The survey of Ampthill Park, made by order of Parliament, 1649, speaks of
the castle as being long ago totally demolished.[1] There was, however,
what was called the Great Lodge, or Capital Mansion. King James I. gave the
Honour of Ampthill to the Earl of Kelly. It soon reverted to the Crown. In
1612, Thomas, Lord Fenton, and Elizabeth his wife, resigned the office of
High Steward of the Honour of Ampthill to the King. The following year the
custody of the Great Park was granted to Lord Bruce, whose family became
lessees of the Honour, which they kept till 1738. In the 17th century, the
Nicholls's became lessees of the Great Park under the Bruces, who reserved
the office of Master of the Game. The Nicholls's resided at the Capital
Mansion. After the Restoration, Ampthill Great Park was granted by Charles
II. to Mr. John Ashburnham, as some reward for his distinguished services
to his father and himself (_vide_ Hist. Eng.) The first Lord Ashburnham
built the present house, in 1694. In 1720 it was purchased of this family
by Viscount Fitzwilliam, who sold it in 1736 to Lady Gowran, grandmother of
the late Lord Ossory, who in 1800, became possessed of the lease of the
Honour, by exchange with the Duke of Bedford. His family name, an ancient
one in Ireland, was Fitzpatrick; he was Earl of Upper Ossory in Ireland,
and Baron of the same in England. He died in 1818, and was succeeded by
Lord Holland, the present possessor, who has also a fine old mansion at
Kensington.[2]
[1] In Peck's "Desiderata Curiosa," is a list of salaries paid
in Queen Elizabeth's time to the Keepers, &c. of all the Royal
Palaces and Castles. At Ampthill they were as follow: Keeper of
the Manor House, 2l. 13s. 4d., Great Park, 4l., with herbage and
pannage, 15l.; _Paler_ of the Park, 4l. 11s. 4d., herbage and
pannage, 15l.
[2] For an Engraving of which see _the Mirror_, vol. xiii. p.
385.
The present Lord Holland, Henry Richard Vassal Fox, Baron Holland of
Holland Co. Lincoln, and Foxley, Co. Wilts, Recorder of Nottingham,
F.R.S.A.; was born November 23, 1773, succeeded to the title in 1774;
married, 1797, Elizabeth, a daughter of Richard Vassal, Esq.
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