The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-06-12 00:00:00

CLUMBER HOUSE IN THE HANDS
OF BAILIFFS.
A correspondent, writing to the SlzelT,ld Independent,

Say' --
Having had occasion to be in the neighbourhood of
Worksop on Saturday, I thought I would drive over
as far as Clumber, the well-known country seat of the
Dukes of N ewcastle. The afternoon was charmingly
fine, and the whole place seemed A-oeal with the music
of birds. Wherever sorrow abides surely it cannot be
here, was the instinctive feeling amid the surroundings
of such unmistakable evidences of wealth and luxury.
At the left of the house there is a large paddock, sur-
rounded by a range of handsome new stables and out.
; and in the paddock were a number of brood
mares with foals running by their sides. I should
think there were about a score of them, and while look-
ing at them one could not help thinking and feeling
that, innocent though they were, they had in a sense
been the cause of the disgrace that had fallen upon
their illustrious owner.
Leaving this part of the park, I next turned round
and walked to the left, which brought Inc on to the
bridge which crosses a large and beautiful lake, and
where you. have a full front-view of the house, con-
nected with which is an old chapel, with richly stained
windows. This clear water lake stretches as far as the
eye can reach, and is laid out somewhat in the serpen-
tine form. On its surface were to be seen swans in
abundance and a great number of water fowl, and here
and there is an artificial weir or dam, over which the
water falls with beautiful effect, and all this surrounded
by magnificent trees given the place a charming effect;
and yet, amid all this splendour, there seemed an air
of neglect and dilapidation which betokened either
poverty or carelessness. Things seemed everywhere to
be running to seed and ruin. Looking at the house from
the bridge, behind which there is a tine new church,
the tall spire of which is uonspicuous above the roof of
the house, I observed that all the blinds in the house
were drawn down, which seemed to indicate sorrow
within; but it was not the sorrow of death, but dis-
grace, which in many senses is worse than death.
The church and the paddocks were new--the work
of the young duke. A taste for the turf, tempered
with a tribute to the clergy, is an attempt to make the
best of both worlds, which his so far proved a failure.
Coming near to the house again, I made a few in-
quiries concerning the state of affairs, when I found
that no less than eleven of the mysterious, but very
matter-of-tact people called bailiffs were inside. The
only other occupants are the servants, all of whom, I
was informed, are under notice to leave. The bailiffs
were stationed like so many sentinels in various parts
of the house, and in some instances at the doors,
and on various parts of the grounds. There was
consequently, a deep gloom cast over the place,
and all that I came in contact with seemed to deeply
deplore the sad condition of the family and the place.
We were informed that Mr. Gladstone hail been in the
neighbourhood only a few days ago, and was guest for
the night with Lord Foley, at Worksop Manor. When
it is remembered that the Premier is a trustee for the
late Duke of Newcastle, his presence on the present oc-
casion can easily be accounted for.
The quiet, clean, and pretty little town of Worksop
seems to be east into deep mourning by the events at
Clumber. When at the railway station, on my way
home, who should I see but the veritable Posiwick.
Mr. Padwick, it will be remembered, has a claim of
£'95,000 against the duke and it seems by his presence
that the bailiffs and he have some connection with each
other.