooded
extent of country bounds them, while still
farther on are seen the Irish Sea and the
estuary of the river Ribble. On a fine day,
and more particularly on a fine sunset, the
landscape is one of surpassing beauty.
GUNNERSBTJRY HOUSE, in the co. of M.id-
dlesex, and parish of Ealing, the seat of
Baron Rothschild.
In the olden records this place is called
Gonyldesbury or Gunyldsbury, the name
having in all probability been derived from
Gunyld or Gunnilda, niece of King Canute,
who, it is supposed, resided here till she was
banished from England in theyear 1044. At
one time the manor belonged to the well-
known Alice Pierce, or Perrers, who also
became an exile, when it was seized by the
crown.
Gunnersbury was originally built in the
year 1663 by Serjeant Maynard, from the
plans and under the superintendence of
Webbe, a pupil of Inigo Jones. He died
here in 1690.
In 1761 Gunnersbury was purchased for
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
87
the Princess Amelia, who expended large
sums upon it, and made it her occasional resi-
dence till the time of her death, when it was
sold in compliance with her will. After
having passed through several hands, it was
bonght by a tradesman as a matter of specu-
lation. He took down the house and disposed
of the materials, an event, in this case, per-
haps not much to be regretted.
A large portion of the estate was subse-
quently purchased by Alexander Copland,
Esq., who built a handsome villa, partly
on the site of the ancient mansion. It is
now the property of Baron Rothschild ; the
grounds, which are very fine, comprising
about ninety acres, surrounded by a brick
wall, and ornamented with two handsome
sheets of water. The wood here is not abun-
dant, but there are a few cedars of Lebanon
supposed to have been planted by Kent, who
laid out the gardens shortly after the year
1740. These cedars are in a flourishing
condition and extremely beautiful.
KN0WLT0N COUET, in the co. of Kent,
about five miles from Sandwich, the seat of
Admiral D'Aeth.
This estate belonged at one time to the
Peytons, descended from the Peytons of Peyton
Hall in Suffblk, and before them to the Lang-
leys, with which family they were connected
by marriage at an early period. Sir John
Narborough purchased the property in 1684,
of the four daughters and coheiresses of Sir
Thomas Peyton, Bart. The former was an
admiral, and one of the navy commissioners,
under Charles II. and James II. His eldest
son, who succeeded him in the possession of
Knowlton Court, was created a baronet by
James II., but both he and his only brother
James were unfortunately lost with their
father-in-law, Sir Cloudesley Shovel, upon the
rocks of Scilly, in the October of 1797. The
whole estate then devolved upon their only
sister and sole heiress, Elizabeth, wife of
Thomas D'Aeth, Esq., Member of Parliament
for Sandwich in 1714, who was created a
baronet by George I. in 1716. Upon the
decease of Sir Narborough D'Aeth, third
baronet of that name, the estate came into the
possession of Captain G. W. Hughes, R.N.,
who took the name and arms of D'Aeth, and
married Harriet, daughter of Sir Edward
Knatchbull, Kent.
The mansion was erected in the reign of
James I. by Sir Thomas Peyton, who madeit
his principal place of residence. It is built of
brick, with stone cornices to the windows,
which, in the remaining parts of the original
edifice, are divided into separate lights by their
ancient mullions. There are also some fine
brick mouldings, and curious clustered chim-
neys, that have an interesting effect when seen,
upon approaching the mansion, through the
trees. Above the entrance, in the centre of
the front is a cartouche shield, bearing the
arms of SirThomas D'Aeth, Bart.,surmounted
by the coat of Narborough. In the old wing
is a spacious room, now used as a billiard
room ; the spandrils of the arch in the
chimney-piece are charged with the arms of
Peyton, the founder of the house ; and the
windows still retain some remnant of the
beautiful stained glass with which they must
have been formerly filled.
One wing of the old pile remains in its
original state ; but the centre and opposite
wing were altered and partly rebuilt by Sir
Thomas D'Aeth in the reign of Queen Anne.
