WHAT TO SEE IN ENGLAND

A GUIDE TO PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST, NATURAL BEAUTY, OR LITERARY ASSOCIATION

BY GORDON HOME

1908

[Illustration: BOOTHAM BAR, AND YORK MINSTER. ]

[Illustration: SKETCH PLAN OF LONDON SHOWING RAILWAY STATIONS]

[Illustration: REFERENCE TO RAILWAY STATIONS

Broad StreetCannon St. (South Eastern & Chatham)Charing Cross (South Eastern & Chatham)Euston Station (London & North Western)Fenchurch St. (London, Tilbury, & Southend)Great Central StationGreat Eastern (Liverpool St. )Great Western StationKing's Cross (Great Northern)Liverpool St. (Great Eastern)London Bridge (South Eastern & Chatham & Brighton & South Coast)London & North Western (Euston Station)London & South Western (Waterloo)London, Tilbury, & Southend (Fenchurch St. )Marylebone Station (Great Central)Paddington Station (Great Western)St Pancras (Midland)South Eastern & Chatham: Cannon Street Charing Cross Holborn Viaduct London Bridge Ludgate Hill Victoria WaterlooSouth Western Railway (Waterloo)Victoria (London, Brighton, & South Coast & South Eastern & Chatham)Waterloo (London & South Western)]

PREFACE

This book is intended to put in the smallest possible space the means bywhich one may reach the chief places of interest in England and Wales. It will possibly make many holidays, week-ends, or isolated days moreenjoyable by placing a defined objective before the rambler. Placeswithin an hour or two of London are in the front of the book, so that asone turns over the pages one is taken further and further afield. Thebrief summary of the interests of each place, and the manyillustrations, may help to memorise the impressions obtained. 

The first edition of a book of this nature must of necessity beincomplete, and the author is prepared to hear of long lists of placeswhich should have been included, and also to hear criticisms on hischoice of those appearing. It is to some extent natural that specialfamiliarity with certain places and certain writers or heroes of thepast may distort one's vision, and perhaps induce a choice of subjectswhich may not seem so comprehensive to some individuals as to others. Future editions will, however, give ample scope for embracing all thegood suggestions which may be made. 

G. H. 

HAM HOUSE AND PETERSHAM

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Richmond (1-1/4 miles from Petersham Church). =Distance from London. =--10 miles. =Average Time. =--1/2 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 1s. 3d. 1s. 0d. 0s. 9d. Return 2s. 0d. 1s. 6d. 1s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Castle Hotel, " "Roebuck Hotel, " Richmond. "Dysart Arms" at Petersham. 

The little church at Petersham is interesting on account of the memorialit contains to the memory of Vancouver, the discoverer, in 1792, of theisland bearing his name, on the west coast of the North Americancontinent. It is said that "the unceasing exertions which Vancouverhimself made to complete the gigantic task of surveying 9000 miles ofunknown and intricate coasts--a labour chiefly performed in openboats--made an inroad on his constitution from which he never recovered, and, declining gradually, he died in May 1798. " The church is also theburying-place of the Duchess of Lauderdale, whose residence was HamHouse. This fine old Jacobean mansion stands at no great distance fromPetersham Church. It was built as a residence for Prince Henry, theeldest son of James I. , who, however, died early, the gossips of thetime hinting at poison. The house is still said to be haunted by thespirit of the old Duchess of Lauderdale, who lived in the time ofCharles II. 

WALTON-ON-THAMES (SCOLD'S BRIDLE)

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Walton. =Distance from London. =--17 miles. =Average Time. =--3/4 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 10d. 1s. 10d. 1s. 5d. Return 4s. 0d. 3s. 0d. 2s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Ashley" at station; "Swan, " on the river; "Duke's Head, " in the town, etc. 

Walton-on-Thames is a little riverside town, very much surrounded bymodern villas. The church contains in a glass case in the vestry a"scold's bridle. " This rusty iron contrivance is one of the fewspecimens of this mediaeval instrument of torture to be seen in thiscountry, and it is certainly the nearest to London. 

In Elizabethan times a "scold" was looked upon in much the same light asa witch, and this bridle was applied to those women who obtained forthemselves the undesirable reputation. 

[Illustration: THE GARDEN FRONT OF HAM HOUSE. ]

[Illustration: THE SCOLD'S BRIDLE IN WALTON-ON-THAMES CHURCH. 

 "Chester presents Walton with a bridle To curb women's tongues when they are idle. "]

HARROW

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Harrow. =Distance from London. =--11-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--1/2 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 1s. 6d. 1s. 0d. 0s. 9d. Return 2s. 3d. 1s. 6d. 1s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"King's Head, " etc. =Alternative Routes. =--Train from Baker Street, Metropolitan Railway. Train from Broad Street, L. And N. W. Railway. Train from Marylebone, Great Central Railway. 

Harrow, from its high position, 200 feet above the sea, was selected bythe Romans as an important military station. By the Saxons it was calledHereways, and was purchased in 822 by Wilfred, Archbishop of Canterbury. The ancient manor-house, of which no traces now remain, was formerly theresidence of the Archbishops of Canterbury, and it was here that Thomasà Becket resided during his banishment from Court. Cardinal Wolsey, whowas once Rector of Harrow, resided at Pinner, and is said to haveentertained Henry VIII. During his visit to Harrow. The manor wasexchanged by Archbishop Cranmer with the king for other lands, and wassubsequently given to Sir Edmund Dudley, afterwards Lord North. 

At the bottom of the hill, and spreading rapidly in all directions, arequantities of modern houses and villas, but the point of greatestinterest in Harrow is the celebrated school, wonderfully situated on thevery summit of the hill, with views extending over thirteen counties. Founded in the reign of Queen Elizabeth by John Lyon, a yeoman of theparish, the school has now grown enormously, the oldest portion beingthat near the church, which was erected three years after the founder'sdeath. In the wainscotting of the famous schoolroom are the carvings cutby many generations of Harrovians, among them being the names of Peel, Byron, Sheridan, the Marquess of Hastings, Lord Normanby, and manyothers. 

The church stands on the extreme summit of the hill, and from thechurchyard the view is simply magnificent. In the building are someinteresting tombs and brasses, and a monument to John Lyon, the founderof the school. 

The grave shown on the opposite page is known as "Byron's tomb, " onaccount of his fondness for the particular spot it occupied in thechurchyard, from whence the fascinating view just mentioned can be seen, from the shade of the trees growing on either side. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

"BYRON'S TOMB" IN HARROW CHURCHYARD. ]

HOLWOOD HOUSE, KESTON

THE HOME OF WILLIAM PITT

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, and London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Hayes (2 miles from Keston village). About 3 miles from Holwood House. =Distance from London. =--12 miles. =Average Time. =--35 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 0d. 1s. 3d. 1s. 0-1/2d. Return 3s. 3d. 2s. 4d. 1s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Fox Inn, " "The George. "=Alternative Route. =--To Orpington Station by the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway, about 4 miles distant. 

_Visitors are able to pass through the park on a public footpath. _

About 3 miles' walk from Hayes Station by a pleasant road over HayesCommon is Holwood House, a stately, classic building, for many years thehome of William Pitt, the famous statesman and son of the Earl ofChatham. He owned the estate between 1785 and 1802, and it was duringthis period that the British camp in the park suffered so severely. Theearth-works were occupied by some early British tribe before Caesarcrossed the Channel, and the place probably owed its strength to itswell-chosen position. Pitt, however, caused these fascinating remains tobe levelled to a considerable extent, in order to carry out some of hisideas of landscape gardening. A magnificent tree growing near the houseis known as "Pitt's Oak, " from the tradition that Pitt was speciallyfond of spending long periods of quiet reading beneath its overshadowingboughs. Another tree of more interest still stands quite near the publicfootpath through the park. This is known as "Wilberforce's Oak, " and iseasily distinguished from the surrounding trees by the stone seatconstructed in its shade. The momentous decision which makes this treeso interesting is given in Wilberforce's diary for the year 1788. Hewrites, "At length, I well remember after a conversation with Mr. Pittin the open air at the root of an old tree at Holwood, just above thesteep descent into the vale of Keston, I resolved to give notice on afit occasion in the House of Commons of my intention to bring forwardthe abolition of the slave-trade. "

With the exception of Knole Park, Holwood boasts some of the finestbeeches in the country. The present house took the place of the oneoccupied by Pitt in 1825; the architect was Decimus Burton. 

[Illustration: WILBERFORCE'S OR "EMANCIPATION OAK" IN HOLWOOD PARK, KESTON. ]

CHIGWELL, ESSEX

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street or Fenchurch Street. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Chigwell. =Distance from London. =--12-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--55 minutes. Quickest train, 31 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 1s. 10d. 1s. 4d. 0s. 11d. Return 2s. 6d. 1s. 10d. 1s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The King's Head. "

In 1844 Charles Dickens wrote to Forster: "Chigwell, my dear fellow, isthe greatest place in the world. Name your day for going. Such adelicious old inn facing the church--such a lovely ride--such forestscenery--such an out-of-the-way rural place--such a sexton! I say again, Name your day. " This is surely sufficient recommendation for any place;and when one knows that the "delicious old inn" is still standing, andthat the village is as rural and as pretty as when Dickens wrote oversixty years ago, one cannot fail to have a keen desire to see the place. "The King's Head" illustrated here is the inn Dickens had in his mindwhen describing the "Maypole" in _Barnaby Rudge_, and the whole of theplot of that work is so wrapped up in Chigwell and its immediatesurroundings that one should not visit the village until one has readthe story. One may see the panelled "great room" upstairs where Mr. Chester met Mr. Geoffrey Haredale. This room has a fine mantelpiece, great carved beams, and beautiful leaded windows. On the ground floor isthe cosy bar where the village cronies gathered with Mr. Willett, andone may also see the low room with the small-paned windows against whichJohn Willett flattened his nose looking out on the road on the darknight when the story opens. 

Chigwell School, built in 1629, and founded by Archbishop Harsnett, still remains, although there have been several modern additions. HereWilliam Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was educated. (See Index forJordans and Penn's Chapel at Thakeham. )

Chigwell Church, facing "The King's Head, " has a dark avenue of yewsleading from the road to the porch. A brass to the memory of ArchbishopHarsnett may be seen on the floor of the chancel. The epitaph in Latinwas ordered to be so written in the will of the archbishop. Translated, the first portion may be read: "Here lieth Samuel Harsnett, formerlyvicar of this church. First the unworthy Bishop of Chichester, then themore unworthy Bishop of Norwich, at last the very unworthy Archbishop ofYork. "

[Illustration: THE KING'S HEAD INN AT CHIGWELL. 

The "Maypole" of Dickens's _Barnaby Rudge_. ]

WALTHAM ABBEY AND CROSS

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Waltham. =Distance from London. =--12-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--40 minutes. Quickest train, 23 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 0d. 1s. 6d. 1s. 1d. Return 3s. 3d. 2s. 6d. 1s. 7d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The New Inn, " etc. 

Waltham Abbey is a market town in Essex on the banks of the Lea, whichhere divides into several branches which are used as motive power forsome gunpowder and flour mills. Harold II. Founded the stately AbbeyChurch in May 1060. William the Conqueror disputed Harold's claim to thethrone and landed in England at Pevensey in 1066. At Waltham Abbey, troubled and anxious, Harold prayed for victory in England's name beforethe fatal battle of Hastings, where he was slain. William at firstrefused to give up Harold's body to his mother, Gytha, but he afterwardsallowed two monks from Waltham to search for the body of the king. Theywere unable to find it amongst the nameless dead, but his favourite, Edith the swan-necked, whose eye of affection was not to be deceived, discovered it. His weeping mother buried the disfigured corpse probablyabout 120 feet from the east end of the old church. 

At Waltham is one of the many crosses erected by Edward I. In memory ofhis first wife, Eleanor of Castile, wherever her body rested on its wayto Westminster from Lincoln. At Northampton is another of these famouscrosses. When the king asked the Abbot of Cluny to intercede for hersoul, he said, "We loved her tenderly in her lifetime; we do not ceaseto love her in death. "

A little way to the left of Waltham Cross, now a gateway to the park ofTheobalds, stands Temple Bar, stone for stone intact as it was in thedays when traitors' heads were raised above it in Fleet Street, althoughthe original wooden gates have gone. A portion of the richly-carved topof the gate is still in existence in London. Waltham Abbey is probablyclose to that part of the river Lea where King Alfred defeated theDanes. They had penetrated far up the river when King Alfred divertedthe waters of the river from underneath their black vessels and leftthem high and dry in a wilderness of marsh and forest. The gentleCharles Lamb was very fond of the country all round Waltham Abbey, especially Broxbourne and Amwell. 

[Illustration: THE ABBEY GATE AT WALTHAM. 

Waltham Abbey was founded in 1060 by Harold II. ]

DOWNE

THE HOME OF DARWIN

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Orpington (3-1/2 to 4 miles from Downe). =Distance from London. =--13-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--35 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 4d. 1s. 6d. 1s. 2-1/2d. Return 4s. 0d. 3s. 0d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Queen's Head, " at Downe, facing the church. Hotels at Farnborough--"White Lion, " "George and Dragon. "

The home of the great scientist is still standing in the little villageof Downe in Kent. The road to the hamlet is through Farnborough, and thewalk takes an hour. Downe is a pleasant place, possessing a largevillage pond and a small church with a shingled spire. Darwin's home, known as Downe House, was built in the eighteenth century. Its front isof white stucco, relieved by ivy and other creepers. The wing on thewest side of the house was added by Darwin shortly after he came to livethere. This new portion of the house was used partly to accommodate hislibrary. On the north side is the room used by Darwin as a study, inwhich he wrote some of his most important works. The garden of the houseis sheltered and reposeful, and from the old wall-garden to the souththere is a beautiful view over the delightful stretch of country in thedirection of Westerham. 

The life led by Darwin when at Downe was exceedingly quiet and regular, for he always went to bed at an early hour, and rising at six wasenabled to get in a walk and breakfast before commencing work at eighto'clock. At some other time of the day he would manage to get anopportunity for another walk, and part of the evening would be given upto his family and friends who were privileged to enjoy conversation withthe great author of _The Origin of Species_. Professor Haeckel, describing a visit to Darwin's home, says, "There stepped out to meet mefrom the shady porch . . . The great naturalist himself, a tall andvenerable figure, with the broad shoulders of an Atlas supporting aworld of thought, his Jupiter-like forehead, highly and broadly arched. . . And deeply furrowed with the plough of mental labour; his kindly, mild eyes looking forth under the shadow of prominent brows. "

[Illustration: DOWNE HOUSE AT DOWNE, KENT. 

The Home of Charles Darwin. ]

EPSOM: ITS RACES AND ITS SALTS

=How to get there. =--From Waterloo, South-Western Railway. From London Bridge or Victoria, London, Brighton, and South Coast Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Epsom. =Distance from London. =--14 miles. =Average Time. =--3/4 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 3d. 1s. 6d. 1s. 2d. Return 3s. 0d. 2s. 6d. 2s. 2d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"King's Head, " "Spread Eagle, " etc. 

One must choose any other than a race-day if one wishes to see thecharming old town of Epsom at its best. But if, on the other hand, onewishes, to see something of the scene on the race-course depicted in Mr. Frith's famous picture, one gets no suggestion of the great spectacleexcept on race-days. On these occasions, at the Spring meeting andduring Derby week, one has merely to follow the great streams ofhumanity which converge on the downs from the roads from London and fromthe railway stations. On ordinary days the wide rolling downs aregenerally left alone to the health-giving breezes which blow over them. In the town itself there is much to be seen of the seventeenth-centuryarchitecture associated with the days of Epsom's fame as awatering-place. The wide portion of the High Street at once attractsone's notice, for with one or two exceptions its whole length is full ofthe quaintest of buildings with cream walls and mossy tiled roofs. Theclock-tower was built in 1848, when it replaced a very simple oldwatch-house with a curious little tower rising from it. The "SpreadEagle" is one of the oldest of the Epsom inns; its irregular front andits position looking up the High Street make it more conspicuous thanthe "King's Head, " an equally old and very interesting hostelry facingthe clock-tower. Pepys stayed there in 1667, for in his diary of July 14of that year he writes, "To Epsom, by eight o'clock, to the well; wheremuch company. And to the towne to the King's Head; and hear that my LordBuckhurst and Nelly (Gwynne) are lodged at the next house, and SirCharles Sedley with them: and keep a merry house. " This house, next tothe "King's Head, " is still standing. A little further along the streetis the large red-brick building known to-day as Waterloo House. It wasbuilt about the year 1680, and was then known as the New Inn. The oldbanqueting-hall it contains is divided up now, for the building isconverted into shops. 

Durdans, the residence of Lord Rosebery, is about ten minutes' walk fromthe High Street. One can see the house and grounds from the narrow laneleading to the downs. 

[Illustration: HIGH STREET, EPSOM. 

Showing one of the famous inns which flourished in the seventeenthcentury. ]

EPPING FOREST

=How to get there. =--From Liverpool Street or Fenchurch Street. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Theydon Bois. Other stations near the forest are Chingford, Loughton, and Epping. =Distance from London. =--15 miles. =Average Time. =--1 hour. Quickest train, 38 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 8d. 1s. 11d. 1s. 3-1/2d. Return 3s. 9d. 2s. 11d. 1s. 11d. 

Those who wish to ramble through Epping Forest off the beaten pathsshould carry a compass and a map, so that they do not merely keep in onesection of the forest, and thus miss some of the tracts which are quitedistinct in character to others. The best days during the summer forhaving the glades to one's self are Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, butduring the winter the whole place is left to the keepers and thefeathered inhabitants of the forest. During spring and autumn one alsofinds that the grassy walks are left almost entirely alone, and at theseperiods the forest is at its very best. Those who have only visited itin the height of summer, when the foliage is perhaps drooping a little, when the birds are not singing, and when there are traces of more thanone picnic party, have no idea of the true beauty of the forest. A herdof deer are allowed to breed in the wilder and less frequented portionsif the forest, and these add much to the charm of some of the umbrageousby-paths when one suddenly disturbs a quietly grazing group. QueenElizabeth's hunting lodge, which adjoins the Forest Hotel at Chingford, is a restored three-storied and much gabled building, constructed ofplastered brickwork and framed with oak. It seems that the buildingoriginally had no roof, but merely an open platform, from which onecould obtain a good comprehensive view of any sport going on in thevicinity. The lodge has now been made the home of a museum of objects ofantiquity discovered in the forest. The special points of Epping Forestwhich should be included in a long day's ramble are Connaught Water, alake near Chingford; High Beach, an elevated portion of the forestpossessing some splendid beeches; the earthwork known as Loughton Camp, which probably belongs to pre-Roman times, and Ambresbury Banks, towardsEpping. This camp is said to have been the last fortress of the Britonsunder Boadicea. From here they are believed to have marched against theRomans to receive the crushing defeat inflicted upon them. 

[Illustration: A GLADE AMONG THE BEECHES IN EPPING FOREST. ]

HAMPTON COURT

=How to get there. =--South-Western Railway. Waterloo Station. =Nearest Station. =--Hampton Court. =Distance from London. =--15 miles. =Average Time. =--3/4 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 0d. 1s. 6d. 1s. 2-1/2d. Return 2s. 9d. 2s. 0d. 1s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Castle Hotel, " "Mitre Hotel, " "The King's Arms Hotel, " "Greyhound Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--By steamboats from London Bridge, etc. , during the summer months. 

Within a few hundred yards of the Hampton Court station on the Londonand South-Western Railway stands the magnificent palace of HamptonCourt, originally erected by Cardinal Wolsey for his own residence, andafter his sudden downfall appropriated by his ungrateful master HenryVIII. For his private use and property. 

The approach from the station lies through a pair of finely designedwrought-iron gates to the north frontage of the palace, erected byWolsey himself. This front is all in the fine red-brick architecture ofthe period, with quaint gables, small mullioned windows, and acollection of moulded and twisted red-brick chimneys of wonderfullyvaried designs. The entrance through the gatehouse, flanked by twotowers, is under a massive Tudor gateway, and leads into an innerquadrangle and thence into a second court, both of the same picturesquecharacter. In these inner courts are the suites of rooms given asresidences by royal favour, and on the left-hand side is Wolsey's greatbanqueting-hall, with a magnificent open timber roof. 

The southern and eastern portions, with the Fountain Court and thesplendid frontage to the gardens, were designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and form one of the best examples of his work. In this part of thebuilding are the picture galleries, containing a priceless collection ofworks, comprising Sir Peter Lely's Beauties of King Charles II. 's time, valuable specimens of Holbein, Kneller, West, Jansen, Vandyck, Reynolds, and other masters, and seven wonderful cartoons by Raphael. 

The splendidly kept gardens, about 44 acres in extent, are still verymuch as they were in the time of William III. Hampton Court "Maze" isone of the most intricate in the country. 

The palace, grounds, and picture galleries are open to the public daily, free, except on Fridays; summer, 10 to 6; winter, 10 to 4. Sundays, summer, 2 to 6; winter, 2 to 4. 

[Illustration: THE EAST SIDE OF THE CLOCK TOWER, HAMPTON COURT. ]

RYE HOUSE, BROXBOURNE

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street. Great Eastern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Broxbourne (quite close to Rye House). =Distance from London. =--17 miles. =Average Time. =--50 minutes. Quickest train, 39 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 3d. 2s. 3d. 1s. 6d. } reduced during Return 4s. 9d. 3s. 6d. 2s. 6d. } summer months. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Rye House has been converted into an hotel. 

Rye House stands close to the banks of the river Lea, and is now perhapsmore of a resort than some would wish it to be, for it has been alteredfrom a manor-house into an hotel. It has not, however, quite lost itspicturesqueness, as one will see from the illustration given here, andwithin one may see the fine old dining-hall and the famous "Great bed ofWare, " large enough, it is said, to contain twelve people! Thehistorical interest which attaches itself to Rye House, though wellknown, may be briefly given here. It was in 1683 the scene of a plot, inCharles II. 's reign, to assassinate the king and his brother the Duke ofYork, afterwards James II. , on their way to London from Newmarket. Charles, though restored to the throne, was giving great dissatisfactionto many in the country. Though professedly a Protestant, it was wellknown that his leanings were towards Roman Catholicism, and his brotherthe Duke of York was an avowed Catholic. Then it was discovered thatCharles had been receiving a pension from Louis XIV. Of France, oncondition that this country did not go to war with the French, anarrangement which was most humiliating to the English people. The nationwas thoroughly alarmed, and at the next meeting of Parliament theCommons brought in a bill to exclude the Duke of York from ever comingto the throne. Many of the leading Whigs, including Lord WilliamRussell, Algernon Sidney, and the Earl of Essex, formed a confederacy. It has never been proved that they ever meant the country to riseagainst the king, but unfortunately, just at the same time, some bolderand fiercer spirits of the Whig party determined to kill both Charlesand James at the lonely Rye House belonging to Rumbolt. The plot failedfrom the fact that the house which the king occupied at Newmarketaccidentally caught fire, and Charles was obliged to leave Newmarket aweek sooner than was expected. This conspiracy as well as the meetingsof the Whig party were betrayed to the king's ministers. Russell wasbeheaded in 1683, and Sidney shared the same fate. 

[Illustration: RYE HOUSE. 

The scene of the famous Rye House Plot in 1683. ]

HATFIELD HOUSE, HERTS

=How to get there. =--From King's Cross. Great Northern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Hatfield. =Distance from London. =--17-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--35 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 6d. . . . 1s. 5-1/2d. Return 5s. 0d. . . . 2s. 11d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Red Lion Hotel, " etc. 

Permission to see the interior of Hatfield House can be obtained whenthe Marquess of Salisbury is not in residence. 

After the Norman Conquest Hatfield, the _Haethfield_ of the Saxons, became the property of the bishops of Ely, and was known as BishopsHatfield, as indeed it is marked on many maps. There was here amagnificent palace, which at the Reformation became the property ofHenry VIII. , and was afterwards given to the Cecils by James I. , whoreceived Theobalds in exchange. 

The town of Hatfield is a quaint, straggling place, with narrow streetsand many antique houses. A steep declivity leads up to the old church, dedicated to St. Etheldreda, just outside one of the entrances to thegrounds of Hatfield House. The church contains a monument to Sir RobertCecil, first Earl of Salisbury, also tombs of the Botelers, Brockets, and Reads of Brocket Hall. 

The entrance gateway, close to the churchyard, leads to what are now thestables of Hatfield House, a fine red-brick structure, once thebanqueting-hall of the Bishop's Palace. This building, with its fineopen timber roof, is perhaps the only example of its kind in Englandused as a stable. 

Hatfield House is one of the most perfect and magnificent of Elizabethanmansions in the kingdom. It was built by the first Earl of Salisbury in1611, and is practically unaltered. The fine oak panelling and carving, the plaster ceilings, and much of the furniture, all remain as they werein the days of the great Lord Burleigh. The great hall, with itssplendid timber roof, and the gallery, with a fine collection ofpictures and curios, are two striking features. The staircase ismagnificent in design and detail, and is furnished with gates at thebottom, placed there originally for preventing the dogs from wanderingupstairs. 

The paintings in the hall and other rooms in Hatfield House includeportraits of the great Burleigh, Sir Robert and other Cecils, by Lelyand Kneller; Henry VIII. , Anne Boleyn, Mary Queen of Scots, the Earl ofLeicester, and Queen Elizabeth. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

HATFIELD HOUSE. ]

RUNNYMEAD, THE SIGNING OF MAGNA CHARTA

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Staines. =Distance from London. =--19 miles. =Average Time. =--50 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 0d. 2s. 0d. 1s. 6d. Return 5s. 0d. 3s. 6d. 2s. 9d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Staines--"Pack Horse Hotel, " "Swan Hotel, " "Bridge Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington to Staines. G. W. R. 

Runnymede takes a prominent place among the many historical spots whichcrowd the banks of the Thames. The river at this point is winding andpicturesque. Some doubt attaches to the exact spot where John, in 1215, realising at last that the barons were too strong for him, confirmedtheir articles with his hand and seal, with the full intention ofbreaking his word as soon as it was possible. It was either on the southside of the river, or on an island opposite the end of the meadow, nowknown as Magna Carta Island, that this early bulwark of freedom wasgranted by the king. Though there is strong tradition in favour of themeadows on the opposite bank, possibly the balance of favour is with theisland. On the island there is a rough stone bearing an inscriptionstating that this is the celebrated spot. 

The island is now private property. Above it, on the left, is a lowwooded ridge known as Cooper's Hill, from which one can enjoy someexquisite views of the Thames valley. 

THE OLDEST BRASS IN ENGLAND

=How to get there. =--Train to Leatherhead by South-Western or London, Brighton and South Coast lines. =Distance from London. =--19 miles. =Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Swan Hotel, " etc. , at Leatherhead. 

Two and a half miles from Leatherhead is situated the ancient church ofStoke d'Abernon, famous for possessing the oldest brass in England. Itshows a complete figure of Sir John d'Abernoun, who died in 1277. Thechurch, restored externally, overlooks the river Mole. 

[Illustration: IN STOKE D'ABERNON CHURCH

Twelfth Century Parish Chest, with slot for inserting Peter's Pence. Thethree locks were for the rector and two churchwardens. 

The brass to Sir John d'Abernoun on the floor of the Chancel showing thechain armour worn between 1250 and 1300 A. D. 

Jacobean hour-glass stand. ]

ST. ALBANS

VERULAMIUM AND GORHAMBURY

=How to get there. =--Through train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. =Nearest Station. =--St. Albans. =Distance from London. =--20 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1/2 to 1 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 2s. 8d. . . . 1s. 7-1/2d. Return 5s. 4d. . . . 3s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Peahen, " "Red Lion Hotel, " "The George, " etc. =Alternative Routes. =--Train from Euston, L. And N. W. Railway. Train from King's Cross, Great Northern Railway. 

St. Albans is an ancient town of much historic interest, being builtclose to the site of the old Roman city of Verulamium. West of the town;by a little stream, the Ver, some remains of the old Roman wall may beseen, and the frequent discoveries made there are placed in the museumin the town. St. Alban, or Albanus, who has given his name to the town, was the first British martyr. He lived in the reign of Diocletian, andwas beheaded on the site of the abbey raised in his honour. TheBenedictine monastery which arose became the wealthiest and most popularin England through the fame of the saint. Most of the kings from Saxontimes until the dissolution of the monastery in Henry VIII. 's reign, visited this shrine. In later times the Abbey Church was made parochial, and finally a cathedral. 

St. Albans owes some of its importance to its situation on the famousnorthward road; Watling Street runs through it. Owing to its proximityto London, it was the scene of two battles in its High Street during theWars of the Roses. 

The cathedral occupies the highest site of any in England. The squareNorman tower owes its red hue to the Roman bricks used in itsconstruction. One remarkable feature is the length of the nave, which isonly exceeded by Winchester. Every style of architecture is representedin the interior from Early Norman to Late Perpendicular, and in thetriforium of the north transept are to be seen some Saxon balusters andcolumns. The shrine of St. Alban is in the Saint's Chapel, with theinteresting watching-loft on the north side. The west end has been verymuch renovated by Lord Grimthorpe. 

At Gorhambury can be seen the tower of the ruined house formerlyoccupied by Sir Nicholas Bacon, and visited by Queen Elizabeth. In theantique church of St. Michael in Verulamium is Lord Bacon's monument. 

[Illustration: _F. Frith & Co. , Ltd. _

ST. ALBANS ABBEY. 

Showing the Central Tower constructed of Roman bricks from Verulamium. ]

STOKE POGES CHURCH, BUCKS

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Slough (2-1/2 miles from Stoke Poges). =Distance from London. =--21-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3/4 to 1 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 0d. 2s. 0d. 1s. 6d. Return 5s. 0d. 3s. 6d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Windsor--"White Hart Hotel, " "Castle Hotel, " "Bridge House Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo to Windsor, 3 miles from Stoke Poges. London and South-Western Railway. 

"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day" has immortalised theotherwise unimportant district of Stoke Poges--a parish embracingnumerous small hamlets. 

Leaving Slough by the north end of the railway bridge, one turns firstto the right and then to the left, and soon after leaving theuninteresting bricks and mortar of the town, one enters some of the mostbeautiful lanes in the home counties. At the first cross road one turnsto the right, and again through an open gate to the left, and thence afield path leads to the churchyard. 

The little church, which is always open, has walls of old red brick andflint, with patches of rough plaster. It is wonderfully picturesque, with its partial covering of ivy and beautiful background of fine oldtrees, and no one can view the scene at sunset without recalling Gray'simmortal _Elegy written in a Country Churchyard_--those exquisite verseswhich breathe in every line the peace of an ideal country scene. To alover of Nature there can be nothing more beautiful than the lines--

 Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, And all the air a solemn stillness holds; Save where the beetle wheels his drony flight, And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds. 

Near the east wall of the church is the red brick tomb where Gray sleepshis last sleep, and in the meadow by the chancel window stands the hugecenotaph raised to his memory by John Penn. Of the little cottage wherehe spent his summer vacations and wrote the _Elegy_ nothing now remains. Gray was born in London in 1716, and died at Cambridge in 1771. 

The interior of the church has lost its high old pews and galleries, sothat it lacks the interest it might have had, for until these wereremoved the building was almost exactly what Gray knew so well. 

[Illustration: _Mackenzie Fine Art Co. _

STOKE POGES CHURCHYARD. 

Associated with Gray's _Elegy_. ]

WINDSOR

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Windsor. =Distance from London. =--21-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1/2 to 1 hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 6d. 2s. 3d. 1s. 9d. Return 5s. 6d. 4s. 0d. 3s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"White Hart Hotel, " "Bridge House Hotel, " "Castle Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. 

The chief interest of Windsor centres in its castle, without whichvisitors to the town would probably be few in number. Some of the oldstreets are narrow, and there are many architecturally interestingbuildings. The business portion of the town lies nearest to the Castle, the residential parts being chiefly round the Great Park. The Town Hall, in the High Street, was commenced in 1686, and was completed under thedirection of Sir Christopher Wren. 

The history of Windsor Castle commences with the granting of the site ofthe castle and town to the Abbot of Westminster by Edward the Confessor. William the Conqueror, was, however, so struck with its splendidmilitary position, that he revoked the grant, and where the castle nowstands built a fortress of considerable size. Of this there is nodescription extant. The first court was held at Windsor by Henry I. , andduring his reign many splendid functions took place there. Edward III. Employed William of Wykeham to rebuild almost the whole castle. HenryVII. , Henry VIII. , and Elizabeth all made additions to the buildings. Many magnificent paintings were added during the reign of Charles I. George I. Made Windsor Castle his chief residence, and appointed a RoyalCommission to rebuild the castle in its present form at a cost of morethan one million sterling. About 1860, Wolsey's Chapel, now known as theAlbert Memorial Chapel, was restored in memory of the Prince Consort, and the Duchess of Kent's mausoleum was erected. St. George's Chapel, asplendid specimen of ecclesiastical architecture, was originally builtby Edward III. , and was finally restored in 1887. The State apartments, which can be seen when the Royal family are absent, are sumptuouslyfurnished and contain much beautiful tapestry and a valuable collectionof pictures. 

Windsor Great Park, the chief feature of which is the Long Walk, is wellstocked with deer. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

WINDSOR CASTLE. ]

JORDANS AND WILLIAM PENN

=How to get there. =--Train from Baker Street. Metropolitan Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Chalfont Road (3 miles from Jordans). =Distance from London. =--22 miles. =Average Time. =--51 minutes. (Convenient trains, 10. 27 A. M. , 12. 17 and 2. 27 P. M. )

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 2d. 2s. 4d. 1s. 7d. Return 4s. 9d. 3s. 5d. 2s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--None at Jordans. =Alternative Route. =--Train to Uxbridge. Great Western Railway. 

Jordans, the burial-place of William Penn, the great English Quaker andphilanthropist, lies on a by-road in Buckinghamshire, leading fromChalfont St. Peter to Beaconsfield. The place itself, though full of thetypical charm of English scenery in the home counties, does not containanything of particular interest, and it owes its reputation to theassociations with the wonderful man who lived and died there. Jordans isvisited by many hundreds of tourists during the summer, mainlyAmericans. One of these offered to remove Penn's remains toPhiladelphia, capital of Pennsylvania, and there build a mausoleum overthem; but the offer was declined. 

The road runs south-west from the village of Chalfont St. Peter, andafter a sharp curve brings the visitor to the Meeting House, a veryplain and unobtrusive structure, dating from about the end of theseventeenth century. In the secluded burying-ground surrounded andoverhung by great trees lies William Penn. Five of his children alsorest among these quiet surroundings; and here are buried two well-knownQuaker leaders, Isaac Penington and Thomas Ellwood. At the actual timeof burial there were no gravestones, but these have since been added. Though the house as a regular place of meeting has long fallen intodisuse, there is still an annual gathering of Quakers there in memory ofthe great dead. 

Penn was the son of Sir William Penn, an eminent admiral, and was bornin 1644. His violent advocacy of the Quaker creeds led him intocontinual trouble and several times into prison. In 1681 he obtained, inlieu of the income left by his father, a grant from the Crown of theterritory now forming the state of Pennsylvania. Penn wished to call hisnew property Sylvania, on account of the forest upon it, but the king, Charles II. , good-naturedly insisted on the prefix Penn. The great manleft his flourishing colony for the last time in 1701, and after atroublous time in pecuniary matters, owing to the villany of an agent inAmerica, Penn died at Ruscombe in Berkshire in 1718. 

[Illustration: _H. C. Shelley. _

THE JORDANS. 

The burial-place of William Penn. ]

KNOLE HOUSE AND SEVENOAKS

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Sevenoaks (Knole House is just outside Sevenoaks). =Distance from London. =--22 miles. =Average Time. =--45 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 10d. 2s. 5d. 1s. 11d. Return 6s. 8d. 4s. 10d. 3s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Sevenoaks--"Royal Crown Hotel, " "Royal Oak Hotel, " "Bligh's Private Hotel, " etc. 

Sevenoaks is famous for its beautiful situation near the Weald of Kent. It possesses still some old inns, relics of coaching days. The GrammarSchool was founded in 1432 by Sir William Sevenoke, who, from being afoundling, became Lord Mayor. St. Nicholas' Church is a large buildingin the Decorated and Perpendicular style, much restored. 

The chief charm of Sevenoaks is Knole House, a splendid example of thebaronial dwellings that were erected after the Wars of the Roses, whenthe fortress was no longer so necessary. The demesne of Knole waspurchased in the fifteenth century by Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop ofCanterbury, who rebuilt the mansion on it. It was taken from Cranmer bythe Crown and granted in 1603 to Thomas Sackville, Baron Buckhurst, afterwards Earl of Dorset, who is now represented by the Sackville-Westfamily, the present owners. 

The first Earl of Dorset greatly improved Knole, employing, it is said, 200 workmen constantly. The building surrounds three square courts andoccupies about 5 acres. Knole possesses an extremely valuable collectionof paintings, and the mediaeval furniture is untouched from the time ofJames I. There are famous pictures by Flemish, Dutch, Venetian, andItalian painters. In the dressing-room of the Spangled Bedroom are to beseen some of Sir Peter Lely's beauties. The Cartoon Gallery has copiesof Raphael's cartoons by Mytens, and in the Poet's Parlour are portraitsof England's famous poets--some by Gainsborough and Sir Joshua Reynolds. The banqueting-hall has a screened music gallery. It is said that thereare as many rooms in the house as there are days in the year. The drivesand walks of the large park are always open, and the house is shown onFridays from 10 A. M. To 5 P. M. , and on Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to5 P. M. At a charge of 2s. ; there is a reduction for a party. Tickets areprocurable at the lodge. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

KNOLE HOUSE. 

One of the finest examples of a baronial residence of the periodimmediately succeeding the Wars of the Roses. ]

GREENSTEAD CHURCH

A SAXON CHURCH WITH WOODEN WALLS

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street or Fenchurch Street. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Chipping Ongar (1 mile from Greenstead Church). =Distance from London. =--22-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1 to 1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 11d. 2s. 10d. 1s. 11-1/2d. Return 5s. 9d. 4s. 2d. 3s. 1d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Inn, etc. , at Ongar. 

