Part 1

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THE STATELY HOMES OF ENGLAND

by

LLEWELLYNN JEWITT, F.S.A., ETC., ETC.

and

S. C. HALL, F.S.A.

Complete in Two Series.

Illustrated with Three Hundred and Eighty Engravings on Wood

New York A. W. Lovering, Importer.

INTRODUCTION.

ENGLAND is rich—immeasurably richer than any other country under the sun—in its “Homes;” and these homes, whether of the sovereign or of the high nobility, of the country squire or the merchant-prince, of the artisan or the labourer, whether, in fact, they are palace or cottage, or of any intermediate grade, have a character possessed by none other. England, whose

“Home! sweet home!”

has become almost a national anthem—so closely is its sentiment entwined around the hearts of the people of every class—is, indeed, emphatically a Kingdom of Homes; and these, and their associations and surroundings, and the love which is felt for them, are its main source of true greatness. An Englishman feels, wherever he may be, that

“Home _is_ home, however lowly;”

and that, despite the attractions of other countries and the glare and brilliancy of foreign courts and foreign phases of society, after all

“There’s no place like home”

in his own old fatherland.

Beautifully has the gifted poet, Mrs. Hemans, sung of English “Homes,” and charmingly has she said—

“The Stately Homes of England, How beautiful they stand Amidst their tall ancestral trees O’er all the pleasant land!”

and thus given to us a title for our present work. Of these “Stately Homes” of our “pleasant land” we have chosen some few for illustration, not for their stateliness alone, but because the true nobility of their owners allows their beauties, their splendour, their picturesque surroundings, and their treasures of art to be seen and enjoyed by all.

Whether “stately” in their proportions or in their style of architecture, in their internal decorations or their outward surroundings, in the halo of historical associations which encircle them, or in the families which have made their greatness, and whose high and noble characters have given them an enduring interest, these “Homes” are indeed a fitting and pleasant subject for pen and pencil. The task of their illustration has been a peculiarly grateful one to us, and we have accomplished it with loving hands, and with a sincere desire to make our work acceptable to a large number of readers.

In the first instance, our notices of these “Stately Homes” appeared in the pages of the _Art-Journal_, for which, indeed, they were specially prepared, with the ultimate intention, now carried out, of issuing them in a collected form. They have, however, now been rearranged, and have received considerable, and in many instances very important, additions. The present volume may be looked upon as the first of a short series of volumes devoted to this pleasant and fascinating subject; others of a similar character, embracing many equally beautiful, equally interesting, and equally “stately” Homes will follow.

LLEWELLYNN JEWITT.

WINSTER HALL, DERBYSHIRE.

CONTENTS OF FIRST SERIES.

PAGE

I.—ALTON TOWERS, STAFFORDSHIRE 1

II.—COBHAM HALL, KENT 37

III.—MOUNT EDGCUMBE, DEVONSHIRE 54

IV.—COTHELE, CORNWALL 70

V.—ALNWICK CASTLE, NORTHUMBERLAND 78

VI.—HARDWICK HALL, DERBYSHIRE 116

VII.—ARUNDEL CASTLE, SUSSEX 153

VIII.—PENSHURST, KENT 172

IX.—WARWICK CASTLE, WARWICKSHIRE 192

X.—HADDON HALL, DERBYSHIRE 221

XI.—HATFIELD HOUSE, HERTFORDSHIRE 294

XII.—CASSIOBURY, HERTFORDSHIRE 308

XIII.—CHATSWORTH, DERBYSHIRE 322

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

FIRST SERIES.

Page I.—ALTON TOWERS.

Lion Fountain 1

Ruins of Alton Castle 2

Alton Towers, from the Terrace 4

” from the Lake 6

The Octagon 8

The Conservatories and Alcove 11

The Temple 19

The Conservatories 22

The Pagoda 24

Choragic Temple 27

View from the Lower Terrace 29

The Gothic Temple 31

Part of the Grounds 33

Hospital of St. John 34

II.—COBHAM HALL.

Initial Letter 37

Cobham Hall 38

The Three Sisters 43

The Lodge 45

Interior of the Church 48

The College Porch 50

The College 52

III.—MOUNT EDGCUMBE.

The Eddystone Lighthouse 54

Plymouth Breakwater 57

Mount Edgcumbe, from Stonehouse Pier 59

The Mansion 61

Lady Emma’s Cottage 64

The Gardens 65

The Ruin, the Sound, Drake’s Island, &c. 68

The Salute Battery 69

IV.—COTHELE.

The Mansion 73

The Landing Place 75

V.—ALNWICK CASTLE.

