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��one of the conditions of the lease being that Sir Robert should from time to time convert part of the premises into pasture without destroying the trees and bushes, so that the same might become fit for deer in case the king were minded to restore and make the same park a park as formerly, Sir Robert to be keeper of the park and have herbage and pannage." During the plague year of 1665 Nonsuch Palace was fitted up temporarily for the offices of the Exchequer. In 1670 Sir Robert Long pleaded for another life in his lease, at the same time representing that during the late disturbed times the site had been converted into tillage, the wood all down, and that he, Sir Robert, had compounded with the queen for her interest, bought out the keepers, and paid 2,500 for repairs of the house. 44
Sir Robert Long died in 1673, and his will 4 * mentions that he settled his lease on his nephew. But in 1 670 the palace and fee simple of both parks were bestowed by Charles II on Viscount Grandison and Henry Brounker, in trust for Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland, 44 in that year created Baroness of Nonsuch, by whom as a means of settling her pecuniary difficulties the house was entirely dis- mantled, its contents sold, and the park divided up into farms. 47
In 1710 the parks were held by Charles, Duke of Grafton, grandson of the duchess, 48 whose son in 1731 sold Worcester Park to John Walter his former steward. John Walter died in 1745, and was suc- ceeded by his son George, afterwards knighted. The latter left two daughters, one of whom died single in 1749, w hile the other married Rev. Clarke, who sold to Mr. Taylor, from whom it passed to William Taylor, who died in 1 764. Mr. Taylor set up here a large gunpowder factory.** His heir, William Tay- lor, built a new house, called Worcester Park, in 1797. The property has long been divided. Worcester Park House is now the residence of Miss Wheeler.
The Little Park was sold by the Duke of Grafton in 1731 to Joseph Thomson, who built a house here and left it to his nephew, the Rev. Joseph Whateley, on condition that he should take priest's orders. On the death of Mr. Whate- ley the estate was sold to Mr. Farmer, who built a new house, 10 and is now the pro- perty of his descendant, Cap- tain William R. G. Fanner.
Some idea of the splendour of Nonsuch Palace may be gathered from the eulogies of contemporary writers, such as Leland and Camden, while it is described at length by Braun in Civitates Orbit Tfrrantm. il The Survey of 1650 gives a detailed account of the house and grounds. The commissioners' admiration of the splendid building and anxiety for its preservation can be clearly seen through the dry official language of their report. The ' capitall messuage or royal man- sion house, commonly called Nonsuch [they say], con- sists of one fayer stronge and large structure of build-
����FABMIH of Nonsuch. Argent a fast table be- tween three lions 1 keadt rated */.
��ing of freestone of two large stories high, well wrought and battled with stone and covered with blue slate, standing round a court of 150 foote long and 132 foote broad, paved with stone, commonly called the Outward Conrte,' and also of 'one other faire and very curious structure or building of two stories high, the lower storie whereof is of good and well wrought freestone, and the higher of wood, richly adorned and set forth and garnished with variety of statues, pictures, and other antick formes of excellent an and workman- ship, and of no small cost ; all which building lying almost upon a square, is covered with blue slate, and incloseth one faire and large court of one hundred thirty seaven foot broad, and one hundred and sixteen foot long, all paved with freestone, commonly called the Inner Court.'
The uses of the various rooms are noted ; in the outer court on the ground floor were the buttery, the wine cellar, and fifteen other rooms occupied by Lady Holland's servants, the housekeeper, the gentle- men ushers, the quarter waiter, the groom porter, and Mr. Henry Jermyn. On the first floor twenty-one rooms are mentioned, three for Lady Denbigh, three for Lady Holland, a dining-room, drawing-room, and bedchamber for Lady Carlisle, two rooms for her ser- vants, four rooms for the lord chamberlain, Lord Dorset, two for the queen's almoner, two for the maids of honour, and two for the housekeeper.
The outer court was entered through a three-story gatehouse, 'very strong and gracefull,' with em- battled turrets at the angles, and a large room on the top floor 'very pleasant and delectable for pros- pect.'
The rooms of the inner court, being the royal apartments, were ' very faire and large,' many of them panelled and having ' spacious lights both inwards and outwards,' i.e. towards the court and towards the park. Another gatehouse stood between the two courts, an ascent of eight steps leading up from the outer to the inner court. This gatehouse was of freestone with corner turrets and a clock turret in the middle, and was ' of most excellent workmanship and a very speciall ornament to Nonsuch house.'
The rooms of the inner court were on the ground floor a guard chamber, two rooms for Lady Gary, two for ' Madam Nurse ' the queen's back stairs, two for Madam Vautlet the queen's dresser, two for Dr. * My- erne,' two for Madam Conget, two for the queen's priests, two for the master of the horse, two for the queen's robes, two for Madam Cyvet, two for the queen's 'querrier,' the queen's kitchen, a room for ' Mr. Cooke," and one for the queen's waiters. On the first floor were the presence chamber, the privy closet, the privy chamber, the privy gallery, the queen's bedchamber, the queen's back stairs, the king's bedchamber and back stairs, the queen's chapel, and two rooms for the Marchioness Hambleton. The inner court had wooden battlements covered with lead, adding ' a very great grace and special ornament to the whole building,' and had large angle turrets at east and west, five stories high, of timber covered with lead, ' the chiefe ornament of the whole house.' In the west turret was a large lead cistern, serving the whole house, including a white marble fountain in
��Orig. R. L.T.R. 1 5 Chai. II, pt. IT, no. 4 ; Pat. 15 Chat. II, pt. T, no. I. 44 Cat. S.P. Dem. 1670, p. 298.
- Proved2oDec.i67J,P.C.Canterburr.
��* See Feet of F. SUIT. Trin. 3 Ja. II.
- Diet. Nat. Bivg.
48 Rccov. R. East. 9 Anne, rot. 117.
269
��4 > Manning and Brar, Hitt. tfSurr. ii, 607. Ibid.
41 Braun and Hogenburg, Civitates Orbit Terr arum, Y, I.
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