The Romance of Old New England RooftreesCrawford, Mary Caroline
History
The Romance of Old New England Rooftrees
Crawford, Mary Caroline
Historic buildings -- New England; New England -- Biography
The Hopkinton home fell, in the course of time, into the hands of the
Reverend Mr. Nason, who was to be Frankland's biographer, and who, when
the original house was destroyed by fire (January 3, 1858), built a
similar mansion on the same site. Here the Frankland relics were
carefully preserved,--the fireplace, the family portrait (herewith
reproduced), Sir Harry's silver knee buckles, and the famous broadcloth
coat, from the sleeve of which the unfortunate lady had torn a piece
with her teeth on the day of the Lisbon disaster. This coat, we are
told, was brought back to Hopkinton by Sir Harry, and hung in one of the
remote chambers of the house, where each year, till his departure for
the last time from the pleasant village, he was wont to pass the
anniversary of the earthquake in fasting, humiliation, and prayer. The
coat, and all the other relics, were lost in April, 1902, when, for the
second time, Frankland Hall was razed by fire.
The ancient Fountain Inn, with its "flapping sign," and the "spreading
elm below," long since disappeared, and its well, years ago filled up,
was only accidentally discovered at a comparatively recent date, when
some workmen were digging a post hole. It was then restored as an
interesting landmark. This inn was a favourite resort, legends tell us,
for jovial sea captains as well as for the gentry of the town. There are
even traditions that pirates bold and smugglers sly at times found
shelter beneath its sloping roof. Yet none of the many stories with
which its ruins are connected compares in interest and charm to the
absolutely true one given us by history of Fair Agnes, the Maid of
Marblehead.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: "Three Heroines of New England Romance." Little, Brown &
Co.]
AN AMERICAN-BORN BARONET
One of the most picturesque houses in all Middlesex County is the Royall
house at Medford, a place to which Sir Harry Frankland and his lady used
often to resort. Few of the great names in colonial history are lacking,
indeed, in the list of guests who were here entertained in the brave
days of old.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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