Riddlesworth Hall, Norfolk;

THE SEAT OF

THOMAS THORNHILL, ESQ.

RIDDLESWORTH is six miles south-east from the town of Thetford. It stands in a pleasant park, in a fine sporting country. The House, though not large, is constructed upon a plan that admits every requisite to render a country residence agreeable, the Rooms are both airy and convenient. An ancient Mansion of the Drurys was taken down by Sylvanus Bevan, Esq., who erected the present building, and expended a considerable sum in the improvement of the estate, of whom the whole was purchased by the present proprietor.

The Manor of Riddlesworth, at the Confessor's survey, belonged to Orgar, a freeman, and at William the Conqueror's, to Humfrey, the son of Alberic. In Domesday Boke, it is called Redelefuorda, or the village abounding with reeds, according to Blomefield, the Historian of the County, It afterwards became the Lordship of Ralf Peverel, and was held at the fourth part of a fee of the Honor of Peverel. In 1255, Jeffrey Tregoz held it of the King, of whom Peter de Mealings, of Burston, held it by Knight's Service, and settled it on Henry de Bathon, from which family it went by marriage to John de Bohun, and from his heiress, Agnes, in 1341, to Roger, son of Roger de Archer. In 1384, Sir John Roos possessed the manor in right of Beatrice, his wife, heiress of Roger de Archer. Anne, the daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Roos, married Thomas Sackville, Esq., who in her right possessed the Estate. The family of Rookes were finally Lords of the Manor from 1456 to 1515, when it was sold to the Waldegrave and Calthorpe families, and by intermarriage it came to that of Drury. Sir Drue Drury, Knt., third son of Sir Robert Drury of Egerly, married first Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir Philip Calthorpe, with whom he had a moiety of the Manor. He was Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth, and was one of the Keepers of Mary Queen of Scots, for a short time before she was beheaded. He built Riddlesworth Hall, and constantly resided here. When Blomefield wrote his History of Norfolk this ancient Mansion was standing, and contained many family portraits, and other pictures, of which he gives a list, amongst them are mentioned two, particularly worthy of notice. One is described as a curious old painting on

board, containing the portraits of ten persons, each having his arms or cypher over his head, and an inscription at his feet, 1. Johannes de Lacy, Constable of Chester, and first founder of St. Bennet's Abbey, at Stanlow, in Cheshire; 2. Roger de Lacy, and three successive Earls of Lincoln of that family; 6. St. Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, son-in-law and heir of Henry de Lacy, who translated or removed the religious of this Abbey, to Whalley, in Lancashire; 7. Henry Grismond, Earl of Lancaster, brother and heir of St. Thomas; 8. Henry, Duke of Lancaster, his son and heir; 9. John of Gaunt; 10. Henry IV., King of England.

The other picture consisted of a portrait of Sir William Drury, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, by whom hangs an old plan of Edinburgh Castle, and two armies before it, round which, is inscribed, "Sir William Drurye, Knt., General of the English, wanne Edenburghe Castle, 1573." Upon the picture was also this inscription, "Sir William Drurye, Knt., Marshall of Barwicke, Lord Generall of this Jorny, and after Lord President of Munster, and lastly died Lord Justice of Irland, ao. 1579;" together with the arms and crest of Drury, with fourteen coats, and the arms and names of the following persons, all of whom were with the Lord General at the siege: "Mr. Henry Killigray, Ambassador; Sir Geo. Carie, Knt.; Sir Thos. Cecill; Sir Francis Trusbill, Knt.; Sir Henry Lee, Knt.; Mr. Michael Carie; Mr. Henry Carie; Mr. William Knowles; Mr. Dieyr; Mr. Cotton; Mr. Thos. Sutton; Mr. Kelwaye; Sir William Selbye; Mr. Tilney; Sir William Killegray;" amongst the family portraits was that of " Sir Drue Drury, that built the House, his wife on one side, and upon the other, a lady, daughter of Lovell, on the House was painted the arms of Drury quartering Finch and Waldegrave, impaling Derham. In the north aisle of the church is a mural monument to Sir Drue; he is represented in armour, kneeling at a prie dieu, with a Latin inscription he died at this Seat, April 29, 1617. Upon the death of his great grandson, Sir Robert Drury, Bart., without issue, April 7, 1712, Sir William Wake, Bart., whose mother was a sister of Sir Robert Drury, succeeded to the Estate, and sold it to Sylvanus Bevan, Esq.

Blomefield observes, that the family surnamed de Redelesworth, is very ancient, and had a good estate here, and in Gatesthorp, where they were some time Lords: they bore for their coat armour, vert, a bull passant or.