Part 1
# The Baronial Halls, and Ancient Picturesque Edifices of England; Vol. 2 of 2 ### By Hall, S. C. (Samuel Carter)
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THE
BARONIAL HALLS,
AND
ANCIENT PICTURESQUE EDIFICES OF ENGLAND.
FROM DRAWINGS BY
J. D. HARDING, G. CATTERMOLE, S. PROUT, W. MÜLLER, J. HOLLAND,
AND OTHER EMINENT ARTISTS.
EXECUTED IN COLOURED LITHOTINTS, BY DAY AND SON AND HANHART.
THE TEXT BY S. C. HALL, F.S.A.
EMBELLISHED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD.
IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II.
LONDON: WILLIS AND SOTHERAN, 136, STRAND. MDCCCLVIII.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.
SAWSTON HALL CAMBRIDGESHIRE From a _J. Dafforne_. Drawing by BRERETON HALL CHESHIRE -- _H. L. Pratt_. CREWE HALL -- -- _C. J. Richardson, F.S.A._ DORFOLD HALL -- -- _C. J. Richardson, F.S.A._ MORETON HALL -- -- _H. L. Pratt_. PLÂS HOUSE CORNWALL -- _J. Gendall_. NAWORTH CUMBERLAND -- _George Cattermole_. NAWORTH, LONG GALLERY -- -- _George Cattermole_. HADDON HALL DERBYSHIRE -- _T. Allom_. HADDON HALL, INTERIOR -- -- _T. Allom_. HARDWICK HALL -- -- _Lake Price_. FORD HALL DEVONSHIRE -- _J. Gendall_. SHERBORNE LODGE DORSETSHIRE -- _C. J. Richardson, F.S.A._ AUDLEY END ESSEX -- _J. D. Harding_. AUDLEY END, INTERIOR -- -- _J. D. Harding_. FEERING HOUSE -- -- _F. W. Fairholt, F.S.A._ HOREHAM HALL -- -- _F. W. Fairholt, F.S.A._ ST. OSYTH’S PRIORY -- -- _J. Dafforne_. BERKELEY CASTLE GLOUCESTERSHIRE -- _J. G. Jackson_. BRAMSHILL HAMPSHIRE -- _F. W. Hulme_. HATFIELD HOUSE HERTFORDSHIRE -- _F. W. Hulme_. KNEBWORTH -- -- _F. W. Hulme_. HINCHINBROOK HOUSE HUNTINGDONSHIRE -- _G. H. Harrison_. CHARLTON HOUSE KENT -- _J. Holland_. COBHAM HALL -- -- _J. D. Harding_. COBHAM CHURCH, INTERIOR -- -- _J. D. Harding_. HEVER CASTLE -- -- _G. F. Sargent_. KNOLE, RETAINERS’ GALLERY -- -- _S. Rayner_. PENSHURST, FROM THE PARK -- -- _J. D. Harding_. PENSHURST, THE COURTYARD -- -- _J. D. Harding_. HALL I’ THE WOOD LANCASHIRE -- _J. D. Harding_. SMITHELL’S HALL -- -- _J. S. Dodd_. SPEKE HALL -- -- _J. D. Harding_. SPEKE HALL, INTERIOR -- -- _Thomas Allom_. TURTON TOWER -- -- _J. S. Dodd_.
[Illustration:
Drawn by J. Dafforne. M. & N. Hanhart, Lithogʳˢ.
SAWSTON HALL CAMBRIDGESHIRE.]
SAWSTON HALL
CAMBRIDGESHIRE.
