The upper group on the west is a Holy Family. The Virgin holds the infant Jesus in her arms; St. Joseph stands by; St. John the Baptist raises his hands and eyes towards the infant Saviour.

Below this is a group, much injured, with four scrolls, and apparently four figures. A female figure, probably the Virgin, seems to be carrying a child, whilst a male figure follows behind. There seem to be indications of a fourth and small figure. The subject appears to be the flight into Egypt, with, contrary to custom, the figure of St. John introduced.

Traces of colour are found on the fenestella of the piscina, on the circular columns of the south arcade, and on the brackets near the altar.

Leaving the chapel, the visitor will cross the court-yard to the Banqueting-Hall; but he will notice on his way a flight of stone steps leading from the court-yard, near the doorway of the ante-chapel, up to the state apartments, so that the family could attend the chapel without passing through the hall, and could also, with their guests, be admitted at other times to their suite of rooms.

In this first court-yard he will also do well to take especial notice of the beautiful and intricate designs on the lead-work of the heads of the spouts—many of which are filled with delicate Gothic tracery—and the gargoyles, or water-spouts, some of which are grotesquely carved in figures of curious character, and some of them of uncouth shape. One or two of these we have engraved on another page.

Entering the open doorway of the advanced porch, which, with a wide passage adjoining, forms the way through to the inner, or second court-yard, the visitor will notice, standing on the stone bench on his left hand, a fine Roman altar which, many years ago, was dug up in the grounds. It bears the inscription,—

DEO
MARTI
BRACIACÆ
OSITTIVS
CAECILIANS
PRAEFECT
COH I AQVITANO
——V——S

which may be rendered, “To the God Mars, Braciaca, Osittius, Caecilianus, Prefect of the first Cohort of the Aquitani, in performance of a vow”—the term Braciacæ: as applied to Mars being singular.

To the left of the passage four arched doorways conduct respectively to the buttery, the great kitchen, and other domestic offices, and to a staircase leading to the long suite of chambers on the north side, and also communicating, by means of a gallery in the Banqueting-Hall, with all the other apartments of the building. To the right is a massive and time-worn oak screen, with two open doorways, which divides the Banqueting-Hall from the passage. Entering by the first of these openings in the screen, the visitor will not fail to notice a suspicious-looking little iron bracket with ring attached, high above his head. This, tradition says, was an instrument of punishment for enforcing the observance of laws of conviviality. For it is said, if, in the days of feasting and merriment in the “good old times,” a man should fail to drink up his quota of liquor, he was fastened up by the wrist to this ring, and the liquor poured down his sleeve so as gradually to trickle down him on to the floor; or, if guilty of any other breach of the law or decorum of the board, he was similarly tied up, and compelled so to remain during the carousal, and was treated now and then not only with a stream of cold water poured down his sleeve, but by other indignities forced upon him.

The Banqueting-Hall, or Great Hall, as it is sometimes called, measures, within the screen, about 35 feet in length, and about 25 in width, and it is of the full height of the building, with an open timber roof. It is entered, as has just been stated, by two open doorways in the screen which separates it from the passage. The screen also forms the front of the Minstrels’ Gallery over the passage. The screen is beautifully panelled, each panel being headed with cinquefoil cusps, above which is other Gothic tracery of elegant design. At the opposite end from this screen is the raised daïs for the lord and his family and honoured guests, where still stands the grand old table on which so many of the good things of this life have been spread in ages long since passed away.

This table is one of the finest examples of its kind yet remaining anywhere in existence—it is now worm-eaten and decayed, like those who once feasted around it; but still it stands, a proud monument of those ancient times so long gone by. Over the daïs a modern window has been inserted, and formerly a doorway, to the left of the lord as he sat in the centre of the large table, opened into what is now the dining-room, but in those days was the withdrawing-room.

To the right hand, on entering, is the gigantic fire-place with its huge open chimney; and on the opposite side, at the end next the high table, a flight of steps leads up to the state apartments; and close by, through a corner partitioned off by the oak wainscoting, another door leads to the private dining-room and to the grounds. On the walls of the Banqueting-Hall are some magnificent stags’ heads and antlers, which bear evidence not only of extremely fine growth, but of great age, since they fell to the lord of the chase. There are also several pieces of old furniture: and on the walls are oil-paintings of Martin Middleton of Hazelbadge, and of an old and favourite huntsman and gamekeeper—honoured and respected retainers of the family.

The galleried passage, of a later date, to the Minstrels’ Gallery, occupies one side, and the “Minstrels’ Gallery” itself one end, of the Banqueting-Hall—that portion of the gallery along the side forming a passage from the drawing-room and state apartments on one side to the range of rooms on the other. The portion of the gallery over the end of the hall is considerably wider than the other, and would hold a goodly company of minstrels, or of guests, to look down on the “lord of misrule” and other revels below. In one of our engravings we show the panelled front of the Minstrels’ Gallery, and on the preceding page we give a vignette of the entrance to the gallery from the drawing room.

