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Gentleman's Magazine 1849 part 2 p.140
for in Mr. Machel's time, who visited the hall about 1680,
and was curious in such matters, the following arms,
described by him, were then to be found as fenestral
enrichments, some of which, Dr. Burn says, were remaining
when he wrote the History of the County in 1777:-
"1. Philipson. Gules, a chevron between three boar's heads
couped, ermineé, tusked or; impaling, Azure, a
chevron between ten cinquefoils 4,2,1,2,1, argent, charged
with three mullets gules, by the name of Carus.
"2. Philipson, impaling Laburne, Azure, six lioncels rampant
argent.
"3. Barry of ten, or and sable, a canton of the second, by
the name of Briggs.
"4. Philipson, impaling Wyvill; Gules, three chevronels
braced vair, on a chief or, a mullet pierced of five points
sable.
"5. Carus, impaling Wyvill.
"6. Philipson, single;
and both of these, say the authorities I have named, are
also in plaster work over the hall chimney very complete,
and over Philipson's is this mottoo, FIDE NON FRAUDE."
All these intelligent memorials of other days are now gone,
save thoses of the Briggs' and of Philipson impaling Wyvill,
which, as has been poetically observed in relation to
similar adornments elsewhere, "yet remain to attest by their
presence that the former owner had made the very light
subservient to his state, and pressed the sun itself into
his list of flatterers, bidding it, when it shone into his
chamber, reflect the badges of his ancient family, and take
new hues and colours from their pride."
In the same window, underneath the emblazonry, is this
inscription, likewise on painted glass:
ROBART . PHILIPSON
AND . JENNET . LAIBOR
NE . HIS . WIFE . HE DIE
D . IN . ANNO . 1539 .
SHE . ZZ . DECE
MBAR . 1579.
The room over the kitchen has been nobly ornamented after
the fashion of the day by cunning artists, and it still
retains, in its dilapidated oak-work and richly adorned
ceiling, choice, though rude, remnants of its ancient
splendour. It has a dark polished oak floor, and is
wainscoted on three sides with the same tough wood; which,
white and bleached with age, is elaborately carved in small
and regular intersecting panels, inlaid with scroll work and
tracery, and surmounted by an embattled cornice. In this
wainscot two or three doors indicate the entrances to other
rooms, whose approaches are walled up, the rooms themselves
having been long since destroyed. The ceiling is flat, and
formed into compartments by heavy intersecting moulded ribs,
the intermediate spaces being covered with cumbrous
ornamental work of the most grotesque figures and designs
imaginable, amidst which flowers and fruits and other
products of the earth, moulded in stucco, yet exist to tell
how many times the fruitage and the leaves outside have come
and gone, have ripened and decayed, whilst they endure
unchanged.
So late as 1789, when Clarke wrote his Survey of the Lakes,
there was remaining over the fireplace, in what was then
called the dining-room, two devices remarkably well carved
in oak. One exhibited Samson asleep upon Delilah's lap,
while the Philistines were cutting off his hair; the other
was a representation of Jeptha, after his rash vow, meeting
his daughter. In the room then designated the parlour, there
were also upon the ceiling several devices moulded in
stucco, in which the figure of the wyverne, the crest of the
ancient family of Wyvill, was frequently repeated. And even
down to so recent a period as 1820 the walls of one of the
rooms were covered with various paintings in fresco or
distemper, of the Virgin and other saints.
But of all these perishing evidences that were so
characteristic of the era of its youth and freshness, the
only things indeed associated with the period of its former
state which were left to tell of its interior decorations,
how scanty are now the remains; most of what was existing
within the last half century is gone, and the few abiding
fragments, being liable to continued damage from the weather
and want of care, are likely soon to vanish also.
The fretted roof looks dark and cold
And tatter'd all around,
The carved work of ages old
Dropp'd wither'd on the ground.
The casement's antique tracery
Was eaten by the dew,
And the night-breeze whistling mournfully
Crept keen and coldly through.
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