The park, which includes about two hundred
acres, is ornamented by many fine trees, par-
ticularly about thehouse, though their original
continuity has been broken.
TREGREHAN HOUSE, in the co. of Corn-
wall and parish of St. Blazey, the seat of
Lieutenant-Colonel Carlyon, a Magistrate for
the counties of Devon and Cornwall.
Tregrehan House is a convenient mansion,
built of brick, and presenting nothing peculiar
in its style of architecture. It stands at the
head of avery delightful avenue, which opens
at a handsome lodge, adjoining the road that
leads from St. Austell to Lostwithiel.
HURTS HALL, Saxmundham, Suffolk, the
seat of William Long, Esq.
Hurts Hall takes its name from the manor
of Hurts, attached to this property. It has
been for many years the residence of the
family now possessing it, and appears to have
been a tolerably old mansion, improved and
modernized by the late Charles Long, Esq.,
who also laid out the grounds. The style of
architecture is thatwhich isgenerally, though
somewhat vaguely, denominatedmodern ; but
it is an excellent dwelling, the rooms being
convenient as well as spacious, and the stair-
case both light and elegant. Itis, moreover,
pleasantly situated, and has a cheerful aspect.
Within, are some good family pictures, by Van
Horst and others, and of the school of Sir
Peter Lely, so eminent in his own day.
The grounds have been much improved by
the present owner, who has also augmented
the estate. There is some fine timber
about the park, and the grounds, with
their gentle undulations, form a pretty object
as seen from the main road, which passes
through them.
THE D00N, Ireland, King's County, the
seat of Francis E. Moony, Esq.
The name of this place is derived from the
Danish — Doon, a cave, of which there are
some remains in the demesne, supposed to
be of Danish origin.
88
SEAT3 OP GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
It is now impossible to say at what time
the Moonys first settled here ; but by letters
patent of Charles I., dated December 22nd,
1630, the lands of Doon were regranted to
Owen 0'Moony, a direct ancestor of the
present proprietor. The family of Moony —
in Irish, 0'Moonaigh — is saidby Keating and
others to be descended from Cathaior More,
brother of Dathy, King of Ireland.
James Enraght, Esq., of Ballyclare — who
was born in 1081, and died in 1752 — married
Matilda, daughter of Owen Moony, Esq., of
Doon, by his wife, one of the daughters of
Coghlan, of Kilcolgan Castle. Their eldest
son, Francis, assumed the name and arms
of Moony on succeeding to the Doon estates,
all the sons of the last-named Owen having
died without issue. This Francis was grand-
father to the gentleman now in possession of
the estate.
The family of Enraghts are also of ancient
Irish extraction. They possessed considerable
lands in the counties of Carlow and Kerry,
and were connected with several of the
principal families in both counties.
The more ancient part of the Doon was
erected in the commencement of the reign of
Charles II., by a member of the Moony
family ; the remainder of the edifice was built
by the father of the present owner. It is in
the modern style of architecture, and without
presenting any peculiar features, is sufficiently
spacious and convenient.
The demesne consists of between five and
six hundred acres. It is agreeably varied by
gentle undulations, and well-wooded, partly
with ancient timber-trees, and partly with
plantations made by the last and present pro-
prietor. In front of the modern residence
stands the ruined Castle of Esker, the seat of
the family in former times, covered with luxu-
riant ivy. Upon a rock at Corocollin are the
remains of an old mansion, which also was a
residence of the Moonys ; and in the neigh-
bourhood are to be traced the foundations of
a house, inhabited by Major Moony, an
officer distinguished in the Civil War of 1689.
A tradition still lingers in connection with
this family,highly illustrative of the courage and
fulelity of retainers in the oldentime. About
two centuries ago there was a determined fend
between the 0'Moonys and the M'Coghlans.
A servant of the former returning one day
from Esker Castle — then the family abode
— found bimself so closely pursued by a party
of the M'Coghlans, that when he reached
the postern gate, he found it impossible for
him to enter without the enemy entering with
him. As brave as he was faithful, he gave
the alarm, but at the samo time cried out to
tbe garrison to keep the gates fast, for " it
was better to lose one than all." The castle
was thus saved ; but the gallant retainer fell
into the hands of the enemy, who, in the
ferocious spirit of those days, put him to a
cruel death. His last lineal descendant, an
aged female, left this estate for America only
a few months since.
