DUKERIES
=How to get there.=—From King's Cross. Great Northern Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Worksop Station.
=Distance from London.=—146-1/2 miles.
=Average Time.=—3-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 20s. 1d. … 12s. 2-1/2d.
Return 40s. 2d. … 24s. 5d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Royal Hotel," etc., at Worksop.
=Alternative Route.=—From Marylebone or to Dukeries Junction from
King's Cross.
The district known as the "Dukeries" is undoubtedly the finest portion of what remains of the famous Sherwood Forest associated with Robin Hood and his "merrie men." The name "Dukeries" arises from the fact that within the boundaries of the forest were once the homes of the Dukes of Portland, Newcastle, Norfolk, Leeds, and Kingston. The Dukes of Norfolk and Leeds no longer hold their property, and Earl Manvers, as a representative of the Kingston family, preserves at Thoresby the traditions of his race. At Welbeck the Duke of Portland, and at Clumber the Duke of Newcastle, still keep up their magnificent homes. To the latter noblemen the majority of the "Dukeries" belongs. The drive round this lovely part of the forest is nearly 30 miles, through beautiful scenery.
Worksop, with its fine old priory church, is one of the best starting-points for a tour round the Dukeries. Clumber House, the seat of the Duke of Newcastle, is 4 miles from Worksop, and orders to see the interior can be obtained from the Newcastle agent, in Park Street, by writing a day or two beforehand. The mansion, built in 1772, is very magnificent and contains some priceless pictures.
Thoresby House, the seat of Earl Manvers, is not far distant from Clumber. The present house, which was designed by Salvin in 1868, is the third home of the Manvers which has occupied this site.
Welbeck Abbey, the home of the Duke of Portland, is another of the important seats in the district, standing in the centre of one of the finest parks in the kingdom. The mansion itself is not a showplace, but when the family is not in residence various parts of it are exhibited upon payment of 1s., any weekday except Saturday. An extra shilling will enable the visitor to view the underground apartments.
The whole of the "Dukeries" district teems with interesting places,
ancient and modern. From Mansfield one may visit Hardwick Hall, Bolsover
Castle, and Newstead Abbey, beloved of Byron (see Index), while Belvoir
Castle (see Index) and Woolaton Hall are within easy distance.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
CLUMBER HOUSE
The seat of the Duke of Newcastle. It was built in 1772.]
HADDON HALL, DERBYSHIRE
=How to get there.=—Through train from St. Pancras or change at
Derby. Midland Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Rowsley (1-1/2 miles distant).
=Distance from London.=—149-1/2 miles.
=Average Time.=—4 to 4-1/3 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 19s. 11d. … 12s. 4-1/2d.
Return 39s. 10d. … 24s. 9d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—At Bakewell—"Rutland Arms Hotel,"
"Red Lion," "Castle," etc.
Haddon Hall, the most perfect of baronial mansions existing in England, is situated in a wonderfully picturesque position on a limestone rock overlooking the river Wye in Derbyshire. The manor was originally given by William the Conqueror to William Peveril, the famous "Peveril of the Peak" of Scott's novel. In the reign of Henry II. the lands reverted to the Crown, and the property was granted to the Avenalls, from whom it passed by marriage to the Vernons, of whom the last, Sir George, known as the "King of the Peak," died in 1567. His daughter, the celebrated Dorothy Vernon, married John Manners, son of the Earl of Rutland, and thus the property passed to the Rutland family, who are still the owners.
The mansion is approached by a small bridge crossing the river Wye, whence one enters, under a lofty archway, the first courtyard. In this beautiful quadrangle one of the most interesting features is the chapel at the south-west corner. This chapel, which is one of the oldest portions of the structure, is Norman, with some later work. Almost opposite, on the left, is the magnificent porch and bay-window leading into the great hall. It is exactly as it was in the days of the Vernons, with its dais and table at which the "lord of the feast" sat, its huge fireplace, timber roof, and minstrels' gallery. Adjoining it is the dining-room, a magnificent apartment erected by the "King of the Peak." Here there is a remarkably fine oriel window, richly ornamented with carving.
Among other interesting features in the second courtyard are the drawing-room, hung with the original arras, the long gallery, and the ancient state-room, adjoining which is the Peveril Tower, the highest point and oldest portion of the hall. The long gallery, with its stately bay-windows, looks on to the well-known terrace and the magnificent garden, made so familiar by photographs.
Haddon Hall may be seen by visitors from nine till dusk, a gratuity being generally given to the attendant.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
THE BALL-ROOM AT HADDON HALL]
THE ISLE OF ATHELNEY, AND SEDGEMOOR
THE SCENE OF MONMOUTH'S DEFEAT
=How to get there.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Athelney.
=Distance from London.=—150-1/2 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4-1/2 to 5-3/4 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 26s. 8d. 16s. 8d. 13s. 4d.
Return 53s. 4d. 33s. 4d. 26s. 8d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Railway Hotel."
The Isle of Athelney, the hiding-place of Alfred the Great, at the time when the fortunes of England lay trembling in the balance, is a slightly elevated plot of land where the river Parret joins the Tone. In Alfred's days it was a small island surrounded by an impenetrable morass, and thickly grown with alders. Here tradition places the hut in which the king, deep in thought, allowed the good wife's cakes to burn. Soon a little band of faithful followers joined Alfred, and together they built a causeway over the marshes, eventually constructing a fort from which successful sallies were made against the Danes in the vicinity. The rally of the Saxons round their intrepid king resulted in the victory of Ethandune, and out of gratitude for his success, Alfred built on the island an abbey, of which a few relics, including the famous Alfred Jewel, remain to-day. A monument erected by Mr. John Slade marks the spot.
A mile to the north is Boroughbridge with its solitary hill, on which many believe that Alfred built his chief fort. The hill is now crowned by the ruins of St. Michael's Church, St. Michael being the saint whose name is associated with most of our hill-top shrines. Ling, the next village, is thought to be a corruption of Atheling.
Athelney is on the edge of the flat valley of Sedgemoor, the scene of Monmouth's defeat in 1685. The royal troops were quartered in the villages of Weston Zoyland, Middlezoy, and Chedzoy, their headquarters being Weston Zoyland, round which the battle raged most fiercely. Knowing the carelessness that prevailed in the royal camp, Monmouth attempted a night attack. On Sunday night, July 5, therefore, his troops stole out. But they were foiled and trapped by the broad ditches called "rhines," in which they lost their way in a helpless fashion, and a pistol that went off in the confusion roused the Royalists, with the result that Monmouth's followers were hopelessly routed, a thousand being slain.
