The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-02-05 00:00:00

THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES AT
catcara.

In accordance with a promise made ten years ago, when
the illness of the Prince alone prevented its redemption
their Royal Highnesses Albert Irderani Prince of Walee.
and his beautiful and devoted wife Alexandra are now
visiting Dorsetahire and by their presence making glad
the beams of the noldeman who osns the magnificent
maneion of Crichel. The event haa naturally created the
irreatest enthusiasm in the county. Apart Irons the in-
terest that must always attach to the movements ot "the
corning K—" and his amiable consort, the popularity of
Lord Alington is a strong additioital reason for the
warmth or the reception accorded the liar to the Throne,
and our future Queen.
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Probably in no other county would • more hearty
greeting be received from the inhabitants: and of the
welcome at Crichel, it would be superfluous to speak.
The Prince has already experienced It, for as will be
remembered in 72 be wee enabled to thiontn there for •
few days.
Of the princely domains of Crichel • few words may not
be out of place. Perhaps it is not generally known that
Crichel was once tenanted by • former Prince of Wales
(afterwards George IV.), to is hom the mansion was let for
• short time at the beginning of the present citatory.
Two centuries ago Criehel afforded a refuge to Charles IL
and his court when be left London on account of tbe
plague. A hundred years after the house was burnt
down, but it was rebuilt la great splendour by Sr William
Namer, and afterwards, Hutchins aim "it wee so
immensely enlarged by Humphrey !Port, Mai, that it has
Mr appearance of • Mansion of • Prisms more than that
°lr • loonoti7 gentlemen. Successive additious and itn-
Kotelli-Itis by the late estimable owner, Henry Charles
Sturn, gm., and by the prompt possessor, his son. Lord
Allarton, who has added a porch entrance and hall. hare
combined to make Orichel a grand aristocratic home.
Oa the north side stand the stables and aloes which
enclose a large area and form a distinct block of buildings.
The gardens, too, are extensive, and laid out with great
tufa The park in the midst of which the mansion is
situated is splendidly wooded. and absiunds in natural
beauties and pictikesqoe feature-4, not the least of which
i• magnificent lake, stocked to repletion with swans.
Lipman geese, an( venous other kio Iso wild fowl.
Of the interior • writer in the Martens' Journal say.:
—l. Sows of mensious One hall is ortficient, hut
there are three at Crichel—en entrance hall. an inner
hall, sad the Alaimo,. hall Around the entrance ball
are arrange.) a number of skulls and bones of the Bee-
Ins-lostau—proofs of the prowess of Colonel Napier Stunk
be shot them in Bllooalin. The staircase rising to
the height of the building. and is lighted er a large glass
chandelier supplied reita gaol for, although six miles from
any town. Crkhel commands its own gas works, and, it
may he added, has also its six miles of special teleMmPhio
wire, On either side of the inner ball stretches an apart-
ment of grand dimensions. the dining-room and drawing.
room. The fine oak floor of the former barn been especially
prepared for the ball, and rendered as smooth and even
as • sheet of glans. Thr. coinage of them 'Mike rooms "
are vaulted, with medallion figures in blue and white.
The large drawing-room has been especially prepared for
the royal visit: a superb new Wilton carpet covers the
floor, and the walls are "papered " with silk, if we may
rooks use of the only phrase which will convey the proper
Idea of this rutty work. Over a white marble fireplace,
relieved by Sienna marble columns, rim a grand Chippen-
dale elms, which nearly touches the domed and beautit Lilly
painted ceiling. the *Mures in which hare just been
" brought out to see the Prince. Here are portraits of
Lady Minato@ of the son and heir, a (sir-look or youth'
of, if we mistake not, the handsome "Copley land of
Shaftesbury ;" and hers also le the portrait of the late
owner of Cachet Henry Charles Stun, which the present
writer lee emulated to him at Blandford go ninny years
ago that he hardly we. to count heck to it. Let us pew
on to the smaller drawing room-an exquisite nut for the
ladies. The prevailing colour is bat of the Dove,
brightened by g.yd moaldinge. The fireplace is of
alabasters, with large carved figures nearly of life-sias,
and we should think of rare value. Orand Worrester and
Sevres china are among the Mack-nuke, and there are
several small Meknes of dues, by Sir Zdeiin Laufluer—
personal presents from the gisaket of animal pinatas.

