Grosvenor trial in the fourteenth century, were claimed to be _azure_,
a bend, _or_; but these were declared to belong to Scrope. Sir Richard
Grosvenor then, after the trial, assumed the arms _azure_, a garb,
_or_, as showing his descent from the ancient Earls of Chester. On
or after the creation of the marquisate of Westminster the arms of
that city were granted as an augmentation, and ordered to be borne
quarterly with those of Grosvenor. The arms now are—quarterly, first
and fourth, _azure_, a portcullis with chains pendent, _or_; on a chief
of the last, in pale, the arms of King Edward the Confessor, between
two united roses of York and Lancaster (being the arms of the city of
Westminster); second and third, _azure_, a garb, _or_, for Grosvenor.
Crest—a talbot statant, _or_. Supporters—two talbots reguardant,
_or_, collared, _azure_. Motto—“Virtus non stemma.”
The glorious grounds of Cliefden have been pleasantly discoursed upon
by many writers, but by none more graphically or technically than in
a brief notice in the _Garden_, which to some extent we cannot do
better than quote. Cliefden, “the birthplace of spring gardening,” he
says, “well maintains the high character it has so long and deservedly
received for the beauty of its early flowers, its banks full of wild
hyacinths, primroses, and forget-me-nots; its closely shaven lawns
so overspread with wild thyme that every footstep brushes up its
fragrance; and, above all, its flower-beds brimful of spring beauty,
which in turn give place to summer bedding plants. Looking from the
terrace on the lawn, a huge sunken panel with flower-beds proportionate
in size on either side of it, the floral display when we saw it was
magnificent.
[Illustration: _The Summer House._]
Brilliant pink, supplied by a large circle of _Silene pendula
compacta_, set in emerald green, was conspicuous in the distance;
nearer were lavender and blue, furnished by _Nepeta cærulea_ and
forget-me-nots; buff, by _Limnanthes Douglasi_; golden yellow, by
_Lasthenia Californica_; and crimson, by the old China rose of that
colour and rhododendrons. Other colours, too, were equally striking,
and these only a secondary display, that earlier and brighter being
made by early tulips. The plan is, when the tulips are planted, to
cover the surface of the beds with annuals, sown in July and August,
and transplanted when the bulbs are put in. These commence flowering
when the tulips are over, and remain in beauty until the bedding plants
are planted out. Vasefuls of Tom Thumb pelargoniums stand on the
grass near the walk at the base of the terrace wall, close to which
is a ribbon border bright with pansies, for which Cliefden is justly
celebrated; and right and left are gardens of early flowers, arranged
on the one hand in the form of a huge shell, and on the other in beds
on the grass that have been bright all the season with spring flowers
in great beauty. But, brilliant as the floral display on the dressed
ground undoubtedly has been, and soon will be again, it cannot arrest
attention long. The eye is naturally carried beyond it to the wood-clad
hills and dales, the rich meadows, and the river Thames, at this season
alive with water-parties from Maidenhead and pleasure-boats of every
description. These form the foreground, as it were, to a landscape
unmatched for picturesque beauty, its distant boundary being the Surrey
hills on the one hand, and the Chilterns, in Buckinghamshire, on the
other.
“Vistas, too, have been cut here and there through the trees, so as
to bring into view the water or some more distant object of interest.
By reclaiming pieces of land here and there from the river, a wide
and agreeable promenade has been formed along its bank, overhung at
intervals by stately trees, consisting of beech, ash, and elm, with
here and there a tulip-tree and scarlet chestnut. This is reached
from the plateau above, on which the mansion stands, by means of
winding walks and flights of rustic steps, through what may be
termed a gigantic wild garden, consisting of ancient yews, whose
hold on mother earth is but small, their roots—weather-beaten and
weird-looking—being half out of the ground, and tangled brushwood,
fantastically overrun in places with honeysuckle and traveller’s
joy. Here, too, even on the chalk, are masses of ferns, and nearer
the river-side a very fine Judas-tree, clumps of pampas grass,
mulberry-coloured hazels, and other flowering and fine-leaved subjects,
while in spring every open space is a garden of wild flowers.
