10 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Jamary 4, 1877. 



until the accession of William the fifth Lord Byron, commonly 

 called the " wicked Lord," there is nothing of interest to re- 

 late of the Abbey or its inmates. The " wicked Lord" died 

 without issue in 17H0, when he was succeeded by his grand- 

 nephew, the illustrious poet. 



George Gordon Noel Byron, sixth Baron Byron of Rochdale, 

 was but ten years old when he succeeded to the title and estates, 

 and at that time he was in the Grammar School at Aber- 

 deen, where he received the rudiments of His education. The 

 old lord had permitted the Abbey and grounds to fall into a 

 miserable state of decay and ruin, and he terminated his wild 

 and graceless career almost alone, without a sympathising 

 friend, in the only room in the Abbey which did not atimit the 

 wind and the rain. 



Soon after this event young Byron's mother sold her effects, 

 which only realised £71 17s. id., she having been obliged to 

 endure great pecuniary difficnlties in consequence of the 

 licentious habits of her husband, wlio had fled to the Continent 

 while his only son was still an infant. She and the youth- 

 ful poet arrived at Newstead, where they took up their abode 

 in the year 17!I8. The first sight of the dilapidated Abbey 

 made an impression on the mind of Byron that could not be 

 effaced. These impressions continued, and formed the text 

 for some of his famous poems. I will heregive one quotation — 



" Through thy battlements, NewpteaJ, the hollow winds whistle ; 

 Thou, the hall of my fathers, art gone to decay : 

 In tby once smiliuf,' garden the Hemlock and Thistle 

 Have choked up the Hose which late bloomed by the way." 



Byron came of ago on the 22Qd of .(anuary, 1800. Previous 

 to this he had formed associations which were not in the least 

 degree in harmony with the dignity of his genius and the high 

 position he ought to have taken in society. His companions 

 and associates were of the lowest order, and they indulged in 

 wild and extravagant games. lie kept the wolf and bear that 

 he had with him at college at each side the hall door, and when 

 he and his companions were tired of other games, these animals 

 came in for a good share of torture. When he came of age the 

 event was celebrated with a good deal of merry-making. An 

 ox was roasted, and ale flowed in a perpetual stream. The 

 Abbey was thrown open, and people flocked from all quarters, 

 but Byron dinrd on eggs and bacon and ale. Soon after this 

 he set off on his foreign tour, but returned to England in 1811, 

 and published some of those poems which immortalised his 

 name. He subsequently married Miss Milbank Noel, but the 

 union was not productive of happiness, and he soon again bid 

 adieu t» the shores of Britain. His pecuniary difficulties in- 

 creased ; and though he had vowed he would never part with 

 the Abbey, yet in 1818 it was sold to his old friend and school- 

 fellow, the lato Colonel Wildman, for £100,000. This gentle- 

 man set about putting it in thorough repair, and spent a 

 fortune in its restoration. At his death it was bought by its 

 present proprietor, W. P. Webb, Esq. Byron died at Misso- 

 longhi, in Greece, on the 19th of April, 1824, at the early age 

 of thirty-six. 



Newstead is delightfully situated about sis miles south of 

 Mauafleld, and eleven from Nottingham. There is a private 

 station on the Midland railway for the use of Mr. Webb, his 

 family, and visitors to the Abbey. As soon as the visitor 

 alights from the station he enters a long avenue of Welling- 

 tonia giganteas ; they are planted alternately with Limes and 

 Chestnuts, and in a few years will make a splendid approach 

 to the Abbey. At the end of this avenue, which is about a 

 mile long, we reach the lodge, the entrance to the Newstead 

 demesne. There is nothing special in the appearance of the 

 lodge ; it is a plain unpretentious building, wearing an air of 

 comfort, with the walla covered with Roses and Pyraoanthas. 

 Another quarter of a mile and wo reach the Abbey — 

 " An old, old monafltory once, and no«' 

 t^till older luansiou, of a rich and rare 

 Mix'd Gothic, such as artisth; all allow 

 Few speoimons yet left ns can compare 

 WUhal : it lies perhaps a little low. 

 Because the monks preferred a hiU behind, 

 To shelter their devotions from the wind." 



The Abbey is charmingly situated and commands some 

 pleasant views of the surrounding landscape. Nearly in front 

 of the mansion there is a spacious lake, thirty acres in extent 

 supplied by the river Seen. Formerly the borders of the lake 

 were thickly wooded with majestic trees, but the " wicked 

 Lord" cut them down. On either side there is a miniature 

 fort built by the pool's great uncle, and by him mounted with 

 cannon. The " wicked Lord " having been formerly in the 

 navy he called this lake the Mediterranean Sea, and filled it 



with miniature craft, and carried on mimic naval fights between 

 his lilliputiau fleets. The fort, the nearest to the Abbey, is 

 now converted into a useful cowshed, which is admirably con- 

 cealed by the fort walla. Near to this spot Mr. Webb has 

 erected commodious stablea, built in a stylo of architecture as 

 near as possible to coircspoud with that of the Abbey. The 

 fort on the opposite side of the lake is used as a boat house. 

