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The Beacon Leigh Park

(mid 19th century)

   Photo Submitted by, and Copyright of G. Player:-

Looking back to my school years, I do not seem to recall the careers advisor, who I think doubled as the history teacher, ever offering me the chance to become an Orientalist, perhaps maybe because the demand in the early 1970's for Orientalists was in decline, or possibly it was my lack of knowledge regarding any oriental languages that held me back - my mediocre grade in CSE French not being regarded as a suitable substitute.
Whatever the reason, it seems my mode of travel to any unknown eastern lands will therefore have to be confined to aeroplanes and tourist bus, rather than by the 19th century Orientalist's de rigueur method of mule train, in the company no doubt of a zealous Jesuit priest, slowly picking our way over uncharted Himalayan peaks.

Clearly, it seems, from my above 'ramblings' I have read too many of Captain W.E. Johns', 'Biggles' novels in my younger years, but the career situation for Sir George Thomas Staunton in his own early years was certainly more favourable, in so much that he had one or two advantages going for him.
Being born in 1781, as opposed to my 1954, was one thing in his favour, whilst his fluent knowledge of Chinese languages, gained initially after travelling to China at the mere age of 12 with his father, ensured that he was on the path to his chosen vocation.
His father incidentally was Sir George Leonard Staunton, Baronet and diplomat, who was part of a failed 1793 diplomatic mission to that, then hidden and mysterious country.

The young Staunton first took up a position in Canton for the East India Company, and eventually returning home and having a period as an MP for, among other places, nearby Portsmouth. His knowledge of Oriental languages and history also allowed him to both translate noted western works to the Chinese languages, and also to write works of his own.
For one of his works in 1849 he came up with the short snappy title of,

"An inquiry into the proper mode of rendering the word God in translating the sacred scriptures into the Chinese language"

Any furtive searches you are tempted to make amongst the well thumbed copies of Readers Digest and National Geographic in your local doctors surgery for this particular work, will probably end in disappointment I have to add.

Staunton also shared his love of all things Chinese with that of botany, and he had an extensive plant collection at his Leigh Park Estate which is situated some 1.5 miles to the north of Havant. The majority of the estate was later to be acquired in 1944 by Portsmouth Council for housing, but over 1000 acres still remain as a park, which is open to the public most days of the year.

The Follies
Amongst the beauty of the park's landscape you will find a ruin which originally housed Sir George's library, this no doubt would have included his most prized Chinese works that he later presented to the library of King's College Cambridge.    (Sir George donated 74 books in total in the year 1853.)  

On higher ground in the park will be found The Beacon. This is a small domed circular temple of the type so popular in Regency gardens of the time, it is approximately 20 foot high, with 8 columns in the Doric style.

The Staunton memorial shown below is a small hexagonal structure in the style of a grotto, that Sir George also erected. Inside this rather now sorry looking affair are to be found various stone tablets dedicated to his ancestors.

     Photo Submitted by, and Copyright of G. Player:-

The Staunton Memorial, Leigh Park.
(mid 19th century)


    

   A Further View


    

   To the Terrace Page - Not a folly, but magnificent none the less!

Co-Ords:  approx  472000 109000 / SU720090   

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