Lighting the Beacon 78

Plan of Alnwick Castle 80

Alnwick Castle, from the River Aln 81

The Barbican 83

The Prudhoe Tower and Chapel 85

The Keep 87

Norman Gateway in the Keep 89

The Armourer’s Tower 91

Figure of Warrior on the Barbican 93

The Well in the Keep 94

The Constable’s Tower 95

Figure of Warrior on the Barbican 96

The East Garret 98

The Garden Gate, or Warder’s Tower 99

Bond Gate: “Hotspur’s Gate” 103

Alnwick Abbey 105

The Percy Cross 107

Hulne Abbey: The Percy Tower 109

” The Church 111

The Brislee Tower 114

VI.—HARDWICK HALL.

Ancient Pargetting, and Arms of Cavendish 116

Hardwick Hall, with the Entrance Gateway 118

The West Front 122

The Great Hall 125

The Grand Staircase 127

The Chapel 129

The Presence Chamber 131

Mary Queen of Scots’ Room 133

The Picture Gallery 135

Ancient Lock, and Arms of Hardwick 137

Hardwick Hall, from the Park 139

The Old Hall at Hardwick 142

Interior of the Old Hall 144

Fac-simile of the Countess of Shrewsbury’s Signature 145

Hault Hucknall Church 146

The Grave of Hobbes of Malmesbury in Hault Hucknall Church 148

VII.—ARUNDEL CASTLE.

Horned Owls in the Keep 153

The Quadrangle 156

Entrance Gate, from the Interior 158

The Keep 160

The Library 163

The Church of the Holy Trinity 169

Tombs of Thomas Fitzalan and Lady Beatrix in Arundel Church 171

VIII.—PENSHURST.

The Bell 172

Penshurst, from the President’s Court 174

North and West Fronts 177

View from the Garden 179

The Baron’s Court 182

The Village and Entrance to Churchyard 185

The Record Tower and the Church, from the Garden 186

The Hall and Minstrels’ Gallery 188

IX.—WARWICK CASTLE.

The Swan of Avon 192

The Castle, from the Temple Field 194

The Keep, from the Inner Court 196

Earl of Warwick and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester 198

Earl of Warwick’s Combat before the Emperor Sigismund and the Empress 199

Earl of Warwick Departing on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 200

Badge of the Earl of Warwick 201

Cæsar’s Tower 202

The Castle, from the Bridge 203

The Castle, from the Island 205

Guy’s Tower 206

The Warder’s Horn 207

The Castle, from the Outer Court 209

The Inner Court, from the Keep 211

Guy’s and the Clock Tower, from the Keep 212

The Castle, from the banks of the Avon 214

The Beauchamp Chapel; Monument of the Founder 216

The Confessional 217

The Oratory 218

Warwick: The East Gate 219

X.—HADDON HALL.

Dorothy Vernon’s Door 221

Haddon, from the Meadows on the Bakewell Road 223

The “Peacock” at Rowsley 225

Haddon, from the Rowsley Road 226

Arms of Vernon quartering Avenell 227

Arms of Lord Vernon 230

Haddon, from the Meadows 234

The Main Entrance 235

Inside of Gateway 236

Ground and Garden Plan of Haddon 237

The first Court-yard 239

Gateway under the Eagle Tower 240

The Chaplain’s Room 241

The Chapel 242

Norman Font in the Chapel 244

Wall-paintings in the Chapel 248

Steps to State Apartments 249

Roman Altar, Haddon Hall 250

The Banqueting-Hall: with the Minstrels’ Gallery 251

Old Oak-table in the Banqueting-Hall 252

The Hand-lock in the Banqueting-Hall 252

Staircase to Minstrels’ Gallery 253

Oriel Window in the Dining-room 255

Ante-room to the Earl’s Bed-room 256

The Ball-room, or Long Gallery 257

Steps to the Ball-room 259

Dorothy Vernon’s Door: Interior 260

Dorothy Vernon’s Door: Exterior 261

The State Bed-room 263

The Archers’ Room, for Stringing Bows, &c. 264

The Rack for Stringing the Bows 265

The Eagle, or Peverel Tower 266

Gallery across Small Yard 267

Room over the Entrance Gateway 268

The Terrace 270

The Hall from the Terrace 271

Arms of Family of Manners 272

Arms of the Duke of Rutland 278

The Foot-Bridge 279

Ring found at Haddon Hall 280

Washing-Tally found at Haddon Hall 281

Bakewell Church 283

Monument of Sir John Manners and his Wife, Dorothy Vernon 286

Ancient Cross, Bakewell Churchyard 290

XI.—HATFIELD HOUSE.

Armed Knight 294

The Old Palace at Hatfield 295

The Front View 297

The Garden front of Hatfield House 299

The East View 302

The Gallery 304

The Hall 305

XII.—CASSIOBURY.