Entering Ongar from the railway station one finds on the right afootpath leading into a fine avenue. About ten minutes' walk down thisbrings one to Greenstead Hall, a red brick Jacobean house, with thechurch adjoining it. Set among a profusion of foliage, the simple littlebuilding would be quite interesting as an ideally situated little rusticchurch, but when one realises how unique it is, the spot at once becomesfascinating. The walls of the diminutive nave, as one may see from theillustration given here, consist of the trunks of large oak trees splitdown the centre and roughly sharpened at each end. They are raised fromthe ground by a low foundation of brick, and inside the spaces betweenthe trees are covered with fillets of wood. On top the trees arefastened into a frame of rough timber by wooden pins. The interior ofthe building is exceedingly dark, for there are no windows in the woodenwalls, and the chief light comes from the porch and a dormer window. This window in the roof, however, was not in the original design, forthe rude structure was only designed as a temporary resting-place forthe body of St. Edmund the Martyr. It was in A. D. 1010 that the saint'sbody was removed from Bury to London, its protectors fearing anincursion of the Danes at that time. Three years afterwards, however, the body was brought back to Bury, and on its journey rested for a timeat Greenstead--a wooden chapel being erected in its honour. The remainsof this chapel, built nearly half a century before the Conquest, arestill to be seen in the wooden walls just referred to. The length of theoriginal structure was 29 feet 9 inches long by 14 feet wide. The walls, 5 feet 6 inches high, supported the rough timber roof, which possessedno windows. The chancel and tower were added afterwards. 

Ongar Castle, a huge artificial mound surrounded by a moat, is close tothe main street. The church contains in the chancel, hidden by a carpet, the grave of Oliver Cromwell's daughter. A house in the High Street isassociated with Livingstone. 

[Illustration: GREENSTEAD CHURCH, ESSEX. 

Built in 1013, is remarkable for its nave, constructed of solid treetrunks. ]

CHALFONT ST. GILES

HOME OF MILTON

=How to get there. =--Train from Baker Street. Metropolitan Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Chalfont Road (2-1/2 miles from Chalfont St. Giles). An omnibus runs between the village and the station during the summer months. =Distance from London. =--23-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--51 minutes. (Convenient trains, 10. 27 A. M. , 12. 17 and 2. 27 P. M. )

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 2d. 2s. 4d. 1s. 7d. Return 4s. 9d. 3s. 5d. 2s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Merlin's Cave Inn, " etc. 

This pretty little Buckinghamshire village has become almost ascelebrated as its neighbour Stoke Poges, on account of having been thehome of John Milton. The poet's cottage is the last on the left side atthe top of the village street. As one may see from the illustration, itis a very picturesque, half-timbered house, whose leaded windows lookinto a typical country garden. In 1887 a public subscription was raisedand the cottage was purchased. Visitors are therefore able to see theinterior as well as the exterior of Milton's home, which, it should bementioned, is the only one existing to-day of the various houses heoccupied. For those who are not residents in the parish a charge ofsixpence is made for admission. The poet's room, which is on the righton entering, is rather dark, and has a low ceiling. One notices thewide, open fireplace where the white-bearded old man would sit in winterdays, and the lattice-paned windows through which in summer-time camethe humming of bees and the scent of the flowers growing in theold-fashioned garden. The pleasant indications of his surroundings musthave been a great solace to the blind old man. In these simplesurroundings one must picture Milton dictating his stately verse, withhis thoughts concentrated on the serried ranks of the hosts of heaven. 

Milton came to Chalfont in 1665, in order to escape from the plague. Hiseldest daughter was at that time about seventeen years of age, and asshe and her sisters are supposed to have remained with their fatheruntil about 1670, it is probable that they came to Chalfont with him. 

The church of Chalfont St. Giles has a Norman font, and there are othertraces of Norman work in the bases of the pillars and elsewhere. Thesouth wall of the nave and the north chapel are specially interesting onaccount of their frescoes. 

[Illustration: MILTON'S COTTAGE, CHALFONT ST. GILES. 

Milton moved here from London in 1665, to avoid the Plague. ]

WESTERHAM

THE HOME OF GENERAL WOLFE

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Westerham. =Distance from London. =--25 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1 to 2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 3s. 10d. 2s. 5d. 2s. 0d. Return 6s. 8d. 4s. 10d. 4s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The King's Arms, " "The Bull, " "The George and Dragon, " etc. 

Westerham as a small country town is not very remarkable in itself, although not devoid of interest, but as containing the birthplace ofGeneral Wolfe it becomes a place worthy of a pilgrimage. Colonel andMrs. Wolfe, the parents of the hero of Quebec, had just come toWesterham, and occupied the vicarage at the time of the birth of theirson James in 1727. This, being previous to 1752, was during the oldstyle, when the year began on March 25. The day was December 22, nowrepresented by January 2. Colonel Wolfe's infant was christened inWesterham Church by the vicar, the Rev. George Lewis; but although bornat the vicarage, James's parents must have moved into the house nowknown as Quebec House almost immediately afterwards, for practically thewhole of the first twelve years of the boy's life were spent in the fineold Tudor house which is still standing to-day. The vicarage is also tobe seen, and though much altered at the back, the front portion, containing the actual room in which Wolfe was born, is the same as inthe past. It has a three-light window towards the front, and two smallwindows in the gable at the side. Quebec House is near the vicarage. Itdoes not bear its name upon it, but it will be pointed out on inquiry. The front is a most disappointing stucco affair, but this merely hidesthe beautiful Elizabethan gables which originally adorned the house fromevery point of view. Two private tenants now occupy the house, but theinterior is on the whole very little altered since little James Wolfeplayed hide-and-seek in the old passages and rooms. Squerryes Court, theseat of Lieut. -Colonel C. A. M. Warde, J. P. , is the local storehouse ofWolfe relics. Numbers of letters, portraits, and other interestingobjects are all carefully preserved there. Young Wolfe was constantly atSquerryes, and the spot in the park where he received his firstcommission is marked by a stone cenotaph. 

[Illustration: QUEBEC HOUSE, WESTERHAM. 

Where General James Wolfe spent the first twelve years of his life. ]

GUILDFORD, SURREY

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. South-Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Guildford. =Distance from London. =--29-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies from 50 minutes to 1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 5s. 0d. 3s. 2d. 2s. 6d. Return 8s. 9d. 5s. 6d. 5s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Angel, " "White Lion, " "Castle, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--South-Eastern and Chatham Railway from Charing Cross Station, and other South-Eastern and Chatham Railway termini. 

Guildford High Street is without doubt one of the most picturesque inEngland. When one stands beneath the shadow of the quaintseventeenth-century town hall, with its great clock projecting half-wayacross the street towards the Corn Exchange, with its classic stoneportico, a most charming picture is spread before one. The steep streetdropping down to the river Wey, with the great green slopes of the Hog'sBack rising immediately beyond, framed in with quaint gabled fronts andprojecting windows. The castle, though very much in ruins, stillpossesses its huge square keep standing upon an artificial mound. Boththe keep and the other portions of the fortress were probably built inthe reign of Henry II. Those who are endeavouring to read the history ofthe castle should bear in mind that in 1623 it was converted into aprivate dwelling-house, and this accounts for the red brick mullions inthe upper windows of the keep. From the highest portion of the wallsthere is an exceedingly pretty view up the winding course of the Wey. Abbot's Hospital, at the top of the High Street, was built in 1619. Itis an exceedingly picturesque old structure of red brick, withconspicuously fine chimney-stacks. The buildings enclose a beautifulcourtyard full of the richest architectural detail. The dining-hall isoak-panelled almost to the ceiling, and contains oak tables, benches, and stools. The chapel in the north-east corner contains an alms-box anda "Vinegar" Bible, and two of the windows are remarkable for their fineold glass. 

The Angel Hotel in the High Street is built over a thirteenth-centurycrypt and contains much panelling. 

The old stone grammar school in Spital Street was founded by Edward VI. St. Mary's Church, in the centre of the town, has a painted roof to oneof its chapels and some Saxon features. 

[Illustration: HIGH STREET, GUILDFORD. 

Showing the Town Hall, with its projecting clock, and the CornExchange. ]

GAD'S HILL

THE HOME OF CHARLES DICKENS

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria or Holborn Viaduct. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Rochester. (Gad's Hill lies 1-1/2 miles from Rochester). =Distance from London. =--31 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1 and 1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 5s. 4d. 3s. 4d. 2s. 8d. Return 9s. 4d. 6s. 8d. 5s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Rochester--"King's Head Hotel, " "Royal Victoria Hotel, " "Bull Hotel, " "Royal Crown Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. 

Mr. Latham, the present occupier, kindly admits visitors on Wednesdayafternoons. 

Lovers of Charles Dickens naturally have a pleasure in seeing the placesnear Rochester so familiar to them through his works. A mile and a halffrom this ancient city with its cathedral and castle is Gad's HillPlace, where the great author resided from 1856 till the day of hisdeath in 1870. When Dickens was a small boy the house had always acurious interest for him, for he thought it the most beautiful house hehad ever seen. His father, then living in Rochester, used to bring himto look at it, and used to tell the little fellow that if he grew up tobe a clever man he might own that or another such house. Gad's HillPlace is a comfortable old-fashioned house, built, it is said, about1775. Facing it is a shrubbery containing huge cedars. This wasconnected with the grounds opposite by an underground passage stillexisting, and here Dickens erected a châlet given to him by his friendMr. Fechter, in which he worked till the time of his sudden death. Gad'sHill had a peculiar fascination for Dickens, for it was on the highwaythere that he obtained his wonderful insight into the character andmanners of the various tramps and showmen he portrays in his books. 

Dickens liked nothing better than taking his friends over this district. He thought the seven miles between Rochester and Maidstone one of themost beautiful walks in England. Dickens would compress into infinitelyfew days an enormous amount of sight-seeing and country enjoyment:castles, cathedrals, lunches and picnics among cherry orchards andhop-gardens. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

GAD'S HILL PLACE, NEAR ROCHESTER. 

The home of Charles Dickens. ]

IGHTHAM MOTE, KENT

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, and Ludgate Hill. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Wrotham (2 miles from Ightham Mote). =Distance from London. =--31 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1 to 1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 5s. 1d. 3s. 2d. 2s. 6d. Return 8s. 11d. 6s. 4d. 5s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The George and the Dragon, " Ightham. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

In a lovely green hollow, surrounded by splendid old trees and velvetturf, stands Ightham Mote, a gem among old English moated manor-houses. It is the home of Mr. J. C. Colyer-Fergusson, who allows the public tosee the house and grounds on Fridays, between 11 and 1, and 2 and 6. Acharge of 6d. Is made. 

Crossing a bridge over the moat, one enters the courtyard of the housethrough the great Tudor gate illustrated here. Standing in thiscourtyard one can scarcely imagine anything more beautiful andpicturesque. The great square battlemented tower, through which one hasjust passed, is pierced with leaded windows, and its weather-beaten oldwalls are relieved by all sorts of creepers, which have been allowed toadorn without destroying the rich detail of stone and half-timber work. Those who find pleasure in gazing on architectural picturesqueness cansatisfy themselves in the richness of colour and detail revealed in thisbeautiful courtyard. The crypt with its fine groined roof, the chapelwhich dates from 1520, the drawing-room with its two hundred years oldChinese wall-paper--believed to be one of the earliest occasions whenwall-papers were used in this country--and many other interestingfeatures are shown to visitors. 

The original Ightham Mote seems to have been built in 1180 by Sir Ivo deHaut. The Hall, it is known, was built by Sir Thomas Cawne in 1340. Richard de Haut, who owned the place later on, was beheaded in 1484 atPontefract. His estate was confiscated and came into the hands of SirRobert Brackenbury, governor of the Tower, who lost his life at thebattle of Bosworth. However, during the reign of Henry VII. , Ighthamonce more came into the possession of the de Hauts; and it should bementioned that throughout the seven centuries of its existence the househas always been inhabited. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

IGHTHAM--THE MOAT AND BRIDGE. ]

PENSHURST

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Penshurst. =Distance from London. =--32 miles. =Average Time. =--1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 5s. 0d. 3s. 3d. 2s. 6d. Return 8s. 8d. 6s. 2d. 4s. 7d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Leicester Arms Hotel. "

The pleasant little village of Penshurst, situated 6 miles north-westfrom Tunbridge Wells, is renowned for the beautiful fourteenth-centurymansion known as Penshurst Place. From Norman times a house has occupiedthe site, but the present building did not come into existence until1349, when Sir John de Poultenay, who was four times Lord Mayor ofLondon, built the present historic seat. Having come into the possessionof the Crown, the estate was given by Edward VI. To Sir William Sidney, who had fought at Flodden Field. The unfortunate young King Edward diedin the arms of Sir William's son Henry, whose grief was so excessivethat he retired to Penshurst and lived there in seclusion. Sir HenrySidney had three children, one of whom being Sir Philip Sidney, the typeof a most gallant knight and perfect gentleman. It was at Penshurst thatEdmund Spenser, Sir Philip's friend, wrote his first work, the_Shepherd's Calendar_, and though Sidney did not actually write hisfamous poem _Arcadia_ in his beautiful Kentish home, its scenery musthave suggested many of the descriptions. Algernon Sidney, who wasillegally put to death through Judge Jeffreys, was the nephew of SirPhilip, and he is supposed to be buried in Penshurst Church, though nomonument remains. The present owner of Penshurst is Lord De Lisle andDudley (Sir Philip Charles Sidney (died 1851) was given the peerage in1835), who allows visitors to view the historic mansion on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 3 P. M. To 6 P. M. (admission 1s. ). The greatfeature of the house is the baronial hall, built in 1341, which has ahearth in the centre of the room. The Queen's drawing-room, said to havebeen furnished by Queen Elizabeth, contains some interesting Tudorfurniture, and the satin tapestry which adorns the walls is alsobelieved to be the work of the virgin queen and her maidens. There aremany valuable and interesting portraits of the famous members of theSidney family. In the beautiful grounds of Penshurst is an oak tree, planted, says tradition, at the time of Sir Philip Sidney's birth. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

PENSHURST PLACE. 

Which was built in 1349, was the home of Sir Philip Sidney. ]

ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT AND MARAZION

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Marazion. =Distance from London. =--324-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 8-1/2 to 11-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 50s. 2d. 31s. 6d. 25s. 1d. Return 87s. 10d. 55s. 0d. 50s. 2d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Godolphin Hotel, " "Marazion Hotel, " etc. 

Marazion, the nearest town to St. Michael's Mount, is situated on theeastern side of Mount's Bay, and was in the Middle Ages a place of someimportance, being the headquarters of the pilgrims to St. Michael'sMount. Marazion is connected with St. Michael's Mount by a causeway 120feet in width, formed of rocks and pebbles, and passable only at lowtide for three or four hours. 

The mount itself is a remarkable granite rock, about a mile incircumference and 250 feet high. It was referred to by Ptolemy, and issupposed to have been the island Iclis of the Greeks, noticed byDiodorus Siculus as the place near the promontory of Belerium to whichthe tin, when refined, was brought by the Britons to be exchanged withthe Phoenician merchants. Its British name was equivalent to "the greyrock in the woods, " a traditional name, apparently confirmed by thediscovery of a submarine forest extending for some miles round the baseof the mount. The beauty of the spot caused it to be selected by theancient Britons as a favourite resort for worship, and shortly after theintroduction of Christianity it became a place of pilgrimage, and wasvisited in the fifth century by St. Kelna, a British princess, whofounded a hermitage there. Some sort of military defences protected themount at a very early date, for Edward the Confessor's charter in 1047to the Benedictine monks, whom he settled here, especially mentions its_castella_ and other buildings. 

In Charles II. 's reign the estate was purchased from the Basset familyby the St. Aubyns, who still remain its owners. In the castle itself, which crowns the mount, the chief feature is the old hall, now known asthe "Chevy Chase" room, from its being adorned with carvings of variousfield sports. There is some fine old furniture and good pictures. Visitors are allowed to see the principal rooms of the castle when thefamily are from home, and at all times to see the quaint old Gothicchapel. There is a small fishing village with a pier and harbour at thefoot of the rock. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT. 

The rock is 250 feet in height, and has possessed a castle since 1047. ]

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, or St. Paul's. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Rochester. =Distance from London. =--33 miles. =Average Time. =--1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 5s. 4d. 3s. 4d. 2s. 8d. Return 9s. 4d. 6s. 3d. 5s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"King's Head Hotel, " "Royal Victoria, " "Bull Hotel, " "Royal Crown Hotel, " etc. 

Rochester, a most picturesque old town on the river Medway, has been aplace of importance from the earliest times. The cathedral, which is notvery impressive externally, and is much surrounded by houses, is bestseen from the castle. It was the first church built after Augustinesettled in Canterbury, but of this building no trace now remains exceptsome foundations. The Norman Bishop Gundulf in 1080 built a largeportion of the Norman work of the present cathedral. In 1201 it waslargely rebuilt by money obtained from thank-offerings for miracleswrought by St. William, a baker of Perth, who was murdered nearRochester on his way to Canterbury, and buried in the cathedral. TheNorman castle, standing on the banks of the river, was built by BishopGundulf, and though it is now in ruins, the interior having beendestroyed for its timber, the walls remain firm. The castle was besiegedby William Rufus and Simon de Montfort, and on both occasions sufferedconsiderable damage. One of the many interesting buildings in the HighStreet is the three-gabled house of Watts's Charity, which has becomefamous from Dickens's Christmas story of _The Seven Poor Travellers_. According to the inscription above the doorway, Richard Watts in 1579founded this "Charity for Six Poor Travellers, who not being Rogues orProctors, may receive gratis for one night, Lodging, Entertainment, andFourpence each. " Restoration House, an old red-brick mansion on theMaidstone Road, is so named from the visit of Charles II. On his way toLondon in 1660. To all admirers of Charles Dickens, Rochester is full ofmemories (see Index, Gad's Hill). Not only did Dickens make Rochesterthe scene of his last unfinished work, _Edwin Drood_, but he made manyallusions to it elsewhere. Mr. Jingle, for instance, in the _PickwickPapers_ says, "Ah! fine place, glorious pile--frowning walls--totteringarches--dark nooks--crumbling staircases--old cathedral too--earthysmell--pilgrims' feet worn away the old steps. "

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL. 

A considerable portion was built in 1080 by Bishop Gundulf. ]

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Tunbridge Wells. =Distance from London. =--34-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1 to 2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 5s. 10d. 3s. 8d. 2s. 8-1/2d. Return 10s. 0d. 7s. 4d. 5s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Spa Hotel, " "The Swan Hotel, " "Castle Hotel, " "Carlton Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, and St. Paul's. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. 

At the same time that Epsom began to become known as a watering-place, Tunbridge Wells was rapidly growing into a famous inland resort. Thewells were discovered by Lord North in 1606, while he was staying atEridge, and in a few years Tunbridge Wells became the resort of themonied and leisured classes of London and other parts of the kingdom. From that time to this the town has been one of the most popular ofEngland's inland watering-places. 

The Tunbridge Wells of to-day is a charming and picturesque town. "ThePantiles, " with its row of stately limes in the centre and the colonnadein front of its shops, is unique among English towns. Readers ofThackeray's _Virginians_ will remember his description of the scene onthe Pantiles in the time of powdered wigs, silver buckles, and thefearful and wonderful "hoop. "

At the end of the Pantiles is the red brick church ofKing-Charles-the-Martyr, the only one with any claim to antiquity in thetown; the rest are all quite modern. 

Walks and excursions around Tunbridge Wells are numerous. The common, with its mixture of springy turf, golden gorse, with here and there abold group of rocks, is one of the most beautiful in the home counties, and in whatever direction one wanders there are long views overfar-stretching wooded hills and dales. 

Rusthall Common, about a mile from the town, though somewhat smallerthan that of Tunbridge Wells, commands more extensive views. 

One great feature of interest at Rusthall Common is the group of rocks, of which the largest, the Toad Rock, bears a most singular resemblanceto the reptile from which it is named. The High Rocks, situated furtheron, and just in the county of Sussex, are also very remarkable, risingfrom 30 to 60 feet in height. 

[Illustration: THE TOAD ROCK

On Rusthall Common, Tunbridge Wells. ]

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE PANTILES, TUNBRIDGE WELLS. ]

THE QUINTAIN POST AT OFFHAM AND MALLING ABBEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, Ludgate Hill, or St. Paul's. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--West Malling (1 mile from Offham). =Distance from London. =--36 miles. =Average Time. =--1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 5s. 11d. 3s. 9d. 2s. 11-1/2d. Return 10s. 4d. 7s. 6d. 3s. 11d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"George Hotel" at West Malling. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

On the green at Offham, an out-of-the-way Kentish village, stands theonly quintain post in England. It consists of a tall white post, havinga spike at the top, upon which revolves a cross-bar. This portion, whichturns on the spike, has a fairly broad square end covered with smallholes, while at the opposite end hangs a billet of wood. 

The pastime consisted in riding on horseback at the broad end and aiminga lance at one of the holes. The rider had to duck his head at the sameinstant, in order to save himself from the billet which swung roundimmediately the lance-point caught the opposite end. Only those who werevery agile saved themselves from a nasty blow. Instead of a billet, abag containing sand or mould would sometimes be suspended on thecross-bar. This would swing round with sufficient force to unseat therider. 

This quintain post is undoubtedly one of the most interesting survivalsof the pastimes of the "good old days. " The owners of the adjoininghouse have been required to keep the quintain post in a good state ofrepair, and it is doubtless to this stipulation in the title-deeds ofthe property that we owe the existence of this unique relic. 

The ruins of Malling Abbey, now the property of an Anglican sisterhood, are extremely interesting. The abbey was founded in 1090, and was givento the nun Avicia by the famous Gundulf of Rochester. The keep of St. Leonard, not far from the abbey, was also built by Gundulf, who isresponsible for the White Tower of the Tower of London. This St. Leonard's Tower is said to be of earlier character than any keep inNormandy. Permission to see the ruins must be obtained from the abbessor chaplain, and visitors are expected to give a small contributiontowards the restoration fund. 

[Illustration: OFFHAM. 

The Quintain Post on the Green. ]

EVERSLEY

THE HOME OF CHARLES KINGSLEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. South-Western Railway. =Nearest Stations. =--Wokingham, 5 miles; Winchfield, 7 miles. =Distance from London. =--Wokingham, 36-1/2 miles; Winchfield, 39 miles. =Average Time. =--Wokingham, 2 hours; Winchfield, 1-1/2 hours. 

=Fares. =-- Single. Return. 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rdWokingham 5s. 6d. 3s. 9d. 3s. 0d. 9s. 0d. 6s. 6d. 6s. 0d. Winchfield 6s. 6d. 4s. 0d. 3s. 3d. 11s. 6d. 7s. 2d. 6s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Small village inn at Eversley. "George Hotel" at Odiham, 2 miles from Winchfield Station; very old and picturesque. =Alternative route. =--Train to Wellington College. S. E. And C. Rly. 

The drive from Winchfield (7 miles) is chiefly across beautiful heatherycommons; from Wokingham the road is more enclosed with hedges. EversleyChurch and rectory stand almost alone, save for a farmhouse and barns, being nearly a mile from the other portions of the village. The churchis very picturesquely situated on sloping ground, an avenue of yewsleading from the lych gate to the porch. Inside, the building hassuffered a good deal from restoration, but the pulpit from whichKingsley preached his stirring sermons remains unaltered. The rectory isa very old building which has been modernised on the side fronting onthe road. On the lawn stands the group of glorious Scotch firs whichKingsley was never tired of watching. Their boughs sweep downwards andalmost touch the grass, and their great red trunks are a strong contrastto the dense green of the surrounding foliage. 

In one of the sitting-rooms is a set of drawers in which Kingsley kept acollection of fossils. His grave is on the side of the church yardnearest the overshadowing branches of the Scotch firs. The Runic crossof white marble is a beautiful one. The head is ornamented with a sprayof passion flower and bears upon it the words "God is Love. " On the baseare the words "Amavimus, amamus, amabimus. "

The neighbouring district of Bramshill has still the little thatchedcottage where Kingsley used to conduct a little simple service on Sundayafternoons. The whole of the country surrounding Bramshill Park isclosely covered with self-sown firs, and the commons interspersed amongthe forest lands are covered with heather and gorse. This was thecountry Kingsley loved, whether he was riding over it with the localpack of foxhounds or on a visit to one of his parishioners. 

[Illustration: EVERSLEY RECTORY. 

The scene of the labours of Charles Kingsley. ]

FARNHAM, SURREY

THE HOME OF WILLIAM COBBETT

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. South-Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Farnham. =Distance from London. =--37-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 6s. 3d. 4s. 0d. 3s. 1-1/2d. Return 10s. 0d. 7s. 0d. 6s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Bush, " "The Railway Hotel, " "The Lion and Lamb, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

In 1762 William Cobbett, one of the great writers and reformers of theeighteenth century, was born at Farnham, in Surrey. The house is stillstanding, and is now known as the "Jolly Farmer" Inn. Cobbett gives avery clear account of his early years at Farnham, and some of hisyouthful escapades are very amusing. One game which he and two of hisbrothers were never tired of playing was that of rolling each other likebarrels down the very steep sandy hill which one may see rising sharplyfrom the back of the "Jolly Farmer. " Cobbett left Farnham for Londonwhen he was twenty-one, but often revisited his native town in lateryears. When he died, in 1835, he was buried in Farnham churchyard. Thegrave faces the porch on the north side of the church. The Rev. AugustusToplady, who wrote the universally known hymn "Rock of Ages, " was bornin a little house in West Street, Farnham, which was rebuilt some yearsago. 

Overlooking the town from the hills to the north is Farnham Castle, thehistoric seat of the Bishops of Winchester for many generations past. Aportion of the buildings, including the keep, are of Norman origin, therest having been chiefly built by Bishop Fox in the early part of thesixteenth century. During the Parliamentary war Farnham Castle was forsome time the headquarters of the Roundhead army operating in this partof the country, Sir William Waller having overcome the garrison placedthere by the High Sheriff of Surrey. 

Vernon House, in West Street, is notable by reason of the visit paid toit by Charles I. When on his way to London as a prisoner in the hands ofthe Parliamentary troops. The silk cap which King Charles presented tohis host is still preserved in the house by the present owner, adescendant of the Vernon family. 

[Illustration: THE BIRTHPLACE OF WILLIAM COBBETT AT FARNHAM. ]

HINDHEAD, SURREY

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Haslemere. =Distance from London. =--43 miles. =Average Time. =--1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 7s. 2d. 4s. 6d. 3s. 7d. Return 12s. 6d. 8s. 0d. 6s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Old Swan Hotel, " "The Hindhead Beacon, " "White Horn Hotel, " Haslemere. "Hindhead Hotel, " "Royal Anchor Hotel, " Liphook, etc. 

The Hindhead district, not long ago one of the wildest in the homecounties, has of late been much encroached upon by the erection ofmodern villas and houses. A few years back there was scarcely a vestigeof human habitation to be seen from the road skirting the "Devil'sPunchbowl, " or the descent on the other side, but since the timeProfessor Tyndall built his house there, the aspect of the country hasbeen in places considerably changed. 

From Haslemere Station one may take a direct road to the Hindheadsummit, but the most interesting route is through Shottermill, about amile distant (see p. 64). From here an easy walk takes one into the mainPortsmouth road close to the Seven Thorns Inn, where there is a longascent to the summit of Hindhead, with its inn, the Royal Huts Hotel. Close by is the village of Grayshott, now fast growing into a place ofconsiderable residential importance. Following the road Londonwards, onearrives in a few hundred yards at the very highest point of the roadover Hindhead, after which it drops gently, skirting the magnificenthollow known as the "Devil's Punchbowl. " On the left-hand side, in theloneliest part of the road, is the gruesome tombstone which marks thespot where an unknown sailor was murdered and robbed while tramping fromPortsmouth to London. This stone and its surroundings, it will beremembered, are mentioned in _Nicholas Nickleby_, in the account of thewalk of Nicholas and Smike from London to Portsmouth. Close by, on theopposite side of the road, there is a rough sandy track--once the oldcoach road--which leads up to the stone cross on the extreme summit ofthe Hindhead--900 feet above sea-level--where the murderers of thesailor were executed, and hung in chains. The view from this point, aptly named Gibbet Hill, is quite magnificent for Surrey. 

On the northern slope of Blackdown--the high ridge of hills towards thesouth-east--is Aldworth House, where Tennyson resided in his latteryears. 

[Illustration: THE PORTSMOUTH ROAD. 

Near the highest point, where it crosses Hindhead. ]

SHOTTERMILL

THE HOME OF GEORGE ELIOT

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo Station. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Haslemere (1 mile by road from Shottermill village). =Distance from London. =--43 miles. =Average Time. =--From 1-1/2 to 2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 7s. 2d. 4s. 6d. 3s. 7d. Return 12s. 6d. 8s. 0d. 6s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Haslemere--"White Horse Hotel, " "Swan Hotel, " etc. "Oakland's Mansion Private Hotel. "

This lovely little village, on the slopes of Hindhead, with its breezyuplands, its hills covered with Scotch firs and its undulating tracts ofland, so beautiful in the autumn with the glorious purple heather, wasmuch beloved by George Eliot, known to the whole world as the writer of_Adam Bede_ and the _Mill on the Floss_. In 1871, while _Middlemarch_was appearing in parts, George Eliot, who as Mr. Lewes said, "neverseemed at home except under a broad sweep of sky, " spent part of thespring and summer at Brookbank, --an old-fashioned gabled cottage in thevillage (close to the church) with delightful lattice-panedwindows, --belonging to a Mrs. Gilchrist. At this time George Eliot wasin a delicate state of health and scarcely equal to finishing her newstory. One cannot call it a novel, for it had no plot. It was simply aremarkable picture of provincial life in the first half of thenineteenth century. George Eliot greatly enjoyed her quiet life atShottermill, although many of her friends thought it incomprehensiblethat she could endure such a secluded life. One can scarcely read hergraphic description of the sweet beauty of a Warwickshire lane, with itshedgerows all radiant in summer beauty, without feeling how much thisremarkable woman loved it all, and in some degree one may understand howrestful were the village surroundings. They led a most uneventful life, but occasionally would pay a visit to Tennyson, whose house at Aldworthwas only 3 miles off. George Eliot rarely went out in the daytime, butsometimes she would go to see some cottagers and have a chat with them. A farmer's wife was greatly astonished at her knowledge ofbutter-making, and of the growth of fruit and vegetables, littleimagining that in her early days, after her mother's death, the greatauthoress had managed the dairy in her own home at Griff House. 

[Illustration: BROOKBANK. 

George Eliot's cottage at Shottermill, near Haslemere. ]

PENN'S CHAPEL AT THAKEHAM, SUSSEX

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria or London Bridge. L. B. And S. C. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Billingshurst (3 miles from Thakeham). =Distance from London. =--44 miles. =Average Time. =--1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 7s. 2d. 4s. 8d. 3s. 6-1/2d. Return 11s. 5d. 8s. 2d. 7s. 1d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--None at Thakeham. "King's Arms" at Billingshurst. 

The little chapel where the great William Penn used to worship when helived at the old mansion of Warminghurst is so entirely buried in thecountry that one must make careful inquiries in order to find one's wayto it from Billingshurst. When one reaches the cottage at last, onefinds a gate right across the road, for beyond it the lane graduallydeteriorates to a mere grassy track between hedges. Locally thisThakeham meeting-house is known as the "Blue Idol, " a name notaltogether explained when one discovers that for a long period theinterior of the chapel had blue-washed walls. 

As one may see from the drawing given here, it is an exceedingly quaintold building, the portion shown being used as a meeting-house, the otherhalf being a cottage occupied by the family who act as caretakers. Thecream-washed walls are broken up by the richly mellowed half-timberwork, and above is the roof of grey green Horsham slabs splashed overwith bright orange lichen. 

Inside there are the very old oaken settles as well as less ancientones. The timber framing shows on the walls and roof, here, as on theexterior, and the general quaintness of the place is enhanced by the oldstone-flagged floor. Of William Penn's house at Warminghurst no traceswhatever remain, but this only helps to increase the interest in thelittle chapel which has remained entirely unaltered for over twocenturies. Penn, who bought the house in 1682, probably chose its siteon account of its remoteness, for those were the days when theirmeetings were at any moment liable to interruption--when the members ofthe congregation met together knowing well that discovery meantimprisonment. In the quaint little meeting-house it is easy to feel thespirit of the Quakers, and one may almost imagine that one hears outsidethe rumble of the wheels of the heavy ox-waggon in which Penn drove overfrom Warminghurst Place. 

[Illustration: THE OLD CHAPEL AT THAKEHAM NEAR BILLINGSHURST. 

Where William Penn used to worship. ]

CHAWTON THE HOME OF JANE AUSTEN

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Alton (1 mile from Chawton). =Distance from London. =--46-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-3/4 to 2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 7s. 9d. 5s. 0d. 3s. 10-1/2d. Return 13s. 6d. 8s. 8d. 7s. 9d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Alton--"Swan Hotel, " "Crown Hotel, " etc. 

Situated about a mile from Alton Station, on the main line of theSouth-Western Railway, is the little village of Chawton, the residenceof Jane Austen at the time when she was producing her best literarywork. A walk along the main Winchester road brings one to the charmingold-world place, and, keeping on past the thatched cottages of thevillage, one reaches a small brick house on the right-hand side, near apond, just before the road divides for Winchester and Gosport. Thisbuilding, which is now tenanted by a workman's club, was ChawtonCottage, where Jane Austen spent some of the brightest days of her life, and wrote her most successful novels, books which are more highlyappreciated at the present day than they were during the lifetime of theauthoress. 

Her father was rector of Steventon, another Hampshire village, at whichplace his daughter was born in 1775, and where her early days werespent. Jane Austen's novels are remarkable for the truthfulness andcharm with which they reproduce the everyday life of the upper middleclasses in England in her time, and for delicate and yet distinctinsight into every variety of the human character. Miss Austen's firstfour novels, _Sense and Sensibility_, _Pride and Prejudice_, _MansfieldPark_, and _Emma_, were published anonymously. 

A short distance along the Gosport road is Chawton Park, a remarkablyfine Elizabethan mansion, occupied in Miss Austen's time by EdwardKnight, the lord of the manor. This country seat, which is notaccessible to visitors, was most probably the original of _MansfieldPark_, and in the little church close by are several monuments to theKnight family. Miss Austen died at Winchester on July 24, 1817, and isburied in the cathedral. The brass to her memory is in the north aisle. 

Within easy walking distance is Gilbert White's home at Selborne, whichis treated under a separate heading (p. 70). 

[Illustration: JANE AUSTEN'S COTTAGE AT CHAWTON. 

_Sense and Sensibility_, _Pride and Prejudice_, and _Northanger Abbey_were revised and partly rewritten here; and _Emma_, _Mansfield Park_, and _Persuasion_ were entirely produced at the cottage. ]

SELBORNE

THE HOME OF GILBERT WHITE

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Alton (4 miles from Selborne). =Distance from London. =--46-1/2 miles. East Tisted, 2 miles from Selborne, shortly to be available. =Average Time. =--1-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 7s. 9d. 5s. 0d. 3s. 10-1/2d. Return 13s. 6d. 8s. 8d. 7s. 9d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Alton--"Swan Hotel, " "Crown Hotel, " etc. 

Selborne, the birthplace of the famous naturalist, Gilbert White, issituated in the extreme eastern corner of the county of Hampshire. Avast chalk hill rises some 300 feet above the south-western side of thevillage, part of which is covered with an extensive beech wood, called"The Hanger, " and a down or sheep-walk. This down is a beautifulpark-like spot, with a delightful woodland, now bounded by the SussexDowns. The village lies at the foot of the chalk hill parallel with theHanger, and contains only one straggling street, nearly a mile inlength, a small rivulet rising at each end. The stream at thenorth-western end often fails, but the other, known as the "Well-Head, "is a fine spring, seldom influenced by drought. Wolmer Forest, near by, is famed for its timber. In the centre of the village, on a piece ofground commonly known as "The Plestor, " there stood, until the fearfulstorm of 1703, a colossal oak tree, with a short body and enormoushorizontally spreading arms. The stone steps, with seats above them, surrounding the tree, formed a favourite resort for both old and youngduring summer evenings. This oak, together with an equally large elmtree, are mentioned by White. 

Gilbert White was born in 1720. He began his education at Basingstoke, from whence he proceeded in 1739 to Oriel College, Oxford, and finallybecame one of the senior proctors of the university in 1752. On hisfather's death, White became the occupier of his house in Selborne knownas "The Wakes, " and afterwards became curate of the parish. He nevermarried, but lived a happy and uneventful life, wrapped up in thewonderfully exact observations of nature which were the basis of hisnumerous letters forming _The Natural History of Selborne_. His finalresting-place is unobtrusively marked by a simple grey stone bearing theinitials "G. W. , " a monument entirely in keeping with Gilbert White'squiet and retiring nature and refreshingly simple style of writing. 

[Illustration: THE WAKES. 

Gilbert White's house at Selborne. ]

ELSTOW

THE HOME OF JOHN BUNYAN

=How to get there. =--Through train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Bedford (1 mile from Elstow). =Distance from London. =--50 miles. =Average Time. =--An hour. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 6s. 7d. . . . 3s. 11-1/2d. Return 13s. 2d. . . . 7s. 11d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Embankment Hotel, " "Lion Hotel, " "Swan Hotel, " etc. , at Bedford. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. 

The little village of Elstow, near Bedford, will always be remembered asthe birthplace of John Bunyan, and the cottage is still shown where the"immortal dreamer" was born. It was while in Bedford jail for"conscience' sake" that Bunyan ministered to all posterity by writingthe _Pilgrim's Progress from this World to the World to Come_, under thesimilitude of a dream. As an allegory of the soul's conflicts andstruggles with evil in its journey through life, it is unsurpassed. Itis believed that no other book except the Bible has gone through so manyeditions or attained such a popularity in all languages. It has beengenerally understood that Bunyan's early life was a very profligate one, but some have thought that his terrible self-accusations in after yearsmay have arisen from the height of his religious fervour and Puritanstrictness, which made him look on dancing and bell-ringing as deadlysins. This idea is satisfactorily given by Macaulay. 

Bunyan was of poor parentage, his father being a tinker. At one time hewas in the Parliamentary Army, and in 1645, was present at the siege ofLeicester. Having left the army, he married. Then after a time of greatspiritual agony and doubt, with quieter intervals, he became a memberand then minister of the Baptist congregation at Bedford. His labourswere stopped by the Act of Conventicles, and Bunyan was a prisoner inBedford jail for twelve years. While in prison Bunyan assisted inproviding for the wants of his wife and family by making tagged laces. The only books he had during his confinement were the Bible and Foxe's_Book of Martyrs_. Through the kind interposition of Bishop Barlow ofLincoln, Bunyan was released, and resumed his work of a preacher untilhis death from fever in London in 1688. Bunyan also wrote the _Holy War_and _Grace Abounding_, an autobiographical narrative. 

[Illustration: _Valentine & Sons, Ltd. _

BUNYAN'S COTTAGE AT ELSTOW. 

