HAGLEY HALL

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 35, 10 February 1926, Page 9

HAGLEY HALL

DESTROYED BY FIRE

HOME OF THE LYTTELTON

FAMILY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, 29th December.

Hagley Hall, the beautiful and historic mansion in Worcestershire .which has just been destroyed by fire, has been the home of the Lyttelton family for nearly four centuries. It was the home of the Fourth Lord Lyttelton, who went out to Canterbury with the early settlers. The great reserve, enclosed on three sides by the River Avon, could hardly have had much beauty to commend it in^he early days;, nevertheless, the pilgrims gave it the name of Hagley Park, knowing that in the course of years this important recreation ground for the people of Christchurch would grow more like the beautiful English estate from which it obtained its name.

Viscount Cobham, who is the ninth viscount, and also holds the title of Baron Lyttlelton, is the present occupier of Hagley Hall, or rather was until a few days ago. On the night of the fire he spent his time in the Van Dyke library, leaving for bed at 1 a.m. The hall appeared to be in safety, but at 3.15 on Christmas Eve he was awakened by the screams of a servant. The family, visitors, and staff were alarmed, but the fire spread from the ser« vants' quarters so quickly that it was a question of getting out of the-house with all speed.,,, Lord Cobham escaped in his pyjamas, an overcoat, and a pair of gum boots. None of the people in the house had time to dress. The family Christmas party included a number of young people and young children, and they proceeded during the day to Oakley House, Bromley, Kent, which Lord Cobham has leased for a number of years. The countryside was covered with snow, and .the family and Visitors were' accommodated temporarily in ,'garderiers' and chauffeurs' cottages, on the estate. FROZEN SLUICE-GATES. The gates, were frozen, and there was some difficulty in opening them', but eventually a good supply of water was run down to the front of the house. Five fire brigades arrived from the surrounding districts, and 11 jets were thrown on the flames, but owing to the rapidity with which the fire . spread, there was great difficulty' in rescuing any of the treasures with the exception of a number of valuable pictures. These were removed to the church near by. Some furniture was also retrieved, but the salvage was comparatively insignificant. Among articles rescued are two magnificent Sevres vases, which were formerly -the property of the Princesse de Lamballe. PICTURES SAVED. Lord Cobham said that on hearing the alarm he roused the household. He and the gardener opened the sluice gates of a pool which supplies the hall with water, so that when fira brigades arrived from Stourbridge, Kidderminister, Dudley, and other towns, several miles distant, there was a good supply of water. The flames, however, spread so rapidly- that there was a difficulty iin getting out any,of the treasures, except the pictures and a little of the furniture. The loss is largely covered by insurance. Lord Cobham thinks that all the pictures have been saved, but that ' the well-known and valuable tapestries in' the dining-room have been destroyed, together with much furniture and a large number of personal effects. Fortunately, however, he had recently removed a number of the more treasured books from the library itself to a strong room in the basement. GUNPOWDER PLOT RECALLED. The Hall was built in 1760 by the first Baron Lyttelton, the poet and historian. The library, in addition to a valuable collection of books, contained busts of Shakespeare, , iftlton, Spenser, and- Dryden, which were bequeathed to the first Lord Lyttelton by Pope, whose portrait was also there. The picture gallery contained a large collection of works by Van'Dyck, Le Jeune, Le Flore, Walpole, Bamsay, Luca Giordana, Paul Veronese, Zucchero, and Lely, and there were valuable prints,.drawings, miniatures, and tapestries. Among the documentary treasures were historic manuscripts by the Worcestershire historian, Habingdon, who" stayed at the house to collect materials for his story of the Gunpowder Plot, which was hatched in the neighbourhood, and in which one of the Lyttelton family was implicated. Jlagley Hall has long been famous for its park and grounds, which were extolled by Horace Walpole as of enchanting beauty. 85, Fleet street.