( 134 )
SQUERRYES COURT, THE CAMP,
AND THE PICTURES.
BT CANON SCOTT ROBERTSON.
THIS handsome mansion, of red brick, seems to have been built a
few years before A.D. 1686. Colonel Warde has a Plan of the
estate made for Sir Nicholas Crisp,Baronet, who purchased Squerryes
in A.D. 1680. This Plan is thus signed: "Arthur Hewes fecit, 1686;"
and in one corner of it will be found a small sketch of the existing
house.
Hither came King William III., on the 30th of May 1701, to
visit the first Earl of Jersey, who had purchased Squerryes in
1700 from Sir John Crisp. The second Earl of Jersey, who resided
here much, was buried in Westerham Church in July 1721.
The third Earl sold Squerryes to John Warde, Esq.
Mr. Warde was the son of Sir John Warde, Lord Mayor of
London in 1719, who was himself a nephew of Sir Patience Warde,
Lord Mayor in 1681 and M.P. for London in 1688. Portraits of
both these worthy knights adorn the Hall at Squerryes. A large
mirror, now fixed in Colonel Warde's study, was made for Sir John
Warde; as we learn from the armorial bearings at its apex.
They are those of Sir John impaling the coat of Sir William
Bucknall, whose daughter was Sir John's wife (Argent, two chevrons
gules, between three bucks' heads sable).
If Mr. John Warde purchased Squerryes iu 1731, he had been
a widower for four years when he bought this estate. His wife,
Miss Frances Bristow, of Mitcheldever, died in 1727, after eight
years of wedded life. Yet there are many memorials of her
throughout this house. Her portrait is here, together with portraits
of her two noble sisters, the Countess of Buckinghamshire and the
Countess of Effingham, and also portraits of their brother Robert
Bristow and his wife Sarah Warde, a daughter of Sir John Warde,
the Lord Mayor.
Much of the CHINA to be seen in this house bears the arms of
Bristow, impaled with those of John Warde, suggesting that the
china was made during his wife's lifetime (perhaps at the time of
her marriage in 1719), before he purchased Squerryes. The
SQUERRYES COURT. 135
TAPESTEY seen upon the backs and seats of several chairs, and
hanging on the walls of one bedroom, bears the same arms woven
into its texture. Thus the china and tapestry have been in this
house more than 150 years.
Much of the furniture, in the style named after " Queen Anne,"
has likewise been here for the same long period, and has much
interest for connoisseurs.
John Warde, eldest son of the purchaser of Squerryes, by
Frances, daughter of Robert Bristow, collected the majority of the
pictures now in the house. This gentleman was 10 years old when
his father bought Squerryes.
His youngest brother George was only six years of age when
Squerryes became their father's country residence. At that time
there was in Westerham a little boy, who subsequently achieved
renown. Young James Wolfe was then but four years old. Consequently
George Warde and the future General Wolfe grew up
together. They were attached playmates in youth, and firm friends
in later life. One day early in November 1741, the two lads were
together in the garden at Squerryes, when an ensign's Commission
arrived for young Wolfe. He was then only 14 years old. A monumental
urn now marks the spot in the garden where Wolfe was
when his Commission arrived. When General Wolfe sailed from
England, for the last time, in February 1758, he wrote from
Portsmouth, to his old playfellow, then a Major in the Army,
stationed at Windsor, in these terms :—" Dear Major . . . . If my
Father shou'd die in my absence I desire that you and Carleton
will let my Mother know that jointly with her you are empowered
to transact my business ; as the enclosed general letter of attorney
sets forth; and if you will assist her with your good Council, I shall
think of it with more satisfaction, and acknowledge it with more
gratitude, than anything done to myself."
This letter, with the letter of attorney, and hundreds of letters
written by General James Wolfe to his parents, are carefully preserved
in the Library at Squerryes Court. The Commissions in the
Army granted to General James Wolfe and his father are also there.
A pardon for sharing in the great Rebellion, granted by King
Charles II. to Sir Patience Warde in 1667, is among the family
papers in Colonel Warde's possession.
In the Park, upon very high ground about three-quarters of a
mile from the Mansion, there is an ancient British Oppidum, an
earthwork of oval form, which has often been called a Roman Camp.
I t occupies about 11 acres of ground. Its shape and dimensions
136 SQUERRYES COURT.
can be easily seen upon the annexed Plan. The inner earthwork is
about 20 ft. high on the N.E. ; and 12 ft. on the N.W. ; but nearly
effaced towards the South. The inner ditch is about 15 ft. wide.
To elucidate the family portraits in Squerryes Court the following
sketch pedigree will be found useful. There are portraits of all
whose names are printed in capital letters.
Thomas Warde, of Tanshelf, ob. circa. 1635.=rElizabeth . . . .
I
John, ob.=pEliz. Vincent. Sir PATIENCE, Lord Mayor=ELiz. HOBSON,
1657. [ 1681; ob. 1694. of Hackney.
-4^
Sir JOHN, Lord Mayor 1719; ob. 1726.=J=MAEY BUCKNALL,
JOHN, of Squerryes,1
ob. 1746.
:PEANCES
BEISTOW,
ob. 1727.
ROBEET=SAEAH
BEIS- WAEDE,
TOW. ob. 1741.
vb
SUSAN,
ob.1756.
MAEY,
ob.1737.
Eliz. Gore, •= JOHN, col-:
ob. s.p. lector
1748. of the
pictures,
born 1721;
ob. 1775.
:Kitty Anne
Hoskins, of
Croydon,
married
1751 in
Lambeth
Palace;
oh. 1766.
General MAKY^WM. CLAY.
GEOEGE ob.
(friend 1760.
of Wolfe),
ob. 1803.
TON, of
Harleyford.
WILLIAM.
KATHEEINE,
ob.1736.
KATHEEiNE.=Baron Howard do Walden.
JOHN, ob.=Hon.
s.p. 1838, Susan A.
sot. 86. Grim-
[" Father ston, ob.
of fox- 1842.
hunting."]
Charles^Anne
ob.1820,
set. 66.
Annesley,
ob.
1816,
set. 58.
General1
George,
ob.
1830.
CHAELES, Sir Kitty=Rev. W. Two George,
FCHAELOTTE
MAD AN,
niece of
Marquess
Cornwallis.
KATHEEINE
=
Sir Nathaniel
Dukinfield,
mar
1783.
1 ,
Gen.
Sir
Henry,
ob.
1834,
set. 68.
<4s
ob. unmar. Francis, Anne. St. J. others, ob. 1855. CHAELES,
1861. K.C.B. Mildmay. ob. 1869.
Gregory.
Goorgo,=Lady
ob.1877, Harriot
set. 50. North.
Henry J.
Gregory,
ob. 1857.
Charles Arthur^Honble. A. Kathleen Luoia
Madan (Lieut.- O'Brien, dau. of 13th Lord
Col.). Inohiquin, mar. 1879.
Mary Kathleen,
born 1880.
Dorothy Louisa,
born 1883.
Blanche Theresa,
horn 1885.
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