The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03
Historic English Castles and Estates
in the Market

Atuu Inc the CllTOulCle VI via TSn--
land, so great is the number of his
toric estates and castles that are
offered for sale. There are vast piles
of turreted masonry crowning rocky
hilltops, with great halls, bastions and
donjons where medieval history was
made and written, and old abbeys,
priories and mansion houses where
distinguished British families had
their origin and lived for centuries,
which are merely waiting for a pur-
| chaser to pay the price and move in.
Their records of royal and noble
guests, their secret chambers and pam
elled walls, their ghosts, wraiths and
traditions, all properly authenticated,
are thrown in without a farthing of
extra charge.
The Field reports in the market the
great frowning castle of Pembroke,
which stands on rock rising out of
the water Of the arm Of Milford Haven
in Wales. There is no more notable
stronghold in land of castles, and
its great central keep says the Field,
sis splendid survival" 1t was the
cradle of the Tudors," for here was
born HENRY. Earl Of RICHMOND, who
twenty-six years afterward became as
HENRY VII. the first Tudor king and
the healer Of strifes of the Roses.
CROMWELL besieged this old strong
hold in 164S and found it a tough
morsel, since the place was defended
for CHARLES I. by three rare rascals,
Colonies LAUGHAgNE. poyER and Pow
ELL. Tradition says II traitor, whom
CROMWELL hanged, betrayed the garri-
son. The defenders went free with
the exception of the three Colonels.
They were permitted to draw lots;
two drew papers on which was writ
ten Life given by COB" the third,
who drew blank. was PoYER. de-
scribed by CARLYLE as full of brandy
and Presbyterian texts of Scripture"
He was shot. A prospective purchaser
who might be won by this description
and history should bear In mind that
parts Of the floors are gone and he
would have to install bathtubs, gas
and electric lights.
The Fineshade Abbey in Northamp-
tonshire is also on the market. 1t was.
unlike many so-called abbeys, really
Il priory, founded in the year 1900.
The lands were finally granted to
! JOHN, Lord RUSSELL, afterward the
first Earl Of BEDFORD. the founder of
that family. When Fotheringay Cas-
tie fell into decay some Of the stone
work of the great hall in which
the hapless Queen OF Scots was be-
headed was used in building the
chapel at Fineshade. The Times says
that another ancient abbey, ST Osyth's
priory, in Essex, is also for sale. This
ancient structure. which dates back
to the twelfth century, has been made
into convenient country house" and
offers the unusual attraction Of q
water supply and electric lights.
Two other fine old ecclesiastical
properties seeking new owners are the
Abbey House. Abingdon. and the Suit
ton Courtenay Manor. 7hich were the
property Of the fourteenth cenrdry
rent profiteering abbots, whom tenants
prophesied would come to "some bad
end They were ousted, but not
until they were receiving an annual
income of 100000 from their proper
ties. The abbey is described as a
magnificent building" and much Of
it's grandeur is preserved in the re.
stored structure. Another great man
sion to be sold ut the same time is
the Quenby House, in Leicestershire
From this estate first came the cheese
''now called Stilton." Originally the
name was Quenby cheese. According
to tradition. the change was brought
about by IAN innkeeper of Stilton
town. in Huntingdonshire. buying it in
considerable quantities and retailing it
to travellers"
The Stoke Park estate, once the
home OF the Penns, was also placed on
the market. On this property is n
monument put up by JOHN Penn IN
memory Of the poet GRAY. On three
sides are quotations from the Elegy,
on the fourth is an Inscription saying
that the stone was erected in 1893
among the scenery celebrated by the
great Lyric and Eleginc Poet" and
that he lies unnoticed in the adioin.
ing churchyard under the tombstone
on which he piously and pathetically
recorded the lnternent Of his aunt
and lamented mother" The hope is
expressed that the property will not
fall into hands that will permit this
monument. (which in sense has be.
come historic, TO fall in,o ruin"
The Great House, at the old town
Of Buford in the CotswOlds. has also
literary memories. for II was the home
of SAMUEL CRISP and his two sisters.
who we're the friends and confdants
OF FANNY BURHEY. Here too Cmsp
in 1854 wrote his tragedy Of "vir-
ginia" and gave IL to GARnrcK ana
Mrs. CtBnFR 10 be produced nv thom