HertfordshireTompkins, Herbert W. (Herbert Winckworth)
History
Hertfordshire
Tompkins, Herbert W. (Herbert Winckworth)
Hertfordshire (England) -- Guidebooks
The grounds are nearly perfect, art and nature seaming to strive to
out-do one another. Well-kept lawns are figured by flower-beds of all
shapes and sizes; the rosery is very large; the great variety of
evergreens imparts every hue and shade to the extensive walks stretching
W. from the house. The lawns are divided here and there by stone
balustrades and overlooked by statues of classical and modern figures.
There are many nooks, pleasure houses and alcoves. A long avenue of
limes leads to the lake.
The church, a little N. from the house, is approached through lodge
gates. It is for the most part E.E. The oaken pulpit is octagonal; the
finely carved panels represent scenes in the life of Christ, one of them
bears the date 1567. At the N. side of the chancel, which has a piscina,
is the Lytton Chapel, "a little Chapel or Burying Place, built by the
Family of the Lyttons". Among the members of the family buried in the
chapel were (1) Dame Judith Barrington, daughter of Sir Rowland Lytton,
and wife to Sir Thomas Barrington of Hatfield Broad Oak (d. 1657); (2)
Sir William Lytton, Kt. (d. 1660); (3) Sir Rowland Lytton, Kt. (d.
1674). To the Sir Rowland Lytton who died in 1582 (see above) there is a
fine brass with effigy, which also commemorates his wives Margaret and
Anne, and his three children. There are other memorials both in the
church and Lytton Chapel, among which note (1) brass to Simon Bache,
Treasurer of the Household to Henry V. and Canon of St. Paul's (d.
1414); (2) brass to John Hotoft, who filled the same office in the
Household of Henry VI. (d. _circa_ 1430). This brass formerly showed
effigies of Hotoft in armour with his wife beside him. Note also, near
the S. porch, two headstones with interesting inscriptions to servants
of the Lytton family, and close by, in the park, the mausoleum erected
by the mother of the novelist, who was buried within its walls. The
epitaph to her memory on the exterior was written by her son. Passing
out at the lodge gates we may turn left and reach a pretty dip, from
whence a walk of 3 miles N. over open country leads to Stevenage.
_Knebworth Green_ skirts the S. side of the park.
_Langley_, a hamlet on the Hatfield-Hitchin road, is 2 miles S.W. from
Stevenage Station (G.N.R.). Langley Bottom is a few minutes' walk N.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account