South Yorkshire Times, January 9th, 1960
Historic Houghton
Earl of Strafford’s Visit to Claim his Bride
How many people realise that in the heart of industrial South Yorkshire there remains one of the finest pieces of Tudor architecture in this country? This is Houghton Old Hall. A century ago a chronicler noted with deep concern that it had been “degraded to the uses of a village ale-house.” It still functions as such though “degraded” would hardly be the appropriate term. Indeed, the chances are that had it not performed that useful function it would not be standing today.
A Relic
Like a piece of tapestry or old lace, Houghton Old Hall becomes by comparison more precious with age, but whether it can survive much longer in a materialistic and strictly commercial age is a matter of doubt. Battered by the storms and stresses of five centuries, it now presents a picture of crumbling decay, to which distance alone lends enchantment.
Is Houghton Old Hall worth preserving? If the answer is yes, the antiquarian interest who could save it must of necessity act quickly. No other object in the Dearne Valley has the same claim to interesting antiquity and one point of romantic interest which gives Houghton Old Hall special distinction is the fact that it was there that the ill-fated Earl of Strafford claimed the bride who shared his fortunes until his execution.
This is one of the phases of Houghton Hall history which Mr. Joss Hudson, Wombwell historian, mentions in a treatise he has written for the benefit of our readers.
Mentioning that Houghton Old Hall was originally the seat of the Rodes family, he goes on, the Rodes family were deeply religious. In the year 1650 Sir Edward Rodes erected near his mansion a building for the performance of religious worship by his family and tenantry. What, however, throws further glory over Great Houghton is the fact that Elizabeth, one of the sisters of Edward Rodes, was the third wife of Sir Thomas Wentworth, the Great Earl of Strafford, who was executed in 1641. They were married privately in October 1632, a year after the death of Wentworth’s second wife, and in consequence many distinguished personages visited Houghton Old Hall. He concealed the alliance for some time. Wentworth had been so successful as Lord President of the North that the King was induced to offer to him the office of Lord Deputy of Ireland, which he accepted.
He received his commission early in 1632. Armed with extraordinary powers for which he had carefully stipulated, he proceeded to Dublin in July 1632. His wife was sent over to Ireland before him and she remained with him during his seven years at government. He there entered upon his duties with great estate, awarded the ceremonial of the English Court to be observed at the castle, and surrounded himself with a guard which at the time was a rare novelty in Dublin. Elizabeth Rodes has been described by one author as a pretty but commonplace woman. The following is taken from a Cavalier’s Notebook. William Blundell, Captain of Dragoons, 1642, page 104.
Cavaliers Picture
“I saw the Earl of Strafford in Dublin (June 1639) when he was the Lord Deputy in far greater state (in some respects) than the King of England. The Earl of Ormond was pointed out to me as riding with the deputy’s own troop. I saw one princely stable of the deputy’s wherein I judged the worst of 60 horses to be worth £30. His Lordships paternal estate was £4,000 to £5,000 per annum, which he lived to double, but dying in debt to the extent of about £80,000. His son had sold part of the estate to pay £20,000 of this debt which had been incurred as surety for the King, or by taking up the like sum for His Majesty at the beginning of the war in Yorkshire.”
When trouble fell the distinguished man lingered in the country with his wife and family ‘til late in the year 1640.
Last Farewell
On November 5th he was still at Wentworth but was then on the eve of his departure to attend his great concerns in London. With what feelings he took his last farewell of the peaceful and happy scenes of his less ambitious ancestry, we may gather from an expression in one of his letters to his ever-faithful servant Sir George Redcliffe. About the end of May following he returned not to the house but to the sepulcher of his ancestors. His wife, we are told, remained in Ireland during all the period of his extreme suffering.
There is a letter extant dated from the Tower of London February 4th, 1641 in which the Earl informs his wife that “the charge is now cum inn and I am able to prayse God to tell you that I conseave there is nothing capitall, and for the rest I now at the worste pray. His ma’ty will pardon all without hurting my fortune and then we shall be happy by God’s grace.”
In another letter dated April 19th, he writes that his trial as to fact is near to an end, and there remained only matter of law to be spoken to, that the King continued gracious to him and his friends increased rather than lessened. He concludes by trusting all will end well and bidding her be of good cheer. On 12th May 1641 he was no more, but the day before his execution he solemnly enjoined his son “be sure you give all respect to my wife.”
In the time of Sir Edward Rodes, Richard Taylor was for some time the officiating minister at Houghton Chapel. He had been prevented by the Act of Uniformity from exercising his ministry in public. He found shelter as chaplain under the family at Great Houghton and afterwards lived with Mr. Wordsworth at Swaithe Hall.
The family of Rodes were eminent for their non-conformity and their house at Great Houghton long forms an asylum for the ejected and persecuted clergy of that period.
The following reference to Houghton Old Hall may be found in the British Museum:
“Let Houghton Hall their memory revive,
“Keep up religion you that do survive,
“Let’s meet and pray and preach ‘til we be fit,
“As blissful peers with them in heaven sit,
“I dare not attempt their virtues fame,
“Their grace and their gifts but once to name.”
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