the seat of Earl Grosvenor, recently erected by the present noble earl,
is a splendid Gothic mansion, standing on the site of the ancient fabric,
in an extensive park, surrounded with fine and venerable timber. The
basement of the ancient pile has been preserved, but the superstructure
has been enlarged to double the original dimensions. The style of
architecture is Gothic: but it is proper to observe, that the cathedral
Gothic, of the age of Edward the Third, as exhibited in York Minster, the
church of Newark-upon-Trent, and other celebrated structures in England,
is chiefly imitated, especially on the outside; though Mr. Porden, the
architect, has not scrupled to avail himself of the low Tudor arch, and
the forms of any other age that suited his purpose, which was to adapt
the rich variety of our ancient ecclesiastical architecture to modern
domestic convenience. The same style prevails through the whole of the
interior, but more or less embellished, to suit the uses of the
apartments respectively. Round the turrets, and in various parts of the
balustrades, are Gothic shields, charged in relievo with the armorial
bearings of the Grosvenor family, and of other ancient families, that by
intermarriages the Grosvenors are entitled to quarter with their own.
The windows, which are rich in tracery, are of iron, cast from models in
wood by the iron-founders of Chester, and are, perhaps, the first that
have been made of that material, moulded on both sides and grooved to
receive the glass. The walls, balustrades, battlements, and pinnacles,
are of stone, brought by land-carriage about sixteen miles, from quarries
near Fordsham. It is of a light and beautiful colour, which harmonizes
with the hues of nature in the landscape.
The park is flat, but the distant country is elevated and various. To
the west the mountains of Wales, with Moel-Famma, rise directly in front;
and to the south and east the hills of Shropshire and Cheshire, with that
remarkable knowl on which Beeston Castle is situated. The city of
Chester lies on the north. From various parts of the park and grounds
this noble mansion is seen to much better advantage, than by the regular
approaches from Chester, &c.
“The entrance to the house is in the middle of the west front, under a
vaulted portico, which admits a carriage to the steps that lead to the
hall, a spacious and lofty room, occupying the height of two stories,
with a vaulted ceiling, embellished with the Grosvenor arms, &c. in the
knots that cover the junction of the ribs. The pavement is of variegated
marbles in Gothic compartments. On each of the sides is an ornamented
marble chimney-piece, and four niches with pedestals and canopies. The
niches, it is probable, will hereafter be filled with statues, and the
walls covered with historical paintings; for which no family can furnish
more ample materials, as the heads of it were engaged in most of the
military transactions of the English in the chivalrous ages. At the end
of the hall, a screen of five arches supports a gallery, that connects
the bed-chambers on the north side of the house with those on the south,
which are separated by the elevation of the hall. Under this gallery,
two open arches to the right and left conduct to the grand staircase, the
state bed-room, and the second staircase; and opposite to the door of the
hall is the entrance to the saloon. The grand staircase is highly
ornamented with niches and canopies, and with tracery under the landings,
and in the principal ceiling, which is crowned with a double sky-light of
various coloured glass. The steps of the second staircase, with its
tracery and balustrade, are all of cast-iron. The state bed-room is
lighted by two painted windows, with tracery and armorial bearings, and
contains a magnificent bed. On entering the saloon, the eye is struck
with the splendour of three lofty painted windows, which contain, in six
divisions, the portraits of the Conqueror’s nephew, Gilbert le Grosvenor,
the founder of the Grosvenor family, and his lady; of William the
Conqueror, with whom Gilbert came into England; the Bishop of Bayeux,
uncle to the Conqueror; the heiress of the house of Eaton; and Sir Robert
le Grosvenor; who distinguished himself in the wars of Edward the Third,
and more particularly by his legal contest with Sir Richard le Scroope,
for the family arms—_azure_, _one bend_, _or_; in which Sir Richard
gained his point. Sir Robert being obliged to add to them _un bordure
argent_—objecting to which he was allowed to bear the arms of his
relation Hugh Lupus, first Earl of Chester, _azure_, _a garbe_, _or_,
which is the family coat to this day. These windows are from cartoons by
Mr. Thresham and others. The saloon is a square of thirty feet, formed
into an octagon by arches across the angles, which give the vaultings a
beautiful form. The chimney-piece is of statuary marble, and opposite to
it is an organ, both richly decorated. On the left of the saloon is an
ante-room, that leads to the dining-room, and on the right another that
leads to the drawing-room, both decorated, but in a subordinate degree to
the state-rooms with which they communicate. The windows of these rooms
are glazed with a light mosaic tracery, and exhibit the portraits of the
six Earls of Chester, who, after Hugh Lupus, governed Cheshire as a
county palatine, till Henry the Third bestowed the title on his son
Edward; since which time the eldest sons of the kings of England have
always been Earls of Chester.
