Bamboro

aunt minerva collection
The Foster Family by W.T. Foster, cont.



"Bamboro" derives its name from Baba, one of the early Queens of Northumbria. It was by a grant from William the Conquerer that the Forsters became possessed of this splendid fortress, retaining it till 1709. In the Spring of 1895 the property was purchased by Lord Armstrong of the Armstrong gun fame and he has by this time, I presume, completed the restoration to its old time splendor. This castle is said to be superior to any other in strength and position. As the Forsters were so identified with all pertaining to Bamboro it was with no ordinary interest our little party of four claimed the winding path that morning, when, by Lord Armstrong's courtesy, we were to have entrance within the Castle walls. Eight acres are enclosed and the principal gate, of Norman build,is very imposing. On this, our first visit, we passed, in quick review, the moat, the portcullis, the towers and bastions, all remarkable for their impregnability, and hastened to the keep, a massive square building outwardly and its interior of grand proportions. In the year 1700 some efforts at repair were made but since then, till the more recent ownership, it has been somewhat neglected. Much of the elegant furniture remained, also the famous Justinian tapestries, the armour, plate, and china. Oh, how we coveted the possession of one cup. The family portraits were most interesting, especially that of Sir Walter Besant's heroine, Dorothy Forster, and that of her revolutionary brother, General Tom Forster. We peered down the wall 150 feet deep, accidently discovered in 1770 and located in a small passage way. We only had, it seemed to us, a brief time in the library, with its many priceless volumes, its missals and illuminated texts, centuries old. We had to carefully pick our way down the old warn stone steps at teh further end from that we entered, viewing on the ocean side of the castle's domains, the scene of Grace Darling's exploits. How vividly does the last night of our stay at Bamboro come to mind. At low tide we wandered far out on the sands and, looking backward, viewed, for the last time, this grand old castle and fortress the scene of so many struggles, fierce and destructive, by sea and by land, yet, like a might sphinx, immovable, calm, and majestic, with the rays of the setting sun resting in glory upon tower and turret. As for centuries it has stood, so it will stand, when we, like those whose memory we came to reverence, have passed on and generations have followed us.


(this is a massive document, very interesting. but how does it pertain to our family? W.T.Foster married Nancy Amy Bryant, who was a sister of my great great grandmother MAry Alice Bryant Higdon McMican. so, this is a branch, and I am personally not related in any way I know of to any royalty whatsoever, but I love his attention to detail and his ponderings....deb)

and due to tired fingers...to be continued. am on page 13 of 44!