Edward Knight's Family
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Elizabeth Austen, later Knight, continued.
'... somehow, into a pony carriage – in which he tore about his property and even went as far as Dover. Nothing could prevail on him not to do so, he was as brave as a lion and determined to carry on his active life as far as he could. But in this respect he was a constant anxiety to his family! It is remarkable that, scattered as his sons were by their professions, all the twelve surviving sons and daughters of Edward Rice stood round his grave to take leave of him when he died, in 1878.
Very different the memories of my third visit, when, in the Summer of 1880, at eleven years old, I travelled alone from Devonshire to pay a fortnight's visit to Dane Court and 'grandmama'. This fortnight was wonderful from beginning to end, and has always been a treasured memory. All that Evelyn Templetown wrote was true, the house, the grounds are wonderfully described and just as I remember them, even to the sheep which came so close to the front door, unimpeded by any wall or paling!
The house with its perfume of cedar wood, the sweet scents which pervaded the drawing-room, the indescribable charm of the winding passages and beautiful rooms so full of treasures, at once took possession of my senses. But though all was rare, even more was all pleasant and lovely within and without; the feeling was that of a home loved and lived in for long years. Dane Court at once held me in its embrace and through succeeding years has been one of the joys of my long life.'
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