“The dining-room, situated at the northern extremity of the east front,
is about fifty feet long, and thirty feet wide, exclusive of a bow
containing five arched windows; the opening of which is thirty feet. In
the middle window is the portrait of Hugh Lupus. This portrait, with the
six Earls of Chester in the ante-room windows are the work of Messrs.
Davenport, of Staffordshire, from Cartoons by Mr. Singleton. The ceiling
is of bold and rich tracery, with coats of arms in proper colours, and a
large ornamented pendant for a chandelier. At the end, opposite to the
entrance, is an arched recess containing the sideboard, and on each side
of it is a large niche, with its pedestal and canopy. The opposite end
of the room has a similar recess, under which is the door from the
ante-room, and similar niches on each side of it. Other niches and
canopies, of smaller size, ornament the jambs of the arched recess and
the bow.
“The drawing-room, which is at the southern extremity of the east front,
is of the same form and dimensions as the dining-room; with the addition
of a large window that looks to the south, and commands a view of the
groves and fertile meadows of Eaton, with the village and spire of
Oldford above them. All the windows of this room are adorned with heads
and figures of the ancestors of the family; among which are the portraits
of the present Earl and Countess, in a beautiful brown _chiaro-oscuro_,
executed by Messrs. Bachelor and Silk, of Newman-street, and do credit to
the talents of those ingenious artists. The niches, canopies, and other
ornaments, are the same in situation as those of the dining-room, but of
a lighter and richer design. The ceiling is a piece of embroidery of the
nicest materials and workmanship; where all the coats borne by the
Grosvenor family are blazoned in their proper colours, and also the arms
of Egerton, Earl of Wilton, the father of the present Countess Grosvenor.
The arms of Egerton appear in various parts of the house, and will mark
the date of this fabric to future antiquaries, if all other memorials
should be forgotten or destroyed. The colour of the saloon is blue, the
ante-dining-room of light blue, the dining-room of a bright scarlet, the
ante-drawing-room is hung with light blue satin, the drawing-room with
crimson velvet: the curtains and draperies are of crimson and gold satin,
with gold tassels and fringes, disposed in a striking and picturesque
manner by Messrs. Gillow, under the direction of Joseph Kay, Esq.
architect to the post-office. All the other furniture of these
apartments is the work of the same artificers, and appropriate to the
style of the house. The vistas from the dining-room, through the two
ante-rooms, and the saloon to the south window of the drawing-room, and
in the opposite direction from the drawing-room to the dining-room,
terminating with the splendidly furnished side-board of plate, perhaps
cannot be exceeded in novelty and variety by any thing of the kind in
England.
“The library is in the centre of the south front. The ceiling and the
large bow-window, with their ornaments, are in the same style as the
rooms already described, but less rich. The book-cases are of English
oak, with arches of tracery, buttresses, pinnacles, and battlements. The
sitting-room of the Countess is the only room on this floor with
square-headed windows and a flat ceiling, and is an apartment of singular
beauty.
“The middle window of the saloon opens to a vaulted cloister, occupying
the space between the dining and drawing-room, in the east front, which
affords a sheltered walk in all weathers. A flight of steps leads from
the cloister to a spacious terrace, three hundred and fifty or sixty feet
long, laid out in gravel-walks and beds of flowers; from whence other
steps at each end and in the middle descend to the garden and pleasure
grounds, which are disposed with much taste. The view from the terrace
is rich and various.
“Our limits will not admit of a particular description of the offices and
stables, though both are deserving of attention. The latter surround a
court of 160 feet by 100, and are decorated with battlements and turrets,
and a clock tower, supported by flying buttresses, in a style of Gothic
architecture plainer than that of the house.
“Eaton Hall and the buildings here described, with their furniture, were
designed by and executed under the direction of Mr. Porden, of
Berners-street.” {247}
Having been highly gratified with the inspection of this noble edifice
and grounds, we returned to Chester by the side of the Dee, a pleasant
walk of about three miles; amply prepared to do justice to the hospitable
board of a kind friend. Finding but little conversation to be obtained
from us, but on the subject of Eaton Hall, he kindly furnished us with
the preceding account, which he assured us had been corrected, and was
the best extant.
Hugh Lupus, before spoken of, was appointed by William the Conqueror,
first Earl of Chester; which was erected into a county palatine, enjoying
a sovereign jurisdiction, having parliaments and distinct courts of law.
There is still kept in the British Museum the identical sword with which
Lupus was invested with his dignity; by virtue of which the Earls of
Chester were created sword-bearers of England, and as such were
accustomed to officiate at the coronation of the kings of England. On
the blade of this sword is the following inscription—_Hugo comes
Cestriæ_.
Chester is famed for the elegant manners of its inhabitants; and no city
in the kingdom can, I believe, boast of more polished or agreeable
society. Our regret at leaving it was so great, that I should recommend
the tourist who carries with him letters of introduction to Chester, to
make arrangement for three or four days or a week’s stay at this engaging
place.