Passing out from the Banqueting-Hall, the visitor should next enter the Dining-room, which is one of the most charming, and certainly one of the most interesting, apartments in the whole building. The end opposite to the entrance doorway is entirely taken up by a Gothic window of eight lights, filled with glass disposed in an elaborate geometric pattern. In some of the lights are shields of arms in stained glass, one of which displays the arms of Vernon with its quarterings of Avenell, Pype, &c., &c.; another, Vernon only; and another, Vernon impaled. This room is wainscoted, the upper row of panels throughout being filled in with exquisitely-carved Gothic tracery and with heraldic bearings, &c.

Over the centre of the fire-place are the royal arms of England (quarterly France and England) with the supporters, a greyhound and a griffin, and on the one side a shield bearing the three feathers of the Prince of Wales, with the initials E. P., and on the other the arms of Vernon with its quarterings, and supported by a lion and a boar. Below these is the motto, “DREDE GOD AND HONOR THE KYNG,” carved in Gothic capitals. Near this also is the carved inscription, “Anno Dni 1545. Monseigneir de Vernon,” and, with arms, the initials “G. V.,” and “M. V.” The remainder of this fine old heraldic frieze contains a large number of shields bearing the arms of the Vernons and of the various families allied with them, interspersed with the Vernon crest, &c. At the end of the room next the fire-place is a small, but exquisitely beautiful, recessed or oriel window, with seats on all sides, and forming one of the most delicious little retirements imaginable—overlooking, as it does, the lawns and terraces, and the romantic grounds and winding river, of Haddon. This recess is panelled in the same elaborate heraldic and Gothic manner as the room itself, and, besides the coats of arms and crests, bears on one of its panels a grotesque head of a court fool, or jester, traditionally said to have been intended as a portrait of Will Somers, jester to the “merry monarch” and to his predecessor; and on two others the heads of Henry VII. and his Queen, Elizabeth of York.

The ceiling of the dining-room is divided into compartments by transverse beams, and has been elaborately painted and decorated. In the large window will be noticed a fine old wine-cooler of bronze, and the fire-place and fire-dogs are also very curious and interesting.

Passing out from the dining-room, the visitor will next ascend the stone stairs leading up from the Banqueting-Hall to the state apartments. Arriving at the top of this short staircase he will find three doorways, that to the left opening into the long gallery, or ball-room; the one to the right giving access to the drawing-room, the Earl’s room, &c.; and the third simply opening to a staircase to the leads, &c. Passing through the door to the right the visitor enters the Drawing-room, which is situated over the Dining-room just described. It is a charming room, hung with grand old tapestry, above which is a frieze of ornamented mouldings, in pargetting work. This frieze is of five heights, each being decorated with a separate moulding of raised festoons, fruits, flowers, &c.

To the left, on entering, is a beautiful recessed, or bay, window, over the similar one in the Dining-room; and from this window one of the most beautiful views of the terrace, the foot-bridge, the river, and the grounds, is obtained. This window recess is wainscoted in panels, which have originally been painted and gilt—portions of the colour and gilding still remaining; its ceiling is in the form of a large star of eight points, with intersecting segments of circles attaching the inner angles to each other, and forming a geometric pattern of great beauty. The ceiling of the room is also richly ornamented. Above and around the fire-place the wall is wainscoted in panels, in a similar manner to the recess. In the fire-place is one of the most curious of existing grates, the alternate upright bars of which terminate in fleurs-de-lis, and a pair of exquisitely beautiful fire-dogs; the two bosses on each being of open metal-work, of the most chaste and elaborate design and workmanship. They are of brass; and the bosses, which are circular, are designed in foliage and flowers.

In these beautiful remains Haddon is especially rich; but the pair in this room, and the two remarkably fine enamelled bosses in the so-called “Chaplain’s Room,” are the most interesting and elegant. Opposite to the recessed window, a doorway in the tapestry opens upon the side gallery of the “Banqueting Hall,” and so gives access to, and communication with, the apartments on the opposite side of the quadrangle.

The opposite end of the Drawing-room from the entrance doorway is occupied by a large window, of similar size to that in the Dining-room beneath it, which overlooks the lower court-yard or quadrangle. In this room are still preserved some pieces of ancient furniture. Near the further window a doorway opens into what is called

The Earl’s Dressing-room, a small but remarkably pretty apartment, hung with tapestry, and lighted by a recessed window. This room, as shown in our engraving, immediately communicates with

The Earl’s Bed-chamber, so called in connection with the one just described, because thus occupied by the Earls of Rutland when residing at Haddon. This room is hung with tapestry representing hunting scenes, &c. From this chamber a doorway opens into

The Lady’s Dressing-room, also hung with tapestry, and lighted with a recessed window. From this room a doorway opens out to the top of the flight of steps already spoken of as giving access to these apartments from the lower court-yard. By this means access was easily obtained to the chapel, and the lord and lady could enter or leave these apartments without passing through the Banqueting Hall. A small padlocked door, in the tapestry of this room, leads up a narrow flight of steps to the leads over the chapel and to the open side of the belfry tower, where the works of the old clock may be seen.

Returning through the Earl’s Bed-chamber and Dressing-room, from the fire-grate in which it is said “the celebrated Count Rumford obtained his plan to prevent chimneys smoking,” and retracing his steps through the Drawing-room, the visitor passes out to the landing-place of the staircase leading up from the Banqueting Hall. From this a doorway leads up to a small rude apartment, with a fire-place, and an old chest; and also leads to the leads of the roof of the Drawing-room, Earl’s Bed-room, Long Gallery, &c.

