The arms of the Duke of Rutland are, or, two bars, azure; augmented by a chief, quarterly, first and fourth azure, two fleurs-de-lis, or (France), second and third gules, a lion passant-guardant, or (England). Crest, on a chapeau, gules, turned up, ermine, a peacock in pride, proper. Supporters, two unicorns, argent, horns, manes, tufts, and hoofs, or. Motto, “Pour y parvenir.”
The meadows around Haddon—with the river Wye twisting and turning about in all imaginable forms—are very delightful, and some of the pleasantest strolls conceivable may be taken along them, both up and down the stream, which is full of fine trout, and is, therefore, a source of endless delight to the angler.
Having thus given our readers as full an account as would appear necessary both of the noble families to whom Haddon has belonged, and of the Hall itself, and told them as much of its history as is requisite for our purpose, we take leave of this interesting pile, and proceed to speak of one or two matters connected with its immediate neighbourhood, before passing on to the fine old church at Bakewell, where lie interred so many of the families of Vernon and Manners.
Haddon has been a prolific theme for writers, and an endless source of inspiration for poets and artists, and long will it continue to be so, for no “olden” place can be more picturesque or more romantic. It is said that Mrs. Radcliffe was so struck with it, that she laid the scene of her “Mysteries of Udolpho” here; and Allan Cunningham, the Countess de Carabrella, and numberless other writers, have made it a theme for some of their pleasantest productions; William Bennett took it and its hospitable owner, Sir George Vernon, as the subject of one of his most successful novels, “The King of the Peak;” while D. Cox, Nash, Cattermole, Harding, Rayner, Morrison, and a host of other artists, have added to their reputations by painting some of its more attractive features.
The Foot-Bridge.
As may naturally be expected, in a neighbourhood so rich in interest as that of Haddon, some singular discoveries have at one time or other been made. Among these the Roman altar, described on a preceding page, is perhaps the most important.
The opening of barrows in the neighbourhood has brought to light many interesting remains of the ancient British period, and also of Romano-British times. These consist of interments in which have been found cinerary urns, drinking-cups, bone mesh-rules, flint implements, bronze celts, and other articles.
Some fine antlers, and parts of antlers, of the red deer, one of which, with four points at the top, measured more than three feet along its outer curve, and was six-and-a-half inches in medium circumference, have also been found. But these are not the only remains of extinct animals found in the neighbourhood, for those of the wild dog, the wild hog, the horse, the deer, the roebuck, and the ox—both the Bos urus and the Bos longifrons—all of which once ran wild in Derbyshire, have been found, in the course of deep draining near the Hall, and preserved under the careful direction of Mr. Nesfield.
