The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-18 00:00:00

NOBLE WILLS.

The two beads of the illustrious family of Fane, o
Vane, have both expired at an extremely advanced pe
riod of life, within these few days. The chief of the
younger or Vane branch, the Duke of Cleveland, has
left nothing in his pincer, which he had it in his power
to alienate, to the Conservative heir of his honours.
The new Duke has only the entailed estates, which may
be worth about 50,0001. per annum. In these are in-
cluded the great bulk of the Shropshire property, and
Raby Castle, in Durham, with the domains immediately
adjoining that princely seat. But the main territory in
Durham, being one of the very finest possessions in
England, and comprising the northern bank of the Tees
for nearly thirty miles, has been severed from the duke-
dom, and divided among the younger branches of the
family. We have not heard as yet in what exact pro-
portions, but report speaks of a large share to the late
Duke's favourite daughter, Lady Augusta Milbanke ;
and no doubt Lord Harry Vane, his only Whig son, has
been liberally provided for.* Newton House, and the
whole of the Yorkshire manors in that vicinity, worth
10,000/. a-year, are said to be left at the absolute dis-
posal of the Dowager ; and it is added that this per-
sonage has also the house in St. James's-square, with
the whole of the plate, &c., excepting, of course, heir-
looms. The Newton property was purchased by the
late Duke, and we believe it had been anticipated that it
would turn out to have been settled from the first on his
Duchess. We believe she never had any child by the
Duke of Cleveland.
The late head of the Fanes, the elder branch of the
same noble stock, seems to have made a still more ca-
pricious will than his ducal cadet. Though the Earl of
Westmoreland had always appeared to live on affec-
tionate terms with Lord Burghersh—certainly one of
the most amiable and accomplished gentlemen in Eng-
land, and highly distinguished in his military capacity—
the ancient Peer has, it seems, actually disinherited his
son. The new Earl takes nothing with his titles but
Apethorp, and the entailed estates adjoining that vast
but dilapidated castle in Northamptonshire. The unen-
tailed lands in that county, the whole Somersetshire es-
tate, the mansion in Grosvenor-square, with all the per-
sonalty, including the furniture and pictures at Apethorp
itself—nay, even, it is asserted, the diamonds of the
present Earl's mother (Miss Child, the sole heiress of
the great banker), are left to the old Lord's daughter by
his second marriage, the Lady Georgiana Pane. No
notice whatever is taken in this will of the daughter by
his first marriage, the Countess of Jersey, who probably
expected at least to have her own mother's jewels. Lady
Georgiana becomes thus a great heiress, probably the
second in the country. The Somersetshire estate alone is
said to bring from 5,000/. to 6,000/. a-year ; and there
is a handsome residence on that property. Lady
Georgiana is an elegant-looking spinster, apparently
about thirty.—John Bull.
* Since the above was in type we have ascertained that be-
tween the Duke's two youngest sons not less than 40,000/. a
year have been divided.