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The original site of a Norman manor house was given to Whiggins ancestor, Frederick de Oui-gens by Norman the Conqueror in the late 11th Century. The Whiggins have long been esteemed by royalty and have been servants to the empire.
The Whiggins have a long history of association with cricket. In fact the first reference to cricket being played as an adult sport was in 1611 when two men were prosecuted for playing cricket instead of going to church. It is indeed a Whiggins family legend that one of these men was in fact Egberte Whigginse. The family is at least as old as cricket. Of course if one is very lucky one can peruse the magnificent collection of sporting art in the Library at Cleedales. One prized position is an early Rembrandt portrait of John of Tetney, a respected ‘spignere of the balle’ and Van Gogh’s little known portrait of W G Grace. A progressive family too are the Whiggins and as one would expect there are series of Pop Art cricket art works by Warhol, ‘the Stump’ by Duchamp and even a Tracy Emine installation entitled ‘Wicket’. A more educational and comprehensive artistic collection featuring our glorious summer game can not be found in any gallery, anywhere. It is rumoured that Nelstrop Whiggins once presented Martin Scorcese with a script and finance for a film ‘The NightWatchman’. It was also believed that De Niro, Pucino and the fabulous Farah Fwacett-Majors where in serious talks about securing the major roles. Sadly this feature did not come to fruition, but recently Keanu Reeves has attempted to buy the rights for the film.
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