Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-03

), 1881.
ard having adopted boar as one of the
heraldIc supporters upon his regal escut-
cheon. For this poetical libel Collingbourne,
its author, was expeditiously, changed,
headed and quartercd" on Tower Hill, Lon
don.
Sir William Catesby obtained grants OF
various forfeited manOrs and lucrative
wardships; and attending King Richard IN
his last expedition against the Earl OF Rich
mond he was taken prisoner on Boswortn
Field.
LOST HIS HEAD AND HIS LAND.
Three days after he was beheaded at Lei
cester. His lands were escheated to the
Crown and granted to Sir James Blount,
but were restored by act of Parliament to
his son George in 1896. George Catesby,
Esq, was succeeded by his son William, u
minor, who, dying without issue, the es-
tates descended to his younger brother,
Richard, who was member from Warwick
shire in the famous Parliament which
proved so destructive to the English mon
asteries
Sir William Catesby, grandson and sue
cessor to Richard, was cited with others be-
fore the infamous court of star chamber IN
1881, charged with harboring Jesuits and
and being present at a secret celebration OF
the mass, OF which offenses they were con-
victed Sir Robert Catesbv, his son and
successor, who originated the gunpowder
plot on these grounds, lived until pursued
and shot to death at Holbeacb, Stafford
shire, in 1905, in this picturesque old manor
house
Catesby's estates having been confscated
by the Crown, the lordship and advowson OF
the manor were granted, in 1911, to Sir
William Irving in fee. They were subse--
quently sold by Irving to Brian I'anson and
Ann, his wife, with whose descendants they
continued until 1903.
INHERITED BY A WOMAN HATER.
They were purchased by Joseph Ashby,
Esq. and from him they descended to the
late Lady Senhouse. who, dying in 1850,
left the property to her only surviving child,
Captain William Senhouse, q bachelor and
confirmed woman hater. On his decease,
In 1884, Major Humphrey Pockington Sen
kouse was called from his estates in Cum
berland to act as executor, and found to his
surprise that the splendid old property had
been devised to him. This is long "search"
or abstract of title" as the real estate law
yers would call it. But what a grand his
toric sweep it has!
Approaching the place along the highway
from the southwest, you suddenly come
upon the daintiest and most flower spangled
village in England. It is tiny collection
of dependencies upon the manor; but there
can nowhere else be found such flower en-
powered homes. just at the northern edge
of this, the whole forming striking back
ground to the side broidery of one of the
finest wide, high overarchings of ancient
ash trees 1 have ever seen, first appears q
huge wall, high thick, ivy-hung and messy.
Surmounting this is a wonderfully pictur-
esque old gatehouse with two stories of
chambers and an attic-the veritable meet
ing room of the conspirators.
THE SURROUNDING STRUCTURES.
Behind this are other venerable outbuild-
ings, half thousand years old and in per-
feet maze. To the right and higher shows
a grim, square Norman tower and the messy
roof of the parish church, whose "living"
is within the gift of the lord of the manor.
Behind and above all are the many massive
gables of this most splendidly fantastic
manor house within the English midland
shires.
The church itself is study in ancient
English ecclesiastical architecture, is extra
ordinarily rich in monuments and brasses,
and possesses many evidences OF having
been largely restored and beautifed by John
de Catesby about 1412. Its age, however,
dates from many hundred years before that
time. Many monuments of the Catesbys
are found in the chancel which escaped de-
struction, from the place being so sequest-
cred a one, at the time of the terrible pub
lie outburst against the fatal treason Of
Robert Catesby.
But portion of its floor is covered with
flags suggestion of extraordinary an
tiquity, as well of the beautiful village
'rushbearing" professions, which were GER
tain to have annually been seen within it.
Its traditional south porch is as quaint a
study as that of ancient Grasmere Church
in Westmoreland. A private way leads to
the hall of the lord of the manor.
ST. LEDGER's HISTORIC TULIP TREE
At Ashby st. Ledgers it passes through
the ancient courtyard wall and winds across
n noble terraced lawn and garden. At the
rear of these, marking the boundary of the
highway, is a majestic line Of ash trees.
Half way between the Manor House and
these stands the historic tulip tree of st.
Ledgers indeed, if not of England Its
grth at feet from the gronnd is 16 feet and
inches. Its greatest spread of branch is So
feet from north to south, 76 feet from east
10 west, and its height is Il feet.
The manor house is believed to be nearly
100 years old. The fronts retain their Origi-
nal character, and are finished with gables
md an open parapet. The east front is
In the hall of the most an
,ient portion every oak panel bears q now
Utmost indistinguishable painting of a head
1r an armorial device. The entire interior
$ a labyrinth of wainscoting, curious sunken
md secret repositories, dark old Railways,
carved chimney pieces and fan |
astic stairways, balustrades and landings |
It is believed that the cellars contain walled |
Up secret passages to distant places of exit, |
md in one L found a huge stone altar, |
where formerly Christian England COM
,elled the pious to worship for fear of the |
,allows of Tower Hill.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.