Widey, seat of Anderson Morshead, Esq. (1828)

Crossing, William. Westcountry people and places. Plymouth: Western Weekly news, 27th December 1902. (Westcountry Studies Library: articles collected in West country places and people Vol. I. pp. 71-2.) Herrick refers to the custom of "Watching the Pie," in the observance of which a solitary individual sat up through the night preceding Christmas-day, to keep guard over the toothsome dish. The pie itself was supposed to represent the manger at Bethlehem, and its contents the offerings of the Magi. If it was usual to observe this custom in a certain mansion two miles from the good town of Plymouth, there is little doubt that on one Christmas-eve, at all events, it was neglected - a Christmas-eve that fell some four years before the poet-vicar of Dean Prior made way for his successor under the Commonwealth. This English home was Widey, where towards the end of the year 1643, Prince Maurice, nephew of Charles I., had established his quarters, and confident of victory, promised his soldiers that on Christmas-day they should enter the besieged town.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *But the men of Plymouth had no intention of allowing their town to fall into the hands of the enemy, and when Prince Maurice brought a battery of over 200 cannon against them, and a breach in their walls was effected, they, by dint of hard work, repaired in the night the damage that had been done during the day. Then, when another breach was made, the besieged sallied forth and attacked the besiegers, compelling them to surrender. Later, when summoned by the Prince to lay down their arms, they answered him with their cannon. And so the days passed by, but the Prince was no nearer the attainment of his object, and when Christmas-eve arrived it saw no preparations at Widey for the hoped-for entry into Plymouth. Instead, there were only those attendant on the departure of Maurice and his staff, for on Christmas-day the siege was raised. This episode in the history of Plymouth forms perhaps one of the most noteworthy events that have taken place in the Westcountry during the twelve days of Christmas, […][During September 1644, King Charles I himself was at Widey and it was after his stay there that the house was renamed Widey Court. After various owners and uses (in 1941 the house was requisitioned and used by the City Police), the house was compulsorily purchased by the City of Plymouth in 1952. However, sadly, Widey Court had deteriorated beyond repair and in 1954 it was demolished.][Text may be taken from a different source or edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

Aquatint

115x184mm

Repository of Arts; no. 64. Pl. 19, Vol. XII.