The Long Gallery, or Ball-room, one of the glories of fine old Haddon, is next entered by a flight of semicircular steps of solid oak, said to have been cut from the root of a single tree that grew in the park of Haddon, the trunk and arms of which are also asserted to have furnished the whole of the timber of the floor of the Long Gallery, or Ball-room, itself. Thus, if the story be true, the whole of the flooring of this superb apartment, which is 109½ feet in length, and 18 feet in width, as well as these massive steps outside the room, were obtained from one single oak-tree grown on the spot.

Ascending the Steps, of which we give an engraving, the visitor will do well to notice the lock and other details of the door, which are somewhat curious. This noble apartment extends, as will be seen on reference to the engraved plan already given, nearly the entire length of the south side of the upper court-yard—commencing near the Banqueting Hall, and, running the entire remaining length of the upper court-yard, is carried out into the winter garden beyond.

This grand room is wainscoted throughout its entire dimensions with oak panelling of remarkably good architectural character. The general design is a series of semicircular arches, alternately large and small, divided by pilasters with foliated capitals, and surmounted by a frieze and a turreted and battlemented cornice. The pilasters, divided like the whole design up to the frieze, are of three heights. The basement of the wainscoting, about one-eighth of its entire height, is plainly panelled, and devoid of all ornament. The second height, rising to more than a third of the whole, is of a much more decorated character. The pilasters are fluted, and the spaces between them filled in with geometric designs, the narrower spaces being by far the most elaborate in their design. The third height is a series of semicircular arches, alternately wide and narrow, divided by the pilasters, the crown of the arch of the narrower ones being on a level with the springing of the larger ones. The whole of the arches, in which pictures formerly hung, spring from small brackets and semi-pilasters at the sides of the pilasters, and are elaborately decorated. Over each of the smaller arches is a shield of the arms of Manners, with a crescent for difference, and surmounted on the frieze by their crest, a peacock displayed, also differenced with a crescent, alternating with those of the Vernon crest, a boar’s head. The pilasters in this height are carved in scale pattern, and are finished with capitals of foliage filling up the spandrels of the arches. Above these is the frieze, the spaces of which are occupied respectively with the crests just named, alternating with the rose and thistle conjoined on one stem. Above this is a remarkably fine turreted and battlemented cornice, in which the loopholes, &c., are cut quite through the whole thickness of the wood.

The ceiling of this magnificent room is coved—the coving receding for the cornice. It is covered with elaborate and exquisitely designed geometric tracery, consisting of squares, lozenges, quatrefoils, &c., beautifully foliated at their points, and containing shields of arms and crests, the arms being those of Manners impaling Vernon, and the crests those of Manners and Vernon alternately. This ceiling was originally painted and gilt in a very rich manner, remains of the colouring and gilding being still distinguishable, here and there, through the whitewash. On the walls still hang one or two pictures, which perhaps, however, only add to the solitariness of its appearance.

On the south side of this noble apartment is a charming central recessed window of large size, 15 feet by 12 feet—large enough, in fact, to accommodate a goodly party around the fine old central table, which still remains—and two smaller recessed, or bay, windows. On the north side are two windows looking into the upper court-yard; the east end is entirely taken up by a strongly stone-mullioned window of twenty-four lights, with a side window on each side. In the recessed windows are the royal arms of England, and the arms of Vernon, Manners, Talbot, &c., in stained glass. Our engraving shows about one-half, in length, of this noble room.

Opposite to the central recess is a fire-place, which still holds the original fire-dogs rising from goats’ feet, and decorated with human heads and heads of goats. In the centre of the large window at the end will be observed a glass case, containing a cast of the head of Lady Grace Manners, whose monument is in Bakewell Church. She was the daughter of Sir Henry Pierrepoint, and wife of Sir George Manners, of Haddon, the eldest son and heir of Sir John Manners and Dorothy Vernon his wife. Lady Grace “bore to him (her husband) four sons and five daughters, and lived with him in holy wedlock thirty years. She caused him to be buried with his forefathers, and then placed this monument (at Bakewell) at her own expense, as a perpetual memorial of their conjugal faith, and she joined the figure of his body with hers, having vowed their ashes and bones should be laid together.”

From near the upper end of this Long Gallery, or Ball-room, a highly enriched doorway opens into the Ante-room, or Lord’s Parlour.

The Ante-room, now occasionally called the “Lord’s Parlour,” and, two centuries ago, was designated the “Orange Parlour,” is a small room, hung with paintings, and having around the upper part of its walls a cornice embellished with the crests of the Vernon and Manners families. The interest, however, attached to this apartment rests in the strongly barred door which opens from it on to a flight of stone steps leading down to the terrace and winter-garden. This doorway, known far and wide as Dorothy Vernon’s Door, we have engraved, both as seen from its exterior side and its interior side, and have also given the “initial” illustration on page 221.

It is said, and no doubt with truth, that it was through this doorway and down these steps that the lovely Dorothy Vernon, one of the co-heiresses of that grand old family, passed on the night of her elopement, and that at the top of the opposite flight of steps, shown in our ground plan, and known as “Dorothy Vernon’s Steps,” she was received into the arms of her ardent and true lover, John Manners, who had horses in waiting; and that they flew through the woods and fields until they gained the high road, and made their way into the neighbouring county. It was through this doorway then that not only the lovely Dorothy passed, but with her the fine old mansion itself and all its broad lands, into the hands of the noble family now owning it.

