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THE ESTATES GAZETTE
June 3, 1899.
rearing of all kinds of game. The roads in the locality are eminently suitable for cycling ; capital golf links are within easy distance ; and excellent sea balhing may te enjoyed in Pevensey Bay.
The whole of the estate, together with the exceedingly picturesque and highly productive park land, extends over an area of about 77 acres.
The estate also embraces a singularly productive agricultural holding, known as Priesthaus, with superior dwelling house and farm buildings ; accommodation pas.ure holding ; a shop, house and premises, admirably situated at Westham ; together with various enclosures of valuable building and accommodation land and cottages.
The whole property comprises an area of about 687 acres, and produces an actual and fairly estimated rental value of nearly £1 000 per annum.
BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SHOW.
The show of the Bath and West■ of England and Southern Counties Association, which opened at Exeter, on Wednesday the 24th ult., and closed on Monday evening, was one of the largest and one of the best which this society has had. Unfortunately the weather on the opening day (Wednesday) was wet and unfavourable, though the attendance was above the average for the first day. The heavy rains, of course, made the showyard in a bad condition for getting about in places, and the judging under the circumstances was by no means a pleasant task ; but the adjudicators got through their work in a most expeditious and creditable manner.
The growth of the society’s exhibition may be judged by the following statement showing the total number of entries of live stock and produce at the society’s previous meetings at Exeter and at Cardiff last year : —
	Exeter.	Ex ■ter.	Cardiff. Exete:	
Howes, Cattle,	1879.	1889.	1898.	1899.
and Pigs..		. 853 .	. 857	.. 997
Poultry	.. 287 .	. 468 .	. 440	.. 528
Produce		. 141 .	. 265	.. 277
Totals	.. 948	1,457	1,562	1,802
This large increase is the more remarkable as the society recently restricted the number of entries which an exhibitor could make in any one class. In 1879 there were no competitions in butter making, shoeing, shearing or milking. In 1889 there were 142 entries in these classes, in 1898, 201, and in 1899 there were 452, the latter number including the entries in the local classes, open to pupils in the Devon County Council schools. There has been a similar increase in other departments, including that for implements and machinery. For this the number of feet run of shedding and square feet of uncovered space taken in the years named were ־ —In 1879, 9,872ft. ; in 1889, 17,158 ; in 1898׳ 21,722 ; and in 1899, 24,535. There has also been a large increase in the money offered for prizes. In 1879 the amount was £2,259 ; in 1889, £2,461 ; while on the present occasion it was £3,243, in addition to medals and plate. Of this sum the Bath and West Society contributes £2,818, and the remainder is made up of donations by the local and other societies. The comprehensive character of this society’s exhibition constitutes their chief attraction, and to the credit of the society it may be noted that the 1899 exhibition was more interesting than any of its predecessors. In addition ■to the exhibits in the stock and produce classes, there was a large collection of implements and machinery, adapted to the various requirements of the farm, the road, and the homestead, and a multitudinous assortment of miscellaneous exhibits, embracing the latest labour-saving machines for domestic and other purposes. Perhaps the most interesting feature was the working dairy. Here butter making competitions were held each day, explanatory demonstrations to illustrate the making of clotted cream, and the . most recent improvements in butter making being included in the programme.
There was an unusually good show of horses, no less than 233 entries being received, as compared with 192 at Cardiff last year, the increase being due to the large show of hunters, hacks, etc. (175), agricrdtural horses numbering 58. On the whole the agricultural horses were a meritorious lot. The gold medal of the Shire Horse Society was awarded to Lord Llangat-tock's Tatton Bessie. The hunters made an attractive display, and many of the animals that have distinguished themselves in the prize ring were in attendance. Mr. T. D. John, of St. Fagan’s, Cardiff, was again a successful exhibitor in this department, winning firsts and extra locals with Witch and Huntsman. The former also secured the Hunters’ Improvement Society’s gold medal. Mr. Holt Needham, of Castle Cary, was a successful exhibitor with his Kil-larney and Dancing Girl. Killarney was selected for special honours, securing two silver
GLENLEIGH.
sale by Messrs. Walton and Lee, of 10, Mount-street, Grosvenor-square, W. (in con, junction with Messrs. Woodhams and Son), at the Gilridge Hotel, Eastbourne, on June 29.
The locality is replete with historical interest, the well-known Pevensey Castle being a little more than two miles from the es'ate, whilst Hurstmonceaux Castle is some five miles distant. Glenleigh itself is not devoid of historical association־. The mansion, which was originally of considerable size, was built during the Elizabethan period. It formerly belonged to the Meere’s family, afterwards to the Fagges, and subsequently to a branch of the Peachey family. The principal rooms throughout the house are handsome and beautifully decorated, and command views of a most picturesque character over the delightful pleasure grounds and the park land beyond. The house is in every way admirably suited for tLe accommodation of a family. In front of the reception rooms is a pretty raised terrace, enclosing a tastefully-designed geometrical flower garden, with grass slopes and terraced steps. Beyond is a capital tennis-lawn, and a btoad stretch of ornamental ground, plentifully studded with some beautiful specimen auracarias, and a profusion of conifer®, rhododendrons, and other flowering shrubs. A series of winding wilderness walks lead to a pretty rosery, and beyond to a succession of retreats, screened by the well-grown ornameutal woodlands and plantations, which latter descend to and encompass a double serpentine lake. A rustic bridge cresses on one side of the lake and leads to the boat-house. This lake is well stocked with various kinds of fish, and forms an exceedingly attractive feature in the grounds. On the west side of the house is a partly-walled fruit and vegetable garden, containing span-roof conservatory, with early and late vineries on either side . while adjoining is a fernery, with fountain in the centre, propagating-house, mushroom-house and potting sheds.
