New Castle, historic and picturesque . ly seats of the Atkinsons, the Stilemans,Eliots, Bells, Frosts, Lears. The Prescott house was on theriver side, near the town wharf. The cellar yet called the Prescott house, it was built by a member ofthe Pepperell family, and was occupied at various times bythe Provincial governors. Its modern history is curious. Itbelonged for a time to the town and was used as a poor-house;this use having come to an end, it was converted into atenement-house; next leased, on condition of certain repairsbeing made by the lessee, which condition was not s
New Castle, historic and picturesque . ly seats of the Atkinsons, the Stilemans,Eliots, Bells, Frosts, Lears. The Prescott house was on theriver side, near the town wharf. The cellar yet called the Prescott house, it was built by a member ofthe Pepperell family, and was occupied at various times bythe Provincial governors. Its modern history is curious. Itbelonged for a time to the town and was used as a poor-house;this use having come to an end, it was converted into atenement-house; next leased, on condition of certain repairsbeing made by the lessee, which condition was not satisfactorilycomplied with and brought a long law-suit upon the town. Atlength the town sold it, together with its very valuable wharfprivilege, to a firm engaged in the fish business, for a merelynominal sum. This business being removed to Portsmouth, theproperty passed into the hands of the Prescotts again, descend- *I have little doubt it was, in reality, a private house, the old Atkinson man-sion, but given up for public ; VortVoi| of oU* HISTOBIC AND PICTUBESQUE 37 ants of the original family. By them it was torn down. Afterseveral more transfers the land on which it stood, and all theother buildings and wharves attached to it, were last sold toHon. Frank Jones. I remember the old house well; it was oftwo stories, spacious, with much fine wainscoting. The hallwent through the building, and from it arose a noble staircasewith double landings, a handsome baluster with curiously carvednewel-posts, of two different patterns, alternately set. At thehead of the first landing w^as a lofty, arched window% at thebottom of which w^as a deep seat, forming, when the window-draperies were half drawn, almost a boudoir. It would holdtwo persons, tete-a-tete; and here, I have heard an old lady say,she lost her heart. The situation was as fine as the house, washed by the river,and surrounded by great trees. It was strange and sad, yet hada melancholy fitness, that the old manse
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