T H A M E S A N D C O T SW O L D

Sketches o f the C o u ntry

W ILLIAM H OLDE N H UTTON B D .

Fell ow of S. J ohn fl u ff“ C Oxf ord

W ITH OV E R 1 00 ILLUSTRATIONS

VVESHHW JbfiyrEfll

ARC H IBAL D C O NSTABLE 69’ C O L TD

3 W H I T E H A L L G A RDE N S

l 90 3

a BUT LE R C LARKE . ,

I N TH E V AI N H O PE

T H AT TH E COTSW O LDS

MAY FO R O NCE MARE mm

FORG ET TH E PYRE NE ES

PREFACE

HESE sketches r epr esent the holidays of some

n r r ns a fiftee yea s, the r ec eatio of college

d n in r r has u n a o , the dist ict whe e he fo d

- - vacation home among old w or ld su r r oundings. A

’ u n nd n has n day s exc rsion, o w a the , bee followed the next day by a r ecor d of the impressions gained o r

r r n at fi r s f o r the stor ies emembe ed, set dow t the

’ n n f o r ha his r n s . w riter s o wn amu seme t, the t t of f ie d

Ther e is no mor e pleasant sign of the times in the cou ntr y of which I wr ite than the inter est which has been shown du r ing the last few years in local

r r histo y. The Bristol and Glou cestershir e A che o

a u n r n zele logic l Society, de the auspices of Cano Ba y , has n s n i r nd in B r f o r xa do e ple d d wo k : a urfo d, e mple,

a o u r al s ri n Mr . n and we h ve loc hi to a , Mo k , there ar e many who ar e eager to discover and pr eserve any memor y of the past .

Sever al parts of this book wer e fi r st pr inted by

the kindness of the Sister hood of the Holy Tr inity at

r . s X nd a a r a a Oxfo d Chapter V, a XIX h ve l e dy p

in C r nhill Ma azine and r has pear ed the o g , the Edito 7 PRE FACE with gr eat cou rtesy allowed me ver y speedily to inser t

r u n t them here Chapte XV w as p blished i The Pilo , and also part of Chapter IV ; Chapter XVI and par t of Chapter IV in The Guar dian Chapters V II and

I I I ar e r ear r anged fr om three articles contr ibu ted at d ff r n s the as - na M i e e t time to l t med paper. y

r n n thanks are due f o permissio to r epri t.

W . H . H . CONTENTS

PAGE

B E TW E E N TE E COTSWOLDS AND TE E STRIPLING

II NORTE L E ACE AND TE E W I NDRUSE VALE

III B Y TH E COLN V ALLE Y TO TH E TH AME S

B Y TE E B ANKS OP TE E UPPE R TH AME S

CE I PPI NG CAMPDE N AND TE E C OTSWOLD GAME S 78

VI LE OE L ADE

VII B URPORD : A FORGOTTE N TOW N

MORE ME MORIE S or A FORGOTTE N TOWN

A FRONTI E R L INE B Y C OTSW OLD AND TE AE E S

A B Y- W AY IN TE E C OTSWOLDS

TE E W OOLLE N TRA DE I N TE E FIPTE E NTE

CE NTURY

B r OH E LTE NH AM AND E V E SE AE

XIV MALN E SE URY

XV STRATE O RD IN SPRING

XVI STRATPORD AND SE AE E SPE ARE OOIn I E I I ORATI ONs 213

XVI I A Smu u m PI LGRI N AGE TE RODGE SE AE E

’ SPE ARE S LAND 9 CONTENTS

XVIII CE ASTLE TON H OUSE

XXI Two POE-TS AND TE E UPPE R TE AI E S XXII

E NV OY

1 0 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE FRONTISPIE CE E W KH MF R TE E GRANG , IC A O D H I GE W ORTE

ON TE E DOWNS . B URI O RD ‘ ‘ ‘ ' B OURI ON - ON o TH X- W A I KB H UNTING LODGE AT SE E RSORNE NORTE LE AOE CE URCE B Y e TLE B RRI E L FR , A ON TE E NORTE SIDE o r L ITT LE BARRINGTON CE URCE RUINS AT MINSTE R LO V E I. R LovE L INSTE R Lo vE L TON E o r LO D , M OLD I NN AT H I GE W ORTE FI LE I NS E R LE C E LADE , N A FAI REORD ORD TE E E RG I NN FA IRP . G O E , NE AR K E NPSEO RD STLE T E R RI OE LADE CA E A ON , N A C I NGLE SH AM . KE KPSFOB D E T BRI GE J UST B E LOW RI KL E E IS D , C C AD L ADE ’

M . J E N S LOC E L E C E LADE , FRO 8 O KE u ISOOTr MANOR Co'r rAGm NE AR B A E LOCE H Y’I‘H E NE W BRI DGE E ATON CASTLE

RUSE RT LOCE AT E ATO N H ASTINGS BE LOW NE W BRI DGE CASSINGTON NE AR E YNSH AM RI B Y YNSH SW I N PORD B DGE , E M E E PPING M E ARK E T PLAC , C I CA PD N .

CE I PPI NG C AN PDE N .

E I PPI N G MP E CE UROE . E AGLE , C CA D N N E E URC E CE I PPI G CAMPD N C .

M I CE LE TON .

INGLE SH AM CE URC E . BLE SSE D V I RGIN AND OUR LORD OUTSIDE INGLE SH AM

COX WE LL BARN AND W EI TE EORSE DOWN L E CE LADE BRIDGE FRo u TE E ME ADOW AT LE OE LADE ’ BUTLE R S COURT B ’ T FR M TE E R S UR G E . UTLE R CO , O A D N A DOORWAY IN BURFORD BURFORD BRIDGE SE B UB FOB D TE E GRE AT H OU , LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

I TE E G R E or TE E GRE T H N A D N A OUSE , B UB FOB D TE E TOLSE Y BURFORD H SPITI M A L RE B URE D O U NGU A , OR . I H I E STRE E T B URPO D N G , R PIT L B UB D E U CA A , FO B C RC E B URE ORD PRIORY IN 1900 TE D R B URPO D SOU OO , R CE UR A T W mTE A LL H ILL I H I E STRE E T B URFO B D N G , o G TE W Y A CIE NT PRI RY o r KN I GH TS A A , N O or S. J OE N , QUE N I NGTON TYMP M FR M N RTE DO RW Y I G — ANU O O O A , QUE N N TON TE E H AR RO WING or H E L L IN CRICK L ADE CE URC E YA RD CRICK L ADE OLD BE AR IN N CRI CK LADE A COTSWOLD HOUSE B E PO RE RE TORA ‘I‘I ON A COTSWOLD H OUSE AFTE R RE STORATION NORTE LE A CE BIBURY PY FR M BR SS o r W L ME RC CANO O A A OO E ANT, CE URC E M H LL C E I PPI NG M N ARKE T A , CA PDE TE E P RISE C E URC E W IN C E C OM B A , E CE I PPI NG CAMPDE N AT W IL LE RSE Y AT BROADWAY TE E A E Y T WE R E V E SE A M BB O , CIRE NCE STE R MA Lu mUURY ABBE Y MALM E SBURY ABBE Y TE E W A TC E I NG GR M E RE DI ALMIB B UB Y A , AB BE Y TE E MARKE T CRoOsSS MAL ME SBURY L MS E O USE S éI L D C E A PE A AND L, STRATE ORD E URC E YARD AV E E F TE E C NU , STRAT ORD ’ SE A KE SPE A RE S B I RTE PL A C E , STRATPO RD ’ A E H ATE A W AY S TT E SE OTTE RY NN CO AG , W ASPE RTON H IL L AT W ASPE RTON H W ASPE RTON ILL . ’ TE E COT TAGE BY SE A K ES PE A RE s H OUSE BLE DINGTON C E URC E CE ASTLE TO N H OUSE AND GE URC E COMPTON W I N YA TES E H SE T W I N YATE S GAT OU , COMP ON FA I RE ORD ON TE E COTSWOL DS KE MPSTORD E ASTLE A OE IN FARINGDON C E URC E FARINGDON C E URC E I L MP KR M TE E TEA MES FAR NGDON C U , O ’ H RC RT WITE P PE S T WE R STANTON A OU , O O I NGLE SE A M BE L E RY TE E V ALE o r TE E W I N DE USE IN A COTSWOL D V I LL AGE ON TE E TRAME S

E A L L H ILL E R B RF R . AT W E ST , N A U O D A MA P or TE E DISTRICT l 2 By Thames and C o tsw o ld

C HAPTER I

B E TW E E N TH E COTSW OLDS AND TH E STRIPLING TH AME S

S er o ID UMME R in th e cou ntr y . H e y u may walk betw een the fields and hedges a are as r e o ne u n s a th t , it we , h ge o eg y n an lo er s and c o r and f o r you, redole t of be f w l ve

d r - a ar ns Sweet hay an elde blossom. The cott ge g de f o r s a s s s are bright with l we , the cott ge them elve

s a u r i ir a Abo ve mostly model of rchitect e n the w y . them to w er s here and ther e the ar chitectur e proper n n r s of day s bygo e, whe eve y craft man w as an ar tist and br ought definite intelligence to bear u pon his Man in as a u r in wor k. the p t, N t e the present, seem to be ben t o n pleasing you and ma king all n s s ns s r thi g delightful to your e e ; even the bu ning , dus ty road has a taste o f lu x u r y as y o u lie o n the a s r n nd s strip of ro d ide g ee , a li ten to the blackbirds s l f o r u r n Singing , ure y yo be efit, and, I w as go ing to sa as w as r n y , if they were paid to do it ; but I w o g, ” as it is the seem be do n hei fo r y to i g t r b eet. That last touch tells o ne the wor ds ar e William ' s s Morri , though the little paper , Under an E lm ” s in n - s is Tree ; or, Thought the Cou try ide, no t w m m be met ith . I t comes to mind as W e 13 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

n n is s a n tur i to th di trict, the country th t he k ew and i loved. There is no more del ghtful part of a n a n n s n a rur l E gl nd, o e that takes the ojour er b ck s n s o f a more urely i to the old life. The thought

ten- years dweller in it crowd quickly upon him as d u n he begins to set them down. Unordered an

is n s. trimmed they are, as the country side he k ow ’ B u t as s Kno s and ! uch let them be. w t thou the l is It here.

