By T. H. Baker. 253 
_ Lucy died 1802, and Woodlands fell to her daughter, Elizabeth 
~ Meyrick, who died 1816, unmarried, and, being entailed, the estate 
devolved on her cousin, Owen Lewis Meyrick, Rector of Hols- 
worthy, who died 1819, and was succeeded by his son, Rev. 
William Meyrick. From him the estate came to Meyrick Bankes, 
Esq., of Winstanley Hall, near Wigan. He died 1881, and his 
representatives still hold the property. 
 Mr.C.E. Ponting, F.S8.A.,in 1888 wrote the following description 
and report on the then condition of Woodlands House :— 
“The manor house (of which only the hall remains) and the chapel 
: appear to have been erected in the latter half of the fourteenth 
century, probably 1370—80, during the period of ‘ transition’ from 
‘ Decorated’ to ‘ Perpendicular,’ of which we have a beautiful and 
authenticated example in Edington Church (1361). The work at 
Woodlands presents the same curious mixture of the details of both 
styles; thus the east window of the chapel has mouldings which 
_ are characteristic of the earlier period, with the tracery of the latter 
fairly fully developed. The window on the north side of the 
sacrarium has similar mouldings, while the tracery is of an earlier 
or ‘flowing’ type, but there is no lack of evidence that both are 
coeval with the rest of the building. 
“The building forming the chapel is of two stories, but as there 
are no original windows in the lower storey, nor a doorway as 
early as the walls, I conjecture that it was only constructed for 
the purpose of raising the chapel to a higher level than that of the 
hall, and it appears not to have been otherwise utilized. The chapel 
a frock, and both children in all respects. However, they put the maidservant’s 
gown on Lady Lucy Pitt, and she was married to the eldest Mr. Meyrick, and 
Miss Cholmondeley to his brother. They were stepping into the vessel to sail 
away when they were all seized by Lady Essex Cholmondeley and her party. 
The boys were sent abroad, and the girls carried back to London and severely 
‘reprimanded and locked up. Poor children, they were perfectly miserable. If 
‘the clergyman had not delayed in regard to Lady Lucy, the parties would have 
‘sailed for France. This extraordinary affair was the cause of the ‘ Marriage 
Act,’ the two young couples being of such high rank and having immense 
ngland with the consent of all the relations and friends. (Copied by per- 
mission from the papers of Vale Royal, the seat of Lord Delamere.)” 
(From an old newspaper cutting. —T.H.B.) 
VOL. XXIX.—NO. LXXXVIII. T 
