Download - Haddon Hall

3 INTRODUCTION
The History and Antiquities of Haddon Hall is the first book devoted completely to the
subject of Haddon Hall. It contains thirty-two drawings of the interior and exterior features
of Haddon. One of the drawings, Dorothy Vernon’s Doorway, is shown on the title page.
This download RaynerHaddonHall contains the written words of Rayner’s book.
Parts I and III of RaynerHaddonHall are a detailed history of how Haddon Hall was
acquired by William the Conqueror in 1066; and how it passed through various noble
families until its final acquisition by the Manners family in 1565.
To this end Rayner provides important historical background on George Vernon and
his family. “Sir Henry Vernon (died 1515) married the Lady Ann Talbot, daughter of
John, Earl of Shrewsbury. His eldest son, Sir Richard Vernon (died 1517) succeeded him
at Haddon. Sir George Vernon (1508-1565) was but nine years old at the time of his
father’s decease. Sir George Vernon left two daughters, his co-heiresses, Margaret and
Dorothy. These ladies were both married at the time of his decease: Margaret, the elder,
aged twenty-six, being then the wife of Sir Thomas Stanley, second son of Edward, Earl
of Derby; and Dorothy, aged twenty-one, the wife of Sir John Manners, second son of
Thomas, Earl of Rutland (died 1543).”
Part II of RaynerHaddonHall is a detailed description of the Haddon Hall and its
grounds circa 1836, when visited by Rayner. The History and Antiquities of Haddon Hall
contains drawings of many of the features of the Hall at the time of this visit, many of
areas which are now inaccessible to the twenty-first century visitor. A second download:
www.haddon-hall.com/HaddonHallBooks/RaynerHaddonPicture.pdf
contains the thirty-two drawings to which Rayner refers in Part II. It is intended that the
reader refers to the appropriate page of RaynerHaddonPicture as Part II of
RaynerHaddonHall is being read. The page numbers of RaynerHaddonPicture are the
same as the Plate numbers in Rayner’s book.
Rayner brings the legend of Dorothy Vernon into the historical mainstream. “It may
be proper to notice a romantic tradition, still current in the vicinity of Haddon, relative to
the courtship and marriage of Mr. Manners with the younger co-heiress of Vernon.”
It is clear from the section on William Hage that he and Rayner were in close contact,
and that Hage would have noted there was a ‘romantic tradition.’ Rayner does not credit
Hage with telling the details of the elopement, but Hage must have told of an escape
through what is called “Dorothy Vernon’s Doorway,” as illustrated by Rayner. Rayner
reprises the particulars from William Bennet’s novel. “The lover dwelt for some time in
the woods of Haddon in the dress of a game-keeper for the purpose of concealment, and
in order to facilitate secret interviews with his mistress; and he at length succeeded in
persuading the young lady to elope with him, during the festivities of a masked ball. The
author of a Romance in three volumes entitled The King of the Peak, published in 1823,
has adopted this tradition as the basis of his tale.”