[Illustration: S]awston Hall is situated to the right of the long and straggling village of Sawston, on the high-road to Cambridge, from which it is distant about six miles. For many centuries it has been the residence of the Huddlestons, an ancient and honourable family, of the Roman Catholic faith. The mansion lies low, and is partially hidden by thickly-clustered cottages and gardens. It is a large quadrangular building, erected during the reign of Queen Mary, under circumstances which we shall presently explain. It retains much of its original character, both externally and internally; and, although it cannot boast of great architectural beauty, it may be considered as a good example of the gable-ended style of the sixteenth century. The principal entrance is by a low door-way, underneath a porch, leading into a spacious hall, paved with Kettering stone and black marble, and lighted by two windows, exhibited in the appended wood-cut, and a large bay-window
[Illustration]
on the same side.[1] The wainscotting has been stained to imitate walnut-wood. The walls are adorned by several finely-painted portraits. Of the rooms on the upper floor there are none that demand especial notice: two of the bed-chambers are, however, hung with faded tapestry, concealing doors that lead to remote parts of the building. The antique damask bed-furniture and quilted coverlets are relics of ages long passed away. The Gallery, hung with old family portraits, extends nearly the whole depth of the mansion--being upwards of one hundred feet long by about eighteen wide, with oak panels to the ceiling. A door-way in the court-yard conducts to a neat chapel, containing a window of stained glass, and an altar of fine Egyptian marble, inlaid with lapis lazuli. The venerable edifice
[Illustration]
derives its principal attraction from its associations with the olden time: it is impossible to wander through its now nearly deserted apartments, without reading a solemn and impressive passage from history. Its great characteristic is solitude. The present occupant--a bachelor of venerable years--is almost the last of a distinguished and honourable race, leading a secluded life in the house consecrated by a long line of noble ancestors. Though dwelling apart from the business and turmoil of life, secluded alike from the toils and anxieties of the world, where
“Silence pervades the halls of revelry;”
there are, nevertheless, many who can testify to the active benevolence of his nature, to his worthily representing the virtues of generations of great and good men; and that when he dies “his works will follow him.”
In supplying some details of the family history, we avail ourselves of the genealogical roll, which the courtesy of the venerable representative permitted us to inspect. We copy the superscription: the document itself is upwards of eighteen feet long, and contains a multitude of names
“Writ in the annals of their country’s fame.”
“This Pedegree, Genealogy, or liniall Descent of the Ayntient and Rightworthey Famylie of Hodlestone of Salstone, in the Countey of Cambridg, and of Hodlestone, Lords of Milham, in the Countey of Cumberlande, and of divers other Manners and Lordshipps, shewing theire Matches and Aliances with many Princely, and Honorable, and Right Noble famyleyes, faithfulley and carefulley Drawne and Collected out of the Publick Recordes of this Kingdom, Ayntient deedes and evidences, bookes of Arms, and other venerable Prooves, by John Taylor, at the Lute, in fleetstreet, Anno 1641.”
The pedigree on the maternal side begins with Henry I., continues through the various monarchs who filled the throne of England down to Edward III. and John of Gaunt, whose sole daughter, Joane, became the wife of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland, by whom she had a son, Richard, married to Alice, daughter and heir of Thomas Montague, Earl of Salisbury; at whose death, in 1428, the earldom became extinct, but was afterwards revived in the person of the aforesaid Richard, from whom descended Joane (wife of William Fitz-Allan, eighth Earl of Arundel), Richard Earl of Warwick, the “King-maker,” and John Marquis of Montagu, slain with his brother at the battle of Barnet. This last married Isabella, daughter and heiress of Sir Edmond Inglethorpe, Knt., by whom he had five daughters, coheiresses, of whom one, Isabella, was the wife of Sir William Hodleston, Knt., of Salston, in the county of Cambridge; to him the estate descended in right of his wife. The deed of conveyance, dated 17th Henry VII., is in the possession of Mr. Huddleston.
On the paternal side, the list commences with Nigell de Hodleston, settled in Cumberland at the time of Henry I., which Nigell, surnamed Propositus (provost or warden), “gave to the Abbey of Selby two carrucates of land and a half in Millum, and parte of his tythe in Hodleston, with the socage, &c.” About the same period mention is made of Godard de Millum, who gave to the Abbey of St. Mary of Furney’s certain lands “for the safety of his soul, and of all his ancestors.” Sir Adam de Hodleston sat in Parliament as Knight of the Shire, in the third of Edward II., and afterwards became connected by marriage with Miles de Stapleton de Bedell, of the county of York. Millum Castle was fortified and embattled, in 1335, by Sir John de Hodleston; and a Richard de Hodleston was a man-at-arms at the battle of Agincourt, in the retinue of Sir William de Harington, Knight of the Garter. He was knighted after the engagement, by the king.
From an intermarriage among the descendants of Nigell and Goddard, sprang the above-mentioned Sir William Hodleston, whose grandson, John,[2] (afterwards knighted by Mary), was united to Bridgett, daughter of Robert Cotton, of Landwade, or Lanwood, ancestor of the present Sir Vincent Cotton; for him, or by him, Sawston Hall, as it now stands, was erected.