Very sweetly has the tradition of the love and elopement of this noble pair been worked up by imagination in a story, “The Love-steps of Dorothy Vernon,” by a popular writer in the “Reliquary;” and thus another modern author very pleasantly embodies it in verse:—

“The green old turrets, all ivy-thatch,

Above the cedars that girdle them, rise,

The pleasant glow of the sunshine catch,

And outline sharp on the bluest of skies.

“All is silent within and around;

The ghostly house and the ghostly trees

Sleep in the heat, with never a sound

Of human voices or freshening breeze.

*****

“It is a night with never a star,

And the Hall with revelry throbs and gleams;

There grates a hinge—the door is ajar—

And a shaft of light in the darkness streams.

“A faint sweet face, a glimmering gem,

And then two figures steal into light;

A flash, and darkness has swallowed them—

So sudden is Dorothy Vernon’s flight!”

Passing through the Ante-room, the visitor next enters the State Bed-room, known two hundred years ago, it seems, as the “Blue Drawing-room.” The walls are hung with Gobelins tapestry, the subjects being illustrations of Æsop’s Fables; and above this is a frieze, similar to that in the Ante-room, bearing the crests of Vernon and Manners. This apartment is lighted by a large bay-window, overlooking the upper court-yard, and raised a couple of steps above the level of the floor of the room itself. In this window stands an antique dressing-table and a grand old looking-glass, which are worthy of the most careful examination. Over the chimney-piece is a fine example of pargetting, representing Orpheus, by his musical powers, charming the brute creation.

The State Bed, shown in our engraving, measures 14 feet 6 inches in height. It is furnished in green silk velvet and white satin, exquisitely embroidered and enriched with needlework. It is one of the finest remaining beds in existence, and is presumed to be the work of Eleanor, daughter of Thomas, and eldest sister and co-heiress of Edmund, Lord Roos, of Hamlake, and wife of Sir Robert Manners; which lady died in 1487. According to traditional report, it was removed many years ago from Haddon to Belvoir Castle, and afterwards restored to Haddon. The last person who ever slept in it is said to have been George IV., when Prince Regent; he occupied it during his visit to Belvoir Castle.

From the State Bed-room a doorway behind the tapestry opens upon a short flight of stone steps, leading to what is usually called the Ancient State Room, or Page’s Room, and which two centuries ago was called the “Best Lodging-room.”

This apartment, like the previous one, is hung with Gobelins tapestry, the subjects being illustrations of some of the events in the life of Moses. The thickness of the walls, the small size of the windows, and the lowness of these rooms, show that they belong to the more ancient part of the building.

From the Page’s Room a short flight of steps leads into a passage, or small room, which may appropriately be called the Archers’ Room and is shown in our engraving, where the visitor will notice a remarkable Wooden Frame for the stringing of bows and cross-bows—the only one probably which he will ever see preserved. It forms one of our illustrations. The passage leads by a few stone steps into a rude apartment, probably a guard-room, where, behind the rafters, innumerable bats now build their nests; also into the cross-bow room, where the bows were hung; and into several other old and cheerless-looking rooms; also to a spiral stone staircase, which, springing from the gateway under the Peverel Tower, leads by seventy steps, some so worn that they have been covered by wooden ones, to the top of the tower, the ascent of which will amply repay the visitor for his trouble by the grand and interestingly beautiful view he obtains of the mansion and the neighbourhood. Of the turret on the Peverel, or Eagle Tower, we give an engraving.

Having descended the tower, the visitor returns through the State Bed-room into the Ante-room, and is here usually dismissed into the grounds, through “Dorothy Vernon’s Door.” As we have not, however, initiated our tourist into the mysteries of all the rooms and passages of this noble pile of building, we will not dismiss him in this summary manner, but bring him back into the Banqueting Hall, whence we will show him the kitchens and suite of rooms on the north side, and then conduct him to the grounds and to some of the interesting places in the neighbourhood.

The Kitchen and range of domestic offices at Haddon are very large and extensive, and show, more strikingly than any description, the marvellous amount of cooking that must have been carried on, and the more than princely hospitality observed by its owners in its palmy days.

The four doorways, already spoken of as existing in the wall of the passage opposite to the screen of the Banqueting-Hall, and beneath the Minstrels’ Gallery, have all of them pointed arches. The first of these doorways, on entering from the lower court-yard, or quadrangle, yet retains its old oaken door. This room was the buttery, and the door still has perfect its buttery-hatch in the middle. This is a small opening, with a little wicket to close and fit, just large enough to pass out a trencher of provisions to the servants or retainers, or as alms to wayfarers. From this room a flight of stone steps conducts to the vaulted cellars, and it also communicates with the storerooms and other offices, &c.

