The
Raleigh bag
One of the excitements about old houses
is unexpected discoveries. When, while emptying rooms in preparation for
repairs at West Horsley Place, an old and rather pretty decorated red silk
velvet bag emerged, we initially thought little of it; but sometimes objects
open a realm of possibilities and a glimpse deep into history.
Could this bag once have held the
embalmed head of Sir Walter Raleigh, brought here by his grieving widow Bess
Throckmorton when she came to live with their younger son Carew, owner of the
house and probable builder of the mellow renaissance brick front that fronts
the house today?
We do not yet know; but extensive
coverage in the press and media around the 400th anniversary of Raleigh’s
execution on 29thOctober has spread interest in this gruesomely evocative story
like wildfire.
We are seeking a suitably
qualified expert, with the help of the V & A, to tell us more about the
bag. We will share anything more we can learn.
Text reproduced from https://westhorsleyplace.org/autumn-update-from-west-horsley-place/
Discovery
at West Horsley Place could be the bag that contained Sir Walter Raleigh’s head
October 29th marks the 400th anniversary of the
execution of Sir Walter Raleigh. Last night at St. Mary’s, Horsley a gathering
was held to celebrate the life and poetry of the great man.
West Horsley Place had always played a part in the postscript of Raleigh’s story; as the
residence of his son Carew and widow Elizabeth. That part however, may well be
more tangible than we realised. Visitors who have been on a tour of the house
since 2015 may recall being shown a red velvet bag in the drawing room. The bag
was discovered after Bamber and Christina Gascoigne inherited the house in
2014.
Carew Raleigh owned the estate between 1643-1665.
Contemporary accounts record that, after the head had been displayed for the assembled crowd
following the execution, it was placed in a red velvet or leather bag and
presented to Raleigh’s widow, Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Raleigh (1565 – 1647). Her love for her husband was such that Bess
arranged for the head to be embalmed and then kept it by her side until she
died 29 years later – at West Horsley Place, where she had come to live with
her son and his family.
Following Bess’ death, Sir Walter’s head is
understood to have been placed in a cupboard under the stairs at West Horsley
Place, reappearing in 1660 when tragedy struck the family and Carew’s three
young children died in an epidemic. The
head was then buried alongside the children in the side chapel of neighbouring
St Mary’s Church, West Horsley.
When, in 1703, the Raleigh grave was opened (for a
further burial), William Nicholas – then residing at West Horsley Place –
recorded in his diary the head of Sir Walter Raleigh being ‘dug up’ with ‘no
bones of a body to it, nor any room for any’.
As for the red bag, it receives no further
mention. That is until a recent visitor
to West Horsley Place – who is a respected authority on historic dress – was
drawn to an old red velvet bag that had been found in the attic space when it
was cleared for emergency repairs.
Knowing that Bess lived at West Horsley Place and
that she kept Sir Walter’s head by her side at all times, in a red velvet or
leather bag, the Mary Roxburghe Trust – the charity established to rescue and
restore West Horsley Place – was keen to find out whether this could be the
famous bag.
An initial inspection of the bag indicates that it
was made in the early 17th century. Its design, the material, sewing techniques
and construction method are consistent with this period. The bag has now been sent for further
analysis to try to establish whether it could be the long-lost bag that
contained Sir Walter’s head.
Commenting, Peter Pearce, Director of the Mary
Roxburghe Trust, said: ‘In 1665, Carew Raleigh sold the estate to Sir Edward
Nicholas, First Secretary to Charles I and Charles II. It is known that some of
the contents were included in the sale – including a collection of family
portraits which remained part of the estate until the early 20thcentury – but,
to date, we have been unable to find any further reference to the red bag. It was widely presumed that the bag had been
buried with Sir Walter’s head in 1660.’
‘We are greatly encouraged by the results of the
initial inspection, and now look forward to finding out more. West Horsley
Place dates back to the 15th century, and the Grade I listed manor house has
passed through the hands of many illustrious owners – including Henry VIII, who
enjoyed a 35 course lunch in the Stone Hall. Although this grand old house fell
into disrepair in the course of the 20th century – it is now on the Historic
England ‘At Risk’ Register – it has an
extraordinary past which we look forward to unravelling and sharing with the
public as we take steps towards its rescue and restoration.’
The Raleigh family’s association with Horsley and
West Horsley Place particularly continues to be held dear within the village. This
weekend children from the local primary school, The Raleigh School, attended a
special service at St Mary’s Church to commemorate the 400th anniversary
of Sir Walter’s death. There has been national and international news coverage
of the story, which will spread awareness of Horsley’s special relationship to
the Raleigh family and the future of West Horsley Place.
Text reproduced from https://westhorsleyplace.org/discovery-at-west-horsley-place-could-be-the-bag-that-contained-sir-walter-raleighs-head/
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