“Let us now return to the entrance front of the mansion. This has been
strikingly improved, by removing the old kitchen garden, and laying
its site down in grass as level as a bowling-green, cut off from its
surroundings right and left by newly built walls, and in front by a
thick yew hedge, still kept in vigour by means of good root treatment.
These, with the mansion, enclose a spacious quadrangle, on the side
of which farthest from the windows are large vases; these in early
spring are gay with tulips, and later in the season with annuals, the
most effective of which is _Silene pendula compacta_ in masses of rosy
blossoms. On the walls, which are covered with climbing and other wall
plants, are rare roses, and honeysuckles in profusion. In another part
is a rose hedge, consisting of Fellenberg, a kind not very full when
open, but excellent in the bud state for table decoration.
“Shut out from view of the mansion by these walls are the glasshouses,
a conservatory being on the one side, and the forcing-houses on the
other—all new, and arranged with consummate skill and forethought,
as regards saving of labour: the whole, with the exception of the
conservatory, are built in parallel lines right and left of a central
pathway, under which are the hot-water pipes, a glass-covered corridor
running round the whole, and binding them, as it were, together. Close
to them are the offices and young men’s rooms, the latter built in a
style and furnished with appliances such as are to be found in but few
gardens. Grapes, peaches, and other tender fruits are grown here in
perfection, and among other things we noticed a houseful of tree, or
perpetual, carnations in flower, a brilliant sight—the blooms being
abundant, large, and fragrant. The extension system of vine-growing
is that which is most in favour here. In one vinery—an old one,
sixty feet long—one vine has been allowed to fill the house; it is
in excellent condition, and is carrying some two hundred bunches of
promising fruit. Near here, too, is a glass corridor, the roof of which
is covered with an aged fuchsia of the corallina kind; several other
varieties have been grafted on it, all of which are literally masses
of flower, and most effective, owing to the contrast produced by their
different colours. Ivies, grown in zinc boxes and trained on trellises
for indoor screens, are here out of doors in the shade. These fit
into ornamental trays, and when taken indoors have a pelargonium or
nasturtium, or some other flowering plant plunged in the box in front
of them.
“The conservatory is fifty-six yards in length and twelve yards in
width, and span-roofed, the spans being placed at right angles with the
wall against which it is built. It is in two divisions, but so arranged
that both can be thrown into one, which, when lighted up at night
(which it is on certain occasions) has a fine effect. It is as gay as
a house of the kind can well be—arum lilies, as they are called, being
especially good and conspicuous. Among the more arborescent vegetation
which it contains are oranges, carrying heavy crops of ripe fruit,
and a vigorous specimen of _Abutilon Boule de Neige_, loaded with
drooping white bell-shaped flowers, which, when inverted in bouquets
with the stamens removed, have a charming effect. Against the back wall
is _Lantana mutabilis_, quite a mass of variously coloured flowers,
exhibiting, in fact, a luxuriance of blossom wholly unattainable by
plants in pots.
“With the noble entrance to Cliefden most people are familiar. It
consists of a straight avenue of dimensions commensurate with the
palatial residence to which it leads. This remains as it always has
been; but the approach in connection with it has of late been greatly
altered and improved. On the one side we have natural wood intermixed
with flowering shrubs and trees; and on the other, here and there
glades of grass pleasantly undulated, and furnished with clumps of
rhododendrons and azaleas—some near, some distant, but all effectively
planted, and more or less over-canopied with lofty trees, chiefly
beeches, whose stems rise for an unusual height clear of branches.
A large stagnant pond, by which the road passes, has been drained,
filled up, and converted into a grassy lawn, one side of which hugs
the approach for a considerable distance, while the other loses itself
in the wood on the other side of the valley. Vistas, too, have been
judiciously cut through the trees where the planting and views are most
beautiful, thus rendering this portion of the grounds by no means the
least interesting feature of Cliefden.
