Samuel was one of the more attractive members of the family, with a reputation for being considerate towards the point of view of others and at the same time well informed on the issues of the day. He travelled extensively through Europe and became fluent in Italian, French and probably German to a certain extent. He could count amongst his closest friends some of the most important people in English society of the day - at Eton he had been a contemporary of two British Prime ministers, Lord Canning and Lord Melbourne, and was cultured in both the arts and music. He had considerable charm and was able to converse happily with people from every walk of life. As a

Garnstone in 1835 country gentleman he enjoyed discussing the state of the game, hunting locally with Mr Parry’s hounds, and frequently sent his agent in Leominster a spare brace of pheasants. One can only conjecture at his attitude towards Garnstone on the death of his father, but it may well have seemed small and old fashioned to him - inappropriate to the position in the county which he intended for himself and his family, and the fashionable life they expected to lead. Moreover it was strongly associated with the Birch family and even in 1800 it seems probable that Samuel found this connection with the eccentric Colonel John Birch embarrassing. The Colonel had been on the opposing side to many of Samuel’s neighbouring families during the Civil War and in a provincial place such as Herefordshire family traditions were not often forgotten - Samuel had dropped the Birch name his father had assumed on inheriting Garnstone in 1752 at the first opportunity. In 1801 and 1804 Samuel's father-in-law had employed John Nash to build two successful cottage lodges at the new south and east approaches to Moccas, and naturally Samuel had been introduced by Sir George Cornewall to the fashionable architect of the Regent street Quodrant, who had also done work at nearby Foxley and Stoke Edith Park. These two cottages were instigated by the contemporary vogue for cottage orne, and delighted Sir George who was a great supporter of the Picturesque style. Sir George's enthusiasm may have been contagious for in 1805, the same year as his father's death, Samuel employed John Nash to prepare designs for a new mansion at Garnstone. Unfortunately very little material relating to its rebuilding still exists but by 1806 work was well under way for a local journalist reported that the building will be 'a splendid mansion’ in the form of 'a castle ornamented with what are called Gothic towers, battlements e.t.c., in a pleasant situation commanding some fair views. This magnificent place, when completed, will be the pride of ‘the county. The roof is slated and covered with a new invented composition’.

Garnstone in 1835

Samuel was advantageously placed at the Homme to follow the work closely, and 1805 and 1806 were particularly busy years, burning bricks, raising stone from the estate, and cutting, squaring and sawing timber. Green sandstone, quarried from the estate, was laid in seven inch courses and it was not long before the ground plan was discernible. Unfortunately this material, although beautiful, was very soft and the castellations frequently required replacing in years to come. Part of the old house was incorporated into the new servants quarters and it was always rumoured that a secret staircase had somehow been retained. Certainly old oak panelling from the original mansion was used to make dado's in parts of the staff quarters. A mezzanine device was introduced to take 6 staff bedrooms, this was a low storey situated between the principle bedrooms and the staff quarters below. It was self contained, and it could be approached by its own 2 staircases. The mezzanine device was also used by Nash when making alterations at Attingham Hall at the same time. Servants bedrooms were incorporated into the turrets and these were approached by narrow secret staircases sandwiched between lower bedroom walls. There was a spacious staircase hall lit by a great lantern 46 foot high and from this lead the anteroom and three other large reception rooms. Later oak from the park was used lavishly to decorate the inside; all the floors were of oak,

Garnstone around 1840 from the front and oak doors and dados were fitted in most of the reception rooms. There were two lots of stone stairs and according to the memories of an old Garnstone servant ‘these were polished with beeswax twice a week.’ The staff sitting room had big bookshelves crammed with books each side of an alcove. The panels in the drawing room were decorated in gilt and ornamented with embroidered tapestry, and an elaborate plaster ceiling was made in the dining room. But the library was considered to be the best room in the house; it had two attractive alcoves and the walls were filled with carved bookcases of oak which housed over one and a half thousand books, and these imparted a rather beautiful subdued light to the space. The works agents to Edmund Darby, the famous Iron Founder of Coalbrookdale wrote in April 1806 ‘that a Mr Peploe of Herefordshire wanted some cast iron arches like those you did for Lord Berwick’. These were to be used for the covered verandah on the south side of the castle. (see The Darby’s of Coalbrookdale by Barry Trinder) Sir Uvedale Price (1747-1829), Samuel’s nearest neighbour and famous as one of the originators of the Picturesque Movement, was enthusiastic over the result. He wrote to a friend that Garnstone was a ‘modern castle’ that had ‘within a very few years been built by my nearest neighbour whose grounds adjoin mine, and I never look at it from any point, without rejoicing that it was not an unvaried lump of brick like most of the houses throughout the county. The two leading characters of Architecture, so speak in very general terms, are the Grecian and the Gothic; the first is to us a beautiful exotic; the other comparatively indigenous and even in respect to association, accords more with ours. ‘ (from Uvedale Price - decoding the Picturesque by Ben Cowell) The library at Garnstone in 1840 drawn by Samuel Peploe’s niece Ann Webb

By 1807 it would seem that expenses at Garnstone were increasing at an unprecedented rate as Samuel decided that summer to sell the old Browne family estate at Shredicote in Staffordshire. Shredicote Hall and the 4 adjoining farms had been tenanted for over 70 years and little money had been spent on the estate's improvement. The land, which was naturally marshy, required irrigation and drainage and Samuel probably felt if prudent to sell the 900 odd acres. On Monday the 25th of August 1807 the land was put op for auction and sold at the Littleton’s Arms in Penkridge. Sadly Garnstone has not been considered a great aesthetic success by later generations. The architectural historian Peter Reid wrote that the ‘awkward massing of square, round and octagonal towers resulted in a wholly unsuccessful attempt to create a romantic Gothic Castle …surely Garnstone was the least happy of Nash’s country houses’. John Summerson thought it only ‘saved from ugliness by the beauty of the green sandstone of which it is built. (see The Life and Work of John Nash by John Summerson 1980). However watercolours from 1835 show Garnstone as originally envisaged - still closely surrounded by magnificent oak and ash trees and before the formal re-landscaping by William Nesfield of 1849, and actually the various fronts worked much better when broken up by parkland vegetation. The picturesque effect that John Nash was aiming for suddenly becomes apparent when the occasional castellated tower or battlement is spotted through the trees, and furthermore the walls of the house were covered with cascades of rambling roses and other climbers. By the early 20th century the house was considered to be hopelessly impractical. The kitchens were 40 yards away and up three steps at the other end of the house from the dining room with the result food was always served tepid - although this was a common design feature of Georgian and earlier houses where fires in the kitchen were common and could all too easily spread to the reception rooms and ruin the fine furniture and paintings. Further more the flat lead roof caused endless problems in the winter especially after a heavy fall of snow when specially designed shovels had to rapidly be employed to prevent the roof from ‘leaking like a sieve’. By the 1950’ties the heating apparatus for the house was using nearly a ton of coke everyday making upkeep prohibitively expensive. These were some of the factors that lead to its demolition in 1958, but even then the money ran out and for some years various ruins remained. Anita Record, and old resident of Weobley remembered playing there - “One day we found a baby’s old rattle - a wooden one - and we played imaginary games. We made the younger ones sit in a Victorian nursery and I lived being the strict nanny. One day we found an old pram in the cellar - a really old one with a floor - and we took it to the top of the hill and took turns to come down the hill in it.”

Garnstone from the upper reaches of the park in 1835

It was said that ‘When seen from a distance the house sat well in its park, but a last great ball, held in the house to mark its closure before demolition in 1958, left few with real regret.’ Inside the house a clean sweep appears to have been made of the contents from old Garnstone. An inventory from 1845 suggests most of the Birch family portraits had been chucked out, and the furniture replaced with contemporary designs with a few exceptions in the bedrooms. Samuel and Kitty had acquired some very fine early 18th century pieces of French furniture and china during the course of their travels on the continent, and these were later sold separately by the family at Christies, Manson and Woods on May 10th 1900, just after Garnstone had been purchased by Sir Joseph Verdin. The more important items included a Louis XV cartonnier of Kingwood with a clock by Planson of Paris 48 inches high which fetched 700 Guineas in 1900, a Louis XV writing table of dark wood, 69 x 34 inches - the front edge of this can be seen in the drawing of the Library at Garnstone in 1840 by Ann Webb (fetched 220 Guineas), and also a large Parqueterie cabinet of Louis XV design 15 1/2 foot long 44 inches high (fetched 195 Guineas). An old Worcester service, richly painted with exotic birds, butterflies and other insects in medallions, square mark made 220 Guineas at the 1900 auction and an old Sevres dessert service, painted with sprays of flowers in colours and with radiating blue line on the borders - 265 Guineas. Included in the sale was an old English grand piano forte by John Broadwood and Sons in Sheraton satinwood case with inlaid borders; it fetched 90 Guineas. Having completed the house Samuel and Kitty would have turned their attention to the garden. In 1800 a man with any pretensions to taste was a follower of the Picturesque, and living in Herefordshire Samuel was subject to its influence more than many for he was, as already mentioned, a close neighbour of Sir Uvedale Price and also Richard Payne Knight, who were the chief protagonists of the movement. Both his father and his ‘father-in-law, Sir George Cornewall, were close friends of these two gentlemen and Caroline Duff-Gordon, later in life, told of the families friendship with Richard Payne Knight whom ‘we all liked.’ The culmination of ideas on the Picturesque took place in the years 1798-1806 when Price published his ‘Essay on the Picturesque‘, Knight ‘The Principals of Taste‘ and Repton ‘Sketches and Hints on ‘Landscape Gardening’. Samuel himself bought both Price's and Knight's works for his library at Garnstone, but curiously not Reptons whose name is so frequently associated with John Nash. The aim of the Picturesque movement was the elimination, as far as possible, of consciously formal design, and particularly anything characterised by the straight lines that were supposed to be contrary to nature; the use of conical trees was to be avoided near gothic buildings and at Garnstone we see cedars, elms, oaks and scots pine planted in carefully placed groups through which distant glimpses of hills, a church spire and an artificial lake could be made. Together with this interest in the Picturesque came an interest in botany, or rather ‘botanical horticulture‘ as Miles Hadfield had put it, and Samuel acquired Darwin's Zoonomia of 1804, Millar's Gardener's‘ Dictionary of 1797 and subscribed for many years to the Horticultural Magazine. Price in his book advocated the introduction of exotics into the landscape and many such species were planted at Garnstone during this period. 40 years later a visitor to Garnstone admired mature examles of Ihuja Gigantea, Variegated Wellingtonia Gigantea and Thujopsis; in 1844 Samuel ordered 3000 larch, 2000 scots pine, 1000 silver fir and 200 pineaster from his nursery in Cambridge. Many exotics were planted in the 200 acre deer park for the devotees of the Picturesque movement advocated the use of sombre dark pines or firs contrasting with native deciduous trees, and the horizontal line of an old cedar in the distance. One can only conjecture as to why Samuel didn't employ Repton at Garnstone, but it is likely that he was running short of money as both the Lancashire and Staffordshire estates had been sold by 1806 resulting in a considerable drop in income. He no doubt felt it prudent to add to the Garnstone Estate rather than spending money on beautifying it's park. In 1838 Samuel’s nephew John Birch Webb wrote a very in-depth article on the gardens at Garnstone for the ‘Gardeners Magazine and Register of Rural and Domestic Improvement’ which was produced by J.C.Loudon, another man very influential on taste at this period:

‘Garnstone, near the ancient borough of Weobley, in Herefordshire, is the residence of Samuel Peploe, Esq. Standing on a gentle acclivity, the mansion commands a prospect over the rich valley of which Shobdon and its neighbouring hills form the northern boundary: the Radnorshire hills, afar off, terminate 'the view on the west and north-west; and, to the northeast, the eye ranges over a large tract of country, with the Clee Hills (in Shropshire) dimly seen in the distance. On the south side, a beautiful park, thickly studded with giant oaks and elms, rises, gently at first, and then more abruptly, till it joins a wooded hill. The house is a large and very handsome edifice, happily combining the grandeur of the castellated style with the comforts and elegancies of a modern residence. The south, or garden, front is the finest part of the building, and also contains most of the best rooms, among which the library is particularly good. The view from the windows of this room, although limited, is beautiful at all seasons of the year, but eminently so in summer and autumn: the foreground is a well-arranged flower-garden, rich in roses and choice herbaceous plants, and kept in the highest state of neatness; beyond is the park (separated from the flower- garden by a neat iron railing), enlivened by numerous deer and a rookery, and backed by a fine old wood. An extensive lawn recedes from the east end of the house, sweeping round the north front, and losing itself in shrubberies ; there is also a small sheet of water at one extremity of the lawn, too distant, however, to be seen to advantage from the windows. The shrubberies here are extensive, and the trees and shrubs of which they are composed grow most luxuriantly; the soil being a deep fertile clay, retentive of moisture, but not injuriously so, to trees of a hardy nature: for those of a more tender character, however, such as the peach and apricot, it is too cold, and the trees are, in consequence, apt to gum. An orchard, used also as a nursery- ground, contains a great variety of most of the hardy fruits, among which the filbert and other nuts very properly find places, although too frequently neglected in gentlemen's gardens. This orchard is environed by shrubberies, and 'surrounded by a gravel walk and flower-borders; it is likewise divided into four compartments by cross walks bordered with flowers, and thus a considerable extent of walk is obtained on a comparatively small area. The kitchen-garden is beyond the orchard, at a very convenient distance from the mansion; but its situation is not well chosen in other respects, for it faces the north instead of the south, and the soil is strong and rather wet; its productions are, therefore, late, although generally very good. The melon-ground is, as it always should be, separated from the garden. In cultivating melons, Mr. Smith (the gardener, an active and intelligent young man) has adopted Mr. Knight's plan of isolating the stems from the soil, by means of pots : he likewise, sometimes, covers the whole of the soil in the frame with pebbles, by which the soil is kept in a more equable state of moisture; and, not requiring to be watered so frequently as when exposed, there is not so much risk of the stems cankering. Mr. Peploe is gifted with an exquisite taste in fruits, and, consequently, none but the best sorts are admitted to his table. To obtain the Flemish pears in the highest degree of perfection, he, some years ago, built a wall with nearly a southern aspect, purposely for them: the trees now nearly cover the wall, and produce splendid fruit. A trellis, on the principle of that figured in Vol. XIII. p. 260., but made of wood, and not curved, has been in use at this place some years, and the trees upon it generally bear good crops of fruit, which is equal in size to that produced against the east or west-aspected walls. The only objection alleged by Mr. Smith against this method is, that the fruit is not sufficiently exposed to the sun's rays during its ripening season, owing to its hanging below the trellis. This defect, however, might easily be remedied, or, at least, so modified as to be of trifling importance, by adopting light iron rods, ranging north and south, and by training the branches thinly. If the soil beneath the trellis was covered with a fine coating of gravel, it would also conduce to the same end, by the increased reflexion of light and heat. Such of Mr. Knight's

View from upstairs window at Garnstone towards Weobley by Anne Rushout in 1829 seedling pears as have fruited at Garnstone are considered inferior to many of the old varieties. When this garden was first formed, an important error was committed, in making the wall borders much too deep, in consequence of which the roots of the trees have penetrated so deeply as to be almost beyond the reach of atmospheric influence ; and, finding at all times a plentiful supply of moisture, the trees, pears and apricots especially, throw out a superabundance of barren shoots instead of forming blossom-buds. Gardeners are now beginning to see the advantages which shallow, well- drained fruit-tree borders possess over the deep pits recommended by most gardening authors, whose directions have in too many cases been implicitly followed in this matter, however at variance with common sense or every-day experience. Perhaps no circumstance is more inimical to fertility in fruit trees than excess of moisture at their roots ; and this can be corrected only by the proper constitution of the medium in which they find their food. Coals are very dear in Herefordshire, consequently forcing is not much practised generally. At Garnstone, the hot-houses consist of two vineries, one peach-house, and a fig-house.' The vineries have lately been reconstructed, and a new border made, and the plants in them are now growing and bearing well. The fig-house is also of recent erection : it is wide and low, having two rows of bushy plants growing in the border inside the house, and others nailed against the back wall. Mr. Smith considers the Brunswick a coarse-fleshed fig; and he prefers a middle- sized pale green variety (the name of which is not known) to all others, for richness and delicacy of flesh. Large trees of this variety formerly existed at Foxley, the seat of Sir Robert Price, Bart., M.P.; but these have lately been destroyed. Besides the hot-houses above mentioned, there is a small green-house in the flower-garden, but it is so badly situated as to be almost useless. The Garnstone scarlet strawberry was raised at this place by the late Mr. Andrew Henderson, who was gardener there many years.’

John Walker of Hereford supplied seeds for scarlet runners, broccoli, spinach and three types of marrow. More exotic seeds such as chrysanthemums, poppies and asters came from Caters of High Holborn or Dicksons of Cambridge. In August flowering wisteria grew over Garnstone in profusion, the borders held quantities of geraniums,‘ delphinius and phlox, whilst neatly clipped roses bloomed from elaborately carved stone Italianate urns. Garnstone, like many other large estates of those days, was more or less self supporting. At least one pig a week would be killed during a house party, and a ‘beef’ once a month, sometime a 'lamb' would also be slaughtered. James Preece, whose family had worked on the Garnstone estate for many years, supplied the house with his home woven linen and Thomas Galliers of Kings Pyon provided cream, butter and guinea fowls. All the bricks and tiles were burnt on the estate and Mr Hughes, the blacksmith at Weobley, made spades, ladders and wheelbarrows. By 1807 the work load was diminishing and‘ Samuel found time to become a Justice of the Peace and seek nomination for High Sheriff of Herefordshire. However Sir H Hoskyns had already applied and Samuel wrote that ‘it was totally out of the question that year’, but succeeded in 1808. His duties as Sheriff included attending the judges when on circuit in his county, and acting as returning officer at Parliamentary elections. Samuel, who took his responsibilities seriously, was a magistrate right up to his death, and it is said ‘he discharged his duties with wisdom and fairness”. Under Samuel and Kitty’s ownership Garnstone became a centre for cultural gatherings in Herefordshire. Many years later Henry Morgan Clifford described the general atmosphere:

1818 The other visit I paid this same winter was to Garnstone (Mr Peploe’s). The party here, to the best of my recollection, were Lord Talbot (father to the present Lord Shrewsbury) and Lord and Lady Hereford. Lady Hereford and Mrs Peploe were sisters of Sir George Cornewall, of whom I shall have to speak hereafter. Here also took place my first meeting with Lady Duff Gordon, another and younger Cornewall sister, then lately a widow. She was my friend in this otherwise formidable and alarming party, in which, as at other places, I was treated as a guest and not as a child. The tone of the house was formal, what is called “fine” and Mrs Peploe was the stiffest woman I ever met, though not otherwise than good natured. Mr Peploe himself was then, as always until his death in 1845, very kind and partial to me.

Another contemporary was more complementary about Kitty and said ‘her mild and affectionate disposition‘ endeared her to their friends and family. Three of her sisters established themselves in local seats; Fanny, the ballad singer, married the 14th Viscount Hereford; Harriet with her repertoire of Mozart and Haydn pieces, married Frankland Lewis of Harpton Court; and Caroline the organist married Sir William Duff-Gordon. In 1838 Caroline Clive, an old friend of the Peploe's,‘ whose husband’s seat at Whitfield was about twelve miles away from Garnstone, noted rather caustically in her diary 'the Cornewalls are a family whose ramifications constitute about half the county. It is lucky they are agreeable people for were it not so their numbers would be fatal.’ Certainly a society event in Herefordshire during the first quarter of the 19th century was not complete unless at least one of the sisters was singing. In 1810 Samuel wrote to his friend the Right Hon Sir Henry Watkin Wynn 1783-1856, one time Envoy to the Court of Denmark, about a visit Bertie Greatheed had made to Garnstone:

Garnstone Dec 14th (probably around 1810 as little Anne was born 1804 and there was a visit of Bertie to Garnstone at this time – see Warwickshire Archives)

My dear Wynn You were very kind to give such early information of your arrival in England – I assure you, you have not any friends that were more pleased by the intelligence than Mrs Peploe and myself. I fear it will be a good while before we meet for we shall not be in Town till late, and I should much wish to see you, and hear an account of your travels. Greatheed, Mrs G and little Anne Caroline have been passing three weeks here, and if you could have dropped in I know no one who would have been so agreeable an addition to the whole party. Greatheed was very unwell the whole time with a dreadful cough, so bad that he could hardly hear a word but his spirits are good, and he talks now

Kitty Peploe’s youngest sister Georgie Duff Gordon in old age of poor Bertie readily and without any effort. Mrs G is quite herself in every respect and the little girl amazingly grown, and very fat. She is quick and clever and has learnt many more things and languages, than a child of her age normally does, from being constantly with Mr and Mrs G. She seems to have a great faculty for pronouncing languages; and she has been encouraged in that by having things to repeat. They are all now at Mr Clive’s, and we shall joint them there on Thursday, when I will tell them of your arrival. Anne Caroline is very like both Greatheed and Bertie. Have you the same ardour for Hunting? You will find it difficult to mount yourself for no doubt you are become very heavy, as I am, and I have given up hunting for that reason. Mrs Peploe sends her best regards Believe me ever yours most truly S. Peploe

Around this time the earliest diaries of Kitty’s youngest sister begin to chronicle the history of the Peploes and Garnstone. At first the entries are quite short and uninformative, but they would continue with the odd break for the next sixty odd years, and increasingly gave a wonderful insight into the life of the Peploe family:

Thursday 13th September 1810 (D-G diary) Beauteous day. William and I drove to Garnstone to breakfast. He went shooting with Peploe – they killed 7 brace – and Kitty and I rode to call on Mrs Birch at the Homme. We returned home at night. Mr Morgan came.

Wednesday 14th Garnstone Began by our being all called up at five o’clock in the morning with an alarm of fire. The fire broke out in the House Keeper’s room – and burnt violently there for sometime but spread no further. Some of the party went to bed again, some sat up, some staid watering the smoke. William set off at eight o’clock for London – to be in time for Parliament which met the next day. Miss Peploe called to see how we all were after our early morning amusement. Very hard rain and snow and bitter cold.

Monday 13th May 1811 Kitty (Peploe) and I went to Lady Fitz. We went in the evening to Monsieur de Souza’s and Lady Metcalfe’s Ball. (Lady Metcalfe being the future Mrs Leila Peploe’s grandmother)

During the early part of their marriage Samuel rented a house in Portugal Street, Grosvenor Square, and he joined his father- in-law’s club Boodles in St James where Lord Talbot, one of his greatest friends, was a member. Lord Talbot was the eldest son of Hon. John Talbot of Ingestre Hall in Staffordshire and was appointed Lord Lieutenant (later Viceroy) of Ireland between 1817 and 1821. He became the 2nd Earl of Talbot and married 1800 Frances Lambart of Meath but she died young 1819 having bore him 11 children. Lord Talbot never remarried and lived for long periods in his own suite of rooms at Garnstone, partially because of his close friendship with Samuel, but also because he owned a small estate in Herefordshire where he bred prize Herefords. He was probably at Eton with Samuel and later commissioned John Nash to renovate Ingestre Hall in 1810 having been introduced to him by his friend.. Samuel tutored Lord Talbot’s children in French and Italian and he was by contemporary accounts very popular with them. A portrait of Samuel as a young man used to hang in the Great Hall at Ingestre on the right hand side of the carved oak screen. It was in the style of Sir Thomas Beechy with an oak frame, and according to a later description Samuel was clean shaven with dark hair; he also wore a black jacket with a white cravat. Unfortunately the portrait disappeared around the time the contents of Ingestre were dispersed in the early 1960’ties and its present whereabouts are unknown. Lord Talbot died at Ingestre Hall in 1849 and his son became the 18th Earl of Shrewsbury. Another illustration of Samuel’s fondness for children can be found in ‘The Life of the Rev Andrew Bell… Prebendary of Westminster and master of Sherburne’:

September 1812 On the 15th of September (1812) Mr Johnson again writes “In my last I was so much hurried that I forgot to tell you what a kind letter I had received from the Bishop of Hereford. About six weeks ago Mr Peploe, a particular and most intimate friend of the bishop’s, called to see our school, and, not knowing who he was, we showed him every thing as well as we were able. And it appears from his lordship’s letter that he had been particularly pleased with our kindness, and everything that he had seen; so much so, that he had been induced to engage a master at his own expense, and to send A picture of a Silver breed cow painted by Thomas Weaver for Samuel Peploe in 1814 him up to be instructed with us. (The school in question was the newly founded Central School for the education of 1000 children in Gray’s Inn Lane, London)

Lord Talbot was a serious innovator in agriculture and many of his prize sheep and cattle were painted by the celebrated animal artist Thomas Weaver whom he also introduced to Samuel. The two friends were passionate advocates of the Hereford breed of cattle, and Samuel established within easy reach of Garnstone a cow house for ten with a neighbouring red brick cottage and garden; next door to this he also began an arable farm of 55 acres and this had additional sheds and outhouses for keeping stock. J P Birch had taken only a minor interest in stock breeding and at the Hereford Show of 1805 there was no mention of the name Peploe. Howvever from 1806 onwards Samuel steadily improved the stock at his pasture farm through selective breeding and by 1825 he was considered to have one of the best herds of Herefords in the country; the Hereford Times refers to him as ‘eminent agriculturalist’. He visited shows all over the country, and could frequently be seen with his brother-in-law, Frankland Lewis, at Smithfield. On October 15th 1841 he went to a sale at Poole House organised by Mr Price, the renowned breeder of Hereford cattle, and a great supporter of Benjamin Tomkins Junior, another great agriculturalist. Samuel was one of the ‘largest purchasers at the sale and bought the Bull ‘Murphy Delaney‘ for 110 guineas.’ The Peploes were fortunate in having the Tomkins family as neighbours at Kings Pyon, who, over the course of a hundred years had completely revolutionised the methods of breeding cattle. Benjamin Tomkins senior of the Court House Farm, Canon Pyon, had started ‘breeding Herefords as early as 1742 and over the years he communicated to the breed its most valuable distinctive characters. In his will he left his fourth and favourite son Benjamin Tomkins Jr his best cow called Silver, and later he and his brothers were responsible for the further development of the Hereford breed on their farms in the Weobley district. The Tomkins family are rightly called the founders of Hereford cattle and they are responsible for the oldest improved breed of cattle in the kingdom. A nephew of Benjamin Tomkins rented the farms of Wistaston and Frogdon in Kings Pyon from Samuel, the latter farm having been bought by John Peploe-Birch in 1757. He was George Tomkins, born in 1776, and who became a celebrated breeder of Hereford cattle in his own right and a trusted friend of Lord Talbot. He gave up the former farm to his son-in-law, Thomas Galliers in 1836 and then retired to the Green. In about 1807 Samuel purchased a year old cow from George Tomkins which was ‘said to be a good representative of the Tomkins ‘Silver Breed‘. He looked after it at his pasture farm, and it was a favourite of his, being kept to a great age for breeding. In l8l4 he had her painted when she was 8 years old by Thomas Weaver, who three years earlier had been invited to Bampton to execute some cattle pictures for the great shorthorn pioneer, Robert Collings. The picture shows a typically marked Hereford looking to the right and in the background is Weobley Church spire; it hung in Samuel's study during his lifetime and that of his nephew Capt Daniel Peploe, but when his brother the Rev J. Birch Peploe succeeded to the property he presented the oil painting to Mrs Galliers of Garnstone's Buttas farm on her requesting permission to have a photo taken of the portrait of her father's silver cow. Rev J. Birch Peploe may have disliked the idea of having a picture of an animal on his wall, regarding it as idolatrous - a kind of ‘craven image”. The following letters to Thomas Weaver from Earl Talbot and Samuel Peploe are fortunate to have survived. The artist was invited by Lord Talbot in 1814 (letter 17th Feb) to paint a portrait of the ‘Great Hereford Breeder of Cattle’ (Benjamin Tomkins who died a year later in 1815), and this coincided with the painting of Samuel’s silver breed cow. Writing to Thomas about the portrait of Tomkins and of an ox for Lord Bagot, Talbot sought to clarify arrangements:

‘To Thomas Weaver’

‘Having recommended you to Lord Bagot to paint an ox for him I shall thank you to send me your terms, that I may arrange the business with his Lordship for you, previous to my going to Town in March the 1st next. I was very sorry to find from Mr Peploe that your picture of Mr Tomkins was to be raffled for I should very much like to rescue a work of yours from so unworthy a fate. I therefore would (with Mr Price’s consent) take this portrait, if not above my mark. I beg that you will not conceive that I mean by this reservation to allude in the most distant way to your charge for the picture; my intention is to state only, that I wish to judge if its value is not greater than a portrait of Mr Tomkins would be to me. I remain Dear Sir yrs most faithfully, Talbot’

However Talbot had further thoughts and wrote to Thomas Weaver again soon after (24th Feb):

‘I have been to Lord Bagot today and I find that he will prefer having you paint his ox in the month of June or July, as he intends going on with him and thinks he then will be more worthy of your pencil than at the moment. Having applied to Mr Price about your picture of Mr Tomkins, I find that there are so many gentlemen that wish to have it that I cannot be permitted to take it. What would the price of a copy be, in case I do not get the original for which I believe I am a subscriber in the raffle? Perhaps when you come to Blithfield, and when I am, which I hope to be, in the county at that time, you will bring your sketch of Mr Tomkins with you. I should recommend your writing to Lord Bagot at Blithfield, Lichfield, in the beginning of June, saying you had been directed by me to do so, and requesting his directions about his picture, as to the time you should come etc. I remain Dear Sir, yours truly, Talbot’

Letter from Sam Peploe to Thomas Weaver dated Garnstone November 10th 1814

‘I am extremely obliged by your kind present of the Print of Mr Corbett, it is a most excellent likeness and ought to be in the possession of every foxhunter. I will thank you to have the Picture of my cow framed, a plain Gilt Frame will I think suit best. You had so little time to see the beautiful scenery of this county, that I hope at a future time, you will not be so much occupied; and I shall then have great pleasure in showing it to you. I am Sir, your faithful humble Servant, Samuel Peploe’

On 3rd August 1815 Peploe was in touch with Thomas Weaver about the frame for the portrait.

I beg leave to enclose a draft for twenty pounds & a one Guinea Bill, as I have not the proper Stamp at hand for a larger sum as I wish to take this opportunity of having the latter framed. I shall be obliged to you to pay for the frame, and at the same time to tell Mr Donaldson that the picture was very carelessly packed, as one of the screws was driven into the back of the frame. The portrait is very much admired by every person who has seen the Cow and there cannot be a more correct & splendid likeness. If you should come into this country again I shall hope for the pleasure of seeing you here. I am sir your Faithful Servant, Samuel Peploe. Mr Donaldson account £5: 6: -

After the sale of Garnstone by the Peploes in 1900, the Verdin family acquired the painting back off the Galliers family and had it re-framed. It remains with their family to this day. As previously mentioned Samuel was an avid reader and a large collection of the books in the library at Garnstone were in Italian and French. Frequently books were exchanged with neighbours and friends as illustrated by this extract of a letter from Sir Uvedale Price to Miss Berry:

1814 March 20th Foxley Since I wrote to you last I have read ‘L’Allemagne’, not, in the usual way of reading ‘can je ne commencais pas, par le commencement’. My neighbour Peploe, who had read it, called on me just as I had received it. He told me the first volume was highly entertaining; the second volume less so, though still very amusing; the third very abstruse, and not very entertaining. He liked, however, particular parts which he did comprehend as much as anything in the work. He told me, at the same time, that the subject of the third volume was distinct from those of the other two, being entirely on German Philosophy. Upon receiving this information Lady Caroline (Carpenter) and my daughter having eagerly seized upon the 1st volume, I began with the third, in which I found so many new and striking thoughts and reflections, that, in order to recollect and dwell upon them again, I marked them as I went on and a pretty task I set myself!

In 1817 Samuel visited Ireland to see his friend Lord Talbot who had been newly elected Lord Lieutenant of the country, and many years later in 1873 his sister in law Lady Duff Gordon reminisced about the time as follows:

Saturday 23rd August 1873 I heard in the evening from Jane Wortley from Bourne Cottage in Shropshire – her brother the Lord Wenlock’s abode, asking me if I had ever been there. I was there with my sister Mrs Peploe alone (Peploe was gone to Ireland to visit Ld Talbot his great friend just made Ld Lieutenant there in 1817) and I was much the worse for the Journey and the terrible roads and the journey made my sister ill also.

Samuel’s mother was by now living with her youngest unmarried daughter Mary at the Homme within the village of Dilwyn on the northern perimeter of the Garnstone Estate. It had been purchased by John Peploe Birch in 1787 and Samuel and Kitty had lived there whilst Garnstone was being rebuilt. Lady Duff-Gordon records in her diary frequent trips to the Homme to visit Mrs (Peploe) Birch whilst staying at Garnstone during the winter of 1819. Samuel’s younger sister, Anne Webb and family, were also staying:

Wednesday 10th November. 1819 Very fine day over head, but there had been a good deal of Rain in the Night. I walked to the Homme (from Garnstone) with the (Webb) Boys and Daniel and Anne Webb, and stayed there all night.

Garnstone Saturday 20th November 1819 Fine morning. Hard rain in the afternoon. Ld Hereford and Fanny came – Daniel Webb, the children and I played at Hide and Seek – Mr and Mrs Whittaker went away and Mr Russell.

Monday 22nd November 1819 Very thick snow storm early, and afterwards a fine bright day. William called at the Homme and then went shooting with Peploe – Mrs and Miss Troughton, Mrs Birch and Marianne Webb called in the morning: Daniel Webb went to Hereford to a Ball there given at the Golden Caxxxx? Mrs Luxmore came. Thursday 25th November 1819 Snow on the ground. Sharp frost – turned to rain at night, and the again to snow. Fanny and I drove in the Barouche to the Homme. Daniel Webb went shooting and Peploe and William. Ld Hereford shot his way from Shobdon here – Mr Luxmore went away – Anne Webb came. A. Maria went to the Homme to dine and sleep. Georgiana tumbled down and frightened us very much.

Garnstone Saturday 27th November 1819 Beautiful frosty day. Fanny, Anne Webb and I called at Foxley and found Lady Caroline Price in a grand dress to be gone to Whitfield. We afterwards called upon Mrs Birch and then read Deleater (?) till dinner. Daniel Webb came back from the Homme.

Gravestone Sunday 28th. November 1819 Horrid foggy day that turned to rain – we all nearly went to Church at Weobley and played at Billiards and sang afterwards – Mr Hanbury, Col Hanbury and Col Agar came from Shobdon. We sang in the evening and co.

Monday 29th November 1819 Very mild – Thermometer 44. It rained part of the day. All the Gents went shooting and had no great sport. Mama, A. Maria and I rode to Sarnesfield and then to Whistastone – Miss Bodenham came – Anne Webb went away – we sang and the Gents played at Whist in the evening.

Tuesday 30th November 1819 Very soaking rain all day after 11 o’clock – but the Gents all continued shooting – and had pretty good sport – they brought 73 head of Game home. We Ladies did not muster out but sang and played at Billiards.

Wednesday 1st December 1819 Fine pleasant day after the Rain. The Shobdon gents went away and Miss Bodenham. My brother, Jane and Miss Peploe came. William, Mama, A. Maria and I rode. A. Maria’s old mare fell into and ditch and she on her, William and I rode afterwards to The Homme – Fanny and all my children called there also.

Garnstone Thursday 2 December 1819 Beautiful mild day – the Gents went shooting about the house, and the boys with them, and Miss Peploe, Ann Webb and A. Maria and I went also to see the sport. We read loud the debates afterwards.

Friday 3rd December 1819 We left Garnstone about 11 o’clock and all the children. We went as far as Hereford in Peploe’s Barouche – and Fanny with us. It was a cold raw day – and some rain. We arrived at Gloucester where we stopped at 7 o’clock.