0 .

THE O ANGE W I C KH A ASFOB D R ,

is a a n r n r There ch rmi g t act of cou t y, too little n n s k ow , which lies between the Cot wolds and the “

s r n a s. Cireneester a s t ipli g Th me By , t the pot wher e the little spr ings show the beginning of the r d an n ar n n R A. rive , where Joh F i gto , , drew f o r Boydell in 1 793 his char ming sketch of a r u stic “ ” showing Thames head to two leisurely anti

u ar ians ns . ma l q , it begi We y fo low it by the s n r a w r s r u s leepy tow of C ickl de, he e the t eam p hes its w a n hr u th e r u s s and y ge tly t o gh high he , wher e

s as d . a u the churche of 8 . Nichol an S S mm take the traveller back to days when the pr io r Ro bert sa n r i t him dow to ecord h s memories of S. Thomas n r and his o wn u s of Ca te bury of marvello recover y, 1 4 THE COTSW OLDS AND STRIPLING THAMES

n s s s ans sa a I whe , as he tell u , the phy ici id th t s as is had, without doubt, caught the di e e which r n d is no t a called mor bu s ch o icus , an to be he led by " m n e o if u r bo a can the hand of an. So o w g , o t rs as a make way over the shallo w wate . p t the gre t r i s s n n a church of Kempsfo d , with t ple did ce tr l s o r u s r n ar in s to tower, and it gl io pe pe dicul w dow , '

Mr . F n s r u s s a a a n Lechlade, where ar ingto b h h ll g i show u s the r ou nd martello which mar ks the en trance r n n to the Thames and Seve ca a l, foreseen of Pope, and so by that

s nnacles aer ial Pile, w ho e pi ra ds Po int fr o m o ne shr ine like py mi ,

e where Shelley half thought, ha lf feared to h pe,

That death did hide fr o m h uman sight ts or es its r eat ess s ee Sw eet secr e , b ide b hl l p v did ee That lo eliest dreams per petu al watch k p .

l o f em r s is all s a and so on o Fu l m o ie thi w y , t n Oxford with legends that ha ve bee often told. But as br ight ar e the slopes tha t gently tend u p ar s n r as u r s e w d to the orth , whe e the l t sp of the Cot w elds s n l s r tretch down to withi a few mi e of the iver. It is those beau tiful valleys thr ou gh which r u n ln h and n the Co e, the L oc , the Evenlode the Wi d u w he in r sh, hich divide t distr ict we have thought. s ar e a s ma n r Town there th t ome y call forgotte , No th a and u r n and r and o n r le ch, Bo to , Bu for d, the highe an s r s r s r i e s n ne s l d tho e cold g ey t eet , tha t pe ch l k e ti l r a ns n o and n ove the pl i , Sto w o the W ld Chippi g n o is Norto . Burf r d is o ne gate o f th land, Chelten an d s ham other, an Lechlade and Str atford other at n s o u r in opposite e d . Sou thwar d ts ide our bo der l e stands the quain t town of Highworth perched upon 1 5 “ different climate from the hill . I n the o ne there a re o n s s m r and h u r eight m th u me , the ot er fo so " warm as no t to deserve the name of w inter ; in the othe r it is the opposite ther e ar e eight months "

n d r f o r s r . wi te r. an the other fou too cold umme a u It is base libel . that dict m of the Stewart days. “ It is no t true in the twentieth century of Cotes ’ u i l u n s wo ld . the h l y part of the co ty of Glo ter .

e o s s and bord ring n Warwick hire , Oxford hire Berk ” s r n s s hi re . Still th e u ppe la d do lie expo ed to the " s o b u a a n s r wind and c ld , t m ke me d by thei health " s o r s s ou ful ness ; and a f r the lowe lope , y might s per haps grow vi nes u po n them till. Co mmo n features and common interests has the n ains n w elds a s who le distr ict. Rolli g pl , ofte or lmo t s s a s ar u a ds an d mo o r s. swift hallow tre m , b e pl n s re s n s w ooded valley , a the ce e you 1 6 The hou ses are of the restful grey stone which “ " grows (as Archbishop Ju xon used to say ) m these r ecently

the occupiers wer e “ cover ing the fine old stone houses with a cos t

17 BY THAMES AND CO TSWOLD

ar e w old dog and the Cotswold sheep. Neither i r r a u w beaut ful. The dog is a g eat woolly c e t re ith v r li tle a ai and his amb o ls n one e y t of t l, g remi d of ' so ro ss Macaulay s hippopotamus. The sheep g . s so a n commemo r so uperb, immense , h ve bee Yo u can ate d by many artists of an earlier day . hardly ente r a farmhouse or an inn withou t seeing and y o u w o nder how su ch small legs co u ld su pport so s weighty a fleece. B u t it is these same heep that sw and a gave the Cot olds their old prosperity, m de No rthleach and Burford and such to wns r ich in their

r s a a a s . w o olstaple , who belonged to the St ple of C l i What other common characteris tics ther e be time le w ho fa ils to te ll. Certainly they are a co mely peo p l an and dwe l there, d the churches ar e well kept s s no o ometimes well attended . Life doe t g too r quickly, o take much count of time as it flies. ' And ar e m s r s n yet we no t f ar fro Shake pea e cou try. You to p the r idge and look u pon the rich War w ick s B o hire land. u t the Cotsw o lds have n t yet their na tive poet. Endymion Porte r shall no t be for gotten r and is easan ad r s Mr he e, it pl t to re the ly ic of . B o No rman Gale. u t yet when w e come t treasu r e memor ies they will be those o f the days of a fu r ther

pas t. a n f r he n an end s T ke, the , o t mome t, d to thi chapter n r n s r of i t oductio , the time when w e we e a nation of w o o ls l and s n tap er s, ee what w as sa id whe the riches ' o u s that came t wer e at their fulness . Cots wold s u su feed the Multit de of Sheep, which yield ch fi ne and so a i no Wool, White , th t it s coveted t only in r a s s a n b u in u n r othe P rt of thi N tio , t foreign Co t ey s ; b u t n a tan ar e so a the i h bi ts wise, th t they ma ke such 18 s till fine Cotswold sheep indeed ; but there is no in o ne wealth that men can point to. A passage of the Diaries of John Richard Green may help to show when and how the change occurred Fo u nda relative ' o f uncle s who farms a little near Nor th Leach. We

s d r s . talked of enclosure , an the g eat down he re

' h ed no w ever ywhere cover ed with cr ops . I w is to lead the su bject to that remarkable coincidence be tween the enla rgement o f en closures and the local im o emen ns u s r a m v t of the tow , b t he refu ed to t vel " beyond his o w n tether . Dou btless the worthy farmer would speak differently if he spoke no w . Many must regret the tr ees they cu t down and the w hole change of system in the nineteenth century. Tod ay many of the great houses ar e deserted of a s is o n in ss a i s their owners. Perh p it the l el e th t ch ll m in n u r a an a en the twe tieth cent y. T ke ex mple of n u the cha ges of two cent ries . The r oad betw een Cirences ter and Witney is a r no i desola te one. Beyond Bibu y you come to v llage il o u sa n o n Alds t l y reach Burford, ve o ly the l ely w orth with its beau tiful manor house, one of the u s n finest pieces of Tudor ho e building in the cou ty . On the downs near her e w as the racecourse of ll n a s Bibury and of Bu r ford. Fro m a the cou ty p per l n r s r s is n tel , a d the local egi te , it to the be efit of the people that the races have ceased to be . But of them n as a r icu l more hereafter . The i cre ed value of g n r a r s tural land, which gave employme t to mo e l bou er r u s r s r u s an s n o th o gh the enclo u e , b o ght the e upl d i t ' n H is s s a o ne cultivatio , and Maje ty Pl te of hundr ed guineas is b u t a dim memory no w n s to the oldest of rustics. Happily forgotte al o is 20 the condition of the labourers as o ne may see it described in an old Glouces ter shire paper of a ns r an o n a s 1 793, which cont i the g dil que t dverti e s s ment of the races, with the Marqui of Worce ter s and the Marquis of Blandford as tewards. The s all r ie s e a es fi xed b th e w ar had rai ed p e , th w g , y “ n six s n s a w and justices, were o ly hilli g eek, the o nce small r enter is redu ced to a day labourer ; lord

bargains ar e no w engr ossed by one or tw o opu lent n l ss lin r farmers, who in ge eral have e fee g for thei de

endants an a s p th they h ve for the dog of their flocks. Happily these memor ies belong to a past that does

no n. is s i a o n s n t retur Life t ll h rd the e dow s, but it is no t so as itw as in a s hard the d y of the Corn Laws, and there ar e little luxuries and amusements within

are still made on the Cotswolds and yet every o ne “ will tell y ou that it is no t about here . There w as told the other day a true tale of a Cots l an n a n n a to a wo d l dlord who, whe te a t c me p y his 21 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

r n had no so mu c as a s r fi e t, t h gla s of sh e ry to o er him. “ " am r I I ve y sorry, he said , b u t have nothing " "

in s . r n i whatever the hou e Neve mi d, s r , said a m r the f rmer, co e ound to me any day and I shall " a n r a a And be gl d to dri k you he lth t home. the n l and did no t r s la d ord did come, efu e the toast .

