Chapter I: Front Matter

KNOLE _and the_ SACKVILLES

_John Frederick Sackville, 3^{rd}. Duke of Dorset K.G._

_From the portrait at Knole by Gainsborough._
]

KNOLE
_and_
THE SACKVILLES

by

V. SACKVILLE-WEST

LONDON
WILLIAM HEINEMANN
1922

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

1456 KNOLE _bought by_ Archbishop BOURCHIER

1486 _Death of Bourchier. Succeeded by_ Cardinal MORTON

1500 _Death of Morton. Succeeded by_ HENRY DEAN

1502 _Death of Dean. Succeeded by_ WAREHAM

1532 _Death of Wareham. Succeeded by_ CRANMER

1539 KNOLE _given by Cranmer to_ HENRY VIII

1546 _Death of Henry VIII. Succeeded by_ EDWARD VI

1550 KNOLE _granted by Edward VI to_ JOHN DUDLEY, Earl of Warwick

1552 KNOLE _resold by Warwick to_ EDWARD VI

1553 _Death of Edward VI. Succeeded by_ QUEEN MARY

KNOLE _granted by the Queen to_ REGINALD POLE

1558 _Death of Mary. Succeeded by_ QUEEN ELIZABETH

1586 KNOLE _granted to_ THOMAS SACKVILLE _by Elizabeth_

Thos. Sackville, _Lord Buckhurst_, 1st EARL _of_ DORSET 1536–1608

1554 _Married_ CECILIE BAKER

1557 _Member of Parliament_
1563

1563 _Travelling abroad_

1566 _Death of his father_, Sir RICHARD

1567 _Created_ Lord BUCKHURST

1568 _Ambassador to France_

1569 _Lord-Lieutenant of Sussex_

1571 _Ambassador to France_

1586 _Execution of_ MARY _Queen of_ SCOTS

1586 _Given_ KNOLE _by_ QUEEN ELIZABETH

1587 _Ambassador to the Low Countries_

1589 _Ambassador to the Low Countries_

1589 _Knight of the Garter_

1591 _Chancellor of Oxford_

1598 _Ambassador to the Low Countries_

1599 _Lord High Treasurer_

1601 _Lord High Steward_

1603 _Death of Queen Elizabeth. Succeeded by_ JAMES I

1603 _Lord Treasurer for life_

1604 _Created_ Earl _of_ DORSET

1608 _Death at the Council Table_

Robert Sackville, 2nd EARL _of_ DORSET, 1561–1609

1579 _Married_ MARGARET HOWARD, _dau. of_ Duke _of_ NORFOLK

1585 _Member of Parliament_
1608

1592 _Married_ ANNE SPENCER

1608 _Succeeded his father_, THOMAS

1609 _Death_

Richard Sackville, 3rd EARL _of_ DORSET, 1589–1624

1609 _Married_ Lady ANNE CLIFFORD, _daughter of_ GEORGE, Earl of
CUMBERLAND

1609 _Succeeded his father_, ROBERT

1624 _Death_

Edward Sackville, 4th EARL _of_ DORSET, 1591–1652

1605 _At Christ Church, Oxford_

1612 _Married_ MARY, _daughter of_ Sir GEORGE CURZON

1614 _His duel with_ Lord BRUCE

1614 _Member of Parliament_

1616 _Knight of the Bath_

1621 _Ambassador to_ LOUIS XIII

1623 _Travels in Italy_
1624

1623 _Again Ambassador to_ LOUIS XIII

1624 _Succeeded his brother_, RICHARD

1624 _Lord-Lieutenant of Sussex and Middlesex_

1625 _Knight of the Garter_

1625 _Death of James I. Succeeded by_ CHARLES I

1628 _Lord Chamberlain_

1630 Lady DORSET _appointed Governess to the King’s children_

1631 _Commissioner for Planting Virginia_
1634

1638 _Granted the East Coast of America_

1642 _Outbreak of civil war._ Ld. DORSET _joins the_ KING _at York_

1644 _Lord Privy Seal_

1649 _Execution of_ CHARLES I

1652 _Death_

Richard Sackville, 5th EARL _of_ DORSET, 1622–1677

Before _Married_ Lady FRANCES CRANFIELD, _daughter of_ LIONEL Earl _of_
1638 MIDDLESEX

