“George Eliot’s” father, Mr. Robert Evans, was agent for the Arbury Estate, and the family afterwards, whilst the future novelist was quite a child, removed to a larger house at Griff. As was perhaps not unnatural, “George Eliot” drew much of her early inspiration and local colour from the immediate neighbourhood in which she was born, and in “Mr. Gilfil’s Love Story,” which she commenced to write on Christmas Day 1856, Astley Church appears under the disguise of “Knebley Church”; whilst Sir Robert Newdigate, who collected so many Art treasures for his beautiful home of Arbury, figures in the same story under the name of “Sir Christopher Cheverel.” CHAPTER X THE STORY AND ROMANCE OF SOME SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE MANOR–HOUSES Some twelve miles to the south–east of Stratford lies Compton Wynyates, one of the most interesting and picturesque manor–houses in Warwickshire, reached by a road scarcely more than a by–way from Upper Tysoe, and lying beautifully situated and secluded in a thickly wooded dell. Scarcely seen until one comes quite close to it, at first sight it gives merely an impression of a multitude of gables, turrets, and chimneys, with the central porch flanked by two picturesque half–timbered gables partly overgrown by creepers and ivy. The whole building except the gables is battlemented, and the ancient chimneys of zigzag and cable pattern give it an additional and unique picturesqueness. The old moat which formerly surrounded it has been filled in, with the exception of a portion to the north, now enclosing a beautiful flower–garden, which was very probably in former days covered with buildings. The name Compton Wynyates is supposed by many to have been derived from the fact that in ancient times a vineyard was situated on the slopes which surround the house, and the weight of tradition is also in favour of this derivation. The property has been in the possession of the Compton family since the reign of King John, and although records are lacking to support the view, it seems possible that it came into the hands of the Comptons at the date of the Conquest. But, although in the reign of Edward III. one John de Compton was a knight for the shire in Parliament, the family appear not to have gained any great distinction until the beginning of the sixteenth century. At the end of the fifteenth century William Compton succeeded his father Edmund, but being then only eleven years of age he became a ward of the Crown, and was brought up with Henry VIII. His association with the latter was destined to bear very material fruit in the way of advancement in later years, as, becoming a great favourite with Henry, he eventually received several important appointments in the State. Old Fuller, the chronicler, says of Compton, “He was highly and deservedly a favourite to this King, so that, in the Court, no laymen, abating onely Charles Brandon (in whom affection and affinity met), was equall unto him.”