Yes s r - , pro pe ity is no t prominent to day . Farmers ar e no r bette o fi than landlords. It is to be hoped a at as a r s a a n a th t le t the l boure h ve g i ed little. I n the dis trict of which we speak the pr esent diffi l is er cu ty ev ywhere the lac k of labour . As you w alk over the fields o r r ide along by the roads y o u see old

men a - m an s , few middle aged en, m y boy , but har dly a s n ingle you g man. Males between twenty and thirty fi ve s to a i s h as x s o n n . eem h ve ce ed to e t, at lea t t e la d s a n ns a r a a bu r The m ll cou try tow tt ct few, t by f a the greater number go to the gr eat centr es of work and a s n to n n and u r ni an mu eme t, Lo do B g (as they call in s ar m i r it the e p ts) . So et mes they r eturn f o a few ' a s a d is s see difl er ence d y holid y, an it piteou to the in ir a r n the ppea a ce . If they looked stupid before, w no they looked sodden ; if they looked bright, as r n r in a n a s no u nn . ve y m y cou t y l d do, w they look c g Those I have talked with fr equ ently admit that they ar e worse 03 than at home ; b u t then the cou ntr y " “ ” and in see i . is so dull , the to wn we l fe If they come back they expect good wages for do ing far m wo r k f or which they ar e entir ely untrained ; and often they will leave without notice a work they ha ve d r a a u n dertaken, an very rely will they do wh t work

s a r h . they do sati f cto ily. The to wn as spoiled them Many parts o f Wor cester shir e ar e prosperous a s ar ns and r u are g de f it farms ; others, where there la d an l w no r rge an good l d ords, do ell . B u t t eve y 22 h ndh rd s w ho can hm om their w nm at ku t on

have to w o r k hard fo r ih m d so havc th eir fnmiliea. A comf o nable ho u sa a ho r ss and dogfl r t a healthy

ar e r is a ver- the att actions of their positiom. It y

On the w h olq the h hou re r is th e o ne w ho hn pro fits d most du r ing the last tw enty y ear a and it is r ight that it sho u ld b e so . I n this Th u nes and Co b ' w o mtfi ct fo r th e mmt par t the M m n tm healthy, w ell f ed and well dm ed ; th e me d

in h s thing to spend f o r m nr tness. Ther e is no th g t t ' appmaches star vation so lomg as th e m n m sob a in u l be fll if h and will w or k. Th gs w o d b etter st t e y o nd this thm is litfl e that can b e a id shor t of

it is statio nar y o r on tho incm So mu ch o f the

o f h r ger to wna and an air d moder n bu tling

activity. L et u s end this w ith a w or d on th s

o lai m st p nly to thc past. BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

i n r n s Ch pp i g No to , which stands as one of the limit s r a of the di t ict we h ve in mind, is certainly no t an

in n . fine excit g tow A church, scraped like so many s a a su fi r of tho e th t h ve e ed restoration, a fi ne broad s at fin treet the top of the hill, a e in (to look at) that is the su m. And only an enthusiast can make s o n s s much of the Rollright t e , which Fuller mention n n s r and n amo g the wo der of the wo ld, eve the idle n see and nd Aubrey we t to draw a measu r e. Stow

es no n n . Bu on the Wold, too, do t e live the wayfarer t how charming is Bou rton o n the Water ! A beautiful

‘ W BO URTON0 8 TH E AT‘ R. street down which the river finds its w ay crossed by many little bridges ; a beau tifu l o ld house in a b y w a s r s n s a s ss y ; tree , g ey to e, oft ir without lo of the freshness of the hills truly there is no prospect that n does o t please . The countr y has a long historic past ; all around s ar e chur ches that have many Nor man feature . Quaint bits of its later histor y ar e always cr opping “ n ar n up here and ther e . Dover Hill e Chippi g Campden had its Olympic games when James I w as

n and . r a se and n a Ki g, Mr Dove o n fine hor , weari g 24 TH E COTSWOLDS AND STRIPLING THAMES s n n s l uit of clothes that had belo ged to the Ki g him e f, w as a s and o ne w B en ns n merr y ight, hich Jo o did not disdain to eu logize o r Endymion Por ter to w atch . B u t n n l u a ar r its Chippi g Campde itse f, q ite p t f om s r is n s au u o w ns in a hi to y, o e of the mo t be tif l t w r w beau tifu l district . Ther e lies the flo e of the ool m r c n s all n an ia r w ho i e ha t of E gl d, Will m G evel, d ed 140 him a d hi d i s s n in 7. To n s town an t ple did chu r ch w e may w ell r etur n .

25 am mo some n

CH APTE R II

seam en AND m w mnau sa vans

iif: u lands s p belong in a pecial we feel, a l to the d ys of the great w oo staplers . North lmch is a 1 n n town that s least k ow , per i is r I of all the h dden of the d t ict. t s e u hm lo s w forgotten of the multit de. It a flo urishing workhou se and a grammar

f 1 f a t Jf j1: d w “ ( I t s w hm 0 i. s ; e flouri h,

~4 1 ha d of an Oxford 0011n a

BY THAME S AND COTSWOLD

r r i s magnificent Pe pendicula Ch u rch. With t three r s i s an n s n s its alta , ts relic of cie t ve tme t , . comely chairs (may they never be removed to cumber the r s its ans i s r r n floo with pew wide exp e, t o de , dece cy

NORTHLEACH CHURCH. and n is a r dig ity, it b ight example of a gr eat Church " in a n r n. s n s r r cou t y tow It ta deth, ays an old w ite , “ at s end the we t of the town, and is dedicated to

. r n a r r d n S Pete , bei g ve y amiable st uctu r e, an fi ely a n s n r dor ed with u d y embossed pinnacles, which 28 NORTH LE ACH AND THE WINDRUSH V AL] b eau tifi eth f the ab r ick ver y prettily. The body s r at thi Church w as bu ilt at fir s t ver y lo w and da k, r r m and s n the efo e, to make it or e lightsome ple di o n Mr n e . l r is o Forty, a wealthy c othie of th t w , ' his o w n r r s and a u i n r e p ope co t ch r ge , p l d dow the r s s r f n a of the Church, and ai ed the w all the eo e r a as r d r w i1 h lf high as it w as befo e, an cove ed it " a b en le d. A brass commemor ates this notable

f actor i h in 1 428. Tl w t his two wives. He died is r in r as n o ne er l Church ich b ses. O , wh e be ow hu sband and w ife and thr ee little so ns and a da u ghtt

Pr ay f o r the so ules o f Ro bert Scr obe w er t and Anne hy s wyf e, hi ch Ro b deceased th e x x day of J anevere th e

y er e of o u r Lo r de MD and o o n, o n w v hose sou ls J hs . ha e mer cy .

On an 1 425 f o r s other, dated , is a pr ayer the oul as u s m r Cal Thom B he, e cha u nt of the Staple of ” a nd n his f e Joha wy . n r A othe reads, Farewell my Fr endes the Tyde aby deth no Ma I am depar ted f r o m hence and so sh all y e b u t in t Passage the best so ngs that I can is requiem (s tems n is ob . Jhu gr au nte it me when I have ended 1 mine adver sitie graunt me in Paradise to have ” ans n s bl r m io that hed Thy ode f o my redemption. All through this district it would seem that pray s f o r r l Pu r i i the depa ted inger ed even in tan t mes.

16 5 f o r his 8 , is a prayer soul. n r Punning i scri ptions ar e ve y common . There a famously conceited one about the family of H ow 29 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD in th n r and a th a e fine chur ch of La gfo d, t Nor le ch o n r n 1 6 84 ma r ea the to mb of Ma y Sto e, , you y d,

’ o n J er u salem s cu r se is n t fu lfilled i me,

For her e a stone u po n a stone y ou see.

As n a ns a fi ne an en for the vestme ts, the rem i of ci t

Mar i alvo. c n r r n . a s ope ar e o w made into an alta f o tal ,

nos. Sal is n r ar ns vo. cu t i two, for the chu chw de s n n were hocked at the se time t. ’ i r The Chur ch still r emains the to w n s ch ef glo y.