[Illustration: THE "ISLAND" OF ATHELNEY.
The Alfred memorial is in the foreground, and in the distance is the
"Mump," the lonely hill surmounted by the ruined church of
Boroughbridge.]
RAGLAN CASTLE
=How to get there.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Raglan.
=Distance from London.=—151-1/2 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 26s. 9d. 16s. 9d. 18s. 4-1/2d.
Return 46s. 10d. 29s. 4d. 26s. 9d.
Fares via Monmouth are slightly cheaper.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Beaufort Arms."
Raglan Castle stands on a hill near a tributary of the Usk. It is the most celebrated ruin on the borders of Wales, and is well preserved. There is a six-sided keep with walls 10 feet thick, and a gateway with two ivy-clad towers. It dates probably from Edward IV.'s reign, although some writers give an earlier time. Before its destruction by the Parliamentarians the castle was a magnificent structure. A massive gateway leads to the arched bridge over the moat by which entrance was gained to the castle. The moat, 30 feet broad, surrounded the keep. The great hall had a fine roof of Irish bog oak, and the gallery was of great length.
This fortress was garrisoned for Charles I. by the sturdy old Earl of Worcester, who was created a marquess in 1642. He collected an army of 1500 foot-soldiers and 500 horse, which was commanded by his son, the second marquess. After his defeat at Naseby, in July 1645, Charles fled to Raglan and stayed till September. Sir Thomas Fairfax besieged the castle in June 1646, and after a three months' siege the marquess honourably surrendered to the Parliamentary forces.
This was the last stronghold in the west to hold out for Charles. The walls of the keep were destroyed, and, in defiance of the terms of surrender, the aged marquess was imprisoned. He died the following year, and was buried in Windsor Castle.
The second marquess was a mechanical genius, who invented what was known as a "Water-commanding Engine." He erected an apparatus in the moat which spouted water as high as the top of the castle. This was the first practical attempt to use steam as a mechanical agent. The marquess also used his various mechanical contrivances to terrify a body of villagers who came to search the castle for arms in the cause of the Parliament. When the machines were set agoing the rustics fled, believing lions or some other forms of wild animals were after them. This marquess died in London in 1667, and was buried in Raglan Church.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
RAGLAN CASTLE.
It probably dates from the reign of Edward IV.]
DOVEDALE
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Thorpe Cloud, at the south end of Dovedale.
=Distance from London.=—152 miles.
=Average Time.=—About 4 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 20s. 6d. … 12s. 1-1/2d.
Return 39s. 10d. … …
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Izaak Walton Hotel," at Ham;
"The Peveril Hotel," near Thorpe; "Green Man," "White Hart,"
etc., at Ashbourne.
=Alternative Routes.=—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway
to Ashbourne, thence by coach; or train from King's Cross,
Great Northern Railway.
Dovedale is the apt name given to the valley of the Dove, a river rising on the borders of Derby and Stafford, near Buxton and Axe Edge Hill, and, after a course of 45 miles, joining the Trent at Newton Solney. The portion of its course chiefly associated with the name begins half a mile from the village of Thorpe, which may be reached from Ashbourne, the nearest station, by coach. From Thorpe the river is approached by a stony declivity on the east of Thorpe Cloud.
The footpath is throughout on the Derbyshire side of the stream, and may be reached from the Staffordshire side either by crossing the narrow bridge or some stepping-stones at Thorpe Cloud. For some distance after entering the valley the footpath follows the margin of the river, whose banks are a mass of magnificent foliage, intermixed with a tangle of brambles, honeysuckle, and wild roses. On the Staffordshire bank, a little further up, the foliage suddenly changes to a mass of sheer cliff, changing again to a mass of rifted rocks, divided into curious turret-like terminations. This striking formation is known as Dovedale Church, and is accompanied on the Derbyshire side by a number of rocks which appear from below to terminate in sharp pinnacles, and have been named "Tissington Spires," from the village close by. About 200 yards beyond the "Church," on the Derbyshire bank, is the entrance to Reynard's Cave, a huge cavern with an entrance 40 feet high by 20 wide, from which the view over the dale is superb.
Throughout its whole length of nearly 3 miles the Dovedale scenery is the extraordinary mixture of ruggedness and soft beauty, which makes it unequalled, in its particular style, in the kingdom.
Dovedale is associated with the name of Izaak Walton and his friend
Charles Cotton, the poet.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
TISSINGTON SPIRES, DOVEDALE.]
WELLINGTON AND THE WREKIN, SHROPSHIRE
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Wellington.
=Distance from London.=—152-1/4 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 3-3/4 to 4-3/4 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 22s. 8d. 15s. 0d. 12s. 0-1/2d.
Return 42s. 2d. 26s. 6d. 24s. 1d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Wrekin Hotel," etc.
=Alternative Route.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
To reach the top of the Wrekin from Wellington—a distance of 3 miles—one must follow the main road to Shrewsbury for a mile; then turning to the left, having skirted a ridge of the hills, and following a lane one reaches the foot of the ascent. The Wrekin, although it rises in such a compact and lonely fashion from the level country, is not one single height, but a range consisting of four hills. Those on the north-east are called the Ercall and Lawrence hills, while those on the west are the Wrekin and Primrose hills.
The Wrekin is composed of igneous rocks, and is one of the most remarkable examples of eruptive trap in England. Its shoulders are of silurian and carboniferous strata. The sedimentary deposits within the influence of the volcanic action have passed through considerable changes, the sandstone having become granitic quartz rock, chiefly composed of pure white quartz with particles of decomposed felspar.
Close to the valleys of Little Wenlock, to the south-east of the Wrekin, are irregularly shaped bosses of basaltic greenstone.
The folk-lore concerning the Wrekin is, of course, rich and full of detail. One legend says that two giants set to work to make themselves a citadel, and dug out the earth required for the purpose from the bed of the Severn. The top of the Wrekin is 1335 feet high, and owing to its remarkably isolated position the horizon on a clear day has a circumference of 350 miles. It is not surprising, therefore, that the hill was used as a beacon station in early days. The great sweeping prospect from the summit includes the Malvern Hills, Caradoc and the Brown Clee group, Plinlimmon, Cader Idris, the Brecknock Beacons, Arran Fowdy, and the Berwin chain of mountains, overtopped by the Snowdon range.
Wellington is chiefly modern, and its old church was rebuilt in 1789.
The chief industry is nail-making.
[Illustration: Valentine & Sons, Ltd.
THE WREKIN FROM WELLINGTON.]