 Byron when at Newstead was very fond of bathing in the lake 

 and rowing on its placid waters, often accompanied by his 

 faithful dog " Boatswain." He would precipitate himself into 

 the water, when his dog would rush after him, and seizing his 

 clothes would drag him ashore. The water escapes from the 

 lake by a caecade, and as it murmurs downwards it becomes 

 picturesque and beautiful. After passing underneath the 

 carriage drive the btieam is formed again into another sheet 

 of water near to the pleasure grounds. 



^Ye now enter the interior of the grounds, and starting from 

 the ruin of the old church we find our way into what is called 

 the " monk's garden." It is a sort of shrubbery and wilder- 

 ness, just in the form as it was left by the monks. It consists 

 of cross walks overshadowed by tall Elms and Sycamores, 

 having an undergrowth of Yews and Laurels. Here also is 

 an ancient Clematis, perhaps the oldest in England, clinging 

 to one of the tall trees, with a stem as thick as an ordinary 

 man's body. We emerge out of this grove on to the broad 

 terrace walk, 720 feet long by 15 broad. It runs parallel with 

 the herbaceous border that was laid out by the monks, and 

 never altered in the style of planting. To infuse a little life 

 and freshness into the border a few Roses, Tritomas, and 

 Pceonies have been introduced. The old wall is furnished with 

 Pears planted by Col. Wildman. About half way on the 

 terrace there is a semicircular opening in the wall, from which 

 we catch a glimpse of the Forest Pond. Turning to the right 

 the Eagle or Mirror Pond lies at our feet. It is a splendid 

 sheet of water, so constructed as to represent a mirror. It is 

 about 100 yards long and 50 broad. The grass borders, which 

 represent the frame, are beautifully arranged, aifd fall down 

 to the water's edge with a regular gradation. The pond is 

 9 feet deep, with a perpendicular wall all round, and stone 

 steps at each corner, which load to the bottom. It is fed by 

 springs that rise in the paik, and on a fine day the photograph- 

 like appearance of the Abbey on its placid surface is very 

 beautiful. It was here that the brass eagle was discovered 

 that is now placed in Southwell church. 



The grounds in proximity to this pond present a unique 

 appearance. They were designed by Le Ni.tre, the celebrated 

 landscape gardener, and are laid out in square beds and walks 

 in the same style as Hampton Court and Versailles. Aa we 

 wander on this terrace wo next reach a flight of rustic steps 

 that lead down to the " Devil's Wood." It was formed by 

 the fifth or "wicked Lord," and is characteriatic of the man. 

 The walks are narrow, overshadowed by lofty trees, which give 

 it a sombre aspect. It is in this grove that the twin Beeches 

 were growing on which Byron inscribed his own and his sister's 

 name during his last vieit to Newstead in 1814. These two 

 trees were growing with youthful luxuiiacce at the time Byron 

 carved his name on one of them. The one on which the 

 inscription was made afterwards began to droop, and exhibited 

 symptoms oi decay. Mr. Webb, in order to preserve this 

 lelic of the poet's from destruction, had the tree taken dbwn 

 in IwCl, and that part containing the inscription was placed 

 in the Abbey under a handsome glass case, along with other 

 Byron rehos. The inscription can still be traced as followB :■— 



"BYRON. 

 ZOSeptembek, 1814. 

 AUQI'STA." 

 In this ancient grove are two satyrs ' ' behoofed and beborned ,' ' 

 male and female, playing with a child, which the " wicked 

 Lord " brought from Italy. They are placed ou pedestals 

 where the walks intersect each other, and are such grim-looking 

 objects that the neighbouring peasantry regarded them as 

 " the devils the old lord worshipped." As we pass from under 

 the shadow of the old trees we reach the east terrace. There 

 is the " Devil's Wood " to the right, and on the left a broad 

 border, which forms the boundary of the pleasure grounds. 

 A broad border or 8 feet wide is covered with Ivy, and down 

 the centre is a row of Piuus Douglasii. Oa lbs south terrace, 

 which skirts the southern portion of the " Devil's Wood," 

 there is a row of Thnjopsis dolabrata producing a fine 

 ( ffect. Retracing our steps a little we again come to the 

 Mirror Pond above described. Turning to the loft there is 

 another fine sheet of water known as the Stew Pond. It is 



