262 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



Porto, who has been spoken of by the name of 

 Janitor. After him came the families of Arbalister, 

 or Balistarius, of Sachvill, and of Copleston. The 

 last of the Coplestons of Bicton sold the estate to 

 Sir Robert Dennis, or Denys, who built the old 

 house there anew, made it his principal residence, 

 and formed a park for deer, adding "diverse com- 

 modities and pleasances thereunto," as is recorded 

 in the notes of Sir William Pole, who relates that 

 the builder's son, Sir Thomas Dennis, did the like. 

 The knight's daughter, Ann, married Sir Henry 

 Rolle, the younger, and carried the estate into that 

 notable family. 



The Rolles are descended from George Rolle of 

 London, who bought the Stevenstone Estate near 

 Great Torrington in North Devon early in the time 

 of Henry VIII. His descendants flourished, and 



The great-grandson of the George kolle who first 

 established himself in Devonshire, was the Sir Henry 

 Rolle who came into possession of Bicton by his 

 marriage with the daughter of Sir Thomas Dennis. 

 His eldest son was Henry Rolle, who succeeded 

 his father in 1730, was M.P. for Devon and 

 Barnstaple until 1748, and was then created Lord 

 Rolle of Stevenstone. This peer was never married, 

 and was succeeded in his estates at Bicton by his 

 brother John, who demolished the old mansion, 

 intending to build a magnificent house in its place. 

 He died, however, before much had bean done, and 

 the work was carried on by his brother, Dennis Rolle, 

 who had not completed it much before the end of 

 the eighteenth century. This Dennis is described 

 in that curious book, " The Worthies of Devon," by 

 John Prince, as having been "the darling of his 



A VISTA FROM THE LAWN. 



increased their possessions by fortunate marriages. 

 Robert Rolle, a moderate Parliamentarian, married 

 Lady Arabella Clinton, and that barony became 

 vested in his grand-daughter, Margaret Rolle, 

 Baroness Clinton, who married Lord Walpole, eldest 

 son of the first Earl of Orford, and is frequently 

 mentioned in Horace Walpole's letters, not greatly 

 to her advantage. Of this family was Sir Henry 

 Rolle, who was called to the Bar, practised with 

 eminent success in the King's Bench, was urgent in 

 the impeachment of Buckingham, resolutely declined 

 supply until grievances had been redressed, took the 

 covenant, and was awarded ajudgeship in the King's 

 Bench. The judge's brother, John, was also a 

 notable politician, as well as a merchant, and took 

 a resolute stand upon the question of tonnage and 

 poundage. 



country in his time, adorned with all the desirable 

 qualities that make a complete gentleman." " As 

 his life was the delight and comfort, so his death 

 was the grief and lamentation, of all who knew him. 

 He was, what most of all endears greatness, of great 

 courtesy and condescension even to his inferiors. 

 His neighbours found him open - handed and 

 liberal as a benefactor, and his generosity was 

 remembered." 



On behalf of his son, John, the barony was 

 re-created in 1797, and he lived until 1842. For 

 many years he represented Devon in Parliament, and 

 was a busy politician and a zealous supporter of Pitt. 

 In 1783 he opposed Fox's India Bill, apparently 

 with some levity, and acquired fame by his name 

 being used in the " Rolliad," as a peg for a general 

 satire of the Tory Party, though the chief purpose 



