DOVE DALE REVISITED 135 



written by Mr. W. H. Pepys, in which 

 he says " it was fast going to decay. 

 . . . Against the door on the inside 

 were three large fragments of the table 

 itself, which were of the Black Dove 

 Dale marble." 



In 1814 Mr. Bagster found it " much dilapidated, 

 the windows unglazed, and the wainscot 

 and pavement gone." 



In 1824 another writer says : " The windows 

 are destroyed, the doors decayed and 

 without fastenings . . . and the vane 

 nodding to its fall." 



In 1825 Mr. Jesse informs us that " the manor- 

 hall and eighty-four acres of land were 

 sold to Viscount Beresford for ^5,500. 

 About that time it was restored." 



In 1838 it was reported by Shipley and Fitz- 

 gibbon as being " nearly in the same 

 state as when the original constructor 

 described it." 



In 1844 (or thereabout) Mr. James Thome 

 says : " There it stands as fresh, as 

 perfect and neat as when he (Viator) 

 stepped into it. ... There is some- 

 thing quite charming about its new- 

 old look." 



In 1884 the "Amateur Angler" had something 

 to say about it, and now 



