At 11 am on Sunday Feb 3, David Thompson and I, representing the Friends, joined House Staff and Nick Wickenden to welcome ten visitors to the House. They were descendants of Arthur Pryor, a brewer, who bought Hylands in 1851. Pryor, known locally as "the squire", also financed the building of Widford Church.
A portrait of Arthur Pryor hangs on the east wall of the Banqueting Room: opposite, on the west wall, is a portrait of his wife.
The Pryor family members were impressed with the quality of the restored House: for some it was their first visit.
They brought with them a number of old photo albums, packed with interesting glimpses of Hylands' past. The albums have been lent to Nick Wickenden, with permission to copy the photos. We look forward to seeing them.
Patrick Bermingham
Newsletter Editor