Speke Hall. 253 



the depth and width, and the grand old structure now 

 rising up in all its nobleness of design. It is not the 

 original Speke Hall. At the period of the Domesday 

 survey the estate was held by a Saxon thane. After the 

 Conquest, it fell to the share of that famous Norman, 

 Roger de Poictou, who as a reward for his conduct at 

 the battle of Hastings, received so large a portion of 

 Lancashire. Roger, as we all remember, took part in 

 sundry small acts of disloyalty, for which, in turn, he was 

 punished by forfeiture. Subsequently changing hands 

 yet again, at last perhaps about 1350 the property 

 came to be owned by a branch of the celebrated old 

 family of Norreys (one of the descendants of which 

 fought under Lord Stanley at Flodden, A.D. 1513), and 

 by these the first hall of the name was erected, in what 

 style is not known. Remaining in their possession, 

 Speke, as we see it to-day, was the work of one Edward 

 Norreys, who commemorates himself in an inscription in 

 antique letters over the principal entrance: "This worke 

 25 yards long was wolly built by Edw. N., Esq. Anno 

 1598." The ground-plan, as in similar halls, consisted 

 of a spacious quadrangular courtyard, buildings occupy- 

 ing all four of the sides, so that by means of the corridors 

 and galleries, any portion can be reached by an inmate 

 without stepping into the open air. The richness of 

 these corridors, the beauty of the wood-carving, and the 

 general ornamentation, it is impossible to describe briefly; 

 some of the carved oak was brought from Holyrood by 

 the Sir Wm. Norreys of Flodden fame, There is a fine 