WROXETER AND THE ROMAN CITY OF URICONIUM, SALOP
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Upton Magna via Shrewsbury (Wroxeter lies 2-1/2
miles south of Upton Magna).
=Distance from London.=—159 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 3-1/4 to 5 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 23s. 10d. 15s. 9d. 12s. 7d.
Return 44s. 0d. 27s. 6d. 25s. 2d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—At Shrewsbury, "Raven Hotel," "Lion
Hotel," "George Hotel," etc.
The village of Wroxeter would not be of exceptional interest but for the proximity of the site of the Roman city of Uriconium. It is owing to this fact that the churchyard gate is composed of Roman pillars and capitals. A summer-house in an adjoining garden is also made of Roman materials, and the church contains a font in the form of an adapted Roman capital, obtained with the rest from Uriconium. The church is chiefly Norman, but probably a portion of the south wall of the chancel is Saxon.
The little village occupies the southern extremity of the Roman city whose circumference measures about 3 miles. One can trace the limits of the place by the indications of the vallum and fosse.
There is no doubt that Uriconium was the Romanised capital of the Cornavii, a British tribe, and it is equally well known that the town became the centre of a network of great roads leading in different directions. The walls enclosed an area more than twice the size of Roman London, and one may easily gauge its importance and its princely style of buildings from the traces of its forum and its amphitheatre, as well as from its wide streets.
The huge destruction brought about when the city was overwhelmed by the West Saxons left the place a mass of ruins, for there are evident signs that the place was plundered and burned. During the Middle Ages there must have been, however, more than mere rubbish heaps, and the many walls then standing were probably destroyed by monks in order to furnish cheap material for ecclesiastical buildings. There is, notwithstanding this, a great piece of wall 72 feet long by 20 feet high. The other remains consist of a blacksmith's shop and the site of a market-place. A warming apparatus under one of the floors is even more perfect than is usually discovered in Rome. The key of the enclosure containing the chief portion of the remains is obtainable at the neighbouring cottage.
[Illustration: Valentine & Sons, Ltd.
WROXETER.
Remains of the Roman city of Uriconium at Wroxeter. The wall is 20 feet high in places. A warming apparatus in the foundation of one of the houses is more perfect than those usually found in Rome.]
BUILDWAS ABBEY, SHROPSHIRE
=How to get there.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Buildwas Junction (1/2 mile from Abbey).
=Distance from London.=—160 miles.
=Average Time.=—4-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 24s. 2d. 16s. 3d. 13s.
Return 45s. 6d. 28s. 6d. 26s.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Abbey Inn."
The village of Buildwas is situated at the foot of the Wrekin, on the banks of the Severn, half a mile distant from the ruined abbey lying on the south bank of the river. It was one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in England, and was founded by Roger de Clinton the Crusader Bishop of Chester in 1135, for monks of the Cistercian order. The building, erected on the site of a hermitage, to which an early bishop of Lincoln had retired in the time of King Offa, was destined to become one of the richest establishments in the kingdom. It was partly destroyed in 1536 and the site granted to Edward Grey, Lord Powis, who married Anne, daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Sussex.
But though the monastery itself was destroyed, the outer walls of the noble church remain, together with a great portion of the massive central tower, the choir chapels, and the east end, with its delicate lancet-windows. The clerestory, with its Norman windows, is also intact on both sides of the nave, and between the columns are remains of the screen which once shut off the eastern aisle. The door on the south side leading to the dormitories of the monks may still be traced.
The ruins of the chapter-house are remarkably fine, and in good preservation, with a beautiful early Gothic groined roof. Beyond the chapter-house are the refectory and kitchen, and on the side next to the river were the cloisters. In the outer court of the abbey stood the lodge, and there was formerly a fine gatehouse, which collapsed in 1828, and is now almost entirely gone.
The brook, that once flowed across the abbey court, still works the mill close by; but the fine old bridge over the Severn, built by the monks, was taken down in 1690.
A good way of seeing Buildwas is to go there from Shrewsbury by an early train, walking to Leighton and Eaton Constantine, both charming villages, and rejoining the train at Cressage for Shrewsbury. An alternative route is from Shrewsbury to Much Wenlock, where there are the ruins of a fine Abbey.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
BUILDWAS ABBEY.
The ruins of the Church. This was one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in England.]
LUDLOW AND ITS CASTLE
=How to get there.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Ludlow.
=Distance from London.=—162 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4-1/2 to 7 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 24s. 4d. 15s. 6d. 12s. 4-1/2d.
Return 43s. 4d. 27s. 2d. 24s. 9d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"The Feathers Hotel," "Angel
Hotel," etc.
=Alternative Route.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
Beautifully situated in a lovely valley surrounded by wooded hills, Ludlow presents a picture of an ancient but prosperous city. The town is placed at the meeting of two small rivers, the Teme and Corve, which flow into the Severn. On the top of a hill in the western part of the town is the old castle, which was a royal residence from early times. It was built at the time of the Conquest, and was the most important of all the castles that guarded the Welsh border. The eldest son of Edward IV. lived in the castle under the guardianship of his uncle, Lord Rivers, and he was proclaimed king there when only twelve years old. Prince Arthur, the first husband of Katharine of Aragon, and the eldest son of Henry VII., was also brought up and educated in the castle. In the Civil War the Parliamentary troops partially destroyed the castle, but it was not until the reign of George I. that the buildings were unroofed for the sake of their lead.
Sir Henry Sidney, the father of the famous Sir Philip Sidney, resided at Ludlow, being President of the Council of Wales. In the Great Hall, now roofless, Milton's masque Comus was performed for the first time, and Samuel Butler is said to have written part of Hudibras in a little room over the entrance gateway.
The Parish Church, also situated at the top of the hill, is mainly a fifteenth-century building, although it contains some earlier work. The fine east window, occupying the whole breadth of the chancel, is filled with very old stained glass, depicting the life of St. Lawrence. There is a round church in the castle, said to be one of the earliest circular churches in England. The streets are full of picturesque old houses, the most celebrated being the "Feathers Inn," a beautiful Jacobean house containing a coffee-room which has a most elaborately decorated plaster ceiling and fine oak-panelled walls. The appearance of the room is exceedingly rich. The Grammar School, founded by the Guild of Palmers, claims to be the oldest in England.
[Illustration: Valentine & Sons, Ltd.
LUDLOW, SHOWING THE PARISH CHURCH.]
SHREWSBURY
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Shrewsbury.
=Distance from London.=—162-3/4 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 3-1/4 to 5 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 24s. 4d. 16s. 3d. 13s.