The bporting qualifications of the property are exceptionally good. Hunting may be had with four well-known packs of hounds, the immediate locality being hunted by the Eastbourne and Southdown packs of foxhounds, as well as by the Hailsham harriers ; while meets of the Surrey staghounds are sometimes within riding distance of the estate. The shooting over the property is fairly good, having regard to its limited area, there being a suitable proportion of woodland to favour the breeding and
The Glenleigh Estate,
Near EASTBOURNE,
IF we were asked to name a town on the south coast which, as a fashionable seaside resort, rivals Brighton, which is unsurpassed for the beauty of its principal
____ streets, and whose fine wide-terraced esplanade deservedly ranks as one of the
most beautiful promenades in the world, we should unhesitatingly name Eastbourne.
The enormous growth and popularity of this favourite town belong to modern times. It came prominently into notice, however, as early as 1780, when several of George the Third s children spent the summer there. A considerable impetus was given to its progress in 1878 when the late Princess Alice of Hesse and her family resided there for a time ; but its prosperity will be for ever associated mainly with the late Duke of Devonshire, who, as principal owner of the land upon which it stands, did his utmost to further the success of the place.
Of all the interesting spots in the singularly beautiful county of Sussex, none can equal the district lying immediately in the neighbourhood of Eastbourne. Less than five miles from the town is the picturesque little parish of Westham, in which L situated the charming residential property distinguished as Glenleigh, to be offered fo •
haunches, beats its extremities with her front paws—cramming, pushing, gulping, and lo! gradually the worm seems to shorten. Shorter it grows, and shorter yet. It is vanishing into Martha’s inside. And now nothing is left but a little pink tip projecting from the comer of her mouth, in appearance not unlike that of a lighted cigar. The tip vanishes, and you think that the tragedy is over. But no ; presently there is a convulsion, followed by a resurrection as frantic as it is futile. Again the war is waged—this time more feebly ; and soon, once more shrouded in holy calm as in a garment, Martha sits smiling at the roof of the greenhouse, reflecting probably upon worms that she swallowed years before anybody now living was born. But as a matter of curiosity one would like to know what is happening inside of her. Clearly her digestive fluids must be of the best.”
How sincerely the famous1 novelist-farmer loves and admires the things of nature that constitute the glory of an English landscape is revealed by the following incident related in connection with a tour of inspection over some of the outlying farms on Mr. Haggard’s estate, in company with his agent, Mr. Simpson.
“We went on to a much larger farm—two hundred acres of land—which for some years past has been bringing in the magnificent revenue of £50 a year minus tithe (about £25) and repairs (a varying quantity). On the pastures of this farm grow some very good oaks, and, remembering a particularly grand tree in a certain meadow, I went to look at it. Presently it came in sight, and although the great bole was there, ■somehow its appearance seemed to have changed. Then I ■saw the whole truth. The lower limbs of the tree—great rungs which had been perhaps two or three hundred years in growing—had been mercilessly sawn off. It was ruined. Full of feelings which it would be difficult to express on paper, I proceeded to another part of ■the farm where stood a second grand oak. To be brief, the same thing had happened—the lower boughs had been sawn off, and its shape and beauty, which had slowly matured through centuries, were destroyed for ever. Then I am afraid I lost my temper. Calling ■the head man on the farm—the tenant himself was not there—I spoke my mind to him, and asked why this thing had been done, telling him with truth that however little I might be able to afford it, I would rather have given a year’s rent of the farm than see those oaks thus mangled. To all this his only reply was that his master had told him to saw off the limbs ; the fact being, I presume, that as in each case the trees threw some shadow on the adjoining arable land, it was though profitable to ’־hin them by removing the lower boughs, which could be used as firewood. I know another instance of the same thing, where, on an estate belonging to a relation, ■the lower branches of a whole line of oaks which stand by a footpath were removed by the tenant without the owner even being spoken to about the matter. Five-and-twenty years ago such a thing could scarcely have happened, but now the tenant is often master of the situation, and this is one way of showing it.
“ I must add that since the above was written Mr. Simpson has received a letter from the gentleman concerned in this1 tree-tragedy. He says that his man tells him that the trees he cut were damaged in a gale last March twelve-month. It may be so, but in that event it is strange that the wind should only have struck the lower and more sheltered boughs ; also that their removal should have been put off for so long, and that the man should not have mentioned these facts, but should have told me that he cut them away by order of his master. However, they are gone, leaving the world poorer by ■two beautiful oaks, so there is an end of the case. I dare say that if they still stand, in another century or two the upper boughs will have thickened and they will look picturesque again ; at any rate, I like to think so.”
In connection with the same tour of inspection, Mr. Eider Haggard refers somewhat cynically to the manners and modes of the present-day farmer and his family. Speaking of an offhand farm, he says, “ One of these is being farmed by two maiden ladies of an old-fashioned type. By old-fashioned I mean nothing disparaging, but that, instead of playing the piano and looking genteel in a silk dress and a- sham diamond ring, these ladies bake and brew and cook, employing a managing man to see to the stock and field-work. They are types of a class that is fast vanishing from this county, and whom it is well to study while there is yet time. Moreover, they always seem glad to welcome their landlord when he chances to pass their way, and the land they till is in excellent condition.”
So we might go on making excerpts without end from the pages of this breezy and delightful contribution.
The ESTATES GAZETTE can be obtained of our City Agents, Messrs. POTTLE and SON, Royal Exchange.