New-York tribune., 1900-11-04
HISTORIC HATFIELD HOUSE
THE HOME OF THE MARQUIS OF SAILS
BURY NOTED PLACE FOR
SEVEN CENTURIES.

Hatfield House the home Of the Marquis of
Salisbury. has been for many years one of the
notable homes of England, and the rumor to
the effect that the Prime Minister contemplates
a partial retirement from office brings the an
cent pile to public attention. Hatfield House
became place of interest more than seven CEN
turies ago and since that time "the crown, the
mitre and the coronet have successfully held
sway over it's destinies"
The present structure reared in the days
of James l, but some parts of the building
antedate that period. Notable among these old
parts of Hatfield is the palace" which was the
home of Princess Elizabeth in the reign of her
sister, Queen Mary. The estate lies in the
county of Hertford, about twenty miles from
London. 1t belonged to the Saxon kings until
1t given by King Edgar to the monastery
of St. Ethelrda, at Ely. The manor house be-
the residence OF the prelates, and was
occasionally used royal residence until the
reign of Henry VIII. when it was decided to the
Crown. Prince Edward afterward Edward VI
lived at the palace, and it is said that he was
there when the of his fathers death
reached him. and that his accession to the
crown took place at the stately hall. few
years after he became King the young mon
arch conveyed Hatfield to his sister, the Prin-
cess Elizabeth aftcrward Queen Elizabeth, and
there she lived under surveillance through the
greater part of Queen Marys reign.
1t was at Hatfield that Elizabeth received the
news of Mary's death, and the place Is stl
shown where she fell upon her knees and eX-
claimed: 1T is the Lords doing, and 1t is mar
vellous in our eyes" The Latin phrase, "A
Domino factum est stud, ct est mirabe oculis
nostris" adopted by Elizabeth as motto
for her gold coins, and thus the place became
identified with the coinage of the realm On the
day following the death of Mary several mem-
bers of the Queens Council waited on her at
Hatfield. She received hem kindly, and was
especially gracious to Sir William Cecil, who be-
Lord Burleigh, whom she appointed on
that day Secretary of State. 1t was at Hatfield
also that Elizabeth received the proposal or
marriage from the King of Sweden for his son
Eric.
In the third wear of the reign of James 1 he
exchanged Hatfield for the house, manor and
park of Thcobolds, with his Minister, Sir Rob
trt Cecil, afterWard Earl of Salisbury, whose
descendant the present Marquis of Salisbury,
now owns the estate.
The Hatfield House of to-day is a brick struct-
urc vast in extent. 1t built between the
years 1868 and 1G11 by Robert Cecil, first Earl
bf Salisbury. 1t was allowed later to suffer
from neglect, but was restored and bcautiiiCd in
the middle of the last century by the sixth Earl.
In 1880 great part of the west wing was de-
stroyed by fire, in which the Dowager Mar
chioncss of SALISBURY lost her life Shortly after
the fire general restoration of the building
took place.
The house forms three sides of square, the
hollow part turned toward the south. The
centre is looked upon fine specimen of the
Palladian style, and. although of mixed archi-
lecture, is highly pleasing to the eye. The
wings massive and comparatively plain. sup
ported at each corner by square turrets seventy
feet high. There is a central tower over the
grand entrance, which is also seventy feet high
The third story of tho central tower contains q
clock and the armoria bearings OF. the founder.
with the date 1911, in which year the present
house was finished The southern front is 300
feet long and the centre is 40 feet The wings
are 50 feet wide and project 100 feet from the
centre.
The hall is spacious and lofty. II leads to the
gallery. in which many interesting relics OF for
mer days preserved. including the saddle
cloths used by Queen Bess' and by Sir Robert
Cecil. the first Earl of Salisbury. One of the
most notable parts of the paatial house is the
grand staircase 1t occupies d space of 81 by 81
feet. and has five landings On the walls are
portraits OF the Cccils by Lcly, Knillcr. Van
dyke. Zucchcro. Reynolds and others marble
bust of Lord Burcigh is over the entrance to
the dining hall. The marble hall, so by 30 feet
tn dimensions, panelled with oak lined with
Yare old tapestry and lit by an oriel window is
another notable feature OF the house Here
tions and relies are two banners presented to