The cottage is structurally the same as in Bunyan's time. ]

LEWES, SUSSEX

=How to get there. =--Train from London Bridge or Victoria. London, Brighton, and South-Coast Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Lewes. =Distance from London. =--50 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-1/4 to 2-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 8s. 6d. 5s. 0d. 4s. 2d. Return 15s. 0d. 9s. 0d. 8s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The White Hart Hotel, " "Crown, " "Commercial, " "Temperance Hotel, " etc. 

Lewes, a prosperous agricultural centre, situated on the Sussex Ouse, isa place of great antiquity, in spite of its present modern appearance. Its early history is vague, but it is known that it was of importanceeven under the Saxon kings, and was fortified in Alfred's time. Williamthe Conqueror gave Lewes to Earl William de Warenne, who had marriedGundrada, said to be the daughter of Queen Matilda and the Conqueror. DeWarenne built the castle, or considerably enlarged the old Saxonfortress, which is now in ruins. The castle possessed a curious feature, of which no other examples now remain, in having two keeps, each builtupon a mound. Only one of these keeps (admission 6d. ) still exists, itstowers covered with ivy. From its summit a splendid view of thesurrounding country can be obtained towards the chalk bluffs of theSouth Downs and the valley of the Ouse. The great gateway of the castlestill stands, and in Southover, the suburb of Lewes, are the remains ofthe once large and wealthy Priory of St. Pancras. This was the firstCluniac establishment in England. It was founded by De Warenne andGundrada, and continued to be of great importance up to the dissolution. Until about sixty years ago the old pigeon-house of the priory, containing 3228 pigeon-holes, was still standing. When excavations weregoing on during the construction of the railway, which passes throughthe priory grounds, the workmen came upon two leaden coffins, which werediscovered to be those of William de Warenne and his wife. These wereremoved to Southover Church, and Gundrada's grave has now its originaltombstone of black marble, which was found in Isfield Church. On thesite of the race-course was fought in 1264 the battle of Lewes, betweenHenry III. And the insurgent barons, led by Simon de Montfort, Earl ofLeicester. There are a few old houses left, and the modern town hallcontains a beautiful oak staircase and panelling taken from the old StarInn. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE BARBICAN AT LEWES CASTLE. 

The castle was built by William de Warenne, who had received Lewes fromWilliam the Conqueror. ]

BODIAM CASTLE, SUSSEX

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Robertsbridge (4 miles from Bodiam). From Robertsbridge take train to Bodiam Station (which is close to the castle) on Rother Valley Light Railway. =Distance from London. =--51 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-1/2 to 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 8s. 4d. 5s. 3d. 4s. 2-1/2d. Return 14s. 8d. 10s. 6d. 8s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Castle Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--None. 

Bodiam Castle is open to the public every day of the week except Sundays(tickets, obtainable at the keeper's cottage, 6d. Each; Thursdays, 1s. Each). 

There is practically no other moated castle in England which compareswith Bodiam in its completeness. It was built about the year 1386, butits usefulness for defensive purposes, in view of the increasingdestructiveness of weapons at that time, has been doubted. However, theknight who was responsible for its construction was Sir EdwardDalyngrudge, who fought at both Crecy and Poictiers, and must thereforehave seen the primitive forerunner of the modern field-gun in use. Thewalls of the castle now enclose a grassy quadrangle, to which access isgained through a fine gateway, which still retains its outer ironportcullis. The three others, through which an attacking force wasobliged to penetrate, have all disappeared. Although it has been statedthat the parliamentary forces under Waller captured Bodiam Castle duringthe Civil War, it seems to be unlikely that such an attack was evermade; for in March 1645 the property was conveyed by the Earl of Thanetto one Nathaniel Powell of London, who was strongly in favour of theCommonwealth. 

Lord Ashcombe, the present owner, has restored the walls very carefully, and the chapel and various private apartments with their fireplacesremain intact. 

The castle buildings as a whole are a rectangular block entirelysurrounded by the wide moat shown in the illustration. One crosses tothe main gateway by a narrow raised pathway. The surface of the waterduring the summer is generally bright with water-lilies. 

Bodiam Church is an Early English structure, now very much restored. Itis on the hill, a few minutes' walk from the castle. 

[Illustration: BODIAM CASTLE. 

One of the most perfect moated castles in England. ]

COLCHESTER, ESSEX

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Colchester. =Distance from London. =--51-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies from 1 hr. 4 m. To 2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 9s. 9d. . . . 4s. 4-1/2d. Return 14s. 8d. . . . 8s. 9d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The George, " "Red Lion, " "The Cups, " etc. 

Modern Colchester is the direct descendant of the ancient British townof Camulodunum, referred to by Tacitus and other Roman historians. Various kings of the Trinobantes seem to have caused much trouble duringthe early period of the Roman occupation. Cunobelinus, one of theirkings, reigned from about 5 B. C. To A. D. 42 or 43, and numerous coinsbearing the abbreviated form of his name, CVNO, have been discovered. After his death the Emperor Claudius came over to England, subdued theTrinobantes, and established a Roman colony at Camulodunum. The newcolony, under the name of Colonia Victriensis, was, however, attacked bya huge horde of the British under Boadicea in A. D. 61. They slaughteredall the inhabitants and destroyed the temple of Claudius. 

The Romans, however, soon turned the tables again on the Britons, and atonce surrounded the town with a very strong wall. From this time onwardsfor several centuries the place was one of the strongest Roman stationsin the country. It is not surprising, therefore, that the remains of theRoman occupation at Colchester are the most perfect of the kind in thecountry. The coins range from Asupa, 6 B. C. , to Valentinian, who diedA. D. 455, while very great quantities of Roman glass, pottery, andtiles, all sorts of domestic vessels and personal ornaments have beendiscovered. Some idea of the richness of these finds can be obtainedfrom the collection in the museum in the old Norman castle. 

The story of King Coel in connection with Colchester is not altogetheraccepted by historians, yet there are so many references to it inAnglo-Saxon writings that it cannot be quite ignored. 

Colchester suffered terribly in the Civil War, and sustained a fearfulsiege lasting seventy-six days, the townsfolk and Royalist forces beingeventually forced to surrender to Fairfax. The Saxon doorway of TrinityChurch, and St. Botolph's Priory, are exceedingly interesting. 

[Illustration: COLCHESTER CASTLE. 

Which now contains a magnificent collection of the Roman remains foundin the town. ]

LAYER MARNEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street. Great Eastern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Colchester (7 miles from Layer Marney). =Distance from London. =--51-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1 and 2-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 9s. 9d. . . . 4s. 4-1/2d. Return 14s. 8d. . . . 8s. 9d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Red Lion Hotel, " "George Hotel, " "The Cups Hotel, " etc. , all at Colchester. 

The unfinished home of the Marneys rises in lonely grandeur in anout-of-the-way part of Essex. To the north runs the road to Colchester;southwards the ground slopes away in the direction of the Blackwater. The great gateway has stood in these peaceful surroundings quiteuntouched for 400 years. A small portion of the mansion is by the sideof the gateway, and the church with the Marney monuments is further tothe left. 

Lord Marney fought for Henry VII. In France, and was one of the courtcounsellors at the time of his son's accession. He became a greatfavourite with Henry VIII. , and was created a baron, besides being madea Knight of the Garter and Captain of the Bodyguard. He came of an oldNorman stock, but had not overmuch land. At Layer Marney, his chiefestate, he determined to build a fitting abode for himself. It was oneof the earliest buildings since Roman times to be built of brick. Theterra-cotta mouldings are a peculiar feature. It is thought that LordMarney brought over Italian workmen to make the terra-cotta, for thereis a classic touch about the ornaments. The gateway has two towers, oneivy-clad. The whole structure is strikingly original in style. It wascommenced in 1500, but Lord Marney died before the work was done. John, his son, died the next year, and with him the line of Marneys becameextinct. 

In the church are three monuments of the Marneys. The tomb of Henry, Lord Marney, is in the arch leading to the Marney Chapel, which wasfounded by him. The figure is of dark marble, clad in armour, andwearing the robes of a Knight of the Garter. An ancestor of Lord Marney, who died in 1414, lies near. The effigy is clothed in mail. The figureof John, the last of the Marneys, is of black marble. There are somecurious frescoes in the church, and an oak screen. The interior of thebuilding is probably older than the exterior, which is of about the samedate as the towers. 

The church keys may be procured at the rectory. 

[Illustration: LAYER MARNEY TOWER, ESSEX. 

Commenced by the first Lord Marney about the year 1500, but owing to thedeath of Lord Marney and of his only son, the year following, thebuildings were never finished. ]

BATTLE ABBEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross or Cannon Street. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Battle. =Distance from London. =--55-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/2 hours and 1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 9s. 4d. 5s. 10d. 4s. 8-1/2d. Return 16s. 4d. 11s. 8d. 9s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"George" and "Star" Hotels. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

Battle Abbey is open to the public on Tuesdays only, between 12 and 4. There is no charge for admission, tickets being obtained from thestationer's shop bearing the name Ticehurst. It is situated close to themain entrance to the abbey. The great gateway through which one entersis illustrated here. It was probably built by Abbot Retlynge in thefirst half of the fourteenth century. The original abbey was built infulfilment of a vow which William the Norman made just before the battleof Senlac Hill, the building being arranged so that the high altar wasplaced on the exact spot where the body of Harold II. Was discovered onthe awful field of slaughter. The sixty monks who started the monasterywere brought over by William from the Benedictine monastery ofMarmontier in Normandy. They were granted many extraordinary privileges, including the right of treasure-trove. A further privilege was given tothe abbots in the form of authority to pardon any sentenced criminalwhom they might chance to meet on the road. The abbey was not completeduntil after the death of William the Conqueror. 

On the left, as one goes through the great gateway, are the portions ofthe abbey which have been converted into the house which was, until herdeath, the home of the Duchess of Cleveland. At right angles to thesebuildings runs a terrace, from which one looks towards the sea acrossthe battlefield on which was decided one of the most momentous issueswhich have affected the English nation. 

One must have read Lord Lytton's _Harold_ to fully realise thetremendous pathos of the struggle to the death between the English andthe Normans. The green facing the great gateway has half hidden on itssurface an old bull ring. In wet weather this is scarcely discoverable, the ring being easily hidden in the small puddles of water whichaccumulate. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE GATEWAY OF BATTLE ABBEY. 

The high altar of Battle Abbey was placed exactly over the spot wherethe body of Harold II. Was discovered after the battle of Senlac Hill. ]

CAMBRIDGE

=How to get there. =--Train from St. Pancras or Liverpool Street. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Cambridge. =Distance from London. =--55-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-1/4 and 2-1/2 hours. Quickest train, 1 h. 13 m. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 8s. 9d. . . . 4s. 7-1/2d. Return 15s. 10d. . . . 9s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Bull Hotel, " "Lion Hotel, " "University Arms Hotel, " "Hoop Hotel, " "Bath Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Routes=. --From Euston by L. And N. W. Railway. From King's Cross, Great Northern Railway. From St. Pancras, Midland Railway. 

Cambridge shares with its sister university, Oxford, the honour of beingone of the two most ancient seats of learning in Great Britain. The townitself is of very remote origin, and stands on the site of the Romanstation _Camboricum_, on the _Via Devana_. By the Saxons, Cambridgeappears to have been known as Grantabrycge, which was probably laterabbreviated into Cantbrigge. The true history of the town as auniversity began at the opening of the twelfth century, when Joffred, Abbot of Crowland, sent over to Cottenham, near Cambridge, four monks, who, in a hired barn, started their teachings, which soon becameexcessively popular. The first regular society of students was foundedin 1257. 

Cambridge abounds in features of interest and contains a large number ofold churches, perhaps the most interesting being that of St. Sepulchre, one of the four circular churches remaining in England. This church, which is in Bridge Street, was erected in the reign of Henry I. , andfounded, like the one at Northampton, by the Knights Templars inimitation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. 

The colleges are, of course, the glory of Cambridge, and one is almostbewildered by the beauty and variety of their architecture. King'sCollege Chapel is one of the most magnificent examples in the town, butnearly all the more important collegiate buildings are beautiful typesof mediaeval work. The visitor should on no account omit to walk throughthe "Backs, " which is the 'varsity term for the backs of the colleges, with the "Fellows' Gardens" reaching down to the quiet Cam. The GreatCourt, Trinity College, is one of the most imposing of the numerousquadrangles, and is the largest of any at either Oxford or Cambridge. The Master's Lodge here is the residence of the sovereign on all royalvisits. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ST. JOHN'S GATEWAY, CAMBRIDGE. ]

ARUNDEL CASTLE

=How to get there. =--Trains from Victoria and London Bridge. By London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Arundel. =Distance from London. =--58-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 9s. 2d. 6s. 0d. 4s. 8d. Return 14s. 10d. 10s. 7d. 9s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Norfolk Hotel, " "Eagle Inn, " "Bridge Hotel, " "Granville Boarding House, " etc. 

The interior of the castle is not shown to visitors without specialpermission from the Duke of Norfolk, the keep alone being thrown open toall on Mondays and Fridays between 12 and 4 P. M. --tickets being obtainedat the Norfolk Hotel. The park, however, is open to the public. 

The town of Arundel is one of the oldest and most beautifully situatedin Sussex, that county of ancient towns, and its castle, a wonderfulfeudal fortress, was originally bequeathed by Alfred the Great to hisnephew Adhelm. After the Conquest, it came into the possession of Rogerde Montgomery, who rebuilt it, and in 1097 it was held for a short timeby William II. It was at Arundel Castle that Adeliza, the widow of HenryI. , entertained Queen Maud in 1139. The castle came afterwards to theFitzalans, and from them by marriage to the Howard family, who stillhold it. It was the object of several fierce attacks during theParliamentary War, for having been captured by Waller and garrisoned forthe Parliament, it was retaken by the Royalists under Lord Hopton, andsoon after taken once more by Waller. The castle was much damaged by allthese assaults, and was almost in ruins at the commencement of the lastcentury, when it was taken in hand and restored by the then Duke ofNorfolk. Of the ancient buildings, the keep, the entrance gateway, andparts of the walls, are all that now remain. The keep or Bevis Tower isan old Norman structure with walls 8 to 10 feet thick, having in thecentre the castle dungeon, reached by a narrow staircase in the wall. The restoration was made as much as possible in conformity with thestyle of the old fortress, and the interior is a good example of modernGothic art, the new chapel being an interesting example of this. TheBaron's Hall, with its open chestnut roof and stained-glass windows, isperhaps one of the most striking features in the castle. 

A fine stone bridge of three arches connects the two portions of thetown. It spans the river Arun, which is navigable up to Arundel forvessels of 150 tons burden. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ARUNDEL CASTLE. 

Built soon after the Conquest by Roger de Montgomery. It was muchdamaged during the Parliamentary War, but was repaired by a former Dukeof Norfolk early in the 19th century. ]

OLNEY, BUCKS

THE HOME OF COWPER

=How to get there. =--Train from St. Pancras. Change trains at Bedford. Midland Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Olney. =Distance from London. =--60-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--1-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 8s. 1d. . . . 4s. 9-1/2d. Return 16s. 2d. . . . 9s. 7d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Bull Hotel, " etc. 

Olney was for a period the home of the delicate and sensitive poetWilliam Cowper, who was born at the parsonage of Great Berkhampstead. His father was chaplain to George II. Cowper lost his mother at a veryearly age, and the sad event made a deep impression on his mind. Inafter years he wrote a poem addressed to his mother's portrait which itis said has drawn more tears than any other poem in the Englishlanguage. Cowper was sent to school at six years of age, but was veryunhappy there, and it laid the foundation of that settled gloom whichoppressed him all through life. When Cowper had finished his studies atthe Westminster School he commenced the study of law, and was afterwardscalled to the bar; but he never practised, for he hated law. Cowper wasoffered several appointments, but failed in examinations for them fromextreme nervousness. By the kindness of friends an income was securedfor him and he went to reside at Huntingdon. Here he formed anacquaintance with Mrs. Unwin, the "Mary" of his poems, which ripenedinto deepest friendship. He enjoyed much tranquil happiness during thetime of his residence with the Unwin family. 

When Cowper and his friends moved to Olney they lived in theold-fashioned regular fronted house illustrated opposite. Here Cowper issaid to have amused himself with his hares and in the making of boxesand tables. He was also interested in the bees in the old-fashionedgarden at the back of the house, where one may still see the littlerustic summer-house in which _John Gilpin_ and some of the _Task_ werewritten. The house now contains a Cowper museum, and visitors thus havean opportunity of seeing the parlour and other rooms, besides many otherinteresting objects connected with the poet. His great friend at Olneywas the Rev. John Newton. They were constantly together in their walks, in their homes, and at church, and both wrote a number of hymns. 

[Illustration: _Thornborough. _

COWPER'S HOME AT OLNEY. 

The house now contains a Cowper museum. ]

WANTAGE AND THE COUNTRY OF ALFRED THE GREAT

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Wantage Road. =Distance from London. =--60-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-1/2 to 2-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 10s. 0d. 6s. 4d. 5s. 0-1/2d. Return 17s. 8d. 11s. 0d. 10s. 1d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Good posting and hotels. "Bear Hotel" and "Blue Boar. "

The chalk ridge in the north of Berkshire is rich in memories of Alfred. First in importance is Wantage, a peaceful town at the foot of thehills, and famous as the birthplace of the great king. There is a statueby Count Gleichen in the wide market-place representing Alfred with abattle-axe and a charter in his hands. The church is a fine example ofEarly English architecture, and interesting besides as the burying-placeof many famous Fitz-warens, among them Ivo, whose daughter marriedRichard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London. Dr. Butler of _The Analogy_was born in the town, and the house is still to be seen. 

Leaving Wantage, one may go along the breezy downs to Uffington Castle, a large fort, presumably of British origin. It was one of many similarforts along the Roman way called Ichenilde Street, that stretchesstraight as an arrow along the whole ridge. Near the fort is the famousWhite Horse cut in the chalk, which, since its recent cleansing, gleamsbrilliantly from the hillside. It was cut out to commemorate themagnificent victory of Ethelred the Unready and Alfred over the Danes atAshdown in 871. Readers of _Tom Brown's School Days_ will recall thestory of the Berkshire revels in 1857, when the scouring of the Horsetook place. Judge Hughes was born here, under the shadow of the downs, and near by is the round hill where tradition says St. George slew thedragon. 

In _Kenilworth_ Sir Walter Scott has immortalised Wayland Smith's Cave, a neolithic burial-place of some ancient chieftain which lies to thewest of Uffington Castle. It is a circle of stone slabs with flat stoneson the top. Wayland was the "Vulcan" of the men of the north, andAlfred, in one of his translations, altered the "Fabricius" of the Romanaccount into the northern "Wayland, " the fairy smith who replaced lostshoes on horses. It was in this cave that Scott made Flibbertigibbetplay tricks on Tressilian. 

[Illustration: THE STATUE OF ALFRED THE GREAT AT WANTAGE. 

It was designed by Count Gleichen. ]

CANTERBURY AND ITS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, Charing Cross, or Cannon Street. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Canterbury (East). =Distance from London. =--61-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-3/4 to 2-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 10s. 4d. 6s. 6d. 5s. 2d. Return 18s. 0d. 13s. 0d. 10s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"County Hotel, " "The Fleece Family and Commercial Hotel, " Baker's "Temperance Hotel, " "The Royal Fountain Hotel, " "Falstaff Hotel, " etc. 

The city of Canterbury, originally an important station in WatlingStreet, the _Durovernum_ of the Romans, was one of the earliest placesoccupied by the Saxons, by whom it was named _Cantwarabyrig_, or "townof the Kentish men, " and made the capital of the Saxon kingdom of Kent, and a royal residence. About 597 the abbey was founded by St. Augustineand his royal convert King Ethelbert. Canterbury was then constitutedthe seat of the primacy in England, a dignity it retains to this day. 

At the period of the Norman Conquest the city was of considerable size, and the castle, of which very little now remains, is reputed to be thework of William the Conqueror. The cathedral was burnt down at leasttwice before the present building was erected, but under the influenceof the Norman archbishops, Lanfranc and Anselm, the erection of the new"Church of Christ" proceeded apace. But it was not until the end of thetwelfth century that the murder of Becket set the whole of Europeringing with excitement, and Canterbury rose at once into the front rankas an ecclesiastical city and pilgrims' shrine. 

At the time when Chaucer wrote his _Canterbury Tales_ the city wassurrounded by a strong wall with twenty-one towers and six gates. Of thewall there are some remains in Broad Street; of the gates "West Gate, "through which the pilgrims entered from London, is the only survivor. 

Canterbury teems with interesting relics of the past, and weeks may bespent in its old-world streets, where one is continually coming acrossunexpected little bits of half-timber work, weather-beaten gables, andgrotesque oak carving. The cathedral, whose "Bell Harry" or centraltower seems to dominate the whole city, should be approached throughMercery Lane, at the corner of which are some slight remains ofChaucer's hostelry, "The Chequers of Hope. " At the bottom of the lanethe cathedral close is entered by the famous Christ Church Gateway, erected by Prior Goldstone in 1517. Once inside the close gate thevisitor gets some idea of the amazing beauty of the structure, which iscertainly unsurpassed by any other cathedral in the kingdom. Thebuilding exhibits almost every style of architecture, from the Normanwork of William of Lens to the late Perpendicular of Prior Goldstone, and yet the work of composition and design has been so exquisitelycarried out that there is no hint of any want of harmony in themagnificent whole. The interior is no less remarkable, the arches andvaulting of the nave being some of the most beautiful in existence. Becket's shrine was despoiled at the Reformation, but the number ofpilgrims who visited it may be imagined from the fact that the broadstone steps are worn hollow, and this only by the knees of hisworshippers. The Angel doorway in the cloisters, by which the archbishopentered the sacred building pursued by his murderers, gives access on tothe north-west or martyrdom transept. Here is shown the spot where theprimate made his last stand and fell under the blows of the Normanknights. Another object of special interest is the tomb of Edward, theBlack Prince, who died in the city in 1376. There is so much to see inand about the cathedral and its precincts, however, that a trustworthyguide-book is a _sine qua non_. The building is open from 9. 30 to theend of evening service--the nave and two west transepts free; the choirand crypt, 6d. Each person. Sketching orders, 2s. 6d. Per day, andphotographing orders, 5s. Per day. 

In the city itself the most interesting of the old churches is St. Martin's, reputed to be the oldest in England (admission, 6d. ). Here St. Augustine first preached Christianity before the cathedral was built. St. Martin's Hill, near the church, should be noticed. It was over thisascent that Augustine with his Roman monks passed into Canterbury in697. 

In Monastery Street is the fine gateway of the once rich and powerfulSt. Augustine's Abbey; and near it, not many years ago, was a fineexample of Saxon work, known as Ethelbert's Tower, which some of theintelligent busybodies of the time had removed with a battering-ram. 

In Broad Street is the Hospital of St. John, with its quaint entranceand fine old timbered gateway. 

The Grammar School, known as the King's School, was founded at the closeof the seventh century. The most remarkable portion of what remains ofthe old buildings is an almost unique Norman staircase. 

[Illustration: THE WEST GATE, CANTERBURY. 

The only one left standing of the six in existence in the days ofChaucer. ]

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE TRANSEPT OF MARTYRDOM. 

In Canterbury Cathedral. ]

RECULVERS

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, or St. Paul's. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Herne Bay. (Reculvers lies 3 miles along the coast. )=Distance from London. =--62-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-3/4 to 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 10s. 6d. 6s. 6d. 5s. 2-1/2d. Return 18s. 5d. 13s. 0d. 10s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Herne Bay--"The Dolphin Hotel, " "The Connaught, " "The Grand, " "St. George's Cliff, " "Pier Hotel, " "Herne Bay Hotel, " etc. ; also the "Bungalow Hotel, " etc. , at Birchington. 

About 3 miles to the east of Herne Bay, the twin towers of an old Romanchurch stand prominently out from the flat marsh-land which stretchesbetween the villages of Herne and Birchington, some 5 miles from thewell-known health resort of Margate. Regulbium, now known as Reculver, and Rutupium, or Richborough, near Sandwich, were two Roman stationsguarding the entrances to the estuary which formerly separated the Isleof Thanet from the mainland. Regulbium was also used as a lighthouse andwatch-tower, because of its commanding position near the mouths of boththe Thames and Medway. 

After the Roman occupation, Regulbium became one of the chief seats ofthe Saxon kings, and when, after his conversion to Christianity by St. Augustine, King Ethelbert gave up his palace at Canterbury, he livedthere with his court, and his remains were interred in the first churcherected on the spot. In the ninth century a Benedictine abbey wasfounded at Regulbium by a priest named Bapa. A few years after, KingEdred granted the abbey to the Monastery of Christchurch at Canterbury, but the society was either removed or dissolved before the NormanConquest. This practically ends the history of Regulbium, for owing tothe steady encroachments of the sea, and to the fact that the estuarycontinued to fill up, the once populous Roman city was graduallydeserted. The present remains consist of parts of the earth-works of theRoman station, and the twin towers and ruined walls of the church. Though the church formerly occupied the centre of the Roman city, thesea has now reached the base of the bank on which the towers stand. Inhis famous "Brothers of Birchington, " Thomas Ingoldsby says of the twintowers--

 They were tall and upright And just equal in height. 

Reculvers and the neighbourhood were at one time a favourite resort forsmugglers. 

[Illustration: RECULVERS FROM THE EAST. ]

OXFORD

=How to get there=. --Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station=. --Oxford. =Distance from London=. --63-1/2 miles. =Average Time=. --Varies between 1-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares=. --Single 10s. 6d. 6s. 8d. 5s. 3-1/2d. Return 18s. 6d. 11s. 8d. 10s. 7d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Randolph Hotel, " "Mitre Hotel, " "The Roebuck Hotel, " "Railway Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. 

Oxford was a centre of learning in the time of Alfred. Walter de Merton_founded_ the first college there, and others started the collegiatesystem of corporate colleges which makes English universities unique. The most celebrated colleges are Christ Church, Magdalen, New College, and Merton. Keble, Mansfield, and Hertford were established in Victoriantimes. In one part of the High Street the scene is architecturallymagnificent. On the south side is University College, which claims theoldest foundation, although the present building only dates from theseventeenth century. Opposite is Queen's College, then comes All Souls'. On the same side is St. Mary's Church, and a little further All Souls'Church. A turning by St. Mary's Church leads to the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre, and the Ashmolean Museum. At one end of St. Giles' Street is the Martyrs' Memorial and the Taylor Institution. Returning to High Street, and going towards the stations, a turning onthe left leads to Oriel, Corpus Christi, and Merton Colleges, and stillfurther on, St. Aldate's Street, on the left, leads to Pembroke Collegeand the fourteenth-century church of St. Aldate's. Opposite the churchare the buildings known as Christ Church, which has the Cathedral Churchof St. Frideswide for its chapel. In the principal entrance is "GreatTom, " the famous bell that tolls at 9. 5 P. M. Christ Church, though thesmallest cathedral in England, and possibly in Europe, is of greatinterest on account of its very distinct transitional style. MagdalenCollege, near the bridge over the River Cherwell, and the BotanicGardens, are at the other end of the High Street. 

There was a monastery in Oxford in the eighth century. A castle wasbuilt by William I. After he captured the town, and from that time itwas often visited by English kings. Several parliaments have been heldthere, and the courts of law as well as the parliament removed to Oxfordduring the plague of 1665. Charles I. Made it his headquarters untilFairfax took the town. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

MAGDALEN COLLEGE, OXFORD. ]

MIDHURST

AND THE HOME OF RICHARD COBDEN

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Midhurst. =Distance from London. =--64-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 to 3-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 10s. 2d. 6s. 6d. 5s. 0-1/2d. Return 17s. 10d. 11s. 3d. 10s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Angel, " "Spread Eagle, " "New Inn, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Victoria and London Bridge. London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. 

Though only a small town, Midhurst is a place of some antiquity, and wasof some size prior to the Conquest. It is situated in Mid-Sussex on theRother, and on a site close by it, now marked only by a mound, was thecastle of the Bohuns, a powerful Norman family, who were lords of themanor here. In 1547, King Edward VI. Was entertained with greatsplendour here. It is curious to note that the custom of ringing thecurfew bell is still maintained at Midhurst. 

The town is picturesque, and contains many old houses and buildings ofinterest, notably those in West Street and Wool Lane, near the church, and the Grammar School at the further end of the town, where Sir CharlesLyell and Richard Cobden were educated. Cobden was born at Durnford, close to Midhurst. Durnford House, built for him by the nation, is stillstanding, and at Cocking Causeway is a monument to his memory. 

In Cowdray Park, within easy walking distance, are the ruins of themagnificent Tudor mansion, Cowdray House, destroyed by fire in 1793. There was an old tradition, "The Curse of Cowdray, " that the buildingshould perish by fire and water, and this was curiously fulfilled, forthe house was burnt and the last Lord Montague drowned almost on thesame day. 

A custodian who shows visitors over Cowdray House has a cottage here. Over what remains of the entrance gateway are the arms of Sir AnthonyBrowne, the favourite of King Henry VIII. ; and on the porch are theinitials of the Earl of Southampton. 

West Lavington Church, beautifully situated on a height two miles southof Midhurst, has in its churchyard the grave of Richard Cobden, thepolitical reformer, and originator of Free Trade. Cardinal Manning wasrector here at one period. 

[Illustration: _F. Coze, Midhurst. _

COBDEN'S PEW IN HEYSHOTT CHURCH. 

The pew is immediately beneath the pulpit, in which a small brass platemay be noticed. Here Cobden regularly worshipped. ]

PEVENSEY CASTLE

LANDING-PLACE OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR

=How to get there. =--Train from London Bridge or Victoria. London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Pevensey and West Ham. =Distance from London. =--65 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 and 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 10s. 0d. 6s. 2d. 4s. 8d. Return 17s. 6d. 11s. 8d. 9s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Oak Inn" at Pevensey village. 

Pevensey, the scene of so many notable events in English history, wasprobably a fishing-port in prehistoric times. It is situated on flat andlow-lying marsh-land, about 15 miles westward along the coast fromHastings. Here the Romans built a town and fortress. Entering PevenseyCastle by the main gateway, you stand on the site of the Roman city ofAnderida, of which many evidences remain in the shape of Roman cementand tiles in a wall which surrounds the enclosure. The Romans retiredfrom Anderida in the fifth century, when it was destroyed by the Saxonsunder Ella, and the inhabitants slain for their obstinate resistance. 

A fortnight before the great battle on Senlac Hill, William of Normandylanded at the old Roman city. After the Conquest, Roger, Earl ofMortmain and Cornwall, half-brother of the Conqueror, built the Normanbuilding whose shattered walls are to be seen to-day. William Rufus, Simon de Montfort, and Stephen each attacked the castle, and it remaineda fortress until the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In the south-easterncorner of the Brito-Roman city, there still stands an interesting oldculverin, bearing the crown, Tudor rose, and the initials of QueenElizabeth. It is one of two cannon placed there in 1587 in readiness forthe Spaniards. The present castle shows the different work of severalcenturies. The remains of a much-weathered stone font, surrounded by aniron cage, stand in the centre of the enclosure. Near by, within apalisade, is the old castle well, with hart's-tongue ferns growing onthe damp brick lining. 

At one time Pevensey formed, with Hastings, one of the Cinque Ports. Itbegan to decline as a seafaring place with the loss of its harbour, owing to the receding of the sea along the Sussex shore--the walls, which were formerly almost washed by the waves, being now quite a mileinland. Visitors may enter the castle on week days without charge. 

[Illustration: PEVENSEY CASTLE. 

Before the sea receded the waves almost reached the Castle walls. ]

WINCHESTER & ITS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Winchester. =Distance from London. =--66-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-1/2 to 2-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 11s. 0d. 7s. 0d. 5s. 6d. Return 19s. 3d. 12s. 2d. 10s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"George Hotel, " "Royal Hotel, " "Black Swan Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. 

Winchester, the ancient Saxon capital of England, is situated near thefoot of the chalk uplands surrounding the river Itchin. It is a cityfull of historical interest, and its two most striking features are thecathedral and college. Long before the Norman Conquest there was agrammar school at Winchester under the care of the monks. Bishop Williamof Wykeham was educated at this earlier school, and it was he whore-established it on a larger scale. The new college was founded at theend of the fourteenth century, under the direction of a corporation, andwas allied to one of the colleges at Oxford. For five centuries thiscollege, the most ancient of the public schools in England, has kept aforemost place among the many educational centres that now exist. Manyof the college buildings remain almost the same as they were originallyfounded. 

The cathedral, which is the largest in England, shows every style ofarchitecture from pure Norman to Early Renaissance. It was founded byWalkelin, the first Norman bishop, whose carved font is one of thefinest treasures of the building. Bishop Wykeham, at the end of thefourteenth century, continued the building, which had been steadilyprogressing for a considerable time, and commenced the partial casing ofthe Norman columns with Perpendicular mouldings. The vaulting shafts ofthe nave rise from the ground, and owing to the thickness of the Normanmasonry, there is no proper triforium. The reredos was built by CardinalBeaufort in the fifteenth century, and the Lady Chapel was added aboutthe same time. Though it suffered much damage during the Parliamentarywars, the cathedral is wonderfully rich in monuments, all its variousarchitects being buried there, and among the many shrines is that ofWilliam Rufus. 

Winchester's associations with King Alfred, and its numerous examples ofarchitecture of all the centuries, make the city one of the mostinteresting in England. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL. 

Showing the Norman north transept and the west end. ]

SAVERNAKE FOREST

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Savernake. =Distance from London. =--70 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 to 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 11s. 8d. 7s. 4d. 5s. 10d. Return 20s. 6d. 12s. 10d. 11s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Forest Hotel" (near railway station), "Ailesbury Arms Hotel, " etc. , in Marlborough. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. 

Savernake is said to be the only forest in England possessed by asubject. It occupies a piece of country 16 miles in circumference, isentirely open to all, and the Marquess of Ailesbury also allowsSavernake Forest House to be seen by strangers when the family areabsent. At Savernake Station one is brought within sight of the forest, and entering it at this point one is able to enjoy a lovely walk of 6 or7 miles, which brings one out close to Marlborough Station, with thetown on the further side of the railway. The forest is specially famousfor its glorious avenue of beech 4 miles in length, and there is littledoubt that there is no finer in the kingdom. 

If one enters through the park gates, near Savernake Station, the house(formerly known as Tottenham House) lies on the right, and in theopposite direction one may notice, at the end of a perspective formed bygreat masses of elms and beeches, the column erected in 1781 by thefirst Earl of Ailesbury (the marquisate was not created until 1821), commemorating the recovery of George III. And other circumstances. 

If one crosses the avenue and bears off to the right across the turf thechurch of St. Catherine will soon appear in sight. It is a very richlyornamented structure, and was built by a former Marchioness ofAilesbury, in memory of her mother the Countess of Pembroke. Returningto the avenue, one may continue down it for about 3 miles to the "eightwalks, " where an opening in the ranks of the stately trees reveals anumber of grassy glades running off to the chief points of the compass. The walk going off to the south-west leads to the King's Oak, a gigantictree whose hollow trunk is 24 feet in circumference. This oak issurrounded by a number of grand old trees, their bold outlines enrichedwith velvety moss. On an autumn afternoon, when the forest is a blaze ofcrimson and yellow, this spot is seen at its loveliest--the long shadowsand the golden sunlight giving the scene a painted, almost too brillianteffect. 

[Illustration: _E. H. Roberts. _

THE AVENUE IN SAVERNAKE FOREST. ]

ELY CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--From Liverpool Street or St. Pancras. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Ely. =Distance from London. =--70-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies from 1-3/4 to 3-1/4 hours. Quickest train 1 hour 38 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 11s. 3d. . . . 5s. 11-1/2d. Return 20s. 0d. . . . 11s. 11d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Bell Hotel" and others. 

Ely is situated on an eminence in the midst of the flat district formingthe centre of the county of Cambridge, and was originally a settlementtermed by the Saxons _Eleg_ or _Elge_, _i. E. _ "an eel, " from the numberof eels found in the fenny district around. St. Etheldreda, daughter ofa king of the East Angles, founded an abbey here, where she died in 679, being afterwards canonised as a saint. The monastery was destroyed bythe Danes in 870, and did not regain importance till one hundred yearslater. 

In _Hereward the Wake_ Kingsley tells us how gallantly the Isle of Elywas defended against the attacks of William the Conqueror, but thechieftain was at last forced to surrender, and the monastery was seized. Ely was created a bishopric by Henry I. In 1107. 

The cathedral is one of the most beautiful and remarkable in England. The oldest portion was erected in the reign of William Rufus and HenryI. , and additions were continually made to the fabric until 1534, sothat it contains an almost unbroken series of the architectural stylesprevailing from the Conquest, yet so wonderfully has the design beenmanaged that no disagreeable effect is produced. 

The nave of the cathedral, considered one of the finest specimens ofNorman work in England, was completed about 1174, and the west front, built by Geoffrey Ridel, the third bishop, about ten years later. Originally there stood a square tower in the centre of the building, butthis fell in 1322, crushing three arches of the choir. The repair ofthis misfortune was undertaken by the sacrist, Alan de Walsingham, whoerected in 1342 the octagonal tower now existing. 

The choir contains much rich decorated Gothic; and the east end of thecathedral, with its two tiers of lancet windows, is very beautiful. Another most interesting feature is the Lady Chapel, with a magnificentfan-vaulted roof; the walls were originally decorated with countlessniches and statues of saints and martyrs, not one of which escaped thedestroying hand of the Puritan. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ELY CATHEDRAL. 

The remarkable octagonal tower was rebuilt in 1342 by Alan deWalsingham. ]

ST. IVES, HUNTINGDONSHIRE

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street or St. Pancras. G. E. R. =Nearest Station. =--St. Ives. =Distance from London. =--70-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 to 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 8s. 9d. . . . 4s. 10-1/2d. Return 17s. 6d. . . . 9s. 9d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At St. Ives, "The Golden Lion Hotel, " "White Horse Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--From King's Cross to Huntingdon. G. N. Rly. 

St. Ives is a town of considerable antiquity, and in Saxon times wasknown as _Slepe_, which name is still retained by one of the two manorsincluded in the parish, and it is applied to the town in the Domesdaybook. The more modern name is derived from Ivo, or St. Ives, a Persianwho is said to have visited England in the sixth century, and to havebeen buried here. 

A considerable part of the place was destroyed by fire in 1689, butthere are still a number of quaint and interesting buildings. Over theOuse is a stone bridge of six arches, supposed to have been built by theabbots of Ramsey. The approach to the bridge on the south side is by acauseway raised on arches to admit the passage of the waters in time offloods, which have on different occasions caused much damage here; andover one of the arches, near the centre of the bridge, is a mediaevalbuilding, originally intended for a chapel. 

