The famous ornamental "gates" of Watnall Hall are well-known but less well-known is the story of the "grates" from the old hall which ended up in Newstead Abbey as cherished antiques.
The biography of Miss Frances Rolleston of Bog End School, Watnall says that when Colonel Wildman bought Newstead from Lord Byron in 1818, he was keen to renovate its dilapidated rooms. Frances was staying at Watnall with her cousin Col. Lancelot Rolleston and his wife and "enjoyed hearing of Newstead, and was amused that Colonel Wildman had prevailed on Mrs. Rolleston to let him have the old fire grates from Watnall. These were now among the precious antiques of Newstead."
They are probably still there today... "Newstead today is much as Wildman and his architect John Shaw restored it between 1818 and the 1850s. The upper floors were considerably altered and brought up to the comfort standards of the time with bathrooms, water closets, and oil lighting"... and "antique" fire grates too no doubt...
 |
| Newstead Abbey by A Spooner |
 |
| Colonel Wildman, Byron's school pal bought Newstead from the poet and spent a fortune doing it up for the mass of Byronmania tourists who came to visit. |
 |
| Watnall Hall's famous gates |
 |
| Watnall Hall |
Comments
Post a Comment