The second doorway, which is open, leads down a long passage to the Great Kitchen. At the end, the passage terminates in a strong and massive half-door, the top of which is formed into a broad shelf. To this point only were the servants permitted to come, but were forbidden access to the kitchen itself. The dishes were placed on the door-shelf by the cooks on the one side, and removed by the servitors on the other, and by them carried up the passage into the Banqueting-Hall. The kitchen is of immense size, its ceiling supported by massive beams and by a central support of solid oak. It contains two enormous fire-places, stoves for various purposes, and spits, pot-hooks, and tenter-hooks by the score; enormous chopping-blocks, dressers of all sorts and sizes, tables of solid oak, six or seven inches in thickness, and hollowed into circular chopping-troughs—one of which is worn through by constant use—and every possible appliance for keeping open house in the most lavish style. Adjoining the kitchen are a number of rooms, bakehouse, larders, pantries, salting-rooms, &c., all fitted in the same marvellously massive manner. In one of these should be noticed an enormous salting-trough, hollowed out of one immense block of wood, without joint or fastening. This is among the most wonderful relics of the place, and ought to claim attention from the visitor.

The third doorway opens into what is conjectured to have been the wine-cellar—a vaulted room well adapted for the purpose, and close at hand for the Banqueting Hall.

The fourth doorway opens at the foot of a flight of stairs leading up to the apartments on the north side, which, for more than half its length, contains a second as well as a first floor. These rooms are many in number, and curiously labyrinthine in construction, and although not possessing attraction enough to be shown to the general visitor, are nevertheless among the most interesting in the mansion. Some of them are hung with tapestry which ranks among the best in the house: one room especially, where groups of children gathering fruit are depicted, is peculiarly beautiful. In two of the apartments on this side are charming little closets, on the tapestry of one of which the royal arms are depicted.

One of these tapestried rooms is named in an old list of apartments of 1666 as “Lady Dorothy’s Chamber,” and a neighbouring apartment is called “Lady Cranborne’s Chamber.” A third tapestried apartment was called “Roger Manners’ Room.” All these rooms are on the central portion of the northern side of the Hall, over the kitchen and adjoining rooms. The apartment over the buttery was the “Great Nursery.”

Most of the rooms on this side of the building have evidently been intended for sleeping apartments; and there is a staircase with ornamental rails, on which remains of the original gilding still serve as a relief to the sombre colour of the oak.

One of the most charming “bits” on this side is a short Wooden Gallery, here engraved, with oak balustrades, which leads across a tiny little open court from one of the tapestried apartments to another, and on the walls of which mosses and lichens grow in luxuriance. It is just the spot, opening from the heated rooms, for a lounge in the pure air; and no doubt from this gallery Dorothy Vernon, and many another high-bred dame, has looked up to the stars overhead while passing from room to room, on a festive night, as well as on many a quiet evening.

Among the apartments not usually shown are also two handsome wainscoted rooms, with carved ceilings, situated over each other, in the entrance gateway tower. Above the uppermost of these is a room supposed to have been a place of confinement, because there are traces of external bolts and bars. It has two windows, in one of which are two massive stone seats inserted in the wall. It has also a door leading out to the leads.

Most of the points of interest have now been described; but the curious rambler, who may choose to linger and pry into nooks and corners, will do well to visit some of the basement rooms—as that on the left-hand side under the Eagle or Peverel Tower—an arched warder’s room, where he will note the thickness of the walls (7 feet); the next room westward, which seems to have been the earlier kitchen and bakehouse; the room under the State Bed-room, used in later times as a gymnasium for the family; the Armoury, which is under that portion of the Long Gallery with the deep projecting recess; and the rooms under the Long Gallery nearer the Dining-room, where the splay of the windows is nearly 9 feet, and which seem to have been used as washing-houses. Also the so-called Aviary, which opens toward the garden, under the Earl’s Bed-room and adjoining rooms; and of the rooms yet unmentioned on the west side of the lower courts, suffice it to say, that on the ground floor, next to the so-called Chaplain’s Room, were two waiting-rooms; and then the Steward’s Room, next to the chapel entrance; over this entrance the Steward’s Bed-room, approached by a spiral staircase near the belfry tower from a closet in which access is gained to the leads; and after passing the clerestory windows of the chapel, there is an angle commanding a good view of the lower court. Then on this first floor are a bed-room, the “Barmaster’s Room;” the real Chaplain’s Room, in which is now a collection of bones; a small room still used by the duke for private papers; and another bed-room, which brings us back to the entrance gateway.

But enough has been said of the interior of Haddon to satisfy the wants of the tourist, and, although we could linger for hours over the various rooms not yet specifically described, and fill several chapters with their description, we must reluctantly leave them, and pass on into the grounds, and so make our way to Bakewell, to show the visitor the last resting-places of the noble families to whom Haddon has belonged.

Leaving, then, by a small doorway at the end of a passage leading out from the Banqueting-Hall, and passing the Dining-room on the right, the visitor will enter what is called the “Upper Garden.” To his right he will see below him, on looking over the strongly-buttressed wall—one of the oldest parts of the building—the “Lower Garden,” roughly terraced down the hill side, and to his right a gravelled path leads by the side of the building to the wall of the chapel, where, by a long flight of sixty-seven steps, it descends to the old foot-bridge—one of the prettiest objects in the grounds: this we have engraved.