Mrs (Peploe) Birch later took on a house in Suffolk Square Cheltenham and it was there that she died in May 1820 aged 76. In her will she directed she be buried in a quiet manner and naturally it was felt she should be laid to rest in the family vault at Weobley Church next to her husband. Her body was transported from Cheltenham to Weobley, the 40 odd mile journey taking two days, and the cost of hiring rooms and wax lights for the 2 nights at Ledbury was £3-3-0. The total bill for the funeral was £208-4-8 making one wonder what a more elaborate funeral would have cost! By now Anne Webb and her husband had had seven children, the eldest of whom was called Daniel Peploe Webb who, with the encouragement of his uncle Samuel, signed up with the Herefordshire Militia as an Ensign on July 4th 1812. In due course he joined up with the regular army as a Cornet in the 1st Royal Regiment of Dragoon Guards, just four months after the Battle of Waterloo, and therefore missed fighting in the Peninsular War. It is almost certain he never saw enemy action although he was actively engaged with the army for 13 years and bought himself a Captaincy in 1826. The Webbs continued at 3 Audley Square for a while after their marriage but by 1806 they had moved to Lovell Hill, near Windsor and here their third son, George Samuel Webb, was born. Later they moved to Worthing and Miss Mary Webb would come to ‘get the fresh air’. In 1823 the Webb's second daughter, Mary-Anne, married John Mapes-Ensor at the Broadwater Church in Wbrthing. The Mapes-Ensor were old friends of the family and lived in a fine Jacobean manor house in Norfolk. However John was a wild young man and got himself into debt, whereupon he appears to have approached his wife’s aunt, Mary Peploe, for money. Only a year after the Ensor marriage Mary Peploe rewrote her will:

'I purposely omit the name of Ensor after the manner in which he treated me but should it so happen that I should survive Mr B. then I wish my niece Mary-Anne to enjoy £100 per annum for her life out of my fortune, but at her death to go to J.B.Webb. I will that no property of mine ever enters in an Ensor.’

Daniel Webb wisely directed in his will two years later that an annual payment should be paid to Mary-Ann for her sole use, by this time the Ensors were living in an impoverished condition in France where John Ensor was a Consul. At the start of 1820 Frederick Belloc recorded a visit to Guyscliffe, Bertie Greatheed’s place and the Peploes were staying. However the celebrity guest was unwell much to the disappointment of the chronicler:

January 30th 1820 “After the usual attendance at divine service all went to dine at Guyscliff, except myself and I went in the evening.” “We had some charming singing from Mrs Peploe, who is a perfect Mistress of Music. I was much disappointed at not seeing Mrs Siddons, who had a violent headache and could not appear. Miss Siddons is a lovely looking girl, with fine back eyes and a profusion of dark hair.”

The famous actress was a great friend of Bertie Greatheed, himself a playwright, and she lived at Guyscliffe for quite a time and the Peploes knew her well. A little later in 1822 Kitty was presented at court wearing “A net dress richly decorated with blue flowers and Brussels lace; train to correspond. Samuel himself was presented by his friend Lord Talbot some years later in 1833 at the Kings Levee. Samuel and Kitty paid a visit to Italy soon after her presentation and he wrote the following letter concerning the death of Kitty Peploe’s brother Charles Cornewall who was unmarried to his friend the Right Hon Sir Henry Watkin Wynn (1783-1856 one time Envoy to the Court of Denmark):

Lucerne Wednesday (1822 -)

My dear Wynn Your messenger followed me to this place and arrived about nine o’clock; before I could recollect myself from the shock and confusion that your account of the death of poor Charles occasioned me, your Man was on his way back to Zurich; so that I had not an opportunity of writing to you. We cannot account for the failure of our letters, except that they may have been directed Poste Restante on account of your supposed absence from Zurich. I shall send my courier to Berne tomorrow and hope he will find some letters there, and that we may get them at Interlarken Saturday. We shall go through Unterwalder (?) tomorrow and over the Brenne??? to Le???. The day I left you I had a prosperous voyage to Holgen (?) and from thence I was obliged to walk, as no Charabanc could be got, and arrived at Zug (?) at 1/2 pas night. I hope you get well to E???. Mrs Peploe, as you may suppose, is very much overcome with the unexpected intelligence and much vexed at not hearing anything from her own family. The illness must have been of short duration, for the letters you sent me do not speak of it. I fear it will affect Ly Cornewall very much, as she was very fond of him. I must give up the Righ?, as I cannot at this time leave Mrs P entirely alone; this morning was quite clear, and the view from it must have been in great beauty. Ld Guildford, Lady Sheffield, Ly C. Lindsay went from here on Saturday to Berne (?). There are several English here, but none of note, a Sir Frederick Nicolson and family. Should any letters arrive for me, pray send them to Berne; I will write to you again from there. Accept our united thanks for all your kindness and hospitality towards us. I trust we shall meet again before we leave this Country. Ever yours S. Peploe My best regard to our fellow travellers, I hope to see them ere long.

The Peploe’s holiday is referred to in ‘A Correspondence of ‘David Ricardo, Volume 10, p315’:

Florence 15th October 1822 Mr and Mrs Peploe have been before us all the way we have travelled – we have constantly seen their names in the traveller’s books, but they had so much start of us that I had no idea we should come up with them; - they are going on to Rome. I find that we are near neighbours at the Inn. Mr Peploe called upon me before dinner, and has afforded me employment for the whole evening, by sending me above a dozen English newspapers which just supply the gap in my knowledge of news since I left Geneva. Before dinner we rode a little about the town and walked in the public garden, which is well worthy of notice if on account of the numerous statues alone which it contains, but it has other claims to attention. After dinner we rode to Bello Sguardo a little way out of town. It is a high hill from which you have an excellent bird’s eye view of the whole town of Florence, of the surrounding country thickly planted with houses, and of the Appenines at no great distance.

13th October 1822 Florence We had a carriage at the door at eleven and after going in to one of the principal churches we went to a large room at the British Ambassador’s house which is fitted up as a chapel, and at which two clergymen did duty; The service was well performed and a very good sermon was preached on behalf of a fund for the relief of poor in this town. A collection was made at the door. In this chapel there were about 150 English, rather more women than men, but I knew none amongst them but Mr and Mrs Peploe and one of the Duke of Bedford’s sons. (Samuel Peploe is also mentioned in Mallet’s MS Diary, entry of 23rd May 1821 as a ‘Mr Peploe of Herefordshire, a considerable person in that County and a sensible man’)

A further letter from Samuel Peploe to Right Hon Sir Henry Watkin Wynn 1783-1856 one time Envoy to the Court of Denmark.

Florence October 25th 1822 Dear Wynn I must answer your kind letter, before I leave this place; we set out for Rome tomorrow; as the time approaches for the autumnal flight of our compatriots to that quarter, and Lodgings are reported to be so scarce and indifferent that it benefits to get first choice; and indeed after having made ourselves well acquainted with all the beautiful works of art this place contains, there is little else to induce one to remain, for there is scarcely any society, and Burghert (?) after being here five days, is gone again to Verona, and will be absent from a fortnight to 3 weeks. The Italians are all in the Country and were they here, I am told, they scarcely ever open their Homes, and the Austrian Minister is the only one who receives regularly once a week; of the English settled here, I know nothing, and Travellers make little Society, so that after the departure of Miss Berry and Ly William Russell, it has been very dull. Burghert arrived, stayed 3 days and then went to Lucca, returned for 2 days and then to Verona; he enquired much after you, what you were doing, and how you liked Berne. I have not seen his Hounds out; he has 21 Couples in the Kennel, but they do not begin hunting till his return from Verona, the Horses only arrived the middle of last week. He has a good House, and I am told his establishment is very handsome, but his Goods were not arrived from England, and things were not in their place. I have been looking out for Sir Watkin and I hope soon to see him arrive at Rome. I do not recollect whether you ever passed the Appernines, they are the most melancholy and barren Mountains I have ever seen, and the Road from Bologna to this place very tiresome and uninteresting. The collection of Pictures in the Gallery and Palazzo Pitti, is most beautiful, and comprises so good a collection of all the different masters, that it is a constant source of pleasure; the statues are also of the finest time of the art. I have been extremely struck by some of the figures of the Nube Groupe (?) , I had never seen them before, and I much wonder they escaped the grasp of Bonaparte. Cockerell has suggested a better mode of placing them, but it has not been adopted, and they now stand in a very irregular and unmeaning order, and some of them are very inferior to the others. Your friend the Duchess di Saigans (?) is here; she is grown considerably older, but is still a very fine woman. A Madame Lozzi (?) is the beauty of this place, indeed almost the only handsome woman I have seen. I have been very much disappointed in the appearance both of the upper and lower orders. Mr and Miss Arbuthnot are also added to the list (?) of English, she is a pretty girl. I cannot tell you anything of your Sir Thomas Phillips, I have heard he is an agreeable man and he had a large estate in Worcestershire. I hope you will be able to pick out an agreeable Society amongst the English for the winter. I think we shall be well xxxxtoned at Rome. We have never heard anything of the Denbighs' since the Duc quitted them. I am very impatient to hear, they intended passing the winter at Rome, and Mrs Peploe has been expecting a letter every Post – Ld and Ly George Cavendish, Ld and Lady Lathem (?) and the Portman family with several others are now in this House, and the other Inns are all full of English. Your friend Dr Outram is here, and I heard him say just now in the morning room that he was going immediately to Rome. Old Princess Cyatonika (?) is there and giving her little xxxx as usual. I hear St John is gone to Genoa with the Bold party and is to be present at the marriage. I have heard here, that Sapieda (?) is not rich and it seems doubtful now the Emperor of Russia will like his becoming an English subject, it may lead to some difficulties as to his Polish Property. It seems now to be the opinion that Axxxx will take a flying trip to Rome and Naples. The Italians are not well satisfied at the Duke of Wellington appearing at Verona, in order to give the best appearance to it. The affairs of Italy are not to be discussed during his stay. The Minister here and at Naples who had received tickets to attend are xxxxxmanded for the present. We have not yet heard anything of the appointment to India being settled, and shall be most happy to hear your Brother is the man. Mrs Peploe and Miss Webb join with me in kindest regards to you and Mrs Wynn, and in hoping to hear a good report of all your family. Ever yrs S Peploe

A son Excellence H.W.Williams Wynn Bione Suisse

Further details of the trip can be gleaned from the correspondence of William Henry Fox Talbot, the photographer, to his mother and a Mr Fielding:

Velletri, Monday Evening 27th January 1823 . At Velletri we found Mr Peploe already arrived, tho’ it was but ½ past 3 – He passed us while we were gone to the lake of Nemi – however the Inn holds us all comfortably. The view from Velletri was charming at Sunset – It stands on a hill, separated by a valley from the Monte Artemisio which backs it; to the North is the distant spire of Civita Lavinia, to the South a plain of 10 miles, woody & trackless, divides it from Cora – I have described the view to the West & South West, the marshes, the islands, and the hill of Circe. My love to all.

