encountered. To locate the spot within a couple of miles, we
may state that Brailes is its nearest village; the nearest town
is Banbury, some nine miles away to the east.

Perhaps if we were to analyse the peculiar charm this venerable
pile conveys, we should find that it is the wonderful _colour_,
the harmonies of greys and greens and reds which pervade its
countless chimney clusters and curious step-gables. We will be
content, however, with the fascinating results, no matter how
accomplished, without inquiring into the why and wherefore; and
pondering over the possibilities of the marvellous in such a
building see, if the interior can carry out such a supposition.

[Illustration: SCOTNEY HALL, SUSSEX]

[Illustration: COMPTON WINYATES, WARWICKSHIRE]

Wending our way to the top of the house, past countless old-world
rooms and corridors, we soon discover evidences of the days of
priest-hunting. A "Protestant" chapel is on the ground floor
(with a grotesquely carved screen of great beauty), but up in
the roof we discover another--a "Popish" chapel. From this there
are numerous ways of escape, by staircases and passages leading
in all directions, for even in the almost impenetrable seclusion
of this house the profoundest secrecy was necessary for those
who wished to celebrate the rites of the forbidden religion.
Should the priest be surprised and not have time to descend one
of the many staircases and effect his escape by the ready means
in the lower part of the house, there are secret closets between
the timber beams of the roof and the wainscot into which he could