The circumstances connected with the building of Sawston Hall are akin to Romance. The popular tradition is, that it was erected at the cost of Queen Mary, who, when a fugitive from her enemies, after the death of Edward VI., found shelter in the ancient house of the Huddlestons. Her pursuers reached the Hall within a very short time after she had quitted it; and in their rage of disappointment at losing their prey, burnt to the ground the mansion that had harboured her. She is said to have witnessed the conflagration from a distant hill; and to have exclaimed, “Let the house burn; I will build Huddleston a better.”
“She kept her word:” writes a modern historian. “Sawston Hall was built by her order, and at her cost.” Unfortunately, however, there exists evidence that the Queen forgot her promise, if she ever made it, to her preserver. It is believed, indeed, that “she gave the stone from Cambridge Castle to rebuild the House,” but it is certain that, at least, it was unfinished many years after Mary’s death, although commenced during her lifetime. In the court-yard are two stones, which record the dates--probably of the commencement and termination of the building. Upon one are the initials, J. H., and the date 1557; on the other, those of E. H., (Edmund, son of Sir John,) with the date 1584.
The village of Sawston stands in the hundred of Whittlesford, and deanery of Camps. There are four manors in this parish--Pyrotts, Dernford, Dale, and Huntington--all now the property of Mr. Huddleston. The manor of Pyrotts continued until the year 1329 in the immediate descendants of Pirotus, who held it under Eudo Fitzherbert, Steward of the Household to William the Conqueror. Sir Edmund de la Pole died, seised of this manor and Dernford, in 1419. Mr. Huddleston’s ancestor came into possession of them--which had descended from the De la Poles through the Ingeldesthorps to the noble family of Neville--by his marriage with the daughter of the Marquis Montagu. The manors of Dale and Huntington were purchased by Sir Edmund Huddleston before the year 1580; the manor of Dale, or Le Dale, had been in the Saliston, or Sawston, family, who held it under the manor of Pyrotts by the service of finding an armed soldier whenever the owner of that manor should attend the King to the wars. Near the entrance to the park, there formerly stood an ancient cross, the shaft and pedestal of which alone remain. It forms the subject of our initial letter.
[Illustration]
The church of Sawston, which abuts on the park, appears to have been built about the thirteenth century; like most of the churches of Cambridgeshire, it possesses a fine open porch. Sir John Huddleston, who spent the greater part of his fortune in the service of Philip of Spain after Mary’s death, lies buried in the chancel here. The following inscription is engraved on a brass plate placed on the tomb, represented in the annexed woodcut.
“Here lyeth entombed the bodye of Sʳ John Huddleston, Knighte, vice-chamberlayne unto King Phylipe, and captaine of his garde; and one of Queen Marye’s most honorable pryvie Councell, who died yᵉ fourthe day of Novembr, in the yeare of our Lorde God 1557.”
[Illustration: BRERETON HALL, CHESHIRE.]
BRERETON HALL,
CHESHIRE.
[Illustration: B]RERETON.--This Mansion, designated by Webb “the stately House of Brereton,” with which the name of Elizabeth, our maiden Queen, is much associated, stands in a beautiful green vale, fertilized by the little river Croco. It is within five miles of Congleton, and three of Sandbach. The plain of Cheshire displays great richness and exuberance in this neighbourhood; and although “evil times” have fallen upon the ancient demesne of Brereton--the park having been stripped of its old familiar trees--it has recently resumed a character of graceful serenity and luxuriance.
Brereton Hall has a western aspect, and looks across the pleasant valley, along which the little stream before mentioned pursues its course, in a direction parallel to the front of the House. In form the plan of the original building somewhat resembled the letter E, consisting of a long front, graced by two octagonal turrets, and two wings, having the gables slightly advancing on the front, but receding backwards a considerable distance. Behind the two stories of apartments above the basement, which were only one room in depth, ran a long corridor, on each floor, communicating with the wings. Amongst the various mutations which time and an attention to convenience and comfort has brought with it to the Hall, a geometrical staircase has been made in the back wall of the corridor, and a large block of offices has been built between the receding wings behind.
