abstract
| - Sotherton Court, referred to simply as "Sotherton", is an estate in Mansfield Park. It is owned by James Rushworth. It is ten miles away from Mansfield, the palatial estate owned by Sir Thomas Bertram. It is about 700 acres, and thus is a very large property. The house is old and of some grandeur. According to Rushworth, the house was built during Elizabeth's time. It is a large, regular brick building, and very respectable looking with some good rooms. The only downside to the house is its placement in the park. It stands in the lowest spots of the park, and is unfavorable for improvements and expansions. Mr. Rushworth and Maria Bertram, his intended, were talking about necessary renovations for the estate. Mrs. Norris proclaimed that an estate such as Sotherton would need no reservations, but Rushworth insisted upon doing them. Rushworth talked about getting his friend Mr. Repton, to help him with the renovations, as he was able to make a Mr. Smith's estate the talk of the country. Lady Bertram suggested that Rushworth have a very pretty shrubbery. When Fanny Price visited the estate with the group from Mansfield, including Miss Crawford, she was a bit disappointed in the chapel. She complained to Edmund Bertram that there were "no aisles, no arches, no inscriptions, no banners". Fanny, with her romantic turn of mind of such things, wished there were some indication that a Scottish monarch was buried in the chapel. The chapel had been built a lot later than the house proper, however, which Edmund pointed out to his cousin upon hearing her complaints. According to Mrs. Rushworth, the chapel was built in James II's time. It was often in use during her husband's life, when daily prayers were read.
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