Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-29
The nur,;u~ Of w.rw,c,. C.s,o

uIc, WHICH, IOOh pace Oh Inc Ofu instant, Is
an event OF more than ordinary interest,
for the varied historical and romantic asso-
Citations which chung to and clustered
around its venerable walls and towers. Tie
New 7 DIRK Times furnishes a sketch of its
history and contents, which will be read
with varying emotions, for that venerable
pile contained brief epitome of Eu9land's
history, and was a symbol and record of
her glorious past:
The origin Of Warwick Castle, or at least
of the first buildings that stood on its site,
is so remote as to be quite obScured by the
mlStS OF time. 1t is known that the ancient
Britons had stronghold here, the COM
manding position of the spot, overlooking
the Avon and the surrounding country, ell
abling them to make a bold stand against
the Roman invader. When the SaXons
came they built, as with York Minister, a
! fresh structure Oh the old foundations
Traces yet exist of the rude towers erected
by Ethclhcda, the AIercian Queen. hd-
ditiOnS were made to this as time flowed on,
until the mOmentOuS change Of 1866 came,
when the standard of Harold went down
at Hastings, and the destiny of England
was changed forever.
Not long after edith Of the swan neck
sought her lover among the slain, the NeIl-
| burgs, followers of William of y Normandy,
got for their share the castle, since called
! Warwick, with the ncighboring lands. The
| Neuburgs held on till the reign of Henry
/ Ill. Changes occurred through female des-
| cent and the property came into possession of
the Beauchamp family. One of these,
Guy, was noted as the slayer Of Edward
HIS favOritc, Piers GavestOn. The son Of
! Guy, Thomas Beaucbamp, was more IA
nous still. He it was who held the van at
CresSy, and covered himself with glory at
Poictiers. He, too, was one of the found
erS of the Order of the Garter. The we'll
known Caesar Tower at Warwick was
his contribution to the noble pile. This is
said to have been completely Quilted by the
fire, although the walls which were, or are,
Of pro ligious thickness probably yet re-
main. A Thomas Beauchamp who came
some time later built the "Guy Tower
and made 0 her fine additions to the castle.
The son of this Earl was made "Duke of
Warwick" and "King Of the Isle Of Wight
He died childless, and thus it was that the
domain passed into the possession Of the
celebrated Richard Nesille, better known
as the E'King-maker."
The King maker" thought more of
building up thrones than castles, and did
little to the edificc that had fallen to him.
Its next important imprOver was that i'll
fated Clarence who ended his woes in 4
Malmscy butt. During his occupancy, pre-
paratiOnS were made for the first time tC
mount cannon at the castle. LOOphOlcs
were constructed tor the purpose, remains
Of which used to be conspicuous on the
northern gateway. From this is said tC
date the downfall of military architecture
GunpOwder was hencef0rth destined to re
volutOniZc the practice Of ages, the pictl!'
esque aspects Of fcudalism began to fade
away, and castles, which had once been al
but impregnable, became mere man-traps
In the time Of Henry VIII, Warwick
was built by the Audleys. Ambrose, o
that name, elder brother to the lucklcss fl
yorite of the ''Virgn Queen" spent large
sums on the building, hoping to lcav" it t.
his pOstcrity. lie, too, however, died with
out issue, and his title lapsed to the
crown. That title was subsequently be
slowed on Lord Rich, but soon be
came extinct again, to be revived undo
James |, in 1859, when Grevile, Lor,
Brooke, was created Earl Of Warwick
Queen Elizabeth had, however, prcviOusl,
granted the castle and estates to that Fulk
Greville who was styled on his Tombstone
the Servant to Queen Elizabeth, Counsel
lor to King James, and Friend to Sir Phili
Sidney" This parsonage was the futntlc
Of the present family. He greatly beauti
fed Warwick Castle, and since lis time it
fame las continued TO spread Throughout
the world.
The art treasures that have been SWal
lowed up by the fire never can be replaced
Pictures by HOlbcin, Nandyke, Sir Joshua
Reynolds, Romney and Sir Peter LEY, b.
Aurilo, Titan, Raphael and RubenS Wcr
among the glOrieS Of the place, and man.
of these have been consumed. lii the arm
DRY was one Of the finest collections O
early weapons III the world. a helmet o
one of NcrXcS' soldiers and the iron skull
cap Of Oliver Cromwell; arms from BoSWOrtl
and from FlOddcn; rcVOlvCTS Oi Lhe Fifteenth
Century, and IliiIfulcUIS of an earlier date
ancient arnOr of every successive epoch
and iununeraLlc standards and trOphle
falling to dust with time, but still glorleS II
their associations, have been blottcd on
forever. Besides these, Il noble library
especially rich in medieval literature, j
lost, together with quantities Of priceless
tapestry, of Limoges enamel, Of elabOIatl
French carving Of the time Of Louis XIV
XVI; while many pieces OF sculpture, an
cient and modern, have gone with the rest
Some valllables were saved, among wlicl
are Il famous table lowered with lapis Ia
zuIi, and once the property OF Marie An
tOinette; Nalhykc painting OF Charles
on horseback, attended by his equerIY, con
sidered the most valuable picture il il.
castle; the splendid tapestry thal hung il
Queen Anne bcdro3m and d consider
able number OF fine orils by Gucrcin0
! Vanderveidc, RubcnS, Tau9IS, Caracci
and others. 1t appears that substantially
the interior Of the private apartments, III
barOnial hall and the banquetin9 hail, V Ell
totally destroyed; but THAI The state apart
mcntS and other portions Of the castle wer
saved.
No doubt the work OF restoration will b'
attempted and worthily carried out. Th'
burning OF Warwick Castle, however, is al
event that has the air Of seyeIing the con
nection between the modern and the me
dMval world and like placing gulf as il
were, between the feudal and the demo
cratic ages. The habits, the policy, the
costumes, the whole eolOring Of lit, tha
were looked down upon and commcmorat
ed by those lofty towers, are rapidly be
conming more and more foreign and un
intclligibie to the humanity Of to-day, and
10 thp great mass, Will glide, with few
years more, into the dim regions Of ira
ditiOn.
Mark 'swain-TIlc Laugh Turned.