Mola de Gaëta

Tuesday Evening, Janry 28. 1823. Here we are, at the Albergo di Cicerone, after a pleasant and prosperous day’s journey – the weather was mild, the sky covered with clouds, which diminished the effects, & rendered the distances indistinct. We travelled in company with Mr Peploe all day. We left Velletri before six o’clock, by moonlight, and going full speed over the Pontine marshes reached Terracina at 11. On first leaving Velletri the country is pleasing and parkish, but you soon get on the marsh, & then the road is as straight as an arrow for 24 miles, and very good. We passed great tracts of water, covered with wild ducks, & all manner of birds – The posts of soldiers are frequent; but the men look miserably ill – We passed a wood which was had been burnt all along the roadside to the distance of 100 yards from the road, to destroy all shelter for robbers – At one place the soldiers wanted to escort us, but we declined, & in fact we found it was but a pretence to get money, for there was all that stage, a broad canal on eachside of the road, so that no robbers could possibly get upon it. We passed through no village, but de distance en distance there was a solitary hovel, or rélai de poste. I saw several ancient milestones inscribed with Trajan’s name. One in particular seemed as fresh as if cut yesterday. After several hours of this monotonous scenery, we came suddenly upon the sea, the city and lofty rock of Terracina – turning round it, we beheld a noble view over a spacious bay, behind which rose the gloomy mountains of Itri, their heads lost in the clouds – The rock of Anxur (or Terracina) is not white as Horace describes it “Impositum saxis late’ candentibus Anxur.” and as it is represented in the view given of it in the Dss of Devonshire’s Horace: but red, as Mr Peploe & I remarked to each other at the same time. About its base grew in profusion the wild plants of the Nice coast, which I had n not see since – The road now follows the margin of the sea, with bold overhanging rocks on the left; but soon quits it, & turns inland. We passed the Lake of Fondi, which looks like a mere marsh, & then crossed an extensive plain, full of orange-trees &c. to Fondi a wretched town situated in the plain. From thence to Itri the road is at first on the plain, & then rises in a gorge between the hills – It is rather gloomy, & a warm imagination would eople the rocks with banditti, but we saw nothing but wild flowers and birds that tenanted the solitude. The banks were clothed with crocusses of the liveliest & most delicate lilac colour. At length to our satisfaction we came in sight of Itri, & the Sun, suddenly breaking forth lit up this most picturesque village, while the mountains behind remained in darkness. – Past Itri, same description of country, but more cheerful from being clothed with fine olive trees & caroubas – Bye & bye we saw the sea, and emerging from these mountain gorges found ourselves near Mola di Gaëta, with the town & peninsula of Gaëta on our right, & another extensive bay sweeping round to the left, on which stood the distant village of Sessa, & white towers innumerable. – Drove to this inn the garden of which is delightful, reaching to the waters edge, & containing within it most extensive & curious ruins of a Roman Villa, which some pretend was the Formian Villa of Cicero. These ruins extend into the sea, & are visible beneath its waves, which break over them as rocks. – The sea has apparently gained on the land, in the lapse of ages. – Spring is more advanced here than at Rome – Jane & I found wild Narcissuses & Anemonies in flower among the ruins – We drank tea in the sunshine, on a balcony commanding the sea, Gaieta on the right, & the distant mountains towards Naples on the left. I have seldom seen anything more beautiful – We had today an escort of 2 or 3 soldiers from Terracina here, but they were not wanted, & only for shew; besides that it is a charity to them to employ them.

Genoa, 4th June 1823

My Dear Mr Feilding,

Angioj has just been with me, & we had a long chat about you all. He is going to write to you, & I told him his last letter had been received. He says he always uses the razors you gave him. If you spend the winter here he means to get a month’s leave of absence from Turin, to see you. He made many enquiries after every member of the family, not forgetting Baptiste & Pierre. He says is leading a quiet life at Turin. Fazakerley is going to write to you. – Your road lies thro’ Modena, & if you can arrange it, Faz. would take that opportunity to explore the road from Pistoja to Modena, & meet you there. Il Marchese Boijl is gone to Sardinia two days ago. I hear the Mildmays are at Florence, I wish I had known that while I was there. I met Petre there. They are making a new road from Lucca to Modena; From the top of a lofty mountain called Prato Fiorito we saw the whole course of this road till it passed over a snowy Apennine, & certainly the idea is very bold to take it over such a ridge. In two years it will be finished – I met Peploe here in the street, but he is gone. I hope the weather is as cool with you as it is here, quite pleasant.

Yours Affectionately

HenryTalbot, with my love

November 25th 1823

William is going to the Hague with Ld Granville and not till January; he will accompany me in my visits to Dorsetshire & Penrice – I shall start by the mail Friday evg – I have found an excellent English master for Giovanni who is very helpless in London, & no use to me: so I shall leave him here, & expect to find him an accomplished scholar on my return – I have taken a servant of Peploe’s who left him on his return to England, & has a good character from him –. He is also a friend of Giovanni’s; he is a Swiss who speaks pretty good English; I take him by the month – Maria goes on Thursday to Chester. She has some hopes of a place – Mrs Bankes died lately in consequence of a fall, which was followed by an apoplectic stroke – You know of course the death of Ld Erskine – William is to have a salary this time, he does not know what – Giles arrives in Town tomorrow –

Your Affectionate Son

Henry Talbot

By 1823 Samuel had given up his house in Portugal Street, Grosvenor Square, and instead took on the lease of 47 Upper Grosvenor Street. The old house was reportedly in a 'very dilapidated state’. and in 1824–6 it was completely rebuilt by Samuel. His architect at No. 47 is not known and neither is the builder. The new house was evidently conventional in appearance with a brick and stucco front and planned on much the same lines as its predecessor; the interior still exists but the front was thoroughly Edwardian-ised in the early years of the twentieth century. In 1826 Samuel and Kitty’s old friends Bertie Greatheed and his wife died and it was a source of great sadness to them both. The two families had become very close during their enforced stay in France under the direct orders of Napoleon some twenty years earlier. Samuel wrote to his friend the Right Hon Sir Henry Watkin Wynn about their mutual friends:

Garnstone February 17th My dear Wynn I really cannot tell why I did not write to you the intelligence of our lamented friend; but I supposed at the time, you would be written to, as most of his Intimate friends had received the intelligence from some one at Guys Cliff. I did not hear of his being ill till the letter arrived to announce his death, the night before I left this place to go to Ingestre; previous letters had been written there but indeed poor man – he was ill a very short time; when the Percys returned from Chatsworth on Monday, they found him rather complaining. The next day Hirons (?) saw him and he was with them as usual till Thursday, when he took to his bed – he was delirious the two next days, and on Monday at 7 in the morning he was no more. The disorder was an enlargement and inflammation of the Prostrate Gland, and there had been some affection of it for some time as during the last year he had complained of the frequent desire to make water. In all other respects he was particularly well, as you must have witnessed when you were there. I understand now that for a month previous to his death he had felt less well than usual in this respect and Hodson of Birmingham has attended him. Dr Farmer also came from London, but was too late; they say nothing more could have been done for him, but I cannot help lamenting he did not go to London a fortnight before, which might have saved his life – so valuable to many, to his near relations more so than to you and me, for we knew his worth, and how firmly he was attached to us both and to all belonging to us. Poor Mrs Greatheed is well and wonderfully composed and resigned to this heavy affliction. It is wonderful to see the different effect this calamity has upon her, from what she suffered on the loss of her son; her grief was then outrageous and almost frantic. It is providential that age should so calm the feeling as to better fit us for bearing these losses, that an advanced term of life is seen to bring with us. I do not think she has yet seen anyone, but then that business made inexorably necessary, Mrs Peploe offered to go to her at any time, but she has not yet wished for any Society. Miss Tuxxxx went down with her Brother; I do not know whether Mrs G. saw her, but she did not wish her to remain. Mr Samuel Moners (?), Henry Williams and I are Trustees for the Management of all the Property, Mrs Greatheed has everything the same as he had for her life, and then we have it in trust for Mrs Percy, her children and Percy. Mrs G is chief executor. The funeral was quite private. H Williams the only one there, except those immediately concerned. A fortnight after he died his old friend Mr Charles Mills, and his friend James is elected Member for Warwick which he would have rejoiced to see. He would also have been pleased to see Percy in the House of Commons, which will have taken place this last week, as he has been returned for Newport in place of poor Billy Northey. Greatheed had time to complete all his worldly affairs according to his wish; his House, his Place, the return of the land he had so long desired from Ld Warwick, and the sale of the whole of his land at Leamington. He wrote to me after his return from his long Tour, that he had enjoyed himself amazingly, and that he was enjoying all he had done at Guy’s Cliffe, and what he was projecting for its future embellishment. I have now given you all the details I can think of, and I wish I had written them to you sooner. I should think our winter has been more severe than what Mrs Wynn describes yours to have been at Copenhagen. I am glad you have some amusement in shooting to make amend for the want of Society. You see by the papers and your letters that things are in a strange state in this Country. They do not improve, and some portion of it will fall in the Agricultural Part, for all sorts of produce drops in price and must necessarily become lower. I have not seen anything of any part of your family for a long time. My kind regards to Mrs Wynn. Believe me ever yours Samuel Peploe

The Right Honourable H.W.Williams Wynn

…………………………………………………………..

47 Upper Grosvenor Street June 3rd. (1826)

Dear Wynn I have been continually intending to write to you and to tell you what I had seen and done at Guy’s Cliffe; but also I have now another mournful circumstance to communicate to you – that of the sudden death of poor Mrs Greatheed yesterday morning at half past seven. She had gone to bed well the night before, and had been all the evening very cheerful; she slept well, and worked well, when her maid left her room early, as was her custom; Mrs Greatheed presently rang her bell and complained of being faint and sick; the maid went to call Mrs Percy, who came to her, and finding her ill, sent for the Physician and Apothecary, and went to call Miss Peterson, a friend of Mrs G’s, then home, and when she returned Mrs G. was dead. Charles Percy was in London, and called upon me last night about half past eight to say he had just received the news and was setting out immediately. I cannot but think it a release to poor Mrs Greatheed for she could never have enjoyed any happiness. She must have passed a life of xxxxx; for her union with Greatheed had been so long and of so peculiar a nature; that his loss could never have been absent one moment from her mind. Of the course of her death I cannot give you the best information. Mrs Percy now comes into full possession of the whole Property; there are some legacies to the amount, I think, of £6 or 7000 to leave and some annuities, but they are to very old people – chiefly Mrs G’s relations and older than herself. Mrs G. had reserved £3000, which she has probably disposed of to her own friends. Mr Tavner, Mr Henry Williams and I now begin our Trusteeship. This is not the only melancholy event of the last few days, for on Wednesday morning Mr Spencer arrived from Vienna with intelligence of Ld Ingestre being drowned as he was riding in the Prater (park adjoining the Donau river in Vienna); his horse bolted and ran away with him into a pond, which was very very deep in water and shied, he fell off from the horse having become stuck in the mud, and could not be got out under half an hour when he was quite dead. You may imagine the shock this has given to Ld Talbot after all the recent trials he has gone thro’ in so short a space of time. Jack Talbot the 4th is now travelling with Ld Stormont. If he should visit Copenhagen, you will at first be kind to him for our sakes, and after you know him for his own. Your family are all well, and Miss Williams dines here today. Mrs Peploe wishes to join with me in every kind wish to Mrs Wynn and all your family. Believe me Ever yours S Peploe

The Right Honourable H Williams Wynn Copenhagen

Later that year Samuel wrote to his friend about a happier subject - the opening of the Menai Suspension Bridge linking Anglesey with the mainland which had taken place in Jan 1826 - it was a source of great wonder at the time:

Garnstone October 2nd (1826 - Menai bridge was opened in Jan 1826)