The first church, built by Abbot Ednoth in the reign of King Edgar, wasburnt in 1207, and rebuilt. The present structure, dedicated to AllSaints, occupies the same site, close to the river, where it forms withthe old houses adjoining a very charming picture. Until quite recentyears, by a quaint bequest, dicing for bibles on the altar of the churchtook place every Whit Tuesday. The dicing is now done on a small table. 

The interest in St. Ives and the neighbouring town of Huntingdon chieflycentres in the fact of their associations with Oliver Cromwell, who wasborn at the latter town in 1599. Cromwell went to school at Huntingdon, and from thence to Cambridge, but his father dying shortly afterwards, he returned home to manage family affairs. In 1628 he was elected forthe borough of Huntingdon, but after the dissolution of Parliament, Cromwell returned to his native county and devoted himself to farming onthe Ouse at Huntingdon and St. Ives. During his residence at St. Ives, Cromwell occupied the manor-house, Slepe Hall, which has been ruthlesslypulled down to allow of the erection of modern houses. 

[Illustration: THE BRIDGE AT ST. IVES, HUNTINGTON. ]

WINCHELSEA AND RYE

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Winchelsea. =Distance from London. =--72 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/4 to 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 12s. 0d. 7s. 6d. 6s. 0d. Return 21s. 0d. 15s. 0d. 12s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The New Inn, " etc. , Winchelsea. =Routes. =--_Via_ Ashford or _via_ Hastings. 

Winchelsea, situated about 8 miles from Hastings, though now a smallvillage, was once an important seaport, being one of the Cinque Ports. It has suffered severely from the sea, having been completely destroyedin 1287 by an inundation. It was afterwards rebuilt by Edward I. Onhigher ground. The French made several attempts on the town, and in 1380succeeded in capturing and burning it. The gradual decay of the port wasdue to the retiring of the sea in the fifteenth century, which renderedthe harbour useless. Winchelsea is a pretty place with massive gateways, survivals of the old fortified town. In the centre of the village is asquare containing the remains of the old Parish Church built in 1288 inthe Decorated style. The nave and transepts have gone, having beendestroyed by the French, and only the chancel remains. It contains someinteresting canopied tombs, one being to Gervase Alard, Admiral of theCinque Ports in 1383. John Wesley preached his last open-air sermon inthe churchyard. 

Rye lies 2 miles east of Winchelsea, and though more flourishing thanthe latter place, has much dwindled in importance, since it too was aCinque Port. The town is built on a hill, and the steep, narrow streetsare filled with quaint houses. The harbour is still visited by smallfishing-boats. The French constantly attacked Rye, and in 1380 theysucceeded in burning it. Overlooking the sea and belonging to the oldwall is the Ypres Tower, built in the reign of Stephen by William deYpres. 

Close to the tower is the large Parish Church, which contains muchDecorated Gothic work, although its oldest portions are Norman, thechurch having been partly rebuilt after the destruction caused by theFrench in 1380. It contains a wonderful clock, made in Queen Elizabeth'sreign, and said to be the oldest in England still in working order. Ithas a long pendulum which comes through the ceiling and swings in thechurch. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

WINCHELSEA CHURCH. 

The French did much damage to the building in 1380, and portions of itare still in ruins. ]

BLENHEIM PALACE

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Blenheim. =Distance from London. =--72-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--2-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 12s. 0d. 7s. 6d. 6s. 0-1/2d. Return 21s. 2d. 13s. 4d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Bear Inn, " Woodstock, "King's Arms Hotel, " "Marlborough Hotel, " "Star Hotel, " etc. 

Blenheim Palace, the magnificent seat of the Duke of Marlborough, was, like Strathfieldsaye, erected at the public expense. On the 2nd ofAugust 1704, the great Duke of Marlborough gained a decisive victoryover the combined forces of the French and Bavarians near the village ofBlenheim, on the banks of the Danube. The French and Bavarians left10, 000 killed and wounded on the field, huge numbers were drowned in theriver, and about 13, 000 taken prisoners. The victory was complete, andimmediately afterwards Queen Anne presented the victorious general witha "grant of the honour of Woodstock, " this being followed by a vote of£500, 000 for the erection of the palace and the laying out of thegrounds. The building was erected from the designs of Sir John Vanbrugh, the great architect and dramatist. It is of enormous size, the frontagebeing 350 feet from wing to wing, and the entire structure covers about7 acres. The gateway to the park on the Woodstock side is a fineCorinthian triumphal arch, giving access to a magnificent avenue morethan 2 miles in length. 

Among the principal apartments of the palace are the lofty entrancehall, with a fine painted ceiling by Thornhill; the bay-window room withits famous tapestry; the dining-room, containing many family portraitsby Sir Joshua Reynolds; the marble saloon, the ceilings and walls ofwhich are painted by La Guerre; and the library, a magnificent roomnearly 200 feet long, containing about 20, 000 volumes. In addition tothese, there are the chapel and theatre, as well as the state and otherdrawing-rooms. The Titian room was totally destroyed by fire, with alarge portion of the north-east section of the palace, in February 1861. 

The ancient road, called Akeman Street, runs across the park, and Romanremains have been discovered near it. 

The palace is open every day (except Saturdays and Sundays) from 11 to1, and the gardens from 11 to 2. Either can be seen separately bytickets, 1s. Each, obtainable at the porter's lodge. 

[Illustration: _Taunt, Oxford. _

BLENHEIM PALACE. 

Built for the Duke of Marlborough at the public expense, after hisfamous victory over the French and Bavarians. ]

PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL AND CROWLAND

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Peterborough. =Distance from London. =--76-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-1/4 to 2-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 11s. 3d. . . . 6s. 4d. Return 22s. 6d. . . . 12s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Great Northern Railway Company's Hotel, " "Golden Lion Hotel, " "Angel Hotel, " "Grand Hotel, " etc. , at Peterborough. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Liverpool Street, _via_ Ely. Great Eastern Railway. 

Nine miles north of Peterborough the ruins of Crowland Abbey arise outof the flat fen country like a lighthouse out of the sea. With only thenave and north aisle standing, it breathes the very spirit of romanceeven in its decay. It is easy to picture the time when four streamssurrounded the monastery and church and formed an island in the fens, and to recall how Hereward the Wake demanded entrance to the abbey tosee Torfrida, and was refused admittance by the Abbot Ulfketyl. In thosedays two rivers met in the High Street of the little town that grewround St. Guthlac's Monastery. Now the country is drained, Crowland is adecayed little town with many thatched roofs, situated in anagricultural district; the island exists no longer, and the oldtriangular bridge rises over the dry Square at a place where three roadsmeet. This bridge is older and more peculiar than any bridge in Europethat is not of Roman origin. It is believed to have been built in 870, and consists of three pointed arches rising steeply in the centre topermit the rush of water in flood times. It is too steep to admit of itsuse by any sort of vehicle, and one ascends by steps to the top. At theend of one portion of the bridge there is a stone image of a Saxonking--possibly Ethelbert--with a loaf in one hand. 

In the time of Ethelbald, King of Mercians, a young noble named Guthlac, weary of life's rough way, sought peace in the ascetic life. He driftedin a boat to Crowland Isle, and there lived a hermit's life till hisdeath in 817. On the spot where he died Ethelbald founded and endowed amonastery on the island, and it flourished exceedingly. The larger partof the conventual church is now destroyed, but the north aisle is usedas the Parish Church of Crowland. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

CROWLAND ABBEY. 

The building rises above the little thatched village, which stands onslightly raised ground in the midst of the fens. ]

PETERBOROUGH

As was the case with Wells, Peterborough would have had no existence butfor its cathedral, which was reared in the midst of the fertile fencountry near the slow-flowing river Ness. But the coming of the railwayshas roused the country town, and in the last fifty years its populationhas increased fivefold. It is situated in a rich agricultural district, and has a good trade in farm products. Its annual wool and cattlemarkets are well known in the eastern counties. 

On the site of the present cathedral a minster was built in 870 by aking of Mercia. On its being destroyed by Danes, a new building waserected, which was burned down in 1116. The foundations of the Saxonchurch can be seen in the crypt. The new Norman building was consecratedin 1237, and has remained with few alterations to the present day. Whilethe interior of St. Albans Cathedral shows every phase of Norman andGothic architecture, that of Peterborough is remarkable as showingpractically one style throughout the entire building. The west front hasbeen described as the "grandest portico in Europe. " It is Early Englishin style, and the finest feature of the cathedral. Its three colossalarches are flanked and strengthened by two turreted towers with spires. It needs a close observer to perceive that the central gable of the westfront is smaller than the side ones, for the difficulty has beencleverly overcome. The northern gable and part of the arch below havebeen repaired very carefully amid an outcry from all parts of Englandagainst the restoration. However, the work was proved to be necessary, as the mortar had crumbled to dust, and many stones were merely restingone on the other. The Perpendicular Galilee Porch over the small doorwayadds strength to the façade. The room over it is used as a library. 

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the interior is thetwelfth-century wooden vaulting of the nave. There is no Lady Chapel atthe east end as is usually the case. When the ritual demanded aretro-choir for processions, the Norman apse fortunately was not pulleddown, but the new building, Tudor in style, and with a beautifulstone-vaulted roof, was built round it. After Ely's Tower fell, theNorman central tower of Peterborough was pulled down as if a similarfate was feared for it, and a shorter tower was erected in its place. Two queens have been buried in the church, namely, Catherine of Arragonand Mary Queen of Scots. The remains of both queens have been removed toWestminster Abbey. 

Other places worth visiting in Peterborough are the Parish Church and awell-preserved thirteenth-century manor-house at Longthorpe. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL

The magnificent west front, which has recently been restored. ]

SOUTHAMPTON

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Stations. =--Southampton Docks or Southampton West. =Distance from London. =--78-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/4 to 3-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 13s. 0d. 8s. 2d. 6s. 6d. Return 23s. 0d. 14s. 6d. 11s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Royal Hotel, " "Radley's Hotel, " "London and South-Western Hotel, " "Dolphin Hotel, " "Royal Pier Hotel, " "Flower's Temperance, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--From Paddington. Fares as above. 

The earliest accounts of Southampton are vague and uncertain. On theopposite bank of the Itchen, at Bitterne, was the Roman station ofClausentum, but Southampton itself seems to have been originally asettlement of the West Saxons. In the reign of William the Conqueror, Southampton, owing to its situation, became the principal port ofembarkation for Normandy. In 1295 it first returned representatives toParliament, and in 1345 was strongly fortified, and able to contributetwenty-one ships to the Royal Navy, Portsmouth only supplying five. Manyexpeditions for Normandy embarked here during the reigns of thePlantagenets, and the men who fought and won at Crecy and Agincourt musthave passed, on the way to their ships, under the old West Gate, whichstill remains much as it was in those stirring times. 

The town is full of interesting relics of every description, one of themost remarkable being the old wall, of which a considerable portionremains; that known as The Arcades, built in a series of arches, beingspecially noticeable. Close by, in Blue Anchor Lane, is a Norman house, reputed to be King John's palace, and claiming, with several others, tobe the oldest house in England. 

The town was formerly entered by several gates, two of which, Westgateand Bargate, are still in a good state of preservation. 

The Bargate stands in the centre of the High Street, and is an excellentexample of mediaeval fortification. 

At the head of Blue Anchor Lane is the remarkably picturesque andsubstantial Tudor house, once the residence of Henry VIII. And AnneBoleyn, and nearly opposite rises the tall tower of St. Michael's, theoldest church in Southampton. The building is open all day (the keysbeing obtainable on inquiry), and contains a remarkable carved blackmarble font, reputed to be of Byzantine origin, and a fine eagle lecternof the fifteenth century. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE BARGATE IN THE HIGH STREET OF SOUTHAMPTON. ]

HELMINGHAM HALL

=How to get there. =--Great Eastern Railway. Liverpool Street. =Nearest Station. =--Woodbridge (10 miles). =Distance from London. =--79 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Quickest train 1 hour 56 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 14s. 9d. . . . 6s. 8d. Return 22s. 2d. . . . 13s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Bull Hotel, " etc. , at Woodbridge. 

Helmingham Hall, the seat of Lord Tollemache, lies in a beautiful park, ten miles from Woodbridge, in Suffolk, and has been one of the homes ofthe family for generations. The Tollemache family own two of the finestTudor houses in this country, Ham House near Richmond, the property ofthe Earls of Dysart, and Helmingham, which now belongs to the otherbranch of the Tollemache peerage. Helmingham came to them in the reignof Henry VIII. , by the marriage of Lionel Tollemache with the daughterand heiress of Sir William Joyce, who owned a home called Creke Hall. The present mansion he rebuilt on the same site, in all probabilityretaining the ancient moat. 

The hall is approached through an entrance gateway, giving access to afine avenue leading directly up a gentle slope to the moat and maindrawbridge of the hall. The house, of red brick, wonderfully tinted bythe hand of time, is remarkably picturesque, with its twisted chimneys, finely proportioned gables, and beautiful bay windows; and its charm isconsiderably enhanced by the brickwork, with sturdy buttresses here andthere, rising sheer out of the clear and tranquil waters of the moat. The hall is entered by two bridges, each ending in a drawbridge, whichis kept in full working order, and both drawbridges are, and have beenfor some hundreds of years, hauled up at ten o'clock every night, whenthe house can only be approached from the park by means of a boat. 

On crossing the main bridge, one enters the inner court, a fine redbrick quadrangle, much after the style of those at Hampton Court. Fromthis access is gained to the various wings and apartments of themansion, the finest room being the hall, with its deep oak dado, fireplace, and open timber roof. The best suite of rooms looks outacross the moat to the beautiful gardens. These are some of the mostmagnificent in the county, and they are most carefully and elaboratelyarranged, and always kept in fine condition. The garden is divided intotwo portions by a strip of water covered with lilies. 

[Illustration: HELMINGHAM HALL. 

An Elizabethan moated mansion. Its drawbridge has been lowered andraised every day for about 400 years. ]

STONEHENGE, WILTSHIRE

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. South-Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Amesbury (1-1/2 miles from Stonehenge). =Distance from London. =--80 miles. =Average Time. =--3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 13s. 2d. 8s. 3d. 6s. 7-1/2d. Return 23s. 2d. 14s. 8d. 13s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The George Hotel" at Amesbury. "Railway Hotel" (small) at Porton. =Alternative Route. =--Porton Station, 5-1/2 miles, and Salisbury Station, 8 miles from Stonehenge. 

One of the earliest and most enduring works of man in the BritishIslands is to be seen in the circles of giant stones on Salisbury Plain. They stand in two concentric circles. The outer ring of monolithsencloses an inner one of blue stones about half their height. These inturn surround a horseshoe formation consisting of the remains of fivegreat trilithons. Some of these stones have fallen across the flat oneknown as the altar stone, occupying a central position at the head ofthe horseshoe. On the 21st of June the sun rises exactly in a line withthe centre of the horseshoe and the long earthen avenue leading towardsthe stones, and thus throws a ray between two of the outer monoliths andtouches the altar stone. This orientation on the plan of so many easternshrines proves that Stonehenge was the temple of some earlysun-worshipping race of men in Britain. 

Sir Norman Lockyer's recent observations at the summer solstice haveplaced the date of erection at about 1680 B. C. , and the discovery offlint implements beneath some Roman remains also points to neolithictimes. The upright stones and those resting upon them were originallyall mortised and tenoned together, and from the fact that no similarstone is found nearer than Marlborough Downs the primitive men must havehauled the stones considerable distances by means of long leather ropes. The small blue stones were possibly brought from Normandy. 

Other stone circles and similar remains are to be seen at Avebury, Rollright, and Kit's Coty House, a few miles from Rochester. Also inShropshire there is a district rich in stone circles and prehistoricremains. This is in a line north of Bishops Castle and Shelve, and tothose who appreciate wild scenery this part of the county may bespecially recommended. 

[Illustration: STONEHENGE. 

Looking towards the east from the altar stone. The point on the horizonwhere the sun rises on June 21 is indicated by the small stone seenthrough the arches. ]

NETLEY ABBEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo _via_ Southampton. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Netley (about a mile from the abbey). =Distance from London. =--82-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 13s. 6d. 8s. 6d. 6s. 9-1/2d. Return 23s. 10d. 15s. 0d. 12s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Hotel, " "Radley's Hotel, " "Dolphin, " "South-Western, " etc. , Southampton (3 miles from Netley). 

Netley is a small village on Southampton Water, about 3 miles south-eastof the town of Southampton. It is famous for the ruins of Netley Abbey, which are not far from the shore, in a wooded and picturesque nook. Theabbey is supposed to have been founded by Peter des Roches, Bishop ofWinchester in Henry III. 's reign, and the monks belonged to theCistercian order. It was neither a rich nor famous establishment, andthe monks possessed but one book, Cicero's _Treaty on Rhetoric_. Sincethe Dissolution the abbey has belonged to many different families. Onlythe walls are now standing, but enough remains to show how beautiful itonce was. The buildings formed a square of which the south wall of thechurch formed the side opposite the entrance. Various buildings inconnection with the monastery formed the rest of the quadrangle, whichwas known as Fountain Court. The kitchen is still roofed in, although ithas lost its stone groining. Other buildings are, conjecturally, thebuttery and the refectory. Near the kitchen is a curious undergroundpassage leading to the castle (erected by Henry VIII. ), which standsnearer the shore than the abbey. It is thought to be a drain. 

The church is of cruciform shape, in Early English style. Though thewest end is now in a very ruinous condition, the great east window isfairly well preserved. It has two lights, and is very beautifullyproportioned. Outside the court is the garden, with lawns and trees, toooften desecrated by picnic parties, and the ponds that supplied themonks with fish are now choked up. It is said that a carpenter whobought the materials of the church from Sir Bartlet Lucy was warned in adream by a monk not to destroy the building. He paid no heed, and waskilled by the west window falling on him. 

The Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Soldiers, erected after the CrimeanWar, can be seen at Netley. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

NETLEY ABBEY, LOOKING EAST. ]

SALISBURY AND ITS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Salisbury. =Distance from London. =--83-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 1-3/4 and 3-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 14s. 0d. 8s. 9d. 6s. 11-1/2d. Return 24s. 6d. 15s. 4d. 12s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Angel Hotel, " "Crown Hotel, " "White Hart Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. 

Salisbury Cathedral is, in the opinion of many, the finest of all theEnglish cathedrals, and it certainly has many claims to be consideredso. The vast building was completed within fifty years, and is thereforepractically in one style throughout, an advantage not shared by anyother cathedral in the kingdom. Its situation, too, is unique, standingas it does in the fine old close, entirely separated from any otherbuildings, and with its grey walls and buttresses rising sheer up fromsuch velvety turf as is seen in England alone. The tower and spire areperhaps the most beautiful in this country. 

Passing into the close by the gate at the end of the High Street, onereaches the west front, which is very rich in effect, with its tiers ofcanopied statues and wonderfully proportioned windows. Through thebeautiful north porch one passes into the nave, which, thoughexceedingly beautiful, has a certain air of coldness owing to theabsence of stained glass. It seems hardly credible that this beautifulglass, the making of which is now a lost art, was deliberately destroyedat the end of the eighteenth century by the so-called "architect" JamesWyatt. In addition to this, "Wyatt swept away screens, chapels, andporches, desecrated and destroyed the tombs of warriors and prelates;obliterated ancient paintings, flung stained glass by cartloads into thecity ditch, and razed to the ground the beautiful old campanile whichstood opposite the north porch. "

The Lady Chapel of the cathedral is one of the most beautiful in thekingdom. 

Although the cathedral is the great glory of Salisbury, there are plentyof interesting mediaeval buildings in the city. In the close itself arethe King's House and the King's Wardrobe, both old gabled houses ofgreat beauty. St. Thomas's and St. Edmund's are the two most interestingchurches in the city. 

About 2 miles north of Salisbury is a group of pretty cottages on theAvon, forming the village of Milston. Here, on May 1, 1672, JosephAddison was born in the old rectory, now unfortunately pulled down. Hisfather, Lancelot Addison, was rector of the parish. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

SALISBURY CATHEDRAL. 

The spire is one of the most graceful in the world, and the wholebuilding, commenced in 1220, was completed within fifty years. ]

SANDWICH, KENT

=How to get there. =--Train from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, and London Bridge. South-Eastern and Chatham Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Sandwich. =Distance from London. =--84-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/2 to 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 13s. 0d. 8s. 4d. 6s. 6d. Return 22s. 8d. 16s. 8d. 13s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Bell, " "Bell and Anchor, " "Fleur de Lys, " etc. 

It is difficult to realise that Sandwich, now 1-1/2 miles from thecoast, was yet once situated on the sea, and was the second inimportance of the Cinque Ports. In Roman and early Saxon times a widearm of the Thames, called the Wantsume, flowed from Reculver (then knownas Regulbium), where it was a mile wide, southwards to what is now themouth of the Stour. Between Ebbsfleet and Worth it was over 4 mileswide. The Roman fortress of Ritupiae (Richborough) guarded it on thesouth, and the river Stour flowed into it at Stourmouth. This streamcaused so much alluvial deposit that the sea receded from Richborough inearly Saxon times, and part of the population removed to Sandwich. Therepeated attacks by the Danes and the French did not check the growth ofthe town, which attained its maximum prosperity in Edward IV. 's reign, when it was walled. But the sea left its shores, and the town declinedto again rise in importance, when the 400 Flemish emigrants settledthere in Elizabeth's reign and introduced silk-weaving, flannelmanufactures, and market-gardening. 

Sandwich contains some of the richest bits of mediaeval architecture inEngland. There are some traces of the walls to be seen, and one ancientgateway is perfect, Fisher's Gate, near the quay. On the north is theTudor barbican gate. St. Clement's Church possesses a central Normantower. The nave is in the Perpendicular style, and the chancel isDecorated. Both have fine roofs. St. Peter's Church (thirteenth century)has a tower, but its south aisle was destroyed in 1661. The session-roomat the town hall has some curious seats for the mayor and aldermen, andthe hospital of St. Bartholomew's has an Early English chapel. The bestof the ancient houses in the town are in Strand Street and LucksboatStreet. Manswood Grammar School dates from 1564, and has a Flemishfront. 

At Richborough can be seen some Roman rectangular walls about 10 feethigh, with a subterranean concrete building in the centre. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

FISHER'S GATE, SANDWICH. 

A picturesque survival of the days of the town's importance as a CinquePort. ]

NEW FOREST, HAMPSHIRE

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Lyndhurst Road Station (3 miles). =Distance from London. =--85-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/4 to 3-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 14s. 2d. 9s. 0d. 7s. 1d. Return 24s. 10d. 15s. 8d. 14s. 2d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Grand Hotel, " Lyndhurst; "Crown Hotel, " Lyndhurst; "Rose and Crown, " Brockenhurst, etc. 

The popular story as to the creation of what was then the "New" Forestby William the Conqueror has been probably much exaggerated, although weall believed in our school days the old chroniclers, who averred thatthe king destroyed fifty or so churches and numerous villages, andexterminated their inhabitants. The fact is that the harsh feudal forestlaws were rigidly enforced by the Conqueror, who no doubt in some placesswept away the villages and churches of rebellious foresters, but thevery qualities of the forest soil disprove the fact that the land wasonce all "smiling pastures and golden cornfields, " as some of the oldhistorians would have us believe. 

The New Forest of the present day forms a triangle about 20 miles longand 12 broad, of which the base is a line drawn westward from the mouthof the Beaulieu river to within a mile or two of the Avon, the apexreaching to the confines of Wiltshire. The forest scenery is extremelydiversified, but always very beautiful; glades and reaches of gentlepark and meadow, and open heath-like stretches, contrast wonderfullywith the actual masses of huge beeches, under some of which daylightnever penetrates. 

Lyndhurst, the little capital of the New Forest, is situated in itscentre, and is one of the best points from which to explore the beautiesof the district. The church at Lyndhurst is modern, rebuilt in 1863; butit should be visited in order to see the large altar-fresco of the TenVirgins executed by the late Lord Leighton. A little way beyond thechurch is the Queen's House, built in Charles II. 's reign. Here residesthe Deputy-Surveyor, who administers under the Crown, while six electedVerderers, in their courts of Swain-mote, represent the Commoners. Inthe hall is kept what is known as William Rufus's stirrup-iron. 

Close to the village of Minsted is Malwood Lodge, Sir William Harcourt'sNew Forest seat. From a ridge near this there are grand views of theforest, till one comes to the Compton Arms Hotel, a completely isolatedinn, near the Rufus Stone, which marks the spot where William II. Fellby the arrow of Walter Tyrell. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE RUFUS STONE IN THE NEW FOREST. 

Marking the spot where William II. Fell by Walter Tyrell's arrow. ]

OSBORNE HOUSE

=How to get there. =--Train from London Bridge or Victoria. London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Cowes. =Distance from London. =--87 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 4 to 5-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 16s. 0d. 10s. 5d. 8s. 10d. Return 27s. 10d. 18s. 2d. 16s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Cowes--"Fountain Hotel, " "The Gloster, " "Royal Marine Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo _via_ Southampton. L. And S. W. Railway. 

Osborne House having been presented to the nation by King Edward, portions of the buildings and grounds are, or will be, available to thepublic on week days. 

This stately marine residence of the late Queen Victoria is situated inthe Isle of Wight, an island remarkable for the variety and beauty ofits scenery. The Queen purchased the estate in 1845 from Lady ElizabethBlachford, and the palace was finished in 1851. Since that time manyadditions have been made. The main gates are about three-quarters of amile up the hill from the ferry, and the Prince of Wales's Gate furthersouth, opposite the hotel. Osborne House has a melancholy interestattached to it, for here, on January 22, 1901, Queen Victoria breathedher last. A portion of every year was spent by the Queen at her seasidehome, which had many associations of her happy life there with herhusband, the late Prince Consort, "Albert the Good. " Surrounded withtheir children, they forgot the splendours and fatigues of Court, anddevoted themselves to training their family in all that was useful andgood. The Queen nearly always spoke of Osborne as "her island home. " Sheand Prince Albert delighted in the fact that it was their own, that theycould make their own plans, exercise their own taste in the laying outof the gardens, and in the building--in fact, in everything in thisseaside home. The building is in the Palladian style, and was designedby Thomas Cubitt and the late Prince Consort. The grounds, covering 5000acres, are 8 miles in extent, with a sea front of 1-1/3 miles. Theterrace gardens are ornamented with statuary, and the grounds lead downto the water's edge, where there are sea baths and a private pier. Thelast journey of Victoria the Good from Osborne to the mausoleum atFrogmore, in the grounds of Windsor Castle, was a spectacle never to beforgotten. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

OSBORNE HOUSE. 

Built by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1851. ]

CARISBROOKE CASTLE

=How to get there. =--Train from Victoria or London Bridge _via_ Portsmouth and Ryde. London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Carisbrooke. =Distance from London. =--88 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 16s. 4d. 10s. 8d. 9s. 1d. Return 28s. 4d. 18s. 6d. 16s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Red Lion Hotel, " "Waverley Hotel, " "Eight Bells Hotel, " "Castle Hotel, " "Temperance Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo _via_ Cowes and Ryde. L. And S. W. Railway. 

Carisbrooke village is a charming place delightfully situated in thecentre of the island. The castle (the charge for entering is 4d. ) standson a wooded hill at an elevation of 150 feet. The summit of the hillforms a level plateau about 20 acres in extent, all enclosed by thecastle walls. Sir Walter Scott is said to have had this castle in hismind when writing _Marmion_. Beyond the great interest attached to thefact that it was here that Charles I. Was confined, the castle does notfigure very prominently in history. The fact, however, that thisunfortunate monarch was imprisoned here in 1647 by the Parliament willbe always sufficient to give its ancient walls and battlements anever-dying interest. When Charles was brought to the castle he wastreated more as a guest than a prisoner, but after his attempted escapethe king was much more closely watched and his pleasures curtailed. Thestory of the king attempting in vain to get through his bedroom windowis known to all. Everything was in readiness, the details of rescue wereall carefully prepared. Captain Titus and others of the guard had beenwon over to assist the king, and had King Charles negotiated the narrowwindow, in all probability the escape would have been a success. In1650, the year after Charles I. Was beheaded, Henry Duke of Gloucesterand the Princess Elizabeth were brought to the castle. Shortly after herarrival the princess, who was of a sickly constitution, took a severechill and was found one morning by her attendants lying dead on a couch. Queen Victoria had a beautiful monument erected to her memory in NewportChurch. The Well House, where the water is drawn from the depth of 150feet by a clever donkey and draw-wheel, is an interesting feature of thecastle. Princess Beatrice is the present Governor of the Island. 

[Illustration: CARISBROOKE CASTLE. 

Where Charles I. Was imprisoned in 1647. ]

LUTTERWORTH

THE HOME OF JOHN WYCLIFF

=How to get there. =--Train from Marylebone. Great Central Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Lutterworth. =Distance from London. =--90 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/4 to 3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 12s. 4d. . . . 7s. 0d. Return 24s. 0d. . . . 14s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Hind Hotel, " "Denbigh Arms, " "Fox, " etc. 

Situated in typical English midland scenery, the quiet little countrytown of Lutterworth rises from the surrounding undulating pasture-land. Here, in the beginning of the fourteenth century, when it was probablymerely a fair-sized village, John Wycliff, the "Morning Star of theReformation, " and founder of the Lollards, was born. The main streetslopes down the hill, beyond the houses, till it reaches the river side, where it is carried over the little river Swift on a small bridge. 

A good proportion of the church, which is so closely associated withWycliff, dates from the fourteenth century. It is a large building, witha tower and belfry stage, and four crocketed pinnacles. The tower wasformerly surmounted by a wooden belfry, but this was destroyed by thegreat gale of 1703. The nave is lighted by a clerestory, and the aislesare divided by high arches. The church is built in Early Perpendicularstyle, but there is a good decorated window at the eastern end of thesouth aisle, where there used to be a Lady Chapel. The lower portions ofthe walls date from before the time of Wycliff. At the eastern end ofthe chancel are an aumbry and piscina. About thirty years ago the churchwas restored by Sir Gilbert Scott, when much new stone was inserted. 

There are three interesting frescoes in the interior: one is believed torepresent Queen Philippa asking Edward III. To give the living ofLutterworth to Wycliff. The roof of the nave is formed of fine woodworkof the Perpendicular period, but the pulpit, a splendid piece offourteenth-century oak carving, claims the chief interest, being thesame from which the great reformer preached. The base has been renewed, and the rest has been much repaired, but the same pulpit has been in usefor more than 500 years. A fragment of Wycliff's cope or chasuble ispreserved in a glass case in the vestry, but some doubt attaches to theorigin of "Wycliff's chair, " which seems of considerably later date. 

[Illustration: WYCLIFF'S PULPIT IN LUTTERWORTH CHURCH. 

It is a fine piece of fourteenth-century oak carving. ]

COMPTON WYNYATES

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. London and North-Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Kineton (5 miles from Compton Wynyates). =Distance from London. =--91-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 to 3-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 14s. 4d. 9s. 0d. 7s. 8d. Return 26s. 6d. 16s. 11d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Kineton--"Red Lion Hotel, " "Swan Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--None. 

Compton Wynyates, the seat of the Marquess of Northampton, is one of themost beautiful Tudor houses in England, and although Warwickshire isexceedingly rich in castles and fine old houses, it can show nothing tosurpass this time-worn pile of red brick and stone. Though the moat, which was the outer guard of the place, has been partly filled in andconverted into smooth lawns, one of the most romantic aspects of thehouse is to be seen across an angle of the watery enclosure. Thebuildings surround a quadrangle, the entrance being made through abeautiful Tudor gateway. In the spandrils of its archway are carved thearms of Henry VIII. , with the griffin and greyhound for supporters andthe royal crown above. 

The house was built by Sir William Compton during the reign of HenryVIII. , with the exception of some additions, including the great parlourpanelled with oak, which dates from the days of Queen Elizabeth. 

To touch on half the glories of this perfect Tudor house would occupymany pages of this book--its beautiful chapel with its curious carvingswith the seven deadly sins represented as knights in armour, the greathall in which Henry VIII. Was welcomed by Sir William Compton, thedrawing-room with its fine plaster ceiling--all are so full of beautyand interest that they can merely be referred to here. 

The situation of the house in a richly timbered hollow adds infinitelyto its charm. The gardens, too, are of the beautiful type that onelearns to expect in conjunction with so lovely a dwelling, whileflowering creepers on the towers and on the gabled walls complete anideal picture of all that is loveliest in an old English mansion. 

Permission to see Compton Wynyates can only be obtained by a writtenapplication. 

[Illustration: _Valentine & Sons, Ltd. _

COMPTON WYNYATES. 

The seat of the Marquess of Northampton, is one of the most beautifulmediaeval homes in England. ]

KENILWORTH CASTLE

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Kenilworth. =Distance from London. =--99 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/2 to 4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 15s. 3d. 10s. 2d. 8s. 1-1/2d. Return 28s. 3d. 17s. 10d. 16s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Abbey Hotel, " "King's Arms, " "Castle Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

Kenilworth is a small town, situated midway between Coventry andWarwick, about 5 miles from either town. It is chiefly noted for theruins of the famous castle, so celebrated from its association with SirWalter Scott's romance. The castle was built in the reign of Henry I. , the site having been granted to Geoffrey de Clinton, Lord Chief Justiceof England. The fortress at one time belonged to Simon de Montfort, whoimprisoned Henry III. And his son Edward during the War of the Barons. Edward II. Also was forced to sign his abdication there. Queen Elizabethgave the castle as a present to her favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl ofLeicester, who spent large sums in making great alterations andadditions, and entertained the Queen on four different occasions. Thememorable visit that has been described by Scott took place in 1575, when Dudley not only lodged Queen Elizabeth, her court, and 400 servantsfor seventeen days, but provided a series of pageants and festivities toplease his royal mistress. During the Civil War the castle was taken byCromwell and given by him to Colonel Hawkesworth and some other officersbelonging to his army. They destroyed the place very much, draining thelake, besides pulling down walls and towers. The estate now belongs tothe Earl of Clarendon, to whose ancestor, Lawrence Hyde, Earl ofRochester, it was given by Charles II. The only building which has stillpreserved its roof is the gatehouse, built by Robert Dudley. It is nowused as a dwelling-house, and contains some beautiful panelling and alsoa wonderful chimney-piece. The rest of the castle is very ruined, butthe remains are of great interest, being sufficient to convey animpression of the castle as it originally stood. Close to the parishchurch are the ruins of the priory, which was founded at the same timeas the castle, by Geoffrey de Clinton. At the Dissolution it wascompletely destroyed, and only the gatehouse remains. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

KENILWORTH CASTLE. 

Where Queen Elizabeth was entertained for seventeen days by RobertDudley, Earl of Leicester. ]

BELVOIR CASTLE

THE SEAT OF THE DUKE OF RUTLAND

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Grantham (7 miles from Belvoir Castle). =Distance from London. =--105-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 and 2-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 15s. 10d. . . . 8s. 9d. Return 31s. 8d. . . . 17s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Angel Hotel, " etc. , at Grantham. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

Belvoir Castle, the Leicestershire seat of the Duke of Rutland, standson a lofty eminence, commanding a magnificent view over the rich vale ofBelvoir. It was originally founded by Robert de Todeni, a Norman noble, and a standard-bearer to William the Conqueror. In the reign of HenryIII. The property passed to Robert de Roos, and in the time of HenryVIII. To the family of Manners, who have held it ever since. Thebuilding suffered much damage during the Wars of the Roses and theParliamentary Civil War. James I. Was entertained there in 1603, on hisway from Scotland to London, by Roger, the fifth Earl. In 1814, GeorgeIV. , then Prince Regent, visited the castle, in commemoration of whichone of the towers was named Regent Tower. In 1816, alterations werebeing carried out in the interior, under the direction of James Wyatt, the architect, when a fire broke out and almost entirely destroyed thecastle. The picture gallery and the grand staircase perished utterly, and the damage was reckoned at £120, 000. The final restoration wascompleted by Matthew Wyatt, who succeeded in building one of the finestpalaces in the length and breadth of England. One of the features of themansion is a magnificent picture gallery in which hang priceless worksby Nicolas Poussin, Claude, Murillo, Reynolds, Gainsborough, and otherold masters. The name "Belvoir" is derived from the magnificentprospects lying around it in all directions, the view extending over thelevel country for 30 miles; more than 170 towns and villages are visiblewithin its horizon. The castle is situated in the midst of a finesporting country, the Belvoir hounds being one of the finest packs inthe country. 

Near the mansion, and below it, are some remains of a priory alsofounded by the Norman owner, Robert de Todeni, about 1076. This priorywas dedicated to St. Mary, and was annexed to the Abbey of St. Albans. 

[Illustration: _G. W. Wilson & Co. _

BELVOIR CASTLE. 

It was originally founded by Robert de Todeni, a standard-bearer toWilliam the Conqueror. ]

BATH

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Bath. =Distance from London. =--107 miles. =Average Time. =--2-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 17s. 10d. 11s. 2d. 8s. 11d. Return 31s. 3d. 19s. 6d. 17s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Empire Hotel, " "Pulteney Hotel, " "York House Family Hotel, " "Royal Station Hotel, " "Railway Hotel, " "Waldron's Private Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo. South-Western Railway. 

Bath, one of the largest towns in Somersetshire, is beautifully situatedon the Avon in a wooded valley in the north-east of the county. The cityis of great antiquity, and was one of the most powerful Roman stations, being at the intersection of two very important roads, --the Fosse Way, which extended from the coast of Devonshire to the north-east coast ofLincolnshire, and the Via Julia, the great road between London andWales. The story of the British king Bladud and his connection with Bathis immortalised in the _Pickwick Papers_, but is more or less legendary;however, as to the greatness of the city during the Roman occupationthere is ample evidence. Even in those times the great natural featureof the place was its mineral waters, and in the first century the Romansbuilt some luxurious baths there, and now the extensive remains havemade the place notable. The Saxons quaintly named the city _AkemanCeaster_, or town of invalids. 

In the original Abbey Church took place the coronation of King Edgar asKing of England by the famous St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. This church stands on the site of the old conventual church, on the spotwhere once stood the Roman temple of Minerva. It was rebuilt in thefifteenth century by Bishop Oliver King, and completed by BishopMontague at the beginning of the seventeenth century. On the west frontare sculptures representing the angels upon Jacob's Ladder, and thewhole building teems with interest; but the original purity of itsarchitecture has been much marred by faulty and ignorant restoration. 