Camden, speaking of Brereton, tell us that Sir William Brereton “added much credit and honour to the place by a magnificent and sumptuous house that he had there built.” The building is of brick, quoined with stone. That Queen Elizabeth laid the first stone of this house, and visited it, at a subsequent period, when hospitality presided in its halls, we have not only the authority of unquestioned tradition, but also that of numerous memorials scattered on its walls. The central portion of its exterior seems to have been especially devoted to ornament, and also to defence. On each side of the door-way, there rises from the ground an octagonal tower or turret, projecting by five of its panes from the wall, and formerly ascending above the building, to terminate in a dome, but now surmounted by a low stone battlement. Immediately over the centre of the door-way the sculptures begin by the shield of the Brereton Arms, bearing two bars sable, being suspended on an ermine mantle, from a helmet supporting the crest--the head of a muzzled bear;--below which is the date 1586. In the spandrels of the elliptical arch of this entrance the arms are repeated with different quarterings, a rose being superadded on each side. We next come to a division, reaching quite across the central part of the front, from the outer side of one turret to that of the other, which is richly adorned. In the first place, it is divided into a number of compartments by a series of short carved pilasters, doubled at every angle of the turrets. Square sculptured stones occupy some of the compartments thus formed. In the middle, however--the place of honour--are the arms of Queen Elizabeth, with the garter, bearing the motto, the crest and supporters, on a tablet of good dimensions. On one side of these is a large rose, on the other a portcullis, both crowned, and both also surmounted by the letters E. R. This ornamental stage of pilasters and sculptures, with the heraldic insignia, is repeated above the square-headed windows, the royal arms again occupying the centre. Each turret has a chalice in high relief on its front pane, below the battlements. But, besides these decorations, so distinctive of the taste of the age in which it was erected, this “stately house of Brereton” bears, in this part, and especially on the different faces of the turrets, and near their tops, to command various angles, as well as different distances, another interesting indication of the days of “good Queen Bess,” happily now grown so unfamiliar to our view. We allude to the numerous large portholes which still frown over the peaceful vale. Above the rise of the roof the turrets are conjoined by a closed gallery, occupied by borders and other decorative sculptures, and supported by a depressed arch of some magnitude. The embattled parapet is continued from the turret on each side, along the front of the house to the gables of the wings, being in the place of an open balustrade, which formerly rose here. Each end of the house is furnished with a large bay, both at the front and the side, which are occupied by windows, and surmounted by a pediment containing sculptured ornaments. The effect of this entire front, over which the gray tint of the masonry prevails, being rich in its antique decorations, is solemn and imposing. Yet it excites, rather than satisfies our curiosity.
On ascending the flight of steps in the entrance-hall, we immediately perceive that modern alterations have greatly effaced the impression of former days with which we had expected to have been greeted. There still remain, however, many notable traces left behind. In a good apartment, opening into the corridor, on the left, is a richly sculptured Chimney-piece, which has been removed from a lodging above, called Queen Elizabeth’s Room. On a panel over the fire-place, bordered with carving, the Brereton Arms were formerly emblazoned in inlaid wood of different colours, upon their ermine mantle, which gave rise to the appellation of Queen Elizabeth’s Fan. The original panel is still in the house, though much dilapidated; but the heraldic achievements have been reproduced by the hands of the painter. The Drawing-room in the south wing has a fine bay window, and retains the old oak wainscoting. The ornamental Chimney-piece in this room is divided by pilasters into three panels, having carved borders, and containing the Brereton Arms. But the chief apartment of the House is in this wing--the spacious and magnificent Dining-room. This noble apartment is rich in the usual armorial decorations. Over the massive architectural Mantel-piece of the period, the pilasters of which reach from the floor to the ceiling, the arms of Queen Elizabeth are fully displayed; the supporters being the golden lion and the red dragon, the latter the cognizance of the Tudor family. The letters E. R. occupy the sides of the royal crest, whilst the words _Vivat Regina_, and the date, 1585, occur below. The family crest and motto, “_Opitulante Deo_,” are not omitted. Indeed the armorial bearings richly emblazoned, with various quarterings, are repeated again in the window in stained glass. Around the entire circuit of the room, except over the fire-place, where the vacancy is filled up by a scroll and figures supporting a celestial globe, immediately below the ceiling, there runs a curious series of heraldic achievements in carved oak, now emblazoned afresh. They represent crowns and shields bearing the arms of forty-three different states and principalities; to each of which is attached a scroll, with the name of the King or Emperor in Latin. In the windings of every one of these scrolls there is placed a large white, and also a red rose. The shield of the King of Jerusalem (REX HIERUSALEM) bears an ornamented cross, and his crown is a crown of thorns. It might be difficult to divine the meaning of this display of escutcheons and names. If they were intended to represent the allies of the Queen, or those of her family, allegory seems to have been intimately mingled in the device, from the celestial globe above her head, glittering with golden stars on cerulean blue, to all the subsidiary parts.
