422 THE HOUSE OF QODOLPHIN. 



condition of general neglect. 0. S. Gilbert, writing of it in 

 1820, quoted by Mr. Whitlej', says "The eastern side of the 

 building has been taken down, and the whole is in a very ruin- 

 ous state. The interior is in a miserably decayed state, and if 

 neglect like the past is allowed to prevail for a few years longer 

 the whole fabric must crumble into dust." Shortly after this the 

 renovation of the house was undertaken. The entire body of 

 the Tudor house, or what was left of it, was taken down, leaving 

 only the present ruined south wall to enclose the courtyard ; and 

 a farmyard now occupies the site of the old apartments of state- 

 The eastern side of the house, looking out over the garden, was 

 rebuilt ; the rooms within were adapted to more modern ideas 

 of comfort ; and the present commodious farm-house arose from 

 the decaying ruins of the ancient palace of the Q-odolphins. 

 Fig. 3 is a sketch-plan of the existing building, showing also 

 the probable and traditional position of the parts that have 

 disappeared. 



Such, as far as I can read it, is in outline the history of the 

 House of the G-odolphins : a house which, with all its losses and 

 all its restorations, maintains a strong claim upon the interest 

 of resident and visitor alike ; not merely as a specimen of Tudor 

 or Jacobean architecture, but also as the veritable home of men 

 long dead, who through troublous times took a leading place in 

 the conduct of aflPairs, and whose guidance has helped to direct 

 the destinies of England. 