To his left, the “Upper Garden,” 120 feet square, is a lawn; up its centre, as well as around it, runs a broad gravel walk, opposite to which rises a splendid wide flight of stone steps, with stone balustrades, leading to the Terrace and Winter Garden. Along the sides of this garden are beds partitioned off by hedges, or as they may more appropriately be called, walls of yew and box.

The Terrace, one of the glories of Haddon, extends the full width of the Upper Garden, the balustraded wall running flush with the end of the Long Gallery. From this terrace the finest view of the south front of Haddon is obtained, and it is indeed a view to revel in, and not to be forgotten. The Winter Garden of the terrace is planted with yew-trees, many centuries old, whose gnarled and knotted roots may be seen curiously intertwining and displacing the stone edgings of the parterres. It is altogether one of the most charming outdoor “bits” which even the most romantic and vivid imagination can conceive.

At the north end of the Winter Garden of Haddon Hall, in that charmingly shady corner formed by the wall of the Long Gallery on the one side, the outer wall of the garden on the opposite, and overhung with a grand melancholy-looking yew-tree, which casts a sombre and even gloomy shadow across it, is that most attractive feature of the mansion, “Dorothy Vernon’s Door,” previously spoken of as opening out of the Ante-room.

From the interior, by the way of Dorothy Vernon’s Door, a short flight of stone steps, with balustrated sides, leads down to the Winter Garden, on the opposite side of which, nearly opposite to this doorway, a long flight of stone steps leads up to another, and considerably higher terrace, called Dorothy Vernon’s Walk—a broad pathway, or promenade, passing between an avenue of lofty lime and sycamore trees—and one of the most secluded and romantic “lovers’ walks” in the neighbourhood.

The old Bowling Green, near the summit of the hill above Haddon, occupied an acre of ground, and was approached by an avenue of trees. It was enclosed by a thick hedge of yew, with a flight of stone steps for an entrance. On one side was a lodge, or summer-house, over one of the doorways of which are initials and the date of 1696. The “Green” is now converted into a garden. The old kitchen-garden, years ago taken away, was situated near the foot-bridge.

There is also a plot of ground, levelled, and in form a parallelogram, which is known as the “Archery Ground.”

Before leaving Haddon, the visitor should step inside the building now used as a stable, in which he will find some features worthy of observation. In the cottage inhabited by the kindly and respected custodian of Haddon, is some fine carved furniture, and in the garden in front, the yew trees, cut into the form of a peacock and a boar’s head—the crests of Manners and of Vernon—form pleasing objects, and are sure to attract the attention of the visitor.

MANY other interesting particulars regarding this grand old mansion might be given, but we now proceed to speak of the family of its present noble owner, the Duke of Rutland, in the same way as we have already done of its former possessors, the Avenells and Vernons.

The noble family of Manners, like that of Vernon, is of considerable antiquity; and, although the records of its early members do not extend so far back as those of the Vernons, its history is more illustrious, and its dignities are more exalted. The most ancient of the ancestors of the present Duke of Rutland, of whom there is direct evidence, was Sir Robert Manners, Lord of the Manor of Ethale, in Northumberland, from whom descended another Sir Robert, who married Philippa, daughter of St. Bartholomew de Mont Bouchier, by whom he had issue, a son, also named Robert, who married Hawise, daughter of Robert, Baron de Muschamp, in the reign of Henry I. Their great-grandson, another Sir Robert Manners, married Agnes, daughter of Sir David Coupland. Their son, Sir Robert, had issue by his wife, Joan de Heton, four sons; three of whom dying without issue, the second son, William Manners, inherited the estates. He married Ellen, or Janetta, daughter of David Baxter, of Derby, by whom he had a son, Sir Robert Manners.

This Sir Robert was returned in the seventeenth year of Edward III., as one of the principal persons in the county of Northumberland, and was entitled to bear arms by descent. In the first year of Edward’s reign, being governor of Norham Castle, he distinguished himself by his successful defence of that stronghold against the Scots, who “despising King Edward’s youth, on the very night of that day on which King Edward was crowned, intended to take Norham Castle by surprise; and so well managed their design, that about sixteen of them had already mounted the walls. But the captain, Sir Robert Manners, being warned of the matter beforehand, by one of his garrison, who was a Scotsman, had so well prepared to receive them, that of those who had mounted he took five or six, and put the rest to the sword, their companions below, upon this disappointment, retiring.” In the next year he was constituted one of the “conservators of the truce made with the Scots for all hostilities to cease.” Soon afterwards he was made Sheriff of the county of Selkirk, and appointed to keep and defend the forts of Selkirk, and Ettrick, &c. In the fourteenth of the same reign he represented Northumberland in Parliament, and again subdued Scotch incursions. Soon afterwards he obtained a licence from the king “to strengthen and embattle his dwelling-house at Ethale, in Northumberland, with a wall made of stone and lime, and to hold the same to himself and his heirs for ever.” The next year he was constituted one of the Commissioners to treat with David Bruce and his adherents for a peace, and subsequently was made Lord of the Marches. At the battle of Neville’s Cross, in 1346, under Queen Philippa, in which the Scottish king was taken prisoner, Sir Robert displayed great valour, and was entrusted to keep charge of the prisoners, and deliver them to the Constable at the Tower of London. He died in 1355, leaving his son and heir, John de Manners (by his wife Aliva, or Alice, daughter of Henry Strather), only one year and three weeks old.

