The Gloucestershire Echo from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England • 15

(i i 11 Gloucestershire Echo Friday February 3 1989 15 Scholarly squire of Stanway House Report: Tracey Tobin ABOVE: Lord Neidpath and his Labrador Judy in front of the Gatehouse at Stanway which is decorated with the scallop shells the Tracy family crest Pictures: Paul France LEFT: The Great Hall at Stanway the traditional centre of manor life where a manorial court was held until the end of the eighteenth century THE MANOR CHURCHDOWN VILLAGE: STANWAY House is one of the most beautiful and fascinating stately homes in the Cotswolds An outstanding example of an English Jacobean manor house it was built between 1580 and 1640 by the Tracys a Gloucestershire gentry family Since 1978 it has been the home of the Hon James Donald Charteris Lord Douglas of Neidpath A history scholar (he did postgraduate work at Oxford University) Lord Neidpath is an authority on the magnificent deep olden-coloured Cotswold stone ouse and even wrote its official guidebook About eighty per cent of the house is open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout June July and August and Lord Neidpath is considering whether to extend this At the height of the season it can attract about 100 visitors a day (About 5000 came last year) He is currently busy working on plans to reinstate an eighteenth century baroque water garden built in the grounds of the house by one of his ancestors John Tracy an ongoing project that will be completed soon as funds permit" Important traditions a portrait of John Tracy squire of Stanway from 1682-1735 in the Audit Room an intriguing place Lord Neidpath explained that the room was so-callea because it was used to collect quarterly rents from tenants of the Stanway estate In the centre is a long wooden table" where rent books were once kept for each tenant The estate now has more than 80 tenants and Stanway still retains the quarterly rent-collecfing tradition rent audits were almost universal before 1914 and as far as we know Stanway is one of the few estates that still keeps to this tradi- tional system of rent he said Maintaining tradition is obviously very important to Lord Neidpath (40) who is also keen to restore brewhouse He explained: was last used before the Great War when a woman" would turn up each autumn on a bicycle to brew the barley It seems every room at Stanway and practically every object has a story attached to it and the scallop shell pattern that decorates the Gatehouse is no exception The scallop shell is the crest of the Tracy family and Sir William de Traci was one of four knights who murdered St Thomas a Becket in Canterbury cathedral during Henry reign The story goes that Sir William was obliged to go on a prilgrimage to Jerusalem after the King had repented the crime so the family adopted the shell badge of St James of Com-postella patron saint of pilgrims as their crest It seems Stanway House has always been the sort of place attracted particularly interesting people Another famous name associated with the house is the author JM Barrie who wrote the classic story "Peter From 1923-1933 at the invitation of Lady Cynthia Asquith (daughter-in-law of Liberal Prime Minister Lord Asquith) Barrie would stay at Stanway for six weeks every summer Lord Neidpath explained: was very fond of cricket and liked to organise cricketing parties here And in 1925 he built our cricket such a wealth of charming stories attached to Stanway (told by Lord Neidpath with such delight and infectious enthusiaspi) not surprising to learn that he intends to write a book about the house It's sure to make fascinating reading You could hardly imaaine a happier place for and there's a £1000 saving bonus for early completion Located in the heart of Churchdown Village and with all essential shops and other necessities just round the corner properties at The Manor offer everthing that the retired need There's a noticeably friendly atmosphere everyone enjoys complete independence with security behind their own front doors and the resident Warden is there if ever needed This is one of Clifton Retirement Homes' retirement developments yet running costs are very reasonable by comparison with many other retirement properties If searching round for something to suit your parents or older relatives or are looking out for yourself The Manor could prove a highly desirable answer Come and have a look! Only five 1 2 bedroom properties now remaining An imposing mullioned window dominates one end of the Great Hall The window looks out onto the parish church which suffered at the hands of radical Victorian vicar the Rev Bullogh-Webster who removed its box pews Ready for immediate occupation Prices from £53500 (less bonus) including carpets and curtains Showhome open 11am to 4pm daily including weekends Clifton House 39 41 St Catherine St 4 in 'mi 'nl I 1 attv Gloucester Telephone: (0452) 307678 Jl IL 1 1X1 1111 1 I 1 11 I Hi I.