Yet it is no t to be denied that ther e ar e good hou ses. One as n r n am w l not , you leave the to w f o Chelte h , il a o a n r u ar r n its f il to catch y ur eye with its pl i eg l f o t, r r nd i is te aces a ts br ight flower s. Yet the Church r r e first and last the glor y of No r thleach . The e a few like it even in this r ich land b u t a f ew miles fu r ther o n n w n r u s is o ne , whe e r each the vale of Wi d h , h which as at least a histor y. Gr eat Bar r ingto n Chur ch has an evil memor y of M r a n s a in r . Thomas Lo d Wh rto . He w as t y g with ’ r r 1 6 2 nd a r a n s B aye in the su mme of 8 , a fte ight a nd his r ar r w he vy dr inking he a brothe H y, ith s m n r n u r ome more gentle e , b oke i to the Ch ch

i r n nd an wh ch adjoins the ga de , a committed m y

r r s r hi r s r an s ho ible act the e, of w ch thei e v t were ” as a w s no na . A r a n h med, hich hall have me fte m ki g havoc of the Chu r ch they were dr iven o u t into the

il r s as l v lage, to commit diso der , they did til ’ they w er e for ced to take sanctu ar y in the gentleman s " u m s ho se fr om whence they ca e. The good Bi hop of

r n u s s r and Glou ceste (Fr ampto ) acted with j t eve ity,

1 Glo u cest r . 16 5 . S L if e of Rober t Fr amp ton, B is hop of e , p ee e r m Fr am to n to v l. N 133. Lett r f o a a r s o 103 o . C r ts P p e , , p

Whar to n abou t deflling the f o nt at Bar r ingto n . 30 NORTHLEACH AND THE WIN DRUSH V ALE o n threat of excommunication commlled the criminals ' r s s en to do penance. A lette of the Bi hop writt in n and November comments o n the su bmissio , the “ pro mises made at Sto w (where Fr ampton met ’ a d his ask s Wh rton an brother) , that you would God pardon often f o r the gr eat ofl ence y ou gave in the " a h s dis church of Barr ington. The ringle der of t i s a a s n was r r e c p de, it hould be oticed , ove fo ty an ix r r n at the time, d he w as s yea s later ve y ha d som t h d no s s ely trea ed by William III, who a cruple a bou t sacr ed places . Par t of the chu rch which had this disagreeable notor iety in the seventeenth century looks back to n Norman days. I t has su fi er ed in rece t years from

s r r s s i s as r the avage y of e torer , but t chief tre u e, the

u l n n a e is n o u . delightf mo ume t of the Br y , u t ched A r r n i r a l ve y complicated insc iptio it s. A la ge f mi y, almost all of whom died of the smallpox ; some w ere “ s rs n oldie , some men of learning (o e w as bred at ' n s in r o r o f s r S. Joh College Oxfo d lei u e : but the gem o f the liter ature which commemor ates them is “ he s r o n d n n t de c ipti of the dear chil re , Jane a d " Edw ar d. ' She died of the smallpox at her Aunt Catchmay s in Glou ces ter o n Mu nday the o ne and twentieth of Ma 1 71 1 in i r e u y the e ghth yea of her ag , m ch la mented ; H er extr eme Good Qu a lities having engaged Afi ectio ns o f all n the that k ew H er . u n hr s 1 20 a He dyed po C i tmas Day, 7 , t the Royal n r s in ran in n a Academy of A gie F ce, the fiftee th ye r his a e so mu c s f or his s ns and of g , h e teemed good e e Fine Temper that ever y gentleman o f the Academy (Fo reigner as well as Br iton) seemed to r ival each other in paying just Honour s to his memory ; and 31

NORTHLEACH AND THE WINDRUSH V ALE

a in r s s s the v lley lies W d u h , where I aac Williams o

o n The u r a o l g mi nis te r ed . ch ch th t n t long since

s an n and an r would t d ope , where m y p ayed , with " ” s a is r and memorie of the B pt te y the Ca thedral , is no w lo cked ; b u t o u tside y o u may see a tou ching r ecor d o f a yo ung lad o f the village w ho served in the r a at th e s o r n o f the C ime t mi g Redan, and in n t n and n the Muti y a Luck ow Caw por e, and died " w n he w as w n . l sa s s he but t e ty ife, it y imply, “ u s An w as sho r t but glorio . inspiratio n it can hardly fail to be to the young men as they walk

r s r es r But the Chu ch hi to y go much fa ther back.

n e r r as Not lo g aft the t Church w bu ilt, it is clear that the new of the Refor mation had r 1 begu n to wor k at Wind us h. In 518 Sir John

D h e ica was c ar W . 1 f o r a n rury, t v r, h ged ith c lli g ' of a s a a a n o f s the Blood H yle f bric tio man hands, eighteen pence in go ing to see it. A mile o r two o ne w ay r o n and we come to She b r e,

u s o n ho e . But above, the i is a am ean h ll , cha r ming J b

hou ses near it th r o w n to

s n s is outh of the Wi dru h,

SAN C PUS M Y u m . B A RRINGTOQ

33 c BY TH AME S AND COTSWOLD having a pretty belfry and a fine sculpture of a e early d te without. A mile o r two th other s and o ide, we c me acr oss the little church of a n n in th e a s fin T y to me dow . It mus t ha ve had a e

- . is u r b rood loft Much of the church q ite ea ly, u t it w as altered at the beginning of the sixteen th cen

u . ar ans n r r t ry The H m , who ow ed Bu for d Prio y for a i r s n wh le, we e the lord of the ma or here, and they r kin n n we e of to the a cie t family of Sylveste r , which

T O F I TT H ARRINGTO N U W 033 THE NOR E SI DE L LE CH RCH.

has an a sl s in r a u u r i e to it elf the g e t ch rch of B ford, a nd still lives in the neighbou r hoo d.

is a s o w a to r s th e r It h rt y Burfo d it elf, fi st town in s ir s s s o f the o Oxfo rd h e , which till hold it elf C te

’ s o an no t see a o n its w o ld c mp y, for do we m g many ” i nns th e qu ai nt titl e o f th e Co ts wold Arms At Bu r f or d there are many memories that ha v e

u h e are o f no t y et been r eco rded . B t t y worthy a

s se es u s u r su the r a . pace to them lv . Let p e o d

A ew m es f u r er o n a r the r f il th , h d by hill oa d 34

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

fall o f a branch of a tree as he w as sitting ’ at e l s r n ar he Sir Edward F ttip ace doo . A d e ly t next year ther e is a letter to the lad from his sis ter '

r s Mr . Abigail . The schoolmaste s happy name w a r c e rs a n s s Bi h . Th lette r e amo g the manu cr ipt at c W s Welbe k. as it this ear ly as o ci ati o n with the co u nty that made Har ley take the title of Ear l of r ! a is a Oxfo d Abig il , it cle r, w as a family name

a n a e s f o r r Mrs s . mo g the H rl y , we remembe . Ma ham There ar e still some charming old houses in Shil n and is in so m s s a a a o f to , it e re pect typic l h mlet

s an . s a s u thi l d The tre m flow thro gh it, floodi ng in w n r u n r a c s u t e lo w r o ss n ar l i te , de pi ture q e lit l c i g, h d y s w or thy o f the name of br idge. Above ta nds a quai nt and o n r si e he do vecot, the othe d t r ambling stone

u s s l n r s s a ho e , c imb the hill hu g with o e or l den with fr uit. o n and r is 80 we gossip , the e sca rcely a village that we pass which has no t its links with great names

na o na s o . s a o f ti l hi t ry Two or three mile way, West well is a b enefi ce lo ng associa ted with Chr ist Ch u rch r and n n a s s at Oxfo d , u til rece t ye r it w a often held ans as a s r a n r r by the De de i ble cou t y etrea t. Archi

s are n s e a as n w tect i tere t d by the circul r e t wi do , r ar e in Decorated wo rk econo mi sts by the ancien t co py no t s l su a holders, who, if they do ti l rvive, h ve o nly ver y r ecently died o u t ; antiquar ies by the old

- o u s w c o n u fi n mano r h e, hi h Skelt co ld d no thi ng u is sa n ave n abou t, b t which id o ce to h bee a resi o f a s nd os rs dence the Poph m , ki to th e of Some et, r had so an s an a s of whom Aub ey m y c d l to tell. The ’

es en . n s e e in o fi rst Pr id t of S Joh Coll g Oxf r d, w ho w as inclined to papistr y and swindled the Founder 0 as and as a o u t of £2 , w Rector here . he held lso the 36

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

r n r n p ivily. a d died by some misadventu e, unk own !

is s u . There the tale, too, of the mi tletoe bo gh W as a s n in s it here th t the beautiful dam el , hidi g port,

G V RUI NS AT M IN ! “ LO E] .

k s and e w as impr iso ned in the old o a che t, died b fore she w as dis covered These are legends and no t long ago an edifying novelist (I hav 38

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

when o ne has walked ho me th r o u gh the gr eat sno w The a d r if ts that gather in these lonely vales. vill ge — — leech maybe a j u stice of peace and qu or u m o u — r ou nds judicial and medicinar y hu r r ies by and r e ’ minds you of Dr yden s

Better to h u nt th e dow ns f or health u nbo u ght Than f ee th e do cto r f or a nau seo u s dr au ght !