Apartments were prepared for their Royal HigLaren
near the first Wailing. The prevaibug colours of the bed-
room and dreissindr,oos are fawn and white, with a very
chaete, pale blue silk banging. handsomely figured. Tin
sr.:strobes, tables, lounges, chairs, and other furniture.
are for the inmt part framed in white and gold. A private
sitting room adiscent is upholstered in lively chintz. The
next lauding opens into • pillared gallery, and • long
corridor communicates with tts range of chief bedrooms,
sows of which are almost an elegantly furnished as the
royal suit of rooms. In the hall below stand two cavaliers
In braes armour, sad upon the stairs two very large
turquoise jars filled with lowers, the whole, when Lighted
up, having an efiect most charng.
Henry Gerard Stork the first Lord Aliuirton, was the
eldest non of the late llt. Henry Sturt, who represented
Bridport from 1817-19 Dorchester, 181(1-1, and Dorsetakirs„
1836 46, when in company with the then Lord Ashley (this
present Lord tilhaftesWry) Ihing unable any longer to mites
In favour of protection their seats, Lords
Alington's mother was CharlottesiCediope, third daughter
of the sixth Uri of Osirillsen. His lordship was born Ia
Mk and educated at Mon and at Christ Church, Oxford.
His lordship is • Deputy Lieutenant and • magistrate elf
Donsetahire, and sat as one .of the repreesint•tivve d
Dorchester from 1847-66; and for Donetehire from MB to
1875. A biorgapby of Lady Augusta blurt will be tong id
in another column.
It we. originally intended the visit should hare be an
strictly private, but feeling we. so strung upon 'the ma' der
that at 1.4 11 was resolved a public reception should be
accorded their Royal Highinema. Accordingly loam I MOO
were collected for the decoration of the tows, and, nest
efiectively was it carried out.

Vila PIAPsIerIONS sr Tag LLILWAY aTaTiog.
The preparations at the Railway Station were am cans
fully mined out under the superintendenos of Yr. Gale.
the station-master. The work of dee eettag the le teflon
premises wee performed by Mr. Kimble, frr,of the Engi-
neer'. Ofece, Wakerloo &onion, and • star,of ab out 811
men. The platform and staircases were arf Feted and the
walls draped with red cloth, and mew, choir* Otani%
soPOSed by Ide. Heck heed gardener .t emits' Houma
and Kr. Corduroy, bead gardener at Oar
.dord "Lune, added
considerably to his elfht of the arena 'entente. o.ver the
entrance to the station wee • it., auri, cf...., illuminated
with gee, and the Royal Standard m eh the signal.
but. The station yard was aim r.u4 ..e. by the aim.
piny. blue voles, with red toPe, be in, planted around the
yard, each surmounted with a gag, and the yard was
festooned with ilms suspended the pefet.
TIM PUBLIC DiCOLMOIII £lO ILWAIPATIORS.
At •public meeting held in the Genf gtehehee en the
fth of Demember laity ii... decided to rive a loyal recep-
tion to the Prince and Prir,ales as they
through Iles town of wine norm on their way to rnart
Home, and • Reception ' committee, consisting of the
follow* sentiesem. het 1 appointed for that purpose :
Genera Dem • Court, chairman; Kr. G. Quick,
Nsuonal Provincial Bar lion. Treasurer ; Hr. H. T. L
Finley. Wilts and Don at Beak, Hun. Treasurer; Mr. H.
liaventock, Hon. Sec nasty ; Mr. C. Munckton, Hon.
Assistant tiecreterY__ General Twin,. the Rev. E. F.
Tr0t....., and Minant W. Druitt. C. a W. Parkinson, H. C. Burt, C. Gook T. Leduc. C. ft. Rees, a Webb, J. B.
Brine, X T. BOD_, G. Pothee.ry. H. Jones, J. Path, It
Pohang. J. Clifton. O. &Us, H. Lovell. R. P. Bonham.. .1.
Loader J. J. Bartlett, B. Hobert.. a H. vr.mpuni. S.