“Of the kitchen garden we have said nothing; nor of the miles of green
drives, in summer shady and pleasant, with which the woods abound;
nor of the indoor fruit-growing, which is excellent; but enough has
been said to show that Cliefden, since it has become the property of
the Duke of Westminster, has been greatly improved, both as regards
its buildings and its gardens, and is now one of the most charming of
seats.”
WARNHAM COURT.
WE have chosen Warnham Court to form one of our present series, not
because it is, strictly speaking, a “_Stately_ Home,” nor because
its history is a stirring one, or the family to whom it belongs can
boast of high antiquity in descent, or of nobility in extraction;
but simply because it is a good and pleasing and fine example of a
modern Elizabethan home, the characteristic features of which have
been made suitable for the tastes and requirements of the present day.
Its beauties are manifold, but they are purely of that quiet domestic
character that is utterly opposed to ostentation and show, and that
give it an air of comfort possessed by but few of its more pretentious
neighbours.
Sussex is a county of “many mansions,” and they are as varied in their
style and their architectural character as they are in the periods in
which they have been erected; but few can, out of the whole, compare
with Warnham Court in pleasantness of situation, in beauty of external
surroundings, or in comfort of internal arrangements. It is a house
fitted for hospitality, and for the enjoyment of the guests its owner
delights to have around him.
Warnham Court lies near the village of Warnham, which is about three
miles from Horsham, and it has a station on the Horsham line of the
London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. The village—and a pretty
Sussex village it is—consists mainly of one long street, running north
and south, and it has many pleasant residences in its neighbourhood.
The Church, dedicated to St. Margaret, is of Norman foundation, but was
enlarged and altered in 1848. It consists of “a nave, with north and
south aisles, with three chancels, the north of these latter portions
being divided from the south aisle by a fine Gothic oak screen. It
has a square embattled tower, with clock and six bells. The interior
contains several monuments” to the Carills and others.
[Illustration: _Distant View from the Lake._]
The Court was built in the Elizabethan style, in place of an older
house, in the beginning of this century, by Henry Tredcroft, Esq.,
of Horsham—a fine old Sussex squire—and, at his death, was sold
to Sir Thomas Pelley, Bart., who made it his residence. The whole
estate passed, by purchase, from the executors of Sir Henry Pelley,
in 1866, to its present owner, Charles T. Lucas, Esq., the head
of the well-known firm of Lucas Brothers, the eminent builders
and contractors. By Mr. Lucas the house has been remodelled and
considerably enlarged, its Elizabethan character being, however,
carefully preserved in every detail. He has also built new stabling,
lodges, gardener’s house, terraces, garden appliances, &c., at a very
large outlay, which, however, has been most judiciously expended.
Mr. Lucas, who is the eldest son of the late James Lucas, Esq., was
born in 1820, and in 1840 was married to Miss Tiffin, by whom he
has, with other issue, a son, Charles James Lucas, born in 1853,
and educated at Harrow. Mr. Lucas is Lord of the Manor of Warnham,
a governor of Christ’s Hospital, and a magistrate for the county of
Surrey. He is brother to his partner, Thomas Lucas, Esq., of Eastwicke
Park, Surrey, who was born in 1822, and in 1852 married Mary Amelia,
daughter of Robert Chamberlain, Esq., of Cotton Hall, Norfolk, by whom,
with other issue, he has a son, Arthur Charles Lucas, born in 1853, and
educated at Harrow: he is a J.P. and D.L. for Suffolk, and a magistrate
for Middlesex and Westminster. Both are gentlemen highly esteemed and
honoured, and few are more thoroughly entitled to the lofty positions
to which, by honourable industry, great ability, and high character,
they have attained.
The arms of the family of Lucas are—party per bend, _gules_ and
_argent_, a bend, dovetailed, between six annulets, all counterchanged;
a crescent for difference. Crest—a demi-griffin, wings expanded,
_gules_, semée of annulets, _argent_. Motto—“Spes et fides.”