Dear Wynn I have two letters to thank you for, one came to me at Wynnstay, and the other since my return home. I was very glad to hear that you and Mrs Wynn and all your family were prospering, and that you were pleased with the place and your mode of living. I should like very much to visit you were it not for that horrible German Ocean which I have already crossed 3 times in my life. Your description of Norway is very interesting, but I must figure to myself what is finer than the Alps. I assure you, Mrs Peploe and I have been very much struck with the beauties of North Wales. We went from hence to Aberystwyth and then to Machunclyth and Dolgellau and Barmouth and Tremadoc, Caernarfon and to the Menai Bridge. From Aberystwyth the whole was beautiful and about Barmouth the scenery is as beautiful as any of the Swiss lakes, leaving out the Alps. Of the Menai Bridge, you must have heard from everyone, for I believe everyone has been there; the crowd of travellers that have been at the Penrhyn House this year is beyond all example. I shall only say that the bridge and the road from thence to Llangollen does credit to the Engineer and to the Country. After the Scriptor (?) it is the finest work I have every seen, and perhaps the boldness of the execution of the Bridge exceeds that. I had two very nice days on the hills, the birds were wild, and those in the great Park could not be approached, it was chiefly old birds we killed, one day 7 brace and the other 9. There are a a certain number of black game, we say 4 hens and a young cock near the Wern, which had not been seen before, some few have fallen to the Gunners, but I have nothing of that kind laid before me. I left Sir Watkin with a sore foot, but he got well enough to go to Doncaster and I hope he has not suffered by the journey and walking about there. We went from there to Hawarden, and afterwards to Eaton for two nights. It is a splendid Palace, and every thing about it accords with the great intent and imagination of the House. From there we returned home. Our weather continues as beautiful as ever, and unusually warm for the season; there has been rain enough to put the ground for sowing into the xxx and to make the grass very green; it has not grown much except on very good land, but still there is a bite for the cattle. The turnips have improved a little but there is no chance of anything more that the tops. I have no doubt the importation of wheat will be allowed generally, but subject to a very considerable Duty; how that can be regulated seems to be the great difficulty. There is a great deal of violence on both sides, and it will cause the most angry debate both in the Lords and Commons, that have occurred for a long time. With regard to Percy’s Proposal, I think it impossible that a new House built at Leamington unless a calculation can be taken by the Trustees in lieu of Money, or that money can be advanced by them on the Security of it. They certainly are not strictly justified in taking any other security but Mortgage on real Property, and I fear the Money due from Williams of the Regent, and from some one else, I believe this is not secured in that way. Should the Trustees think fit to take these sums in party, it will be their duty to call up this money immediately, and to make the present security a bona fidi Mortgage. I should think his own Family Trustees, who are all I believe sharp enough about money concerns, would not consent to any other terms. On referring to Percy’s letter, I see that the £5000 due from Williams of the Regent is on Mortgage, the other from Txxx is a Bond. With regard to his taking the name of Bertie only, it would comply with the will, but the Herald’s Office made him take that of Greatheed also, but he immediately dropped the latter, and is now only Bertie Percy agreeably to the direction of the will. I was surprised that our good friend would have allowed the name of Greatheed to be lost. I believe we have a very good year of game – there certainly are more Partridges than I ever saw in this County, but so wild it is very difficult to get into the same field. Of Pheasants and Hares there also seem to be an abundance. I expect Sir Watkin to come and have a blaze at them in the course of the winter. Lewis is gone again to zzzz. I hope to finish his Commission this time. Ld and Ly Hereford are at their own home, and we expect them here shortly. Cornewall and his wife at Moccas, and he shortly expecting to be in fxxx. There are four children alive. Mrs Peploe desires me to join her kind regards and remembrance to you and Mrs Wynn and to enquire particularly after all her little Friends and to send wishes to all of them. I beg to remain yours most truly S Peploe

In the spring of 1828 Samuel’s friend Lord Talbot wrote to his friend Mr William Gregory and it illustrates the respect with which he was held by those whom knew him well:

Boodles April 27th 1828 I was accidentally told a curious thing today. It appears that there is a solicitor by the name of Talbot, who being accidentally from home left a Clerk in charge to open his letters. Among these it would seem was one from you to me; this was, the young man says, inadvertently opened in the first instance, but then read as he confesses. Conceiving that some wishes expressed by you to see me in my old post as Lord Lieutenant (of Ireland) gain, imported a conspiracy between you and me to rid Ireland of Lord Wellesley, he deemed it right to send this treasonable document to Mr Canning (the Prime minister) ! Mr Canning answers him very coolly, telling him he had been guilty of an unpardonable breach of propriety, and that to save all further discussion and difficulty he had burned the letter in question. Can all this be true? I had better tell you that my friend Peploe told me the story under some reservation. To you I have none (reservation), in this case I ought to have none. He is incapable of any underhand conduct to anyone, especially towards myself or you, whom he, I know, likes as a man; as Tories and Protestants he pities our blindness and bigotry.”

Samuel’s Webb nephews and nieces were by now reaching adulthood. The second son was born in 1800 at Court Lodge, a fine Jacobean mansion belonging to the Morland family overlooking the village of Lamberhurst in Kent, and he was christened John Birch Webb in memory of his grandfather. He had gingery hair like his younger brother George Samuel, and he took Holy Orders after attending Eton and Brasenose College, Oxford. The advowson of the parish of Kings Pyon with Birley was conveniently attached to the Garnstone estate and he was instituted to Kings Pyon in the December of 1825 having just graduated with an M.A. The following year the Rev John Troughton of Weobley died; he had been vicar of the parish for nearly 40 years. In those days all the neighbourhood, including the church, revolved around the local squire, ‘not only in their capacity of landlords and employers but also as the supreme organisers and patrons of every sort of communal activity from sport to charity. The person himself derived his social prestige from his acceptance by the family to which he in many cases he owed his living, and to whose support he looked, seldom in vain, for the aid and comfort that he needed for the successful running of the parish.’ Samuel himself donated to Weobley a silver chalice for communion in 1841. He also subscribed to the building of a gallery for singers in 1812 and the Bishop of Hereford would have sought his old friend’s advice over the choice of a new Vicar for Weobley. An agreement was made and J.B.W. was instituted to the living in 1826 on the condition that he kept the Glebe House in repair. Samuel Peploe’s nephew - the Rev John Birch Webb who later changed his name to Peploe

As holder of 3 parishes in the neighbourhood John Birch became extensively known in Herefordshire, and he was often a speaker at religious societies. It was said of him that ‘though not an eloquent speaker, his manner was earnest and impressed the bearer with the conviction that he thoroughly believed and desired to act upon what he said‘. He was popular with his parishioners at Weobley and became known as the ‘Peacemaker of Hereford, so benign, peaceful and loving was his character.‘ Unfortunately his relationship with his eldest brother Captain Dan was not always so benign and peaceful as will become clear. J.B.W. commenced his activities at Weobley by building an extension onto the Vicarage at Weobley. In those days such a project could be financed by mortgaging the living to the governors of the Queen Annes Bounty - a fund set up by the crown to augment the poorer livings of the Church of England. J.B.W. stayed with his uncle at Garnstone while the work was undertaken but found time enough to oversee the building of the new wine cellar at the Vicarage. It may have been at one of his religious society meetings that J.B.W. first met Annie, ‘the amiable daughter of John Molyneux Esq’, a retired naval captain who lived in fairly humble circumstances with his wife and large family at Gravel Hill House in the attractive little town of Ludlow, some 18 miles away from Weobley on the Shropshire Herefordshire border. Gravel Hill house has hardly changed since the Annie’s time; built around 1770 it has a conventional Georgian symmetrical redbrick front with a fanlight above the central front door. Ludlow was a popular place for less well of members of the Anglo Irish community to retire too, and Gravel Hill House had the added benefit of attractive views over towards Ludlow Castle, the church and in the Clee Hills in the distance. It is not a large house by any means and illustrates the modest circumstances under which John Molyneux and his wife Ella brought up their large family.

Annie Molyneux who married the Rev John Birch Webb of Weobley

The Molyneux‘s (traditionally pronounced Mullynooks) were originally an old Huguenot family who had settled at Calais after one of their name had accompanied Edward III in the taking of the town. The family continued to prosper in Calais until Queen Mary's reign when the town was recaptured from the English by the French. Thomas Molyneux, the only survivor, was taken prisoner by the French, but later ransomed himself by paying 500 French crowns, and moved to Bruges. However in 1562 the civil religious wars broke out in Europe and Thomas withdrew himself and his family to London to avoid the religious persecution of protestants under the Duke of Alva. In 1576 Queen Elizabeth I sent him to Ireland as Chancellor of the Exchequer and he obtained extensive grants of land. The family established themselves in County Armagh and as Annie Molyneux proudly displayed on her family pedigree of 1840, many became noted for their sound religious principles. The Chancellor's son, Daniel Molyneux, the Ulster King at Arms, was said by the Primate Usher to be both for piety and learning, 'a Daniel indeed‘. Sir William Stewart attempted to murder him, but the cook came to his aid with a red hot spit and stabbed one of the accomplices in the back. Daniel's eldest son, Thomas, shared a rather worse fate and was murdered by the rebels when Governor of Wicklow Castle in 1648. The second son, Samuel, therefore inherited his father’s fortune" and bought the family seat at Castle Dillon in 1648. He was nicknamed ‘Honest Samuel Molyneux' and distinguished himself as a captain in the army at the Battle of Progs by destroying 80 men and horses with 2 small cannon. His eldest son was created a Baronet in 1730 and the title had by 1830 descended to Sir Capel Molyneux who continued to live at Castle Dillon with his wife and her niece as the couple were childless. According to this niece, who later became the Hon Mrs Caulfield, Castle Dillon was ‘a low straggling house, the centre a sort of pavilion, containing the reception rooms and of one storey only. The wings were of two stories; the eastern had formerly continued the stables, in the fashion of the period when for protection the various parts of a country residence were as much concentrated as possible. Odd staircases and steps within obviated the differences of level. From the south side there was a descent of three terraced slopes to the lake, a pretty piece of water of above sixty acres. This was covered by wild fowl undisturbed by sportsmen, as Sir Capel did not allow a shot to be fired within the demesne wall.’ Sir Capel was not a religious man, but still read the prayers to his servants every morning, and at their conclusion would bow to them as he backed into the drawing room in old Court style. He was an exceptionally generous host to his friends and neighbours, and “there were always representatives of the class of poor relation in the house’ - probably a reference to the Molyneux family of Ludlow who were frequent visitors. According to Mrs Caulfield Sir Capel was an eccentric man with an air of theatricality about him, but at the same time an excellent classical scholar and a great Horatian, quoting him on every

Gravel Hill House in Ludlow where Annie Molyneux was brought up and which is still very much the same today. possible occasion.’He had ‘his own peculiar mode of travelling, he always went by himself, in his own particular chariot; his valet on the box and the interior packed with books, pistols, violin and all sorts of things.’ Sometimes he would stop at a village he liked the look of, set up his violin stand and scrape vigorously away at Handel to the spectators amusement. He had an elaborate technique with good timing, but completely lacked the ability to play in tune, ‘yet he was a fanatic, and the prey to all the concert givers and foreign musicians.’ He was an extremely broad minded man both politically and religiously, although it is said ‘Sir Capel’s principles of toleration were severely tested by his cousins the Miss …..’s (of long pedigree but short purse) becoming separatists’ - perhaps a reference to Annie Molyneux and her siblings who were just then embracing the fashionable trend towards low church evangelism. Two of Annie’s sisters married into the Church, her eldest brother Capel became a notable London vicar and religious author and the younger two, William and John also entered the ministry. It is no surprise that this should be so, for ‘a revolutionary change was coming over the British, and still more the Anglo-Irish upper class, that was signified not, as in France by the shedding of heads, but rather by the turning of heads.’ In the l820ties piety and virtue were coming as much into fashion as they had formerly been taboo, and the new vogue found its focus in evangelism. Annie was blessed with abundant energy with which to pursue her numerous interests, both religious and otherwise, and she was described, admittedly by her son, as ‘a woman of outstanding intellectual ability.‘ She was a deeply spiritual woman in her whole outlook on life and used to make copious and accurate quotations from the bible and other moral works. Her deep set eyes, determined mouth and pronounced chin disclosed an unusual strength of character and like her brother Capel Molyneux, she was an articulate speaker. Annie greatly interested herself in the plight of the Jews, particularly the prophecies relating to their restoration, indeed she was described as ‘a most talented prophetic student’ and both she and her husband were unusually fascinated by prophecies relating to the end of the world. Lady Duff Gordon commented on this rather eccentric behaviour of her two friends, but it may have been a feature of the new style of evangelism that they both practised. Annie sincerely hoped for peace in Jerusalem and ‘prayed for the Jews conversation to Christianity firmly believing in her obligations to those of whom the 'promises of God were first made.’ Annie and J.B.W. were married on 3rd January 1828 in the fine old church at Ludlow, and it was observed that ‘all ranks vied with each other in their expressions of esteem, and kind wishes upon the happy occasion’. There were many kind complements paid to the character of Annie's father, Captain Molyneux. The ceremony took place in the morning and then ‘the happy couple proceeded amidst the blessings and congratulations of all around them on their route to Malvern, where they spent their honeymoon.‘ A report in the local evening paper tells of the towns festivities - ‘The evening was devoted by every class of persons to a joyous and hearty celebration of the auspicious ~ event. Among other tributes to the private virtues of the worthy father of the bride, we must not omit to mention that a highly numerous party of the most respectable tradesmen in the town sat down, in honour to the day, to a sumptuous dinner at the Angel Inn, which was served up in the superior style of excellence for which that establishment is famous. After the cloth was removed and the usual toasts had been given, the president, in a speech replete with warm feeling proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom, and the enthusiastic manner in which the toast was received by every individual present, showed how sincerely they echoed the 'accompanying wish that the happy pair might live to enjoy many years of uninterrupted happiness and prosperity.‘ The near approach of morning alone warned the guests of the necessity of retiring, and at the same time served as a signal for the final expression of the most cordial sentiments of respect and attachments towards every member of the excellent and worthy family in whose honour the feast was founded‘. After their honeymoon J.B.W. and his wife came to live at Weobley Vicarage and it was here that all their seven children were born. By 1826 J.B.W.’s parents were living at Bowling Green House, Mount Sion in the fashionable spa town of Tunbridge Wells. It was a large red brick building with three sitting rooms, 14 bedrooms and ‘a beautiful lawn and stable’ and it was here that his father died only four months after the wedding at Ludlow as recorded by the local paper:

‘Died the 6th April, at his residence, Tunbridge Wells, after a short illness, Daniel Webb, Esq. very much respected and regretted.’ Drawings by Aunt Lizzie Webb of the family life of her brother, the Rev John Birch Webb and his wife Annie

Surprisingly he was not buried in the Webb family vault at Christ Hospital with his parents but at Lamberhurst near Tunbridge Wells where his old friend the Rev Morland was vicar and J.B.W. had been born. He was buried in the north west corner of the churchyard and there used to be a plain marble slab on the wall of the south aisle commemorating him but it was removed in the late 19th century. Soon after the burial a certain unpleasantness occurred between J.B.W. and his brother over Daniel’s will and it lead to a fall out between J.B.W. and his uncle John Webb, younger brother of Daniel Webb. Daniel’s death had occurred only 4 months after J.B.W.’s marriage and it is possible that the marriage portion promised to him had not yet been handed over, in any case John was in need of some ready cash. Daniel Webb's estate in 1828 was worth nearly £30000, most of which was invested in 3% Bank Consolidated Annuities and tied up in his marriage settlement, his only real estate was in Water Lane near Fleet Street and this was let to the Corporation of London. Daniel Peploe Webb was executor to the will and therefore responsible for looking after the monetary affairs of his widowed mother. Daniel therefore affectively retired himself from the army by going on half pay in December 1828, and this gave him the time to sort out a rented house in Suffolk Square, Cheltenham. Suitable furniture was bought and the house purchased outright when the opportunity arose in 1835. It can take a long time to sort out a deceased person’s estate and J.B.W. seems to have been too impatient to get his share. Soon the matter came to the attention of their childless uncle John Webb, an aged magistrate living with his wife Maria at Sutton in Surrey. John was a 'bon viveur' of the old school who in his Will two years later left a legacy to his hair dresser. Clearly there was a personality clash between himself and his earnest nephew J.B.W., for he took the opportunity to change his will to the benefit of D.P.W. , leaving him an extra £300 ‘not only as a mark of regard and affection but also as a remuneration for the money he so honourably paid and which was so unjustly and unfeelingly demanded by him on his father's death by his brother the Rev John Birch Webb.’

Aunt Maria Webb may have felt bad about her husband’s behaviour; she was an enlightened woman and interested in the education of female children. All the family were very fond of her and when she died in 1846 she left John Birch her late husband's collection of Webb family books as a token of good will. The early married life of J.B.W. and Annie was evocatively recorded by his sister Lizzie in a little sketch book dedicated to their eldest son Daniel Peploe Webb who was born in 1829. Lizzie and her sister were unmarried and at this time lived with their mother at Suffolk Square in Cheltenham. Both of them enjoyed sketching and were much loved not only by their nephews and nieces but everybody who came to know them. They were frequent visitors to Weobley vicarage and the little book shows the Webbs were enthusiastic participants of the new passion for archery. This was an offshoot of the craze for the age of chivalry and its revival under the top hat that took place in the l830ties, the Webbs even had a medieval style double bed. The climax of this new vogue occurred in 1839 when the Earl of Eglinton spent fabulous sums, and two years of preparation in staging a medieval tournament at his Ayrshire seat. Unfortunately the affair coincided with a continuous downpour and it was literally a wash out although the fashion for Bow Meetings continued until well into the nineteenth century. The Herefordshire Archery Society had been founded in 1826 and Samuel hosted the third meeting that year at Garnstone. The family continued to be closely involved with the society - hosting meetings and with its administration, until they ceased living at Garnstone. J.B.W. was a great sportsman in his youth and won Viscount Clive’s prize for the best gentleman’s shot of the day at Ludlow Castle in July 1829, and his wife Annie was a prize winner at Homme House, Garnons and Tibberton. She was a silver medalist in 1861, and their daughter Popplewell was also a successful shot before her marriage to the Rev John Hearne Poppelwell. The ups and downs of the young Webb family are wonderfully recorded in Aunt Lizzie’s little book and the vignettes include Aunt Ann and Miss Frances Cornewall of Moccas ‘in a mash’ after their brougham had overturned. The whole family was susceptible to ‘mashes', there is a picture of 'poor papa breaking his leg‘, ‘little sister’s downfall‘ and ‘poor little Charley (John Birch's eldest daughter aged about two) falling from the landing bannisters to the floor below. The Webbs were great holiday makers and there were frequent‘ visits to Worthing to stay with John Birch's sister Caroline Dennett. Aunt Cal, as she was called, used to take her nephews and nieces down to the sands and when it was warm enough they all took their dips from a bathing machine, Aunt Cal still with her poke bonnet and ringlets. John Birch's eldest son ‘Young Dan‘ was then old enough to drive his

Weobley Vicarage built for the Webb family and where they spent their early married life little sisters around Worthing in a miniature goat carriage and fortunately no mishaps. The Webbs sometimes visited the Ensor cousins at Nantes. J.B.W.’s brother in law John Mapes Ensor, who had married Mary Ann Webb in 1839, was promoted Vice Consul at Lorient close by in 1850, and it seems they seldom got to visit Rollesby Hall in Norfolk where the Mapes family had resided since 1618. The Webb children were taken to see the windmills or the town museum where young Dan was allowed to 'ride' the stuffed stag. Annie travelled about ‘in a sedan chair’ and sometimes a ‘troop of dancing bears’ could be seen. After one visit to the Ensors the family proceeded to Paris where they saw the opera, this was followed by a journey to Geneva over the lake. John Mapes Ensor died in February 1852 at the age of 55 and his memorial tablet can still be seen in the church at Concarneau, just up the Brittany coast from Lorient. His widow left a sum of money with the town hall sufficient for a bunch of flowers to be placed on his tomb by the gravedigger every anniversary of his death in perpetuity, but this tradition seems to have been discontinued many years ago and the inscription is only just legible. Soon after her husband’s death Mary Ann repatriated ‘his carriage, his deposit box at the Mayor, and her little dog’ and moved to Cheltenham where she resided with her two unmarried sisters, the Miss Webbs at Chadnor. J.B.W. employed a curate at Weobley whom he paid £105 a year and surplus fees, and the vicarage‘s position in the centre of Weobley ensured him and his family were completely assimilated into village life unlike Samuel up at Garnstone, and rightly so for he was after all the vicar. The vicarage garden was completely overlooked by the villagers and there would have been little privacy for the Webbs and their young children; people going to church could admire the Webbs pet rabbits or view young Dan wearing his sun hat working by his arbour with his wheelbarrow. Annie took her responsibilities towards their poorer neighbours very seriously and the sight of her with her basket of bread and wine under her arm became well known in Weobley. The family shopped in Weobley and of great interest to the children was Mr Thomason the ironmonger, a man of enormous dimensions who gave them delicious figs.

Young Daniel Peploe Webb and his father the Rev John Birch Webb In those days Young Dan had a tutor who would teach him his Hic Haec Hoc at a table in the Vicarage study, then in 1841 it was decided that he should go to a proper school. In the early years of the Victorian era, reform was very much in the air — political, social and religious. There was a feeling that the great Public Schools were not quite what they should be, and a new breed of reforming headmasters emerged who felt as great a responsibility for the state of his pupil's souls as for the quantities of their hexameters. The most eminent product of this reformation was, of course, Dr Arnold of Rugby and his reputation had spread particularly rapidly through the evangelical circles in which the Webbs moved. Samuel interested himself by offering to pay for his great nephew's education and Rugby's fees of £162 per year were not considered to be excessive. Young Dan was sent of to Rugby in 1842, the same year as the sudden death of Dr Arnold at the age of 47. Samuel often went on holiday with his great friend Lord Talbot and one such occasion is alluded to in a letter dated 1832 from him to Mr William Gregory:

Daniel Peploe Webb Senior shooting partridges before he inherited Garnstone from his uncle Samuel Peploe and became quite obese

Mt Teviot Sunday October 7th 1832 Thus ends my Scotch Tour! Among the places we visited, Gordon Castle, Scone Palace, Dalmeny Park, Avistone rank among the best. At all these places, with the exception of Dalmeny, Lord Rosebery’s (one of the loveliest things I ever saw) belong to Conservatives, I am afraid my friend and companion Peploe, who is an old and staunch Whig, has had his dose of conservatism.

Another visit to Italy in 1833 1833 (Holiday journal of Georgie Duff Gordon) October 2nd Left Viterbo at 1/2 7 and arrived at Rome at 4. Saw St Peters from the hill above Baccano; found Uncle Peploe and Henry Devereux waiting for us at the Europa.

Samuel Peploe letters to Ralph Sneyd (mid 1830’ties probably – after Katherine’s death)

Ingestre April 22nd

Dear Sneyd I am very much disappointed at not getting to Kiel and looking at all your walks, but the fact is a little accident, and which, it is wonderful, it was not a very bad one, kept us both yesterday at Trentham. Lord Talbot and I set out in his curricle yesterday morning, intending to ride from Trentham; when we got to that little dip in the road, just before you come to the wall of the pleasure ground, one of the horses broke away, and fairly flew off with the carriage in spite of Talbot’s efforts, and when the wheel went over the first of those large stones that are placed to defend the foot path nearer the wall; the shock threw Ld Talbot out and he fell upon the road, and was a good deal shaken and bruised, but no material legacy, this obliged us to return in a Park chair and give up the further part of our journey. I am happy to tell you that today he is much better, and is

Further moments from the life of the John Birch Webb and Annie his wife now on the sofa in the library in very good spirits, and needless to say how vexed he is at this failure of his agreeable project. Wonderful to say, I kept my seat in the curricle and managed to get the horses up against the wall, so as to make them stop, within fifty yards of the place where Talbot was thrown out. I go from hence on Friday to Guy’s Cliffe and next week to London where I hope to see you in the course of time. Believe me, yours very truly Samuel Peploe Garnstone April 23rd 1836

Dear Sneyd I fully intended last year to have sent the two pigs to Chatsworth, the Duke of Devonshire spoke to you about, but as they grew up, I thought they did not turn out so well as I expected. I have now two, a male and a female, that I think promise better, and I would send them if I thought they would be acceptable at this time, and will you be so good to find out, but what conveyance they should be sent, and to whom directed; they could be delivered to the canal and Worcester. I spent a few days at Guys Cliff the end of last month and found their intention of going abroad very decided, and I fear for two or three years. I do not like parting with them for that length of time. I hope to meet you in London where I hope to be the beginning of May; the establishment of a Poor Law Union detains me here longer than I had intended. Excuse me giving you this trouble and believe me to by yours most truly Samuel Peploe

Garnstone August 14th

Dear Sneyd I hear from the Percys, they will be here on the 22nd. I know that meeting them will be a great inducement to you to come, and I assure you that it will give me great pleasure to see you here. So many obstacles have always intervened to prevent you, that I almost despair, but perhaps the fear of Cholera in Italy may make you pause, as to your residence there this winter, and that you may delay setting it, and have a week to throw away upon your friends in Herefordshire. Believe me Yours very truly Samuel Peploe

No sooner had the family come out of mourning for Daniel Webb when Samuel’s sister Mary died of a stroke; she had been living at the Homme since her mother's death in 1824, and after her death it remained empty for a while. A calamity occurred at this time which might have given rise to the legend of the bloodstained floor in the house as reported in The Hereford Times on 6th July 1833:

‘Between 3 and 4 o’clock on Monday afternoon last, considerable alarm and excitement were created among the inhabitants of this place, by a report that Matthews, the gardener of Samuel Peploe, Esq, at the Homme, near Weobley, had shot Mrs Wooding, a female who had the care of the house, which has been uninhabited by the family since the death of Miss Peploe. Immediately on the occurrence being known, Mr William Powell, Surgeon of this place and two constables proceeded to the Homme where Mr Powell found Mrs Wooding, wounded in the face and neck by small shot from a pistol. We are happy to state that Mrs Wooding is doing well, only a small portion of the shot being lodged in the side of the face and neck.’

