THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| Vol. 20. No. 576. | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1832 | [PRICE 2d. |
WINGFIELD MANOR-HOUSE.
This interesting structure is referred to by a clever writer1as oneof the richest specimens extant of the highly-ornamented embattledmansions of the time of Henry VII. and VIII., the period of transitionfrom the castle to the palace, and undoubtedly the best aera ofEnglish architecture. This judgment will be found confirmed in thewritings of distinguished antiquarians; and the reader's attention tothe descriptive details of this building will be important inconnexion with several notices, in our recent pages, of old Englishdomestic architecture.
The manor of Wingfield, or Winfield, is situated four or five miles tothe eastward of the centre of Derbyshire. The early lords had twoparks, which, according to a survey made in 1655, contained nearly1,100 acres. These parks are now divided into farms: on the border ofone of them are a moat and other remains of an ancient mansion,traditionally said to have been called Bakewell Hall; by some, this issupposed to have been the original mansion, which is said by others tohave been near the Peacock Inn, on the road between Derby andChesterfield. The present Manor-House, (as represented in theEngraving,) according to Camden, was built about the year 1440, byRalph, Lord Cromwell, in the time of Henry VI. This Lord Cromwell wastreasurer of England; and the testimony of Camden that he was thefounder, is strongly corroborated by the bags or purses of stones,(alluding to the office of treasurer which he filled,) carved over thegateway leading into the quadrangle. Bags or purses are mentioned tohave been carved on the manor-house of Coly Weston, in Northamptonshire,augmented by this Lord Cromwell; and there were also similar ornamentscarved in wood, removed about a century ago from Wingfield Manor.
The Manor-House originally consisted of two square courts, one ofwhich, to the north, has been built on all sides, and the south sideof it forms the north side of the south court, which has also rangesof buildings on the east and west sides, and on part of the south. Thelatter court seems principally to have consisted of offices. The firstentrance is under an arched gateway on the east side of the southcourt. The arch of this gateway being a semicircle, was probablyerected subsequently to the rest of the building: hence thecommunication with the inner court is under an arched gateway in themiddle of the north side of the south court. One half of this range ofbuilding seems originally to have been used as a hall, which waslighted by a beautiful octagon window, and through a range of Gothicwindows to the south, now broken away, and a correspondent range tothe north. This part of the house was afterwards divided andsubdivided[pg 322]into several apartments: these have suffered the same fateas the noble hall, the magnificence of wh