EARDWICK HOUSE, in the co. of Suffolk,
the seat of the Rev. SirThomas Gery Cullum,
Bart.
This estate appears to have been given by
King Stephen to the monks of Bury, and
with them it remained till the dissolution of
monasteries. According to tradition it was
the abbofs dairy, while the principal mansion
upon the grounds was his occasional residence.
Under letters patent, dated 20th August, in
tbe thirty-eighth year of Henry VIII., Hard-
wick, by the description of all the woods,
underwoods, lands, and hereditaments, called
Herdwyke-wood, was granted by the crown to
Sir Thomas Darcy, afterwards Lord Darcy of
Chick, in fee for the service of the twentieth
part of a knight's fee. It next became the
property of Sir Robert Southwell, Master of
the Rolls, younger brother of Sir Richard
Southwell, of Wood Rysing, in Norfolk, who
died, seized of it, 26th of October, in the first
year of Queen Elizabeth. His grandson,
Sir Robert Southwell, sold Hardwick in the
twenty-seventh year of Queen Elizabeth, to
Thomas Goodrich, of Clifford's Inn, London,
Gentleman. Upon the 15th February, in the
thirty-first year of Queen Elizabeth, Good-
rich, probably in consequence of some defect
in tbe original patent, surrendered this pro-
perty to her Majesty, who, on the 4th April
following, granted it to Richard Branthwaite
of London, and Roger Bromley of Bagworth
Park, in the county of Leicester, Esqrs., by
whom, on the following day, it was recon-
veyed to Goodrich.
Thomas Goodrich left this estate by will to
his wife Margaret, " with full power to sell
the same at her discretion, to the intent to
maintain herself, and bring up her children,
and give them reasonable portions at their
several ages of one and twenty years, or at
their days of marriage ; and also that she
should, at her good will and pleasure, main-
tain her father and mother, and her brother
Edward, in all things necessary and con-
venient during their lives, and that his
daughter Frances should remain with her
said father and mother."
The widow, being vested with these full
powers, and also appointed sole executrix,
joined with her trustees in the sale of Hard-
wick to Tbomas Stanton of Bury St. Edmund's,
mercer. Tbis was in the forty-third year of
Queen Elizabeth, at which time she had
become the wife of John Bull, of Hardwick,
Gentleman.
In the year 1610, Thomas Stanton disposed
of Hardwick to Sir Robert Drury of Hawstead,
wbo '' being minded to build an ahnbouse,
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
89
for the perpetual habitation and dwellMg of
six poor woinen unmarried," he shortly after-
wanls, " enfeoffed Sir Nicholas Bacon and
other trastees with Ms property, to the intent
to demise the same for ever to such person as
should be lord, for the thne heing, of his
manor of Hawsted, for a term of years deter-
minable 011 such person ceasing, by death or
otherwise, to be lord of the saine manor, re-
serving a perpetual rent of fifty-two pounds
to be applied for the benefit of the persons
dwelling in the said almshouses, and for other
charitable purposes."
Under Sir Robert Drury's feoffment, Hard-
wick virtually became a leasehold estate per-
petually annexed to the manor of Hawsted,
and the Eev. Sir Thomas Grey Cullum, Bart,
as lord of the said manor, — wliich Ms an-
cestor, Sir Thomas Cullum, acquired from the
representatives of the Drary family in 1656,
— is now in possession of Hardwick under a
lease from the actual trustees, and has Ms
chief mansion here.
The Sir Thomas Cullum just mentioned,
the purchaser of Hardwick and Hawsted, was
a younger son of his family, and belonged to
the Drapers' Company. From 1643 to 1651
inclusive, he farmed a portion of the Excise
duties, and, having accumulated a large for-
tune, became sheriff of the city of London
M 1646. He was a zealous partisan of the
Stuarts, and from his being concerned M some
measures taken by the city M behalf of King
Charles, the Parliament committed him to the
Tower, with the Lord Mayor and others, upon
a charge of Mgh treason.
