Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-02-15

The now Stoke Hall was built by John
| Penn from designs by Wyatt 1t Is chiefly
Of brick, succeed, and comprises large
square center and two wings. The entrance
front II ornamented by a cOlonnado Of ten
Doric o0lumns. approached by imposing
flights Of steps, leading TO the famous oval
central Marble Hall. The south front, also
adorned with acolonnade, has twelve fiuted
Doric columns, and ~ 100 feet la length,
Many visitors horo mistake tho old manor
house at the north Of the church for Gray's
former home. 1t Isl beautiful and pic
turosauo half ruin, occupied by the keeper
Of Stoke Park. Itschlmneys arc the largest
have seen In any old English manor house,
md there arc undoubtedly today more
bricks IN these ivy covered mementos Of
old time cheer than were originally re.
quired In the entire construction Of the
walls.
John Penn built the modest yet noted
mansion OF Solitude, still standing on The
bank Of the Sohuylklll, opposite Fair
mount, In Philadelphia. Much Of the rev.
enue fron remaining Pennsylvania PRO
prietary" interests was expended here.
Vast sums were used upon new Stoke Hall
and it's library. statuary and paintings.
He also rescued from oblivion the actual
mortal slab against the church wall be-
meath the vcstry window, aud erected at
bis own expense the huge monument to
the poet which dominates all the slumber-
Gus scene.
On tho death Of John Penn, Stoke Manor
was Inherited by lis younger brother, Gran
willie Penn, who died at Stoke in 1874 llc
was an author aud was admitted TO be one
Of tho most learned English laymon Of his
time. His oldest son, Granville John Penn,
not only restored" but practically rebuilt
Grays house, West End Cottage, on tho
West End Road. II was converted into
mmptuous EliZabothan mansion, with cv-
err necessary Of ornament and beauty. In
1850 II was sold to gentleman named
Darby, but was afterward purchased by A.
Allhauscn, Esq, whose family and heirs
still possess It,. and with II the right OF use
Of the Gray family pew In tho southwest
corner Of tho south aisle Of tho old Stoke
poges church.
A curious illustration Of the dccndenco OF
great families. as well MS Of vast fortunes
even In England, N found in tho final cx.
tincton OF this the most eminent branch Of
the Penn family, aud the diversion OF their
once great estates. Every one IL familiar
with the escheating OF William PENIS
American possessions, in which the estate
Of the late proprletarcs was vested In the
Commonwealth, thepayment by Pennsyl.
vania Of El9o,000 sterling 10 the deviseos
and legatees. Sin remembrance OF the en-
tcrprisiug spirit Of the Founder" and tho
granting by the English parliament, In
100, Of an annuity Of G4,O00tohis heirs and
descendants. All this was IN addition TO
the rich English possessions Of the Penns,
which included the manor Of Stoke. And
yet on March ~. 1857, Granville John Penn,
lord OF the manor Of Stoke, died IN hls chair
with an unsigned will In bis hands. All his
properties were inherited by his brother,
Thomas That gentleman, who was In
clerical orders and man Of extraordinary
learning, was subsequently declared insane
and incapable Of managing his estates.
These passed into the tentacles Of. that
great English octopus, tho chancery court
and fually, after the death Of tho unfor.
tunate Thomas, got into tho possession OF
| William Stuart. gentleman, OF Alderman
Abbey, In the shire Of Herts. Today the
Penns Of Stoke Poges are no more The
romping children OF n country squire have
| banished the tender wraiths that peopled
the home and haGnts OF Gray ut West End
Cottage, while tho lord OF the manor
whose parkkeeper now uses as farm.
house the ancient home OF the Cobhnms
the Cokes and tho lordly house OF Hast.
ings, whore Queen Elizabeth was royalty
entertained, and whose own present prince.
~ habitatlon was once the palatlal seat oil
| the Pcnns-is maker OF matches In Lon,
dom
Still no one can come TO tho sweet old
place without being touched by the tender
spirit OF repose which broods not alon,
upon Stoke poges Church and churchynrd
upon the ontire Stoke manor, where, halt
hidden beneath sylvan shades, appear tn,
very place where the poet lived aud sang
the picturesque old ruin where once dis
ported lords and ladies, aud even royalty
itself, and the grandsr seat o. the Penns
but upon the entire historic parish.
All It's environment strangely stirs tn,
heart and memory. Over to the south Il
royal Windsor. through whose sucoessiy,
epochs tho whole vast book OF English
history may be written, from the Veto
rian era to the tirio Of Arthur. his knights
and the Table Round. Milton wrote hi
"I'Allsgro" at Horton, Just below. Coop
er's Hill. con, scrated to the muse OF Den
ham, is nearer still. Herschel made hi
first great discoveries In astronomy II
that old red brick mansion Just beyon,
Slough on the highway TO Windsor. Ed
mund Burke and Edmund Waller lived n
near Beaconsasld. Not two hours wall
distant Is the grave OF William Penn, an,
quite as near are the famous Burnhnn
Beeches discovered by Gray himself whei
upon his first visit to tho region whic
his genius was destined 20 make one q
the best loved spots OF earth. | visite
these, as will all who coma to this spo
where the "Elegy" was written. But u
pen can again 20 deliciously tell OF Burr
ham Beechss, and the languid, lazy, cas-
going Gray himself, rs did Gray's In thi
bit from one OF his charming letters TO hi
friend Horace Walpolo:
"hly uncle Is u great hunter in lmaglni
ton, his dogs take up every chair in th
house, 80 am forced TO stand NJ the pre-
ent writing; aud though the govt forbid
his galloplng after them ia the field, y,
he continues still 90 rcgale his ears an
nose with their comfortable noise IN
stink. lie holds me mighty cheap, pc
, ceiyc, for walking when should ride an
reading when should hunt, My comio
amidst ali thi. Is that have nj u distau.
OF half mile, through green lane, II fore
(he vulgar call 1t u oommon) all my owl
at least a. good w 20, Tor spy no humU
thing in it but myself II Is little cha'
OF mountains aud preoiplces; mountain
IL IL true, that do not ascend much abo,
the clouds, nor are the declivlties quite
amazing as Dover Clif, but Just such hill
MS people who love their necks as well ms
DO may venture TO climb, aud crags thi
give the eye as much pleasure " II the
were more dangerous