212 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



SNELSTON — MR. HARRISON — *' CECIL " — " CECIL's " ACCOUNT 

 OF THE HOUNDS — THE GREAT RADBURNE RUN — THE 

 FOSTON MILL DAM. 



1862-1863. 



" Its bay windows, parapets, turrets, and groups of pic- 

 turesque chimneys, viewed from the south, or from almost 

 any point, form a striking feature in the landscape : " 

 so says an old writer, and most people will agree with 

 him. It was built by Mr. John Harrison, who married 

 the heiress of Snelston, and so acquired the estate, to 

 which he and his son made large additions by purchase. 

 It was to the squire who built Snelston that Mr. William 

 Evans, the architect and builder, and the original of 

 Adam Bede in George Eliot's delightful novel, owed his 

 success in life in a sort of way. The story is told in the 

 Gentleman's Magazine. After describing how Mr. William 

 Evans drove to Tutbury to put in a bid for the restoration 

 of the church at Tutbury — he being at that time only a 

 country wheelwright and carpenter — the writer goes on to 

 say, making the subject of his theme speak for himself, 

 " I drew up at the Vicarage at Tutbury, and found the 

 vicar was at a vestry meeting. I went on to the church 

 and got hold of the sexton, who was then waiting to 

 answer the calls of the committee, and observed some 

 half-dozen gentlemen with rolls of paper in their hands. 

 My heart fell, for I knew they were builders or architects, 

 and guessed that it was the day of tender for the work, 

 and I was too late. However, I thought, I am in for it, 



