Morning journal and courier., 1891-10-03

ard, he having adopted a boar as one of
 the heraldie supporters upon his regal es- cutcheen. For this poetical libel Ceiling
 bourne. its author, was expeditiously
 Changed, headed and quarteredn on Tower
 Hill, London.
 Sir William Catesby obtained grants of
 various forfeited manors and lucrative
 wardships; and attending King Richard in
 his last expedition against the Earl of
 Richmond, he was taken prisoner in Bos-
 worth Field, fighting vaiisntly for his mas ter, and three days after was beheaded at Leicester. His lands were escheated to
 the crown and granted to Sir James Biount.
 but were restored by act of parliament to
 his son George in 1496. George Catesby. Esq, was succeeded by his son William, s
 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 Cstesby, grandson and suc-
 cessor to Richard, was cited with others before the infamous court of star chamber in 15Sl, charged with harboring Jesuits and being present at a secret celebration of the mass, of which offenses they were con- victed. Sir Robert Catesby, his son and successor, who originated the gunpowder plot on these grounds, lived, until pursued and shot to death at Holbeach, Stafford. shire, in 1895, in this picturesque old man. or house. Cstesby'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 we're
 subsequently, sold by Irving to Brian Pan son and Ann, his wife, with whose de- GnandanfS fhar
 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, bache- Tor and a confirmed woman hater On his decease, in 1884, Major Humphrey Pock- ington Senhouse was called from his es- tates in Cumberland 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 lawyers would call it. But what grand historic sweep it has. What host of men in armor and 'ladyes faire" it marshals from the dim and
 knightly days! What sacred pilgrimages, bloody wars, desperate and victorious dy-
 nasties, kingly pageants and horrid plots
 it summons for solemn review, and how glorious a historic romance could be wrought within Ashby St. Ledgers' grim and ghostly old walls,
 Approaching the place along the high way from the southwest, you suddenly come upon the dsintiest and most flower spsngled village in England. It is a tiny collection of dependencies upon the man or; but there can nowhere else be found
 such flower embowered homes. Just al the northern edge of this, the whole form ing striking background to the side broi- dery of one of the finest wide. high over archings of ancient ash trees I have ever seen, first appears huge wall, high, thick, ivy hung and messy. Surmounting this is wonderfully picturesque old gate house with two stories of chambers and
 an attic-the veIitable meeting room of
 the conspirators- a capacious arch way, which formed the ancient sole en- trance to the domain, in the good old days there also being effigies of saints at the archway sides and convenient inches in which mendicant travellers could sit and appeal to psssers for slms. Behind this are other venerable outbuildings, half a thousand years old and in perfect 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 mas sive gables of this most splendidly fantas- | tic manor house within the England mid. land shires.
 The church itself is study in ancient English ecclesiastic architecture, is extra ordinarily rich in monuments and brasses | and possesses many evidences of having been largely restored and beautified by John de Catesby about 14I2. Its age however, dates from many hundred years
 before that time. Many monuments of
 fhe Catesbys are found in the chaneel
 which escaped destruction, from the place | being so sequestered a one, at the time of the terrible public outburst against the l fatal treason of Robert Catesby. But a portion of its floor are covered with flags | u suggestion of extraordinary antiquity, | as well of the beautiful village 'frushbear- | ing" professionals, which were certain tC have annually been seen within it. Its | traditional south porch is as quaint a study as that of ancient Grasmere church in Westmoreland. And, as from time imme | morisl has been the custom with English parish churches under memorial and de mesne benehces. private way leads to the | hall of the lord of the manor.
 At Ashby St. Ledgers it passes through | the ancient courtyard wall and windi
 across noble terraced lawn and garden
 At the rear of these, marking the bounda " of the highway. is a majestic line o
 ash trees. Half way between the manol house and these stands the historic tulil
 tree of St. Ledgers, indeed, if not of Eng
 land. Its girth at four feet from tn ground is sixteen feet and two inches
 Just above this it breaks into three fork
 with girths of eight feet two inches, sever
 feet seven inches, and seven feet six inch
 es. Its greatest spread or branch is eigh
 weight feet from north to south, seventy
 six feet from east Is west, and its height i | seventy seven feet.
 The manor house is believed to be near
 ly seven hundred years old. Its soutl
 and west fronts certainly date from tn,
 time of Edward III. They retain thei
 original character, and are finished witt
 gables and an open psrapet. The eas
 front is modernized. In the hall of tn,
 most ancient portion every oak panel bear
 8 now almost indistinguishsble painting o
 head or an armorial device. Many DOT
 traits of the Catesbys are still intact. Tn
 entire interior is labyrinth of wainscot
 ing, curious sunken and secret reposito
 ries, dark old railways, wondrously carve
 chimney pieces and fantastic stairways
 balustrades and landings. It is believes
 that the cellars contain walled up secre
 passages to distant places of exit, and il
 one I found huge stone altar, where for
 merly Christian England compelled tn
 pious to worship for fear of the gallows o