Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-27
NOTED BATTLE ABBEY SOL D
HISTORIC RELIC. WITH GRoUNDS
BRINGS sI,OOO,OoO.
Rumor That w. w. Aston Was the
Observation-Disclosures i'm
It's History.

The New York Heralds London cores
pondent under date of Tuesday says: 1t is
not every day that a piece of British his
tory is Knocked down to the highest bidder
but the sale Of Battle Abbey today trans
ferred the ownership of ground which, from
its association with the battle of Hastings
is inseparably bound up with the story OF
the British nation.
1t was this ancient structure, with mod
ern wing. together with the lands sur
rounding it, that was sold today.
Its last owner was the late Duchess OF
Cleveland, mother of Lord Rosebery, and
for this reason it was thought probable
that Lord Rosebery might himself purchase
the estate.
A large crowd assembled in the afternoon,
so large, in fact, that the sale had to be
transferred to the great hail of Winchester
House, Old Broad street.
The auctioneer, Mr.. Joseph Slower, said
ne mad received more than fifteen applca-
lions from persons who expressed the de-
sire to purchase, but these had been weeded
down TO five bona fide buyers.
The first bid was fl 900, which was greet
ed with general laughter
The next, 10000 $3.50, 900, was chara cter-
lied by the auctioneer as ridiculous.
The first serious bid was $4,000 (s4o0. OO0)
Some one in the crowd immediately raised
1t to 100000, after which bidding rose rap
idly ten thousand at a time to $4,000
S9J0000. Then bids of single thousands
raised it to f200000 (s1,000,0O0) at which
price the property was knocked down.
All efforts to ascertain the name of the
purchaser have thus far been flitile, the
auctioneers refusing to give information
There are rumors that Lord Rosebery has
purchased the property, while others say
1t was bought by public spirited million
aire who intends to present it to the ma
ton.
h.
william Waldorf Aston is the purchaser.
Inc sale recalls an amusing anecdote OF
the late venerable Duchess of Cleveland
who was chatelaine for many years both
of Battle Abbey and Raby Castle She
was one of the wittiest women of her gen.
Grafton.
Her grace was present at a certain party
given by a famous American newspaper
owner and millionaire, by way Of house
warming his new palatial offices on the
Thames embankment
The host was pointing out to his distin-
gulshed guests the various beauties of the
establishment, charging especially on the
splendor and cost Of the grand staircase
OF alabaSter and ONYX.
Very fine, indeed Mr.. A" at last said
the old duchess, a little wearied by these
encomlums. Extremely fne-so much finer
than my staircases at Raby and Battle
But those. you know. have been sadly dam
aged by the mailed heels of crusaders
tramping up and down them"
Battle Abbey is situated near Battle
Hastings, Sussex. The town received its
name from being the spot on which the
SaXons, under Harold, were defeated by
william, Duke of Normandy, at the battle
of Hastings, in 1906. After the battle Will
liam the Conqueror founded a MAGNIFICENT
abbey to commemorate his victory. The
high altar in the church is said to have
stood on the very spot where the body OF
the Saxon king was found.
The Norman duke marching from Peven-
sey, lew miles away, where he had land
ed, found the SaXons, under Harold, en-
which lies within the enclosure of Battle
estate So stubborn was the defence that
the future of the day was uncertain till
William ordered his arehers to shoot up
ward. An arrow pierced Harold's eve and
he fell. with a few of his earls faithful to
the last. The Abbey was entrusted to the
Benedlctine order. and enjoyed for $40
years great celebrity. At the reformat ion
1T was presented by Henry VIII to his mas
ter Of the horse, who converted the MON
astic buildings into a private dwelling house
and added the banqueting hall. After pass
ing through various hands the property
Cleveland.
Nathaniel Hawthorne described the gate
house, built in 1888, as just as solid and
massive as when it was first built, the per-
feet reality as a Gothic battlement hoary
and venerable with many centuries The
Abbots hall. the Beggars' hall and some
OF the old cloisters are still part of the
building, while the ruins include some relics
Of the Abbey Church of ST. Martin. with
the site of the high altar, raised In fulfill
ment Of William the Conqueror's VOW over
the spot where Harold fell.
w. w. Astor Not the Purchaser.
LONDON, November 27-William Wal
dorf Aston authorizes denial Of the re-
port that he was the purchaser of Bat
tie Abbey, sold at public auction yester-
day