_____________________
|
_Geraud DE BOURGES __|
| |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Tietberga (Tetrisca) DE BOURGES
|
| _Ademar DE BROSSE ___
| |
|_Rothilde DE BROSSE _|
|
|_Melisendis _________
_Robert DE NEVILLE ________________+
| (.... - 1271)
_Randolph, Lord of Raby DE NEVILLE _|
| (1262 - 1295) |
| |_Mary FITZRANDOLPH ________________+
| (.... - 1320)
|
|--Ralph, Lord of Raby DE NEVILLE
| (1291 - 1367)
| _Robert, Lord FitzRoger FITZROGER _
| |
|_Eupheme FITZROGER _________________|
|
|___________________________________
_Aribert I OBOTRITES _+
|
_Billung I OBOTRITES _|
| |
| |_ MANDANA ____________
|
|
|--Billung II OBOTRITES
|
| ______________________
| |
|_Hildegarde __________|
|
|______________________
[629]
A Yorkshire baronet. The title of Earl of Northumberland had been
conferred upon the 7th Duke of Somerset, with remainder to his
son-in-law, Sir Hugh Smithson and his heirs, and accordingly on the
death of the Duke Sir Hugh became Earl of Northumberland, and through
his wife owner of the Northumbrian estates. He took the surname of
Percy.
Sir Hugh Smithson on succeeding to the Earldom in 1750 reorganised the
whole administration of his estates introducing up-to-date methods of
farming, equipment and management. He planted large areas with trees,
and in a few years, by his business capacity, energy and enterprise,
effected a vast transformation in the appearance of the country round
Alnwick.
In 1763 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He enjoyed at this
period the favour of George Ill, who entrusted him with certain
delicate political negotiations. For these and other services, and on
account of his great territorial influence, he was created Duke of
Northumberland in 1766.
Prior to this he had carried out a long-cherished scheme of restoring
Alnwick Castle and fitting it up as a residence for his family. The
precise date when this was commenced is uncertain, probably 1755, but
the work was finished in 1766. The architect employed was the
celebrated Robert Adam, who adopted the style generally known as
'Gingerbread' or 'Strawberry Hill' Gothic
The decoration of the interior of the Castle consisted of elaborate and
very ornate stucco work of a pseudo-Gothic character covering the walls
and ceilings. In general the effect must have been far from pleasing,
but it was to some extent redeemed by the lightness, sense of
proportion and harmony of colouring which characterised all Adam's
work. Some of the ceilings and chimney-pieces were attractive, and much
of the furniture, which still exists, was beautiful; but the finest
feature of this restoration was undoubtedly the splendid fan-shaped
staircase, which was greatly ad- mired by contemporaries. The windows,
though they had the advantage of admitting a large amount of light,
were totally out of keeping with a medieval Castle. Some were very
large with pointed Gothic arches, and others quatrefoil in shape. To
add to the bizarre effect of the whole, some of the towers along the
curtain walls were ornamented with little turrets fondly thought to be
picturesque. A perfect army of stone figures was crowded onto all the
roofs and battlements, in imitation of the old Edwardian figures on the
great octagonal towers. The style in which the Castle was fitted up is
said to have been the choice, not of the Duke, who was noted for his
good taste, but of the Duchess. Many of the plans for the decoration of
the interior are preserved at the Sloane Museum in London, and are of
great interest as showing Adam's attempts at the late Gothic style. The
Duchess died in 1776 and the Duke in 178
_________________________
|
_Mr. TOMPKINS _______|
| |
| |_________________________
|
|
|--Lucy TOMPKINS
|
| _Schuyler Grant MEADOWS _+
| | (1868 - 1959) m 1889
|_Lucile MEADOWS _____|
|
|_Leila Elizabeth MCRAE __+
(1869 - 1901) m 1889