The mansion is approached from the principal Lodge Entrance by a drive
through the park, which is finely timbered with forest trees of large
growth. These are chiefly oaks, of which there are some remarkably
fine and gigantic examples. Under these roam innumerable herds of red
and fallow deer, which add much to the beauty of the park scenery.
The Lodge, with its overhanging roofs, its mullioned windows, its
geometrical chimney-shafts, and its advanced porch, is one of the most
picturesque and pleasant in the county.
The mansion itself is situated on an eminence, and commands extensive
views of the surrounding country. On the east side is the Carriage
Entrance, which is a spacious gravelled court-yard, enclosed next the
park by a stone balustrade. On the south side is the South or Grand
Terrace, a fine promenade walk some six hundred feet in length by
twenty feet in width, adorned with statuary, and overhung and shaded by
magnificent trees. This terrace is supported, at an elevation from the
park of about ten feet, by a massive stone wall and elegantly designed
balustrade. In the recesses are fine examples of sculpture, and the
balustrade itself supports a number of elegant vases, terminals, and
other ornaments, placed at regular distances. The park from this point
slopes gently away till it ends in a fine ornamental Lake. Looking
to the eastward, down a lovely glade in the park, another and more
magnificent piece of water, covering an area of over thirty acres, is
seen in the distance.
[Illustration: _The South or Grand Terrace._]
On the right, while passing along to the west end of this terrace,
stands the Conservatory. It is filled with the choicest exotic palms,
tree ferns, and flowering plants; and in the centre, on a massive
marble base, stands a magnificent sculptured group of figures in white
marble. The floor is geometrical in pattern, and the appointments, the
vases, the flower-stands, &c., are all characterized by good taste in
their arrangement.
[Illustration: _The Garden Front._]
The surrounding grounds are beautifully undulating and diversified,
and comprise the Flower Garden, Croquet Lawn, and American Garden. The
latter is situated in a natural dip of the grounds, and is completely
encircled and sheltered by a dense mass of oaks and other forest trees,
at the foot of which is a broad belt of common laurel, rhododendron,
&c. Then follows a winding walk, encircling about an acre of grass
lawn, on which are planted masses of azalea, rhododendron, kalmea,
andromeda, specimen coniferæ, &c., the whole producing a strikingly
pleasing effect. Arrived at the end of this terrace, the visitor
descends, by means of a broad flight of steps, to another terrace walk
nearly a quarter of a mile in length, and flanked for most of that
distance on each side with masses of rhododendrons alternated with
some fine specimens of _Cedrus deodara_ and the Chinese juniper. Again
descending by another flight of steps to the left, access is gained to
the Rose Garden. This “garden of roses,” which is of perfect Eastern
loveliness, takes the form of a half-circle, the whole of which is
filled with the choicest roses, the outer line being backed by a broad
belt of flowering rhododendrons. Some idea may be formed of the size
and importance of this Rose Garden from the fact that it contains
upwards of a thousand standard roses, and nearly as many dwarf roses,
and these comprise examples of every colour, shade, and variety that
are worth cultivating. The effect, when these are fully in flower, is
enchanting in the extreme.
[Illustration: _The Mansion and Conservatory, from the Grounds._]
In close proximity to this, but shut out by a high wall covered with
_Magnolia grandiflora_, are the Forcing and Plant Houses: these occupy
three sides of a square. Passing through the upper side, which is a
range of span-roofed houses, we find it embraces a Show House (kept
gay with flowers the year round), Fernery, Plant, Stove, and Camellia
House, in which latter is a plant of the old double white camellia
twenty feet across, and rather more than that in height, besides many
other fine specimens of those choicest and most beautiful of flowers.
Leaving this house, the visitor passes through about two hundred feet
in length of Vineries and Peach Houses, filled with their luscious
treasures in different stages of growth. Thus the third side of the
square is gained. This is another range of span Plant Houses, the
centre division being a Rose House, planted chiefly with tea-scented
roses. In the centre of this square, and running parallel with the two
end ranges, is a large late Peach House, 65 feet long by 24 feet wide:
this spans the walk which connects this square with the lower terrace.
