Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-14
GLADSTONE AT HOME.

w. u. Gladstone (says an English writer)
forms one of the greatest attractions in
the county of Flint. The house is distant
about two miles from Queensberry station,
on the Chester and Holyhead railway, and
from the Broughton station on the Chester
and Mold branch, but the greater number
of tourists probably proceed by road from
Chester, which is drive of just six and
half miles each way. The castle stands in
grounds of its own, with park outside,
to which visitors are freely admitted.
More than one-third of the entire county
is owned by only thirteen proprietors, of
whom the largest is Lord Hammer, with
S,318 acres, while MIR. Gladstone is the next
largest, with 6,90S acres, of which many
are Immediately round about his residence;
and there are very few properties of SINH
lar extent which comprise mere agreeable
and diversified scenery-charming vistas
can be seen among the oaks, lines and
elms, interspersed with pleasant peeps of
ivy covered ruins and messy walls. It is
a matter of notoriety that Mr.. Gladstone
DELIGHTS IN WELDING THE AXE
and in performing the rough manual labor
of the common woodman. He has here
abundant materials on which to exercise
his skill, and if the visitor arrives at IA
vorble moment, he may perchance see tree,
several feet in diameter. which has been
feiled by one of the most intellectual men
Of the time, or view the prime minister of
England, with shirt sleeves rolled up, en-
gagged in chopping timber Or cutting fire.
wood, for Mr.. Gladstone is in no way
ashamed of his pursuits, and has even had
himself photographed stripped to the shirt
while engaged at his work. His axes.
which are said to exceed thirty in number,
many Of them costly presents from ardent
admirers, are, however, too sacred to be
exhibited, and are among the few things at
Hawar0en which are not open TO the public
gaze.
THE CHURCH AT HAwARDEN
is at the northern end of the village, and
externally is plain old building, with a
low tower and dwarf spi re. AS almost al
except the bare walls was destroyed by fire
about quarter Of a century ago, the in
terror is new, and it is trim and well kept,
as church should be. The principal ap-
proach to the churchysrd leads through
rather elegant iron gates, bearing over
them the inscription, Enter into His gates
with thanksgiving" and passes venerable
yew-tree close to the church porch. On en-
tering this, the visitor has almost,in front
OF him the reading desk at which Mr.
Gladstone reads the lessons whenever he
has an opportunity, and on his right the
bare, uncushioned family bench-for in this
church there are only open benches, and
none of those comfortable old family pews
with curtains, where man of quiet turn
of mind can take nap. In nook close
to the chancel there is fine recumbent
efigy in white marble of Sir Stephen Rich
ard Glynne, Bart, (born Sept %, 1907;
died June II, 1919 through whom the
Hawarden estate came to its present pos
SCISSORS; but the other slabs and ornaments
are paltry, and have no public interest |
The living of Hawarden is stated to be |
worth "a 900 per annum and is held by the
premier's son,
TEE REV. STEPHEN GLADSTONE,
who lives at the rectory, hard by the church |
gates, building which has most repul- |
sive exterior, though it is said to be COM |
Portable house to live in, and is often used !
by the rector's father .as residence, in |
preference to his own large and more pre-
tentlous house. This latter is half-mile |
away, well hidden amongst lofty trees |
There are several approaches to the park |
and house, of which the upper one, in the |
middle of the village, close to the Glynn |
Arms, Is the most imposing, and the lower |
one the most picturesque. There are two |
castles, the old and the new. The former, |
now
VENERABLE UNCOVERED Ruin
is building of great antiquity, having a |
history extending back earlier than the Nor
man conquest; and it looks down upon its |
modern castellated neighbor, with its for
NAL parterres and neat Surroundings. The |
best general view of the new castle is OBJ
tanned from the slope leading downward |
from the old ruins; and looking from this |
direction three windows will be noticed at |
the end of the ground floor Of the modern |
structure. The two on the left belong to |
the library, or
''MR. 0LADsTONE's ROOM"
his study and sanctuW. Should you be |
permitted to enter this-which is, however, |
by no means the only room in the castle
IN which books arc located-you will find |
room not twenty feet square, neither lofty
crowded up with books, pa
POAo GIN Culiftt, llcOdlllous,
and other articles indicative of a man of |
culture and taste. In this there is little
room left for moving about The ever
growing books. constantly encroaching
on the limited space, are disposed irreg-
ularly on every side, and are mainly held |
back to back on what may be described as
elongated tallboys, an arrangement of |
which Mr.. Gladstone is said to be exceed |
ingly proud, but which is by no means
peculiar to this house and is adopted by |
many literary men, as convenient method |
OF storing many volumes in small area.
The nature of the books IL this room indi-
Gates man of wide and various tastes |
rather than bibliomaniac. The eye does |
not light upon masterpieces of binding, or
upon thin folios, which are valuable more |
for their title pages than their contents |
The reception and dining-rooms of Haw-
arden occupy the side Of The house facing
the garden. and Just outside Of them is |
the gravel walk, which IS the favorite walk |
of the great man yshen he caa get 10 far
Their abroad. The apartments, as whole, |
are
RESPECTABLE RATHER rHEE asAGsiFIcENT.
and many retired groeers nave larger rooms |