Star.
London, England, 1830-09-11 00:00:00

THE PRESENT RESIDENCE OF CHARLES,
EX-KING OF FRANCE.

We are old enough to remeintr-7-r,..r7nrcu modally, the removal of the
Bourbon family from their retreat at IlartwelL All the great and glo-
rious doings at Bakhampstead on that occasion, are as fresh in our re-
collection as the incidents of yesterday r how. with about four score
and ten companions, we were then let loose from schooldom, to congea-
-1 tulate the exiled King on his restoration. In the sunshine of our enjoy-
ment we thought it a mere holiday treat ; the better and holier influence
was to teach us to respect misfortune, and encourage those kindly feel-
ings which spring from the " sweet uses of adversity."
The asylum of fallen royalty has some attraction, however lowly the
" divinity" which " doth hedge a king," may be rated. Lullworth
Castle itself is, moreover, a place of note, and is what topographers
cell " a noble pile." It occupies an eminence in the south-east corner
°ran extensive park, and commands a fine view of the sea from an
opening between the hills, as well as extensive inland prospects. The
coast, too, is of great natural beauty ; for every tourist must remember
the Cove, or beautiful basin of Lullworth, and the arched rock in its
vicinity.
The present Castle of Lullworth is not of any great antiquity ; but is
supposed to he on or near the site of a castle mentioned as far back as
the year 11411. The materials for o..ilding it were brought principally
from the ruins of Bindon Abbey, not very distant. The foundation was
' laid in the year 1688; and the structure, except its internal decorations,
finished in 1609: the latter were not completed till after the year 1641,
when the ancestor of the present owner, James Weld, Esq. purchased
the estate.° Perhaps we cannot do better than quote the general de.
saiption of the Castle from Hutchins's History of Dorset; t
Lullworth Castle is an exact cube of eighty feet, with a round tower
at each corner, thirty feet in diameter, and rising sixteen feet above the
walls, which, as well as the towers, are embattled. The walls are six
feet thick ; the offices are underground, arched with stone. The house l
has three stories, hut the towers four : in each front are three rows of
four windows; in the towers are four rows, of three each, exclusive of
the offices. The hall and titning.rooni are large ; and the rooms are in
general eighteen feet high. In the apartments are some family pot.
traits, executed by the celebrated Sir Peter Lely. The principal front
is on the east, and faced with Chilmark stone; before it was a large
court, now laid into a lawn, leading to the landing-place, which is
guarded by a balustrade of stone (which, in the htte Edward Weld's
time, only extended along the east front), called the Cloisters, because
paved with the stones from the cloisters of Bindon Abbey. Over the
doors are statues of two ancient Romans, in their gowns. On each aide!
of the door, which is supported by four pillars of the lonic order, is a
large niche, and over them two shields, on which are the arms of
Weld properly blazoned. In the niches ate the statues of Music and
Painting."
In the year 1789, during the residence of George 111. and Queen
Charlotte at Weymouth, Mr. Weld was honoured with several royal
visits, the particulars of which are perpetuated in two inscriptions over
the entrance to the castle.

The manor of East leHaworth, in which this edifice stands, came into
the possession of the Welds, with the castle, in 1641. They are one of
the first Roman Catholic families in Ragland; and the present repre-
sentative has recently been raised to the rank of Catalina About the
commencement of the present century, they erected an elegant little
chapel, at a ahert distance from the castle, for the convenience f the
family and dependants. Its interior, from the following desaiption,:
must resemble a museum of curiosities t—
" This structure is of a circular t'onu, increased by four sections of a ,
circle, so as to form a cross, and finished with a dome and lantern. It '
contains a well-toned organ, a copy of Raphael's Transfiguration, and
two other scriptural pieces, lately brought from Italy. The altar-piere
is decorated with very costly ornaments, disposed with much taste and ef-
fect; it is chiefly compared of the richest and most curious marbles. The
front and outside panels of the two supporters of the altaz.table are of
beautiful oriental rose alabaster, having mouldings of giallo de Sienna
within the former are two angels of bronze, in postures of adoration ;
between them is a vase, composed of one piece of ambeacoloured trans-
parent alabaster • the platform on which the latter is placed, is of pot-
. phyry, with a base of brilliant breseia etwallisa : the back part and
two sides of the space wherein the vase and angels stand, are of a
wade onfigus, so variegated as to throw a kind of splendour about
II the urn ; tire:pima; of the altaketeps are of *mesa di esterside, set in
lidalle alike) ; the small step that projects immediately on the altar-table,
is of choice peeorella Wawa alabaster; the door of the tabausele, and
its frame, are composed of lapis lostili amegya, verde di Corsica,
biome • were testae),verde d'iffitte. and other choke stones. The pe-
destal of the aucifix is composed of plaints di emerald, and verde
wake ; the entire sides of the cross are incrusted with lapis lanai ; the
Saviour is carved in ivory, and the Magdalen is of gilt broom.
" In a magnificent folio Palter, made by order of Oteoffety, Lord
Loutaell, east baron of that famil, who died in the 26th of Edward I.
now in the possession of Mr. Weld, is a most beautiful and curious it-

• " Beauties of England and Wales," voL iv.
t Vol. ii. p. 227.
: Vol. iv.