Y u s r s r and and r is o tagge , hive , go home, the e n r ea r o u u no t n Skelto dy to eceive y , tho gh I do thi k r is u s u au an ad w as n ar the e q eb gh , which old l y o ce he d

ff r in s ar . n and aw ns n r to o e the e p ts Skel to , R li o befo e him r u o an o ns and r n nd , a e delightf l c mp i , Hea e a Au br ey will her e and ther e tell y o u a stor y y o u shall m r no t o r . B u t aw a o e n su r s f get y with the d ccesso , thou gh we be among them ou r selves As the nights

s in fi r e at r s mas o r o n clo e , be it by Ch i t tide the law n in su m r w e w u r n r a er u r mo me , ill t th to o der n poets

an r as u s w r i er s in ar ae o a s th the d y d t t ch ol gic l j o u rnal . Fo r the mo r n h as a anta e in e de the dv g po tr y .

What time th e Father w alked this earth e r o d I w w H t , kno , these Co ts o ld slopes ; With silence and w ith so u nd H e clo thed eac h mou nd ; The s ad o w o f H is r o e v h b goes o er them, And w ho so cometh here To tr ead this sod H e sees the ne bo u r ne bo u igh igh r ly, ’ A nd lear ning all th e to w nship s lo veliness h T e better learns h is God .

er r m n h a e w r e t e nes . I n r H ick ight h v itt li t u th , it is th e o ld ns r a o n and w e n e no t sa m i pi ti , e d y or e.

40

CHAPTER III

B Y TH E COLN V ALLE Y THROUGH FAIRFORD TO TH E THAMES

H E RE are other ways of seeing this lovely s a s r di trict. You may follow the Th me f om e a u n n as n an L chl de, t r i g ide o either b k to the pretty villages that nestle in the meadows s be ide it. Or y o u may follo w the str eams which r u n wn r B u r s a r e o do f om the hills. t when memo ie j tted ne m n dow n they come in no settled fashion . O mo e t

are as in h - fi l s ann n n r you leep the ay e d by H i gto b idge , another and y o u mou nt the steep hill to Highwor th that looks over this valley as Chipping Norton does r Or o u ove that other five and twenty miles away. y stand by the shallo w str eam that r u ns throu gh Bibu ry : can anything be mor e peacefu lly beau tiful ! n ha Of all situations f o r a constant reside ce, t t which appear s to me most delightfu l is a little village r no t fine f ar in the cou ntr y ; a small neighbou hood , of ns ns n b a s and a ma io fi ely peopled , u t of cott ge cott ge ‘ ’ s s n n s as a r n like hou es , mes uages o r te eme t , f ie d of s r n s mine calls such ignoble and nonde c ipt dwelli g , w ith inha bitants whose faces ar e as familiar to u s as r o u r o w n the flower s in o u r gar den ; a little wo ld of ,

in an ant- l close packed and insu lated like ants hil , or s in a r i o r nu ns in a con bee hive, o sheep n a fold, n o r sa r s in n r one ve t, ilo a ship ; w her e we k ow eve y , 42

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD ar e n w n ev r o ne n r es e in e er o ne and k o to e y , i te t d v y , au thor ized to hope that ever y o ne feels an inter est in

- s. s r h n al r cen u Mis Mitfo d, w ith er ki dly h f eti t

r i s i av r n se r s a o u the cu o ity, m ght h e w itte the w o d b t fi n ne Cotsw olds. Ther e ar e few ne ma sions fi ly ” peopled in these little valleys w hich glide dow n o ar s am s u u r o a es and t w d the Th e . Bea tif l g ey c tt g

’ ‘ old y eo men s hou ses face u s at ever y cor ner of the villages ; little chu r ches w ith gr eat massive to w er s ’ and r and r a s r e L echlade s a he e the e pi e, lik , th t taper s towar ds the bl u e sky tiny gar dens w ith o ld as n w r s m n and an n and f hio ed flo e bloo i g, h gi g, cr eeping ever yw her e ; yew s str etching over the

s and he w a s r m e r a o ns and hedge t ll , t im ed lik d g cocks and little copies of the village spi r e old signs s n n in the n h s and a New wi gi g w i d , t e Five All

I nn a is man en u r e and th e ear a th t y c t i s old, B th t r a s r ns r c s r e and th e ec ll the g eat bar o of Wa w i k hi , Lamb that fo llo w s the dedicatio n of many a ms u r . o n a s nd h e sw d r Ch ch to S J h B pti t, a t Cot ol A

u e o n to that show s the distr ict w e ar e pr o d to b l g , and n m n at a r e the Lio o r even th e Ra pi g C , th t p ser ves the o ld badge o f o u r cou ntr y o r o u r to w n .

u r e is ll d and w e The pict a ver y qu iet an ho mely, know ever y o ne and ar e inter ested in ever y o ne. Many have never been mor e than a f ew miles fr om r n n thei villages. A o ld w oman her e has never bee r a sw n is o n fi v to the g e t Cot old tow , though it Lv e ’ miles fr o m her ho u se a bu tcher s lad r e n er es n a mo i t ti g pl ce than 9. miles aw ay . Cheap tr ips an the fr inge of the village

o em nen co ns r v f lk , i tly e of o u r su r r o u ndings and 44 BY TH E COLN VALLEY

“ sa in all an ss many w ho would y c dour, Doubtle a a e u n r Go d might have m de bett r co t y, but cer " ts inly He never did . Everywhere the sheep crop the close fields or clamber over the r o u gh roads or a in n s an s wend thei r w y lo g drove up the l e . Every wher e the roses hang in thick cl u s te rs fr om the

s s rc in c s n on hou e , or ci le ri h profu io the laden

s w o ld a s s b u hes . Every here the grey w ll urrou nd and complete and to ne the pictu re. Even the country

- s a n as are gr ave yard , h lf eglected they , ar e here of ff r n so o s an r r s n a di e e t rt to th e we w de e k ow. The

- s s s to o s barrel haped ummit the t mb , the cherubs of a n n s a r ss s and a qu i t u u u l type . the cyp e e yews, im memor ial like so me o f those tower s and a rches which s a n all ar e s n n ta nd out mo g them , olem , dig ified , even

s. en a a little pompou G tly, pe cefully, all the village in s u n n ar goes to rest thi te ded g den, and we come r s as s and s to covet such e t thi , uch a grey headstone n r a s a w ith s uch quai t he ld of immort lity .

When time is w ear y o f my co mpany

Here let me rest. if I shou ld end w ithin !o u r walls ou nd With br icks ar . e no smo atc o f c t r ou nd B u y m ky p h i y g , B u t br i ng me to these ac res o f repose

Whose natu r al co nsecr atio n is most su re, That I m y sleep benea th a co u ntry rose s And w here the dew i pu re.

s o u so a a and sw It i a life, y feel , pe ce ble eet, and s e in s a va death seem lik it the e h ppy les .

r are a r a s. ass Yet here too the e vill ge t gedie P ion, s s i s o r at as a if it stirs lowly, t r h tly he e l t, nd there ' n so f ar a a o the s s ns are ma y, w y fr m city i , who lie All dow n in sorrow . the old tales of wrong come

s n s n r s s s back, a we hu t the le der reco d of the e olitar y 45 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

s and hamlet , sometimes the harsh violence of the old lords is more than matc hed to day by the petty ” ann m n a s tyr y of the a who has risen. The old f milie a s n ene s n h h ve u k, or g ; tho e that have take t eir a s a no t s is pl ce h ve the old tie , and the little trader s ar a u r ar e a in h d master. Yet t o best we k dly people, and kindliest per haps in o u r memor ies of the

s . Fo r is s s r pa t it a hi to ric district. Here the to y of the nations goes back to centuries before the English

o n o f s r is one o f the edge the Cot wolds . Chedwo th

LAD FI LK I NS NEAR I‘ M E . the most per fect of thei r villas ; and at Ciren there are the r iches t relics o f the days of the pro r e he H w icm s a s lu d vincials. Afte th m t m de thi ir u n r s s as a l m the o wn. Ro d Wo ce ter eccle i tic l y, fro n a s s Gloucester in civil a d commerci l life, the ettler s and their descendants grou ped them elves . Here

u nas r s and r s grew p the gmat mo te ie , f om them pread the fi ne chu r ches that we still see everywher e ove r

- da o ld i is s r and the the land . To y the l fe eve ed distr icts lo ok to difi erent centr es f o r thei r tr ade and

n s their po litical loading. The la d between Cot wold 46 BY THE COLN VALLEY

o n if e n s s and Thames has fallen to i to d f re t dioce e . At Cire nces ter and at Kempsf o r d we are in the see o u r a n an d u r o r in r of Gl ceste , t Wit ey B f d Oxfo d,

- r s another post mediaeval see. C o s the Thames at e and in a s o u w n Lechlad , few mile y come ithi the

s s o r c all see s . in newe t bi h p i of , the of Bri tol But spite of moder n differ ences the common character of n o f e th e distr ict r emains. It is the la d gr ea t P r pen

cu r u r es and ar e s a s di la ch ch , they the relic of the d y

r a and r a r an s of the wool t de the g e t me ch t . u u o f n is a Down the bea tif l valley the Col F irford, ” “ u landisch o nne r an and a praty p t , w ote Lel d , mu ch o f it lo ngith with the Personage to Tewkes ”