Return 45s. 6d. 28s. 6d. 26s.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Raven Hotel," "George Inn,"
"Lion Inn," etc.
=Alternative Route.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
The ancient city of Shrewsbury, surrounded on three sides by the river Severn, is most beautifully situated on a lofty peninsula. It was a British stronghold before the Conquest, when it was given by William the Conqueror to Roger de Montgomery, who built the castle which stands on the narrow isthmus leading to the town. Henry IV. stayed in the castle in 1403, before the battle with Harry Hotspur, which was fought at Battlefield, about 3 miles from the town. Only the keep of the old Norman castle remains, and that is now used as a modern residence. The quaint streets of Shrewsbury not only retain their old names, such as Wyle Cop and Dogpole, but are filled with half-timbered houses of the fifteenth century.
At the old Grammar School, built in 1630, and now converted into a free library and museum, many distinguished scholars have been educated, among them Sir Philip Sidney and Judge Jeffreys. Outside this school is erected a statue to Charles Darwin, a former scholar, who was born in the old suburb of Frankwell. (For Darwin's home at Downe, see Index). The Elizabethan Market House and the Council House, which was visited by both Charles I. and James II. on different occasions, are two of the numerous fascinating old buildings to be seen in Shrewsbury.
The Church of St. Mary, founded in Saxon times, is the most important of the many churches of Salop, by which name Shrewsbury is still known. The present building contains examples of almost every period of English architecture. Dr. Burney, the father of Fanny Burney, was baptized in this church. Of Shrewsbury Abbey, which once occupied 10 acres, very little remains, with the exception of the Abbey Church, of which only the nave is left. The west end has a great tower with a beautiful Gothic window. Along the banks of the river is a public park known as the Quarry, which has a wonderful avenue of lime trees, planted in 1719 by one Wright of Bicton, who, with the help of two men, planted them all in one night.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
SHREWSBURY.
A group of fine old half-timbered houses.]
BUXTON AND THE PEAK DISTRICT
=How to get there.=—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Buxton; then by train to Castleton, by Dore
and Chinley Railway.
=Distance from London.=—164-3/4 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 3-3/4 to 4-3/4 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 21s. 8d. … 13s. 7d. } To
Return 43s. 4d. … 27s. 2d. } Buxton.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Empire Hotel," "Crescent Hotel,"
Buxton. "Castle Hotel," "Bull's Head," Castleton.
=Alternative Route.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
The town of Buxton, which is one of the best points from which to visit the beautiful Peak Country, ranks among the best of English inland watering-places, and is the highest town of any importance in the kingdom.
The town is divided into two portions, the higher and lower, or old and new, the latter 80 feet lower than the former, being the fashionable modern resort. Here are the celebrated baths, reputed to be a sovereign cure for all rheumatic complaints, and celebrated since the time of the Roman occupation of Britain. The spring which supplies the baths may be considered one of the wonders of the Peak district, for, by means of a cleverly-arranged pump, hot and cold water are obtained within a few inches of each other.
The neighbourhood of Buxton abounds in the most wild and romantic scenery—steep rocks, dark chasms, and wooded hills, mixed in delightful confusion. Among the favourite places of resort are Ashwood Dale, with its famous Lover's Leap rock; Shirbrook Dale, with its fissure and cascade; Diamond Hill, so called from the quartz crystals or "Buxton diamonds" found there; Chee Tor, a huge limestone rock 350 feet high, which rises sheer from the bed of the Wye, washing its base; and Axe Edge, 2-1/2 miles from Buxton, rising to a height of 1800 feet above the level of the sea. From this point, in clear weather, a marvellous view is obtained, embracing the mountains of North Wales to the westward and Lincoln Cathedral to the eastward. From the sides of this rock issue four rivers in opposite directions—the Dove and the Wye, ultimately falling into the Humber, and the Dane and the Goyle, tributaries of the Mersey. The view north from Axe Edge extends over countless heights and ridges to The Peak itself, the highest point of all.
Another famous resort on account of its remarkable view is the Cat and
Fiddle Inn, on the Macclesfield Road, 5 miles from Buxton.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
CASTLETON PEAK CAVERN.]
TEWKESBURY
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Tewkesbury.
=Distance from London.=—171 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4-1/2 to 6 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 19s. 3d. … 9s. 6d.
Return 33s. 9d. … 19s. 0d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Swan Hotel," etc.
=Alternative Routes.=—Train from Paddington via Gloucester, Great
Western Railway. Train from St. Pancras, Midland Railway.
Tewkesbury is famous for its magnificent conventual church, for the historic battle fought close to the town, and for the ancient timbered and pargetted houses in the centre of the town and down by the riverside, which rival even Chester. The population of the town is decreasing; it is no longer famous for the mustard which made Shakespeare say, "His wit is thick as Tewkesbury mustard" (Henry IV.), but it has a considerable local trade in agricultural produce. Situated on the banks of the Avon, near its junction with the Severn, it is almost insulated by these rivers and two tributaries. The old many-arched bridge over the Avon is extremely picturesque. In a county famed for its rich monasteries, Tewkesbury was among the most important. The name is believed to come from Theoc, a Saxon missionary monk, who founded a hermitage here. The abbey was originally a dependency of Cranbourne Abbey in Dorsetshire, but being richly endowed, Tewkesbury became the leading monastic establishment. Fitz-Hamon, Earl of Gloucester, began the rebuilding of the church. The choir was reconstructed in 1350 in Gothic style, but the nave and massive central tower are Norman. The whole building is cruciform, and the choir, having an hexagonal end, is surrounded by an ambulatory and numerous beautiful chapels as in Westminster. The nave is extraordinarily long, and the height of its columns has led to a squat appearance in the triforium, but the choir has short columns and plenty of height in the triforium. The colossal arch over the perpendicular window of the west front forcibly reminds one of Peterborough. The Duke of Clarence and Isabel his duchess, the king-maker's daughter; the Duke of Somerset, executed after the battle of Tewkesbury; Abbot Alear, Becket's friend, are all buried here. There is a fine gatehouse near the west end of the church. At the battle of Tewkesbury in 1471, which proved so disastrous to the Lancastrian cause, Prince Edward, Henry III.'s son, was slain while fleeing from the field.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
TEWKESBURY ABBEY.
Its chief feature is the huge arch over the west window, just appearing above the trees in the picture.]
EXETER AND ITS CATHEDRAL
=How to get there.=—South-Western Railway, Waterloo Station.
=Nearest Station.=—Queen Street, Exeter.