This John Manners received the honour of knighthood, and married Alice, widow of William de Whitchester; and, dying in 1402, was succeeded by his son, Sir John Manners, who was Sheriff of Northumberland, and, with his son John, was accused of the murder of William Heron and Robert Atkinson or Akyman; they were prosecuted by Sir Robert de Umphreville, and Isabel, widow of William Heron, and were ordered to “cause 500 masses to be sung for the health of the soul of the same William Heron within one year then next ensuing, and pay unto Sir Robert de Umphreville, and Isabel, to the use of the said Isabel and her children by Heron, 200 marks.” He was succeeded by his son Robert, who married Joan, daughter of Sir Robert Ogle, and had issue by her, with others, a son, Robert, by whom he was succeeded. This Sir Robert Manners married Eleanor, daughter of Thomas, Lord Roos (by Philippa his wife, daughter of John, Lord Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester), and sister and co-heiress of Edmund Lord Roos, “whereby he greatly increased his estate, and among other possessions, had the ancient seat of Belvoir Castle, built by Robert de Todenei, a noble Norman, on a stately ascent, overlooking the beautiful valley adjacent (thence by him called Belvoir, from the fair view of the country thereabouts), and it became the chief seat of that great barony, bestowed on him by William the Conqueror; which seat and barony, in the reign of Henry III., devolved upon Robert de Roos, a great baron, by marriage with Isabel, daughter and heir of William de Albini, the fourth of that name, descended from the said Robert de Todenei; and from the Lord Roos it came to Sir Robert Manners by his marriage,” as did also many other estates in other counties. The issue of this marriage was three daughters, who each married into the family of Fairfax, and two sons. The eldest of these sons was Sir George Manners, who, on the death of his mother, became Lord Roos, and was also lineal heir to the baronies of Riveaulx, Trusbut, and Belvoir. He married Anne, only daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas St. Leger, by his wife Anne, daughter of Richard, Duke of York, and sister to King Edward IV., and widow of John Holland, Duke of Exeter. By this lady, who brought royal blood into the family, Sir George had a numerous family, the eldest of whom succeeded him.

That was Sir Thomas Manners, who, on the death of his father, became thirteenth Lord Roos of Hamlake, and Baron Trusbut, Riveaulx, and Belvoir. He was with Henry VIII. and his Queen at the celebrated interview between that monarch and the King of France at Guisnes, and in the same reign was made Warden of the East Marches, and had many other honours granted him. In the seventeenth year of the same monarch he was created Earl of Rutland—“a title which none but the royal family had ever borne, and, by reason of his descent from the sister of King Edward IV., had an augmentation to his ancient arms,” or, two bars azure, and a chief, gules: which chief was augmented thus:—quarterly azure and gules:—in the first and fourth two fleurs-de-lis, and in the second and third a lion passant guardant, all or. He was also installed a Knight of the Garter. A few years later this nobleman was present at the second interview between Henry VIII. and Francis I.: he was also present at the marriage of his sovereign with the ill-fated Anne Boleyn; and, later on, attended Anne of Cleves to England, and was made her chamberlain. His lordship, who, besides the honours we have briefly indicated, took part in most of the events of this stirring reign and held numerous important offices, married twice, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Lovel; and second, Eleanor, daughter of Sir William Paston, by the latter of whom only he had issue. To the eldest and second of that issue we now refer.

The eldest son, Henry Manners, succeeded his father, in 1543, as second Earl of Rutland. He was married twice: first to Margaret, daughter of the fourth Earl of Westmoreland, by whom he had issue; and, second, to Bridget, daughter of Lord Hussey, by whom he had no children. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward Manners, as third Earl of Rutland, who, dying without male issue, was succeeded by his brother, John Manners (the second son of the second Earl), as fourth Earl of Rutland. This nobleman married Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Charlton of Apsley, by whom he had issue, with others, three sons—Roger Manners, Sir Francis Manners, and Sir George Manners—who successively became fifth, six, and seventh Earls of Rutland. All these dying without surviving male issue, the title passed to the descendants of the second son of the first Earl.

Sir John Manners, second son of the first Earl of Rutland, and who was consequently great grandson of the sister of King Edward IV., is the one member of this illustrious family with whom Haddon is especially connected. This John Manners, before he was knighted, became attached to Dorothy Vernon, the youngest daughter and co-heiress of Sir George Vernon of Haddon Hall, known far and wide as “the King of the Peak.” Disguised, as we have already related, as a forester or woodman, John Manners for some time lived in the woods about Haddon, in the hope of obtaining occasional glimpses of, and stolen interviews with, Dorothy Vernon; and at length so wooed that he won her, and carried her off on horseback into his own county of Leicester, and there married her. The story of this romantic elopement is one of the pleasantest episodes in the history of Haddon, and will have again to be alluded to later on. By that marriage the grand old mansion of Haddon Hall, and the Derbyshire property of the “King of the Peak,” passed into the family of Manners, and helped to swell its already large rent-roll of estates.

This John Manners, who was knighted in 1603, had issue by his wife, Dorothy Vernon, three sons: Sir George Manners who succeeded him; John Manners, who died at the age of fourteen years; Sir Roger Manners, of Whitwell; and Grace Manners, who married Sir Francis Fortescue, of Salden. He died June 4th, 1611; his wife died in 1584.

