. Vanishing England . at the poorer ones were driven to the necessityof walling up some of the windows which their ancestorshad provided with such prodigality. You will often seeto this day bricked-up windows in many an old farm-house. Not every one was so cunning as the parishclerk of Bradford-on-Avon, Orpin, who took out thewindow-frames from his interesting little house near thechurch and inserted numerous small single-paned win-dows which escaped the tax. Surrey and Kent afford an unlimited field for the study OLD MANSIONS 181 of the better sort of houses, mansions, and hav
. Vanishing England . at the poorer ones were driven to the necessityof walling up some of the windows which their ancestorshad provided with such prodigality. You will often seeto this day bricked-up windows in many an old farm-house. Not every one was so cunning as the parishclerk of Bradford-on-Avon, Orpin, who took out thewindow-frames from his interesting little house near thechurch and inserted numerous small single-paned win-dows which escaped the tax. Surrey and Kent afford an unlimited field for the study OLD MANSIONS 181 of the better sort of houses, mansions, and have already alluded to Hever Castle and itsmemories of Anne Boleyn. Then there is the historicPenshurst, the home of the Sidneys, haunted by theshades of Sir Philip, Sacharissa, the ill-fated Algernon,and his handsome brother. You see their portraits onthe walls, the fine gallery, and the hall, which reveals theexact condition of an ancient nobles hall in formerdays. Not far away are the manors of Crittenden, Puttenden,. Arms of the Gaynesfords in window, Crowhurst Place, Surrey and Crowhurst. This last is one of the most picturesquein Surrey, with its moat, across which there is a fine viewof the house, its half-timber work, the straight uprightsplaced close together signifying early work, and thestriking character of the interior. The Gaynesford familybecame lords of the manor of Crowhurst in 1337, andcontinued to hold it until 1700, a very long record. In1903 the Place was purchased by the Rev. — Gaynesford,of Hitchin, a descendant of the family of the formerowners. This is a [rare instance of the repossession of amedieval residence by an ancient family after the lapse oftwo hundred years. It was built in the fifteenth century,and is a complete specimen of its age and style, having i82 VANISHING ENGLAND been unspoilt by later alterations and additions. Thepart nearer the moat is, however, a little later than thegables further back. The dining-room is the contractedremains of
Size: 1544px × 1618px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorditchfieldphpeterhamp, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910
