breastplates are in corsets lost;
While dungeon chains to gentler use consigned,
Now silken laces, tighten stays behind.

Approach! nor weapons more destructive fear,
Where’er ye turn, than pins and needles here.
While hobbling Age along the pathway crawls,
By aid of crutch to scale the Castle’s walls:
With eager steps advance, ye generous youths,
Draw purses all, and strip the loaded booths.
Bear each away some trophy from the steep,
Take each a keepsake ere ye quit the keep!
Come, every stranger, every guest draw nigh!
No peril waits you save from beauty’s eye.

Hard by the Castle and across the yard will be found Mrs. Gladstone’s Orphanage, containing from 20 to 30 boys.  Close by is a little Home of Rest established by Mrs. Gladstone, for old and infirm women.  The house in which the orphans are lodged is called Diglane, and was formerly the residence of the Crachley family.  It was sold to Sir John Glynne in 1749.

The Park is about 250 acres in extent, to which have to be added the Bilberry Wood and Warren Plantations.  It is divided into two parts by a ravine passing immediately under the old Castle and traversing its entire length.  The further side is called the Deer Park, inclosed and stocked by Sir John Glynne in 1739.  Its banks and glades, richly timbered, and overgrown with bracken, afford from various points beautiful views over the plain of Chester, with the bold projections of the Frodsham and Peckforton hills.  Along the bottom of the hollow flows Broughton brook.  Two Waterfalls occur in its course through the Park: the lower is called the Ladies’ Fall: near the upper one stood a Mill, now removed, the erection of which is commemorated by a large stone, bearing the following inscription:

“Trust in God for Bread, and to the King for Justice, Protection and Peace.
This Mill was built A.D. 1767
By Sir John Glynne, Bart.,
Lord of this Manor:
Charles Howard Millwright.
Wheat was at this year 9s. and Barley at 5s. 6d. a Bushel.  Luxury was at a great height, and Charity extensive, but the pool were starving, riotous, and hanged.”

Between this spot and the “Old Lane,” a sandy gully, lined with old beeches, and once the road to Wrexham—now tenanted by rabbits—are two large oaks, 17 and 18

feet in circumference respectively.  Another tree, a beautiful specimen of the fagus pendula, or feathering beech, a great favourite with Mr. Gladstone, deserves attention.  It stands a few yards from the iron railing near the moat of the old Castle, and measures 17ft. 11 in. round.  The sycamores at Hawarden are particularly fine.  Nor should the visitor omit seeing the noble grove of beeches at the Ladies’ Fall.

The road which descends the steep hill under the Old Castle and crosses the brook, leads up through the Park to the Bilberry Wood.  Twenty minutes’ walk through the wood brings one to the “Top Lodge” (1¾ miles from the Castle).  From this point either the walk may be continued through the further plantations to the pretty Church of St. John’s at Penymynydd, [32a] or, if necessary Broughton Hall Station, 2½ miles distant, may be gained direct.  The inclosures and the plantations on this portion of the estate, called the Warren, were made in 1798, and command some very fine views.  The high road through Pentrobin and Tinkersdale offers a pleasant return route to Hawarden.

Everyone has heard of Mr. Gladstone’s prowess as a woodcutter, and to some it may even have been matter of surprise to see no scantiness of trees in the Park at Hawarden.  It is true that he attacks trees with the same vigour as he attacks abuses in the body politic, [32b] but he attacks them on

the same principle—they are blemishes and not ornaments.  No one more scrupulously respects a sound and shapely tree than Mr. Gladstone; and if he is prone to condemn those that show signs of decay, he is always ready to listen to any plea that may be advanced on their behalf by other members of the family.  In this, as in other matters, doubtful points will of course arise; but there can be no question that a policy of inert conservatism is an entire mistake.  Besides the natural growth and decay of trees, a hundred other causes are ever at work to affect their structure and appearance; and the facts of the landscape, thus continually altering, afford sufficient occupation for the eye and hand of the woodman.  It was late in life that Mr. Gladstone took to woodcutting.  Tried first as an experiment, it answered so admirably the object of getting the most complete exercise in a short time that, though somewhat slackened of late, it has never been abandoned.  His procedure is characteristic.  No exercise is taken in the morning, save the daily walk to morning service but between 3 and 4 in the afternoon he sallies forth, axe on shoulder, accompanied by one or more of his sons.  The scene of action reached, there is no pottering; the work begins at once, and is carried on with unflagging energy.  Blow follows blow, delivered with that skill which his favourite author [33a] reminds us is of more value to the woodman than strength, together with a force and energy that soon tells its tale on the tree

* * * * Illa usque minatur
Et tremefacta comam concusso vertice nutat,
Vulneribus donec paulatim evicta supremum
Congemuit, traxitque jugis avulsa ruinam.

Virgil Œn II. 626

“It still keeps nodding to its doom,
Still bows its head and shakes its plume,
Till, by degrees o’ercome, one groan
It heaves, and on the hill lies prone.”

Conington’s Translation.

At the advanced age he has now attained, it can hardly be expected that Mr. Gladstone can very frequently indulge in what has been his favourite recreation for the past twenty-five years.  The present winter [34] however saw the fall of at least one large tree, in which he took a full share—a Spanish chestnut, measuring 10ft. at the top of the face, and those who were present can testify to the undiminished vigour with which the axe was wielded on that occasion.

Parish and District of Hawarden.

The Parish of Hawarden is a very extensive one, containing upwards of 17,000 acres, with a population, according to the census of 1871, of 7088.  Sixteen townships are included in it; Hawarden, Broadlane, Mancot Aston, Shotton, Pentrobin, Moor, Rake, Manor, Bannel, Bretton, Broughton, Ewloe Wood, Ewloe Town,