Report of the Senior Steward of Implements at Nottingham. 565 
in the manasrement of some even of the unnoticed fanns that 
was highly creditable, and above the average m merit. May no 
future reporter have greater cause for regret ! 
XXV III. — Report of the Senior Steicard of Implements at 
Nottingham. By J OHX Hemsley, Shelton, Newark. 
The usual remarks expected from a retiring Steward of Imple- 
ments will this year be very few : the report of the trials of Hay 
and Straw Presses and general remarks upon the exhibition of 
Implements being in such competent hands. 
The site for the Nottingham Exhibition was one of the best, 
if not the very finest, the Society has had. Situated upon a 
naturally dry soil, with a surface sufiiciently level, relieved by 
picturesque clumps of trees, beautifully fringed on nearly all sides 
by fine timber trees, and almost under the shadow of two such 
noble buildings as Nottingham Castle and WoUaton Hall, besides 
being within a mile and a half of the best parts of the town of 
'"fair" Nottingham, it was almost unique. The Local Committee 
must feel much gratitude to Lord Middleton for placing at their 
disposal, in such a generous and open-handed manner, this 
part of his park. No other eligible site could have been 
acquired within a reasonable distance of so populous a centre as 
Nottingham. 
The history of Wollaton Hall not being so well known as 
that of the other grand feature of the vicinity (Nottingham 
Castle), I thought it might be of interest to give a short history 
of this noble buildinof, and I am indebted for the followinor interest- 
ing historical note to the facile pen of Lady ^liddleton — the lady 
of the manor — who so kindly acceded to my request. 
Wollaton Hall was built ty Sir Francis, son of Henry "Willougbty 
and Lady Anne Grey (Dorset), who was aunt to Lady Jane Grey, tho 
nine days' Queen. She and her husband died early, and left a young family, 
who were mainly brought up with the Greys at Tytley. Thomas, the eldest 
of these young Willoughbys, died as a youth, and his brother Francis, who 
succeeded, not finding the ancient house of Wollaton commodious, com- 
menced, in 1680, the present one. His architect was John Thorpe, styled 
of Padua, whose architector or surveyor or clerk of the works was one Smith- 
son, to whom there is a pretty tablet in Wollaton church. 
The house was not finished till 1588; therefore this year is its tercen- 
tenary. The stone was carried on the backs of mules, &c., from Ancaster [a 
distance of 30 miles] and coal in payment sent back. Cassandra Willoughbv, 
Duchess of Chandos, daughter of the natural philosopher, Francis Wil- 
loughby of Wollaton and Middleton, writes, in 1702, that the accounts for 
the building, &c., were in the keeping of her brother Sir Thomas (first Lord 
Middleton), that many artificers came from Italy, and that the cost of the 
