a Castle, and the adjoining grounds, suggest rather the idea of a feudal domain in miniature. And yet it is not that there is any real want of vastness in the building, or of space in the adjacant park ; rather, there seems to be an attempt to do too much-to produce too many effects within a compass admirably capable of simplicity and singleness, and therefore in so fine a natural situation of grandeur. But, at the same time, it is really a charming place, affording endless variety of scenic effect. The grounds about the Castle (and they are very extensive) present a beautiful panorama of park and pasture, of wood and stream, of mountain, valley, and ravine. If Nature, concentrating her favoar in a minimum of space, had tried her hand on what her bungling imitators call landscape gardening, this demesne of the Lords of Arundel might have been the perfect production of her skill-small enough to be embraced almost at a glance—large enough not to allow the picturesque to be lost in the pretty. It breaks upon the traveller, wearied by barren downs and unproductive agricultural tracts, like a dream of beauties he has seen in many long-loved places—in highland and lowland, in park and fertile plain; till, when he looks at the Castle that crowns the whole, he almost forgets the elaborate fragility of its structure, and recognises in it, if not the grandeur, at least much of the poetry of feudality, without the living desolation that surrounded it. The Keep, a magnificent ruin, is so ancient that the date of its original construction is lost. That it formed part of the bequests of King Alfred in his will is, however, proof enough of its great age ; and internal evidence corroborates this claim. Some antiquarians dispute whether it was Arundel, or a neighbouring castle, which was thus bequeathed, but the balance of evidence is decidedly in favour of the former. A part of the Keep is undoubtedly Saxon, the rest Norman ; and the greater portion of the plan of the present Castle, the massive walls, and, indeed, all that has been restored by Duke Charles, was built early in the ilth century by Roger Montgomery. The view of the surrounding hills and plains, from the Keep, with the spire of the cathedral at Chiches. ter, and the bright ocean in the distance, is really magnificent; and the fine old ivy-crowned tower (the haunt of owls that have here lived and bred some generations), itself is a grand object when scen from the surrounding hills. The interior of Arundel Castle is not open to the same critical objections on the score of taste that may on some grounds be urged against the portions of the exterior. Extreme, even gorgeous, splendour is made to harmonize with the antique character of the building; and these parts which are additions, not restorations, are in keeping with the general whole. Crowded with objects of great historical interest, it yet retains all the characteristics of a private dwelling, in which comfort is remarkably combined with extreme elegance, and a happy and tasteful adaptation of the ancient with the modern. In the great Civil War, Arundel Castle was held and garrisoned by the Parliament ; but in 1643, it surrendered to Lord Hopton, from whom it was subsequently retaken by Waller. Thenceforth it remained little better than a mass of ruins, until restored at a cost of £600,000, by Charles, the 11th Duke of Norfolk. In this extensive work, a considerable portion of the old building was demolished. The modern parts are in the Gothic style, built of freestone ; stone of a brown cast was selected, in order to accord better with the remains of the ancient fabric. Around Arundel, the last relic of feudalism, the achievements of eight hundred years have shed imperishable renown, and it is still the proudest Castle in the land, rich in the glorious memories of the past, and grand in its existing magnificence. Wycoller, co. Lancaster. THE old mansion of Wycoller, or Wykeoller, in the parish of Whalley is remarkable for an ancient and spacious open circular fire-place, at the end of the ball, detached from the wall, in the fashion of the houses of the time of Henry VI. and having stone benches all round it. In 22 Henry VII., Pièrs Hartley occupied and possessed Wycoller, which afterwards passed by marriage with the heiress to the Cunliffes of Hollins, but formerly of Billington. This family is supposed to have been amongst the first Saxons who settled in the north of England, and the name imports a grant for life. In 11 Edward II. Adam de Cunliffe was of the jury in the extent of the barony of Manchester.* The estate of Cunliffe Hill, in Billington, was mortgaged in the reign of Henry VIII. to an ancestor of Sir Thomas Walmesley, and by foreclosure, in the reign of Elizabeth lost to the Cunliffes. Thus dispossessed, they settled at Hollins, which having acquired by marriage, they retained until the protectorate, when it was sequestered, and the house plundered, in consequence of what was called the apostacy and opposition of John Cunliffe to the government of the Commonwealth. Being compelled to quit Hollins he removed to Wycoller. Nicholas Cunliffe dying without issue, his sister Elizabeth married Samuel Scarsgill, of Sheffield, by whom she had Sarah, married to Owen of the same place. Their son, Henry Owen, having assumed the name and arms of Cunliffe, possessed Wycoller till his death in 1819, when the house and estate passed to his heirs now in posses. sion. The following piece of domestic history, descriptive of primitive manners, occurs in a family MS. of the Cunliffes :-" At Wycoller Hall the family usually kept open house the twelve days at Christmas. Their entertainment was, a large hall of curious ashler work, a long table, plenty of furmeaty like new milk, in a morning, made of husked wheat, boiled and roasted beef, with a fat goose, and a pudding, with plenty of good beer for dinner. A round-about fire-place, surrounded with stone benches, where the young folks sat and cracked nuts, and diverted themselves, and in this manner the sous and daughters got matching without going much from home." Clopton, co. Warwick. THE lordship of Clopton was early possessed by a family bearing the local name. SIR HUGH CLOPTON, Knt. of Clopton, temp. HENRY VII. was Lord Mayor of