At tlie Restoration hewas created a baronet
by patent, bearing date the 18th June, 1660.
His services, however, did not exempt him
from being called to account when commis-
sionerswere appointed for settling the arrears
of the Excise ; and though a pardon had been
issued under the Great Seal, he was obliged
to compound with the commissioners, and
apparently to bribe Colonel Birch, for in his
private accounts for 1663 we find, "Pd, into
the Exchequer to buy my peace and Birch,
£2,200 OOs. OOd."
Hardwick House has undergone consider-
able alterations and improvements since it
has been occupied by the present possessor ;
yet, M general, it retains the same character
that it first received M 1687. Over the porch
stand the Drary cogMzances, the mullet and
greyhound, brought from Hawsted Place,
together with the sMeld of Sir DudleyCuMmi,
bearing the arms of Cullum and Crisp quar-
terly, hnpaling Berkeley of Stratton. One of
the rooms is lMed with waMscot, carved with
the Stafford knot M gold. Here also may be
seen thepaintedemblemsdrawn anddescribed
by Sir John Culliun in his History of Haw-
sted, and formerly at Hawsted Place. No
part, however, of the present building is of
any considerable antiqmty, except a spacious
chimney undergroimd.
A curious custom used to prevail here,
which is thus related by Sir John Cullum, M
the appendix to Ms History and Antiquities
of Hawsted: —
" There is no place properer than tMs,
where I may mention a custom wliich I have
twice seen practised in tMs garden within a
few years, namely, that of drawing a child
through a cleft tree. For tMs purpose a
young ash was each time selected, and spht
longitudinally about five feet ; the fissure was
kept wide open by my gardener, while the
friend of the child, having first stripped him
naked, passed Mm thrice tlu-ough it, alwavs
head foremost. As soon as the operation was
performed, the wounded tree was bound up
with packthread, and as the bark healed the
child was to recover. The first of the young
patients was to be cured of the rickets ; the
second of a rupture. About the former I had
no opportunity of makMg an Mquiry ; but I
frequently saw the father of the latter, who
assured me that Ms child, without any other
assistance, gradually mended, and at length
grew perfectly well."
Sir Johnmentions someother superstitions,
wMch, in his day, still Migered about these
parts. " The appearance," he says, " of de
parted spirits is not yet qiute discredited. 1
was asked very seriously some years ago by a
farmers wife, if I had not seeu the ghost of a
lady who died M the apartment which 1
then inhabited. There are those who wouhl
not wilhngly kill a bacon hog in the decrease
of the moon ; and it is generally reckoned
lucky to set a hen upon an odd number of
pcrrrs "
TMs last superstition, however, is as old
as the days of the Roman Varro, who says,
" In supponendo ova, observant ut sint
numero imparia." The same maxim is laid
down by Palladius, when speakMg of hens, —
" Supponenda sunt Ms semper ova numero
hnpari."
THOKPE, or THORP MANDEVILLE, in the
co. of Noitharnpton, the seat of Wilham
Peareth, Esq.
In Doomsday book, the village from which
it takes its name is simply denominated
Torp, that word in Anglo-Saxon being the
generic temi for a village. The additional
appellatioli of Mandeville was derived from
Richard de Amundeville, who, as we shall
presently see, was one of the early possessors
of tMs estate. In the cartulary of Daventry
Priory, it is called Suthurp, that is to say,
Souih Thorp, to distinguish it from Thorp,
near Daventry, where, as well as here, thai
religious house had possessions.
Prior to the Norman Conquest, Thorpe was
the freehold of Osmond the Dane. At the
90
SEAT3 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
time of Domesday survey, it was held by
Ingleram, under Ghilo, brother of Ansculf,
ancestor of the Pinkeneys. In 1243, temp.
