Not without reason has Blyth, near Worksop, been termed "Beautiful Blyth." There are other villages in North Notts., and just over the South Yorkshire border, which are picturesque and unspoilt; but Blyth, with its spacious green shaded by noble trees, its houses with garden fronts joining up to the very road itself, has that indescribable charm which the storied past alone confers.
Stand where you will in Blyth, the old grey tower of the great Church is a visible reminder of the days that are no more. Blyth is described as a village, and a village it is, one of the old-fashioned ones which are the glory of the English countryside; yet in days past it ranked as a town, and had its half-yearly fares for live-stock and other forms of merchandise. Pens and stands were set out on the green, and likewise on the greensward near the Church, now neatly railed off, as shown on the photograph, and dealers and itinerant vendors, with a whole company of musicians and other folk who thrived by ministering to the amusement or the folly of their fellows, foregathered at the fair.
In still older days, when the prior of Blyth was a person to be reckoned with-for he had the privilege of hanging those worthy in his judgement of condemnation on the gibbet - the fares of Blyth must have presented a brave and picturesque spectacle. Strangers would make the fair the occasion of piety and pleasure. They would enter the church of the Benedictine brethren and kneel and pray, and would, perchance, be shown the treasures the monks had been able to amass for the glory of their convent. Yet we may be quite wrong, inasmuch as the monks and the townspeople did not get on well together; and disputes were frequent and prolonged.
In still earlier days, many a gallant cavalcade of knights and squires, such as that which met the eyes of Gurth and Wamba in "Ivanhoe" must have passed through Blyth on the way to the tourney field at Styrrup. Blyth was the nearest "town" to the tourney, and no doubt many a noble guest was entertained by the Prior in the Guest House of the monastery, and many a gallant soldier found hospitality at the "Angel", the foundations of which suggest that it was inn existence in the Middle Ages. Tradition has it that a subterranean passage led from the "Angel" under the Priory and came out at some point near Styrrup. There are others who cherish the belief that Roger de Busli, the first Norman Lord of Blyth, as he was of Worksop and Tickhill, had a castle here, but inasmuch as the valiant Roger had his place of strength at Tickhill, it is hardly likely he would build a castle near the monastery he founded at Blyth.
Much could be written concerning Blyth and the many notables associated with it. The late Rev. John Raine wrote quite a large book on the subject, and though changes in the social life of England were beginning to manifest themselves in his time, the erudite vicar could never have contemplated the idea that the village as a whole would one day be offered for sale by auction. This momentous change in the long history of Blyth has now come about, and on Thursday next the Blyth Hall Estate, comprising 3,216 acres, including the Hall, will be offered by Messrs. John D. Wood and Co., London, in conjunction with Messrs. Henry Spencer and Sons, Retford and Worksop. This has come about by the death of the late owner, the first lord Barnby. When he purchased the estate 40 years ago, Blyth did not present the neat and attractive apperance it does to-day. Most of the houses were in a bad state of repair; farm buildings were in a similar condition; and the entire aspect of the village was one of neglect and decay. How all this was changed is well-known, and the one regret the inhabitants have is that the present Lord Barnby has decided to sever his connection with the place.
The Sale catalogue comprises 130 lots, including the mansion, Wilto Lodge, Blyth; The Friary, Tickhill; four other residences, 15 mixed and dairying farms, two fully-licensed hotels, over 100 cottages, shops and business premises, and 250 acres of woodlands, etc. The sale takes place next Thursday, at 11 a.m. The solicitors are Messrs. Holditch, Anstey and thompson, Southernhay. Exeter.
From the Worksop Guardian Friday, November 29, 1929 Page 9:
_________________________________
____________Sales by Auction________
__By Messrs.HY, SPENCER & SONS.__
BLYTH, NOTTS.
To be SOLD BY AUCTION, by
MESSRS HENRY D. Wood & Co., and
MESSRS. HENRY SPENCER & SONS
(in conjunction), on
THURSDAY NEXT, DEC. 5th,
in the
MEMORIAL HALL, BLYTH.
AT ELEVEN A.M., THE
BLYTH HALL ESTATE,
3,323 ACRES.
For Illustrated Particulars and Plans apply
to-
Auctioneers:-
JOHN D. WOOD & CO.
6, Mount Street, London. W.1.;
HENRY SPENCER & SONS,
20, The Square, Retford, and 12, Potter
Street, Worksop.
Solictitos;
Messrs. HOULDITCH, ANSLEY & THOMSON.
Southernhay, Exeter
No comments:
Post a Comment