From Chester to Mold there is but little worthy of remark. The distance
is about twelve miles: part of the road lies over an extensive flat,
called Saltney, a rich and well-cultivated tract of country. Mold is a
small neat town, situate in a pleasant valley, surrounded by gentle
acclivities: here the assizes for the county of Flint are held. It
formerly possessed a strong castle on the north side, built on a mount
called the Bailey-Hill, of which but few vestiges are now remaining: it
is famed in history for the sieges it sustained. The church is a
handsome structure, worthy of attention, built in the reign of Henry the
Seventh, and contains some fine monuments.
In the vicinity of Mold are large cotton spinning-mills, belonging to a
company at Manchester. The two Leeswoods, one the residence of the Rev.
Hope Wynne Eyton, the other of Mr. Garnor, formerly of Sir George Wynne,
are more remarkable for the gardens, grounds, and more particularly the
beautiful iron gates at the entrance of the lawn of the latter, than for
size and architecture.
Tower, the residence of the dowager Mrs. Wardle, is a specimen of the
ancient _border-houses_ on the confines of Wales and Scotland. It is a
square tower, consisting of three stories: in the lower story there still
remains a staple in the ceiling—a memorial of the rudeness of the times.
During the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, this place was
inhabited by Reinallt ap Gryffydd Bleyddyn; one of the six gallant
captains who defended Harlech Castle on the part of Henry the Sixth. He
and his people were in continual feud with the citizens of Chester. In
1465, a considerable number of the latter came to Mold fair. A fray
ensued between the two parties, and dreadful slaughter was made on both
sides. Reinallt however got the victory, taking prisoner Robert Bryne or
Browne, Mayor of Chester, who, in his private capacity as a draper, had
attended the fair; whom he led to this tower, and hung on the staple in
his great hall. About a mile north-west of the town is Maes Garmon,
famous for the celebrated battle of the Victoria Alleluiatica; in which
the Britons, under the two bishops Germanus and Lupus, in Easter week,
448, defeated and destroyed the Picts and Saxons. Germanus, having
previously directed his soldiers to repeat loudly and generally the word
he should give, he at the proper time pronounced _Alleluja_! The whole
army caught the sacred sound; which they repeated with such energy, that
the mountains echoed the religious exultation; and both combined to
strike such terror into the invading foe, that he fled in the utmost
consternation: numbers fell by the sword, and as many perished in the
adjacent river. This event is commemorated by the Hallelujah Monument,
erected by the late Nehemiah Griffith, Esq. of Rhual. Mold has two inns,
the Black Lion and Griffin: its market is on a Saturday.
From Mold to Denbigh the distance is about sixteen miles and a half. On
the left of the road is Kilken, visited on account of the beautiful
carved roof of its church, brought from Basingwerk Abbey, on the
dissolution of that house. Above it, on the summit of Moel Famma, is the
monument, erected by the inhabitants of the counties of Flint and
Denbigh, in commemoration of his late majesty King George the Third
having completed the fiftieth year of his reign. The column was designed
by Mr. Harrison, of Lancaster, the architect of Chester Castle, &c.
Under the column were deposited in a vase numerous coins, illustrative of
this memorable reign. Lord Kenyon laid the first stone on the 25th of
October, 1810. In the neighbourhood of Kilken are numerous rich lead
mines and other works; amongst which, Pen y fron, belonging to Mr.
Ingleby, and Llyn y Pandu, held under Lord Grosvenor, by the late John
Wilkinson, Esq., are amongst the richest for their veins, these being
from four to six feet thick; but the great bodies of water from which
they have to free these mines, by means of powerful steam-engines, are
great drawbacks upon their profits.
Moel Arthur, another portion of the Clwydian Hills, has on the top of it
the remains of a fortified British camp, having two very deep fossæ, with
corresponding valla, on the approachable sides; and on the precipitous
one is a smooth terrace, apparently levelled by art, for exercising the
troops.
Penbedw Hall, the seat of Mr. Williams, is a handsome object. On the
left of the road, at a small distance from the house, is a carnedd or
tumulus, and the remains of a Druidical circle.
Bodfari is by some conjectured to be the Varis of Antoninus; but on this
point antiquaries and historians are not agreed, others believing Caerwys
to have been that station.
Bachegraig is a most singularly constructed house, built by Sir Richard
Clough, who served his apprenticeship to Sir Thomas Gresham; and having
acquired a great fortune by trade, contributed liberally, like his
master, towards the building of the Royal Exchange. The house consists
of a kind of centre and three sides, which form a quadrangle, enclosing a
square area or court. The principal part comprises a hall, with an
adjoining parlour of large dimensions; and the other parts of the
building are carried up to the unusual height of six stories, terminating
with a cupola. We from hence turned back to