THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| VOL. X, NO. 279.] | SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1827. | [PRICE 2d. |
BRAMBLETYE HOUSE.
On the borders of Ashdown Forest, in the county of Sussex, stands theabove picturesque ruin of Brambletye House, whose lettered fame may bedated from the publication of Mr. Smith's novel of that name, inJanuary, 1826. The ruin has since attracted scores of tourists, as wewere, on our recent visit, informed by the occupier of the adjoiningfarm-house; which circumstance coupled with the high literary success ofMr. Smith's novel, has induced us to select Brambletye House for theillustration of our present number.
Brambletye, or, as it is termed in Doomsday Book, Brambertie House,after the conquest, became the property of the Earl of Mortain andCornwall, forming part of the barony then conferred upon him, andsubsequently denominated the honour of the eagle. Passing intopossession of the Andehams, Saint Clares, and several others, it cameinto the occupation of the Comptons, towards the beginning of theseventeenth century; and from the arms of that family impaling those ofSpencer, still remaining over the principal entrance, with the date 1631in a lozenge, it is conjectured that the old[pg 266]moated edifice (represented in the annexed vignette) which had hithertobeen the residence of the proprietors, was abandoned in the reign ofJames I., by Sir Henry Compton, who built the extensive and solidbaronial mansion, commonly known by the name of Brambletye House.
"From their undaunted courage and inflexible loyalty to the Stuarts,"says the novelist, "the Comptons had been heavy sufferers, both in purseand person, during the eventful progress of the civil wars. The Earl ofNorthampton, the head of the family, and nephew to Sir Henry, thepresumed builder of Brambletye, had four sons, officers under him,whereof three charged in the field at the battle of Hopton Heath, andthe eldest, Lord Compton, was wounded. The Earl himself, refusing totake quarter from the rascally Roundheads, as he indignantly termedthem, even when their swords were at his throat, was put to death in thesame battle; and the successor to his title, with one of his brothers,finally accompanied the royal family in their exile. Sir John Compton, abranch of this family, having preserved much of his property from thecommittee of sequestration, displayed rather more splendour than fell tothe lot of most of the cavaliers who took an equally conspicuous partagainst the parliament armies. Although never capable of any regulardefence, yet the place being hastily fortified, refused the summons ofthe parliamentarian colonel, Okey, by whom it Was invested; but it wasspeedily taken, when sad havoc was committed by the soldiery, all thearmorial bearings, and every symbol