Till the middle of the eighteenth century Bath covered no larger areathan that contained within the Roman walls, but Queen Anne and PrinceGeorge of Denmark having conceived a great partiality for the place, andthe medicinal quality of the waters being much advocated, the cityrapidly grew in favour and size, until it reached its heyday in the timeof Beau Nash and the Prince Regent. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE RESTORED ROMAN BATH AT BATH. 

The bases of the columns are chiefly untouched Roman work. ]

BOSTON AND THE PILGRIM FATHERS

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Boston. =Distance from London. =--107-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--3 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 15s. 4d. . . . 8s. 11d. Return 30s. 8d. . . . 17s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Peacock and Royal, " "Red Lion" Hotels, etc. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

The English Boston, which gave its name to the great American seaport, was at one time--although it is hard to believe--of as relatively greatimportance as its mighty namesake of to-day. In the time of Edward III. It was considered the third most important town in England, for duringthat reign it contributed no fewer than seventeen ships to the greatfleet which was raised by Edward III. But Boston declined through itsriver--the Witham--becoming scarcely navigable for more than smallships, and after a time was placed on the list of decayed seaports. Atthe present time it should be mentioned that its trade is steadilyreviving. 

The town has a quiet, old-fashioned aspect, and many of its houses datefrom the days when the Pilgrim Fathers made their first attempt to leaveEngland. The very first effort failed, through the treachery of thecaptain of the vessel in which they were to take passage. They suffereda month's imprisonment, but shortly afterwards made another attempt toget away from the coast on a Dutch ship. This was only partiallysuccessful, for William Brewster and a few others only, reachedAmsterdam, the women and the rest of the party having fallen into thehands of a detachment of soldiers. Brewster, however, by untiringefforts got all the rest over to Holland. 

It was in 1620 that the Pilgrim Fathers finally set out on their voyageto America. (See Index, Plymouth. ) The greatest glory of Boston is "TheStump, " the highly unsuitable name given to its magnificent churchtower, 300 feet high, and a landmark all over the surrounding fen-landsand even out at sea. It seems strangely slight when one is standingwithin the tower and notices that no floor breaks the great sweep ofwalls for a great height. The large perpendicular windows also help togive an impression of frailty. The foundation stone, however, was laidas long ago as 1309, and the structure is not so many years younger. 

[Illustration: BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE. 

From whence the Pilgrim Fathers sailed in the _Mayflower_. ]

WARWICK

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Warwick. =Distance from London. =--108 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 15s. 3d. 10s. 2d. 8s. 1-1/2d. Return 28s. 3d. 17s. 10d. 16s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Warwick Arms Hotel, " "Woolpack Hotel, " "Globe Hotel, " etc. 

A charge of one shilling is made for admission to Warwick Castle, thegardens and state apartments being shown to visitors. 

Warwick is a small but historic town, charmingly situated on the RiverAvon, and dominated by its castle, one of the very few baronial castlesstill remaining entire. The town was destroyed by the Danes, but it wasrebuilt by King Alfred's Ethelfleda, who also built a fortress on anartificial mound, overlooking the river. By the orders of William I. Thecastle was enlarged, and afterwards given by the Conqueror to Henry deNewburgh, whom he made the first Earl of Warwick of the Norman line. Thecastle was of such strength that when, in the reign of Henry III. , itbecame the property of Margery, sister of Thomas de Newburgh, she wasinformed that she would not be allowed to marry any one in whom the kinghad not great confidence. The castle afterwards passed into the hands ofthe Beauchamps, in whose family it remained until 1445, when theheiress, Anne, married Richard Neville, the "King-maker, " who took thetitle of Earl of Warwick. The title without the estates was given byJames I. To Robert, Lord Rich. The castle was given to Sir FulkeGreville, afterwards Lord Brooke. In 1759, when Edward Rich died withoutissue, Francis Greville was made Earl of Warwick, with whose descendantsthe estates have since remained. The entrance to the castle is along awinding road cut for more than 100 yards out of the solid rock. Thecastle as it now stands is a splendid specimen of the fourteenth-centurystronghold built in the transition period, when the mere fortress wasbeing superseded by a building of more grace and comfort. St. Mary'sChurch in Warwick was rebuilt in the reign of Queen Anne, the formerchurch, built by Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, having beendestroyed by fire in 1694. Guy's Cliff, situated 1-1/4 miles fromWarwick, is a most picturesque spot, and is celebrated, according totradition, as the retreat of Guy of Warwick. 

A charge of threepence each person (no fee less than sixpence) is made, for admission to St. Mary's Church. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

WARWICK CASTLE ON THE AVON. 

One of the very few baronial castles still remaining entire. ]

GLOUCESTER AND ITS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Gloucester. =Distance from London. =--114 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 19s. 0d. 12s. 0d. 9s. 6d. Return 33s. 3d. 21s. 0d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Bell Hotel, " "New Inn Hotel, " "The Wellington Hotel, " and others. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

Gloucester is one of the most thriving cities in the south of England. It has been a town of some description from quite early times, for theBritish had a fortress on the site which the Romans are believed to haveoccupied as a strong position on the road into Wales. The Danesrepeatedly made incursions into this part of the country, and Gloucestersuffered very much from their ravages; but probably through the factthat the kings of Mercia instituted a palace and priory there, the cityseems to have had sufficient strength to recover after each disaster. Gloucester was even of sufficient importance for Edward the Confessor tohave kept his courts there for a considerable time. Being in the westcountry, it naturally suffered severely during the parliamentarystruggle, and a great portion of the city was destroyed. But althoughthe town lost many of its old buildings at this time, it has still agood deal of antiquity to boast, and for this reason alone is attractiveto the stranger. Its main streets are modelled on the Roman plan of across, the four arms bearing the names North, South, East and West-gateStreets. 

The cathedral is not many minutes' walk from the railway station, and isremarkable for its influence upon the English architecture whichsucceeded it, for it directed the course of the curvilinear movement inthe direction of the Perpendicular style of Gothic. After remaininguncopied for a few years, the new style spread over the length andbreadth of England. The east window is remarkable as being one of thelargest in the world. Portions of the cathedral may possibly date frompre-Norman days, but according to the records, the earliest date is1088. The tower was completed in 1518, and is with the cloisters almostwithout equal in this country for beauty and perfection. The cathedralcontains the tomb of Osric, King of Northumbria, which was recentlyopened and found to contain the bones within a wooden coffin. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL. 

Showing the east window, which is one of the largest in the world. ]

NORFOLK BROADS

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street. Gt. Eastern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Norwich. =Distance from London. =--114 miles. =Average Time. --Varies between 2-1/2 to 4-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 20s. 6d. . . . 9s. 5-1/2d. Return 31s. 10d. . . . 18s. 11d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Norwich--"Royal Family Hotel, " "Maid's Head. " Yarmouth--"Royal, " "Queen's, " etc. Cantley--"Red House Hotel. " Brundall--"Yare Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--To Norwich from King's Cross, Great Northern Railway. Train to Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Beccles, Cantley, Reedham, etc. , from Liverpool Street, Great Eastern Railway. 

The charm of the Norfolk Broads consists to a great extent in the factthat they present different scenery to almost any other county inEngland, although the salt marshes of Essex and Suffolk possess thefamily likeness obtaining throughout East Anglia. The Norfolk Broadsoccupy the stretch of country north of a line drawn between Norwich andYarmouth, and both towns offer great advantages for getting into theBroad country. A "broad, " it should be mentioned, is a local name for ashallow lake connected with others, and finally with the sea by suchrivers as the Yare, the Bure, or Ant. These rivers and their varioustributaries form excellent sailing grounds, for after tacking for sometime in a rush-fringed river, one suddenly enjoys the contrast of abroad lagoon where there is plenty of space to sail more freely. 

The separate characteristics of the different broads give a choice ofsurroundings capable of satisfying every one. Oulton Broad, forinstance, is generally to be found full of smart yachts, while Heighamforms a contrast in its solemn loneliness. Wroxham Broad is alwaysbright with white sails going to or from Surlingham, Rockland, orSalhouse Broads. The last mentioned a beautiful piece of water, thequieter portions of its surface being generally thick with yellow irisand purple loosestrife and many other species of water herb. It isshaded by trees, and makes charming pictures from many points of view. Crome, it is said, commenced a picture of this broad on the day of hisdeath, and anticipated that it would be his best work. 

Irstead is another beautiful broad surrounded by feathery reeds andthick with rushes where kingfishers and wild duck are to be found. Theruins of St. Benet's Abbey are an interesting feature along the riverBure. Within the monastic walls a windmill has been built, and this toois now an old ruin, having lost its sails many years ago. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

AMONG THE NORFOLK BROADS. 

A typical scene on one of the rivers connecting the broads. ]

NORWICH CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Station _via_ Colchester. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Norwich. =Distance from London. =--114 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/2 to 4-1/4 hours. Quickest train 2 hours 32 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 20s. 6d. . . . 9s. 5-1/2d. Return 31s. 10d. . . . 18s. 11d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Family Hotel, " "Maid's Head Hotel, " "Bell Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. 

The city of Norwich has a unique charm from its combination of themediaeval with the modern, and "improvements" so called have not spoiltit. The chief object of interest is the cathedral, which was founded in1094 by Bishop Herbert Losinga, who was at one time prior at Fécamp inNormandy, and chaplain to William II. It is regarded as one of thegreatest existing examples of Norman work, and has the finest cloistersin England. It is 411 feet long and 191 feet broad at the transepts, andis crowned with a spire second only to that of Salisbury. Near thecathedral are a number of ancient and interesting structures more orless in ruins. Chief of these may be mentioned St. Ethelbert's and theErpingham Gate, by the west front of the cathedral, the former inDecorated English, the latter in Late Perpendicular, and both arevaluable and rich specimens of these styles. It was Sir Thomas Erpinghamwhom Henry V. In Shakespeare's play addresses as "Good old Knight, " andit was he who gave the signal to the English at the Battle of Agincourt, saying, as he threw up his truncheon, "Now, strike!"

Norwich occupies a place in history from the time of the earlier Danishinvasions. First its castle was erected as a stronghold by the EastAnglican kings, and resorted to as a place of safety by the inhabitants, who gave it the name of North-wic, or northern station or town. Thebishopric of the East Angles was removed hither in 1094, when themagnificent cathedral was founded. Evelyn in his _Diary_ gives anaccount of a visit he paid to that famous scholar and physician, Dr. Thomas Browne, author of the _Religio Medici_ and _Vulgar Errors_, thenliving in Norwich. It is a pleasant picture of the fine old cathedraltown which he gives. After seeing all the rare curiosities in Sir ThomasBrowne's house, he was shown all the remarkable places of the city, andspeaks of the "venerable cathedrall, the stately churches, and thecleannesse of the streetes. "

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

NORWICH CATHEDRAL. 

It was founded in 1094, and is considered one of the finest examples ofNorman architecture. ]

LICHFIELD

THE BIRTHPLACE OF DR. JOHNSON

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Lichfield. =Distance from London. =--118 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2 to 3-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 16s. 9d. 10s. 9d. 9s. 8-1/2d. Return 33s. 6d. 21s. 5d. 19s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Swan Hotel, " "George Hotel, " etc. 

Lichfield, though an ancient town, has now a modern appearance, but isinteresting on account of its beautiful cathedral and its associationwith Dr. Johnson. The house where the "great lexicographer" was born isstill to be seen in the market-place, very little altered from itsoriginal condition. Next to this house is the Three Crowns Inn, whereDr. Johnson and Boswell stayed when they visited Lichfield in 1776. Among the few old houses that are remaining are St. John's Hospital, rebuilt in 1495, and the Friary, part of an establishment of GreyFriars, now forming a portion of a private house. 

Lichfield has been a bishop's see since Anglo-Saxon times, and among itsearliest bishops was St. Chad, who advanced Christianity in England. Fora short period Lichfield boasted an archbishop, during the reign ofOffa, king of Mercia, who persuaded the Pope to grant his kingdom thishonour. No trace of any Anglo-Saxon building is left, and of the Normanchurch that was next erected only the west part of the choir remains. The present cathedral, built in the Early English style of Gothic, wascommenced about 1200, and was not finished until 1325, builders beingemployed all the time. Though numbered among the smaller cathedrals, Lichfield is very beautiful, possessing a great charm in the ruddinessof the stone used in its construction. Its most striking features arethe three graceful spires, the sculptured west front, and the large LadyChapel. Owing, unfortunately, to its being fortified, the cathedralsuffered much damage when besieged by the Roundheads during the CivilWar. Windows and statues were broken, brass stripped from the tombs, registers burned, but the worst calamity was the destruction of thecentral tower. After the Restoration the cathedral was carefullyrepaired, greatly due to the efforts of good Bishop Hacket, who spenthis time and money upon the work. The central spire was rebuilt by SirChristopher Wren. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL. 

Showing the richly-sculptured west front, and the central tower rebuiltby Sir Christopher Wren. ]

SHERBORNE AND ITS ABBEY CHURCH

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo, _via_ Salisbury. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Sherborne. =Distance from London. =--118 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3-1/4 to 6 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 19s. 8d. 12s. 4d. 9s. 10d. Return 34s. 6d. 21s. 6d. 19s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Digby Hotel, " "Antelope, " "Half Moon, " etc. 

Sherborne is full of archaeological interest, for besides its wonderfulAbbey Church, it has the ruins of its castle on a rocky height at theeast end of the town and a good number of ancient houses. The townitself is situated on the side of a hill sloping down to the Yeo, andhas a clean and quaint aspect. About 705, it was chosen as the seat of abishopric. The see was removed to Old Sarum in 1078, but the castlecontinued to be used as an episcopal residence until it was besieged byStephen, when it became Crown property. The Abbey Church of St. Mary theVirgin is Norman in origin, but it has been so rebuilt and remodelledthat it is now practically Perpendicular. The whole church, with theexception of the Lady Chapel, was very carefully restored between 1848and 1851. 

Adjoining the Abbey Church, at the west end, are the remains of theparochial church of Alhalows, a three-aisled church in Decorated orEarly Perpendicular style. The monks and the parishioners had manyquarrels, one resulting in a fire which destroyed much of the abbey. TheAbbey Church was granted by Henry VIII. To Sir John Horsley, who sold itto the parish for £250. There being no further use for Alhalows Church, it was taken down. 

The exterior of Sherborne Church has been called unpicturesque, owing toits low central tower and insignificant pinnacles. It is, however, ahuge building, and its interior is so richly decorated that it moreresembles a cathedral than a parish church. It possesses the finestfan-vault in existence, covered with gilded bosses and heraldic arms. Contrasting with this wonderful richness of decoration are three plainNorman arches. 

The nave is divided into five bays by panelled arches, the irregularwidths of which are due to the fact that the Norman arches are cased inwith Perpendicular work. The south transept has a wonderful roof ofblack Irish oak. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

SHERBORNE ABBEY CHURCH. 

It contains Norman work and some of the finest fan-vaulting inexistence. ]

NEWARK

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Newark. =Distance from London. =--120 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-1/2 to 3-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 17s. 6d. . . . 10s. Return 35s. 0d. . . . 20s. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Ram Hotel, " "Clinton Arms, " "Saracen's Head, " "White Hart, " "Swan and Salmon, " etc. =Alternative Routes. =--Train from Euston, _via_ Market Harboro', L. And N. W. Railway. Train from St. Pancras, Midland Rly. 

Newark-upon-Trent is believed by some antiquaries to have been built inRoman times; others state its origin to have been Saxon, but the firstabsolutely certain record of it is in the time of Edward the Confessor. The castle, which was built in the reign of Stephen, stands on the bankof the river, and on that side is still tolerably perfect. Of theinterior nothing remains except the foundations of a great hall, probably built in later times than the rest of the fortress. A flight ofsteps leads from the hall to the crypt beneath, which has loop-holeslooking towards the river. The eastern wall has disappeared, but thoseremaining are fairly intact. The architecture of the castle varies, partbeing Norman, and other portions dating from before the ParliamentaryWar. The space enclosed by the castle walls is now used for abowling-green, and also as a large cattle-market. 

During King John's reign the castle was besieged by the Barons, andJohn, coming to relieve them, was taken ill and died there in 1216. During the reign of Henry III. The fortress, which had been taken fromthe See of Lincoln by Stephen, was restored, and remained ecclesiasticalproperty until the reign of Edward VI. 

In the time of Charles I. The castle sustained several sieges. It was atNewark that Charles I. Was deserted by his nephews Rupert and Maurice, after his defeat at Naseby. The king withdrew to Oxford at the approachof the Scots and Parliamentary armies, and Newark was besieged by theScots. After the king's surrender in 1646, Newark was delivered up byhis orders, and the fortifications, which were 2-1/4 miles long, weredestroyed by the Parliamentary troops. 

Newark Parish Church is built chiefly in the Perpendicular style, butcontains some traces of Norman work. In the town there are also theremains of a chapel of an ancient hospital of the Knights Templars, somewalls of an Augustine priory, and a Gothic cross. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

NEWARK CASTLE. 

King John died here, and in the Parliamentary War the castle underwentseveral sieges. ]

WELLS AND ITS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Wells. =Distance from London. =--120-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3-3/4 to 5-3/4 hours. 

=Fares. =--_Via_ Chippenham and Westbury. 

 1st 2nd 3rdSingle 20s. 0d. 12s. 6d. 10s. 0-1/2d. Return 35s. 2d. 22s. 0d. 20s. 0d. 

_Via_ Yatton--

Single 24s. 8d. 15s. 6d. 12s. 4d. Return 41s. 0d. 27s. 0d. 24s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Swan Hotel, " "Mitre Hotel, " "Star Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. 

Wells is essentially an ecclesiastical town. It has no history of itsown, no great family has ever lived there, and it has nomanufactures, --it has simply grown up round the cathedral. For thesereasons the quiet little Somersetshire town has preserved much of itsantiquity and fascination. The presence of the natural wells, whichstill are to be found in the gardens of the Bishop's Palace, probablyinduced King Ina in 704 to found a college of secular canons. Here amonastery grew, and subsequently became a bishop's see. John de Villulatransferred his seat to Bath in (_circa_) 1092, and in 1139 the titlewas altered to Bishop of Bath and Wells. Wells is one of the smallest ofthe English cathedrals, and is in many ways the most beautiful. Theclear space in front emphasises the glorious way in which the threemassive towers harmonise with the ruins of the Bishop's Palace, theremains of the Vicar's Close, and the chapter-house. The presentbuilding was commenced in 1121, but Bishop Joceline of Wells (1206-1242)rebuilt it from the middle of the choir to the west end. The EarlyEnglish work shows considerable differences to that in Salisbury and ElyCathedrals, being carried out by a local school of masons, who showconsiderable originality in design. The glory of Wells is centred in itswest front. The deep buttresses on the towers cast shadows which onlyserve to show up the marvellous sculptured figures of saints and kings, which may represent a Te Deum in stone. The inside of the cathedral isremarkable for the inverted arches which were put in the chancel tosupport the towers. Bishop Beckington built the three arches to theclose. 

A charge of 6d. Is made for admission to the choir of the cathedral. 

[Illustration: _F. Frith & Co. _

WELLS CATHEDRAL. 

Commenced in 1121, but chiefly rebuilt between 1206 and 1242. It is oneof the smallest cathedrals in England. ]

STRATFORD-ON-AVON

THE BIRTHPLACE OF SHAKESPEARE

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Stratford-on-Avon. =Distance from London. =--121-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3 to 4-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 16s. 0d. 10s. 6d. 8s. 5d. Return 29s. 3d. 18s. 6d. 16s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Red Horse Hotel, " "Shakespeare Hotel, " "Golden Lion Hotel, " "Red Lion, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. 

Stratford-on-Avon, a picturesque town situated on the river Avon, inWarwickshire, is visited yearly by thousands of people desirous ofseeing the birthplace of William Shakespeare. John Shakespeare, thefather of William, bought the two half-timbered houses in Henley Street, where he practised his trade of wool-stapler, and it was in one of thesehouses that William Shakespeare was born in 1564. These houses are nowpractically in their original condition, although at one time thewool-shop was turned into an inn. The desk, said to have been used byShakespeare when at school, is to be seen in the former wool-shop, nowconverted into a museum. The King Edward VI. Grammar School, to whichShakespeare went, occupies the first floor of the old Guildhall, builtin the thirteenth century, but much altered in the fifteenth century. Itwas in this Guildhall that Shakespeare saw for the first time atheatrical performance given by travelling players. Close to theGuildhall is the site of New Place, which was bought by Shakespeare. Only the foundations of this house remain, as in 1753 the owner, theRev. Francis Gastrell, being angry at having to pay some rates, was notcontent with cutting down the famous mulberry tree planted by the poet, but caused the whole house to be razed and the materials sold. 

The Church of Holy Trinity, most beautifully situated on the river Avon, is cruciform in plan. In the chancel is Shakespeare's grave, with thestone slab having the well-known lines:--

 GOOD FREND, FOR IESVS SAKE FORBEARE, TO DIGG THE DUST ENCLOASED HEARE; BLESTE BE YE MAN YT SPARES THES STONES, AND CVRST BE HE YT MOVES MY BONES. 

At Shottery, one mile from Stratford, is the half-timbered cottage whereAnne Hathaway, the wife of Shakespeare, was born. 

[Illustration: _Valentine & Sons, Ltd. _

TRINITY CHURCH, STRATFORD-ON-AVON. 

From the river. In the chancel is Shakespeare's grave. ]

BURNHAM THORPE, NORFOLK

THE BIRTHPLACE OF NELSON

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street or St. Pancras. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Burnham Market (1 mile from Burnham Thorpe). =Distance from London. =--122 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3-3/4 and 4-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 19s. 10d. . . . 10s. 3d. Return 34s. 0d. . . . 20s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Hoste Arms" at Burnham Market. 

Burnham Thorpe, the native village of the great Admiral Nelson, iswithin walking distance of either Holkham, Burnham Market, orWells-next-the-Sea. Horatio Nelson, the fourth son of Edmund andCatherine Nelson, was born on September 29, 1758, at the ParsonageHouse, which has unfortunately been pulled down. There are, however, many interesting relics of Nelson in the village church, and it isinteresting to see the surroundings among which Nelson's childhood waspassed. In the parish register may be seen the signature of Nelson as awitness to a marriage in the year 1769, when he was eleven years old. There is a lectern constructed from the wood of the old _Victory_, whichwas presented by the Lords of the Admiralty in 1881. The old Purbeckmarble font in which Horatio was baptized is still to be seen in thechurch. How much Nelson loved his native village can be understood fromhis remark as the _Victory_ was going into action, "This is the happiestday of my life; what a happy day, too, for Burnham Thorpe, for it is theday of their fair. "

Nelson's father was not by any means well off, and the question ofproviding for his sons was a very serious one. Horatio, however, solvedthe question as to his own career. At the Grammar School at Norwich, Nelson said to his brother, "Do, William, write to my father and tellhim that I should like to go to sea with Uncle Maurice. " Captain MauriceSuckling is said to have heard of Horatio's decision with some surprise, for he said, "What has poor Horatio done, who is so weak, that he, aboveall the rest, should be sent to rough it out at sea? But let him come, and the first time we go into action a cannon-ball may knock off hishead and provide for him at once. "

In January 1771, when at school at North Walsham, Nelson heard that hewas to join the _Raisonnable_, of 64 guns, at Chatham. He was then onlytwelve years old. 

[Illustration: _G. W. Wilson & Co. _

BURNHAM THORPE CHURCH. 

It still contains the old marble font in which Nelson was baptized. ]

LULWORTH COVE, DORSETSHIRE

=How to get there. =--By rail from Waterloo Station. South-Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Wool, 5 miles. (Corfe Castle, Wareham, and Swanage are very convenient, though the drive is a little longer. )=Distance from London. =--126 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3-1/2 to 5-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 21s. 0d. 13s. 2d. 10s. 6d. Return 36s. 9d. 23s. 0d. 21s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Cove Hotel, " West Lulworth. "Banke's Arms Hotel" at Corfe Castle. =Alternative Route. =--_Via_ Bournemouth. Train direct from Waterloo. Steamers run once a week or oftener during the summer months (weather permitting) to Swanage and Lulworth Cove. 

The remarkable cove at West Lulworth consists of a completely circularbasin, hollowed out of the bold cliffs of the southern coast-line ofPurbeck Island. It is of sufficient depth to allow small ships of fromsixty to eighty tons to enter. The narrow opening to the cove is betweentwo bluffs of Portland stone, forming a portion of what was the barrierto the sea in former times. Once, however, did the waves eat through thePortland stone in this place, it was easy work to gradually batter downand wash out, through the narrow opening, a circular bay from the softstrata of Hastings sands lying in the protection of the Portland stone. On the west side of the cove one may notice rocks with such peculiarlycontorted strata as those shown in the foreground of the illustrationopposite. 

A most interesting and rugged portion of the coast lies to the west ofLulworth Cove. After leaving the coastguard signal station one reachesStair Hole, a cavity walled off from the sea by Portland limestone. Athigh tide, however, the sea enters the chasm through a number of smallapertures, and is probably carving out at this spot a circular basinafter the manner of Lulworth Cove. Passing Dungy Head and Oswald orHorsewall Bay, with its towering chalk cliffs, one reaches a lowpromontory known as Tongue Beach. It is formed of layers of limestonetilted into curved or perpendicular positions. Crossing this promontoryone enters Durdle Bay, with the Barndoor, an archway 30 feet high, in amassive cliff. 

At East Lulworth, a little way inland from the cove, stands LulworthCastle, an imposing-looking building with circular towers at eachcorner. It was built about three hundred years ago on the site of anearlier castle. 

[Illustration: LULWORTH COVE FROM THE WEST. 

The circular basin has been eaten out of the sandy soil after the seahad cut an opening in the Portland stone which forms the actualcoast-line at this point. ]

CORFE CASTLE

IN THE ISLE OF PURBECK, DORSETSHIRE

=How to get there=. --By rail from Waterloo Station. South-Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Corfe Castle--quite close to the ruins. =Distance from London. =--130 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3 to 5 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 21s. 2d. 13s. 3d. 10s. 7d. Return 37s. 0d. 23s. 3d. 21s. 2d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. = "The Banke's Arms Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--_Via_ Bournemouth and steamer to Swanage. 

Corfe Castle on its great hill, with the little hamlet which goes by thesame name which clusters at its foot, is one of the most spectacular ofthe ruined fortresses to be found in Southern England. At the periods ofthe year when there are no strangers in the village, the ruins and thevillage leave an impression on the mind which is not so palpable whenthere are the distractions caused by other visitors. But even then, thegrand view across the wild downs forming the backbone of the island ofPurbeck, over which one gazes from the shattered towers and curtainwalls, is sufficiently memorable. Its position, commanding the wholePurbeck range of hills, made the spot famous in Saxon days, when it wasknown as Corfe Gate. Shortly after the days of Alfred the Great the hillwas strongly fortified by King Edgar, who made it his residence andprobably built the central keep, whose ruins still crown the summit ofthe hill. Edgar left the castle to his widow Elfrida, whose name hasbeen handed down as the murderer of her stepson Edward--afterwards namedEdward the Martyr. He visited Corfe Castle in order to see his brother, but while drinking a goblet of wine in the gateway between the twocircular towers shown in the illustration, he was stabbed by command ofElfrida. During the civil war between Stephen and Maud, the fortressdefied all attempts to take it by Stephen's adherents; and up to thestruggle between Charles I. And his Parliament, when for a space of sixweeks Lady Bankes held the castle with a handful of retainers, CorfeCastle has figured prominently in English history. 

The village is almost entirely composed of cottages whose stone wallsand thick slate roofs are beautifully mellowed by the hand of time. Nowhere does there appear anything new to jar with the silver greys andthe grey greens of the old cottages, the church, and the castle ruins. 

A charge of sixpence each person is made for admission to the castle. 

[Illustration: CORFE CASTLE. 

Showing on the left the massive round towers flanking the gateway, where, in Saxon times, Edward is said to have been stabbed by command ofhis stepmother, Elfrida. ]

LINCOLN AND ITS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Lincoln. =Distance from London. =--130 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 18s. 10d. . . . 10s. 9d. Return 37s. 8d. . . . 21s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Great Northern Hotel, " and others. =Alternative Routes. =--Train from Marylebone, Great Central Railway. Train from Liverpool Street, Great Eastern Railway. Train from St. Pancras, _via_ Nottingham, Midland Railway. 

Lincoln stands on a hill surrounded by level country. First a Britishsettlement, it became a Roman colony. In 1074 the decree that allbishoprics should be in fortified places caused the removal of the Seeof Dorchester to Lincoln. Even at this time Lincoln was an importantcommercial town. Many parliaments have been held in its chapter-house, and Henry VII. Offered his thanksgivings after Bosworth in thecathedral. 

The mighty fane, with its three massive towers, rises majestically overthe red roofs of the town. Its most striking feature is the great Normanscreen, running up without buttresses or projections to the parapet andhiding the bases of the square, richly decorated towers of the westfront. The plain centre of the screen is the work of Remigius, the firstbishop. The rest of it is relieved with rich arcading of Late Norman andEarly English periods. The wooden spires which crowned the towers wereremoved in 1807. 

In 1192 Hugh of Avalon determined to rebuild the Norman building ofRemigius, which an earthquake had shaken. To him we owe the choir andeastern transept. His successors completed the western transept andbegan the west end of the nave. So much money had to be spent inrebuilding the central tower, which fell in 1239, that the canons couldnot rebuild the nave entirely, but had to incorporate the Norman end byRemigius. Unfortunately the axis of the west front does not correspondto that of the nave, which is too wide for its height. The low vaultingis a serious defect in the choir built by St. Hugh, but of the superbbeauty of the Angel Choir, which encloses his shrine, there can be nodoubt. In its richness of sculpture it is one of the masterpieces ofGothic architecture in England. The interior of the cathedral isremarkable for the harmony of its style, which is Lancet-Gothic, and thedim lighting of the nave only adds to its impressiveness. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

LINCOLN CATHEDRAL. 

The original Norman building was built by Remigius, but the structurehaving been weakened by an earthquake shock, Hugh of Avalon in 1192built the Choir and Eastern Transept, and his successors finished thework. ]

SOMERSET, THE BIRTHPLACE OF TENNYSON

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Horncastle (6 miles from Somersby). =Average Time. =--from 3 to 4-1/2 hours. =Distance from London. =--130 miles. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 18s. 4d. . . . 10s. 10d. Return 36s. 8d. . . . 21s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--No inn at Somersby. Paying guests accommodated at Baumber's Manor House at Somersby. Hotels at Spilsby. 

On August 6, 1809, Alfred Tennyson was born at the rectory at Somersby. His grandfather, Mr. George Tennyson, M. P. , resided at Bayon's Manor, where the family had for a long period been known in Lincolnshire. Alfred was the fourth of the twelve children of the Rev. George ClaytonTennyson. Although there seems little reason for not believing that thescenery which surrounded him in his youth impressed itself on his mind, yet it is now stated with authority that the localities associated withhis subject poems, "which had been ingeniously identified with realbrooks and granges, were wholly imaginary. " Those who visit Somersby, therefore, would be wise in avoiding what is pointed out as "Tennyson'sBrook, " merely gaining instead a general idea of the appearance of thecountry which impressed itself on the poet's mind. 

When he was six years old Tennyson was sent to the grammar school atLouth, a town his mother was connected with, her father having beenvicar there. After five years at school at Louth, Tennyson returned toSomersby Rectory to be trained by his father. The rectory possessed agood library, and here the poet obtained his extensive knowledge of theEnglish classics. When only twelve years old he wrote an epic of 6000lines, and two years later a drama in blank verse. Tennyson's earlyknowledge of the sea was obtained at Mablethorpe on the Lincolnshirecoast, where the family spent their summer holidays. His father wouldnot allow him to leave Somersby until he could recite from memory thewhole of the odes of Horace. 

In the early part of 1831 he returned to Somersby from Cambridge, andwithin a few days his father died. The new incumbent, however, allowedthe family to continue at the rectory for some years. In 1837 they werefinally obliged to leave, and for the next three years they lived atHigh Beach, Epping Forest. 

[Illustration: SOMERSBY RECTORY. 

Where Alfred Tennyson was born in 1809. ]

GLASTONBURY ABBEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. South-Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Glastonbury and Street. =Distance from London. =--132-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies from 3-1/2 to 5 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 21s. 0d. . . . 10s. 6d. Return 36s. 9d. . . . 21s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"George Hotel, " "Red Lion Hotel, " "Crown Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. 

In the early days of Christianity in Britain this celebrated abbey, according to tradition, was established in A. D. 63. Joseph of Arimatheawas supposed to be the founder, and the "miraculous thorn, " whichflowered on Christmas Day, was believed to be holy by the common peopleeven up to the time of the Puritans. During the wars between Charles I. And his Parliament the thorn was destroyed, but sturdy trees grown fromcuttings of the original still flourish in some of the neighbouringgardens. This thorn was believed by the people to be the staff used byJoseph in his journey to Britain from the Holy Land. At one timeGlastonbury Abbey covered 60 acres, and was the lengthiestecclesiastical building in England, but as many of the houses inGlastonbury, and also a causeway across Sedgemoor (where the unhappyDuke of Monmouth was defeated) were constructed of the materials, theruins are of necessity much diminished. The most interesting remains arethe Abbey Church, with St. Joseph's Chapel, St. Mary's Chapel, and theAbbot's Kitchen. St. Joseph's Chapel is supposed to have been erected inthe time of Henry II. And Richard I. It is one of the finest specimensin existence of transitional Norman work. It is now roofless, and eventhe vaulting of the crypt is nearly destroyed. The windows and archwaysof St. Mary's Chapel are beautiful, although roofless. The Abbot'sKitchen, a square massive structure with strong buttresses, was builtabout 1450. The roof is of stone and is surmounted by a louvre, throughwhich the smoke escaped during the great culinary preparations in thedays of the abbey's prosperity. The gargoyles around the building, representing the heads of sheep and oxen, are suggestive of the purposeof the building. Henry VIII. , who coveted the treasures of the abbey, in1539 summoned Abbot Whiting to surrender, and on his refusal ordered himto be drawn and quartered. This was carried out on Glastonbury Tor. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

GLASTONBURY ABBEY. 

The doorway of St. Joseph's Chapel. ]

WALSINGHAM, NORFOLK

THE PRIORY OF OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM

=How to get there. =--Train from Liverpool Street or St. Pancras. Great Eastern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Walsingham. =Distance from London. =--133 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 4 and 5-1/2 hours. Quickest train 3 hours 50 minutes. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 19s. 7d. . . . 10s. 3d. Return 33s. 3d. . . . 20s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Black Lion Hotel, " "Abbeygate Temperance Hotel, " etc. 

The ruins of the famous priory are now included in the extensive groundsof Walsingham Abbey, the property of Mr. Henry Lee Warner. Visitors havepermission to see these ruins on Wednesdays and Fridays, by applicationat the lodge of the abbey. 

Walsingham is a pretty village 5 miles from Wells-on-Sea. It possesses anoble church in the Perpendicular style, an ancient town pump, and twowishing wells, which were formerly believed to possess miraculouspowers, for the legend is that they sprang from the ground at command ofthe Virgin. Walsingham was an important place for many centuries, for itcontained the famous shrine of the Virgin, or, as it was called, "OurLady of Walsingham. " This far-famed chapel of the Virgin was founded byRicoldie, the mother of Geoffrey de Faverches. When Geoffrey set out ona pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he granted to God and St. Mary, and to Edwy, his clerk, the chapel which his mother Ricoldie had built at Walsingham, with other possessions, requesting him to found a priory there. Itbecame one of the richest in the world. From the very commencement therewas an unceasing flow of pilgrims from all nations to it. Several kingsand queens of England, and among them Henry VIII. , paid their devotionsthere. Erasmus, who visited the priory in 1511, derided its enormouswealth. Parts of the road leading to this priory are known to this dayas the "Walsingham Way" and the "Palmer's Way. " It is said more pilgrimscame to Walsingham than to the shrine of St. Thomas à Becket atCanterbury. The monks taught the people that the "Milky Way" pointed tothe shrine. Hence the Norfolk people called it the "Walsingham Way. "This shrine was destroyed at the dissolution of monasteries in 1539. 

[Illustration: _Rev. W. Martin, Walsingham. _

EAST WINDOW OF THE PRIORY AT WALSINGHAM. ]

CHEDDAR CAVES, CHEDDAR, SOMERSET

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Cheddar. =Distance from London. =--134 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 4-1/4 to 5-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 21s. 4d. 13s. 4d. 10s. 8d. Return 37s. 4d. 23s. 4d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Cliff Hotel, " etc. 

The village of Cheddar, a name which reminds one of the cheese for whichthe district is famous, is situated under the Mendip Hills, on theCheddar river, a tributary of the Axe. The place was once a market townof considerable note, as the fine market-cross still testifies, but isnow chiefly celebrated as a starting-point for visiting the wonderfulnatural beauties of the neighbourhood, the tremendous gorge through theCheddar cliffs and the stalactite caves being the most remarkable. Theroad from the village rises gradually, passing the masses of rock knownas the "Lion, " the "Castle Rock, " the "Pulpit, " and others, named fromtheir wonderful resemblance to the work of human hands. The way windsbetween steep limestone walls and towering pinnacles, rising here andthere to a height of between four and five hundred feet, and absolutelyshutting one in from even the merest glimpse of the magnificent sceneryin the valley below. There are paths here and there leading up to pointsof vantage, but the way is difficult and dangerous owing to the mannerin which the passes are honeycombed with caverns and fissures. 

In the midst of the gorge on the right hand of the way lie the entrancesto the marvellous stalactite caves, the first of which was discovered in1837, and the second in comparatively recent times. It is needless tosay that the proprietor of each cave affirms his to be the better--as amatter of fact, both are well worth seeing. One looks with somethinglike awe on the fantastic shapes of the stalagmites and stalactites inthese huge caverns, where the moisture, percolating through the earth, has been dripping in the darkness for countless centuries, eachlime-laden drop lengthening imperceptibly the stalactite overhead andthe stalagmite beneath, while the consequent splashings, and, in someparts, more sluggish dripping, make hundreds of quaint and suggestiveforms above and below. The caverns are well lit up to display theirbeauties, and the admission is 2s. For a single visitor, or 1s. Each formembers of a party. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

CHEDDAR CLIFFS. 

The road leading to the limestone caves. ]

NEWSTEAD ABBEY

THE BIRTHPLACE OF BYRON

=How to get there. =--Train from St. Pancras. Change trains at Nottingham. Midland Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Newstead. =Distance from London. =--134-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3-1/4 to 4-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 17s. 6d. . . . 10s. 9-1/2d. Return 35s. 0d. . . . 21s. 7d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Station Hotel, "* Newstead. "Swan Hotel, "* Mansfield. "Midland, " "White Hart, " and "Green Dragon, " and others. 

