NEWSTEAD ABBEY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 17, 20 July 1931, Page 9

NEWSTEAD ABBEY

HOME OF POET BYRON

TRIBUTE BY] yENIZELOS

(British Official Wireless.) EUGBY, 17th July. The Greek Prime Minister, M. Venl* zelos, yesterday took part in the cere* monies at Newstead Abbey, the ancea^ tral home of Lord Byron, the care ofl which hgs been transferred to the cityj of Nottingham to be maintained in perpetuity for the enjoyment of the public, and in memory of the poet. M. Venizelos said ho brought to tha memory of Byron the deep and sincerej homage, gratitude; and remembrance; of the whole Greek nation. Modem Greek history had been enriched with! the magic of ,tho great English poet^ and nobody could think of a free Greece without* thinking at the same time of Byron and his death for the freedom of; Greece.

It is believed that the purchaser of Newstead Abbey is Sir Julian CahUj who has made a number of munificent gifts to Nottingham and the neighbour' hood. Sir Julian Cahn lived at PapplewicE Grange, two miles from the Abbey, until recently, and has an intense admira* tion for the historic seat. Five years ago the residential portion of the Abbey was divided into three suites of apartments, one of which was occupied by the estate agent, another by a Mansfield bank manager, and the thir4 by Mr. Kenneth M'Craith. ' The. large dining hall (once the monks' refectory), the cloisters, the chapel, and the rooms which the poet Byron himself occupied were open to inspection for a small fee during the summer months. The King and Queea took tea at the Abbey when they toured, Nottingham. It was understood that the purchase included the Byron relics.- The rooms which the poet occupied are preserved in almost the samo condition as he left them, but some of the more' valuable pieces of furniture were sold a few; years ago. These included two chairS on which the arms of the Byrona wera worked in silk by members of tha family, and they fetched 500 guineas. Close by the houso is the memorial which Byron erected to Ms dog, "Boat* swain," which saved his life. The in-: scription records that Boatswain possessed "all the virtues of man without his vices." Some .1400 acres of ths, estate were recently sold.