Henry III., it was in the hands of Hem*y de
Pinkeney ; and in the thirty-seventh year of
the same reign it had passed to Richard de
Amundeville. whence the estate obtained, by
a corruption of the original name, the addi-
tional designation of Mandeville. In the
eighteenth year of Edward L, Richard de
Amundeville sold it to Richard de Whitacre,
havingpreviouslybought of Thomas de Capes
the lands in Thorpe Mandeville, whieh he
iuherited from Hugh Russell. Richard de
Whitacre appears tohave demisedthis manor
for life to Walter de Langton, Bishop of
Coventry and Licliiield, upon whose decease
the estate agaiu returned to the Whitacres.
In the second year of Henry VI. (1423),
Elizabeth, successively the wife of William
Frebody and Gerard Waldeyene, died pos-
sessed of Thorpe Mandeville, which she left
to her grandson, William Erebody, Esq. In
his family it remained till 1531, when it
passedinto the hands ofWilliam Kirton.Esq.,
Alderman of London, by his marriage with
Anne, daughter of Hugh Frebody, Esq., and
co-heiress with her sister Alice, married to
William Gifford, Esq. Mr. Kirton purchased
the reversion of Thorpe Mandeville, after the
death of Mrs. Alice Gifford, and it continued
in theKirton familyuntil K>85,whenEdmund
Kirton, Esq., sold it to Thomas Gostelowe
of Wardington, Oxfordshire. His grandson
thsposed of the manor and estate in February,
] 723-4, to the trustees under the will of Lucy
Knightley, Esq., of Fawsley. In March,
1 742-3, Valentine Knightley, Esq., sold it to
Richard Jennens, Esq.,of Weston by Wedon.
He died without issue, in 1773, and on the
partition of his estates, Thorpe Mandeville
was assigned to his youugest sister and co-
heiress Anne, wife of William Peareth of
Wentworth, in Durham, Esq., whose grand-
son, William Peareth, Esq., is the present
proprietor.
The manor-house, supposed to have been
built in the time of James L, was garrisoried
by Oliver Cromwell, who was first cousin to
Mrs. Kirton. Brydges says : " The mounds
which were thrown up on this occasion are
still visible behind the manor-house." The
mounds continue traceable; but the house
here alluded to, which stood west of the
church, has been since taken down, and the
present one is situated east of the church.
STTJDLEY PARK, iu the West Riding of
Yorkshire, two miles from Ripon, eight from
Boroughbridge, and the same distance from
Ripley, the seat of Earl de Grey.
This estate at one time belonged to the
Tempests, who were succeedcd by the family
of Mallory. It next passed to the Right
Honourable John Aislabie, Chancellor of the
Exchequer, by his marriage with Mary,
daughter of Sir John Mallory, Knight, who
was distinguished for his loyalty to King
Charles I. The male line of Aislabie becom-
ing extinct upon the death of William Ais-
labie, in 1781, the estate devolved to his
daughter, Mrs. Allauson, from whom it de-
scended to her niece, Miss Lawrence.
The house at Studley is extemally encum-
bered with very little ornameut, and can hardly
be said to appertain to any particular style of
architecture. Within, the rooms are both
spacious and convenient. But the principal
charm of Studley is to be found in the plea-
sure-grounds, which have been equally fa-
voured by art and nature. They are situated
at a distance of three-quarters of a mile from
the liouse, in a valley, through which a small
brook, called the Skell, fiows from Fountain
Abbey, at one time gliding quietly along, and
at another falling in cascades. The hills on
either side are covered with fine woods. The
park is said to contain about seven hundred
acres, while the pleasure-grounds extend to
about three hundred, the whole being inter-
spersed with buildings, statues, &c. In the
middle of thepark,whichliesbetween the house
and the pleasure-grounds, is an obelisk, witli
an opening view of the town and collegiate
church at Ripon. On the south side, the hills
are clothedwithwood down to the water side ;
ontheuorth. the hills are less precipitous, and
are laid down in lawns, interspersed witli fo-
rest trees. At the westem extremity are the
magnificent ruins of Fouutain Abbey.
