A personal incident occurred at Ogbourne Saint George, Wiltshire, England, in 1936  In the summer of that year William Fielding Ogburn, whose ancestor Symon Ogbourne, came to Virginia with the early settlers, visited that village. Unannounced he called at the Manor House. At his request the lady came to the door, but a short wait had given time enough for the strange young American to make provision for keeping the door open in case the English lady was prejudiced against Americans and wished to end the interview too soon. Ogburn had put his foot in the door-no small obstruction.

As could have been expected, the Ogburn charm won out. After a few soft words and a smile he was invited to see the house from wine-cellar to attic. Over the teacups it was agreed that the forebears of the first of his name in Virginia came from the village of Ogbourne. He had the right answer to his hostess’ objection to Americans because they lived in cities rather than in the country. His brother lived in the country in Westchester County, New York and when he referred vaguely to the horses and dogs in Westchester there was a perceptible rise in his stock. His hostess rode to the hounds as do many of the English country families in Wiltshire and she did not have a high opinion of denizens of the city, an attitude characteristic of English landowners in the eighteenth century and earlier.

To see the sixteenth century Manor House was a pleasant experience. At the time of this visit it was owned by Cambridge University and rented to the lady who loved country life. When my husband and I were in Oxford during the winter of 1953 a mutual~friend told the young couple who had bought the Manor House about us and we were invited to dinner. They were a charming young couple and seemed to take pleasure in showing us the house, especially the improvements they had made in it.

The entrance hall was as large as a room. A large drawing room and larger drawing room were entered from each side of the hall, and beyond the latter was a library. The impression was one of spacious luxury. The alterations had left it comfortable even to central heating, but the heat was not on the day we were there even though it was quite cold. As we huddled over the small fire our hostess mentioned the new heating system but said they had not felt the need of it yet. The English seldom feel the need of heat, apparently even in winter.

from “AS I WAS TOLD” by Rubyn Reynolds Ogburn 1958

CHAPTER IV   EARLY OGBOURNES