Kitty’s health had been concerning her husband Samuel for a while - from the correspondence of Charlotte Grenville, Lady Williams Wynn:

Hawarden Castle September 5th 1827 We have had a very snug comfortable ten days visit to Wynnstay which we have enjoyed much. There has been no Lady excepting Mrs. Sulli- van for the first two or three days but a succession of good Males such as Lord Talbot s & his Son, 6 Mr. Peploe, Lord C. Manners, 6 etc. Mr. Peploe had left his wife at Leamington where she had been very unwell, but she hopes to find the benefit of the waters more after she leaves the place than at the time.

Kitty died at Garnstone in March 1831 aged 59, and he was greatly affected by her loss for the marriage, although childless had been a particularly happy one. In his will written a few years later he described the drawing of his wife as ‘the most important thing I own’.

Young Daniel Peploe Webb with all his siblings and family

Other misfortunes were befalling the Cornewall family at this time; Caroline's husband Sir William Duff-Gordon had recently died leaving her in reduced circumstances and she would spend the next fourteen years living mainly at Garnstone with her brother in law. It is curious that none of her diaries from this period survive and it may have been there was an unrequited love between her and her recently widowed brother in law. The relevant journals were still in existence during the 1870’ties but one of Lady Duff Gordon’s daughters may have destroyed them after her death in 1874.

Young Daniel Peploe Webb with his family

Kitty’s brother George Cornewall was heavily in debt after his father's demise, and by 1835 he was also seriously ill; Samuel’s brother-in-law Frankland Lewis thought his behaviour ‘strange'. Sir George was apparently paying off debts he had no moral obligation to keep and the family was going bankrupt as a result. He wrote to Frankland Lewis soon before he died saying 'I may have some sudden attack that may end me in a few days or I may live in this creeping state. But at all events let us have no delays. I am selling my land and have ordered every tree on the estate that is of any value to be sold. I will try to leave no debts but I shall leave six paupers who some day will come under the care of your (poor law) commissioners and they will not have to thank those who came before them.’ Sir George's two Cornewall grandsons both refused to marry because they said madness was in the family and the Baronetcy became extinct in 1962, perhaps this 'strange' behaviour of Sir George was what led them to believe in a weak gene. After his wife's death the young Webbs at Weobley Vicarage featured more prominently in Samuel's life at Garnstone when he was not travelling. Although nowhere in the same league as Kitty,, Annie was said to have been musical and ‘a gifted composer of music’ . In May 1849 she had four sacred songs published with the words selected from scripture:

No 1 – The Angels Song Luke ii 10-14 No 2 By the waters of Babylon Psalm cxxxvii No 3 – Like as the Hart desireth the water brooks Psalm xiii No 4 – Come unto me, Matthew xi 29-30

Apparently ‘the music was for one voice with accompaniment, and they forced the simplest style of Anthems.’ Daniel P-W senior frequently came over from Cheltenham to shoot partridges in the Garnstone park; those were the days before the introduction by Prince Albert of battues and driving game, and Daniel would take along 3 or 4 pointers and his servant to bring back the game. In 1830 Samuel had a wax portrait of himself made by the Countess of Denbigh, the wife of his old friend with whom he had travelled to Florence with in 1822. It was 3 3/8 cms high and showed him in profile looking to the left with a coat and cravat, and it was sold as part of the Martin Wilcock’s collection at Philips Auction House in London 10th November 1998. Hopefully one day it will return to the family. When at Garnstone Samuel himself continued his life very much as he had done before Catherine's death, riding into Hereford to discharge his duties as a magistrate, going to cattle auctions and entertaining the Herefordshire society. Visitors to Garnstone were well cared for in those days; Samuel had a regular account with Fortnum and Masons, fish came from Cheltenham and four varieties of tea were ordered from Edward Autrobus of the Strand, suppliers to Queen Victoria. There was also a regular staff of 15 at Garnstone including two footmen and an under butler, and of course visitors would bring their own valets or ladies maids. Samuel's old friend Mrs Clive recorded in her diary one particular to Garnstone when not all went according to plan:

Jan 14th 1839. On Monday 14th of Jan I got to Garnestone, and Mr Protheroe, a very good humoured, jolly sort of man; Georgy Duff-Gordon (very freindly) was with him , but without disguise, no love on either side. I shot for the first two days, and in the evening there was music but I had little opportunity to talk. The third day Mrs T came; and G. and A., Robert Devereux and I rode to Moccas to see coursing. Nothing in particular happened. The next morning I took leave to go as I was to return to Whitfield after shooting. Going upstairs I met T. and then walked into his dressing room to speak to him. Mrs T. came in and we chatted. ‘ Later Archer Clive proposed to Miss Duff-Gordon at Garnestone, she refused, but later sent him a message to say she had changed her mind. He replied saying "Tell her I have changed mine".

1841 marked the publication of Annie's first book Naomi, and the critics thought her work ‘very sensible and well written’. Other critics wrote: ‘One of the most interesting works we have read for some time. The sentiments are appropriate, the style is graceful, and the tale is well contrived… we are not, then, surprised at the popularity it has attained – it deserves it; ;and we cordially wish it further success’ – Metropolitan

‘It is in truth an admirable little volume and well worthy of yet more extensive patronage than it has already received.’ - Maidstone Journal

‘The plot is easy natural and well sustained. The narrative is gracefully written. Seldom have we read a tale better adapted for its purpose or more beautifully told’ - Monthly Review.

It was a children's book reflecting her interest in the conversion of Jews to Christianity and told of the struggle experienced by the young daughter of a Jewish High Priest after she had become a Christian. Naomi went into 20 editions over the course of 50 years and Annie went on to write up to 25 children’s books of a moral nature, she was aged 74 when her last book was published in 1879. None of her subsequent books would be quite so successful as Naomi. John Birch Webb was collated to the Prebendary stall of Preston (Hereford Cathedral) 9th December 1843, and it gave him an elevated position within Herefordshire ecclesiastical life. His sister Caroline or Aunt Cal had come to live close by at Kings Pyon after the death of her husband John Dennett at Worthing in 1843. They had had no children but she was a popular aunt and at Kings Pyon she surrounded herself with religious books and her household consisted of Sarah the cook, a maid, a footman and a chairman. However she died 5 years later soon after having had a stroke; a nurse had been called down from London but to no avail. In January 1845 Samuel too had a stroke and as a result became rather incapacitated, his sister- in-law, Lady Duff-Gordon struggled with the difficult situation as Mrs Clive of Whitfield records:

Jan 22nd 1845. Archer returned a little before 7 from Garnestone where he had shot this morning. Lady Duff- Gordon came to Archer's room and cried over her troubles. Mr Peploe, who had had a stroke requires her constant attendance and never says so much as thank you. He is read to, talked to and even sits at dinner with the rest, but is unable to converse, and when speaking forgets the end of his sentences or the proper name he wants. At the same time he is able to give orders as usual, and even the place where the men are to shoot is given by him. so are all the arrangements about dinners, guests, e.t.c.

On the 1st March 1845 there took place at Moccas Court the coming of age of Sir Velter’s Cornwall. An article in the Hereford Journal records the event as well as the ill health of Samuel:

Great rejoicings in celebration of the coming of age of Sir Velters Cornewall Bart. The Rev Gilbert F Lewis – ‘Gentlemen, I must now ask you all to fill your glasses. There is a gentleman (Samuel Peploe) who is not present here today, I regret to say, who is connected to this house of Moccas by marriage; he is a Herefordshire landlord, and has a thriving tenantry under him, and he has been one of the kindest friends that your landlord, Sir Velters Cornewall, has ever had. Hear Hear. It grieves me very much that he is not, and cannot be here, to answer for himself today, for it so happens, unhappily, that he has been for some time past in a bad state of health. He would have rejoiced in the festivities of this day, and especially to have seen my worthy cousin in the chair which he now fills. Hear Hear. You all know Mr Peploe by name. Great cheers. I thank you greatly for your cheers; I wish he was here to hear them, for he has been a friend to this house, and has long been a kind friend to Herefordshire men. Hear Hear. Allow me to propose that we drink the health of Mr Peploe, with time three. Hear Hear.

Captain Daniel Peploe Webb – Gentleman as the nearest relative present of Mr Peploe, I rise, and beg to assure you that I can hardly find words in which to thank you sufficiently for the warm manner in which you have now drunk his health. There are few persons who have been kinder to me than he has; he has been a kind uncle, indeed. I only wish he had been able to have been present; I am sure, even at the age that he now is, had he been blessed with health and strength, he would have been the first to have been here to hail with heartfelt joy his nephew, on having attained his majority, and having become landlord over such a tenantry as I now see seated at this table. hear hear. There are men of all ages present; men who have long been servants on this estate, and it gives me heartfelt delight to see one more gentleman present, who is sitting at the bottom of the table , who first taught me to put a gun to my shoulder, and I am sure every one at this table feels towards him as I do. Hear Hear. On the part of my uncle, I say again I wish he had been able to be here, and may he be blessed with health and strength long to preside over his tenantry, for I do not think that they can have a better landlord (cheers) For the way in which you have drunk his health, I beg to thank you, and may long life bless you all.

Soon after this event Samuel went to stay at Hughes’s Clarendon Hotel at Royal Leamington Spa accompanied by his neice Miss Duff-Gordon. The following day Daniel Peploe-Webb also arrived and Samuel's brother-in-law, Lord Devereux, stayed to dinner. It was clear to everyone that Samuel was failing fast and on the 24th April he died aged 71. The hotel charged £10 for ‘Mr Peploe's decease in the hotel‘. The news travelled quickly back to Garnstone and the estate began to prepare for the funeral. The family vault was repaved, black cushions were made for the Garnstone Chapel in Weobley Church and the road below Weobley Vicarage was covered with broken stones to take the funeral procession. This of course was a horse drawn affair and the relatives came in strict order of precedence, the men wearing cree bands around their hats, and the ladies in deepest black, veiled, with black gloves and black-edged handkerchiefs held to their eyes. The coaches, with the blinds down were drown by black horses with magnificently long tails, each animal carrying on its head a plume of black ostrich feathers. Next in the procession came the hearse - black once again - with clear glass sides disclosing the coffin, covered with a black pall with wreaths and flowers around it, and black ostrich feathers above. All the old friends and family were present at the funeral, those people who had become so much part of Samuel's Garnstone through the years - Lady Duff-Gordon and her family, Lord Talbot, Lord Hereford, the Lewis’s and many others. Many years later Lady Duff-Gordon reminisced:

Hertford St Sunday 19th April 1874 I occupied my self in the evening in looking over old Journals (a melancholy reminiscence) and putting dates which were (stupidly) much wanted. I read a good deal of the years 1844 and 1845, all old Garnstone Days – our Garnstone Life ended in 1845 as my poor Brother in Law Peploe with whom we had lived so constantly for 14 years died.

Henry Morgan Clifford wrote about that time: 1845 - Very soon was this followed by the deaths of Mr Sergeant Taddy and Mr Peploe of Garnstone, the latter one of my kind earliest friends, mentioned in the first pages of my story. In each of these cases I had, in addition to my own sorrow, to endeavour to console my uncle.

Samuel Peploe’s estate was worth nearly £60000 when he died in 1845.