and at the base, “In memoriam Matris,” the following:—“This monument to the beloved memory of Harriet, Duchess of Sutherland, wife of George Granville, 2nd Duke of Sutherland, is erected, in the church which they rebuilt, as a loving tribute to her spotless life, A.D. mdccclxxi.” It was erected by her son, Lord Ronald Charles Sutherland Leveson-Gower, and a brass plate near it thus records the fact:—“The erection of the monument to our mother has been the thought and the act of my brother Ronald. I only share with him in the love and reverence which prompted it. Sutherland, 1871.”
The present noble peer, George Granville William Sutherland Leveson-Gower, third Duke of Sutherland, Marquis of Stafford, Earl Gower, Viscount Trentham, Baron Gower of Sittenham, in the peerage of the United Kingdom; Earl of Sutherland and Lord Strathnaver in the peerage of Scotland; Knight of the Garter and a Baronet; Lord-Lieutenant of Cromartie and of Sutherland, was born December 19th, 1828, and succeeded his father in his titles and estates in 1861, having previously sat (as Marquis of Stafford) as M.P. for Sutherland from 1852 to 1861. He married in 1849 Anne (born 1829), daughter and only child of John Hay Mackenzie, Esq., created in her own right, in 1861, Countess of Cromartie, Viscountess Tarbat, Baroness Castle-Avon, and Baroness McLeod, all in the peerage of the United Kingdom, with remainder to her eldest surviving son. By this lady (who has held the appointment of Mistress of the Robes to the Queen) the Duke has issue, living, two sons and two daughters. These are—Cromartie Sutherland Leveson-Gower, Marquis Stafford, M.P. for Sutherlandshire (heir to the dukedom), who was born in 1851, educated at Eton, and is in the Life Guards; Francis Sutherland Leveson-Gower, Viscount Tarbat (heir to the earldom of Cromartie), born in 1852; the Lady Florence, born in 1855; and the Lady Alexandra, born in 1866. His grace (who accompanied H.R.H. the Prince of Wales to India in 1875-6) is patron of thirteen livings—viz. Trentham, Blurton, Sheriff Hales, Hanford, Barlaston, and Normacott, in Staffordshire; and Donnington Wood, Pains Lane, Kinnersley, Lilleshall, Longdon-upon-Terne, Ketley, and Donington, in Shropshire.
The arms of the Duke of Sutherland are—quarterly, 1 and 4, barry of eight, argent and gules, a cross fleury, sable, for Gower; 2, azure, three laurel-leaves, or, for Leveson; 3, gules, three mullets, or, within a bordure, or, charged with a double tressure flory counter-flory, gules, for Sutherland. Crests—1st, a goat’s head erased, ermine, for Leveson; 2nd, a wolf passant, argent, collared and lined, or, for Gower; 3rd, a cat-a-mountain, proper, for Sutherland. Supporters—dexter, a wolf (locally called a “gower”), argent, collared and lined, or; sinister, a savage, wreathed about the temples and loins with laurels, holding in his dexter hand a club, resting on his shoulder, all proper, and supporting with his sinister hand an antique shield, charged with the arms of the ancient family of Sutherland in proper blazonry. Motto—“Frangas non flectes” (You may break, but shall not bend me). The arms of the Duke are engraved on our initial letter (page 32). The principal seats of the Duke are—Trentham, Staffordshire; Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, Scotland; Lilleshall, Shropshire; Loch Inver House, Sutherland; House of Tongue, Sutherland; Tarbat House, Ross-shire; Castle Leod, Dingwall; and Stafford House, St. James’s, London.
The South Front, from the Italian Gardens.
The old hall at Trentham, previously referred to, and which was usually called Trentham Priory, through having been built on the foundations of that religious house, was altered and enlarged, and in the main rebuilt, by the second duke. The work was intrusted to Sir Charles Barry, and was commenced in 1834, and carried out at a cost of about £150,000. It had, however, previously undergone much alteration at the hands of Mr. Tatham, who endeavoured to approximate it, in appearance, to the old Buckingham Palace.
PURSUING the carriage-way to Trentham, the visitor passes to the house from the park through a pair of gates, the posts of which are surmounted with life-size bronze stags. In the centre of the circular drive is a fine bronze statue of Diana at the chase. The carriage porch, which, unlike the rest of the building, is of solid stone, forms a square, arched upon columns, with an entablature and attic surmounted with a balustrade, and piers and bases. Over the arches are the arms of the Duke, boldly carved in stone; the supporters, wolves, as large as life. From this porch the entrance door opens into an elegant semicircular corridor, which is one of the prettiest features of the place. To the left, on entering, the corridor leads to the Entrance Hall, Grand Staircase, Billiard, and other rooms; and, on the right, to the Private Conservatory, Drawing-room, the private rooms, &c.; while in front it encloses the West Court, with its shell-fountain, statue of “Venus rising from the Bath,” and other attractions.
It is not necessary to minutely describe the various rooms of this charming and purely domestic “Home,” nor to observe any consecutive arrangement regarding those upon which we may remark. All we need do is to briefly allude to some of the apartments, and then pass on to the charming grounds—the glory of Trentham.