- i a . is a r e o n n nd by r Abb y It p tty little t w i deed, a as y ou cr oss the Coln and look u pwards to the is a r u s s s o u church it glo io ight that meet y . There s e s and s su s an a u s s n are two tre t , ome b t ti l ho e , a d n s n s and in s excelle t fi hi g but for the re t , pite of the flood of guide books that has descended upon the is n in unhappy place , there little or oth g to be said . And as f o r s 1 791 1 86 1 1873 the guide book , , , (that n a f o r u r s s thi g , piti ble except the p po e of a dialect ’ r th e r s s dictiona y, late old cle k humorou descr ip n of ain e ass n s and so tio the p t d gl wi dow o n, they ha ve o nly the same u ninter es ting things to tell over a a is l and over g in. It very we l to have a gu ide to the w indo w s ; b u t before we name them we must sa s n he u y omethi g of t ch r ch. ' o n a a n o n J h T me, Lo d merchant of Henry V I I s b u t o f kin in — o time, the cou nty at St well by North ea — ad l ch m e the town famou s. Ther e w as a u r n n u n fo tee th ce t ry chur ch whe he came, and that o n th e s o e u r stood ite of n m ch earlie . He p u lled it a s all n a nd set ms in s lmo t dow , hi elf to copy de ign, as 47 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

i b s er a e the he did n grou nd plan, u t o n a mall sc l .

u s e in 1493 and ch rch o f No r thleach . It w a d dica ted , the merchant w ho had the chief hand in its b u ildi ng

in 15 u s rs w e can died 00. Th betw een these yea place the co ming o f tho se gr eat windo w s w hi ch ha ve

n f o r o n r es h o o f h n er bee f u r ce tu i t e gl ry t e tow . Th e are f ew local antiquities to which mo r e co ns tant i r Th ff o n reference is found n lite atu re . e local a ecti s e en r u r an n asm and pre erved them v f om P it ico ocl , though moder n wr iter s ha ve imagi ned that they wer e

r e u r n he v ars is ar removed and bu i d d i g t Ci il W , it cle

' r in r a ham r s Par n ssu s B i e s f om a poem Ab W ight a c p , 16 56 er e no is u r , that they w t d t bed. It—is tru e that a seve nteenth centu r y descr iptio n says after telli ng the tale that J o hn Tame took

r z - s o n f o r e o them from a p i e hip b u d Rom , with n hint of the Alber t Diir er legend that spr ang u p — la ter that The Window s of this Chu r ch ar e m u ch

i a n ass w no twith s and adm r ed for the p i ted Gl , hich , t ing the gr eat Ha vo ck mad e of such ornaments o f churches by men o f an impr u dent seal in the late he s w r r s t a r o f Mr . rebellious Time , e e p e erved by C e

m ro r a r and o er s no Oldisw o rth , the I p p i to , th , t by

m u s n as so e s u s turning the p ide dow , m ppo e (f o r their s teady zea l never minded w hich end w as e w er b u t a s and a n n u pw ar ds , if th y e Im ge P i ti g) , b u t by secu r i ng them in some pr ivate place till the

‘ Chu rch again began to flo u r i sh a t King Char les H s ” a s s e n u e Res tor ation . Th t eem xplicit e o gh , y t in 16 58 these lines wer e o penly in pr i n t

o rd oast Fair f , b e w at all ave os t Thy Chu rch hath k pt h h l , And is pr eser ved f ro m the bane ur tan Of either w ar or P i . red in th e a nt Whose life is co lo u p i ,

the o u ts d e sa nt . Th e i nside dross, i i 48

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

It is cu riou s tha t the windo w s should have — — su rvived they cer tai nly suffered when the sto ne figu r es wer e mu tilated ; and indeed in no other par t a l of the dist r ict has more than a chance bit, litt e

sain s o n a n a dress, t, or ome soft colour the fr gme t of r emained to show what the glass w as like befor e the beau ty of the churches w as r uined in the suppos ed n o a o r n s i teres ts f Protestantism. The F irf d wi dow

~ w er e no doubt bought by John Tame on his mar ket n in h a is a s t i gs the Net er l nds. It perh p li tle more than an idle guess that connects them with the s r b n n ss ar e t the de igns of Diir e , u t o e the le hey of

m amas I NN s , a mm o .

o a and ar s s fi r st hist ric l ti tic inter e t. Few o f them

s r s in e . e s r as ar e, t ictly peak g, b autiful Th y e ve a link betw een the per fect to nes of the mediaeval glass and th e rude vigou r and splash of such windows as those ’ ns a n at n n s Inn o r at New o for i t ce Li col C llege, n r s s n Oxfor d. But their real i te e t lie i the fact th at a a o a they are of piece, th t they f rm complete and t a a n f connected whole, h t they were m de, if o t o r this a as an o e and to ch u rch, t le t to h g t g ther teach a is s o continuou s lesson. It the hi to r y f o u r Lord and r and u r in v H is mothe , the Ch ch the li es of saints, that we tr ace as we go round th e church ; and every 5M

M B

CHAPTER IV

TH E B ANKs o r TH E UPPE R THAMES

VERY o ne kno w s the Th ames between Oxfo r d and Londo n ; f ew know it from Oxf o rd to i s s r And ma r u sa t ou ce . y et it y be t ly id that ther e are no t many dis tr ic ts in England mo r e ar ac er s a n s o e as r a ea u f u ch t i tic lly E gli h , m r p to lly b ti l, o r mo re. full o f ass ocia tions w ith grea t na mes in

a e e a f ew em liter tur tha n th Upper River . Till a o the es s s s Us g thirty mil o f wift, trong runs betw ee n Lechlade and Oxfo rd f atmest u n

n n— n no n a e s si k ow u k w , t l a t, were the scenes of the passage o f mighty f ro m o ne a the a gre t ch u r ch to anether . In p lm days o f tra flic al o f the Thames and which Pope wrote In 172 2. Lo rd Bat 52 BY THE BANKS OF THE UPPER THAMES

“ as au u as and e u u be tif l it w as to Pope, of th f t re and as y et vis io nary beau ties that are to r ise in " these scenes so mething is no w vis ible the palace a is i a vi o ns a ar e er th t to be bu lt, the p li th t to glitt ,

he eo lo a o r n e are t nnades th t are to ad th m there, as r b u u has o the poet p edicted ; t, tho gh it c me to

s n a nd e rn c pa s , the meeti g of the Th mes a S ve , whi h (w hen the noble o wner has fin er drea ms tha n or di ' nary) ar e to be led into each o ther s embr aces throu gh secr et ca verns of no t a bove tw elve or fifteen miles till they r ise and celebrate thei r ma rr iage in the midst o f an immense amphithea tre w hich is to b e the admi r ation of po s ter ity a hundr ed yea r s ” en e is a r afi air a t d n h c , humd um bes t an quite u

' w r o f Mr . s fi ne r in . ir s r o thy Pope w it g C ence te , with

s ns has a a its the little tream that ru by it, ch rm of

o wn.

D u r ing the las t f ew yea r s the r i ver below Lech a has n a and e and u r s in l de bee cle red dr edg d , the co e many pa r ts has been sho r tened by new cu ttings to get r id of awkward cur ves . This has no t rea lly in

ter f ered w a o f he s o u ith the be uty t tream, th gh all so rts of objectio ns might ha ve been made to any su ch n has a a e. a u r e a t th e as tre tme t of N tur N t , le t, no t n s r B a bee low to eass ert her r u le . u t bove le ch

r h s n e a s l lade the rive a bee l ft lmo t to iwe f . Her e and there the w eeds are cut ; they ou ght to be

w r e ar e no h is l every he e, but th y t. T at a l tha t has And u s o been done . th it is no t f te n tha t a heat can and through sedge and The annot

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

up from a nes t of trees across the broa d meadows. When y o u come close to it you see three tr im gar

no s n n he s r . dens, yet t too trim, de ce di g to t t eam Old s s ar e o ne a n s a grey hou e behind, with qu i t window th t y o u may see glimpses of through the bush es ; and there is wha t may be the ruin of an old mansio n j us t an n s a a fin e l o n n h gi g over the tre m, mul i ed wi dow

se in n o ld s o ne a . w as a o u se t a t w ll It h , they say ,

W E D.

o f n as ere the Ea r ls of Lancas ter. John of Gau t w h er a s and nr r as in his o n n p h p , He y of De by w w cou try when he made Rich ard do Vere fly f o r his life at

a . en o s n s r in R dcot Se fr m the tream , which be d he e a ra r m g ceful cu ve , Ke psford is almost the mos t a a o n a s— m be utiful vill ge the Th me the t houses h' a see o f th t you it, with the 1 r ove them . BY THE BANKS OF THE UPPER THAMES

s n a is place, howi g this very point, where a bo t dra wing to the bank and a lady is a nxious to s enter, but a Doctor of Divinity (who mu t cer inl be i r s no t a Dr . Po r o a t y tp pe Dr. G ter, if he be

F llio Dr. o tt) is clearly appr ehens ive o f the res ult. h n r n d s a w T e the rive wi ds an turns, and is no w h llo d s an a no s r . a bro d, w wift, na r ow, deep The b nk ar e ne e i and ar e v r h gh , there few by them ; covered ever ywher e with flowers

“ s o E mm sn o w W , o r You no hou o the a n rc as e you c me to qu i t chu h of C tl Eato n, s stan ding just above the tr ea m. It is a strong n a f o r a buildi g, well c red , built t fir s t when the

57 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

n a s s the gree me dow , the wift stream and the solitu de s r s upply the pe fect etting. A f ew houses of the picturesque village y o u may see as y o u pull o n under the bridge. Then again you are away from all s ight s n men s or ou d of . lowly making w ay round in

W E .

numerable bends of thestru m till y o u come to when you can the gateposts which ar e all that are left

of the beautifu l Eliza bethan hall o f Water Ea ton . A mile more and there is the little footbridge of E ise and s an n a a n s ta in a m y , by it, t di g g i oli ry 58

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

The d c r es ead are sleeping in their sepu l h . A nd mo as t s ee a th r in so u nd . u lder ing hey l p. ill g , Ha t sen o u o th dar ness stir s l se, half th ght, am ng e k . s ar o u nd Br eathed f ro m thei r w o r niy beds all li ving thi ng . And mi ngling w i th th e s till night and the mu te sky I ts a u u wf u l h sh is f elt ina dibly .

us so emn zed an so f n ea t s Th l i d te ed, d h i mild And ten o r-less o n this serenest night Her e co u d I o e e so me n u r c d l h p , lik i q i ing hil S or t n o n v a ea e u man si t p i g gra es , th t d th did hid fr om h gh Sw ee t secrets o r bes ide its breathless sleep

That lo vliest dreams per p etu al w atch did keep .

