Greystone Abbey Author:Emily Foster Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: from which it is thought to have derived its name; and, as the structure is both curious and ancient, it is believed that at one period it was really an Abbey. ... more » The grounds are extensive, and there is a par- ticularly fine orchard, which confirms the idea thatf the place was once inhabited by monks and friars. As the greater part of Dewhurst is comprised in this estate, it is a fine and valuable property. On leaving the church, and pursuing the road to the right for about two miles, we come to Grass- dale. There is a nearer way over the fields, and) down a lane, but it is not much frequented. A mile beyond Grassdale is the town of Thornley, to which the inhabitants of Dewhurst and Grassdale often resort, to purchase whatever they require. Having given a brief outline of Dewburst and its surroundings, and spoken of Greystone Abbey, we shall now endeavour to make the reader acquainted with its inhabitants. chapter{Section 4CHAPTER II. THE BARONET AND HIS FAMILY. IN the spacious library of the Abbey sat Sir Robert Clifford. It was the early summer time, and the windows were open, yet a fire burnt brightly in the highly- polished grate, for Sir Robert was partial to a fire in his library, and, except in hot weather, always had one. From the place where he sits he can obtain a fine view of his estate, and the surrounding country, which looks especially beautiful at this season of the year. But he is not thinking of the beauty of the scene ; his eyes rest dreamily on a picture hanging opposite to him, and his thoughts have evidently flown to the past,—to that brief, happy period, which he would give all he possesses to recall. The picture on which his eyes rested was the portrait of his second wife, Lady Lucy. It represented her sitting on a stile, arr...« less