Hayter, A. Ma ely. Bean& E. Hibbs, A. J. Booden, X
Tapper, G. Hatmood, T. id B. It.. has. W. Burt, F. J.
Meader, H. 0. Claislett. V.. W. Bead., J. Farwell, J.
B.
Smith, and J. W. Smith.
At. subsequent meeting a committee was appointed to
arrange for the collection of s henriPhohe in the town and
county, and as the result of their appeal about ENO waa
raised. The Fiallllo9 Committee wee omen...sod a. follows:
—General Taring, General filacLeen. and Messrs. J. IL
Rolm J. X Bites. J. Lloyd,' ones. W. J. Fletcher, C. W.
Wyham. MW. Parkinson, G. Quick. H. T. 11 Finley, G. elusion*, W. W. Beale, H. Bavanitecht, U. Hata Habguod, J. J. lieztlett. IL T. Budden„ and T.
Laing.
The by no means light d uty of superintending and
ramie' out the public decor ations of the town devolved
upon the Decorative Oolund ttee, which was made up se
follows :—Geseral Thring (el marniank and Hamra W. J.
Fletcher. O. L. Lloyd-Joao. J. Lloyd-Jonee, H. T. IL
. Finley, C. J. W Parkinson, W. W. Beale, T. Le/nie
Bartlett, J. I'. Sudden, Kerr Aga, A. J. Buddeii, Farwell,
!Leader. ill* Whitebes4.l34 nth. Hawley. H. P. Hopkins,
T. D. B. Roulin,, D'Almou,. O. R. Rote, L Smith, Jonas,
Beck, PIM, Lovell, Bytom V orifieber, Admit. Hibbs, Hal;-
Good, Hideout, 11,10POl. Moo dr, Moody, Cimproan, Pater-
son. nod Waterfall.
litaht well did the comos. ittise named discharge their
various duties, as the inagotill cent moults of Monday fully
testify.
Walking from the railway s tattoo the first of the public
decoratice• was men lust bsy• and the police station, le the
Pooleroad, where en every, we arch had been erected,
under the someintesadance .4 Mama Bartlett, ',odder,
ideal, and Hideout It are e a massive structure, com-
posed entirely of ivy, teem eating • Norman
_gateway,
and had • smaller side areh o' ,sr the footpath. Tbe lento
arch hare the word " Waken la." in black lettism, shaded
with rad. on • white ground. and over the *mail arch
" Albert Mmito.red In whin, letters, an • blue whilst on the terms. of the mane arch " In
white letherea insti• red Awachad. and over the lame arch
"God Hoe " red WM* shaded with on •
white miv.and, a the centre of the erection, on hoeh
toda, war, a large lion, and the Heir Asere,, deolra and
ellsamo% tas Royal eirown sad bible, the Rani shield
ad other parts of the emit with* was ennaounted
by Wt. . Hulce Juke end mese and emala larandair"thetthee
ttecorations were treinspagest. and Ftr trees were planted on either side_ of the road from
this spot to the end of the West norough, and Meth
illm Masted, as they were, by mall oil lain" had • Tarr
pro tty elect
'The next of the public arches—which were four in
amber—wee erected in High-sneer, close to the entrance
toa the stow., and LAMM Coawal-LloyA-Jeass. Mood,.
Nhicher, and Roberts bad to do with hue cem Tar h
Was a very large triple ow.e, and on the Member side the
pillar. of it were ri
B.,eraped in whivamvergreem said UM
forming the top." God .ee
the central 11/011 and " Alhart" and Aleas="%edvereZer
awe agates kg Wedmore mid listeorn The Prime's pima.,
ia white, eggesegilia fow,
in regalia atandieg es against ths
!folding four "4th. mottos' " Welcome,'
• B`d• ad= " rin reveal* side of the
erch was in pink in hir as the pillars were ore-
awned. said hi yellow above. the whole heinz ut6
trellised emit with laurel leaVali. Deers "lei - alio some
handsome Illatigew ef errwgrassa The
Ade are labesded te bid tear Royal .I.46rms"wwithiaas
they neon threegh the a...
centre arch were the word. " God Mem °Vir
Wales," and over the aide "babe awl "
Itemhz," the whets Mingle
Litko Asibeeeseassl berhew.sft
is ea aiIL2M