Sir George Manners, their son, married Grace, daughter of Sir Henry Pierrepoint, and sister to the Earl of Kingston, by whom he had issue, with others, John Manners, his eldest son, who not only succeeded him, but also succeeded his own cousin George, seventh Earl of Rutland, in his title and estates, and thus became eighth Earl of Rutland. He married Frances, daughter of Edward, Lord Montague of Boughton, by whom he had issue four sons and seven daughters.

He was Sheriff of Derbyshire in the ninth and eleventh years of Charles I., and also represented that county in Parliament. His lordship was attached to the Parliamentary interest during the Civil Wars, and was one of the twenty-two peers who remained at Westminster when the king summoned both houses to attend him at Oxford. As a consequence, his castle of Belvoir was seized by the Royalists, and was held by them and Sir Gervase Lucas, and here the king frequently resided; it was finally surrendered to the Parliamentarians in January, 1645-6. In 1649 the castle was demolished, by consent of the earl, who soon afterwards set about rebuilding it, which he completed in 1668. During this time the earl lived principally at Haddon Hall, where he died in 1679. Here he lived in a style of almost princely magnificence, maintaining a large number of servants and retainers, and dispensing, especially at Christmas time, his hospitality with a lavish hand.

About this time, from 1660 to 1670, although the family only occasionally resided here, there were generally killed and consumed every year at Haddon between thirty and forty beeves, from four to five hundred sheep, and a number of swine, so that there was no lack of the good things of this world for visitors to this hospitable place.

This nobleman was succeeded by his third and only surviving son, John Manners, as ninth Earl of Rutland. This nobleman was born in 1638, and, in 1679, was created a peer in his own right by the title of Baron Manners of Haddon; and in September of the same year, his father dying, he became Earl of Rutland. When twenty years of age he had married the Lady Anne Pierrepoint, daughter of the Marquis of Dorchester, from whom he was afterwards divorced; and married, secondly, Lady Diana Bruce, widow of Sir Seymour Shirley, and daughter of the Earl of Aylesbury, who died in child-bed. His lordship married, thirdly, Catherine, daughter of Baptist Noel, Viscount Campden, by whom only he had surviving issue. He lived a country life, and “kept up his old mansion at a bountiful old rate,” and in a style of even greater magnificence and open-handedness than his father. It is said that at Haddon alone he kept seven score of servants, and that every day saw his grand old banqueting-hall filled to overflowing with retainers and guests. In 1703 the Earl was raised to the highest dignity in the realm, by the titles of Marquis of Granby and Duke of Rutland. He died in January, 1710-11, aged seventy-three, and was succeeded by his only surviving son, John Manners.

John, second Duke of Rutland, when scarcely seventeen years of age, was married to Katherine, second daughter of Lord William Russell, who was beheaded in 1683. He then bore the title of Lord Roos; and the wedding festivities seem, judging from some curious letters still extant concerning them, to have been of the most lavishly extravagant character. This lady who was sister to the Duchess of Devonshire and to the Duke of Bedford, gave birth to five sons and four daughters, and died in child-bed, in 1711. The Duke married, secondly, Lucy, daughter of Lord Sherard, and sister of the Earl of Harborough, by whom also he had issue, six sons and two daughters: his grace died in 1721, and was succeeded, as third Duke of Rutland, by his eldest son, John Manners. This nobleman, who was born in 1696, married, in 1717, Bridget, only daughter and heiress of Lord Lexington (an alliance that gave him a large accession of estates), by whom he had issue thirteen children, nearly all of whom died young.

He was the last of the family who made Haddon Hall a residence.

The estates of Lord Lexington having been settled upon the younger branch of the family, the second and surviving sons, successively, took, by Act of Parliament, the additional surname of Sutton, and thus founded the family of Manners-Sutton.

The Duke, who was familiarly known as “the old man of the hill,” dying in 1779, was succeeded by his grandson, Charles Manners, son of the celebrated Marquis of Granby, Commander-in-chief of the British forces in Germany, and Master of the Ordnance, who died during his father’s lifetime. Charles, fourth Duke of Rutland, married Mary Isabella, daughter of Charles Noel, Duke of Beaufort, by whom he had issue four sons—viz., John Henry, who succeeded him, Charles Henry Somerset, Robert William, and William Robert Albini; and two daughters—viz., the Lady Elizabeth Isabella, married to Richard Norman, Esq., and Lady Catherine Mary, married to Lord Forester. His grace died while holding office as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and was succeeded by his eldest son—John Henry Manners, as fifth Duke of Rutland, who married Elizabeth, daughter of the Earl of Carlisle, and by her had issue, among others, his grace the present Duke of Rutland (third son, the two elder ones having died before their father), and Lord John Manners, M.P. His grace died in 1857, aged seventy-nine.

The present peer, Charles Cecil Manners, sixth Duke of Rutland, Marquis of Granby, Earl of Rutland, and Baron Manners of Haddon, &c., &c., was born in 1815, and has held many important appointments. His grace is not married: the heir to the title and estates being his brother, Lord John Robert Manners (Marquis of Granby, by courtesy), M.P. for North Leicestershire, who is also known for the official posts he has held in the government of this country.