822 



Notes on Spye Park and Bromham. 



stable building' ; and this peculiarity, coupled with the occurrence of 

 chimneys in that building", has induced some persons to suppose that 

 it was the original house, or formed part of it, but I think errone- 

 ously, for there is nothing about this latter building to show that it 

 was not originally erected for offices. The view shows that the 

 house itself had a goodly show of windows on the side next the 

 park. There may have been a good practical reason why the windows 

 were not on the prospect side. Our ancestors were as a rule far less 

 fond of exposed situations than ourselves, therefore it is likely that 

 the windows were put on the side least exposed to the wind. The 

 old knight probably liked comfort, and Evelyn himself was excep- 

 tional in the refinement of his taste ; however, the pavilion shown 

 in the view seems to imply that the beauties of nature were not 

 entirely neglected. 



The passage which follows this description of the house will I 

 think induce the most enthusiastic archaeologist to admit that, in 

 some respects, the present times are better than those that have 

 gone before. It runs thus — " After dinner they went to bowles, 

 and in the meanetime our coach-men were made so exceedingly drunk, 

 that in returning home we escap'd greate dangers. This it seems 

 was by order of the Knight, that all gentlemen's servants be so 

 treated ; but the custome is a barbarous one, and much unbecoming' 

 a Knight, still lesse a Christian.-" 



So far I have directed your attention to Dingley's view, and the 

 exactness with which it illustrates Evelyn's description. I must now 

 state my reasons for holding that the house lately pulled down was 

 the same building. It will be remembered that, as the house lately 

 stood, there was a portico to the front door. The doorway itself 

 seemed to have retained the same, or nearly the same, position as in 

 Evelyn's time. The whole front of the house, above the sunk story, 

 had been converted at the same time as the portico was erected, by 

 Sir Edward Baynton Rolt, the first baronet, about 1749. Evidence 

 of such conversion, as regards the windows, was obtained compara- 

 tively recently, in some alterations towards the west end of the front. 1 



1 For this and other information most kindly supplied to me, I am indebted 

 to Mrs. Starky, of Battle House, Bromham. 



