Because of Her: Buckworth Castle and Its Saga

History records that because of one little girl, Buckworth Castle is still standing today.

When the son of Chester Everett Buckingham married the daughter of Penelope Jane Worthington, everyone dubbed their new home on the outskirts of town, Buckworth Castle. It wasn't as if they were well-to-do to anyone's knowledge. It did look like a castle, as it was huge, had a turret, sunken gardens and a moat with a gate. The place was almost in ruins, but it was home to the newlyweds.

The son, Gregory Jeremiah did not want contemporary renovations and his wife, Alyssa Mariana did not want Victorian. As they shopped for new furniture, their vociferous disputes reverberated around the town.   

"Why not just split the house in two?" a struggling, young artist painting a picture outside the furniture store, suggested.

"One of you could live upstairs and the other downstairs," a very, upset, sales lady, said emphatically. She was relieved when they left, as after three hours of constant bickering, the couple had not purchased anything.

"Just tear that old place down!" said the furious, cab driver, who had been driving them around for most of the day. He was tired of waiting for them and fed up with their arguing.

"Why not get a divorce?" a fat, elderly lady, wearing a floral hat, said with disgust. She finally gave up, after almost throwing her handbag at them.

In the restaurant, a pretty, little girl with long, blonde ringlets, was sitting at a nearby table. She got up and walked over to the couple, who were screaming at each other.

"You should have a baby," she said, innocently. "My mommy and daddy had me and now they are happy."   

Buckworth Castle was never the same again. In fact, Chester Everett, the second, was soon playing with Penelope Jane, named after her mother. Then, came identical twins, Theodore Timothy and Thomas Trevor. Genevieve Margaret was born next. Muriel Marietta was the baby for a few years, until Sydney Francis came along. (Birth control was unheard of, in those days.) Oops, Henry Egbert, the eighth, arrived a few years later.

Gradually, Buckworth Castle was restored but, neither as contemporary, nor Victorian. That no longer seemed important.

Do you want to know why? It was because of her, that little girl.