georgian | Author, Jane Lark's stories

is that of the 7th Lord Rodney.

Berrington was built in 1775 by Thomas Harley, a banker and Government contractor, and is another beautiful Georgian Neo-classical mansion.

One thing which particularly makes it stand out is the red sandstone it’s built in.

Thomas Harley, with no male heir, made an influential marriage for his daughter into an impoverished aristocratic family, the Rodney’s.

Admiral Rodney was a well known seaman of the era and had achieved some fame during naval battles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Brydges_Rodney,_1st_Baron_Rodney . However his financial affairs were in a poor state, to the point he fled the country in 1775 to avoid debtors. He already had a connection with the banker Thomas Harley and actively encouraged his son using these words in a letter dated September 1780,

‘When you see Mr Harley, who is a very old Acquaintance, remember me to him and, my dear George, if your Heart is touched by either of his daughters, indulge the flame…’

Thomas Harley’s eldest daughter and heir Anne, and Admiral Rodney’s son George were married in April 1781 and thus the Rodney line at Berrington Hall commenced.

The 7th Lord Rodney was the end of that line however.

There are numerous stories descending from the 7th Lord Rodney if you take the house tour. He was definitely a real life rake and profligate, he lost all his money to gambling mostly on the turf – horse racing – and ravaged poor Berrington house.

A butler found him one day with a crowbar trying to remove a fireplace.

He sold everything it was possible to sell and when the library’s books were all sold, he made it into a billiard room. This was then the only room which survived with fixtures and fittings intact.

My guess would be he did not like to strip it, when he would need to convince guests he might be playing with that he had enough money left to pay any gambling debts he might incur in the game if he lost.

Of course his hope would be he would not lose.

He lost the house in its entirety in 1901, and his wife through divorce the following year.

The house then passed on to another family who had made their fortune through trade, the Cawleys.

Jane Lark is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional love stories.

See the side bar for details of Jane’s books and Jane’s website www.janelark.co.uk to learn more about Jane. Or click ‘like’ on Jane’s Facebook page to see photo’s and learn historical facts from the Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras, which Jane publishes there. You can also follow Jane on twitter at @janelark

We went to Hampton Court last week. Viewing the different centuries of apartments there was fascinating and several stories came through of court life, but one I found particularly inspiring was the story of two sets of portraits, which were paintings of the Queen’s ladies in waiting. The first set was commissioned by King Charles II. These portraits are quite erotic for the era. Displayed in a long gallery, they include one of his mistresses. They were painted by Sir Peter Lely. I could only stand and wonder at the tales of intrigue behind these portraits.

Even more interesting though is that a generation later King William II’s wife, Queen Mary II, commissioned a similar set painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller, these were on display in the Dinning room, and knowing there are still, let me say, questions, hanging over King William II sexuality, it is quite thought-provoking that he dined amidst these pictures even after Queen Mary’s death.

This link takes you to the Wikipedia page which gives you details on the ladies in each portrait. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Court_Beauties

Brilliant, I do love these delicious tales, sometimes real life is better than imagination. According to Wikipedia two of the Hampton Court Beauties were married to the bastard sons of King Charles II, and one had a secret marriage. The Windsor Beauty who was Kings Charles II’s mistress is Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland. She bore King Charles II five children as his mistress. There is also a beautiful tale about Elizabeth, Countess de Grammont, who had an agreement with a French Count who’d promised her marriage but then planned to leave England without her, her brother’s followed him and brought him back, she did leave with him after this.