GKEAT BKICKHILL, Buckinghamshire, the
seat of Philip Duncombe Paunceford Dun-
combe, Esq.
At an early period this manor was in the
Warwick family; but it did not remain long
with them, for, in 1265, Sir John de Grey is
recorded to be the Lord of Great Brickhill.
In 1514itwas sold to Sir Charles Somerset, a
natural son of Henry.Duke of Somerset, who
was created by Hemy VIII. Earl of Wor-
cester, who died in 1525, having bequeatbed
Great Bricklull to Sir George Somerset, his
younger son by a second marriage. In 1527
Sir George sold his inheritance to William
Duncombe, Esq., of Ivinghoe-Ayton, with
whose descendantsit has eversinceremained.
In the time of the greatCivilWar.theEarl
of Essex, as General of the Parliamentary
army, was stationed here; andwhen here the
mihtary leaders addressed that letter to their
temporary sovereigns, which, by spurring
them on to fresh exertions, clianged the
whole face of things. "The effects of this
letter," says the historian Lipscombe, " were
so momentous, that even the place in which
it was written acquired by it a local im
portance."
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
91
BOSWORTH PARK, Leicestershire, near the
town of that narne, and about twelve miles
from Leicester, the seat of Sir Alexander
Dixie, Bart.
In 15(57, tliis estate belonged to Henry,
Earl of Huntingdon, who sold it to Sir Wol-
stan Dixie, knight, a citizen and Lord Mayor
of London. Sir Wolstan appears to have
been a man of unboimded liberality, one of
those rare benefactors of the human race
whose quiet fame is more truly valuable than
that of kings and conquerors. Nichols, in
his Leicestershire, says of him, " He was a
friend to his country and mankind, who de-
serves to be remembered for his exemplary
character as a magistrate, and his extensive
charities; and his descendants have more
reason to boast of having such an ancestor in
their famdy, than of the tradition that the
founder of it was allied to King Egbert."
Bosworth Hall is a flne old mansion,
standing iu a park near the entrance into
Bosworth from Leicester. The rooms are
large and lofty. In the hall is a small col-
lection of armoury, pistols, swords, guns, &c,
arranged in various devices, andit seems more
than probable that they were not alwaysmeant
for show. Nichols suggests that they were
" once employedby the distinguished ancestors
of this family in the service of their king m the
grand rebellion in the seventeenth centmy."
In this mansion are also to be seen some
old portraits, particularly one of the Sir Wol-
stan abo ve mentioned,witb others in regular de-
scentdown to the fourthbaronetof thatname,
of whom there is a very fine whole-length.
BOUGHTON HOUSE, iu the co. of North-
amptou, about three miles from Kettering,
the seat of the Duke of Buccleuch.
Boughton has been occupied through along
series of years by the noble family of Mon-
tagu, descended from the ancient Earls of
Snlislmry. Prior to their time it belonged to
the Burdons, of whom it was bought in 1528
by Sir Edward Montagu, Lord Chief Justice
of the King's Bench, in the reign of Henry
VIII., and one of the executors to the will of
that monarch. Fuller says of him, "He gave
for his motto, Equitas Justitm Norma ; and
though equity seemeth rather to resent of the
Chancery than the King's Bench, yetthe best
justice will be wormwood withoiit a mixture
thereof. In his times, though the golden
showers of abbey lands rainecl amongst great
men, it was long before he would open his lap
(scrupliug the acceptiou of such gifts) ; and
at last received but little in proportion to
others of that age.
" In the thirty-seventh of King Henry
VIII. he was made Chief Justice of the Com-
mon Pleas, a descent in honoirr, but an as-
cent in profit ; it being given to old age ra-
ther to be thrifty than ambitious.
" In drawing up the will of King Edward
VI. and settling the crown on the Lady Jane,
for a time he swam against the tide and tor-
rent of Duke Dudley, till at last he was car-
ried away with the stream. Outed of his
judge's office in the time of Queen Mary, he
returned mto Northamptonshire, and what
contentment he could not findin Westminster
Hall, his Hospital Hall at Boughton af-
forded unto him."