Near Sherwood Forest, and not far from the town of Mansfield, isNewstead Abbey, the ancestral seat of the Byrons. Founded in 1170 byHenry II. As an expiation for the murder of Thomas à Becket, the abbey, at the dissolution of the monasteries, was given by Henry VIII. To SirJohn Byron. The latter made it his home, altering it very little, butallowing the church to fall into ruins. The monks, before leaving theirold home, hid the charters in the lectern, which they threw into thelake. About 100 years ago the lectern, still containing the charters, was discovered, and is now being used at Southwell. The "Wicked LordByron, " the grand-uncle of the poet, allowed the abbey to fall intodecay, and to spite his sons cut down a large number of splendid oaks. Byron succeeded to the estate when a mere boy, and loved it so muchthat, even when in great need of money, he refused to part with it. Atlast he was obliged to sell the home, which he has so vividly portrayedin verse, to his old school friend Colonel Wildman. After the loss ofthe abbey, Byron left England, and died six years afterwards, in 1824, at Missolonghi, fighting for the independence of the Greeks. 

The Abbey Church, though in ruins, is a very good example of EarlyEnglish work. The abbey itself is full of interesting and historicrooms, one being the bedroom where Charles II. Slept, retaining stillthe state bed, whose coverlet was embroidered by Mary Queen of Scots. Edward I. Is known to have stayed in the abbey, and the room which heoccupied contains some splendid oak carving. Lord Byron's bedroom isjust as he left it, with his college pictures on the walls and thewriting-table that he used. Newstead is open to the public on Tuesdayand Friday when the family are not in residence. Tickets may be obtainedat the two hotels mentioned above which are marked with an asterisk. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

NEWSTEAD ABBEY. 

It contains Lord Byron's bedroom in exactly the condition he left it in1818. ]

THE WESSEX OF THOMAS HARDY'S ROMANCES

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Dorchester. =Distance from London. =--135-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3 to 5-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 22s. 8d. 14s. 2d. 11s. 4d. Return 39s. 8d. 24s. 10d. 22s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Antelope, " "King's Arms, " and other hotels. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. 

The centre of the district in the south-west of England which has beenlabelled with its ancient Saxon name of Wessex, may be found at theold-fashioned town of Dorchester. This is the Mecca of the wholecountryside so vividly portrayed in Mr. Hardy's numerous romancesdealing with the rustic life of the west country. On market-days, Dorchester is crowded with carriers' vans and innumerable vehicles whichhave brought in the farmers and their families from remote corners ofthe surrounding country, and it is then that one is able to selectexamples of many of the characters created by the novelist. To get atthese folk in their homes, one may journey in almost any direction fromDorchester. The streets of Dorchester are suggestive of Mr. Hardy'sworks at every turn, so much so that the wayfarer may almost feel thathe is taking an expurgated part in _The Mayor of Casterbridge_. A largeold-fashioned house near St. Peter's Church seems to correspond toLucetta's residence--High Place Hall. Then, the comfortable bay-windowsof the "King's Arms, " an old hostelry belonging to coaching days, suggests recollections of Henchard, who dined there on the occasion ofthe memorable banquet, when he threw down the challenge so quickly takenup by Farfrae. 

Going up South Street one passes on the right the Grammar School, founded in 1579 by a certain Thomas Hardy, an ancestor of all the DorsetHardys--Nelson's friend and the Wessex novelist being the mostdistinguished among them. Mr. Thomas Hardy lives in a new red houseknown as "Max Gate, " which is situated a short distance from Dorchester. Eight miles away from the town is the village of Puddletown, known as"Weatherbury" in _Far from the Madding Crowd_. The church Mr. Hardydescribes in his novel can be seen, but Warren's malt-house wasdestroyed more than twenty years ago. St. Peter's Church, Dorchester, ofthe Perpendicular period, has a Norman porch and contains twocross-legged recumbent effigies. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

DORCHESTER. 

The centre of Mr. Thomas Hardy's "Wessex. "]

TINTERN ABBEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Tintern. =Distance from London. =--145-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 4-3/4 to 6 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 24s. 6d. 15s. 4d. 12s. 2-1/2d. Return 42s. 9d. 26s. 10d. 24s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Beaufort Arms Hotel, " "Royal George Hotel, " "Rose and Crown Hotel, " at Chepstow, 5-1/2 miles distant by road. 

Tintern Abbey is situated in a level valley, surrounded on all sides byhigh green pastures and wooded hills, at the bottom of which theglorious river Wye glides in its circuitous course to the sea. The abbeyis said to share with Melrose the distinction of being the mostpicturesque and beautiful ecclesiastical ruin in Great Britain. When thesun is setting, or better still, under the mystic light of the harvestmoon, the picture formed by the roofless abbey in its perfect setting, needs a Wordsworth to do it justice. 

An abbey for Cistercian monks was established on this spot in 1131 byWalter Fitz-Richard de Clare and dedicated to St. Mary. None of thisbuilding remains, as the whole edifice was rebuilt about 1260. The chiefpart of the ruins, now standing, is the church, though in 1847, whenexcavations were being carried on in an adjoining orchard, the remainsof the Hospitium were discovered. This was an oblong building, supportedon pillars, in which it was the custom for the monks to entertainstrangers or travellers of their order. In the middle of the nave arethe four arches which supported the tower, now mere skeletons, yetsufficiently preserved to show their form. The walls are nearlycomplete, and many of the columns still stand, as well as the bases ofthose whioh have fallen. All the pavement has disappeared, and the wholeof the former floor is reduced to one level, now carpeted with turf. 

The church is cruciform in plan and measures 228 feet from east to west. The remains of the dormitory, chapter-house, cloisters, and therefectory, which still has its lectern for the use of the reader duringmeals, are to be found on the north side of the church. Walking on thewalls is forbidden. The vast extent of the ruins of the Hospitiumrecalls the fact that Tintern Abbey was for a long period distinguishedfor its luxurious style of living and its great hospitality. 

When in the neighbourhood of Tintern one should visit Monmouth for itsremarkable old bridge with its interesting gatehouse. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

TINTERN ABBEY. 

The beautiful river Wye is seen flowing just beyond the ruins. ]

CHESTERFIELD, DERBYSHIRE

=How to get there. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Chesterfield. =Distance from London. =--146 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3 to 3-3/4 hrs. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 19s. 2d. . . . 12s. 1d. Return 38s. 4d. . . . 24s. 2d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Angel Hotel, " "Station Hotel, " "Midland Hotel, " "Hotel Portland, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Marylebone. Great Central Rly. 

Chesterfield, now the second largest town in its own county, was at thetime of the Doomsday survey merely a bailiwick to Newbold, which at thepresent time has dwindled down to a small hamlet to the west of theparish. In the middle of the thirteenth century a battle was fought herebetween the Earl of Derby and Prince Henry, nephew of Henry III. , inwhich the Earl was defeated and taken prisoner. It was also the scene ofa fierce engagement during the civil wars of Charles I. , in which theEarl of Newcastle routed the Parliamentary forces in 1643. 

The great feature of interest in Chesterfield is the parish church ofAll Saints, with its extraordinary twisted spire 230 feet in height. This "crooked" spire, which leans over to the south-west, has been theobject of much discussion amongst antiquaries, as to whether it wasdesigned in such a fashion, or whether the present state of affairs hasbeen brought about by a warping of the timber frame under the outsidecovering of lead. The latter seems the more feasible theory. 

There was a church at Chesterfield in the eleventh century, but thepresent structure is mainly of the fourteenth century, with lateradditions. In the interior there are several features of interest, amongthem being the screen separating the transept from the chancel. This iscarved with a set of mysterious figures, supposed to be emblematical ofthe crucifixion. 

There are many extremely fine and interesting monuments in the church, especially two belonging to the Foljambe family. At the east end is avery good modern stained-glass window, erected as a memorial to a formervicar, the late Archdeacon Hill. 

In the neighbourhood of Chesterfield there are a number of interestingplaces, notably the fine old churches at Old Brampton and Wingerworth, and a small disused chapel with a Norman doorway at Newbold. 

[Illustration: _G. W. Wilson & Co. _

CHESTERFIELD CHURCH. 

With its strangely-distorted spire, probably due to the unequalshrinking of its timbers. ]

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 portionof what remains of the famous Sherwood Forest associated with Robin Hoodand his "merrie men. " The name "Dukeries" arises from the fact thatwithin the boundaries of the forest were once the homes of the Dukes ofPortland, Newcastle, Norfolk, Leeds, and Kingston. The Dukes of Norfolkand Leeds no longer hold their property, and Earl Manvers, as arepresentative of the Kingston family, preserves at Thoresby thetraditions of his race. At Welbeck the Duke of Portland, and at Clumberthe Duke of Newcastle, still keep up their magnificent homes. To thelatter noblemen the majority of the "Dukeries" belongs. The drive roundthis lovely part of the forest is nearly 30 miles, through beautifulscenery. 

Worksop, with its fine old priory church, is one of the beststarting-points for a tour round the Dukeries. Clumber House, the seatof the Duke of Newcastle, is 4 miles from Worksop, and orders to see theinterior can be obtained from the Newcastle agent, in Park Street, bywriting a day or two beforehand. The mansion, built in 1772, is verymagnificent and contains some priceless pictures. 

Thoresby House, the seat of Earl Manvers, is not far distant fromClumber. The present house, which was designed by Salvin in 1868, is thethird home of the Manvers which has occupied this site. 

Welbeck Abbey, the home of the Duke of Portland, is another of theimportant seats in the district, standing in the centre of one of thefinest parks in the kingdom. The mansion itself is not a showplace, butwhen the family is not in residence various parts of it are exhibitedupon payment of 1s. , any weekday except Saturday. An extra shilling willenable 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, BolsoverCastle, and Newstead Abbey, beloved of Byron (see Index), while BelvoirCastle (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 rockoverlooking the river Wye in Derbyshire. The manor was originally givenby William the Conqueror to William Peveril, the famous "Peveril of thePeak" of Scott's novel. In the reign of Henry II. The lands reverted tothe Crown, and the property was granted to the Avenalls, from whom itpassed by marriage to the Vernons, of whom the last, Sir George, knownas the "King of the Peak, " died in 1567. His daughter, the celebratedDorothy Vernon, married John Manners, son of the Earl of Rutland, andthus the property passed to the Rutland family, who are still theowners. 

The mansion is approached by a small bridge crossing the river Wye, whence one enters, under a lofty archway, the first courtyard. In thisbeautiful quadrangle one of the most interesting features is the chapelat the south-west corner. This chapel, which is one of the oldestportions of the structure, is Norman, with some later work. Almostopposite, on the left, is the magnificent porch and bay-window leadinginto 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 hugefireplace, timber roof, and minstrels' gallery. Adjoining it is thedining-room, a magnificent apartment erected by the "King of the Peak. "Here there is a remarkably fine oriel window, richly ornamented withcarving. 

Among other interesting features in the second courtyard are thedrawing-room, hung with the original arras, the long gallery, and theancient state-room, adjoining which is the Peveril Tower, the highestpoint and oldest portion of the hall. The long gallery, with its statelybay-windows, looks on to the well-known terrace and the magnificentgarden, made so familiar by photographs. 

Haddon Hall may be seen by visitors from nine till dusk, a gratuitybeing 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 timewhen the fortunes of England lay trembling in the balance, is a slightlyelevated plot of land where the river Parret joins the Tone. In Alfred'sdays it was a small island surrounded by an impenetrable morass, andthickly grown with alders. Here tradition places the hut in which theking, deep in thought, allowed the good wife's cakes to burn. Soon alittle band of faithful followers joined Alfred, and together they builta causeway over the marshes, eventually constructing a fort from whichsuccessful sallies were made against the Danes in the vicinity. Therally of the Saxons round their intrepid king resulted in the victory ofEthandune, and out of gratitude for his success, Alfred built on theisland an abbey, of which a few relics, including the famous AlfredJewel, remain to-day. A monument erected by Mr. John Slade marks thespot. 

A mile to the north is Boroughbridge with its solitary hill, on whichmany believe that Alfred built his chief fort. The hill is now crownedby the ruins of St. Michael's Church, St. Michael being the saint whosename is associated with most of our hill-top shrines. Ling, the nextvillage, is thought to be a corruption of Atheling. 

Athelney is on the edge of the flat valley of Sedgemoor, the scene ofMonmouth's defeat in 1685. The royal troops were quartered in thevillages of Weston Zoyland, Middlezoy, and Chedzoy, their headquartersbeing Weston Zoyland, round which the battle raged most fiercely. Knowing the carelessness that prevailed in the royal camp, Monmouthattempted a night attack. On Sunday night, July 5, therefore, his troopsstole out. But they were foiled and trapped by the broad ditches called"rhines, " in which they lost their way in a helpless fashion, and apistol that went off in the confusion roused the Royalists, with theresult that Monmouth's followers were hopelessly routed, a thousandbeing 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 ofBoroughbridge. ]

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 themost 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 withtwo ivy-clad towers. It dates probably from Edward IV. 's reign, althoughsome writers give an earlier time. Before its destruction by theParliamentarians the castle was a magnificent structure. A massivegateway leads to the arched bridge over the moat by which entrance wasgained to the castle. The moat, 30 feet broad, surrounded the keep. Thegreat hall had a fine roof of Irish bog oak, and the gallery was ofgreat length. 

This fortress was garrisoned for Charles I. By the sturdy old Earl ofWorcester, who was created a marquess in 1642. He collected an army of1500 foot-soldiers and 500 horse, which was commanded by his son, thesecond marquess. After his defeat at Naseby, in July 1645, Charles fledto Raglan and stayed till September. Sir Thomas Fairfax besieged thecastle in June 1646, and after a three months' siege the marquesshonourably surrendered to the Parliamentary forces. 

This was the last stronghold in the west to hold out for Charles. Thewalls of the keep were destroyed, and, in defiance of the terms ofsurrender, 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 knownas a "Water-commanding Engine. " He erected an apparatus in the moatwhich spouted water as high as the top of the castle. This was the firstpractical attempt to use steam as a mechanical agent. The marquess alsoused his various mechanical contrivances to terrify a body of villagerswho came to search the castle for arms in the cause of the Parliament. When the machines were set agoing the rustics fled, believing lions orsome other forms of wild animals were after them. This marquess died inLondon 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 risingon 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. Theportion of its course chiefly associated with the name begins half amile from the village of Thorpe, which may be reached from Ashbourne, the nearest station, by coach. From Thorpe the river is approached by astony declivity on the east of Thorpe Cloud. 

The footpath is throughout on the Derbyshire side of the stream, and maybe reached from the Staffordshire side either by crossing the narrowbridge or some stepping-stones at Thorpe Cloud. For some distance afterentering the valley the footpath follows the margin of the river, whosebanks are a mass of magnificent foliage, intermixed with a tangle ofbrambles, honeysuckle, and wild roses. On the Staffordshire bank, alittle further up, the foliage suddenly changes to a mass of sheercliff, changing again to a mass of rifted rocks, divided into curiousturret-like terminations. This striking formation is known as DovedaleChurch, and is accompanied on the Derbyshire side by a number of rockswhich appear from below to terminate in sharp pinnacles, and have beennamed "Tissington Spires, " from the village close by. About 200 yardsbeyond the "Church, " on the Derbyshire bank, is the entrance toReynard'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 isthe extraordinary mixture of ruggedness and soft beauty, which makes itunequalled, in its particular style, in the kingdom. 

Dovedale is associated with the name of Izaak Walton and his friendCharles 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 3miles--one must follow the main road to Shrewsbury for a mile; thenturning to the left, having skirted a ridge of the hills, and followinga lane one reaches the foot of the ascent. The Wrekin, although it risesin such a compact and lonely fashion from the level country, is not onesingle height, but a range consisting of four hills. Those on thenorth-east are called the Ercall and Lawrence hills, while those on thewest are the Wrekin and Primrose hills. 

The Wrekin is composed of igneous rocks, and is one of the mostremarkable examples of eruptive trap in England. Its shoulders are ofsilurian and carboniferous strata. The sedimentary deposits within theinfluence of the volcanic action have passed through considerablechanges, the sandstone having become granitic quartz rock, chieflycomposed 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 ofdetail. One legend says that two giants set to work to make themselves acitadel, and dug out the earth required for the purpose from the bed ofthe Severn. The top of the Wrekin is 1335 feet high, and owing to itsremarkably isolated position the horizon on a clear day has acircumference of 350 miles. It is not surprising, therefore, that thehill was used as a beacon station in early days. The great sweepingprospect from the summit includes the Malvern Hills, Caradoc and theBrown Clee group, Plinlimmon, Cader Idris, the Brecknock Beacons, ArranFowdy, and the Berwin chain of mountains, overtopped by the Snowdonrange. 

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 theproximity of the site of the Roman city of Uriconium. It is owing tothis fact that the churchyard gate is composed of Roman pillars andcapitals. A summer-house in an adjoining garden is also made of Romanmaterials, and the church contains a font in the form of an adaptedRoman capital, obtained with the rest from Uriconium. The church ischiefly Norman, but probably a portion of the south wall of the chancelis Saxon. 

The little village occupies the southern extremity of the Roman citywhose circumference measures about 3 miles. One can trace the limits ofthe place by the indications of the vallum and fosse. 

There is no doubt that Uriconium was the Romanised capital of theCornavii, a British tribe, and it is equally well known that the townbecame the centre of a network of great roads leading in differentdirections. The walls enclosed an area more than twice the size of RomanLondon, and one may easily gauge its importance and its princely styleof buildings from the traces of its forum and its amphitheatre, as wellas from its wide streets. 

The huge destruction brought about when the city was overwhelmed by theWest Saxons left the place a mass of ruins, for there are evident signsthat the place was plundered and burned. During the Middle Ages theremust have been, however, more than mere rubbish heaps, and the manywalls then standing were probably destroyed by monks in order to furnishcheap material for ecclesiastical buildings. There is, notwithstandingthis, a great piece of wall 72 feet long by 20 feet high. The otherremains consist of a blacksmith's shop and the site of a market-place. Awarming apparatus under one of the floors is even more perfect than isusually discovered in Rome. The key of the enclosure containing thechief 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 feethigh in places. A warming apparatus in the foundation of one of thehouses 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 thebanks of the Severn, half a mile distant from the ruined abbey lying onthe south bank of the river. It was one of the oldest Cistercianmonasteries in England, and was founded by Roger de Clinton the CrusaderBishop of Chester in 1135, for monks of the Cistercian order. Thebuilding, erected on the site of a hermitage, to which an early bishopof Lincoln had retired in the time of King Offa, was destined to becomeone of the richest establishments in the kingdom. It was partlydestroyed in 1536 and the site granted to Edward Grey, Lord Powis, whomarried Anne, daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Sussex. 

But though the monastery itself was destroyed, the outer walls of thenoble church remain, together with a great portion of the massivecentral tower, the choir chapels, and the east end, with its delicatelancet-windows. The clerestory, with its Norman windows, is also intacton both sides of the nave, and between the columns are remains of thescreen which once shut off the eastern aisle. The door on the south sideleading to the dormitories of the monks may still be traced. 

The ruins of the chapter-house are remarkably fine, and in goodpreservation, with a beautiful early Gothic groined roof. Beyond thechapter-house are the refectory and kitchen, and on the side next to theriver were the cloisters. In the outer court of the abbey stood thelodge, and there was formerly a fine gatehouse, which collapsed in1828, and is now almost entirely gone. 

The brook, that once flowed across the abbey court, still works the millclose 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 earlytrain, walking to Leighton and Eaton Constantine, both charmingvillages, and rejoining the train at Cressage for Shrewsbury. Analternative route is from Shrewsbury to Much Wenlock, where there arethe ruins of a fine Abbey. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

BUILDWAS ABBEY. 

The ruins of the Church. This was one of the oldest Cistercianmonasteries 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 isplaced at the meeting of two small rivers, the Teme and Corve, whichflow into the Severn. On the top of a hill in the western part of thetown is the old castle, which was a royal residence from early times. Itwas built at the time of the Conquest, and was the most important of allthe 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. PrinceArthur, the first husband of Katharine of Aragon, and the eldest son ofHenry VII. , was also brought up and educated in the castle. In the CivilWar the Parliamentary troops partially destroyed the castle, but it wasnot until the reign of George I. That the buildings were unroofed forthe sake of their lead. 

Sir Henry Sidney, the father of the famous Sir Philip Sidney, resided atLudlow, being President of the Council of Wales. In the Great Hall, nowroofless, Milton's masque _Comus_ was performed for the first time, andSamuel Butler is said to have written part of _Hudibras_ in a littleroom over the entrance gateway. 

The Parish Church, also situated at the top of the hill, is mainly afifteenth-century building, although it contains some earlier work. Thefine east window, occupying the whole breadth of the chancel, is filledwith very old stained glass, depicting the life of St. Lawrence. Thereis a round church in the castle, said to be one of the earliest circularchurches in England. The streets are full of picturesque old houses, themost celebrated being the "Feathers Inn, " a beautiful Jacobean housecontaining a coffee-room which has a most elaborately decorated plasterceiling and fine oak-panelled walls. The appearance of the room isexceedingly 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 riverSevern, is most beautifully situated on a lofty peninsula. It was aBritish stronghold before the Conquest, when it was given by William theConqueror to Roger de Montgomery, who built the castle which stands onthe narrow isthmus leading to the town. Henry IV. Stayed in the castlein 1403, before the battle with Harry Hotspur, which was fought atBattlefield, about 3 miles from the town. Only the keep of the oldNorman castle remains, and that is now used as a modern residence. Thequaint streets of Shrewsbury not only retain their old names, such asWyle Cop and Dogpole, but are filled with half-timbered houses of thefifteenth century. 

At the old Grammar School, built in 1630, and now converted into a freelibrary and museum, many distinguished scholars have been educated, among them Sir Philip Sidney and Judge Jeffreys. Outside this school iserected a statue to Charles Darwin, a former scholar, who was born inthe old suburb of Frankwell. (For Darwin's home at Downe, see Index). The Elizabethan Market House and the Council House, which was visited byboth Charles I. And James II. On different occasions, are two of thenumerous fascinating old buildings to be seen in Shrewsbury. 

The Church of St. Mary, founded in Saxon times, is the most important ofthe many churches of Salop, by which name Shrewsbury is still known. Thepresent building contains examples of almost every period of Englisharchitecture. Dr. Burney, the father of Fanny Burney, was baptized inthis church. Of Shrewsbury Abbey, which once occupied 10 acres, verylittle remains, with the exception of the Abbey Church, of which onlythe nave is left. The west end has a great tower with a beautiful Gothicwindow. Along the banks of the river is a public park known as theQuarry, which has a wonderful avenue of lime trees, planted in 1719 byone Wright of Bicton, who, with the help of two men, planted them all inone 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 visitthe beautiful Peak Country, ranks among the best of English inlandwatering-places, and is the highest town of any importance in thekingdom. 

The town is divided into two portions, the higher and lower, or old andnew, the latter 80 feet lower than the former, being the fashionablemodern resort. Here are the celebrated baths, reputed to be a sovereigncure for all rheumatic complaints, and celebrated since the time of theRoman occupation of Britain. The spring which supplies the baths may beconsidered one of the wonders of the Peak district, for, by means of acleverly-arranged pump, hot and cold water are obtained within a fewinches of each other. 

The neighbourhood of Buxton abounds in the most wild and romanticscenery--steep rocks, dark chasms, and wooded hills, mixed in delightfulconfusion. Among the favourite places of resort are Ashwood Dale, withits famous Lover's Leap rock; Shirbrook Dale, with its fissure andcascade; Diamond Hill, so called from the quartz crystals or "Buxtondiamonds" found there; Chee Tor, a huge limestone rock 350 feet high, which rises sheer from the bed of the Wye, washing its base; and AxeEdge, 2-1/2 miles from Buxton, rising to a height of 1800 feet above thelevel of the sea. From this point, in clear weather, a marvellous viewis obtained, embracing the mountains of North Wales to the westward andLincoln Cathedral to the eastward. From the sides of this rock issuefour rivers in opposite directions--the Dove and the Wye, ultimatelyfalling into the Humber, and the Dane and the Goyle, tributaries of theMersey. The view north from Axe Edge extends over countless heights andridges to The Peak itself, the highest point of all. 

Another famous resort on account of its remarkable view is the Cat andFiddle 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 thehistoric battle fought close to the town, and for the ancient timberedand pargetted houses in the centre of the town and down by theriverside, which rival even Chester. The population of the town isdecreasing; it is no longer famous for the mustard which madeShakespeare say, "His wit is thick as Tewkesbury mustard" (_Henry IV. _), but it has a considerable local trade in agricultural produce. Situatedon the banks of the Avon, near its junction with the Severn, it isalmost insulated by these rivers and two tributaries. The oldmany-arched bridge over the Avon is extremely picturesque. In a countyfamed for its rich monasteries, Tewkesbury was among the most important. The name is believed to come from Theoc, a Saxon missionary monk, whofounded a hermitage here. The abbey was originally a dependency ofCranbourne Abbey in Dorsetshire, but being richly endowed, Tewkesburybecame the leading monastic establishment. Fitz-Hamon, Earl ofGloucester, began the rebuilding of the church. The choir wasreconstructed in 1350 in Gothic style, but the nave and massive centraltower are Norman. The whole building is cruciform, and the choir, havingan hexagonal end, is surrounded by an ambulatory and numerous beautifulchapels as in Westminster. The nave is extraordinarily long, and theheight 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 frontforcibly reminds one of Peterborough. The Duke of Clarence and Isabelhis duchess, the king-maker's daughter; the Duke of Somerset, executedafter the battle of Tewkesbury; Abbot Alear, Becket's friend, are allburied 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 theLancastrian cause, Prince Edward, Henry III. 's son, was slain whilefleeing from the field. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

TEWKESBURY ABBEY. 

Its chief feature is the huge arch over the west window, just appearingabove 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 theRomans came to Britain. There are no important Roman buildings left now, but coins and pottery testify to the Roman occupation. The first actualhistoric 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 whenbesieged by him was forced to yield. The city suffered siege on twoother notable occasions. In the reign of Henry VII. , Perkin Warbeck, thepretender, made an attack on the castle, but was defeated. In 1646 thecity was blockaded by the Parliamentary forces under Fairfax andcompelled 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. BishopQuivil, who died in 1292, completely remodelled the cathedral, changingthe somewhat heavy Norman structure into the present graceful Gothicone. The successor of Bishop Quivil carried out the plans he left behindhim, and the cathedral was finished in 1350, although some minor workremained to be done. Unlike so many of the early cathedrals, Exeter hasno central tower, therefore its interior is famous for having the mostuninterrupted vista of any cathedral in England, having no tower-piersto hinder the view. One of the most beautiful features is the carvedwest 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 Streetcontains many old and picturesque buildings, the most important of whichis the Guildhall, built in the fifteenth century, but altered during thelate Renaissance period. Many of the parish churches of Exeter areworthy of note. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE WEST FRONT OF EXETER CATHEDRAL. 

Exeter has no central tower, but is unique in having one over eachtransept. ]

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 StycheHall, the birthplace of Robert Clive. The family of Clive took theirname from the little town of Clive in Cheshire, removing to Styche whenthe heiress of the latter place married James Clive in the reign ofHenry VI. Robert Clive, the hero of Plassey, born in 1725, was educatedfor a few years at Market Drayton before he went to the MerchantTaylors' School. His father not being at all wealthy, Clive accepted awritership in the East India Company and went out to Madras, but soonchanged his post for a commission in the army. After a brilliant careerin India, which he won for the English, raising them from the positionof mere traders to be the rulers of an Eastern Empire, he returned toEngland in 1767. Worn out by the persecutions of his enemies, he died byhis own hand in 1774, when only in his forty-ninth year. "Great incouncil, great in war, great in his exploits, which were many, and greatin his faults, which were few, " Sir Charles Wilson says, "Clive willever be remembered as the man who laid deeply the foundations of ourIndian Empire, and who, in a time of national despondency, restored thetarnished honour of the British arms. "

The parish church of Moreton Say contains Clive's tomb besides other oldmonuments dating from 1600, though the church itself is chieflyeighteenth-century work. Market Drayton, sometimes thought to be theRoman Mediolanum, still has a few timbered houses, but its church hasbeen much restored. 

Close to the town, standing on a wooded hill, is Buntingsdale, a statelyred brick and stone house built in Georgian times, belonging to theTayleurs. Situated 2-1/2 miles from Market Drayton is Audley Cross, marking the site of the battle of Blore Heath, fought between theYorkists 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, wasknown in the Roman era as the "Camp of the Great Legion, " and was calledby the Romans _Deunana_ or _Deva_, being half surrounded by the Dee. After the Conquest, the city fell to the share of Hugh Lupus, a nephewof William the Conqueror, who was created Earl of Chester, and was thebuilder of the first castle. His descendants were Earls of Chester untilthe reign of Henry III. , when the earldom was conferred upon PrinceEdward, 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 Streetand Watergate Street being perhaps two of the best examples, aboundingas they do in mediaeval timber work and oak carving. But the mostremarkable architectural features of the city are the "Rows, " which arecertainly unique in this country. These Rows, which contain the chiefshops, are level with the first floors of the houses; the second floorprojects over them, forming a covered way. The streets were cut into thered sandstone by the Romans to a depth of 10 feet, the Rows marking thenatural level. 

The old walls of the city are among the most perfect in the kingdom, andmeasure nearly 2 miles in circumference, with four gates, one markingeach point of the compass. The east gate, showing the termination of thegreat Roman Watling Street, was rebuilt in 1769. 

Chester Cathedral, though not of great exterior beauty, should bevisited for the sake of its antiquity and its associations. It is saidto have been founded by Ethelfleda, the daughter of Alfred the Great, onthe site of a nunnery built in 875. The west front, with the Bishop'sPalace on its left, is perhaps the best feature of the exterior; whilethe Bishop's Throne, in the cathedral, is a wonderfully early piece ofcarving, 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 3rdDulverton 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, butto reach some of the finest and most typical stretches of the moor onecannot do better than choose Dulverton or Minehead. Porlock, six orseven miles by road (there is no railway) from Minehead, is a thirdplace admirably suited for getting on to Exmoor; it is the nearest placeof 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, asmall stream rising on the heathery slopes of Dunkery Beacon, whichappears in the distance. This valley is one of the most romantic spotson Exmoor. After a long ride or ramble on foot over the open heather, with sweeping views which include Dartmoor, South Wales, the hillsaround Bath, as well as Brown Willy in Cornwall, one finds the groundfalling steeply, and before long one is climbing down a water-worn pathamong sturdy oaks. The air also becomes full of the music of the rushingHorner below. The stream is eventually discovered boiling over mossystones in the green shade of the close-growing trees filling the deepvalley. The quieter pools are frequently taken advantage of by ahard-pressed stag, for this particular piece of country is frequentlyhunted over by the Devon and Somerset staghounds, some of the mostpopular meets of the season being held at Cloutsham farm, on one of theslopes of the Horner valley. The neighbourhood of Dulverton includessome fine bits of river scenery--the Barle, the Haddeo, and the Exemeeting one another in the midst of lovely wooded hills. Many of thevillages 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 shownunder 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 ofKnutsford breathes the fresh and bright tidiness one alwaysinvoluntarily associates with such ladies as "Miss Jenkyns, " and everyhouse rejoices in a beautifully neat garden. The Royal George Hotel, inthe 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 theprosperity which the coach traffic between Liverpool and Manchesterbrought to the place for many years. 

Mrs. Gaskell was born in Chelsea in 1810, but her mother dying soonafter, she went to live under the care of her mother's sister, who livedat Knutsford in Cheshire. Mrs. Gaskell, as a child, was brought up in atall red house, standing alone in the midst of peaceful fields andtrees, on the Heath, with a wide view reaching to the distant hills. Ina green hollow near this house there stand an old forge and mill, theformer having existed for more than two hundred years. Mrs. Gaskell hada lonely childhood, occasionally relieved by a visit to her cousins atthe old family house of Sandlebridge. This old house is now dismantled, but contains many interesting features. A shuffle-board, or extremelylong table, with drawers and cupboards underneath, of which there nowexist scarcely any specimens, a cradle of great antiquity, and the fineold wooden chimney-pieces in the front parlour, still remain. 

A few places in Knutsford claim association with _Cranford_. One houseis pointed out as being Miss Matty's tea-shop. The Knutsford ladiesstill gossip over toasted cheese and bezique. Mrs. Gaskell spent hermarried life in Manchester, where most of her books were written, butshe used often to return and stay with her cousins, from whom she learntmany 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 thebeautiful river Barle, about 7 miles above Dulverton. Torr Steps (thename is locally pronounced Tarr) are a distinct advance uponstepping-stones, for although the entire bridge is submerged inflood-time, there are, in ordinary conditions, seventeen spans raisedclear above the level of the water. The great stones which form thepiers support slabs averaging from 6 to 8 feet in length. In the centrethese are about 3 feet 6 inches wide, and the piers are supported bysloping stones to resist the force of the current. At the ends of thebridge the slabs are narrower, and are placed in pairs side by side, thus giving the advantage of the greatest weight where the force of thestream is most strongly felt. No traces of cement can be found among thestones, so that the structure has preserved itself purely by the weightof its individual parts. 

Although it is impossible to make any definite statement as to the dateof Torr Steps, it is probable that they were built by the Celtishinhabitants of this part of the west country, the bridge having been onthe beaten track between one or two important centres. The size of thestones does not raise any obstacle to this theory, for though of greatweight, they are not so unwieldy as the majority of those formingStonehenge, which is generally accepted as the work of an exceedinglyearly race of sun-worshipping men. The name "Torr" is possibly derivedfrom the Celtic word "Tochar, " a causeway, modified to "Toher" and thento "Torr. " The lanes leading from Dulverton to the village of Hawkridge, about 1-1/2 miles from the steps, are exceedingly beautiful, and thewhole course of the river Barle is remarkable for the striking charm ofits woodland scenery, which is frequently contrasted with the wildmoorland 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 thebases of the pillars in the nave, but the conventual buildings are someof the most perfect in England, those of Beaulieu in Hampshire andFountains 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 cloistergarth. On the south side is the refectory, a magnificent hall above somesmall rooms on the ground floor. It is believed to have been built byAbbot Dovell in the sixteenth century. The roof, of carved walnut, is ina perfect state of preservation. From the refectory one may pass intothe Abbots' Lodge, then descending to the cloister garth again, one maypenetrate 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; thesacristy, the parlour, and other smaller rooms. The buildings are soperfect that it is quite easy to obtain a comprehensive idea of theinner 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, butthere still remain the bases of the two central pillars which supportedthe groined roof. The restoration of Cleeve Abbey was carried outseveral years ago by Mr. G. F. Luttrell of Dunster Castle. Before thattime the whole place was used as a farm, and floors of encaustic tileswere buried deep in farm-yard rubbish. There is practically no recordedhistory of Cleeve Abbey. 

One shilling is charged for admission for one person, or sixpence eachfor a party of two or more. 

[Illustration: THE GATE-HOUSE OF CLEEVE ABBEY. 

The monastic buildings are all beyond the grassy space inside thegateway. ]

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 greatinterest of the place centres in Hawarden Castle, the home, until hisdeath, of the Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone. There are really two castles, butlittle remains of the old one except the large circular keep and part ofthe banqueting-hall. On the spot previously occupied by the oldbattlements a modern wall has been built, from which a fine view acrossthe Dee estuary can be obtained. The castle was probably built beforethe time of Edward I. Here Simon de Montfort surrendered the castle toLlewelyn. After its reversion to the Crown it was again taken byLlewelyn's brother, and it was about this time that the present keep wasbuilt. After its dismantling during the Parliamentary War, it waspurchased 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 castellatedGothic building of the thirteenth century. It was originally a squarebrick building, but it has had so many additions, besides being turretedand encased in stone, that it is almost impossible to trace the formerstructure. The south-east front looks on a gravel walk surrounding someformal flower-beds, which was one of Mr. Gladstone's favourite walkswhen he was unable to take other exercise. Visitors are not admitted tothe modern castle. 

Euloe Castle, some two or three miles from Hawarden, is said to beconnected with the few remains of the old chapel by means of anunderground passage. It is a picturesque, ivy-mantled ruin, but littleis known of its history. 

Hawarden Church has a central tower, surmounted by a short spire; it wasrestored 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 inthe 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 thekingdom. It was originally the _Eborac_ of the British and the_Eboracum_ of the Romans, who made it an imperial colony, and thecapital of _Maxima Caesariensis_. Later the place changed hands manytimes between Danes and Saxons until the time of William the Conqueror, who built the castle. The whole city was burnt in 1137, with thecathedral and forty churches, and in the Wars of the Roses it wascontinually the scene of sanguinary conflicts between the rival parties. It has been visited at various times by nearly all our kings, andnumerous insurrections have been quelled within its walls. Thecathedral--the chief glory of York--dates from Saxon times. The firstchurch was founded by Edwin, the fifth king of Northumbria, but beforeit was finished he was slain, and the work thenceforward was carried outby his successor Oswald. The present cathedral was mainly built in thethirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Its chief features are a nave withthe most magnificent side-aisles in the kingdom, two transepts, a choir, a lady chapel, a large central tower, two bell towers, and a wonderfullyfine chapter-house. During the last century it was twice nearlydestroyed by fire, first by the act of a lunatic, and then by thecarelessness of a workman. 

The present structure takes rank with the finest specimens of Gothicarchitecture in the world. 

Apart from the minster, the whole city teems with archaeologicalinterest. There are many fine old churches, and much mediaevalarchitecture, including the gates of the city, which are wonderfullywell preserved, one of the best being Micklegate Bar, where Richard Dukeof York's head was exhibited. The city walls built by Edward I. Stillremain 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 Sternewrote _A Sentimental Journey_, lies about 18 miles north of York. Thehamlet stands on slightly rising ground. At the bottom of the hill isthe village smithy, the well, a farm, and facing a big elm tree is theinn, bearing a great hatchment-like signboard showing the Fauconbergarms and motto. The cottages of the villagers are on the slope of thehill, and at the top is the church to which Sterne was appointed vicarin 1760. Close at hand is the quaint seventeenth-century house heoccupied. It is a singularly picturesque little building, with its mossystone-covered roof, its wide gables, and massive chimney-stacks. Sterne, in his humorous way, called it "Shandy Hall. " The stone tablet over thedoorway states that Sterne wrote _Tristram Shandy_ and _A SentimentalJourney_ at Shandy Hall; but this is not quite accurate, for he enteredupon the incumbency of Coxwold in 1760, whereas two volumes of _TristramShandy_ had already been published in 1759. Of his life at Coxwold onegathers that the vicar was more devoted to his books than to his parish. In the intervals of writing and his clerical duties he amused himselfwith painting, fiddling, dining out and telling stories, at the sametime suffering from ill-health and other discomforts. His gift ofhumour, however, helped him to bear his troubles better than mightotherwise have been the case. He was firmly persuaded that "every time aman smiles, but much more so when he laughs, he adds something to thefragment of life. " Sterne's study may still be seen. It is a tiny roomwith a low ceiling, although it undoubtedly possesses the charm ofcosiness. On one occasion Sterne writes: "I have a hundred hens andchickens about my yard, and not a parishioner catches a hare or a rabbitor a trout but he brings it as an offering to me. " Sterne died in Londonin 1768 at the age of 55 years. 

