CASTLE AS HOTEL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 85, 11 April 1935, Page 8

CASTLE AS HOTEL

FROM ANCIENT TO MODERN HISTORICAL FURNISHINGS GUNPOWDER PLOT RELIC. Maxstc-ke Uastle, an historical Warwickshire landmark is to become a residential hotel and. pleasure ark, and will be opened, to the British public shortly. It has been taken On a 21 years’ lease from the Dilke family by | a Company. The foundaiiuns of the castle were I laid in 1345 by William de Clinton, who obtained a licence to crenellatel from King Edwaid 111. In 143 7 John de Clinton exchanged the castle for other manors with Humphrey, Earl of Stafford, who later became Duke of Buckingham. In JS2L the. cattle was forfeited by the attainer of the third .Duke, ami then it passed through several hands until 1599, when it was purchased, from Sir Thomas Egertou, Lord Keeper ctf the Great Seal, by Mr. Thomas Dilke, in whose family it has remained. The dwelling house is at a northwest angle io the court. It is half timbered, the front portion being rebuilt in the seventeenth century. The lower part, of the chapel now serves as a biftler’s pantry and the upper portion forms a cc-rridor to the great hallOn the west wall of the first floor of the great hall is a carved and coloured, stone ornamented with the numerous quarterings of the Dilke family, while on the east wall is a full length portrait of Charles 11. by Sir Peter Lely. It is said that the gunpowder plot was hatched around a line refrectory table of carved oak which stands in front of the chapel window. It came into possession of The. Di Ikes through Sir Everard Digby to whose house— Coieshill Hall—it came after the gunpowder plot. The carved oak chair on which Henry A 11. wa.s crowned on the battlefield of Bosworth is also in the castle. The Elizabethan drawing-room is famous for its “whispering door" leading to the banqueting hall, which came from Kenilworth Castle, and is of heavy carved oak. The glass cabinet contains a watch given by Charles 11. to Lady Lane, who saved him after the battle of Worcester, the King riding as her servant. The rural surroundings and the fabric of this historical building are to remain untouched. Its furniture and other articles are to be on view to the public. It is the intention of the company to open the castle as a residential hotel with a country club attached. Rooms iu the towers will be adapted for ladies’ bridge parties, tea-rooffis, refreshment rooms, dressing rooms, and dance hall will also be provided. An old tithe barn, which is stated to be older than the castle building, will be converted to seat 1000 people, and there will be 200 acres of park land, two boating pools, a bathing pooi, tennis courts, bowling and putting greens, and a golf course.