Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III THE FASHIONABLE SOUTH DOWNS Hurstmonceux—Its tragic associations—The Naylors and the Hares —Hurstmonceux a theological and literary centre—Parham— The De la Zouches—George Selwyn, Reynolds, Beauclerk, Johnson, and Gibbon—Dunford House, Midhurst—Cobden— Bishop Wilberforce—Lavington—The Sargents—Stopham— The Barttelots—Field Place—The Shelleys—Chesworth— Warnham Court—Stanmer—The Pelhams—Stanmer as the cradle of Brighton—Harrison Ainsworth in Sussex—Cuckfield Manor the origin of " Rookwood "—Ovingdean Grange— Brighton Pavilion—Its origin—In the days of the Regency— The Lades and the Barrymores—Lord Thurlow—Sir John Irwine—The Muriettas at Lamberhurst—West Dean—Mr. and Mrs. W. James—Lord Brassey's Normanhurst—Thomas Brassey —Literary parties at Normanhurst—Sir Julian Goldsmid's Fairlight, near Hastings—Butler Johnstone and Ralph Earle— Later guests at Fairlight—Mrs. Duncan Stewart and her anecdotes. FROM Stanstead we go to the next of Horace Walpole's favourite Sussex houses, Hurstmonceux. Its earlier story is darkened by the gloom of melodrama and disasters recalling those of Greek tragedy. Its later interest is that of a social centre, much affected by the aristocratic and cultured Anglicanism of the day. The old castle's stern andweird exterior was in keeping with the sombre incidents that took place within its walls. About 1720 it had come by inheritance to Miss Grace Naylor, the most attractive and desirable heiress of her day. A few years later, when little more than twenty, the new owner perished mysteriously within its walls, starved to death, as was locally believed, by her former governess. The property then went to the family with which, above all others, the modern Hurstmonceux is identified. This was that of the many-friended and extensively cousined... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.