38 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE 
7 
: 
[January 12, 1895, 
session was sold by the King on June 1, 1553, for 
£3,974 9s. 43d., to Lord Darcy, Chamberlain of 
the King’s Household. The Priory, which had 
been a religious house for more than 400 years 
was forthwith transformed by its new owner into 
a nobleman’s country seat. Masons and car- 
penters were set to work, gardens and lawns laid 
out, and several of the trees in the park and 
gardens of to-day were probably planted at this 
period. This first lay proprietor of the Priory 
found favour with Queen Elizabeth, and twice in 
her royal progress through the county, viz., in 
July, 1561, and August, 1579, she honoured him 
with her presence at Osyth, staying two days on 
her first visit, and three in her last. The third 
Lord Darcy was created Viscount Colchester by 
James I., and Earl Rivers by Charles I. The 
Priory came into the family of Savage, in 
the county of Chester, through marriage of Lord 
Darcy’s eldest daughter, whom the king created 
Countess Rivers in her own right. During his 
residence here in 1642 a furious mob sacked the 
Priory, ripped off the tapestries, and stole all the 
plate and money in the house. The Priory re- 
mained in possession of the Earls of Rivers for 
seventy years, though they seldom lived in it. 
The last Earl Rivers died in 1712, and Parliament 
passed an Aot settling the Priory and its lands 
on his daughter, Bessy Savage, who married 
son, the fourth Earl, was a friend of George lI, 
and George III. George III. visited him at St. 
Osyth twice, and on one occasion presented the 
Earl with fine portraits of his Queen and himself 
in their coronation robes by Allan Ramsay, These 
pictures now hang in the great drawing-room of 
the Priory. 
For 140 years the Priory was held by the 
Earls of Rochford and Nassau, until it became 
the property of the two daughters of Mr. W. F. 
Nassau, on the death of that gentleman in 1857. 
Of them it was purchased by its present owner, 
Sir John W. Johnson, in 1863, Few proprietors 
could have more reverently preserved the spirit 
and fame of the past, while adapting the Priory 
to the comforts and convenience of modern 
life. Possibly, hardly a vestige of St. Osyth’s 
nunnery or church can be found, and compara- 
tively little of the first Priory, yet here on 
the old spot are to be found what was best in 
the old service and the old spirit, The first sight 
I saw in passing through the old gateway was 
a score or so of happy children from the East-end 
slums of London at dinner. These were the guests 
of the proprietor of the Priory, whose custom it is 
to ask them down in battalions throughout the 
summer, and to give them the free run of his 
parks and pleasure grounds, and free bed and 
board until their bleached faces rejoice and 
blossom as the Rose, On similar generous prin- 
6d. per head, the proceeds going to the resto- 
ration of the church, which sadly needs repairing. 
show is also held in the Priory grounds, 
From the Abbot’s Tower a fine view of the 
surrounding grounds, gardens, parks, woods, and 
surrounding country is obtained. To the north, 
far away to the south extends the green kian 
of the St. Osyth marshes, fading into the wide 
open sea, while to the west lie the estuaries of 
the Rivers Blackwater and Colne, the low ridge 
of Musea Island, and the group of masts in the 
busy harbour of Brightlingsea. 
The Priory is entered through the great gate- 
way from the northern side of the village green, 
here called The Bury, a name unique, so far as I 
am aware, for a public ground. Can it have 
originated in the fact that The Bury was the 
meeting place for parish councils in the old 
times, or from the fact that it is so close to the 
church, or churchyard? or was it the dust-bin 
of primitive ages, or the place for burying valued 
treasures in troublesome times? The Priory is 
400 years old, but little injured by the tooth of 
3 4 
eg 
£ 
e. Į 
filled with the figures of St. Osyth, St. Peter, and 
St. Paul, to whom the church is dedicated. In 
the groined roof of the rich architecture may be 
traced the head of the saint, the white stag (al- 
ready referred to), the heads of kings, monks, 
bishops, and various symbolic devices. The mon- 
astery was rebuilt in the reign of Henry VII, The 
well-kept richly-furnished lawn extending from 
the gateway to the front of the present mansion, 
But little of this now remains, though some of the 
buildings near the Clock-tower, the chapel, and 
the fine chimneys of the Tudor period demand 
mention. Special notice should be taken of 
the great window of the present building that 
forms the great drawing-room. It was built by 
John Vintner in 1527, the last abbot but one 
and richly adorned inside and out with the coats 
of arms of the Bishop of London and other bene- 
factors, together with his usual device and initials 
a bunch of Grapes, a tun of wine, and J. V. : 
this was before the era of lasshouses, it almost 
proves to demonstration that at St. Osyth in 
these times Grapes were ripened fit to eat, and 
Wine made in plenty from home-grown Grapes 
from the open and from walls, 
ae 
On other sides the present Priory is supportet 
by lawns, large and fine kitchen gardens, remark. 
ably well furnished and cultivated, the stabl 
part of the old buildings, &o. 
clothed chiefly with Roses, 
link between the past an 
Priory gardens of to-day cover about 10 acres, 
six of which are kitchen gardens, well furnisha 
with collections of fruits and vegetables, most of 
which did well last season. Good collections of 
Apples, Pears, and Plums are grown, the Apple 
being almost equal to those of the two latter, 
a trinity of successes somewhat rare last year, 
Raspberries were also exceptionally fine 
special variety, something like the Norwich 
wn. Thi 
variety, and it is highly appreciated. Thes 
for 
famous 
Paxton being grown. About 900 3 
pots, and a supply is maintained from 
until the earliest come on in the open air. 
newer or better kinds, The Queen seems 
here, i 
Vegetables of all sorts are well grown; ~ 
and Onions remarkably s0; Realisation, 4! 
ably fine Marrow, about 7 feet high, 
only late Pea grown. Wri hee 
the favourite second early, over 3 feet 
marvellous cropper of 
Selected Early being the favourite early 
quantities of Onions, over 60 sacks en? 
grown remarkably well here, the ch 
