The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-25
LORD TENNYSON At HOME
The Venerable Poet Laureate Who
Recently Celebrated His Eighty
Second Birthday.
His Retired Life at His Country
Houses, Haslemere and
Freshwater.
Why F~arringford Park Is Closed to tho
Why F~arringford Park Is Closed to the
Public-Lord Tennyson's Dealings
With His Neighbors.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the poet laureate
of England, celebrated his eighty second
birthday Aug. 6, having been born in 1909.
Notwithstanding his years and the effects
of a severe illness he had two or three years
since, which seriously crippled his strength
and energy, he enjoys excellent health. In
fact, he is now seen more in the neiphbor-
hood of his estates than for many years
past. In spite of his weight of years, the
poet still covers q considerable distance
every day, either across Breakdown or along
the clif walks at Freshwater bay. Hon.
Hallam Tennyson said to a writer in the
Pail Mall Budget the other day that his
lordship was Every we'll, and has walked his
four miles to-day with me-"
The poets homes at Haslemere and
Freshweter are IN keeping with his love of
seclusion, and have been c~leverly planned
to shield him from the public gaze. In the
situation, scenery and the air of artistic
comfort pervading them they are perhaps
unique. Aldworth stands on the southern
size OF Breakdown, some eight or nine hun
drea feet above the sea, and faces the
Weald of Sussex, which presents one of the
most lovely pictures of English rural life.
Hindu ad lies on the other side of the
house, and its gorse and heather is now be-
ing dotted with smart red colored villas.
With a glass one can distinguish Prof.
Iyndalts place, who when planning it2
erection arranged a window from which a
view was obtained OF Aldworth. The
Tennysons and the Tyndalls, by the way,
are on intimate terms of friendship. Or
its northern side the poets residence, which
is of Gothic construction and with 9
pointed arched porch, is entirel,
sheltered among the trees, SO that
from the public road it cannot be seen
Tie grounds are prettily laid out, but Ten
nyson, whose taste for flowers is not YER,
pronounced. leaves their choice and ar
rangement to his daughter-in-law, who
makes her home, with her husband, witt
Lord and Lady Tennyson. If Tennysor
has any preference in regard to flowers it il
Eald to be expressed for the royal rose
whose bright pink shades are more easil,
ditcerned and appreciated by his dim anc
falling eyesieht.
As a rule the poet and his family spent
the auinmer months at Aldworth, and il
October usually depart for F~feshwater. TIL,
house. Ut half q mile from Freshwater ba,
and wthin easy distance of the far-famsC
Alnm hay and the Needles, cannot be over
loohs from the highway. Even in the pri
v"le Rod running around two sides of tn,
sngi formed by the grounds one can GO.
notblnR OF the pleasant house within. Just
elins5sa of it, nesting among the nobl
iree8 IN the park, ia obtained from the hill
to ths right 1T Freshwater BAY. Curiousl,
enough, a sale OF building plots On thil
down wEs announced for the poets birth
ohy and the shrewd auctionser stated tn,
fact on his posters that the property over
looks farIinGford park Lord Tenny-
son 81" WHAT q cruel birthday surprise
the approaches to ~FSrrineford present
very totbidaing aspect. The principal On