London, and a great benefactor to the town of Stratfordon-Avon. WILLIAM CLOPTON, Esq. of Clopton, temp. ELIZABETH, by his wife Anne, had a dau. and heiress, Joyce, who m. Sir George Carew, Knt. who eventually succeeded to Clopton, and was created, in 1605, Baron CAREW of Clopton. He became subsequently Earl of Totness. At his decease, From younger sons of this family derived the CUNLIFFES of Liverpool, now repre sented by SIR ROBERT CUNLIFFE, Bart. ; and the CUNLIFFES of Fairfield, now repre sented by E. CUNLIFFE-LISTER-KAY, Esq. (See BURKE's Landed Gentry, p. 664.) + See BURKE'S Extinct Peerage, page 108. without legitimate male issue in 1629, the Clopton estates passed to Sir John Clopton, Knt. who m. Barbara, dau. of Sir Edward Walker, Garter King at Arms. EDWARD Clopton, Esq. of Clopton, son of this marriage, was father of another Edward CLOPTON, Esq. who cut off the entail of the estate, and disinherited his only surviving son, who had disobliged him by his marriage, and who died soon afterwards of a broken heart. Edward Clopton settled the estates on his dau. Frances, who m. John Partheriche, Esq. Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1768 Of this marriage there was no issue, and on the decease of Mrs. Partneriche in 1792, the estate devolved on Skrymoline Boothby, Esq. grandson of Hugh Clopton, who was youngest surviving son of the above mentioned Sir John. He assumed the surname of Clopton, in pursuance of Mrs. Partheriche's will, but d. without issue male, when Clopton passed to his relative, Edward Ingram, Esq., who was second in the entail, and also assumed the name of CLOPTON. He died a bachelor in 1818, when his brother, John Ingram, Esq. succeeded and took the name of Clopron. On this gentleman's decease the estate was sold to John Gamaliel Lloyd, Esq. of Welcombe, whose nephew, CHARLES Thomas Warde, Esq. Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1846, is the present possessor of Clopton. The House was principally erected in the time of King Charles II. by Sir John Clopton, Knt. whose arms appear in the pediment ; those of Sir Edward Walker, Knt. are over the Hall door. The front is to the south. This and the east sides are of brick-work, and form the comparatively modern part. The north and west sides are, probably, as old as the time of Henry VII., being half timbered. The back archway of entrance appears of Queen Elizabeth's era. Clopton House contains several valuable portraits, viz. of the Earl of Totness, and his Countess ; Sir Edward Walker, and many of the Clopton and Partheriche families. A beautiful painting by Vandyck, of King Charles I. dictating orders to his secretary, Sir Edward Walker, in the field, who is writing them on a drum-head, has been removed from the house ; but, probably, for the purpose of more particular care of it : this was engraved and prefixed to Sir Ė. Walker's “ Historical discourses,” published by his grandson, the last Sir Hugh Clopton, in 1705. It was in this house that Ireland wished to make it appear that he found a depository of Shakspeare's papers, had he not been disappointed by Mr. Williams, who then resided here as tenant. The conversation between the parties is given in the “ Confessions” of the younger Ireland, and is rather an amusing point of that extraordinary work. In one of the garrets is now shewn a small room, traditionally said to have been the chapel, or oratory. The walls are certainly inscribed with scriptural sentences, and among the hieroglyphical attempts was a large fish, delineated as being taken by a hook and line; the whole drawn by a hand issuing from a cloud : under this was inscribed : Whether you ryse yearlye, Or goe 10 bed late, That dyed for your sake. But these are now obliterated, having been white-washed over. In the Great Hall of entrance is a large oriel window, containing a well executed series of heraldic shields, emblazoned with the alliances of the Cloptons for many generations. There are three handsome monuments in the Clopton Chapel, forming the east end of the north aisle in the church of Stratford, to members of this family. The first is an altar tomb, without an inscription, but supposed to be the monument of Sir Hugh Clopton, Knt., Lord Mayor of London, temp. Henry VII. the early benefactor to Stratford, and founder of the Chapel of the Guild in the centre of the town, where were discovered the series of ancient paintings, published by Mr. Fisher. The second is the tomb of William Clopton, Esq. and his consort Anne, who died in the reign of Queen Elizabeth ; their recumbent effigies are of white marble, The third is the splendid monument of George Carew, Earl of Totness, and Baron of Clopton, and of Joice, his Countess, daughter of William Clopton, Esq. Their figures in alabaster, are placed under a lofty arch, supported by Corinthian pillars, Sir Edward Walker, Knt, is also buried in this place, with a neat monument to his memory, The entrance into Stratford upon-Avon, is by a stone bridge of fourteen arches; on one of the old piers stood a pillar, on which were the arms of the City of London impaling those of Clopton, and inscribed :-"SIR HUGH CLOPTON, KNT. LORD MAYOR OF LONDON, BUILT THIS BRIDGE AT HIS OWN PROPER CHARGE, IN THE REIGN OF HENRY 7,” Which on a late repair has very properly been restored, THE FLOWER OF THE WILDERNESS. Fair flower ! you are but doomed to die To flourish for a day : Then droop and fade away- For one brief, fleeting morn, Amid a tract forlorn ! Yet for your given time you bloom As fair as if you shed That shrouds a monarch's bed : With nature's boon, sweet flower! Who treads the unshelter'd moor! Behold! with trembling step she bies, Along the wind-swept waste, O'er spots by man untrac'd : a She lifts her haggard eyes to Heaven ; Her care-worn aspect tells, No kindly bosom swells ! Her dim eye on the ground, In thee, fair flower ! bath found: And deems the drop of pearly dew, That hangs upon thy breast, A drop of pity, bright and true, For her, with woes opprest! And the, forlorn, deserted one, The outcast of the earth, O flower of little worth ! And thinks it is for her, The homeless wanderer! Long does she gaze, until a tear Steals down her faded cheek, To her torn bosom speak. Not vain thy transient day, J. L. Ellertov. |