From the Montagus this estate passed to
Henry Scot, duke of Buccleuch, by his mar-
riage with Elizabeth, only daughter and
heiress of the old possessor.
The present Boughton House, or at least
so much of it as is still retained, was built by
Balph, Duke of Montagu, in hnitation of Ver-
sailles, then recently erected by Louis XIV.
The greater part, however, was rebuilt by
John, second Duke of Montagu, with whom,
in 1749, the title expired. In front of the
mansion ruus a canal, nearly a mfle in length,
and a noble terrace yet remains to witness for
the ancient grandeur of tlfls seat. The gardens
are said to have contained one hundred acres
and one hundred and thirty perches of land, but
they appear to have been latterly neglected.
The house possesses many paintings, and
some of very superior merit, particularly two
cartoons by Raphael, one representing Eze-
kieis Vision, and the other a Holy Famfly,
consisting of eight figures and an angel.
Here also are a half-length portrait of Ed-
ward VI. in armour, aud oue of Thomas
Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, who was be-
headed in 1641.
USWORTH HOUSE, in the co. of Durham,
and parish of Waslflngton, between five and
six miles south-east of Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
the seat of Wfllam Peareth, Esq.
The family of Hilton retained tlfls manor
for many years, tfll, in 1750, upon tlie geue-
ral dispersion of the property, the whole was
disposed of by public auction in eight farms
or lots. Of these, two farms were purchased
by William Peareth, of Newcastle, Esq.
The pi - esent mansion was erected shortly
prior to 1770, by William Peareth, Esq.,
grandfather to the gentleman now possessing
the estate. It is a large handsome edifice,
builtof polished stone, ofregular architecture,
and m a commanding situation, with an ex-
tensive prospect to the south and east. A fine
grove shelters the mansion upon the north
and west, and the grounds are scattered over
with lofty fiourishing evergreens — yew, cy-
press, and Lusitauian laurel. Here also are
some remarkably fine beechtrees — anavenue
of them leading to the entrance of the house,
wlflch is to the north.
CASTLE GROVE, Ireland, near Letterkenny,
the seat of James Grove Wood, Esq.
92
SEATS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
This estate has remained in the Grove
family for more than two hundred years.
The late proprietor, Thomas Grove, took the
name of Brooke upon succeeding to the es-
tates of his maternal uncle, Henry Vaughan
Brooke, Esq., for mauy years member of par-
liament for Donegal. The preseut owner in-
herits this property through his maternal
grandfather, the late Bev. Charles Grove,
youuger hrother of Thomas Grove Brooke,
which latter died without issue.
The ancient residence of the Groves was at
Castle Shannahan; but of tbis the vaults
alone now remain. Castle Grove, the pre-
sent abode of the family, was built about the
year 1720, by William Grove, the grandson
of a retired officer of the Indian army. He
was among the first, with a body of Lough
Swilly men, in 1689, to march to the relief of
Derry, then besieged by King James : —
" First to the town young Forwaril came,
His bands from Burt proceeding ;
And Stewait and Grove, to the field of fame,
Lough Swiily's heroes leading."
Wilham Grove dying soon after the siege,
liis widow married the Governor and Com-
mander-in-chief, Colonel Johu Mitchelburn,
grandson of Sir Bichard Mitchelbum, of
Broadheart, in the county of Sussex.
The mansion here, wliich is a plaiu build-
ing, was repaire d and modernized, about thirty
years ago, by the late proprietor. It is beau-
tifully situated on tlie northern bank of
Lough Swilly, about midway between the
towns of Letterkenny and Bathmelton or
Bamelton.
The grounds, which contain about five
hundred acres, are tastefully planted and
highly cultivated.
GOGERTEAN, or, as it is often written,
Gogerddan, South Wales, in the co. of Car-
digan, and near Abeiystwith, the seat of
Pryse Loveden, Esq.