1662 _Succeeded his father_, EDWARD

1660 _Lord-Lieutenant of Middlesex and Sussex_
1670

1677 _Death_

Charles Sackville, 6th EARL _of_ DORSET _and_ EARL _of_ MIDDLESEX,
1638–1706

1660 _Member of Parliament_

1660 _Restoration of_ CHARLES II

1665 _Naval battle against the Dutch_

1667 _Living with_ NELL GWYNN

1668 _Ambassador to France_

1674 _Death of his mother; he succeeds to the Cranfield estates_

1675 _Created_ Earl _of_ MIDDLESEX

1677 _Succeeded his father_, RICHARD, _as_ Earl _of_ DORSET

1678 _Married_ MARY, Countess _of_ FALMOUTH

1685 _Married_ Lady MARY COMPTON, _daughter of_ JAMES Earl _of_
NORTHAMPTON

1685 _Death of Charles II. Succeeded by_ JAMES II

1688 _Accession of_ WILLIAM _of_ ORANGE

1689 _Lord Chamberlain_
1697

1691 _Knight of the Garter_

1701 _His poems published with_ SEDLEY’S

1702 _Death of William III. Succeeded by_ QUEEN ANNE

1704 _Married_ ANNE ROCHE

1706 _Death_

Lionel Sackville, 7th EARL _and_ 1st DUKE _of_ DORSET, 1688–1765

1706 _Succeeded his father_, CHARLES, _as_ Earl _of_ DORSET _and_
MIDDLESEX

1709 _Married_ ELIZABETH COLYEAR

1708 _Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, intermittently till 1728_

1714 _Knight of the Garter_

1714 _Death of Queen Anne. Succeeded by_ GEORGE I

1720 _Created_ Duke _of_ DORSET

1725 _Lord Steward_

1727 _Death of George I. Succeeded by_ GEORGE II

1730 _Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland till 1737_

1746 _Lord-Lieutenant of Kent_

1750 _Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland till 1755_

1760 _Death of George II. Succeeded by_ GEORGE III

1765 _Death_

Charles Sackville, 2nd DUKE _of_ DORSET, 1711–1769

Before _On the Grand Tour_
1734

1734 _Member of Parliament intermittently till 1754. Lord of the
Treasury and Master of the Horse_

1744 _Married_ GRACE BOYLE

1765 _Succeeded his father_, LIONEL, _as_ Duke _of_ DORSET

1769 _Death_

John Frederick Sackville, 3rd DUKE _of_ DORSET, 1745–1799

1769 _Succeeded his uncle_, CHARLES

1783 _Ambassador to_ LOUIS XVI
1789

1788 _Knight of the Garter_

1769 _Lord-Lieutenant of Kent_
1797

1789 _Lord Steward_
1799

1790 _Married_ ARABELLA DIANA, _daughter of_ Sir JOHN COPE, _of
Bramshill_

1799 _Death_

George John Frederick Sackville, 4th DUKE _of_ DORSET, 1794–1815

1799 _Succeeded his father_, JOHN FREDERICK

1815 _Death_

TABLE OF DESCENT

_HERBRAND DE SACKVILLE_, _temp._ William the Conqueror
|
_SIR RICHARD SACKVILLE_, _temp._ Henry VIII
|
THOMAS SACKVILLE _m._ _Cecilie Baker_
_b._ 1536 _d._ 1608 |
LORD BUCKHURST _and_ |
_1st_ EARL _of_ DORSET, K.G. |
|
ROBERT SACKVILLE _m._ _Lady Margaret Howard_
_b._ 1561 _d._ 1609 |
_2nd_ EARL _of_ DORSET |
|
+---------------------+------------------------+
| |
RICHARD SACKVILLE _m._ EDWARD SACKVILLE _m._
_Lady Anne Clifford_ _Mary Curzon_
_b._ 1589 _d._ 1624 _b._ 1589 _or_ ’90 _d._ 1652
_3rd_ EARL _of_ DORSET, K.G. 4_th_ EARL _of_ DORSET, K.G.
|
+----------------------------------------------+
|
RICHARD SACKVILLE _m._ _Lady Frances Cranfield_
_b._ 1622 _d._ 1677, 5_th_ EARL _of_ DORSET |
|
CHARLES SACKVILLE _m._ _Lady Mary Compton_
_b._ 1637 _or_ ’36 _d._ 1706 |
6_th_ EARL _of_ DORSET, K.G. |
|
LIONEL SACKVILLE _m._ _Elizabeth Colyear_
_b._ 1686 _d._ 1765 |
7_th_ EARL _and_ _1st_ |
DUKE _of_ DORSET, K.G. |
+-----------------------+--------------------+-------+
| | |
CHARLES SACKVILLE LORD JOHN SACKVILLE LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE
_b._ 1711 _d._ 1769 _d._ 1765 _b._ 1716 _d._ 1785
_2nd_ DUKE _of_ DORSET | _cr._ VISCOUNT SACKVILLE
| |
JOHN FREDERICK SACKVILLE |
_m._ _Arabella Diana Cope_ of Bramshill CHARLES SACKVILLE
_b._ 1745 _d._ 1799 _b._ 1767 _d._ 1843
_3rd_ DUKE _of_ DORSET, K.G. 5_th_ DUKE _of_ DORSET, K.G.
|
+-------------------------+-----+---------------+
| | |
LADY MARY SACKVILLE GEORGE JOHN FREDERICK SACKVILLE |
_b._ 1794 _d._ 1815 |
4_th_ DUKE _of_ DORSET |
|
LADY ELIZABETH SACKVILLE
_m._ _John West, Earl de la Warr_
_b._ 1796 _d._ 1870
|
+-----------------+-------------------+-------------+--------+
| | | |
CHARLES MORTIMER LIONEL WILLIAM
EARL DE LA WARR _1st_ LORD SACKVILLE _2nd_ LORD SACKVILLE |
_d._ 1873 _b._ 1820 _b._ 1827 |
_d._ 1888 _d._ 1908 |
LIONEL, _3rd_ LORD SACKVILLE
_b._ 1867