=Distance from London.=—171-1/2 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 28s. 6d. 18s. 0d. 14s. 3-1/2d.
Return 50s. 0d. 31s. 6d. 28s. 7d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Royal Clarence Hotel," "Rougemont
Hotel," "Half Moon Hotel," Pople's "New London Hotel," etc.
=Alternative Route.=—Great Western Railway, from Paddington
Station, London, to St. Davids, Exeter.
Exeter, the metropolis of the west, was known as a city even when the Romans came to Britain. There are no important Roman buildings left now, but coins and pottery testify to the Roman occupation. The first actual historic records date from the reign of King Alfred, whose grandson, Athelstane, made Exeter into a strong city, fortifying it with walls. Exeter made a stubborn resistance to William the Conqueror, but when besieged by him was forced to yield. The city suffered siege on two other notable occasions. In the reign of Henry VII., Perkin Warbeck, the pretender, made an attack on the castle, but was defeated. In 1646 the city was blockaded by the Parliamentary forces under Fairfax and compelled to surrender.
In the centre of the city is the cathedral, which was commenced in A.D. 1107 by Bishop Warelwast, who built the massive Norman towers. Bishop Quivil, who died in 1292, completely remodelled the cathedral, changing the somewhat heavy Norman structure into the present graceful Gothic one. The successor of Bishop Quivil carried out the plans he left behind him, and the cathedral was finished in 1350, although some minor work remained to be done. Unlike so many of the early cathedrals, Exeter has no central tower, therefore its interior is famous for having the most uninterrupted vista of any cathedral in England, having no tower-piers to hinder the view. One of the most beautiful features is the carved west front.
Standing on the highest ground in Exeter, though not now conspicuous, are the ruined walls of the Norman castle, called Rougemont (Red Mount), which obtained its name from the red clay found there. The High Street contains many old and picturesque buildings, the most important of which is the Guildhall, built in the fifteenth century, but altered during the late Renaissance period. Many of the parish churches of Exeter are worthy of note.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
THE WEST FRONT OF EXETER CATHEDRAL.
Exeter has no central tower, but is unique in having one over each transept.]
MARKET DRAYTON, SALOP
AND THE BIRTHPLACE OF ROBERT CLIVE
=How to get there.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Market Drayton.
=Distance from London.=—178 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4-1/4 to 5-3/4 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 24s. 2d. 15s. 5d. 13s. 2d.
Return 46s. 0d. 29s. 0d. 26s. 4d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"The Corbet Arms," etc.
=Alternative Route.=—None.
In the parish of Moreton Say, 3 miles west of Market Drayton, is Styche Hall, the birthplace of Robert Clive. The family of Clive took their name from the little town of Clive in Cheshire, removing to Styche when the heiress of the latter place married James Clive in the reign of Henry VI. Robert Clive, the hero of Plassey, born in 1725, was educated for a few years at Market Drayton before he went to the Merchant Taylors' School. His father not being at all wealthy, Clive accepted a writership in the East India Company and went out to Madras, but soon changed his post for a commission in the army. After a brilliant career in India, which he won for the English, raising them from the position of mere traders to be the rulers of an Eastern Empire, he returned to England in 1767. Worn out by the persecutions of his enemies, he died by his own hand in 1774, when only in his forty-ninth year. "Great in council, great in war, great in his exploits, which were many, and great in his faults, which were few," Sir Charles Wilson says, "Clive will ever be remembered as the man who laid deeply the foundations of our Indian Empire, and who, in a time of national despondency, restored the tarnished honour of the British arms."
The parish church of Moreton Say contains Clive's tomb besides other old monuments dating from 1600, though the church itself is chiefly eighteenth-century work. Market Drayton, sometimes thought to be the Roman Mediolanum, still has a few timbered houses, but its church has been much restored.
Close to the town, standing on a wooded hill, is Buntingsdale, a stately red brick and stone house built in Georgian times, belonging to the Tayleurs. Situated 2-1/2 miles from Market Drayton is Audley Cross, marking the site of the battle of Blore Heath, fought between the Yorkists and Lancastrians, when many Cheshire gentlemen were slain.
[Illustration: Valentine & Sons, Ltd.
MARKET DRAYTON FROM THE RIVER.
Where Clive was educated before he went to the Merchant Taylors'
School.]
CHESTER
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Chester.
=Distance from London.=—179 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 27s. 10d. 18s. 8d. 14s. 11d.
Return 51s. 9d. 32s. 8d. 29s. 10d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Queen's Hotel," "Grosvenor Hotel,"
"Talbot Hotel," "Blossoms Hotel," etc.
=Alternative Route.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
The city of Chester, one of the most picturesque in the kingdom, was known in the Roman era as the "Camp of the Great Legion," and was called by the Romans Deunana or Deva, being half surrounded by the Dee. After the Conquest, the city fell to the share of Hugh Lupus, a nephew of William the Conqueror, who was created Earl of Chester, and was the builder of the first castle. His descendants were Earls of Chester until the reign of Henry III., when the earldom was conferred upon Prince Edward, whose son, Edward of Carnarvon, was the first Prince of Wales. The title is still used by the eldest son of the sovereign.
The streets of Chester are exceedingly picturesque, Old Bridge Street and Watergate Street being perhaps two of the best examples, abounding as they do in mediaeval timber work and oak carving. But the most remarkable architectural features of the city are the "Rows," which are certainly unique in this country. These Rows, which contain the chief shops, are level with the first floors of the houses; the second floor projects over them, forming a covered way. The streets were cut into the red sandstone by the Romans to a depth of 10 feet, the Rows marking the natural level.
The old walls of the city are among the most perfect in the kingdom, and measure nearly 2 miles in circumference, with four gates, one marking each point of the compass. The east gate, showing the termination of the great Roman Watling Street, was rebuilt in 1769.
Chester Cathedral, though not of great exterior beauty, should be visited for the sake of its antiquity and its associations. It is said to have been founded by Ethelfleda, the daughter of Alfred the Great, on the site of a nunnery built in 875. The west front, with the Bishop's Palace on its left, is perhaps the best feature of the exterior; while the Bishop's Throne, in the cathedral, is a wonderfully early piece of carving, ornamented with figures of the kings of Mercia.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
ONE OF THE MOST PICTURESQUE OF THE ROWS AT CHESTER.
The upper floors project over these covered footways.]
EXMOOR
=How to get there.=—Great Western Railway, Paddington Station.
=Nearest Stations.=—Dulverton or Minehead. For both stations
change at Taunton.
