The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES." GISBORNE, SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1949 ENGLAND'S MANSIONS FAST DECAYING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23023, 13 August 1949, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES." GISBORNE, SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1949 ENGLAND'S MANSIONS FAST DECAYING

r|Ml.]S century lias witnessed great changes in the life of the old English, nobility, and for many of them the social revolution has boon a grim reaper. For 50 years under Conservative, Liberal and Labour Governments their estates have been dwindling. High taxation and the labour shortage of the First York! War forced the sale of many stately homes and large areas of land. In peace Ihe process was continued, scarcely a day passing without advertisements appearing in the London press. L’icec by piece land that had been held by families in some eases for centuries went, to the highest bidder. The only change brought by the Second 'World AYar and the second peace was a faster pace. Today most of the, estates of the noble. Hie great, and the famous of other days are in danger. The weight of taxation, the ravages of time, the lack of skilled craftsmen, high.costs and neglect, together with bomb damage, are all taking their toll. A few weeks ago the Earl, of Shrewsbury, the premier Earl of. England, sold one-third of bis estates because of “merciless taxation.” Some of the land bad been in bis family lor eight, centuries. The Earl now works a part of his remaining land himself and sells flowers, vegetables and game to the public. Yesterday the sale was announced of Dnnster Castle and the main portion of the estate, a family possession since 3376, because of “crippling taxation and death duties.” Recently Goodrich 1 ourt. a 117-year-old mansion in Hertfordshire, was sold for dismantling and rebuilding in the United States.