But the r ea l inter est of the Thames for pietnr ~ es u e ess s n as q n and liter ar y as o ciatio , as well for a n As o u r o w n bo ti g, begi ns w ith Lechlade . y dow s n r e and the hallow strea m from Hanni ngto B idg , pass the quai nt old r ou nd hou se at I nn tha t a s he r r o u m rk the j u nction of the canal with t ive . y come in sight o f o ne o f these entirely har monio u s pictures w hich till the ey e and mind with a complete

sa is a o n o f s s a nd ar . t f cti soft, o o thi ng stillnes ch m

I n r n s r t s he r r n f r a s o r s a f o t t e che t ive , o w o h t p ce c ar and r a an e r r ees le b o d , d p eping f om the t come the gabled roofs o f the little to wn and the tall

r s n he u h g aceful pi re o f Lechlade ch u r ch. I t ch rc ar o u ses ad y d , with its sober se venteenth centu ry h

o n n e n encr o a n o n the sa r n su r j i i g, ve chi g , c ed e clo e , s o e e and a r es a n and to d Sh ll y Mary , Ch l Cl irmo t Thomas Love Peacock o n the Septembe r night in “ 18 15 s n a , when the perfect u mmer eveni g medit

n w as w r n o n The ew s s a n no w as tio itte d w . y t d

s s and il they tood w hen Shelley aw them , d l the “ aerial pile shines in the setting su n .

as n n and as s u . The scene is lo vely ew as the , re tf l There is a melancholy in the thou ghts which seem 6 0 BY TH E BANKS OF TH E UPPE R THAME S to spring from the still and narro w stream which flo ws below Lechlade which touch es no w as it moved

. B u t o n o n is r Shelley the expediti the river , pe haps, no t o n a n i s s no all fte t ke n uch a pirit. Indeed, t the party which rowed u p and do wn in 18 15 wer e in meditative n . Did no t Peacock pers uade Shelley to give u p his diet of br ead and butter f o r peppered n ch s mutto op , till the

' m s men s. J OHN S w en. t ea . healthy p ion o f the antu mn upon his counts ” “ m r s w as e nance d vigo ou ly , ch erful, merry, an " a wi th animal s pirits If C r otchet ms n x ea m r m u y late , p i

Bl BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

' u mo r o u s s n s a n . B s eco omy, h rp , i h tyle u t Peacock imagi na r y par ty made their jou r ney in very diff er ent sort fr o m that in which he himself had u nder taken “ u r u i a in nna s o n r it. Fo bea t ful c b ed pi ce , e f o the es o n f o r th e n n o ne ladi , e ge tleme , for kitc hen and

n s o ne f o r a n n - r and a n serva t , di i g oom b d of music,

l in s r o f No wer e no t at al the pi it Shelley. r cou ld such luxurious vessels no w ascend o r descend the s u s n ne o rs s tream. We m t co fi u elve to humbler " n a din he o r a a - o r cr aft ; a ca oe , g y , h lf ut igged pair can e I n are all tha t w e g t for the work . any of these o ne ca n go from Oxfo r d to Lechlade and back with ease and leis ure in th r ee days ; i ndeed it can be

n in o . ns is r n b u inn do e tw The expe e t ifli g, t the keepers o n the banks are beginning no w to raise “ " s s their price . The charm of the tripling Thames is in is be g d covered. A few miles below Lechlade is the little village of s a f u and u a Kelm cott. It is delight l q int little ham an no a a r r s r s s in i let, d w th t Willi m Mo i e t ts qu iet r ma la amo H is churchya d it y c im to be a f us o ne. gr ave lies just by the str agglin g hedge at the sou th ' s o f u s as an s s n ea t the ch rch , imple y ru tic , a d w ith a plain straight slab to mar k w ho lies beneath the

r . u is a o ne ann u tu f The ch rch th t, c ot do bt, which Mor r is had in his mind when he wr ote the las t

r his N ews Fr m N where so s chapte of o o , tr angely

a n n as set f o r a a as f o r he im gi i g it vill ge fe t, w as n u u r his e s blind i deed to the f t e, though ye wer e O n s ever pe to the pa t. n n u sa s s We we t i to the ch rch , he y , which w a a simple little bu ilding with o ne aisle divided fr om na r r u n ar es a an e an the ve by th ee o d ch , ch c l , d a a ans f o r so s a a u n r ther roomy tr ept m ll b ildi g, the 6 2 BY THE BANKS OF THE UPPER THAMES windows mostly o f the grac efu l Oxfordshire four~ en s o a h teenth c tury type . There wa n modern rc i tectu ral decor atio n in it ; it looked indeed as if none

MANOR. had been attempted since the Puritans whitewashed " a va sain s and histo r o n e medi e l t iw th wall.

o s 8 . So it l ok new . Geor ge is its saint ; it was 6 3 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD said some windo w s w ou ld be set u p to the memo r y o f the o e wh o s s o u s e and n e w o u p t leep t id , i d ed it ld be o a a e s s his o r g od to h ve S . Geor ge th r e u ch a w k men o s w u a . o u s i s m o r e o f ld m ke The h e , w ith t em i

an o ss and o r r s mse is o ne o f se D te R etti M i hi lf, tho qu iet places which the poet lo ved to f a ncy li ning all “ the an s s s c e w ere b k . It tand by a r ea h o f th river h o n the s ide of the tow ing path [is ] a highish bank a w s o r s and with thick hi per ing bed f eed befo re it, o n s a r an l the other ide highe b k, c othed with wil lows that dip into the str ea m and crow ned by an " cient elm trees ; and thi s is how it is described in a n Letter Mar the ch rmi g s to co. I never saw an o ld hou se so lovingly and ten der ly fitted up and ca r ed f o r as this o ne ; the per fect

as and n o f he u u n s t te keepi g t f rnit r e and hangi g . and the way in which the o r igina l beau ti es o f the ho u s e had been pr es er ved w as i ndeed a lesso n to be r em er The in s s s ns in em b ed . w do w eat had c u hio

e o r s ea u u e n he o ld th m, the flo were b tif lly cl a , t boa rds by no means disgu ised o r di s fig u r ed w ith s a n o r arn s and s o r o f a s and t i v i h , w ith r ight t m t

a r ts er e w an ed o me line o d a e s r b e c pe wh t . S l t p t y longing to the hou se s till h u ng o n the w all s in o ne r and e u r n u r e r o u o u w as s m e in oom , th f it th gh t i pl

a r nd no ver r o o r r s u s ch racte a t o c w ded . M i took

o he a s w er e he in es ca n u p int t ttic , h delighte d d ting o n the sp lendid old w o o dw o r k displayed in the tr u ss~ in and s a n o f h e r o o f m er s a g t yi g t ti b . We paid

s the ar n w c w as e u vi it to g de , hi h k pt p w ith some s and as and o n o ne a ew w as kill t te, hedge , clipt y , the fo r m of a dr agon w hich Mo r r i s had amu sed

s a a e o n the c r him elf by gr du lly d vel pi g with lippe . “ I n s w c r r s and he had dis the hou e , hi h Mo i 6 4 BY THE BANKS OF THE UPPER THAMES

o s a f o r s e ar s an e a c vered , t yed om ye D t G briel

o M . l s sse . N w r s ia o r r s Ro tti Wi l m M i live ther e, and the ho u se gives as bea u tifu l an example of reveren tial ho mely inhabiti ng o f an o ld dw elling - place as s The o ne may wi h to see. w hitewashed ceilings and ' s r s u ff s o f Mr o s s w all hung with b ight t . M r r i o w n

es nin th e ar a r s a an a es h e d ig g , ch cte i tic J cobe t p tr y , t

o u r - s r u r u s r in gl omy fo po te bed with c io ca vings , w sse s the e s s n s hich Ro tti lept, y w , the i gle dahlia , — and the tr im walks in the gar den all combine to r make a pe fect pictu r e . Per haps there is no t such n n ano ther hou se i E gland . Th ere ar e many large u s s a hear ir an i n ho e th t the tiqu ty obly, but here is ’ an old yeoman s dwelling in which at a thou ght one ' n ne s se in a s r may fa cy o lf the d y of g eat Elizabeth . s his o n u s It is u rely of w ho e that Mr . Morris writes in News Fr om Nowher e r as b u Eve ywhere there w t little furniture, and that only the mo st necessar y and of the simplest s e r a a an o o f na n fo rm . The xt v g t l ve or me t which I had noted in this people elsewher e seemed here to have given place to the feeling that the house itself and its associa tions w as the o r nament of the cou ntr y l ife amidst which it had been left stranded fr o m o ld es and a o tim , th t to re r nament it wo uld but take s s s o aw ay it u e a a piece f natu ral beau ty. is th e e u s f o r a and er ar e It v ry ho e poet, th e many traces in his w r itings o f h o w m u ch Rossetti