[Illustration: "SHANDY HALL" AT COXWOLD. 

Where the Rev. Laurence Sterne lived while he was Vicar of Coxwold. Partof _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 thelittle town is situated in the most beautiful part of the hill districtof Wales. Its chief charm, in common with all other Welsh villages, isin its contrasts, --deep lanes with fern and flower-clad banks lead youpast picturesque cottages and farms, surrounded with low stone walls, half hidden by brilliantly coloured creepers; bold crags, high above thevalley, give place to bright green sheep pastures, they in turn changingto thick woods of oak and ash. 

Llangollen Bridge, across which runs the chief thoroughfare, is one ofthe 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 riverDee. The church is dedicated to St. Collen, but is of no particularinterest. In the churchyard is a monument to the two fashionable ladieswho at an early age tired of the vanities of this world, and lived incomplete 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 thecanal from Llangollen, or by train to Berwyn, lies in a beautiful woodedvalley surrounded by some of the best scenery in the neighbourhood ofLlangollen. 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 aquiet pool of water. The abbey was founded in the thirteenth century byMadoc-ap-Gryffydd Moelor, who was a supporter of Llewelyn in the causeof Welsh independence. The buildings are in Early English style, andsome of the finest remains are a circular gable window and threedecorated Gothic ones, also part of the west end with dog-toothmoulding, and a piscina and canopy in the south transept. Stretching atright angles from the south side of the church are the old monasticbuildings. 

[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 greatinterest and antiquity, and occupies part of the site of an ancientforest which was 20 miles in length. It was a crown manor before theConquest, and was given by William the Conqueror to Serlo de Burgh, aNorman baron, by whom the stately castle was first erected. The placewas afterwards held by Richard Plantagenet, who founded a priory in thevicinity, Piers Gaveston, and John of Gaunt, and the castle was for sometime the place of confinement of Henry II. During the Civil War it washeld for the King; but after the battle of Marston Moor it was taken byFairfax, and dismantled by order of Parliament in 1648. 

The castle, one of the finest of its kind, is situated in a remarkableposition on a lofty rock, and was once practically inaccessible. It wasformerly flanked by eleven towers, of which only one remains. The otherruins consist of a small portion of the keep and some very beautiful andelaborate vaulted apartments, in which the murderers of Thomas à Beckettook refuge. On the cliffs opposite the castle is the famousKnaresborough "Dripping Well, " whose waters have the property of"turning into stone" any articles left for a time under the drippingwaters of the well. The water being highly charged with limestone in astate of impervious powder, rapidly encrusts the object until it appearsto be made of solid rock, and various specimens of this result may beobtained. 

About half a mile below the castle are the remains of the priory forbrothers of the Holy Trinity, founded by Richard Plantagenet; andfurther south, hewn out of the solid rock, at a considerable heightabove 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 Trinityand the Virgin Mary. 

Knaresborough was at one time a place of fashionable resort on accountof the efficacy of its mineral waters, but they have long since beenabandoned for those of Harrogate. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE DRIPPING WELL AT KNARESBOROUGH. 

The water contains limestone, and coats over whatever substance it fallsupon. ]

FOUNTAINS ABBEY

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross _via_ Leeds. Great Northern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Ripon (2 miles from the Abbey). =Distance from London. =--214 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5 to 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 29s. 9d. . . . 17s. 5d. Return 59s. 6d. . . . 34s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Ripon--"Black Bull Hotel, " "Black Swan Hotel, " "Bradford Hotel, " etc. 

Fountains Abbey, about 2 miles south-west from Ripon in Yorkshire, stands in a beautiful wooded valley, through which runs a pretty streamknown as the Skell. The abbey is noted for the great extent of itsremains, which seem to have escaped any wanton destruction. A fine towerat the north end of the transept still stands, but the central one hasfallen into great decay. Besides the church there are many remains ofthis famous abbey, which at the time of the dissolution of themonasteries was one of the richest in the country. The cloisters, 300feet long, are unsurpassed in England. They extend across an archwayover the stream, and are lit by lancet windows. There are also remainsof the chapter-house, the refectory, and the kitchen with its two widefireplaces. 

The history of the foundation of Fountains Abbey is of considerableinterest. In the twelfth century some monks of the Benedictine monasteryof St. Mary at York, being attracted by the sanctity of the inmates ofthe Cistercian abbey of Rievaulx in Yorkshire, became dissatisfied withtheir own form of government, and wished to adopt the rules of RievaulxAbbey and withdraw from their own monastery. This naturally did notplease their abbot; but eventually, after appealing to the Archbishop ofYork, some land in a lonely valley, known as Skell Dale, was granted tothem. Here, in the depth of winter, without shelter or means ofsubsistence, the pious monks suffered great hardship. After a few yearsHugh, Dean of York, left all his possessions to the Abbey of Fountains, and after this endowments and benefactions flowed in. 

In 1140 the abbey was burnt down, but in 1204 the restoration wasrecommenced, and the foundations of a new church, of which the presentruins are the remains, were laid. The great tower, however, was notcompleted till the end of the fourteenth century. 

At the Dissolution Sir Richard Gresham bought the estates, and they arenow owned by the descendants of Mr. William Aislabie of Studley Royal. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

FOUNTAINS ABBEY. 

One of the finest ruined monasteries in England. ]

RIPON CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross _via_ Leeds. Great Northern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Ripon. =Distance from London. =--214 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5 to 7 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 29s. 9d. . . . 17s. 5d. Return 59s. 6d. . . . 34s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Black Bull Hotel, " "Black Swan Hotel, " "Bradford Hotel, " etc. 

Ripon is situated on the little river Ure in a picturesque valley in thewest of Yorkshire. Its past history has been eventful enough, for it wasburnt by the Danes in the ninth century, destroyed by King Edred, andlaid waste by the Conqueror. It recovered quickly from all theseadversities, and is now a peaceful town given up to agriculturalpursuits. Besides possessing a small but interesting old cathedral andsome ancient houses in its town, many places of historic importance liein its immediate neighbourhood. Fountains Abbey is 3 miles distant (seeIndex), and also Fountains Hall, a fifteenth-century building. Aninteresting relic of old times is the blowing of the horn at nine in theevening by a constable outside the mayor's house and at themarket-cross. 

Ripon's minster became a cathedral in 1836. In the seventh century amonastery was established here, and St. Wilfrid, the famous Archbishopof York, built the minster. Of this building only the crypt remains, consisting of a central chamber with niches in the walls, and a windowknown as "St. Wilfrid's Needle" looking into the passage outside. It isreached by steps and a long passage leading from the nave of the presentcathedral. Only the chapter-house and vestry remain of ArchbishopThurstan's Norman church, erected in the place of the Anglo-Saxon one, for Roger, Archbishop of York, pulled it down and began to erect thepresent building in (_circa_) 1154. Being only a Collegiate Church inthose days, it was not built in a cathedral fashion, and it had noaisles to its wide and low-roofed nave. The present aisles were added inthe sixteenth century, with the intention of giving a cathedral aspectto the minster church. Much of Roger's work has been altered bysubsequent bishops, and the result is a strange succession of styles ofarchitecture. Ripon is the only cathedral that has glass in thetriforium of the choir. 

The exterior, viewed from a distance, is a little squat, for it needsthe timber spires that formerly crowned the three towers. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

RIPON CATHEDRAL--THE MINSTER BRIDGE. ]

DARTMOOR

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Bovey Tracey. =Distance from London. =--215-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6 to 7 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 33s. 0d. 20s. 6d. 16s. 5-1/2d. Return 57s. 9d. 36s. 0d. 32s. 11d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Bovey Tracey--"The Dolphin, " "The Railway, " "The Moorland" Hotels. =Alternative Route. =--Train to Okehampton from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. Okehampton is 5 miles from Sourton and 10 from Lydford. 

While only two places are mentioned above as starting-places from whichto get at Dartmoor, a dozen others, such as Tavistock and Ashburton, might be mentioned. Bovey Tracey, however, has many advantages, for themoment one alights from the train one sees only four miles distant twoof the most rugged tors of the moor--Hey Tor and Rippon Tor--the lastwith its great logan stone balanced near the summit. A coach from the"Dolphin, " which runs three days a week in the season, takes one throughscenery which grows more and more desolate and grand as the summit ofHey Tor is approached. From Hey Tor the coach goes on to BucklandBeacon, whence a wide view is obtained, including the shining roofs ofPrincetown right away in the distance. Princetown, with its convictprison, is considered by the people of the moor to be its most importanttown. Holne, which is included in some of the coach drives from BoveyTracey, contains the birthplace of Charles Kingsley. Dartmoor is so hugethat one must be born and spend a lifetime in or near it to really knowit, and the visitor can merely endeavour to see typical examples of itsgranite tors, its peaty streams, its great stretches of boulder-strewnheather, and its strangely isolated villages. 

Eight miles from Bovey Tracey is Widdecombe, the lonely little villagepossessing a church which is known as "the Cathedral of the Moor. " Thegreat tower of the church was struck by lightning one Sunday in October1638, and a contemporary account can be seen on some panels in thetower. 

Brent Tor, illustrated opposite, is quite close to the station on the L. And S. W. Railway of that name. The little battlemented church on thesummit, which has nave, aisles, and chancel, has a legendary origin andis dedicated to St. Michael. The rock composing the tor is volcanictrap. 

[Illustration: BRENT TOR, DARTMOOR. 

The little church standing on Brent Tor is very prominently situated andcan be seen for many miles across the moor. ]

HAWORTH

THE HOME OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË

=How to get there. =--Train from St. Pancras. Change at Keighley. Midland Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Haworth. =Distance from London. =--216 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 28s. 7d. . . . 16s. 6-1/2d. Return 57s. 2d. . . . 33s. 1d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Keighley--"Devonshire Hotel. "

Haworth is a long straggling village 4 miles from Keighley, a largemanufacturing town in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The road is verysteep to the village--"four tough, scrambling miles. " It consists of onestreet, so steep that the flagstones with which it is paved are placedend-ways that the horses may not stumble. Past the church and the lonelyparsonage are the wide moors, high, wild, and desolate, up above theworld, solitary and silent. This gray, sad-looking parsonage, so closeto the still sadder churchyard, is a spot of more than ordinaryinterest, for it was the home of the Brontës--that wonderfully giftedand extraordinary family! Charlotte Brontë shared with her sisters theirintense love for the wild, black, purple moors, rising and sweeping awayyet higher than the church which is built at the summit of the one longnarrow street. All round the horizon are wave-like hills. _Jane Eyre_, published in 1847, written with extraordinary power and wonderfulgenius, astonished the entire reading world. Little did any one imaginethat the authoress lived far away from the busy haunts of men in a quietnorthern parsonage, leading a gentle, sad life; for her two sisters, whom Charlotte loved as her own life, were very delicate, and their onebrother, in whom they had placed great hopes, had given way to drink. Charlotte was known to the literary world as Currer Bell, her sisters asActon and Ellis Bell. After _Jane Eyre_ came _Shirley_, written in aperiod of great sorrow, for her two loved sisters died within a shortspace of each other, not long after the death of their unhappy brother, and Charlotte was left alone in the quiet, sad parsonage with only heraged father. _Villette_ was well received. It was her last work. Charlotte Brontë married, in 1854, the Rev. Arthur Nichols, and after afew brief months of happiness passed away on March 31, 1855, at theearly age of thirty-nine. 

Haworth has been much influenced by the growth of Keighley. 

[Illustration: _W. T. Stead, Heckmondwike. _

THE PARSONAGE AT HAWORTH, FROM THE CHURCHYARD. 

Where Charlotte Brontë and her family lived. ]

RIEVAULX ABBEY

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Helmsley. =Distance from London. =--219-1/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 3-3/4 to 5 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 31s. 3d. . . . 18s. 3-1/2d. Return 62s. 6d. . . . 36s. 7d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Black Swan" and "Crown" Hotels at Helmsley. There is no inn at Rievaulx. =Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras _via_ Sheffield. Midland. 

The little village of Rievaulx--the name is Norman-French, but ispronounced Rivers--is situated close to the river Rye, and 2-1/2 milesfrom Helmsley, on the Thirsk road. The great point of interest inconnection with the village is the fact that close by are the ruins ofthe once magnificent abbey for monks of the Cistercian order, founded bySir Walter D'Espec in 1131. The founder eventually became a monk atRievaulx, and at his death was buried there. After the Dissolution thesite was granted to the Villiers family, from whom it came to theDuncombes in 1695. 

The most striking view of the abbey is obtained by leaving the main roadand taking the footpath across Duncombe Park, where a sudden turn bringsone in sight of a bend in the Rye, with the great roofless church risingon the left bank of the river. The principal remains of the fine oldabbey, one of the most beautiful ruins in the kingdom, consist of thechoir and transept of the church, and the refectory. The hospitium orguest house was formerly on the right of the lane leading to Helmsley. The great nave of the church is now a shapeless ruin, but from certainindications it may be seen that it was Norman, and probably the work ofD'Espec. The lower parts of the transept are Norman, and the remainderEarly English. 

The magnificent tower arch, 75 feet high, is still standing, and one ofthe most striking views of the ancient fabric is the crumbling nave asit appears framed in this lofty and wonderfully-proportioned opening, with a background of rich English foliage and landscape. 

West of the nave were the cloisters, of which only a few arches nowremain, and opening from their west wall is the fine Early Englishrefectory, with the reading-desk still existing. Underneath therefectory there are the remains of the Norman dormitory. 

Near the bridge, at the lower end of the village of Rievaulx, a placestill called the "Forge, " was possibly an ironworks under thesuperintendence of the monks. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

RIEVAULX ABBEY. ]

BRIXHAM, DEVON

LANDING-PLACE OF WILLIAM III. 

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Brixham. =Distance from London. =--222-1/2 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5-1/4 to 6-3/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 34s. 0d. 21s. 4d. 17s. 0-1/2d. Return 59s. 8d. 37s. 4d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Queen's Hotel, " "The Bolton, " "The George Hotel, " "The Globe, " etc. 

On the southern side of Tor Bay is Brixham, the fishing village selectedby William of Orange as a landing-place when in 1688, at the request ofthe English Parliament, he brought over an army raised in Holland. Itwas from here, too, that he commenced his victorious march to Londonwith thirteen thousand men--Exeter, Bristol, and other towns throwingopen their gates to welcome the Prince of Orange. The French, on themomentous occasion of the visit of Admiral Tourville to the Englishcoast during the reign of James II. , found Tor Bay a safe place fortheir fleet to anchor, and William of Orange, probably having heard ofthis, chose the same portion of the Devonshire seaboard. The exact spoton which the Dutch prince first placed his foot on shore is marked by abrass footprint, and close by stands the statue of England's thirdWilliam, overlooking the quaint quay, the brown-sailed fishing-boats, and the old-world village. 

Brixham is just such another town as Newlyn or Port Isaac, for itsstreets are narrow and winding, and there are flights of stone stepshere and there which add considerably to the picturesqueness of theplace. 

Brixham can easily be visited at the same time as Dartmouth, which isdealt with on another page. Totnes can also be reached by taking thetrain to Paignton, whence run two omnibuses at various intervalsthroughout the day. It is a delightful drive, occupying less than anhour. Totnes has a very quaint little main street which rises steeplyfrom the bridge over the Dart. Near the highest portion the roadway iscrossed by one of the old gateways of the town. This feature and themany quaint gabled houses give a charm to the place, making itattractive to all who love old architecture. Fragments of the old walls, a second gateway, and the shell of the castle, which is possiblypre-Norman, are also in existence. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

BRIXHAM HARBOUR. 

Showing the statue of William of Orange on the spot where he landed in1688. ]

CONWAY CASTLE

=How to get there. =--From Euston Station. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Conway. =Distance from London. =--225 miles. =Average Time. =--6-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 35s. 9d. 20s. 7d. 18s. 8d. Return 65s. 0d. 36s. 6d. 33s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Castle Hotel, " "Erskine Arms, " "Bridge Hotel, " "Harp Hotel, " "Aberconway Temperance Hotel" (old house containing coffee-room dated 1400), and others. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington, _via_ Chester. Great Western Railway. 

The castle at Conway is one of the noblest fortresses in the kingdom, the only one to approach it in size being the famous building atCarnarvon. The present town of Conway has gradually sprung up round thecastle, built by Edward I. In 1284 to intimidate the Welsh. It wasunsuccessfully besieged by them in 1290. At the commencement of theParliamentarian War, the castle was garrisoned for the King by Williams, Archbishop of York, but was taken by Mytton in 1646. The building wascomparatively unhurt during the war, but the lead and timber wereremoved at the Restoration by Lord Conway, who dismantled the beautifulfortress in a most barbarous manner, and the edifice was allowed to fallmore or less into decay. 

The castle stands on the verge of a precipitous rock on the south-east ofthe town, one side bounded by the river, a second by a tidal creek; theother frontages overlook the town. It constitutes part of the walls ofConway, which, with the castle, form the finest examples extant ofthirteenth-century military fortification. The castle itself was aperfect specimen of a fortress, with walls of enormous thickness, flanked by eight huge embattled towers. There are some traces stillremaining of the royal features of "Queen Eleanor's Oratory. "

Near the Castle Hotel, in a side street, stands _Plas Mawe_, the "GreatHouse, " a rich example of domestic Elizabethan architecture, built in1585 by Robert Wynn of Gwydir. The rooms contain much oak panelling andcarving. A charge of 6d. Is made for admission to the house. 

Conway has a station of its own within the walls of the town, but thevisitor will do well to get out at Llandudno Junction, where a walk of afew hundred yards leads to the famous Suspension Bridge, designed byTelford in 1826. 

The charge for admission to the castle is 3d. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

CONWAY CASTLE. 

It is one of the finest of the ruined castles England possesses. Thesuspension bridge was designed by Telford in 1826. ]

THE DOONE VALLEY, EXMOOR

ASSOCIATED WITH "LORNA DOONE"

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo _via_ Barnstaple. L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Lynton (about 6 miles distant). =Distance from London. =--225 miles. =Average Time. =--7 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 37s. 10d. 24s. 0d. 18s. 10-1/2d. Return 65s. 6d. 42s. 0d. 37s. 9d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--Lynton--"The Tors Hotel, " "Valley of Rocks, " "Royal Castle, " "Kensington, " "Crown, " "Globe, " etc. Minehead--"Métropole, " "Beach, " "Plume of Feathers, " etc. Porlock--"The Ship, " "The Castle, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington to Minehead, Great Western Rly. By coach from Minehead _via_ Porlock, 12 miles. 

Every one who has read the late Mr. R. D. Blackmore's _Lorna Doone_ has akeen interest in what is frequently called the Doone Country. Thiscomprises the north-west corner of Exmoor, bordering on the boundariesof Devonshire. But those who visit the little village of Oare andBadgworthy Water must not expect to see all that the novelist'simagination conjured up. Nevertheless, though some have beendisappointed, there is much to be seen which is of interest. The churchat Oare, for instance, is closely associated with John Ridd and Lorna, and the Snowe family, mentioned by the novelist, are commemorated in thechurch. Then, too, the feats of a "Great John Ridd" are obscurelytraditional in the district. 

The Doone valley, with Badgworthy (pronounced _Badgery_) Water runningthrough it, is about half-an-hour's walk from Malmsmead Bridge, which isclose to the village of Oare. Keeping up the course of the stream onereaches a wood of oaks, and near it one finds a tributary of the brookfalling down a series of miniature cascades. This is the "water slide"up which Blackmore took his hero on the occasion of his first meetingwith Lorna Doone. If one crosses a bridge near this the path will befound to continue for about a mile. At this distance one turns to theright by another stream, and enters a combe containing the ruins of theDoone Houses as they are called. A lonely cottage looks down upon allthat is to be seen of the famous stronghold of the Doones. The narrowapproach to the place never existed outside the pages of the romance. The scenery of this portion of Exmoor is exceedingly wild. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE DOONE VALLEY, EXMOOR. 

Associated with Blackmore's _Lorna Doone_. ]

LLANDOVERY, SOUTH WALES

A CENTRE FOR THE FINE SCENERY OF THE DISTRICT

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Llandovery. =Distance from London. =--228 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6-3/4 to 8-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 33s. 11d. 21s. 1d. 16s. 10d. Return 58s. 9d. 37s. 0d. 33s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Castle Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. 

The town of Llandovery, chiefly interesting by reason of the interestingand picturesque excursions in its vicinity, is situate in the county ofCarmarthenshire, 24 miles north-east of Carmarthen. The town stands onthe river Bran, near its junction with the Towy, in a beautiful valley, surrounded by wooded hills. Besides these two rivers, some smallerstreams join in the neighbourhood, and from this fact comes the name ofthe place, a corruption of the Welsh _Llan ym Ddy fri_, or Church amongthe Waters. 

There are two churches of some interest, the more important being theone in the main street, where the famous Rhys Pritchard was vicar in1602. The other church stands on higher ground to the north of the town, on the site of the old Roman station. 

On a grassy knoll, adjoining the Castle Hotel and overlooking the riverBran, are the remains of Llandovery Castle, built about the twelfthcentury, and dismantled by Cromwell's orders. 

Llandovery is a good starting-place for the ascent of theCarmarthenshire Van (_i. E. _ Beacon), about 13 miles distant, one of thehighest peaks in South Wales. The view from the summit of the Van inclear weather is magnificent. Near at hand are the Black Mountains, arather gloomy sandstone range, and in the distance are the mountains ofNorth Wales, Swansea Bay, and the Devonshire coast. An easy descent maybe effected on the south-eastern side of the mountain to Penwylltstation, on the Brecon-Swansea line. Just below this is Craig-y-NosCastle, the home of Madame Patti-Nicolini. 

Among other interesting excursions from Llandovery are those toIrecastle, a village in the valley of the Usk; Ystradffyn, near which asplendid panorama of the valley of the Towy is obtained; and Pumpsaint, a romantic village with a gold-mine near at hand. 

[Illustration: _H. F. Dann. _

LLANDOVERY CASTLE. 

It was built in the twelfth century, and dismantled by Cromwell'sorders. ]

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

=How to get there. =--From Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Dartmouth (by steam ferry from Kingswear). =Distance from London. =--229 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5-1/2 to 7 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 34s. 6d. 21s. 6d. 17d. 3d. Return 60s. 3d. 37s. 10d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Castle Hotel, " "Raleigh Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

There is scarcely a more romantic spot in the whole of England thanDartmouth. Spread out on one of the steep slopes of the Dart, itoverlooks the deep-set river towards the sea and inland towards Totnes. Steep wooded banks rising out of the water's edge give the windings ofthe estuary the feeling of solemn mystery which is not obtainable frommeadows or ploughlands. In the midst of scenery of this character--andit must have been richer still a few centuries back--the inhabitants ofDartmouth made history. 

Perhaps the earliest mention of Dartmouth is by Chaucer. Among hisCanterbury Pilgrims he says:--

 A schipman was ther, wonyng fer by weste; For ought I wost, he was of Dertemouthe. 

Whether this particular "schipman" was given over to piracy it is notpossible to say, but the nature of their splendid harbour, which theyprotected with a great chain drawn across the narrow outlet to the sea, led the Dartmouth men into a trade which to-day goes by that name. Thusin the days of Queen Elizabeth, and even in more recent times, theselusty sailors gained a livelihood by periodical harryings of theopposite coast of Brittany, suffering in the chances of such warfare thedisadvantages of sudden incursions of the Bretons, which, despite thechain and the two little castles at the mouth of the inlet, weresometimes so successful that when the Frenchmen retired there were agood many heaps of smoking ashes where comfortable homes had stood. Despite the varied turns of fortune's wheel, there are still many fineold gabled houses in Dartmouth, with overhanging upper stories rich incarved oak. 

The church of St. Saviour contains a finely carved pulpit, and is fullof indications of the wealth and importance of Dartmouth in the past. 

Though a chain is no longer used to close the entrance to the Dart, theremains of the two little towers are still to be seen. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

THE BUTTER MARKET AT DARTMOUTH. 

Although the town possesses many fine old seventeenth-century houses, these in the Butter Market are the finest examples. ]

RICHMOND, YORKSHIRE

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Richmond. =Distance from London. =--237 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6-1/2 to 9-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 33s. 6d. . . . 19s. 9d. Return 67s. 0d. . . . 39s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Fleece Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras _via_ Sheffield. Midland Railway. 

Richmond was a place of considerable importance at the time of theNorman Conquest, when William I. Gave the title of Richmond to hiskinsman, Alan Rufus, on his obtaining the estates of the Saxon EarlEdwin, which then extended over nearly a third of the North Riding ofYorkshire. When Henry VII. , who was Earl of Richmond, came to thethrone, these possessions reverted to the Crown, and many years laterCharles II. Gave the title to the Lennoxes, with whose descendants itstill remains. 

The castle, which is the most striking feature of Richmond, stands on analmost perpendicular rock, 100 feet above the level of the Swale, and inits best days must have been practically impregnable. The structure isnow in ruins, though the Norman keep with pinnacled corner towers isstill intact, the walls being over 100 feet high and 11 feet thick. Atthe south-east corner is the ruin of a smaller tower, beneath which is adungeon 15 feet deep, and at the south-western corner is another loftytower. The castle originally covered five acres, and from itsmagnificent position commanded the whole of the surrounding country. 

The church, standing on the hillside near the castle, is full ofinterest, and has been admirably restored by Sir Gilbert Scott, who usedthe old materials as far as possible. The greater part of the choir andthe tower are Perpendicular, the rest Decorated, and two of the oldNorman piers remain at the west end. The screen and stall work broughtfrom Easby Abbey are of great beauty, and the carvings on the subselliaare quaint and humorous. 

Besides the castle, there are the remains of a Grey Friars' monastery, founded in 1258 by Ralph Fitz-Randal, and situated at the back ofFrench-gate; and about a mile from the town the ruins of the monasteryof St. Martin and the abbey of St. Agatha, on the north bank of theSwale, in the adjoining parish of Easby. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

RICHMOND CASTLE. 

It stands upon a perpendicular rock one hundred feet above the riverSwale. ]

TINTAGEL

=How to get there. =--Train from Waterloo, L. And S. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Camelford. Thence by omnibus to Tintagel (4-1/2 miles distant) twice daily. =Distance from London. =--241 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6-1/2 to 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 41s. 0d. 26s. 3d. 21s. 3d. Return 72s. 2d. 46s. 4d. 42s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"King Arthur's, " "Castle Hotel, " "Tintagel, " etc. 

Tintagel Castle is situated near Bossiney, a place of some importance inbygone times, to judge from the number of ruins of houses to be seenthere. Situated as the castle is, high up on a mass of dark, slaty rockin one of the wildest parts of the coast of Northern Cornwall, it is asuitable spot to be the legendary birthplace of King Arthur. Theformation of the rocky ground is very interesting. Tintagel itself isalmost an island, but a low isthmus connects it with the mainland. Onboth sides of the chasm are the ruins of the castle, and wide as the gapis, the buildings on the mainland and on the rock are in an exact line, and present the same characteristic features, thus showing that therehas probably been a considerable subsidence of the land at that point. The castle must have been almost inaccessible. In the time of Leland achapel occupied part of the keep. Some doubt is entertained as to thedate of the building of the castle, opinion being divided between aNorman, a Saxon, or a Roman origin. 

The remains of a British or Saxon church are to be found on the summitof the island. The church is supposed to have belonged to the abbey andconvent of Fontevrault, in Normandy. It was afterwards given by EdwardIV. To the Collegiate Church of Windsor, the dean and the chapter beingthe patrons. Parts of the church of Tintagel have recently been restoredby the vicar of the parish. 

About 3 miles from Tintagel is the Slaughter Bridge, which derives itsnames from the two great battles which were fought there, one betweenKing Arthur and his nephew, who died in 542, when Arthur was said tohave been mortally wounded, and the other between the Britons and Saxonsin 823. Other ancient relics in the form of barrows and stone crossesare to be found in this neighbourhood. 

For Stonehenge and other prehistoric remains, see Index. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

KING ARTHUR'S CASTLE, TINTAGEL. 

One of the wildest spots on the north coast of Cornwall. ]

WHITBY

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Whitby. =Distance from London. =--244-3/4 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 34s. 6d. . . . 20s. 4d. Return 69s. 0d. . . . 40s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Hotel, " "Crown Hotel, " "Métropole Hotel, " etc. 

Whitby is renowned for its ancient abbey and its beautiful situation onthe high and rocky coast of Yorkshire, just where the river Esk finds away to the sea. The Esk cuts the town into two portions. East Cliff ison the one side, with its hoary abbey and quaint parish church on itssummit, towering over the old fishing hamlet which clusters sopicturesquely at its base. West Cliff is on the other side, a modern, fashionable seaside resort. Close by are the heather-clad moors withtheir keen, invigorating air. 

From the bottom of East Cliff one ascends by 199 steps to the abbey, which was founded in (_circa_) 658. Its first abbess was the saintlyLady Hilda. During her rule, the poor cowherd, Caedmon, sleeping amongthe cattle, being ashamed that he could not take harp and sing among therest, had his wonderful dream. An angel appeared to him and told him tosing the Beginning of the Creation. Immediately the cowherd went to theAbbess Hilda and sang his song. He became our first English poet. 

In 870 the abbey and town were destroyed by the Danes. Theecclesiastical buildings were deserted for two hundred years, but thetown was rebuilt and prospered. The foundations of the present buildingswere laid in 1220, and the abbey flourished till the Dissolution, whenit was despoiled. Even in its ruinous condition it is a marvellousspecimen of Gothic architecture. The choir, with its north aisle andtransept, parts of the north aisle, and the west front are standing. 

The Parish Church of St. Mary is worth a visit because of its extremeage (it dates from Norman times) and its quaint ugliness. Whitby builtthe ship in which Captain Cook sailed round the world. The house wherehe served his apprenticeship to a shipbuilder is in Grape Lane. The jetworks are only carried on to a limited extent. In the Scaur, below EastCliff, ammonites are to be found. 

A charge of threepence is made for admission to the abbey. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

WHITBY. 

The old town from across the harbour. ]

CARNARVON CASTLE

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Carnarvon. =Distance from London. =--246 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 7 and 9-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 39s. 11d. 22s. 9d. 20s. 7-1/2d. Return 72s. 0d. 38s. 6d. 35s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Hotel, " "Royal Sportsman Hotel, " "Castle Hotel, " "Queen's Hotel, " "Prince of Wales Hotel, " "Arvonia Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--From Paddington _via_ Chester, 282 miles. Fares as from Euston. 

The town of Carnarvon is situated on the east side of the Menai Straits, close by the side of the Roman station of _Segontium_, which wasconnected with Chester by Watling Street. There is said to have been afortress here shortly after the Conquest, but the real beginning of theimportance of Carnarvon was the erection of the magnificent castle thereby Edward I. , immediately after his conquest of the principality. Thework was commenced in 1283, and occupied more than ten years. In 1284, the birth of Edward II. , the first Prince of Wales, took place atCarnarvon. During the Civil War the castle changed hands several times;at length, in 1646, it was taken and held by the Parliamentary forcesunder General Mytton. 

Portions of the old Roman wall of the city still exist, and numerousinteresting relics have been found. Traces of the old Roman forts oroutposts are also to be seen. 

The remains of the castle are very extensive, covering nearly threeacres. The outer walls, from 8 to 10 feet thick, are nearly perfect, andhave thirteen towers, with turrets of five, six, or eight sides. Thefive-sided Eagle Tower is one of the loftiest, and takes its name fromthe finely sculptured figure of an eagle which surmounts it. This toweris entered by the Water Gate. The other entrances to the castle are by agateway on the north side, under a tower bearing a statue of Edward I. , and by Queen Eleanor's Gate, which looks northward and is defended byfour portcullises. 

The enclosure originally formed two courts, and though the interiorbuildings are in a very decayed state, the outer walls have beenpreserved to a great extent by judicious restoration. Thus CarnarvonCastle is a prominent feature in the general aspect of the town, andshares with the magnificent remains at Conway the honour of being one ofthe two finest castles in the kingdom. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

CARNARVON CASTLE. 

The birth of Edward II. , the first Prince of Wales, took place here. ]

PLYMOUTH

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Plymouth (North Road Station). =Distance from London. =--246 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5-1/4 to 6-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 37s. 4d. 23s. 4d. 18s. 8d. Return 65s. 4d. 40s. 10d. 37s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Hotel, " "Central Hotel, " "Chubb's Hotel, " "Grand Hotel, " "The Lockyer Hotel, " "Duke of Cornwall Hotel, " "Mount Pleasant Hotel, " "Great Western Hotel, " "Westminster Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Waterloo. L. And S. W. Railway. 

Down by Sutton Pool is the portion of the quay known as the Barbican, famous as the spot from which the _Mayflower_ cast off her moorings andcommenced her momentous voyage across the Atlantic. The place is markedby a stone inserted among the granite sets, bearing the inscription"_Mayflower_ 1620. "

The Pilgrim Fathers had started from Delfshaven, in Holland, in July, and after coming to Southampton, started their voyage in the _Mayflower_and _Speedwell_. The _Speedwell_, however, proved unseaworthy, and bothships were obliged to put into Dartmouth, where the _Speedwell_underwent repairs. When they started again, however, it became evidentthat the _Speedwell_ would not be able to stand the long Atlanticvoyage, so once more the Puritans put back to the shelter of aport--this time Plymouth--and there abandoned the _Speedwell_. On 6thSeptember 1620 (old style) they finally started, having reduced theirnumbers to 101 persons--48 men, the rest women and children. 

After sailing for sixty days they reached the coast of America, but itwas a portion of the coast not covered by the charter of the Company, whose assistance they had sought; they thereupon declared theirintention to "plant this colony for the glory of God and the advancementof the Christian Faith. " The spot where they landed they named PlymouthRock. 

Plymouth Hoe, with a magnificent view down Plymouth Sound and itsassociations with Drake's game of bowls during the approach of theSpanish Armada, is one of the chief glories of Plymouth. The viewincludes Mount Edgcumbe Castle, the breakwater built across the mouth ofthe harbour and Drake's Island. The Hamoaze--the estuary of theTamar--is always full of the activity of England's great naval port. 

[Illustration: THE BARBICAN AT PLYMOUTH. 

From this quay the _Mayflower_ finally left England for her long voyageacross the Atlantic. ]

DURHAM AND ITS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Durham. =Distance from London. =--256 miles. =Average Time. =--6-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 35s. 10d. . . . 21s. 2d. Return 71s. 8d. . . . 42s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal County Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

For the magnificent position it occupies, Durham Cathedral is without arival in this country; and even if one includes the Continent, thecathedral of Albi in France will alone bear comparison in respect to itsposition. Overlooking the Wear from a considerable height appear the twomassive western towers and the magnificent central tower of thecathedral, and when these and the masses of foliage beneath them arereflected on the calm surface of the river, the scene is one of rare andastonishing beauty. 

The origin of the cathedral and city of Durham may be directly traced tothe desire on the part of Bishop Eardulph and his monks to erect somebuilding in which to place the coffin containing the body of St. Cuthbert. They had travelled with their sacred charge for seven years, and at the end of that time, in 997, having reached the rocky plateauoverlooking the river Wear, they decided to build a chapel there. BishopAldhun went further, and by 999 he had finished a large building knownas the "White Church. " Of this, however, there are no authentic remains;for in 1081, William of St. Carileph had been appointed bishop, andafter he had remained in exile in Normandy for some years he returned toDurham fired with the desire to build a cathedral on the lines of someof the great structures then appearing in France. In 1093, therefore, the foundations of the new church were laid, and the present buildingfrom that day forward began to appear. Only the walls of the choir, partof the transepts, and the tower arches had been constructed at the timeof Carileph's death in 1096, but the work went on under Ralph Flambard, and when he too was gathered to his fathers, the aisles were finishedand the nave also, excepting its roof. Flambard also saw the two westerntowers finished as high as the roof of the nave. The beautifultransitional Norman Galilee Chapel at the west end was built prior to1195 by Hugh Pudsey. This narrowly escaped destruction at the hands ofWyatt, who in 1796 pulled down the splendid Norman chapter-house. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 

It has the finest situation of any English cathedral. ]

RABY CASTLE, DURHAM

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Durham. (Raby Castle is close to the town of Staindrop. )=Distance from London. =--256 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5-3/4 to 7-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 35s. 10d. . . . 21s. 2d. Return 71s. 8d. . . . 42s. 4d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Durham--"Rose and Crown Hotel, " "Royal County Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

Raby Castle, the ancestral home of the Nevilles and an almost perfectspecimen of a fourteenth-century castle, is situated close to the littletown of Staindrop in the county of Durham. Canute, the Danish king, issaid to have had a house in Staindrop; and it was he who presented RabyCastle to the shrine of St. Cuthbert. The castle passed from thepossession of the monks in 1131, when they granted it to Dolphin, whobelonged to the royal family of Northumberland, for the yearly rental of£4. Dominus de Raby, a descendant of Dolphin, married Isabel Neville, the heiress of the Saxon house of Balmer, and their son, Geoffrey, tookthe surname of Neville. The present castle was built by John, LordNeville, about the year 1379, when he had permission to fortify. 

There is very little history attaching to the fortress, for, with theexception of two insignificant attacks during the Civil War, itsustained no sieges. It belonged to the Nevilles until 1570, whenCharles Neville, Earl of Westmorland, lost the castle, together with allhis estates, for the share which he took in the rising in the North forthe restoration of the Roman Catholic religion in England. Not beingsituated on high ground, the chief defence of Raby Castle, apart fromthe strength of its walls, must have been the abundance of water whichcompletely surrounded it. 