=Distance from London.=—180 miles to Dulverton; 188 miles to
Minehead.
=Average Time.=—To Dulverton varies between 5 to 6-1/2 hours. To
Minehead varies between 5-1/2 to 7 hours.
=Fares.=— Single Return
1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
Dulverton 30s. 9d. 19s. 3d. 15s. 4-1/2d. 53s. 10d. 33s. 9d. 30s. 9d.
Minehead 31s. 4d. 19s. 6d. 15s. 8d. 54s. 10d. 34s. 4d. 31s. 4d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—Dulverton—"Carnarvon Arms,"
"Lamb," etc. Minehead—"Métropole," "Beach," "Wellington,"
"Plume of Feathers," etc. Porlock—"The Ship," etc.
Simonsbath—"Exmoor Forest Hotel."
Exmoor, like Dartmoor, can be approached from many different places, but to reach some of the finest and most typical stretches of the moor one cannot do better than choose Dulverton or Minehead. Porlock, six or seven miles by road (there is no railway) from Minehead, is a third place admirably suited for getting on to Exmoor; it is the nearest place of any size to Dunkery Beacon, which is the highest shoulder of the moor (1707 feet). The drawing given here shows the valley of the Horner, a small stream rising on the heathery slopes of Dunkery Beacon, which appears in the distance. This valley is one of the most romantic spots on Exmoor. After a long ride or ramble on foot over the open heather, with sweeping views which include Dartmoor, South Wales, the hills around Bath, as well as Brown Willy in Cornwall, one finds the ground falling steeply, and before long one is climbing down a water-worn path among sturdy oaks. The air also becomes full of the music of the rushing Horner below. The stream is eventually discovered boiling over mossy stones in the green shade of the close-growing trees filling the deep valley. The quieter pools are frequently taken advantage of by a hard-pressed stag, for this particular piece of country is frequently hunted over by the Devon and Somerset staghounds, some of the most popular meets of the season being held at Cloutsham farm, on one of the slopes of the Horner valley. The neighbourhood of Dulverton includes some fine bits of river scenery—the Barle, the Haddeo, and the Exe meeting one another in the midst of lovely wooded hills. Many of the villages on the margin of Exmoor are exceedingly pretty. The churches, too, are generally of great interest.
[Illustration: ON EXMOOR.
Looking up the Horner valley towards Dunkery Beacon, which is shown under shadow.]
KNUTSFORD
THE HOME OF MRS. GASKELL
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston via Crewe. L. and N.W. Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Knutsford.
=Distance from London.=—180 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4 to 5-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 24s. 6d. 16s. 6d. 14s. 3-1/2d.
Return 49s. 0d. 31s. 6d. 28s. 7d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Royal George Hotel," etc.
Knutsford still retains the air of old-world quaintness which Mrs. Gaskell has made so familiar in her delightful Cranford. The whole of Knutsford breathes the fresh and bright tidiness one always involuntarily associates with such ladies as "Miss Jenkyns," and every house rejoices in a beautifully neat garden. The Royal George Hotel, in the High Street, is a perfect feast to the eye of panelled wainscotting, oak settles, and Chippendale cabinets. The richness, all over the town, of ancient carvings, staircases, and chimney-pieces, is due to the prosperity which the coach traffic between Liverpool and Manchester brought to the place for many years.
Mrs. Gaskell was born in Chelsea in 1810, but her mother dying soon after, she went to live under the care of her mother's sister, who lived at Knutsford in Cheshire. Mrs. Gaskell, as a child, was brought up in a tall red house, standing alone in the midst of peaceful fields and trees, on the Heath, with a wide view reaching to the distant hills. In a green hollow near this house there stand an old forge and mill, the former having existed for more than two hundred years. Mrs. Gaskell had a lonely childhood, occasionally relieved by a visit to her cousins at the old family house of Sandlebridge. This old house is now dismantled, but contains many interesting features. A shuffle-board, or extremely long table, with drawers and cupboards underneath, of which there now exist scarcely any specimens, a cradle of great antiquity, and the fine old wooden chimney-pieces in the front parlour, still remain.
A few places in Knutsford claim association with Cranford. One house is pointed out as being Miss Matty's tea-shop. The Knutsford ladies still gossip over toasted cheese and bezique. Mrs. Gaskell spent her married life in Manchester, where most of her books were written, but she used often to return and stay with her cousins, from whom she learnt many of the quaint stories still told in Knutsford.
[Illustration: F. Frith & Co.
KNUTSFORD.
The village described by Mrs. Gaskell in Cranford.]
TORR STEPS ON THE BARLE, SOMERSET
=How to get there.=—Train from Paddington Station. Great Western
Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Dulverton.
=Distance from London.=—180 miles to Dulverton.
=Average Time.=—To Dulverton varies between 5 and 6-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 30s. 9d. 19s. 3d. 15s. 4-1/2d.
Return 53s. 10d. 33s. 9d. 30s. 9d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—Dulverton—"Carnarvon Arms,"
"Lamb," etc.
One of the very earliest forms of bridge in England is to be seen on the beautiful river Barle, about 7 miles above Dulverton. Torr Steps (the name is locally pronounced Tarr) are a distinct advance upon stepping-stones, for although the entire bridge is submerged in flood-time, there are, in ordinary conditions, seventeen spans raised clear above the level of the water. The great stones which form the piers support slabs averaging from 6 to 8 feet in length. In the centre these are about 3 feet 6 inches wide, and the piers are supported by sloping stones to resist the force of the current. At the ends of the bridge the slabs are narrower, and are placed in pairs side by side, thus giving the advantage of the greatest weight where the force of the stream is most strongly felt. No traces of cement can be found among the stones, so that the structure has preserved itself purely by the weight of its individual parts.
Although it is impossible to make any definite statement as to the date of Torr Steps, it is probable that they were built by the Celtish inhabitants of this part of the west country, the bridge having been on the beaten track between one or two important centres. The size of the stones does not raise any obstacle to this theory, for though of great weight, they are not so unwieldy as the majority of those forming Stonehenge, which is generally accepted as the work of an exceedingly early race of sun-worshipping men. The name "Torr" is possibly derived from the Celtic word "Tochar," a causeway, modified to "Toher" and then to "Torr." The lanes leading from Dulverton to the village of Hawkridge, about 1-1/2 miles from the steps, are exceedingly beautiful, and the whole course of the river Barle is remarkable for the striking charm of its woodland scenery, which is frequently contrasted with the wild moorland commons on the hillsides above.
[Illustration: TORR STEPS ON THE RIVER BARLE.
