IT

Wanstead house.

BY JOHN T. PAGE.

T is sad to wander through the rooms of a deserted house, sadder still to contemplate the ruined walls of a once noble structure, but saddest of all to stand on a spot whence all traces have disappeared of a proud and stately fabric.

Nature is beautiful, but nature is ruthless, and whenever man deserts a spot which he had covered with his handiwork, so surely does nature forthwith proceed to obliterate all evidences of his supremacy.

A turf-covered mound is all that now remains to mark the site of Wanstead House. A few yards west of this mound the placid lake which formerly mirrored the front of this magnificent building, still lies bosomed in the hill top, while further on, beyond the remains of the grand entrance gates, some portions of the avenues, which in former times radiated in several directions, may yet be seen. Northward stands

the church, and, almost hidden by a clump of trees, some farm buildings still remain to bear it company. Southward, at the foot of the slope, lie spread out numerous lakes and pools, and a short distance away eastward a glimpse is obtained of the large lake, lying at the end of a vista in the Roding Valley. Truly it is a lovely spot on which a little more than half-a-century ago stood Wanstead House. Erected in 1715 by the first Earl Tylney, the chief representative of a noble family then in the zenith of its fame, it existed for just over a century, and then in 1822 was razed to the ground and sold piecemeal.

The history of the Manor of Wanstead has run a devious course from the earliest times. Originally belonging to the Abbey of Westminster, it had become, near the end of the reign of Edward the Confessor, the property of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. At the Domesday Survey it was held of the Bishop of London, by a certain Ralph Fitzbrian. From hand to hand it passed through many owners of different names along the centuries which preceded the Reformation. In the reign of Henry VIII. we find it in the possession of Sir Giles Heron, son-in-law of the worthy and hapless Sir Thomas More.

As, however, he refused to acknowledge the king's supremacy, he was attainted, and his estates confiscated. In 1549, Edward VI. granted the manor to Robert, Lord Rich, who rebuilt the house, and used it as a country residence. On August 1st, 1553, Queen Mary arrived at Wanstead in her progress from Norwich to London to assume the crown, and after receiving the politic congratulations of her sister Elizabeth, she proceeded to the Metropolis on August 3rd.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, having purchased the estates from Lord Rich's son, entertained Queen Elizabeth at Wanstead for five days in May, 1578. Philip Sydney wrote a masque in honour of the occasion, entitled "The Queen of May." It may here be noted that a picture of Elizabeth is still to be seen at Welbeck, which contains, as a back-ground, a view of Wanstead House as it appeared on the occasion of this visit. Leicester died in debt on September 4th, 1488, and a valuation, which has been preserved, was then made of his property. From this we learn that the whole of the furniture, pictures, horses, etc., at Wanstead were only considered worth £1,119 6s. 6d. The pictures, over forty

in number, were put down at £11 13s. 4d., and the library—which consisted of one old Bible, Foxe's Book of Martyrs (old and torn), Seven Psalters and a Service Book-at 13s. 8d. No less a sum than £4000 was spent over his lordship's funeral!

The Countess of Leicester, who was now owner of Wanstead, and several other estates in Essex, soon became the wife of Sir Christopher Blount. On April 3rd, 1606, the next heir, Charles Blount, Earl of Devonshire, died without legitimate issue, and his possessions became the property of the Crown. James I. used Wanstead as a halting-place on on several occasions, and appears to have been rather partial to it.

In 1619, the Manor was purchased by Sir Henry Mildmay, Master of the Jewel Office, but as he officiated as one of the Judges at the trial of Charles I., his estates were eventually forfeited, and Wanstead once more came into the possession of the Crown. James, Duke of York, received it as a present from his brother Charles II., and in 1662 sold it to Sir Robert Brooke. The following quotations from Pepys's Diary are too characteristic not to be introduced at this point :

(14th May 1665, Whit Sunday) "I took a coach,