The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-17
Ghin0s Sbruad. ,
sANDRINGHAM HALL.
The Home of the Prince of Wales

The Home Of the Prince of Wales.
The London World, Of january 9th,
pubishes the following description of this
beautiful rural retreat The rural home
~ the heir to the throne Of Britain lies 10
the warm sheltered hollow behind the
mnge of low-wooded bluffs that line the
touthern margin of the Wash From the
low.lying station of Wolfcrton the road
tfnversed by the visitor to Sandriugham
Hall gradually ascends through region
the natural bleakness and barrenness of
which is slowly and reluctantly yielding
before the persistent energy of taste and
Kill. Carefully tended young plantations
of fir and birch stud the unduating ex-
panse of scrub and heather, and the quaint
rustic gables of the "Folly peep out from
the heart of clump of sturdy evergrccns
backed up by well-grown aud vigorous
young pines, by the edge Of which the
Princesss iavorite drives trends away to
the left through the bosky copses of Jos
celinc wood that nantes the indeuted
prest and undulatiug summit of the upland
ridge looking down over the intermediate
ow-lying fields, farmsteadings and plan.
tations upon the broad bosom of the great
Estuary. Presently the heather gives place
10 greensward, aud the pine-thickets are
succeeded by the massy bolcs and spread
ing branches Of fine ancestral oaks and
beeches, which at this season but partially
screen the view of the wide-stretching ex-
panse of the home park, where the deer
Are pasturing in the glades, and the water,
Bet in n cincture of luxurant evergrecns
CLEANS mirror-likc in still CLASSY pools, or
sparkles and tumbles over the picturesque
fOckwork Of reddsh.brown Close on the
left rises the hoary square tower Of the
quaint little Sandringham church, within
whose walls prince and peasant worship
together, in the modest God's.acre sur
pounding which rest side by side the NOR.
tal remains of the babe of the blood royal
and the child Of the peasant. There is a
glimpse, over the sward aud the water and
the rockwork, Of the long picturesquely
broken garden front of the Hall-a mere
passing gleam of warm red, here and there
hidden in the loving embrace of the
dark green ivy; and then, with wide
sweep, the road turns the corner of the
park, the beautiful "Norwich GATES" with
their delicate ironwork tracery, are pass.
ed, and there remains but u short drive
along a broad straight avenue, lined on
Either side by massive old trees, to the
principal entrance of the Hall
At glance it is apparent that San.
birmingham is no stately palace, where com.
fort is secondary consideration to splen.
dor, where sumptuous suites of apartments
bearing the chilling impress Of being
nninhabited and uninhabitable; but
veritable English home, designed not for
show, but to be lived in~-every detail
eloquent of unostentatious taste and of
refined domesticity The keynote to the
theme Of dulce domum is stuck on the
very threshold. ln the inner wall of the
yestibule above the halldoor is set n tablet
bearing this inscription Ia old English
characters: "This house was built by
Albert Edward, Prince Of Wales, and
Alexandra, his wife, in the year of our
Lord 1870" The home SAVIOR of San
dringham begins from the very doorstep,
for there is no formal entrance-hall. The
yestibule is simply part aud portion of the
great saloon which may be called the fam
lily parlor of the house This noble
apartment has lofty roof ef open oakwork;
its walls are covered with pictures, and its
nrea is almost encountered with cosey
chairs, occasional tables pictures on casels,
musical instruments, flowers in stands,
flowers in pots, flowers in vases, and
thousand and one pretty triaes, each one
of which has an association aud history
linked to it, Peering out from under the
palm-fronds are two miniature cannon,
which were n present from the late Empe-
ror Napoleon to the royal children.
Above Zichy's charming sketch in water
eolors illustrative Of the various phases of
home life at Sandringham, is large pic.
ure Of the birth place of the Princess !;
over the fireplace is Borace's recent oil
painting of the Prince and Princess, with
two of their children. The King and
Queen Of Denmark look down from the
walls on the scene of their English grand.
rhildren. On one of the round tables
Stands the casket in which the Sandring.
ham tenantry inclosed their address of
eongratulation on the Princes safe return
rom India. Above the arch Of the sesti-
bue facing the main entrance is fixed the
beautiful fierce head Of the Chillngham
pull, shot by tho Prince in 1872, with
Scott's fervid lines underneath: H I-
Fierce ON the hunters quiver'd band
He rolls his eyes Of swarthy glow,
Spurns with black hoof and horn the sand,
And tosses high his mane 9fsnow,
From the saloon opens the business.
room, occupied by General Sir William
Anollys, the Comptroller of the Princes
household, and by Mr. Fra ncis Knollys,
y. b., His Royal Highness's private Sec
fetary and 10 this room it is where the
Prince transacts his correspondence, gives
Interview to other than social visitors, sees
bis tenants on questions Of Improvements
for His Royal Highness shirks none of
the obligations Of landed proprietor
hnd gives his personal instructions to land
Steward, gardener aud head-keeper a
plain room, furnished 10 plain aud bust
pess-likc style, this apartment has for its
pole establishment few portraits, among
which may be mentioned those of Admiral
! ious and Lori Napier of Magdala. On
! the right Of the vestibule, as one enters
he house, lies the library pleasant room
10 blue and light oak, whose shelves are
! Piled with books belonging almost exelu-
fively to the departments Of history aud
, travels. A whole compartment Is deyoted
10 works on the Crimean war, another 10
books--many Of which, are hard reading
.4nn IL - Ill - ~ 4 -.