CONTENTS

_Chronological Table_ _vii_

_Table of Descent_ _xii_

_Ch._ I The House p. 1

II The Garden and Park 20

III Knole in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth 28

IV Knole in the Reign of James I 48

V Knole in the Reign of Charles I 82

VI Knole in the Reign of Charles II 111

VII Knole in the Early Eighteenth Century 152

VIII Knole at the End of the Eighteenth Century 176

IX Knole in the Nineteenth Century 201

_Appendix_ 221

_Index_ 223

_The dome of Knole, by fame enrolled,
The Church of Canterbury,
The hops, the beer, the cherries there,
Would fill a noble story._

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

JOHN FREDERICK SACKVILLE, 3RD DUKE OF DORSET. _From the
portrait at Knole by_ GAINSBOROUGH _Frontispiece_

NORTH-EAST VIEW OF KNOLE. _From the drawing by_ T.
BRIDGEMAN _To face page_ 2

THE GREEN COURT, BOURCHIER’S ORIEL 6

THE STONE COURT, BOURCHIER’S GATEHOUSE 10

THE STONE COURT 16

KNOLE FROM AN AEROPLANE 20

THE GARDEN SIDE 22

A GATEWAY INTO THE GARDEN 26

A CONFERENCE OF ENGLISH AND SPANISH PLENIPOTENTIARIES AT
SOMERSET HOUSE IN 1604. _From the painting by_ MARC
GHEERHARDTS _in the National Portrait Gallery_ 32

LEAD PIPE-HEADS. _Put Up by_ THOMAS SACKVILLE _in 1605_ 38

THE GREAT STAIRCASE (UPPER FLIGHT). _Built by_ THOMAS
SACKVILLE 1604–8 46

RICHARD SACKVILLE, 3RD EARL OF DORSET, K.G. _From the
miniature by_ ISAAC OLIVER _in the Victoria and Albert
Museum_ 52

LADY ANNE CLIFFORD, _wife of_ RICHARD SACKVILLE, _3rd
Earl of Dorset. From the portrait at Knole by_ MYTENS 56

LADY MARGARET SACKVILLE, _daughter to_ RICHARD
SACKVILLE, _3rd Earl of Dorset, and_ LADY ANNE
CLIFFORD: “The Child.” _From the portrait at Knole by_
MYTENS 68

THE VENETIAN AMBASSADOR’S BEDROOM 72

EDWARD SACKVILLE, 4TH EARL OF DORSET, K.G. _From the
portrait at Knole by_ VANDYCK 84

THE TWO SONS OF EDWARD, 4TH EARL OF DORSET: RICHARD,
LORD BUCKHURST _and_ THE HON. EDWARD SACKVILLE. _From
the portrait at Knole by_ CORNELIUS NUIE 106

CHARLES SACKVILLE, 6TH EARL OF DORSET, K.G. _From the
portrait by Sir_ GODFREY KNELLER _in the Poets’
Parlour at Knole_ 116

THE BROWN GALLERY. _Built by_ ARCHBISHOP BOURCHIER _in
1460_ 148

LADY BETTY GERMAINE. _From the portrait at Knole by_ C.
PHILLIPS _To
face page_ 168

LADY BETTY GERMAINE’S BEDROOM AT KNOLE 172

HWANG-A-TUNG, A CHINESE BOY, page to the 3rd Duke of
Dorset. _From the portrait at Knole by Sir_ JOSHUA
REYNOLDS 192

JOHN FREDERICK SACKVILLE, 3RD EARL OF DORSET; ARABELLA
DIANA, 3RD DUCHESS OF DORSET; THE EARL OF MIDDLESEX;
LADY ELIZABETH SACKVILLE, _and_ LADY MARY SACKVILLE.
_From a silhouette by_ A. T. TERSTAN 1797. _The
property of_ LADY SACKVILLE 196

GEORGE JOHN FREDERICK SACKVILLE, 4TH EARL OF DORSET;
LADY MARY SACKVILLE, _and_ LADY ELIZABETH SACKVILLE.
_From the portrait at Knole by_ HOPPNER 204

ROCKING-HORSE, once the property of the 4th Duke of
Dorset: A RECEIPT _from_ GAINSBOROUGH 208