AMPTHILL PARK 79 



In the Autumn of 1535 Katherine became 

 seriously ill. Never a strong woman, the long years 

 of bitter struggle had broken her health as well 

 as her heart. On January 8, 1536, her brave, 

 unconquered spirit fled from a world which for her 

 had been full of sorrow and deep humiliation. 

 There seems no doubt that her end was hastened 

 by poison. 



Ampthill Park, where she spent many of the 

 bitterest days of her sorrow, will ever be associated 

 with the name of Katherine of Arragon, though 

 the old castle in which she lived does not remain 

 even as a ruin. But some old ground plans are 

 still in existence, giving a very good idea of what 

 it must have been. There is little of interest to 

 record of Ampthill till the Restoration, when 

 Charles II. gave the property to Mr. John Ash- 

 burnham in recognition of what he had done for the 

 Royalist cause. It was the first Lord Ashburnham 

 who built the existing house. The Ampthill estate 

 was bought later by Lord Fitzwilliam, and sold in 

 1736 to Lady Go wan, the grandmother of Lord 

 Ossory, who took a great interest in the beautiful 

 old place. 



Horace Walpole was an ardent admirer of Lady 

 Ossory, and a constant visitor at Ampthill Park. 

 Lady Ossory was a vivacious and beautiful woman, 

 the only child of Lord Ravensworth. She made, in 

 1756, a brilliant but miserable marriage with the 