Crest of the Earl of Essex 308

Back View 310

From the Wood Walks 313

From the South-west 315

The Swiss Cottage 317

The Lodge 318

Monument in the Church at Watford 320

XIII.—CHATSWORTH.

Entrance to the Stables 322

The Old Hall as it formerly stood 325

Chatsworth from the River Derwent 333

The Entrance Gates 335

The Grand Entrance-Lodge at Baslow 340

Edensor Mill Lodge and Beeley Bridge 341

Entrance Gate 342

The Bridge over the River Derwent, in the Park 343

The Great Hall and Staircase 344

Vista of the State Apartments 346

Grinling Gibbons’ Masterpiece 348

The Old State Bed-room 349

The State Drawing-room 351

The State Dining room 352

The Drawing-room 355

The Hebe of Canova 356

The Library 357

Fireplace by Westmacott in the Dining-room 359

The Sculpture Gallery 360

Mater Napoleonis 361

The Pavilion and Orangery, from the East 363

Carving over one of the Doors of the Chapel 365

Carving over one of the Doors of the Chapel 366

Carvings in the Chapel 367

The Private or West Library 370

The Sculpture Gallery and Orangery 372

Bust of the late Duke of Devonshire 373

The French Garden 374

The Great Cascade 375

The Alcove 376

Waterworks—The Willow Tree 377

Part of the Rock-work 378

The Great Conservatory 379

Part of the Rock-work—The Rocky Portal 380

The Emperor Fountain 381

The Garden on the West Front 382

West Front from the South 383

The Hunting Tower 384

Mary Queen of Scots’ Bower 385

The late Sir Joseph Paxton’s House 386

The Victoria Regia 388

Edensor Church and Village 389

Monumental Brass to John Beton 391

Cavendish Monument, Edensor Church 392

Tomb of the Sixth Duke of Devonshire 393

The Chatsworth Hotel, Edensor 395

ALTON TOWERS.

WE commence this series with ALTON TOWERS, one of the most interesting of the many Stately Homes of England that dignify and glorify the Kingdom; deriving interest not alone from architectural grandeur and the picturesque and beautiful scenery by which it is environed, but as a perpetual reminder of a glorious past—its associations being closely allied with the leading heroes and worthies of our country.

The Laureate asks, apparently in a tone of reproach—

“Why don’t these acred sirs Throw up their parks some dozen times a year, And let the people breathe?”

The poet cannot be aware that a very large number of the “parks” of the nobility and gentry of England are “thrown up” not a “dozen times” but a hundred times in every year; and that, frequently, thousands of “the people” breathe therein—as free to all the enjoyments they supply as the owners themselves. Generally, also, on fixed days, the chief rooms, such as are highly decorated or contain pictures—the STATE APARTMENTS—are open also; and all that wealth has procured, as far as the eye is concerned, is as much the property of the humblest artisan as it is of the lord of the soil.

And what a boon it is to the sons and daughters of toil—the hard-handed men—with their wives and children—workers at the forge, the wheel, and the loom,—who thus make holiday, obtain enjoyment, and gain health, under the shadows of “tall ancestral trees” planted centuries ago by men whose names are histories.

Indeed a closed park, and a shut-up mansion, are, now, not the rule, but the exception; the noble or wealthy seem eager to share their acquisitions with the people; and continually, as at Alton Towers, picturesque and comfortable “summer houses” have been erected for the ease, shelter, and refreshment of all comers. Visitors of any rank or grade are permitted to wander where they will, and it is gratifying to add, that very rarely has any evil followed such license. At Alton Towers, a few shillings usually pays the cost consequent upon an inroad of four thousand modern “iconoclasts:” the grounds being frequently visited by so many in one day.

The good that hence arises is incalculable: it removes the barriers that separate the rich from the poor, the peer from the peasant, the magnate from the labourer; and contributes to propagate and confirm the true patriotism that arises from holy love of country.

Alton, Alveton, Elveton, or Aulton, was held by the Crown at the time of taking the Domesday survey, but, it would appear, afterwards reverted to its original holders; Rohesia, the only child of the last of whom, brought Alton, by marriage, to Bertram de Verdon, who had been previously married to Maude, daughter of Robert de Ferrars, first Earl of Derby. Alveton thus became the _caput baroniæ_ of the Verdon family, its members being Wooton, Stanton, Farley, Ramsor, Coton, Bradley, Spon, Denston, Stramshall, and Whiston.

