Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1913-01-17

QouS natural TOcK, WOOD anO
prospect, of the duke of Buck
ingham's buildingof extraor
binary expanse. The grotts in
the chalky rock are pretty-it is a 70
mantle object, and the place alto
gether answers the most poetical de-
scription that can be made Of solitude,
precipice, prospect or whatever can
contribute TO a thing so very like
their imaginations. The stand is
something like Frascau as to Its front,
and on the platform is a circular view
to the utmost verge of the horizon,
which, with the serpenting Of the
Thames, Is admirable. The staircase
Ii for its materials singular, and the
oloisters, descents, gardens and ave
nue. through the wood august and
stately. but the land all about barren
and producing nothing but ferne. In
deed, as / told his majesty that eve
ming asking me how liked Clifden)
without fattery, that it did not please
me 30 well as Windsor for the pros
pect and park. there being but only
one opening, and that narrow, which
led one to any variety"
John Evelyn made this entry in his
diary more than two centuries ago,
but the impression made on the mod
ern visitor is no less rich and strik-
ing. Nothing Of the dukes house re-
mains except the great under-building
Of the magnificent terrace, 400 feet
long and 20 feet wide, but even this
has been much altered, especially In
abe disposition Of the stairways The
gardens have been changed and the
prospect of the neighboring country is
no longer bare, but cultivated and
smiling.
Checkered History.
Although Evelyn was right in claim
Ing for the royal castle great and
unconflned outlook, the view from the
terrace at Windsor overlooking Elton
college and the meadows scarcely sur
passes the splendid picture which
meets the eye from the terrace at
Cliveden, with the Thames winding
like silver thread through the gaps
in a foreground of trees The house
has had an unusually checkered his
tory. There does not seem to have
been any building on the site until 1t
was bought by George Villiers, second
Duke Of Buckingham, some time after
the restoration. The architect was
Captain Wynne, or Winde, native Of
Holland and a pupil of Sir Balthazar
Gerber. He was a man Of considera-
BILE ability, and is, perhaps, best re-
membered now for his design of New
castle house, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
which remains, though somewhat al
tered. Very little is known Of
Wynne. He must have been friend
Of Samuel Pepys, for he received a
ewenty-shilling mourning ring at his
funeral In 1903, but there is no men
tion OF him In the diary. We have no
space here to attempt a sketch OF so
vivid and contradictory a character
as George villiers. Like Charles H.,
ne dabbled in the arts and sciences,
and as Bryan Fairfax wrote Of him,
spent much on building in that sore
OF architecture which Cicero calls In
sanae substructiones." Unfortunately,
Fairfax, the author Of the only con
temporary biography of the duke,
gives no details of his architectural
empIoyments. The work at Cliveden
was begun about 1866, and among the
state papers there Is significant
warrant dated June q. 1877. The
duke was then a prisoner in the tow
or and had permission to 90 to Give
aen. attended by Sir John Robinson,
10 take order about carrying on some
buildings Of his there, and to remain
an the Esd and then return to the
tower"
In 1875 more building was done at
S.iiyeden. Giacoda Leoni, the italian,
Who was architect OF Clandon park,
aesigned the small octagonal temple
which stands southwest Of the main
Building.
stately Structure.
The year 1876 proved disastrous for
Cllveden. for on May 20 1t was almost
holly consumed By FIRE, with the ex-
eaption. we may well suppose. Of the
Insane substructiones." In 1924
.ha estate was bought by Sir George
Warrender, who rebuilt the house. In
ss4s it again changed hands. and be-
came the property Of the duke Of suth,
srIand Within SIX months It was
sgaip burnt down, but straightway |
rebuilt ii the form IN which We see Il