Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-08
Warwick Castle,

The dispatch from London announcing the
partial destruction Of Warwick castle fills many
American hearts with sadness. The castle is
situated on branch of the river Avon the
Lean, within a mile of the beautiful town of
bennington, and almost within sigh of STRAIT
ford. The smooth lanes and roads of England,
walled by blooming hedge-rOws, are found here
in their perfection. The castle rises out of A
heavy wood, the noble trees of which cluster
about its battlements like close abattis One
old tower, called Caesars" is ancient and
crnmbling, the stones fairly honeycombed by
time. Guys tower and the adjoining battle
ments are untouched by decay. Irregular gray
walls separate the cOurtyards from the streets
OF the village on one side, the Lean being on
the other side, with vast plains Of rolling yer
dure beyond.
When visitors presented themselves at the
embattled doorway of the porter's lodge, giving
a few vigorous raps, an Old p0rtjere in black
serge would appear,l and cheerfuly invite them
into her lodge, a square room under the mas
sive gateway, where Guys armor was kept.
This former earl of Warwick must have been
giant, to Judge by the size and weight of horse
and body armor, shields, breast-pates, walking
stats, spears and fitting poles. There were also
rib of a dun COW killed by the giant, the tusk
and shOulder-blade of Il wild boar, and an i'm
mense dOuble-edged sword, Weighing twenty
pounds, which the great earl welded; then
there were Spanish haberts, English maces.
Italian daggers, a generals truncheOn, and
batte-aXes enough to stock an aTmoTer's estab.
lishment. But the great curiosity shown to all
visitors was Guys punch-bOwl." This vessel
was made Of the finest bell-meta and was
without a crack or flaw The old lady assured
her visitors that she saw this bowl filed and
emptied eight times in one night when the
present earl attained his majority. As 1t holds
one hundred and two gallons, there must have
been drunk on that occasion over eight hundred
gallons, or more than three thousand two hun
dred quarts of puHchl The number of guests
can he imagined.
Walking from the lodge toward the castle,
surprises of beauty met the traveller at every
step. The path was cut through the solid rock
which was almost covered with trailing ines
and bright soft MOSES There were mounds of
flowers and orchids everywhere, and the earth
was an elastic tapestry of yerdure Tall trees
interaced their branches above and formed
leaiy arcade extending to the castle hall. AS
cending fight of stone steps under majestic
porch, visitors entered the Gothic hall, which,
the telegram says "Was completely burned ont !"
This hall was wainscotted with oak darkened by
age; on each panel was carved the emblem of the
house, 1.-THE bear and ragged staff" The floors
were laid with red and white slabs of Venetian
marble. On the side walls ancient armor was
hung, with many trophies of the chase. A COPY
OIL kuben's great work, 1.-THE Battle of the Am
azons," eHquisitelY carved in wood was also in
thus great hall; besides many lesser works of
art. The "Red Drawing room was full of in
tereSt, containing treasures from Vandyke. Ru-
Dens, Paul Feronese, and other masters. The
Cedar Drawing-room" contained some of the
most valuable marbles, vases, bulls and paint
ings in England, among them very beautiful
"Circe," by Guido REM; "The Gilt Drawing
room" so called, from the panels, ceiling and
decorations being all of gold, contained a rare
picture by lgnatius Loyala, the founder of the
order of JesuitS; also portrait of that Robert
Dudley, earl of Leicester whose romantic his
tory is so closely connected with that of Queen
Elizabeth and Kenilworth. Among other valu-
able relics in the old castle were the famous
'Kenlworth buffet" on the oak panels of which
was carved the Reception of Elizabeth by Dud-
ley" the beautiful Warwick vase" discovered
at the bottom of a lake at Tivoli, and a collec-
ton Of ancient arms and armor The present
owner of the castle added many treasures to
those which he inherited.
. we are not yetinformed definitely whether the
red, cedar" and "gilt" drawng-rooms have
been destroyed. The words of the despatch are
| as lolows: The great hall, the dining-hall and
other state apartments, were completely burned
| out. The destruction of pictures. statuary and
other works oil art, and OF articles of rertV. was
great and most deplorable" Whether all these
"drawing-roOms," with their inestimable treas.
ures Of art and antiquity, are included within
the sweeping term ''other state apartments -
we cannot say. The latter sentences indicate
that they are. We are surprised that no further
details have been sent-N y Evening Post.