From the Verdons, through the Furnivals and Neviles, Alton passed to the Earls of Shrewsbury, as will be seen from the following notice of the Verdon family. Godfreye Compte le Verdon, surnamed de Caplif, had a son, Bertram de Verdon, who held Farnham Royal, Bucks, by grand sergeantry, circa 1080. He had three sons, one of whom, Norman de Verdon, Lord of Weobly, co. Hereford, married Lasceline, daughter of Geoffrey de Clinton, and by her had, with other issue, Bertram de Verdon, who was a Crusader, and founded Croxden, or Crokesden, Abbey, near Alton, in the twenty-third year of Henry II., anno 1176. He married twice: his first wife being Maude, daughter of Robert de Ferrars, first Earl of Derby (who died without issue in 1139), and his second being Rohesia, daughter and heiress of a former possessor of Alton, through which marriage he became possessed of that manor, castle, &c. He was Sheriff of the counties of Warwick and Leicester, and, dying at Joppa, was buried at Acre. By his wife Rohesia (who died in 1215) he had issue—William; Thomas, who married Eustachia, daughter of Gilbert Bassett; Bertram; Robert; Walter, who was Constable of Bruges Castle; and Nicholas, through whom the line is continued through John de Verdon, who, marrying Marjorie, one of the co-heiresses of Walter de Lacie, Lord Palatine of the county of Meath, had issue by her—Sir Nicholas de Verdon of Ewyas-Lacie Castle; John de Verdon, Lord of Weobly; Humphrey; Thomas; Agnes; and Theobald, who was Constable of Ireland, 3rd Edward I., and was in 1306 summoned as Baron Verdon. He died at Alton in 1309, and was buried at Croxden Abbey. His son, Theobald de Verdon, by his first wife, Elizabeth, widow of John de Burgh, Earl of Ulster, and daughter and one of the co-heiresses of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, by “Joane de Acres,” had a daughter, married to Lord Ferrars of Groby; and, by his second wife, Maude, daughter of Edmund, first Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, had issue, besides three sons who died during his lifetime, three daughters, who became his co-heiresses.

One of these, Margaret (who married three times), had Weobly Castle for her portion; another, Elizabeth, married to Lord de Burghersh, had Ewyas-Lacie Castle for her portion; and the other, Joan, had for her portion Alton, with its castle and dependencies. This lady (Joan de Verdon) married, firstly, William de Montague; and, secondly, Thomas, second Lord Furnival, who, for marrying her without the king’s licence, was fined in the sum of £200. She had by this marriage two sons, Thomas and William, who were successively third and fourth Barons Furnival, lords of Hallamshire. This William, Lord Furnival, married Thomasin, daughter and heiress of Nicholas, second Baron Dagworth of Dagworth, and had by her a sole daughter and heiress, Joan de Furnival, who, marrying Thomas Neville of Hallamshire, brother to the Earl of Westmoreland, conveyed to him the title and estates, he being summoned in 1383 as fifth Baron Furnival. By her he had issue, two daughters and co-heiresses, the eldest of whom, Maude, “Lady of Hallamshire,” married, in 1408, John Talbot, afterwards first Earl of Shrewsbury and sixth Baron Talbot of Goderich—“_Le Capitaine Anglais_.” This nobleman, whose military career was one of the most brilliant recorded in English history, was summoned as Baron Furnival of Sheffield in 1409; created Earl of Shrewsbury, 1442; and Earl of Waterford, &c., 1446. He was slain, aged eighty, at Chatillon, in 1453, and was buried at Whitchurch. This Earl of Shrewsbury, who so conspicuously figures in Shakespeare’s _Henry VI._, enjoyed, among his other titles, that of “Lord Verdon of Alton”—a title which continued in the family, the Alton estates having now for nearly five centuries uninterruptedly belonged to them.

The titles of this great Earl of Shrewsbury are thus set forth by Shakespeare, when Sir William Lucy, seeking the Dauphin’s tent, to learn what prisoners have been taken, and to “survey the bodies of the dead,” demands—

“Where is the great Alcides of the field, Valiant Lord Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury? Created, for his rare success in arms, Great Earl of Washford, Waterford, and Valence Lord Talbot of Goodrig and Urchinfield, Lord Strange, of Blackmere, _Lord Verdun of Alton_, Lord Cromwell of Wingfield, Lord Furnival of Sheffield, The thrice victorious Lord of Falconbridge; Knight of the noble order of Saint George, Worthy Saint Michael, and the Golden Fleece; Great Mareshal to Henry the Sixth Of all his wars within the realm of France.”

To which, it will be remembered, La Pucelle contemptuously replies—

“Here is a silly stately style indeed! The Turk, that two-and-fifty kingdoms hath— Writes not so tedious a style as this— Him that thou magnifiest with all these titles, Stinking and fly-blown, lies here at our feet.”