The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-29 00:00:00

CAMPDEN-HOUSE.

Although the pressure of the parliamentary
season precluded any immediate notice, so interesting 6
relic of former times se 0=1)&1z-house, Kensington,
can-
not be permitted to pun away without our devoting a
small portion of spas to its many historical and permed
associations. The readers of our impression of last Mon.
day learnt that on the morning of the previous day a fire
broke out in that ancient building, and in the mune of a
few hours left nothing standing but the shattered walls;
but perhaps few were aware of the value which the old
hose possessed in the eyes of antiquarians. Those who are
acquainted with the neighbourhood celled Campden-hill—a
tract of undulating ground lying between Kensington and
Notting-hill, and dotted about with comfortable mansions
standing in a wooded parks, though somewhat spoiled of late
years by the inroad of smart new villas—must have ob.
served the picturesque and vessable red brick structure,
which is now all but obliterated. With its high, and in some
places ancient, garden walls, its trees, and its greensward,
it looked like what it was—a real old English country hall ;
for, at the time it was built, it must have been in the close
proximity of fields. Two hundred and fifty years have
palest since Sir Baptist Hicks, a wealthy silk mercer, of
Cheapide, founder of Hicks 's Hall, Clerkenwell, and
afterwards created by dams L Viscount Campden, erected
the mansion, which was ultimately called after his title ;
for the date is said to be about 1612. The Cam dens, Jo the
civil war of the next reign, sided with the King, and the
third Viscount was obliged to compound with the commis.
dopers of sequestration appointed by the Commonwealth,
who for • time took the house for their official residence.
The chagrined nobleman, however, afterwards enjoyed what
he as a royalist must have considered full compensation for
his injuries ; for, on the Restoration, be h►d the honour to
entertain Charles 11. 'at supper, when doubtless the walls
which are now but a line of ruins echoed with a roaring
carouse, with kingly wit, and courtly laughter. The third
Bari of Lindsay, onsof the most truly chivalrous and devoted
followed of Charles 1., and the father•in-law of the third
Lord Campden, died in the Kensington mansion, which
in the next generation was let to Princes, after.
wards Queen, Anne. Here she raided for some
time with her husband, Prince George of Denmark, and her
poor little Addy men, the Duke of Gloucester, who,
after being first absurdly pampered and then treated with
ignorant severity by his wash-minded panda, died of water
on the basin. In the pampering days he was allowed to
command • regiment of boy soldiers, duly equipped with
all the instruments of war, whom be would marshal on
parade, riding at their head on a pony, and whom he was
empowered to punish when they committed any breach of
discipline, by setting them en a wooden horse. The Princes
made an addition to Campden-hoses at the western end ,which
is now regarded as • separate dwelling, and was formerly
salted Little Campden House. It is at present known as
the Elms, sod is occupied by Mr. Augustus Egg, ILA.
This building also is of greet else, and, with its substantial
old-fashioned look and surrounding leafiness, seems • fit
abode for an artist. It suffered to some extent in the late
fire, but the flames were checked before they seized on
the main body.
Campden-horse in the year 1704 came into the poseeeeion
of the Dowager Countess of Burlington, and her eon Richard
Boyle, afterwards Bail—not the great Boyle, but a man of
intellect and taste. The mansion was subsequently the pro.
party of the Whig lawyer and Chancellor of the Duchy of
L►ncaater, Lord Learners, who is DOW chiefly ramen•
bend in connexion with • mock-heroic balled, called
" Duke upon Duke," and attributed both to Gay sat
Swift. In this ballad we read of " Campden-house so high,"
and find many other pleasant memorials of the neighbour-
hood. In the natural vicissitude of all things this "hoes
so high," the sometime residence of royal personaget aI
viscount', countesses, and earls, came to be • fashionable
boarding-school for young ladies, and used to be visited by
witty George Selwyn,who went there to see a girl in whom he
took an interest, and who received a fortune from him Jai
another from tbslibertine Duke of Queensberry, both of when
szeosived they had a claim to be considered her father. The
mansion was at one time somewhat modernised, probably
i• the last century ; but in the main it was the original
structure of Sir Baptist Hicks. Of late years it has come
spin into notice, as the residence of the nnenviably-famous
Colonel Waugh, and as the scene of some illustrious pi-
irate theatrical', in wbieh many literary celebrities of our
day have acted for charitable objects. In the garden there
was once a remarkable caper tree, which endured the open sir
of our forbidding climate for nearly a century, and, though
unropplied with artificial heat, produced fruit every year.
The house itself has now followed the tree into extinction,
and the lover of malignity bas sustained • Ices which he
will not speedily cease to regret