ELMS WELL AND ITS OWNERS. 169 



rendered to his nephew John Best, eldest son of Henry Best, after 

 enjoying it for nearly 30 years.* In the descendants of John 

 Best, the property remained for nearly two centuries; coming down 

 from father to son in regular succession. At length, on Feb. 5, 1844, 

 it was sold by the llev. Francis Best to William Joseph Denison, Esq., 

 for 42,500^. ; and was devised by him to his nephew and heir Lord 

 Albert Con3mgham, now Lord Londesbrough, the present owner of the 

 estate. 



The original mansion of the Bests is still remaining, and was proba- 

 bly erected soon after the estate came into their possession. It stands 

 north and south, and in its high pitched gables and low mullioned 

 windows we have a fair specimen of the style of architecture which was 

 in fashion in the days of James I. An engraving of it faces the title- 

 page of the present volume. Of the ancient fittings of the interior a 

 richly carved chimney piece is the sole remnant ; the hall, one of the 

 principal features in an old country house, was divided into several 

 rooms many years since. "Without, towards the north, lie the gardens 

 and orchards, which have never been dismantled, and above the door 

 which leads to them is a head sculptured in freestone, the Alcinous, 

 probably, of the family, who is still watching over his orchards. He 

 will miss, however, a goodly terrace walk, which was destroyed a few 

 j^ears since for the sake of the materials of which it was constructed. 

 In the north wall of the mansion there is a stone which bears the fol- 

 lowing inscription : 



I S C 

 1656 



C BEST 



BORNE THE 7 OF 



MAY 1656 



The initials in the corner may, perhaps, be thus interpreted. J(ohn), 

 S(arah), C(liarles), B(est). It is a somewhat unusual way of recording 

 the birth of a son and heir, the first child of his parents, in the fourth 

 year after their marriage. 



Many squared and carved stones, the relics of some early building, 

 may be seen in the neighbourhood of the house. Possibly they may be 

 the remains of some earlier mansion. Tradition, however, tells us that 

 they were brought here from some adjacent monaster j^, probably from 

 the nunnery at Watton. The first purchasers or lessees of Emswell 

 would be ready enough to follow the example of their neighbours, and 

 to build themselves a mansion upon abbey lands out of the spoils of 

 a religious house. It is quite possible, also, that in old times there 

 may have been a chapel at Elmswell, and that these fragments are the 



* 4 Oct. 20 Jac. Henrye Best of Emswell, gent., sells to his elder brother Paull 

 Best, for 400/'. a messuage and 16 oxeganges of land at Emeswell in the tenure of 

 Martin Wise, and four oxeganges of land there in the tenure of Wm. Whited, for 

 life, at a peppercome for rent. On Sept. 29, 1632, Paul Best le'ases his farm to his 

 brother Henry, for Life, at the rent of 23^. per annum, which sum, on Apr. 13, 1634, 

 was reduced to 16^. It was given up altogether on 22 Jan. 1651-2, and the whole 

 of the estates then centred in John Best. 