Queen Elizabeth’s room is a good-sized square apartment immediately over the entrance-hall; formerly panelled round the lower part of the walls, but now presenting no evidence of its former high destiny. Other bed-rooms, however, retain their ancient ornamental chimney-pieces, in alabaster and stone, supported and divided by odd-looking pilasters in the Elizabethan style. The oft-repeated Arms of Brereton, painted and sculptured, occur again and again. In a room south of the entrance they are given with supporters, viz., dexter, a greyhound, sinister, a muzzled bear; and each of the panels at the sides bears a coronet, from which is suspended a medal containing a flourished cipher of the name, _W. Brereton_. In this part of the building some of the old oak floorings remain. A bed-room in the north wing has an alabaster chimney-piece, with the date 1633 on it. In a room in the south wing, formerly the drawing-room, there is an oaken wreath with acorns round the family crest, finely executed in a close-grained stone. A portion of the ancient oaken staircase, leading from the grand dining-room below to this apartment, is still preserved. The landing of this staircase is curious, as exhibiting the former state of the house unchanged. Around the top of the walls, below the ceiling, is painted a long series of escutcheons bearing the arms of various Cheshire families, with the name on a label attached to each. And the window is occupied in its upper part by six compartments, containing the heraldic devices of the five following families, whose names and the dates are inscribed below, (the sixth is vacant,) viz.,--
LEIGH OF BOOTHES. MANWARINGE OF CROERTON. TROWTEBEKE, 1577. CORBET DE LEGH. RADELIFFE, 1577.
Brereton occurs in the Survey--when it formed part of the territorial possessions of Gilbert de Venables, Baron of Kinderton. A family, which assumed the local name, had a grant of it as early as the reign of William Rufus. This is the parent stock of the very widely-spreading family of Brereton; and they are to be traced here to about the year 1200. Sir William Brereton, 13th in descent from the founder, was engaged in the wars in Ireland. In 1534, with his son John, he was inshored at Howth with 250 soldiers, well appointed. In the same year he went to summon the strongly fortified castle of Maynooth, which he took by storm, running up “the highest turret of the castle, and advancing his standard on the top thereof, notifienge to the Deputie that the fort was woone.” Another Sir William built this stately mansion, and entertained his royal guest within its halls. In 1624 Sir William Brereton was created Lord Brereton of Leighlin in Ireland, on the death of Francis Lord Brereton. In the wars between Charles I. and the Parliament, another Sir William of this family, but not of Brereton Hall, the famous parliamentarian general, took a very conspicuous part. So early as August, 1642, he began to beat up for recruits, and in the severe contest of the following years, attended by such various fortune, he many times commanded in this county. In June 1644, he received the appointment of Major-General of Cheshire from the Parliament; and ultimately took the strong fortress of Beeston Castle, and the city of Chester itself, by siege; which put an end to the war in this county. Lord Brereton, of Brereton Hall, however, who had espoused the cause of the King, fled before his nephew the parliamentarian general, to Biddulph Hall, in Staffordshire, whither Sir William pursued him, and took him prisoner.[3] In 1722, the male line of the family. In 1722 the male line of the family became extinct by the death of Lord Brereton. The Hall and estates subsequently passed, through female inheritance, to A. Bracebridge, Esq.[4] In 1817, to satisfy certain claims upon it, the estate was dismembered by Act of Parliament; and, after being many years uninhabited, Brereton Hall was purchased by the present proprietor, John Howard, Esq.
The Church, now a rectory, and dedicated to St. Oswald, is within a stone’s throw of the Hall. It is a plain building, in the perpendicular style, encompassed with trees;
[Illustration]
amongst which are one or two venerable yews, standing in the churchyard itself. The original chapel was built in the reign of Richard Cœur-de-Lion; but of this ancient structure it is doubtful whether any traces remain in the present building. One of the large windows on the north side of the chancel was formerly filled with stained glass. The subject contained four figures, representing the persons who slew Thomas à Becket, and a fifth, supposed to be Henry II. By an instrument yet extant, it appears to have been portrayed by order of Sir William Brereton in 1608. Perhaps the object of most interest in this church at present is the armour which is ascribed to Lord Brereton. The harness is suspended
[Illustration]