Sunday 17 February 2013

BOWES AND CUPID'S ARROWS

Mary Eleanor Bowes courtesy of the Bowes Museum.

One of my favourite treats is visiting places I've read about - or that I'm reading about. At the moment this is the book in question...


...and the place is Gibside, a picturesque estate near Gateshead and childhood home of eighteenth century heiress Mary Eleanor Bowes, who, after marrying into the aristocracy, became a Bowes Lyon. Gibside and its park were created and developed by various members of the Bowes family during the eighteenth and early 19th centuries. The grounds were landscaped by Lancelot "Capability" Brown and include a column 140 feet high, dedicated to British liberty. (I think this must refer to the liberty of 18th century Northern "coal barons" to become immensely rich on the backs of men, women and children working in intolerable conditions, but we tried very hard not to let this spoil our enjoyment - though it was never very far from our thoughts.)




Mary Eleanor was an intelligent girl, well-educated and particularly interested in natural history and botany, though this talent was accompanied by a complete lack of judgement in affairs of the heart. Husbands permitting (and they rarely did) she tended her collection of rare plants in the heated orangery...


...now an elegant ruin.

                                                       
The main house is also an empty shell, having been stripped of its fixtures and fittings by the Bowes Lyon family in the twentieth century. The fireplaces and other items were transferred to Glamis Castle.

                                                       
The beautiful Palladian chapel in the photo below was finished in the early 19th century and remains complete and unspoiled.



                                                         
As for the ill-fated Mary Eleanor, here inside the chapel we saw a recreation of her first wedding dress, worn when she married the 9th Earl of Strathmore.  He died when she was in her mid-twenties and afterwards men pursued her for her vast wealth. She was promiscuous but naive, and also easily duped. Her second husband was a bounder and a conman, who treated her very badly indeed. His name was Andrew Robinson Stoney and, happily, she eventually escaped from him. Ultimately he paid the price for his misdeeds...


...and his name gave rise to the expression "stoney broke".

Stoney Bowes.

*

A coat of arms with Bowes connections hangs in our humble cottage.



See, on the right, three bows from the Bowes family coat of arms indicating that, at some time in history, a member of the Bowes clan married into the family whose armorial bearings these are. It is not our family, of course, but we like to play Let's Pretend sometimes...

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20 comments:

  1. What a very interesting post. I shall look out for the book you are reading - would you recommend it? I shall also make a note to visit this place when we are next visiting relatives in Durham.

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    1. Yes, I would recommend it, as it says on the cover "as gripping as any novel." Life was certainly very chaotic and unpredictable in the 18th century - no wonder the Victorians tried to restore order!

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  2. What an interesting post, Nilly. I have visited Gibside a couple of times; the latest being just in December. But I didn't know about this book. You have some lovely pictures - especially of the Orangery. I posted my few on my Flickr account but didn't have time to make a post at the time.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernesealp/sets/72157632251952785/

    Like you I love to visit places that I've read about.

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    1. I love the photo of the ruined house Barbara, somehow I couldn't find the best place to capture it from. I popped over to The Landmark Trust when I realised the Banqueting House is one of their properties - it looks wonderful & what a good price for a 4 night stay!

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  3. "The main house is also an empty shell, having been stripped of its fixtures and fittings by the Bowes Lyon family in the twentieth century."

    Does this mean that the Queen Mum was guilty of vandalism?!

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    1. Ahem - I don't think so. I believe the Bowes Lyon family could not afford to keep up all their properties, so lest some fall into disrepair whilst stripping out the best bits.

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  4. ~ You do your ground work very well Nilly! I was wondering about the surname and our Queen Mum also? I can see how grand that Orangery must have been and indeed the whole estate...Thanks for sharing with us all....Love Maria x

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    1. Yes, the Queen Mother is a direct descendant of the family who built & lived in Gibside.

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  5. Oh excellent stuff and wonderful photos. Really enjoyed another little gem at the hands of Nilly the wordpainter. Axxx

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    1. Thank you Annie - you are the master!

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  6. The Orangery must have been a beautiful classical building in its day. Enjoyed this naughty little Georgian romp.
    Do you know what connection this part of the family has to the Bowes Museum, if any?

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    1. The Bowes family originally came from Streatlam near Barnard Castle. Mary Eleanor Bowes Lyon's eldest son, Lord Strathmore, had an illegitimate son from his long-term relationship with his servant. He married her on his deathbed and, after a dispute, the legitimate heir, his brother, inherited the Strathmore title and Scottish properties, whilst his illegitimate son, John Bowes, inherited the English estates including Gibside. John Bowes and his French wife, great art collectors, built the Bowes Museum to house their collection but both died before it opened.

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  7. I suspect that this wasn't a "Barratt Starter-home"! What amazing wealth and, rightly or wrongly, how very much more tastefully done than the current crop of "bling" merchants.

    I too come from an old and extremely wealthy family but, sadly, was somehow separated at conception and never re-united with my rightful title or my extensive lands. It's a mystery.

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    1. My fortune also vanished at my misconception, but I still endeavour to impress with my innate hairs & graces.

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  8. I hoovered up all the extremely interesting information on the Bowes family; wondering at the same time whether they were distantly related to Boysie in Only Fools and Horses... Boyes/Bowes.. could be?

    Then low and behold Mr The Owl Wood comes in with a comment that made me chuckle... Where did you find him Nilly?

    LLX

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    1. Aaah - I guessed that Mr OW would be just your type!

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  9. Great stuff, as usual Nilly. I make fairly regular trips to the north east, having some family still living in County Durham...so this is on the list for the next trip. Fascinating ...thanks. Jx

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    1. Lets hope the temperature rises a bit by the time you venture up to Gibside.(The book is good too.)

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  10. Hi Nilly, I have nominated you for my Liebster award because I love your blog. Please pop over to my site to see the details.
    Jean x

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    1. Thank you Jean - I shall endeavour to do this compliment justice!

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