The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-07-24
LORD LYTTON'S HOME

KNEBWORTH HALL-THE PARK An
THE ROOMS IN WHICH THE LAT
| NOVELIST LIVED A WANDA
PREDECESSOR.
| KnebWOrth Hall is one of tn
most picturesque in England-th'
ideal hall of a romance, and, aSld
from its beauty and princely dimen
sions, it has an interest. which al
can appreciate, as the home of tn
author of that brilliant series O.
novels, poems and plays, which be
gan with Pelham and ended will
The Parisians. The late Lord Lyt
ton was less attached to it thar
Scott was to AbbotSford, and most
of his works were written in it.
1t stands in magnificent park or
the summit of ridge, about three
miles from the village, and the
approach is by narrow, winding
lane grooved deep between the high
hedgerows which lead up under an
arch Of foliage to the eastern en-
trance. KnebWorth literally means
the Estate of Knebba," who was a
Saxon chieftan, and the present
building occupies the site of a
fortress which existed prior to the
Norman invasion. Until compare
lively recent years it formed a quad
rangle, part Of which was five
hundred years old; but the previous
occupant to the late Lord Lytton
(Mrs. Bulwer lLyttOn) lived alone in
the house, and finding a source of
gloom in it's immense and unneces-
sary size she had the sides of the
quadrangle pulled down, retaining
only the section built in Henry
Wills time. This lady was good
deal of a utilitarian, if not a posi-
tive vandal. The demolition of the
earlier parts was justifable, perhaps,
as they were in ruinous condition,
and the western side, which she pre-
served, was amply large and of the
greatest beauty; but she white
washed some of the oak wainscoting
which centuries had been toning,
and she sealed up a grand old fire.
place with plaster, which has only
been picked out of the rich carving
surrounding the hearth with much
difficulty. Fer successor, with rev.
erential pride in his lineage, looked
upon the house and it's many associ-
ations with the greatest fOndness,
and the improvement and adOrn-
ment of it engaged him constantly.
THE PARK.
Here is a bust of Horace; and
another patch confronts US with old
Pan in antique marble, the fit diety
of these Yerdant clOisterS; beyond
which again is a wall of carefully
trimmed yews, with busts of Hor-
ace, M8cenaS and Virgil. Coming
out of the darkness Of some old pol
lards, which are so dense that caves
have been formed in them, we enter
a large flower garden, bounded by a
trellis in crescent shape, within
which the late Lord Lytton erected
a shaft of polished granite to the
of his mother. He was a
man of strong affections, and the
dog which was his devoted COM
panion is buried in a quiet corner
of the garden, with a cOmmemOra-
tive pedestal over the spot. Beyond
the open flower beds in front Of the
terrace the garden is divided into
chambers of shrubbery, each cham
Der with some distinct character
Istic, and through the partition
walls are occasional circular open
Ings, which reveal the larger beauty
Of the park beyond.
The park is not in this instance a
fanciful appellation bestowed on a
few acres. It is a genuine thing, a |
spacious domain, with majestic ave
lues of chestnutS t at are almost
equal to those at Hampton
Court, and massive oaks wherein
he miStletoe fourishes like a
iwarf tree itself, and in the russell
oracken there are many deer, that
stare shyly, but without precipitate
alarm, at any intruder. To the
lorth Of the house is lake. on the
,urther side of which is a fishing
cottage, built i'll the old English |
tyle of panels in dark wood enclos-
ne plaster work. This cottage, be-
lind which is a wood, is partly |
heltered, by some Scotch frs, planted |
when Charles II. was restored to |
he throne of England, and it con-
aims three rooms, one of which was
lsed by the late lord when he de-
ired complete privacy for his lite
airy work.
CURIOUS ANTIQUE DECORATIONS.
In our inspection Of the park and |
arden we can see the reflection Of
n opulent disposition leaning to a
Iorid or even demonstratiye sort of
and in the house there are
evidences of a passion
tie fondness for feudaI and heridi-
ary splendors. The shadows of
,aSt centuries are visible in me-
.i9val tapestries; pale CLEANS are
rradiated from the suits of armor
,laced along the wainscoting; her
Idle devices are emblaZoned on the
eilings, and also in the windows,
which impart their hues to the soft
ight; banners, showing the wear
nd tear Of many battles, testify to
nightly prowess; and yet, while
much of the furniture and decora-
ion is archaic, the effect is not
1useum-like, but one of warmth
nd luxury. The antiquities are
,,D,1Jop3 nod nv q 111.ofuciOY1 of hric-