This estate belonged at one time to the ce-
lebrated Welsh hard, Bhydderch ab Jevan
Llwyd, who lived in the next age after
Dafyeld ab Gwilym, and was bom here. He
was brought up atOxford, with no less credit
to himself than to the university which fos-
tered him. Amongst other works, hehas left
a curious ode in English, from which we may
gather the pronunciation of om language in
tliose days.
It does not appear how this estate came
into the family of the Pryses, but they evi-
dently possessed it from an early period.
From John Pugh Pryse, who was member for
Caidiganshire, it descended to Lewis Pryse of
W Istock, in Oxfordshire, whose son suc-
ceeded to it for a short time, after his fathers
decease. He died unmarried in 1776, when
the property devolved to his sister, Margaret
Pryse, who married Edward Loveden, Esq.,
of Buscot Park, Berkslure, in which family it
still remains.
The mansion of Gogerthan stands in a fo-
rest of firs, upon elevated ground, and pre-
sents a very picturesque appearance. In the
year 1690 some valuable mines were discovered
upon this estate, atthe very thne that those in
the neighbourhood had begun to fail. Mey-
rick has left us a very full aud interesting
account of them, which cannotbe bettergiven
thau in his owu words: — "The ore was so
near the surface of the earth that the moss
and grass did but barely cover it. These
mines in their thne were not exceeded by any
in the kingdom for riches, and obtahied the
appellation of the Welsh Potosi.
" By virtue of the act of parliament passed
in the first of William and Mary, Sir Carbery,
hithe year 1690, took inseveral partners, and
divided his waste into fom thousand shares,
and got Mr. Waller, a miner from the north,
to be his agent, at a salary of two himdred
pounds per annum, and began to work mines
in his own lands. The society of miners
royal, finding them rich, laid elaim to them
by their patents, the act not being sufficiently
clear Upon this a law-suit ensued in the
year 1692, between Sir Carbery and Mr.
Shepherd, on behalf of the company. Sir
Carbery and his partners, amongst whom
there were several noblemen, viz., the Duke
ofLeeds, the Marquess of Caermarthen, &c,
taking advantage of the times, procured in
the year 1693 [SWilliam and Mary] a most
glorious act, which empowered all the sub-
jects of the crown in England to enjoy and
work their ownmines in EnglandandWales,
notwithstandingthey contained gold or silver,
provided the king, and those that claimed
nnder him, may have the ore,paying thepro-
prietors for itupon the bank within thirty days
after it is raised, and before it is removed for
lead ; lead, nine pounds per ton ; copper, ten
pounds, &c On his success, Sir Carberv is
saidtohaveriddenonhorseback[havingrel:ivs
of horsesontheroad] from Londonto Escair-
hir within forty-eight hours, so that in so
short a time the happy news was spread
among the inhabitants of that part of Cardi-
ganshire.
" The mineswere worked by the proprietor
of the Gogerthan estate durhig his lifetimej
but hediedwithout issue, and theminescame
into the hands of Sir HumphreyMackworth,
who purchased Mr. Edward Pryse's interest
andsharefor fifteen thousand pounds, though
the Gogerthan property still continued in
possession of a branch of the Pryses."
MABWS, South Wales, in the co. of Car-
digan, the seat of Captain J. A. Llovd
Philips.
This property was for a long series of years
held by the Lloydes, whose heiress, Anna
SEAT3 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
93
Marian Lloyde, married, in 1750, James
Lloyd of Foes y Blaiddied, in the parish of
I iledrod, county of Cavdigan.
The housewas erected inthe year 1000, hy
Richard Lloyde, Esq., of Ystradteilo, in the
pavish of Llanchysteil, at which thne the
fami]y removed from Ystradteilo, where they
had resided for centuries. It is an English
manor-house, huilt of hlue stone, and standing
upon high ground, of lavge size, and exceed-
ingly commodious. Up the centre of the
huilding runs a spacious staircase hnedwith
handsome carved oak, the growth of the
countvy, and most of the rooms are floored
with the same material. Itlooksoutonlavge
park-like meadows, and is surrounded hy
luxuriant woods. Through the gvounds
flows an excellent tvout stivam of considev-
able size.