At the back of these houses are the Kitchen Gardens, which comprise
about four acres: these are well walled, and have a good wall to the
south. The soil being a retentive clay, fruit trees, as well as most
vegetables, thrive well. Here, also, are extensive ranges of pits used
for forcing early vegetables, pot vines, melons, cucumbers, and bedding
plants, of which latter about thirty thousand are grown and planted
annually. Here, too, are the Orchid House, containing many valuable
plants; Gardenia House; and range of Fig Houses. Covering the back wall
of the range of Vineries before alluded to, and facing the Kitchen
Gardens, are the Fruit Rooms, Mushroom House, Potting Sheds—also the
young men’s rooms: these are spacious, and contain every convenience
for their comfort. Too much credit cannot be given Mr. Lucas for the
manner in which he thus studies the comfort of his _employés_, both in
this and in other particulars.
The most striking feature in the Kitchen Gardens is the Head Gardener’s
Cottage. This is a picture of architectural beauty, and, from its
elevated position, commands a view of every part of the gardens, as
well as most extensive prospects of the surrounding country. Not only
has the external appearance of this model cottage been made matter
of study, but the interior, also, is replete with every domestic
convenience. It is one of the most charming of residences, and its
occupant, Mr. Lucas’s head gardener, is one of the most accomplished
in his profession. To his good taste and skill much of the beauty and
attractiveness of the place is due.
The north side of these gardens is bounded by a newly planted Orchard,
containing above a hundred fine standard trees of all the best
varieties of apples, pears, plums, &c. This is followed by about two
acres planted as a Pinetum, in which are many valuable and promising
young specimen coniferæ. This is continued down to the north carriage
drive, where it is bounded by a belt of evergreen shrubs, &c. It may
not be out of place here to add that the whole of these gardens owe
their existence, as well as their present state of high keeping, to
their present estimable owner, who has spared no expense in their
formation or subsequent management, and whose love of the beautiful,
whether in Nature or in Art, is unbounded.
The internal arrangements of the house—which, besides all the
customary reception and state apartments and the domestic offices,
contains an unusual number of bed-rooms—are all that can be desired,
both for elegance and for home comforts; and the furnishing and
appointments are such as eminently to entitle Warnham Court to be
ranked as a home of taste. Mr. Lucas is a liberal patron of Art, and
both here and at his town mansion the walls are hung with pictures of
matchless excellence and of great price. They are chiefly by modern,
and most of them by British, artists: a list of them would include
nearly all the best painters of the age.
The park is some three hundred and fifty acres in extent, the farm
occupies about six hundred acres more, and the pleasure-grounds add
another fifty acres to the total, so that Warnham Court is a fine and
noble property, and one unmatched in its district.
It would ill become us, in any notice of the parish of Warnham, to
omit the mention of one of its worthies—Percy Bysshe Shelley. This
ill-fated, but gifted, poet was born at Field Place, on Broad-bridge
Heath, Warnham, on the 4th of August, 1792. He was the grandson of
Sir Bysshe Shelley, Bart., of Castle Goring, who married twice, and
had, by his first wife, with other issue, a son and successor, Sir
Timothy Shelley, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Pinfold,
Esq., of Etchingham, in Surrey: their eldest son was the poet. Percy
Bysshe Shelley received his first education from the Rev. Mr. Edwards,
vicar of Warnham, and was then sent to school at Brentford, with his
young cousin, Thomas Medwin. At thirteen Shelley was sent to Eton. At
eighteen, having previously written much poetry, he produced his “Queen
Mab;” and in 1810 he entered University College, Oxford. “At the age of
nineteen he published a pamphlet embodying the arguments of Voltaire
and the false philosophy of that school, which was speedily circulated
amongst those in authority.”
[Illustration: _View from the North-west._]