The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-11
M LA MAnouIsE DE FoNrENuY.


AD4 CHERMSIDE'S death NJ An
dermatt. In Switzerland. with
out leaving any children, after
having spent the last few years
or her life as an invalid. VIII be as
scrtbed by many TO the III fate which
seems to dog the steps of the own
ers OF Newstead Abbey. celebrated as
| the home of the poet, Lord Byron. He
was devoted 10 the place. and II zig
ures In many of his poems. notably
| Built as monastery BY Henry IL, in
| expia ton of the murder Of ST. Thopla $
a Beckett, 1t has. according to local
tradition. been doubiy burdened py a
curse Not only was IL taken from
Its monastic owners by force, at the
scented by Henry VIII to Sir John BY
ron but an additional blot was
brought upon 1t by an act OF desc
Grafton perpetrated by the fifth and
Wicked" Lord Byron.
This peer happened. in the course
of some building operations to como
/ upon the remains of one of the old
time abbots of Newstead He per-
nitted the bones TO be reinterred ex
cept the skull. which he had mount
drinking cup. which he used for ca
rousing Indeed. it was the principal
| feature at the meetings of the Order
of the Skull, which he formed, com
posed of men of the same character
| these orgies that the fifth Lord Byron
killed his neighbor. SQUIRE Chaworih
of Annesley Hall. wrong which his
| srandnephew and successor. the poet
sought to repair BY endeavoring to
marry the sources daughter. Mary
Chaworth. Although he addressed a
| number of verses TO her. in some OF
which she is described as. the bright
morning star of Annesley," she reject
| ed his addresses. The rap!er with
| which her father was killed is pre-
served IN the corridor adjoining the
principal, drawing room at Newstead
Abbey, along with the sword and the
| cap used by the poet when fighting
for the independence of Greece.
The poet lis also on record as hay
| ing used the abbot's skull as drink
ing cup. and on the silver mount In
ming:
Start not nor deem my spirit fed
! In me behold the only skull
From which, unlike a living head.
! Whatever flows is never dull
During the lifetime Of the poet this
the father of Lady chermside,. the late
William Frederick Webb. who some
time after his purchase of the abbey
discovered 1t by mere chance IN a
ford Street. covent Garden He al
once purchased it. and caused II to
be reverently reinterred within the
abbey precincts. II was after this
| that his son was born But so afraid
was he of the curse resting on the
| place and lest any harm should be-
fall his son that he declined to leave
generous provisions for him, and be-
queathed the abbey to the husband OF
his younger daughter. Geraldine
namely, Lieutenant-General Sir Her
bert Chermside.
The fifth Lord Byron is credited
with having been threatened by the
ghost Of the Dominican monk that
haunts Newsstand with misfortune Tor
him. for his descendants and for a.
future -%.ners of the abbey And y
certanl,; would seem as II some OF
his menaces have borne fruit, for the t
| son and grandson die in quick sue,
cesson sby violence. It was then thai
the abbey passed into the hands OF
| his granddaughter. the poet. who, as
every one knows, died without mails 2.
Issue. after sinPularly unhappX llte