Leaving Thorpe for Gunton Hall, the seat of the Right Hon. Lord Suffield,
you pass, at the north-east angle of the park, under the arch of an
elegant tower, rising to the height of one hundred and twenty feet six
inches, from which an extensive prospect is afforded of the surrounding
country. The Hall itself is an elegant edifice, built of white brick,
and it was much enlarged under the direction of Mr. Wyatt, in 1785. It
stands on an eminence commanding a very fine view of the park and its
plantations, which occupy not less than nine hundred and forty-two acres.
More attention has been paid in the interior to comfort than to splendor,
in which respect it is not to be exceeded. The gardens are extensive,
and tastefully laid out. The park is well stocked with deer, and is
noted for the number of pheasants and hares with which it abounds. From
the Thorpe road an avenue is pointed out, which extends two miles, and
opens into the park, through which the view is perfectly unobstructed.
A fine lake lies on the left as we leave the park through the Hanworth
Lodge, where the trees again form an avenue, naturally, and in a most
picturesque manner, interlacing their luxuriant branches, and forming a
canopy over the road.
The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, has a handsome portico of the Doric
order, and was rebuilt by Sir Willian Morden Harbord, Bart., who became
possessed of the estate in 1742. The rectory is consolidated with
Hanworth, and is in the gift of Lord Suffield. The house is shown to
visitors.
There is little to be noticed at Roughton, except that it is a pleasant
village in an open vale, containing about one thousand one hundred acres
of land, of which three hundred and seventy-six are of heath. The church
is a vicarage, of which the Bishop of Ely is patron. It boasts of a
free-school, endowed with thirty-six acres of land, founded by Robert
Brown early in the seventeenth century. Roughton is four miles from
Cromer. The drive consists of nearly fourteen miles.
EXCURSION TO SHERRINGHAM,
THROUGH RUNTON AND BEESTON.
The drive to Runton is by some considered the least pleasing of any round
Cromer. We hardly know how to subscribe to this opinion, for the
sea-view is extremely fine, and there are points of inland beauty
belonging to it which are very striking. As we before observed, the town
itself, to be seen to advantage, should be viewed from this road.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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