An early form of bridge, probably of Celtic origin.]
CLEEVE ABBEY, SOMERSET
=How to get there.=—From Paddington. Great Western Station. To
Washford Station via Taunton.
=Nearest Station.=—Washford (2 or 3 minutes' walk).
=Distance from London.=—182-1/4 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 5-1/2 to 7 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 30s. 4d. 19s. 0d. 15s. 3d.
Return 53s. 0d. 33s. 3d. 30s. 4d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Luttrell Arms Hotel," "Dunster,"
4-1/2 miles from Washford. "Métropole," "Beach," "Plume of
Feathers," etc., at Minehead, 6-1/2 miles from Washford.
At Cleeve the Cistercian abbey church has disappeared, save for the bases of the pillars in the nave, but the conventual buildings are some of the most perfect in England, those of Beaulieu in Hampshire and Fountains in Yorkshire being the only ones able to compare with them. One first passes through the magnificent old gatehouse pictured here. Inside is a large grassy space, with the mass of buildings facing one. They are arranged in a quadrangular form, enclosing a grassy cloister garth. On the south side is the refectory, a magnificent hall above some small rooms on the ground floor. It is believed to have been built by Abbot Dovell in the sixteenth century. The roof, of carved walnut, is in a perfect state of preservation. From the refectory one may pass into the Abbots' Lodge, then descending to the cloister garth again, one may penetrate all the different portions of the buildings—the day-room, where the monks did all sorts of work; the dormitory, where they slept; the chapter-house, where they conducted the business of the abbey; the sacristy, the parlour, and other smaller rooms. The buildings are so perfect that it is quite easy to obtain a comprehensive idea of the inner workings of one of these great mediaeval institutions.
The monks' day-room is a large building 60 feet long by 22 feet wide. The upper floor, forming one half of the dormitory, has disappeared, but there still remain the bases of the two central pillars which supported the groined roof. The restoration of Cleeve Abbey was carried out several years ago by Mr. G.F. Luttrell of Dunster Castle. Before that time the whole place was used as a farm, and floors of encaustic tiles were buried deep in farm-yard rubbish. There is practically no recorded history of Cleeve Abbey.
One shilling is charged for admission for one person, or sixpence each for a party of two or more.
[Illustration: THE GATE-HOUSE OF CLEEVE ABBEY.
The monastic buildings are all beyond the grassy space inside the gateway.]
HAWARDEN
=How to get there.=—Train from Euston via Chester. L. and N.W. Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Hawarden.
=Distance from London.=—186 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4 to 5 hours.
=Fares.=—To Chester— 1st 2nd 3rd
Single 27s. 10d. 18s. 8d. 14s. 11d.
Return 51s. 9d. 32s. 8d. 29s. 10d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Glynne Arms," etc.
=Alternative Route.=—Train from Paddington via Wrexham. Great
Western Railway.
Hawarden is a small town, about 6-1/2 miles from Chester. The great interest of the place centres in Hawarden Castle, the home, until his death, of the Rt. Hon. W.E. Gladstone. There are really two castles, but little remains of the old one except the large circular keep and part of the banqueting-hall. On the spot previously occupied by the old battlements a modern wall has been built, from which a fine view across the Dee estuary can be obtained. The castle was probably built before the time of Edward I. Here Simon de Montfort surrendered the castle to Llewelyn. After its reversion to the Crown it was again taken by Llewelyn's brother, and it was about this time that the present keep was built. After its dismantling during the Parliamentary War, it was purchased by Serjeant Glynne, in whose family it still remains.
Within full view of the old castle, and enclosed by the same park, stands the modern mansion, constructed in the style of a castellated Gothic building of the thirteenth century. It was originally a square brick building, but it has had so many additions, besides being turreted and encased in stone, that it is almost impossible to trace the former structure. The south-east front looks on a gravel walk surrounding some formal flower-beds, which was one of Mr. Gladstone's favourite walks when he was unable to take other exercise. Visitors are not admitted to the modern castle.
Euloe Castle, some two or three miles from Hawarden, is said to be connected with the few remains of the old chapel by means of an underground passage. It is a picturesque, ivy-mantled ruin, but little is known of its history.
Hawarden Church has a central tower, surmounted by a short spire; it was restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1857. A window to the memory of Mr. Gladstone, by the late Sir Edward Burne-Jones, has just been placed in the west end.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
HAWARDEN CASTLE.
The home, until his death, of the Rt. Hon. W.E. Gladstone.]
YORK MINSTER
=How to get there.=—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—York.
=Distance from London.=—188-1/4 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 3-3/4 to 5 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 27s. … 15s. 8d.
Return 54s. … 31s. 4d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Harker's York Hotel," "Black Swan
Hotel," "Station Hotel," etc.
=Alternative Routes.=—Train from St. Pancras via Sheffield, Midland
Railway. Train from Liverpool Street, Great Eastern Railway.
The city of York is one of the most famous and interesting in the kingdom. It was originally the Eborac of the British and the Eboracum of the Romans, who made it an imperial colony, and the capital of Maxima Caesariensis. Later the place changed hands many times between Danes and Saxons until the time of William the Conqueror, who built the castle. The whole city was burnt in 1137, with the cathedral and forty churches, and in the Wars of the Roses it was continually the scene of sanguinary conflicts between the rival parties. It has been visited at various times by nearly all our kings, and numerous insurrections have been quelled within its walls. The cathedral—the chief glory of York—dates from Saxon times. The first church was founded by Edwin, the fifth king of Northumbria, but before it was finished he was slain, and the work thenceforward was carried out by his successor Oswald. The present cathedral was mainly built in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Its chief features are a nave with the most magnificent side-aisles in the kingdom, two transepts, a choir, a lady chapel, a large central tower, two bell towers, and a wonderfully fine chapter-house. During the last century it was twice nearly destroyed by fire, first by the act of a lunatic, and then by the carelessness of a workman.
The present structure takes rank with the finest specimens of Gothic architecture in the world.
Apart from the minster, the whole city teems with archaeological interest. There are many fine old churches, and much mediaeval architecture, including the gates of the city, which are wonderfully well preserved, one of the best being Micklegate Bar, where Richard Duke of York's head was exhibited. The city walls built by Edward I. still remain in a remarkably good state of preservation. Many of the towers, of which Leland stated there were forty, still exist.
[Illustration: BOOTHAM BAR AND YORK MINSTER.]
COXWOLD, YORKSHIRE
THE HOME OF STERNE
=How to get there.=—Great Northern Railway, King's Cross Station.
