OLD WARWICK PRIORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19254, 17 February 1926, Page 18

OLD WARWICK PRIORY.

TRANSPLANTED TO VIRGINIA. There has-been a great deal of severe comment over the sale of the famous Warwick Priory, which has been bought by . Mr. • and Mrs. Alexander Weddell, iwo cultured Americans from Yirginia, and is to be more or- less reconstructed at their home in - Virginia.

It was said to be scandalous "that .Americans should go to England and take back to the United States, boldly and bodily, such a magnificent example of the stately homes of old England. Some of the comments, with greater fairness and wisdom, apportioned most of the blame to Britishers' own lack of public where it might have been expected that, a purchaser would be found to buy the place for the -nation. Now Mr. Weddeil has explained the situation, and what hp has said leaves him and his wife blameless, but people in Britain very much to blame. The work of stripping the ancient place had begun before the Weddells ever went to England or heard about it; stairs", flooring, panelling, ironwork, guttering, and roof, all were gone, and the empty shell was advertised to be sold not long ago..It was then that Mr. and Mrs. Wlddell stepped in, and, as no one in England would save Warwick Priory from being broken up, they decided to take the brick and stone, which had been a part of English' history for ho many centuries, away to a place where English history is venerated;, and to build from them a nome tor the Virginian Historical Society. Virginia was the first English settlement in America, and Virginians have always prided themselves on. their' English descent and traditions. . "h!I1 8 uT S to T'" says Mr - Weddeil,: that between the use of this material £ /iH® a 1? J? .Warwickshire and its use to iorto the walls of public* iitttitoiiion >n Virginia th« tru*, Britoa could male® 1 bwt oa« choW*.