The chapel is the oldest portion; but the castle was almost entirelybuilt in one man's lifetime, and bears scarcely any traces of earlier orlater work. The interior, however, has been much altered by modernarchitects, who have obliterated a great portion of John Neville's work. The Baron's Hall used to be a fine room, with beautiful windows, an oakroof, and a stone music-gallery. The kitchen, which occupies the wholeinterior of a large tower, is one of the most interesting and perfectfeatures of the castle, though it has no longer the original fireplaces. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

RABY CASTLE. 

Built by John, Lord Neville, about the year 1379. ]

SNOWDON

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Llanberis (5 miles distant). This is the easiest of the ascents by a well-marked path. =Distance from London. =--257 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6-1/2 to 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 41s. 6d. 23s. 7d. 21s. 4-1/2d. Return 74s. 9d. 40s. 9d. 37s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Royal Victoria Hotel, " Llanberis. "Castle Hotel, " "Snowdon Valley, " "Dolbadarn, " "Padarn Villa. " Snowdon Summit Hotel is 3560 feet above the sea. 

Snowdon is the name not only of the highest mountain in Wales, but it isitself a mountain range, broken up by valleys and river courses intofour mountain groups of which Moel-y-Wyddfa is the central and highestone. The best spot from which a good view of the whole group can be seenis Capel Curig. The Llanberis ascent to Snowdon is the easiest, but notso interesting as the other routes. From Capel Curig the ascent is thesteepest and finest, and is unsurpassed for grandeur of scenery. Inrespect of foreground Snowdon is not so fine as Cader Idris, and themountains of Scotland and the English lake district. There is an absenceof rich valley scenery in the mid-distance, which the Scottish mountainspossess and which so adds to the beauty of the Cumberland andWestmorland mountains. But the glory of Snowdon is that it commands suchan extended view of other mountain peaks and ridges. It well repays theholiday-maker to spend a night on the summit of Snowdon to see the grandpanorama which gradually unfolds itself as the sunrise dispels themist--sea, lakes, and mountain ridges standing out by degrees in theclear morning light. Naturally the view is dependent on atmosphericconditions for its extent. On a clear day one sees the coast-line fromRhyl to the furthest extremity of Cardigan Bay, also the southern partof the Menai Straits, nearly all the Isle of Anglesey, and part of theTubular Bridge. 

One of the mountain lakes is Llyn Llydaw, a fine sheet of water 1500feet above the sea, and surrounded except on one side by the precipitousarms of Snowdon, and there are also the Capel Curig lakes. Snowdon is3571 feet in height. All the ascents are free from danger. FromLlanberis there is a pony-track all the way to the top, but it is notthe most interesting of the various routes. The new mountain railwayfollows fairly closely the pathway leading from Llanberis. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

SNOWDON. 

It is 3571 feet to the summit. ]

HARLECH CASTLE

=How to get there. =--L. And N. W. Railway from Euston. =Nearest Station. =--Harlech. =Distance from London. =--259 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 8-1/4 and 12-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 37s. 10d. 24s. 0d. 20s. 4d. Return 70s. 3d. 43s. 10d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Castle Hotel, " "Lion, " "Belle Vue, " "Cambrian" (Temperance), etc. 

Harlech Castle is about 10 miles from the pleasant town of Barmouth inNorth Wales. The name implies "on the rock, " and every year it is agreat attraction to the many visitors to Wales, because of the finemountain and sea view obtained from this commanding height. Like manyother Welsh castles it owes its origin to Edward I. After his conquestof Wales. Owen Glyndwr or Glendower, a Welsh prince and a descendant ofLlewelyn, had rebelled against Henry IV. In consequence of repeatedinjustice done to him by Lord Grey de Ruthin, who had appropriated hisestates. As Owen could obtain no redress from the king he took his causeinto his own hands, and in 1404 seized the important stronghold ofHarlech Castle. Four years later it was retaken by the royal forces. Atfirst Owen Glendower was successful, but eventually he had to flee tothe mountains. During the Wars of the Roses, when the Duke of Yorkdefeated Henry VI. , Queen Margaret fled to Harlech Castle, but after alengthened siege in 1468, the defenders had to yield to the victoriousforces of the "White Rose. " It is said that this siege gave rise to thefavourite Welsh air known as the "March of the Men of Harlech. " Thecastle stands high, is square, with a round tower at each corner, andgives one the impression of massive proportions and enormous strength. The main entrance to the inner ward is between two huge round towers, and the passage was defended at one end by two, and at the innerextremity by a third, portcullis. The ascent to the top of the walls ismade by a stair from the courtyard. There is a well-protected walk onthe battlements. The view from the castle is magnificent and extensive, and should the day be fine it is one vast panorama of mountain, sea, andcoast-line--a sight not easily forgotten. Across the bay, 7 miles off, can be seen the equally ancient castle of Criccieth, although its ruinscannot compare to Harlech. On the other side is a glorious range ofheights culminating in Snowdon, while to the left are the gracefulRivals, mountain heights which should not be missed. 

[Illustration: HARLECH CASTLE. ]

GRASMERE AND RYDAL MOUNT

THE HOMES OF WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Ambleside (4 miles from Grasmere). =Distance from London. =--260 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6 to 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 39s. 0d. 25s. 2d. 23s. Return 76s. 4d. 49s. 4d. 45s. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Prince of Wales Hotel, " on lake, 1/2 mile from village. "Rothay Hotel, " near church. "Red Lion Hotel, " "Mossgrove" (Temperance), "Grasmere Hotel" (Temperance), all in village. No inn at Rydal village. =Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

Grasmere is the name of a village and lake in Westmorland, about 3 milesnorth-west of Ambleside. The lovely village, beautifully situated at thehead of the lake, has an old church containing the grave of Wordsworth. Wordsworth's cottage (a charge of 6d. Is made for admission) is onlyhalf a mile from the church. It is restored, as far as possible, to itscondition in Wordsworth's day, and contains a number of relics of thepoet's family. The lake, a mile in length, and surrounded by mountains, forms one of the most beautiful scenes in England. Wordsworth afterwardsremoved to Rydal Mount (two or three miles off), which place remainsespecially associated with his memory. It is a somewhat remarkable factthat this quiet and thoughtful interpreter of nature was in the earlyyears of his life, while going on a pedestrian tour through France, thrust into the early fervours of its great Revolution. Wordsworth'ssympathy with the aims of the Gironde party might have cost him hislife, for many of his friends in Paris suffered death, but happilycircumstances caused him to return to England. It was his noble sisterDorothy, his constant and devoted companion, who met him on his returnfrom Paris, broken-hearted, and induced him to return to nature. 

Wordsworth's poetry was not appreciated for a considerable time, but hecalmly wrote on, undismayed by the ridicule poured forth on the "LakeSchool of Poets, " which included Coleridge and Southey, and graduallyhis calm and dignified descriptions of nature asserted their rightfulinfluence. After publishing his greatest poem, _The Excursion_, the tideof generous appreciation set in. In 1843, Wordsworth was made PoetLaureate. His pure and fervent poetry was a protest against the diseasedsentimentality of the age. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

RYDAL WATER. ]

THE LAKE DISTRICT

=How to get there. =--Train to Ambleside from Euston. London and N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Ambleside (for visiting Coniston, Grasmere, Hawkshead, Patterdale, and Windermere). =Distance from London. =--260 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6 to 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 39s. 0d. 25s. 2d. 23s. 0d. Return 76s. 4d. 49s. 4d. 45s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Ambleside--"Queen's Hotel, " "White Lion Hotel, " "Royal Oak Inn, " "Robinson's Temperance Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

Ambleside, situated in the very centre of the Lake District, is by manyregarded as the most tempting spot in the whole region. 

It is a long and straggling town of about 2000 inhabitants. The oldchurch stands up the hill, in the more picturesque part of the town. Theold ceremony of "rush-bearing, " dating from the time of Gregory IV. , isstill, in a modified form, an annual function in Ambleside, which, withone or two Westmorland villages, can claim the custom as unique. 

About a mile south from Ambleside is the northern extremity of LakeWindermere, 10-1/2 miles long, and varying in breadth from a mile in thewidest part to a few hundred yards in the narrowest. The surroundingscenery is magnificent, of a soft and graceful beauty, which forms awonderful contrast to the wild and sublime grandeur of other parts ofthe Lake District. There are a number of beautiful islands in the lake, which is very plentifully stocked with fish. 

The little lake at Grasmere, a village to the north of Ambleside, is oneof the gems of the Lakeland scenery; indeed, Grasmere is an excellentcentre from which to visit some of the points of interest in thedistrict. Wordsworth's cottage stands half a mile outside the village. 

Within easy reach of Ambleside are Coniston village and lake, upon whicha little steamer plies. Near the head of the lake is Coniston Hall, nowa farmhouse, but for long the seat of the Le Flemings, a well-knownWestmorland family. 

Among the numerous other places of interest near Ambleside areHawkshead, the scene of Wordsworth's school life, and a most charminglypicturesque village; Patterdale and the surrounding district; LangdalePikes, Shap Fells, and Stockgill Force, a fine waterfall 150 feet high. 

[Illustration: _Valentine & Sons, Ltd. _

WINDERMERE. 

It is ten and a half miles in length, and is surrounded by the mostbeautiful wooded scenery. ]

ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Haverfordwest (16 miles from St. Davids), thence by coach to St. Davids, past Roch Castle. =Distance from London. =--To Haverfordwest, 261 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6-1/2 to 9 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 42s. 0d. 26s. 3d. 21s. 0d. Return 72s. 3d. 46s. 0d. 42s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Grove Hotel, " "City Hotel, " etc. 

St. Davids, the most western town in Wales, is situated on the littleriver Alan, a mile from its mouth, near St. Davids Head, on the northside of St. Brides Bay. The place is now little more than a village, though in the Middle Ages it was a large city, the great resort ofpilgrims to St. David's shrine. The city, which was the =Menevia= ofthe Romans, is almost as isolated now as it was in their days, the onlyavailable communication being by the daily mail-cart from Haverfordwest, and an omnibus twice a week during the season. 

The modern "city" of St. Davids is a mere village, consisting of oneprincipal street and two at right angles, with a fine old cross at theirjunction, but the chief attractions are its grand old cathedral and theruins of its once famous Episcopal palace. The cathedral, originallybuilt in 1176, is curiously situated in a deep dell, so that only theupper part of the lofty tower is visible from the village, and the closeis entered by descending thirty-nine steps, locally known as thethirty-nine articles. The entrance to the close is through a fine oldtower-gateway, 60 feet high, where the records were formerly kept and aconsistory court held. 

The west front of the cathedral, which has been well restored, is one ofthe finest features of the building. Among the more interesting objectsin the cathedral are Bishop Morgan's throne, of remarkable workmanship;the fine rood screen, the work of Bishop Gower; Bishop Vaughan'sbeautiful Tudor chapel and monument; and the shrine of St. David. 

The Bishop's Palace, on the opposite bank of the river, was one of thefinest in the kingdom. It was founded by Bishop Gower in the fourteenthcentury, and, together with the cathedral, St. Mary's College, and otherecclesiastical buildings, was enclosed by a lofty wall having fourgateways, of which only one remains. 

In mediaeval days the shrine of St. David was regarded with greatveneration, and was visited by William the Conqueror, Henry II. , and byEdward I. And his queen. 

[Illustration: _G. W. Wilson & Co. _

ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL FROM THE NORTH-EAST. ]

FURNESS ABBEY, LANCASHIRE

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Furness Abbey. =Distance from London. =--262 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6 and 7-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 38s. 2d. . . . 21s. 9d Return 75s. 4d (available for one month). 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Furness Abbey Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

In the days of its prosperity Furness must have been one of the mostimportant monastic establishments in the kingdom, although itscompleteness did not come about until many years after the date of itsfoundation in 1127 by Stephen, at that time Earl of Mortain andBoulogne. The situation chosen was on the banks of a stream flowingthrough a narrow fertile valley--the favourite position for Cistercianabbeys. The monks came originally from Savigny in Normandy. Havingbecome very richly endowed, the foundation of the abbey was confirmed bythe charters of twelve successive sovereigns and the bulls of variouspopes. Remarkable privileges were given to the abbot, who had greatauthority in the whole of the surrounding district, even the militaryelement being, to a certain extent, dependent upon him. 

A register known as the Abbot's Mortuary was kept at Furness throughoutthree centuries. This was almost unique among Cistercian monasteries, for only names of those abbots who, having presided for ten years, continued at the abbey and died abbots there, were entered in theregister. During 277 years, therefore, only ten names were written uponthe pages. When Henry VIII. , in 1537, suppressed Furness Abbey, it wassurrendered by Roger Pyke, who was abbot at the time. 

The ruins of the abbey to be seen to-day are of Norman and Early Englishcharacter, and the general hue of the stone-work is a ruddy brown. Theirmassive appearance almost suggests a shattered castle; but the share theabbey took in military matters is better illustrated from the fact thatthey built a watch-tower on the top of a hill rising from the walls ofthe monastery, and commanding a view over the sea and the whole districtknown as Low Furness. From this height the monks on watch were enabledto give warning by signals of the approach of an enemy. The paintedglass, formerly in the east window, was removed many years ago to theeast window of Bowness Church in Westmorland. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

FURNESS ABBEY. 

It was founded in 1127, and gradually grew in importance until even themilitary element in the district became to some extent dependent uponthe abbot. ]

MONKWEARMOUTH, NEAR JARROW

THE HOME OF THE "VENERABLE BEDE"

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Jarrow (2 miles north-east from Monkton). =Distance from London. =--268 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5-1/4 to 7-1/2 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares=--Single 37s. 7d. . . . 22s. 3d. Return 75s. 2d. . . . 44s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Jarrow--"Ben Lomond Hotel, " "Burkett's Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

Monkwearmouth, a little town 2 miles distant from Jarrow, the largeshipbuilding town on the southern bank of the river Tyne, is famous forbeing the birthplace of the Venerable Bede. Bede, who was born in 673A. D. , was placed, at the age of seven years, in the monastery atMonkwearmouth, from which he went to Jarrow, to the new monastery justbuilt by Benedict Biscop. He remained at Jarrow for the rest of hislife, studying the Scriptures and writing books. His greatest work wasthe _Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation_, which has given himhis position as the father of English history. The story of his death isvery beautiful. He was translating St. John's Gospel into English whenhe was attacked by a sudden illness, and felt he was dying. He kept onwith his task, however, and continued dictating to his scribe, biddinghim write quickly. When he was told that the book was finished he said, "You speak truth, all is finished now, " and after singing "Glory toGod, " he quietly passed away. 

The abbey churches of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow are interesting, becausethey have remained practically unaltered from their construction in theseventh century. The monasteries never grew sufficiently to requiregreat enlargements, and thus they would have been to-day very nearly asthe Anglo-Saxon monks saw them. Monkwearmouth Church was built in theRomanesque style by Benedict Biscop, who sent to France for workmen toput in the glass for the church windows. Besides the church, no traceremains of any monastic building at Monkwearmouth. The chancel and towerof the abbey church at Jarrow bear a great resemblance to those ofMonkwearmouth, both being the work of Benedict Biscop. The domestic partof the monastery at Jarrow, where Bede lived and died, has disappeared, for the present ruins show Norman and not Saxon work. Monkwearmouthpossesses one of the earliest Christian gravestones in England. 

[Illustration: _Valentine & Sons, Ltd. _

MONKWEARMOUTH CHURCH. 

Partly built by Bishop Biscop in Bede's time. ]

THE ISLE OF MAN

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston, King's Cross, St. Pancras, or Paddington _via_ Liverpool, and thence by steamer. =Nearest Station. =--Douglas, on Isle of Man. =Distance from London. =--205 miles to Liverpool (75 miles by sea from Liverpool to Douglas, 90 to Ramsey). =Average Time. =--12 hours. 

 1st and 2nd and 3rd and 3rd and saloon saloon saloon fore cabin=Fares. =--Single 35s. 0d. 26s. 8d. 22s. 6d. . . . Return 68s. 0d. 46s. 3d. 39s. 6d. 35s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable=. --At Douglas--"Grand, " "Métropole, " "Regent, " "Central, " "Granville, " and many others. At Ramsey--"Mitre, " "Queen's, " "Prince of Wales, " "Albert, " "Albion, " etc. At Castletown--"George, " "Union, " etc. At Peel--"Creg Melin, " "Marine, " "Peel Castle, " etc. 

The Isle of Man is much visited because of its mild and equable climate, its scenery, and its quaint laws and customs. The island is 30 mileslong, and is mountainous in the centre. From the highest point, Snaefell, one can see four countries. Picturesque wooded glens are to befound in many parts of the island, and these having become well known asattractive resorts, a small charge is made to enter each glen. At GlenDarragh there is a circle of stones, and at Laxey, famous for itsgigantic wheel for pumping water from the mines, there is another smallcircle called the "Cloven Stones. " In many cases the churchyards possessold Runic crosses. 

Douglas, on the east of the island, is the chief town. It is a modernseaside resort, much frequented by Lancashire folk in August. Ramsey, further north, is quieter, and pleasantly situated on the only river ofimportance in Man. It is an old town, with yellow sands and a harbourcrowded with herring-boats. Castletown lies to the south, a quiet oldplace, with narrow, crooked streets. Castle Rushen, built in thethirteenth century, shows no signs of decay. It consists of a keep andmassive outer wall. Here the kings and lords of Manxland lived, thoughuntil lately it was the prison of the island. Peel, on the west, ischiefly remarkable for its rocky island near the shore, on which thereare the ruins of a castle and churches surrounded by a battlementedwall. St. Patrick probably landed here, and the ruined cathedral is theoldest see in Britain. 

The most famous king of "Mona" was Orry, son of a Danish king of thetenth century. The island became subject to England in 1290. TheNational Assembly, or House of Keys, was founded by Orry. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

CASTLE RUSHEN, ISLE OF MAN. 

Built in the thirteenth century, it was for a long period the residenceof the kings and lords of Manxland. ]

BRANTWOOD

THE HOME OF JOHN RUSKIN

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Coniston Lake (Brantwood is on the eastern side of Coniston Lake). =Distance from London. =--279 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 8-1/4 to 9-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 41s. 1d. . . . 23s. 2-1/2d. Return 80s. 5d. . . . 46s. 5d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Waterhead Hotel, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

The road to Brantwood from Coniston runs under the shade of beautifultrees, at the head of Coniston Water. After leaving behind the villageand the Thwaite, with its peacocks strutting in its old-world gardens, one skirts the grounds of Monk Coniston. Soon afterwards Tent Lodge, where Tennyson once lived, is passed. Afterwards comes Low Bank Ground, which is only a short distance from Brantwood. The situation, as one maysee from the drawing given opposite, is one of great natural advantages, while the house is quite unassuming; its simple white walls, however, give one the sense of a comfortable if unpretending home. The interiorhas been described as giving an impression "of solid, old-fashionedfurniture, of amber-coloured damask curtains and coverings. " There wereTurner's and other water-colours in curly frames upon the drawing-roomwalls. 

Writing of his earliest recollections of Coniston, in _Praeterita_, Ruskin says: "The inn at Coniston was then actually at the upper end ofthe lake, the road from Ambleside to the village passing just between itand the water, and the view of the long reach of lake, with itssoftly-wooded, lateral hills, had for my father a tender charm, whichexcited the same feeling as that with which he afterward regarded thelakes of Italy. " Ruskin's death in 1900 took place at Brantwood. GeorgeEliot, in speaking of him, said, "I venerate Ruskin as one of thegreatest teachers of the age. He teaches with the inspiration of aHebrew prophet. "

Ruskin was the son of a wealthy wine merchant, and was born in London in1819. He studied at Oxford, where he gained the Newdigate prize forEnglish poetry in 1839. After taking his degree, in the following yearappeared his first volume of _Modern Painters_, the design of which wasto prove the great superiority of modern landscape-painters, particularly Turner, over the old masters. 

[Illustration: RUSKIN'S HOUSE AT BRANTWOOD. 

The room with the turret window was Ruskin's bedroom. ]

FOWEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Fowey. =Distance from London. =--282 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies from 7 to 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 43s. 4d. 27s. 0d. 21s. 8d. Return 75s. 10d. 47s. 6d. . . . 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"The Fowey Hotel, " "St. Catherine's Private Hotel, " "Cotswold House, " etc. 

Fowey, now little more than a fishing village and holiday resort, wasonce the chief port in Cornwall, and the equal of Plymouth andDartmouth, a position it owed to its fine harbour, formed by the mouthof the river Fowey, on which it stands. On the west side of the harbourstands St. Catherine's Castle, dating from the reign of Henry VIII. , andon the east the ruins of St. Saviour's Chapel, an old church. There arealso remains of two square stone towers, erected for the protection ofthe entrance to the harbour in the reign of Edward IV. Between theseforts, in mediaeval days, the men of Fowey used to draw a chain as anadditional security. The houses are built chiefly of stone, but thestreets are so narrow and full of angles that it is difficult for avehicle of any size to pass through them. In the reign of Edward III. Itsent forty-seven vessels to assist in the siege of Calais. 

A heavy blow was dealt to the town by Edward IV. After he had concludedpeace with France, the men of Fowey continued to make prizes of whateverFrench ships they could capture, and refused to give up their piraticalways. This so incensed the king, that the ringleaders in the matter weresummarily executed, a heavy fine was levied upon the town, and itsvessels handed over to the port of Dartmouth, as a lesson againstpiracy. This treatment of Fowey seems a little hard in view of the factthat Dartmouth men were constantly raiding the coasts of Brittany. 

The church, built in the reign of Edward IV. And restored in 1876, hasone of the highest towers in Cornwall. The interior has a good timberroof, a carved oak pulpit, an old font, and several interestingmonuments to the Treffry and Rashleigh families. 

The finest and most interesting house in the town is Place House, theseat of the Treffrys, who have been connected with Fowey for manygenerations. Many of the apartments are exceedingly interesting, especially the hall, with its fine oak roof. The present owner allowsthe hall and other portions to be shown to visitors. 

[Illustration: _Valentine & Sons, Ltd. _

FOWEY. 

Showing the two little forts at the mouth of the harbour, across whichin mediaeval time a chain was drawn. ]

HEXHAM AND HADRIAN'S WALL

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross and St. Pancras _via_ Newcastle-on-Tyne. Great Northern Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Hexham. =Distance from London. =--289 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 5-1/2 to 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 40s. 10d. . . . 24s. 4d. Return 81s. 8d. . . . 48s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Tynedale Hydropathic Mansion, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--Train from Euston and St. Pancras _via_ Carlisle. London and North-Western Railway. 

Hexham has a beautiful position, surrounded with woods and hills onthree sides, while the broad Tyne flows past the historic town. Abovethe surrounding roofs the hoary Abbey Church rises, with its one lowcentral tower and flat roofs. 

The history of Hexham begins with the granting of some land to St. Wilfrid in 674, on which he built a monastery and church. A few yearslater Hexham was made a See, and the "Frithstool" still remains from thetime when its cathedral received the right of sanctuary. 

This early cathedral was destroyed by the Danes, and the building left abattered ruin. When monasticism rose to its height, after the NormanConquest, a priory of Canons of St. Augustine was founded there. Itswealth and numbers gradually increased until, at the end of thethirteenth century, an entirely new building replaced the Saxon one, andHexham became exceedingly powerful. 

Hadrian's Wall. --Three miles north of Hexham, at Chollerford, one maysee the remains of the piers of a Roman bridge over the North Tyne, andclose at hand is one of the best preserved forts of Hadrian's Wall. Itwas about 124 A. D. That Hadrian started Aulus Plautorius Nepos on thebuilding of the line of continuous fortifications running from the mouthof the Tyne to the Solway, a distance of over seventy miles. This wasbuilt on the chain of hills overlooking the valley which runs fromNewcastle to Carlisle. The massive and astonishing ruins to be seento-day fill one with surprise, for they suggest to a considerable extentthe Great Wall of China. The remains of the wall proper are, as a rule, 8 feet thick, and are composed of hewn stone (the total height of thewall was probably about 18 feet). Turrets and small forts are built intothe wall at frequent intervals. The object of the wall was undoubtedlyto act as a military defence against the unconquerable tribes of thenorth. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

A PORTION OF HADRIAN'S WALL. 

The continuous line of fortifications built across England by AulusPlautorius Nepos about 124 A. D. ]

THE LAKE DISTRICT

=How to get there. =--Train to Keswick from Euston. L. And N. W. R. =Nearest Station. =--Keswick (for visiting Derwentwater, Skiddaw, Bassenthwaite, Buttermere, Cockermouth, Wytheburn). =Distance from London. =--300 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6 to 10 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 42s. 0d. 26s. 7d. 24s. 1d. Return 81s. 0d. 47s. 6d. 43s. 0d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Keswick Hotel, " "Royal Oak, " "Queen's, " etc. =Alternative Routes. =--Train from King's Cross to Keswick, GreatNorthern Railway. Train from St. Pancras, Midland Railway. 

Keswick, usually regarded as the capital of the north-western portion ofthe Lake District, is situated in the lovely vale of Derwentwater, onthe river Greta, shut in on all sides by mountain walls, the highestsummit being the lofty Skiddaw, which crowns the range to the north ofthe valley. The old portion of the town is picturesque and interesting, especially the quaint old town hall in the market-place, marking thecentre of the town. 

Foremost among the attractions in the vicinity of Keswick is LakeDerwentwater, within less than a mile of the town, and separated from itby rising ground. The lake is 3-1/2 miles in length and 1-1/2 wide, andis remarkable for the transparency of its waters, the shingle and rocksat the bottom being clearly visible at a depth of 15 or 20 feet. Thescenery of the lake is beyond description beautiful. "Here isDerwentwater, " says De Quincey, "with its lovely islands in onedirection, Bassenthwaite in another; the mountains of Newlands; thegorgeous confusion of Borrowdale revealing its sublime chaos through thenarrow vista of its gorge; the sullen rear closed by the vast andtowering masses of Skiddaw and Blencathra. " The valley of Borrowdale isto the south of the lake, and near the south-eastern extremity are thefamous Falls of Lodore, so wonderfully described in Southey's celebratedpoem. 

Bassenthwaite Water, connected with Derwentwater by the Derwent, is asmaller lake, but exceedingly beautiful, and Buttermere has a quaintlittle village which goes by the same name. 

Among the many places within easy reach of Keswick are Cockermouth, thebirthplace of Wordsworth; Wytheburn, the nearest village to Thirlmere;and Skiddaw, the ascent of which can be accomplished with comparativeease on pony-back. The summit is over 3000 feet above sea-level. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

CRUMMOCK WATER AND BUTTERMERE. ]

KESWICK

AND THE HOME OF ROBERT SOUTHEY

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Keswick. =Distance from London. =--300 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 7 to 10-1/4 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares=. --Single 42s. 0d. 26s. 7d. 24s. 1d. Return 81s. 0d. 53s. 0d. 48s. 2d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Keswick Hotel, " "Royal Oak, " "Queen's, " etc. =Alternative Routes. =--Train from King's Cross, Great Northern Railway. Train from St. Pancras, Midland Railway. 

Keswick is much resorted to by visitors, as it forms convenientheadquarters for exploring the Cumberland part of the Lake District. Itis a small and not very beautiful town, containing several large hotels. It is situated in a flat valley through which the Derwent and itstributaries flow, and lies near the north end of Derwentwater Lake. Hills surround it on every side, while the mountains of Skiddaw shieldit on the north. Since the discovery of plumbago in the district, Keswick has been famed for its lead-pencils. A renowned week ofreligious services, known as the "Keswick Convention, " takes place here. 

Crosthwaite, to the north-west of the town, is famous for itstwelfth-century church dedicated to St. Kentigern. It has a longbattlemented roof and massive square tower, and possesses many oldbrasses and monuments, besides a font of the time of Edward III. To mostpeople the monument to Southey will be the chief object of interest. Itis a recumbent figure, with an epitaph in verse by his life-long friendWordsworth. 

Robert Southey was the son of a Bristol linen-draper, and was educatedat Westminster and Balliol. Southey and Coleridge were much associatedwith Lovell, a Bristol Quaker. These three friends made a plan--nevercarried out--of going to the wilds of America and returning to thepatriarchal manner of living. They all married three sisters namedFricker. Unfortunately Southey's wife died insane, and he then married avery talented lady named Catherine Bowles. In the beginning of theeighteenth century the Southeys and Coleridges settled in the same houseat Greta, near Keswick, and Mrs. Lovell, widow of Robert Lovell, and herson joined the household. Here Southey lived till his death in 1843. In1813 he was made Poet Laureate, and later was given a pension of £300 ayear. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ASHNESS BRIDGE, DERWENTWATER. ]

ALNWICK CASTLE

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Alnwick. =Distance from London. =--309 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 7 and 8 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 43s. 1d. . . . 25s. 9d. Return 86s. 2d. . . . 51s. 6d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Northumberland Arms, " "Star Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras _via_ Sheffield and York. Midland Railway. 

Standing in a magnificent position overlooking the town from which ittakes its name, Alnwick Castle occupies the site of one of the oldest ofthe border points of defence. It is believed that a fort existed hereduring the Roman occupation, and that a castle was erected on its siteby the Saxons, who named the place _Ealnwic_. Just before the Conquestthe castle and barony were the property of one Gilbert Tyson, who wasslain at the battle of Hastings. His possessions passed into the handsof the Norman lords De Vesci, who held them till about 1297, when thecastle and barony were bequeathed by the licence of Edward I. To theBishop of Durham. Shortly afterwards they were purchased by Lord Henryde Percy, from whom they have descended regularly to the present owner, the Duke of Northumberland. The castle is one of the finest examples ofa feudal fortress in England, the walls enclosing an area of five acres, and the grounds, watered by the Alne, presenting scenes of the mostvaried and romantic beauty. 

The two north-western round towers of the keep, together with theArmourer's and Falconer's towers, have recently been swept away in orderto accommodate the new Prudhoe Tower. During the last six years 200workmen have been employed in transforming the feudal interior of thecastle into a Roman palazzo. 

Alnwick, situated so near the border, was the scene of countless raidsand conflicts during the Middle Ages, and with these fights the castlewas always closely associated. It was besieged in 1093 by Malcolm III. , King of Scotland, and defended by Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland. TheScottish king and his son Prince Edward both fell during the siege. KingDavid gained possession of the town in 1135. William the Lion, who tookpart with young Richard, afterwards Coeur de Lion, against his fatherHenry II. , entered Northumberland in 1174, with 80, 000 men, and laidsiege to Alnwick; but the attempt was a failure, and William was takenprisoner. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ALNWICK CASTLE. 

One of the finest examples of a feudal fortress in England. ]

LANERCOST PRIORY, CUMBERLAND

=How to get there. =--Train from Euston _via_ Carlisle. L. And N. W. Railway. =Nearest Station. =--Brampton (Lanercost Abbey is situated 2 miles north of Brampton). =Distance from London. =--317 miles. =Average Time. =--Varies between 6 to 9 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 40s. 10d. . . . 24s. 4d. Return 81s. 8d. . . . 48s. 8d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--At Brampton--"Howard Arms, " "White Lion Hotel. "=Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway. 

Lanercost Priory is situated in a singularly beautiful sylvan valleywatered by the river Irthing. Only the shell of the chancel remains, butthe nave has been restored, and is now used as the church of the parish. The walls of the roofless transepts as well as the central tower arestill standing. The pillars on the south side support a much decayedclerestory, but on the opposite side both the triforium and clerestoryare in a fairly good state of preservation. 

A side chapel in the choir contains some very finely carved but batteredaltar-tombs belonging to the Dacre family--one of them is believed to bethat of Lord William Howard. Under what was the refectory of theconventual buildings, one may find the crypt in a very good state ofpreservation. In it are preserved some Roman altars and carvingsdiscovered at various times in the locality. A number of Romaninscriptions having been discovered on the walls of the Priory Church;it is generally supposed that much of the building material was obtainedfrom the Roman wall. The Rev. J. Maughan has argued for the existence ofa Roman station at this point, and its name is believed to have been_Petriana_. 

The monastery adjoining the Priory Church belonged to the order of St. Augustine, and its endowments consisted of all the land lying betweenthe Picts' wall and the river Irthing, upon which the buildings stood, and between Burgh and Poltross. 

After the dissolution the monastic buildings were put into a properstate of repair, and were converted into a private residence by LordThomas Dacre, who built the castellated portion towards the south, whichof course did not belong to the original structure. Half a mile distantfrom the priory is Naworth Castle, the historic seat of the Earl ofCarlisle, and Brampton is famous for its _mote_, which was possibly aDanish fort. 

[Illustration: _Valentine & Sons, Ltd_. 

LANERCOST PRIORY AND STEPPING-STONES. ]

CHILLINGHAM CASTLE, NORTHUMBERLAND

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Belford (6 miles from Chillingham). =Distance from London. =--323 miles. =Average Time. =--About 9 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 44s. 11d. . . . 26s. 11d. Return 89s. 10d. . . . 53s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--=Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras _via_ Newcastle-on-Tyne. Midland Railway. 

The castle at Chillingham, the seat of the Earl of Tankerville, is aremarkably picturesque building, erected in the reign of Elizabeth, onthe site of an older fortress. The castle, which is now in theoccupation of Sir Andrew Noble, to whom it has been let by LordTankerville, contains many valuable portraits. 

An ancestor of the Earl of Tankerville, Charles Lord Ossulston, cameinto the property in 1695 by marriage with the daughter and heiress ofLord Grey, Earl of Tankerville, a descendant of the Greys of Chillinghamand Wark, who had much property in Glendale. 

The herds of cattle at Chillingham are believed to be survivors of _Bosprimigenius_, the wild ox of Europe, which is the supposed progenitor ofour domestic cattle. This fact is of great scientific interest and isanalogous to the preservation of the few remaining buffaloes in America, only in this case these wild cattle have been preserved through muchchanged conditions for a vastly longer period. 

The King, when Prince of Wales, shot one of these animals, but in doingso had a rather narrow escape. The chief external appearancesdistinguishing the cattle from all others are as follows--"their colouris invariably white; muzzles black, the whole of the inside of the earand about one-third of the outside, from the lips downwards, red; hornswhite with black tips, very fine and bent upwards; some of the bullshave a thin upright mane about an inch and a half or two inches long. "

It should be pointed out that there is some danger in encountering anyof the herd in the absence of the park-keepers. The calves have beennoticed to have the wild characteristic of dropping when suddenlysurprised. 

A reproduction is given opposite of Landseer's picture of the wildcattle. 

[Illustration: _Collection A. Rischgitz. _

THE WILD CATTLE AT CHILLINGHAM. 

From the painting by Landseer. The herd are survivors of the wild ox or_Bos primigenius_. ]

ST. IVES, CORNWALL

=How to get there. =--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. =Nearest Station. =--St. Ives. =Distance from London. =--325 miles. =Average Time. =--About 9 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 50s. 3d. 31s. 6d. 25s. 1-1/2d. Return 88s. 0d. 55s. 0d. 50s. 3d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--"Tregenna Castle, " "Porthminster, " "Western, " "Queen's, " etc. =Alternative Route. =--None. 

St. Ives is a quiet, old-world fishing town on the northern coast ofCornwall. The town occupies the western limb of the wide bay of St. Ives. On the narrow neck of land joining the promontory known as TheIsland to the mainland, most of the houses of the fishing town arepacked away in picturesque confusion, while the streets are tortuous inthe extreme. On either side of this isthmus the land rises; behind itthunder the waves on Porthmeor beach; in front are the deep green watersof the harbour, protected by two piers. The beach is of firm, hard sand, upon which the boats are hauled up in safety. The fifteenth-centurychurch, standing on the site of the former Norman chapel, is a largebuilding near the harbour. It is said that the Norman structure wasdedicated to St. Ivo, a Persian bishop, who is supposed to haveChristianised the Britons in Cornwall in the ninth century, and to haveerected six chapels. Others think that St. Ia was the daughter of anIrish chieftain, and was murdered at Hayle. The beautiful font isthought to be a relic from the former chapel. A fifteenth-century crosshas been dug up in the churchyard and re-erected. On the island is alittle building which is thought to be the remains of one of St. Ivo'schapels. There is also a fort of Cornu-British origin, and agrass-covered battery on the hill, whose green slopes are covered withfishing-nets. Half-way across the bay the river Hayle enters the sea, and at the furthest extremity is Godrevy Point with its lighthouse. 

St. Ives became an important town in the time of Edward III. , and itspresent church was erected in Henry VI. 's reign. Perkin Warbeck fromIreland and the Duke of Monmouth from Holland each landed at St. Ives ontheir ill-fated ventures. 

During recent years St. Ives and the neighbouring fishing villages haveattracted numerous artists of considerably varying merit, and anexhibition of the Royal Academy is now almost certain to contain atleast one picturesque glimpse of the place. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

ST. IVES. 

A quaint little Cornish fishing village. ]

BAMBOROUGH CASTLE, NORTHUMBERLAND

=How to get there. =--Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. =Nearest Station. =--Belford (4-1/2 miles from Bamborough). =Distance from London. =--393 miles. =Average Time. =--About 9 hours. 

 1st 2nd 3rd=Fares. =--Single 43s. 11d. . . . 26s. 11d. Return 87s. 10d. . . . 33s. 10d. 

=Accommodation Obtainable. =--=Alternative Route. =--Train from St. Pancras to Belford (Midland Railway) _via_ Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

Standing on an almost perpendicular mass of basaltic rock, overlookingthe sea at a height of 150 feet, is Bamborough Castle. The stately keepbelongs to the original stronghold, which was built on the site of whatwas probably one of a chain of fortresses raised by the Romans for theprotection of the coast. For many centuries the castle was possessed ofgreat strength, and was frequently used as a place of refuge by theKings and Earls of Northumberland. It was founded by Ida, king of theAngles, about A. D. 547, and suffered considerably at the hands of theDanes in 933. Earlier than this, however, in the seventh century, Bamborough was besieged by Penda, the pagan king of Mercia, who, although having recently gained several victories, made great efforts toburn down the castle. Having set his men to work to accumulate a greatmass of brushwood, Penda had huge piles heaped up beneath the walls. Assoon as the wind was in the right quarter he set alight the brushwood. Shortly afterwards, however, the wind veered round until it blew in theopposite direction, to the discomfiture of his own people, who were thusobliged to abandon their camp. 

Afterwards the castle was repaired again, and was besieged by WilliamII. When Robert Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, took refuge there. During the Wars of the Roses Bamborough was frequently captured andrecaptured, and in the various sieges suffered very severely. 

In 1720 Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, having purchased thecastle, bequeathed it in his will for charitable purposes. The Bishop'strustees carried out a considerable amount of repairs, and at thepresent time the residential portion is frequently let by the trusteesto tenants for varying periods. 

[Illustration: _Photochrom Co. , Ltd. _

BAMBOROUGH CASTLE. ]