The Horsham Preservation and Historical Association (HPHA) received a cast bronze statue of a horse at gallop from the Dillon family of New Hope. The Dillon’s, long time supporters of historic preservation and HPHA, moved from a horse farm in Buckingham to a new location that made it difficult to keep the statue for themselves and decided to give it a new home here at the Penrose-Strawbridge House.
The statue has now been placed next to the grave site and headstone of
Welsh Strawbridge was a fox hunter and steeplechase racer and also raised thoroughbreds. He and his favorite horse, River Breeze, won sixteen Steeplechase races in the 1920s. When River Breeze died in 1948 he was buried in the field behind the farmhouse. The horse’s companion, a dog named Pip, was buried next to him. The area has been highlighted by a landscape design of river stone.
The statue has become a favorite attraction ....
We are sad to report that Mr. Dillon passed away in 2011.