=Nearest Station.=—Easingwold via York and Alne; from thence runs
a branch line to Easingwold.
=Distance from London.=—199 miles.
=Average Time.=—About 5 hours.
=Fares.=—No through fares in operation.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—The village inn—"The Fauconberg
Arms."
The pretty little village of Coxwold, where the Rev. Laurence Sterne wrote A Sentimental Journey, lies about 18 miles north of York. The hamlet stands on slightly rising ground. At the bottom of the hill is the village smithy, the well, a farm, and facing a big elm tree is the inn, bearing a great hatchment-like signboard showing the Fauconberg arms and motto. The cottages of the villagers are on the slope of the hill, and at the top is the church to which Sterne was appointed vicar in 1760. Close at hand is the quaint seventeenth-century house he occupied. It is a singularly picturesque little building, with its mossy stone-covered roof, its wide gables, and massive chimney-stacks. Sterne, in his humorous way, called it "Shandy Hall." The stone tablet over the doorway states that Sterne wrote Tristram Shandy and A Sentimental Journey at Shandy Hall; but this is not quite accurate, for he entered upon the incumbency of Coxwold in 1760, whereas two volumes of Tristram Shandy had already been published in 1759. Of his life at Coxwold one gathers that the vicar was more devoted to his books than to his parish. In the intervals of writing and his clerical duties he amused himself with painting, fiddling, dining out and telling stories, at the same time suffering from ill-health and other discomforts. His gift of humour, however, helped him to bear his troubles better than might otherwise have been the case. He was firmly persuaded that "every time a man smiles, but much more so when he laughs, he adds something to the fragment of life." Sterne's study may still be seen. It is a tiny room with a low ceiling, although it undoubtedly possesses the charm of cosiness. On one occasion Sterne writes: "I have a hundred hens and chickens about my yard, and not a parishioner catches a hare or a rabbit or a trout but he brings it as an offering to me." Sterne died in London in 1768 at the age of 55 years.
[Illustration: "SHANDY HALL" AT COXWOLD.
Where the Rev. Laurence Sterne lived while he was Vicar of Coxwold. Part of Tristram Shandy was written here.]
LLANGOLLEN AND VALLE CRUCIS ABBEY
=How to get there.=—Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—Llangollen. Valle Crucis Abbey lies 2 miles
from Llangollen.
=Distance from London.=—203 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 4-1/2 to 7-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 28s. 10d. 19s. 3d. 15s. 4-1/2d.
Return 53s. 6d. 33s. 9d. …
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—At Llangollen—"Hand Hotel," "Royal
Hotel," "The Eagle Hotel," etc.
The scenery of Llangollen can scarcely be called mountainous, but the little town is situated in the most beautiful part of the hill district of Wales. Its chief charm, in common with all other Welsh villages, is in its contrasts,—deep lanes with fern and flower-clad banks lead you past picturesque cottages and farms, surrounded with low stone walls, half hidden by brilliantly coloured creepers; bold crags, high above the valley, give place to bright green sheep pastures, they in turn changing to thick woods of oak and ash.
Llangollen Bridge, across which runs the chief thoroughfare, is one of the so-called "wonders of Wales." It was built in 1346 by John Trevor, afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph, and was the first stone bridge in Wales. It is borne by five stone arches, and beneath them rushes the fine river Dee. The church is dedicated to St. Collen, but is of no particular interest. In the churchyard is a monument to the two fashionable ladies who at an early age tired of the vanities of this world, and lived in complete seclusion at Plas Newydd, a house just beyond the village, famed for its old oak.
Valle Crucis Abbey, which can be reached either by walking along the canal from Llangollen, or by train to Berwyn, lies in a beautiful wooded valley surrounded by some of the best scenery in the neighbourhood of Llangollen. A little to the east, a very picturesque view of the ruins, which are the finest of their kind in Wales, may be obtained over a quiet pool of water. The abbey was founded in the thirteenth century by Madoc-ap-Gryffydd Moelor, who was a supporter of Llewelyn in the cause of Welsh independence. The buildings are in Early English style, and some of the finest remains are a circular gable window and three decorated Gothic ones, also part of the west end with dog-tooth moulding, and a piscina and canopy in the south transept. Stretching at right angles from the south side of the church are the old monastic buildings.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
VALLE CRUCIS ABBEY.
The ruins of the Church. The monastic buildings are on the south side.]
KNARESBOROUGH, DRIPPING WELL
=How to get there.=—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly.
=Nearest Station.=—Knaresborough.
=Distance from London.=—204 miles.
=Average Time.=—Varies between 5 to 7 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—Single 28s. 5d. … 17s. 0-1/2d.
Return 56s. 10d. … 34s. 1d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=—"Commercial Hotel," "Crown Hotel,"
etc.
Knaresborough, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, is a town of great interest and antiquity, and occupies part of the site of an ancient forest which was 20 miles in length. It was a crown manor before the Conquest, and was given by William the Conqueror to Serlo de Burgh, a Norman baron, by whom the stately castle was first erected. The place was afterwards held by Richard Plantagenet, who founded a priory in the vicinity, Piers Gaveston, and John of Gaunt, and the castle was for some time the place of confinement of Henry II. During the Civil War it was held for the King; but after the battle of Marston Moor it was taken by Fairfax, and dismantled by order of Parliament in 1648.
The castle, one of the finest of its kind, is situated in a remarkable position on a lofty rock, and was once practically inaccessible. It was formerly flanked by eleven towers, of which only one remains. The other ruins consist of a small portion of the keep and some very beautiful and elaborate vaulted apartments, in which the murderers of Thomas à Becket took refuge. On the cliffs opposite the castle is the famous Knaresborough "Dripping Well," whose waters have the property of "turning into stone" any articles left for a time under the dripping waters of the well. The water being highly charged with limestone in a state of impervious powder, rapidly encrusts the object until it appears to be made of solid rock, and various specimens of this result may be obtained.
About half a mile below the castle are the remains of the priory for brothers of the Holy Trinity, founded by Richard Plantagenet; and further south, hewn out of the solid rock, at a considerable height above the river Nidd, is St. Robert's Chapel, with a fine groined roof. It has an altar on the east side and contains carvings of the Trinity and the Virgin Mary.
Knaresborough was at one time a place of fashionable resort on account of the efficacy of its mineral waters, but they have long since been abandoned for those of Harrogate.
[Illustration: Photochrom Co., Ltd.
THE DRIPPING WELL AT KNARESBOROUGH.
The water contains limestone, and coats over whatever substance it falls upon.]