The Irish standard., 1909-12-04

Duke offered to sell them the princi-
pal one in 1876 for $4,000 pounds
predecessor 10000 pounds to erect in
1851, 1t is, of course, the duty of the
Dukes agents to do the best for their
employer; but on the whole there are
comparatively few very serious COM
plants in Sheffield respecting the
terms on. which leases are granted.
When these are brought to the notice
of the Duke he is always ready to
stretch a point in favor of the tenant.
His popularity is attested by the fact
that he has been twice Mayor of the
city. He has dedicated Norfolk Park
to the use of the public, maintaining
it at his own cost. He has also given
recreation ground to the city.
The Shefield estate is especially
rich in mineral wealth. A number Of
coal mines are being constantly
worked, and many thousands Of tons
are annually brought to the surface.
AS his Grace receives an average roy
atty of Cd. per ton it need hardly be
said that his income from this source
alone runs into a good many thou
sands per year.
Although the Duke has a couple nf
mansions-Derwent Hall and Beech
Hall-in the immediate neighborhood
of the cutlery capital, his chief seat
is Arundel Castle. in Sussex, while his
town residence is Norfolk House, in
st. James Square.
One of the most ancient and most
romantically situated of the seats Of
the old nobility, Arundel Castle ap-
peals more to the historian and anti
quarian than to the connoisseur IF
ing from the time of Edward the Con-
fessor, it's Norman keep and grim grey
walls look down on the meandering
Arun and fertile, smiling country
peopled by the Dukes tenantry, whose
ancestors have occupied their farms
for generations. The deer park;s pd-
jacent to the castle. is. l,14bs>acres in
extent. 1t was formerly a rabbit war
rem, bue.sassrea buike 1ii ballt 4. f,,nt
wall around it, laid down several
plantations. and placed herd of
1000 deer in it-features which have
been greatly developed.
Norfolk House, st. James Square, is
a heavy, imposing looking mansion,
with history befitting the, famous
square. Although in later days the
site was the residence Of the heads
of the aristocracy, according to Ma
caulay, in 1855 it was a receptacle for
all the offal and cinders, and for all
the dead cats and dogs of westmins-
ter. At one time q cudgel- player. kept
the ring there. Norfolk House has
been the residence of the Dukes since
1884 when they removed: from the
Strand, and although it has been
largely rebuilt and a portico added in
1924, these efforts have not improved
its appearance. 1t possesses, of course,
many works of art of great value, and
antiquity, but the general effect of the
interior is somewhat depressing. Its
most notable claim on history is that
it was the birthplace of George III.
The methods by which the family
became enriched need not be. dilate l
on here. The estates in Norfolk and
Sussex, as well as the Strand, de-
scend from the old days when might
was right and a strong arm and stout
heart were needed to retain possess
sion of envied properties. But the
Howards possessed these to the full,
for one won the victory at Flodden,
another fell on Bosworth Field, whilst
others fought valiantly on the sea-
These ancestral estates have been
supplemented by gifts from the crown
and fortunate marriages.