The Sizergh
Malvern Connection
Earlier this year on my return from the Lake District I stopped to visit Sizergh Castle just three miles south of Kendal. It's a striking medieval house that's been extended in the 16th century. On entry the first thing you see is a collection of English armour and nearby there are a pair of High Sheriff's trumpeter's banners emblazoned with the quartered arms of Strickland and Hornyold. At first I did not realise the significance but with constant reminders of a Hornyold connection it was not long before I did.
The Strickland family had been linked with Sizergh since at least the 13th century and you could not help but feel that the central tower of the castle was a potent symbol of their power and influence. They had been prominent in the wars with Scotland and France having served with Edward III and Henry V in the Hundred Years War and one of the Stricklands had the honour of carrying the Banner of St George at the Battle of Agincourt 1415. Apparently the Stricklands were prominent as Catholic royalists in the 17th century and paid heavily for their loyalty having to go into exile with the court of James II at the Court of St-Germain. They returned to Sizergh as impoverished Jacobites in the early 18th century and had to conserve their resources in order to recover their position.
As I continued my exploration of this most interesting house I came to a lovely two panel screen of birds worked in Chinese style by one Alice Hornyold. I stopped in my tracks and upon enquiry discovered that yes this was the family that came from Malvern. Alice's portrait revealed a sensitive artistic looking lady, maybe not surprising for someone born in France of a French father and an English mother. In 1888 she had married one Alfred Hornyold of Malvern (1850-1921) a rather dignified patrician looking gentleman. I soon discovered why their portraits were looking down at me.
How had the alliance between these two junior branches of the Catholic families of Strickland and the Hornyold come about? If the Stricklands could point to a distinguished pedigree so could the Hornyolds with their Worcestershire connection at Hanley Castle stretching back to at least the reign of Henry III. Apparently Sir Gerald Strickland GCMG 6th Count Della Catena and 1st Baron Strickland of Sizergh (1861-1940) had a daughter Mary as his sole heir. In 1920 she married Henry Hornyold, the son of the aforementioned Alfred and Alice Hornyold. Sir Gerald decided that Henry would not be allowed to inherit and continue living at Sizergh unless he changed his name. So Henry did the sensible thing, bowed to the inevitable and changed his name to Henry Hornyold-Strickland
adding the arms of Strickland. That was done in 1932 and Sir Gerald died eight years later secure in the knowledge that Sizergh would remain in the hands of Henry and his daughter Mary.
And that was the end of the story, you may think, well not quite for in 1950 burdened with taxes Henry again did the sensible thing and he and Mary with their son Lt Cdr Thomas donated Sizergh to the National Trust. The Lt Cdr's widow Angela Hornyold-Strickland still lives at Sizergh.
Genealogy may not be everyone's cup of tea but the portraits at Sizergh are well worth seeing, particularly the portraits of Alice Hornyold's great grand-parents, Col John Matthews and his wife Elizabeth Ellis painted by George Romney and dated 1786. They were donated to the National Gallery in London in 1929 and for many years were on loan to 10 Downing Street where they hung alongside portraits of Nelson and Wellington. Today they are back on loan at Sizergh in the Stone Parlour. Another feature that has been returned to Sizergh on loan, this time from the Victoria & Albert Museum, is the inlaid panelling in the State Bedchamber. It is regarded as the finest that can be seen in an English Country House. Sizergh is another of those surprising Malvern connections that I hope you can visit.