I n r s lo ved it . wi nte o r u mmer alike th e river

r o s nc an e a r r o - a r u s w i g wth e h t d him , the w he d h th “ s o v s a fi o f sso u s e a e s e r it l ely t blo m j t lik littl c pt e , o r o n shor e the lo w meadows

Wher e th e dr ained fi o odlands flau nt their mar igo lds

6 5 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

' e s r s once in th regi te of S . Joh n College at Oxford r an e f o r s o n u w as a n as eprim d d mi c d ct, vic r duri g th e Commo nwealth ; but the parish w as co nservative in

u r a rs and no s r Ch ch m tte , did t regret thi depa ture o a d ss n and a a is s 50 it abh rred i e ter p p t. 8 0 late a 1 7 he c ard ns r esen e o as n s o t Chur hw e p t d Th m Newma , h e “ a r as a s r o I n the a r an r m ke , p pi t by ep rt. ye of d ge

1 745 t e en ted w ar d u n e rd J a , h y p H g rfo , ,

s o “AB DOCK r en w NEAR HYTHE.

s w as u r n n as r a r Thi d i g the reig , vica , of Ch les li nell s w ho w as a s o ar y , l vic of Banbu ry, and claimed o a r o n t be E l f Ba bury. I n the Chu r ch ther e are some f

+ -a 1 are mostly covered . Here lies the

tea s a Hop , a tangled negotiations with Spain from 16 34 . The n l a lady Elinor e Hunger ford too has a otab e epit ph,

1 591 .

- s Bis hone nu pta lu i genero sis stir pe mat iti , a a ter er at : Alter eu lm miles, rmiger l c u Sneva oed er lpu lt mihi more par du l e viror m,

E x vidu a spo ns am f ecit at ease 51 mm P m V ta erenn s llle 11 16 11111 Decu s es t, men ax, ea i P i ,

Nee mihi post vidufe fl eb ile no men cr it.

RAW N CASTLE.

Peacefulness is the characteristic of all this land s u n s Thame n i that urro d the a eve to C renm ter , save for some bleak land that li between Fair fom' d ' and ts s the Co wold capital,

fertility, BY THE BANKS OF THE UPPER m m co Bu it is ntr pses, the hau nts o f ancient peace. t a co u y

bov and ther e is a gr eat contr as t. The land s e the valley of the Windr ush is no t at all like that tha t fr inges the Coln or the Thames Go back to Cire n cester o i s s and , or follow up the Col n t t ource, you canfind y o u r self in almost a new co u ntr y .

“ f; down as we near Ox f erd we are is the z! M of the Scholar Gapsy and O f Thi n k

w a s .

to o s as l as r r c n w em , hi to we l lite a y, that li g th s s b e thirty mile of river . It w a a t the gm t A b y u !

ns a l s in a c o t Ey h m, g to R lph de Di et . that i. “ugh of Avalon w as ele c Bishop o f u Henry H

s v n o t c mu t ha e every inch of the neighh mrlu nu l. ’ ea r e us his d o n o f e b u r h lo n H n , e iti William of N w g . a a ea “ l rned disgu isitio n o h Fai r at ml-Um.

s a s w as which t nd no , it hm canal fu r and w ith its cu ria as triangu lar 7 1 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

s i s o n Ma 27 16 44 buttresses, there w as a k rmi h y , , a the day after Essex had occu pied Abingdon. R dcot 20 was the scene of the decisive fight o n December , 1 8 u a w as 3 7, when Robert de Vere, D ke of Irel nd, r r and n met by the troops of the Ea l of De by, o ly saved himself by swimming his horse acr oss the river. The marshes where many of his men were ” ' n s ni drow ed ar e still, m p1te of m

s ” w 1 7‘ sf under water. The bridge i a

n is s of work, a d it

as o ne stands in the pretty gar den of at n T th excelle t ma , he A few miles f u r thes do is w 0“ w w Duxford, hem w ell in hot parsmt

i o f l s in 16 49. f; the e veller Here, n a s ar e a s a la d of b ttle , but they b ttle lo ng go .

M k is a pretty pic ' H lart s Weir a i b e bewailed . a quaint 72 BY TH E B ANKS OF TH E UPPER TH AM S

i r s nav gation, You may row for hou without seei ng a an n and s s an on an s hum bei g, the cow that t d the b k in th e s a l s s r s as or h l o w look at y o u with u pri e, though they were no t often dis tur bed by a passing boat. The chur ches scattered along the sides of the str eam b u ar e small and o ften f ar f ro m any village, t n t o ne is with ou t an n e st o f its o wn, Shifi ord o i t re At , a tiny building in a little churchyard stands d b u one he in s as : r y with t ight, it a t there is a quaint record of wor hy lady,

English yeoman as good su bstance and an i to h gh German gentleman, Mr . So nnibanke n a i , e r of k n unto the Duke of

in exeellent r kept orde , there is a lovely window in

But after all th e char m o f the voyage is in theriver One feels like the wanderer in

73 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

Thr ou gh pleasant banks the qu iet stream ent w nd n easant W i i g pl ly, By f r agrant flr - gr o ves no w it passed

And no w r u a - th o gh lder sho r es . Thr ou gh green and f ertile meado ws no w I t s n ile tly r an by . ’ The fl a - fl w r bl g o e osso m d o n its side, The w illo w tresses w aved ; The flow ing cu r rents f u r r o w ed r o u nd ’ The w a ter lily s floating leaf .

On thr o u gh beds of weeds and past islands co ver ed

a o - s and a u r o se - s r e with me d w weet the t ll p ple lo t if ,

B OW NE W B I EL R DGE. with no so und b u t the hu m o f the myr iad insects and u r u r s u m r o u s w r s r o u the m m of l be ei , th gh s o f u ass n no w and en a s a e flock white d cks, p i g th t t ly s an and a a n a m o o r en ves o r w , while ever g i ti id m h di — a br ight kingfisher dar ts acr o ss the str eam it is a m f r u r n and su as is no t gli pse o peacefu l , al E gl ch so n r n o fo gotte . Year by year the nu mber o f vo yager s seems to

n r as b u t s o and as a o a r so r i c e e, l wly, h lid y e t 74 BY TH E BANKS OF TH E UPPE R TH AME S

this discovery ta kes place it may be heartily com ' mended to all who like a week s quiet in a countr y

s n s ar e no t n . o f pecu liar char m. The di ta ce lo g It a e a is 313 miles f rom Folly Br idge t Oxford to L chl de, t but the journey is gener alLv begun a Medley, which

Bablock 1 1 15 a 2 Hythe i, New Bridge , T dpole 2, and

r iver trip u be ; and the ex pe need no t be mor e

75

MA ET LACE m mr xx e CAM PDEN . RK P ,

CHAPTER V

C HIPPING OAMPDE N AND TH E COTSWOLD GAM ES

HERE can har dly be a to wn in the dis trict that would better serve f o r a type o f the bis tori cal and architectural interest which belongs to the fri nges of the Cotswolds than Chipping Camp n I has n n a and de . t ever bee gre t it certainly never

can ns n an . I ts ar nd be i ig ific t chitecture, domestic a n s a s n r i o f ecclesiastical , belo g lmo t e ti ely to the per od o lmer ch an s r en e u r thegreat w o t , f om the d of th fo teenth n nnin o f s n n ce tury to the begi g the eve tee th , CHIPPING CAMPDEN and then the gr adual dwi ndling into somnolent has o e o s mediocrity. Bu t nothing t uch d the h u es. o n n The high stree t has hardly its su per i r i E gland. ' Here ar e the fi ne o ld gabled ho uses o f Elizabeth s a s end n o w s and s me o o r w a s o f d y , two pl id wi d o d y f r ew t en u r a a ans s e s ad the ou t h c t y, bro d exp e , om p re ’ n s a a s I s and ing chest ut , market hall of Ch rle time,

C AM PB E S .

The almshouses tha t stand o n higher ' o w n e a ea i so ear th church , b ut ful row of lid

s s d m . s o f hou e near, great an and the ruins al o the s o f r s s o u n s hou e the fi t Vi c t , bur nt in the Civil

79 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

ns the extremity of the garden of the old ma ion. It “ o u r oo r —a ar is a large gazeb , the ppe fl l ge room o s—r a e r rr with fi ve wi nd w e ch d f om the te ace, the

o o o s o r s r an s o r e o s lower divided int r m f e v t gard n to l . It is just su ch a hou se as the biogr aphers describe ' s a e n w o u Sir Thoma More s to h v bee , to hich he w ld

s n s u and r a r . its retire for seclu io , t dy p ye From windows may be seen the beau tifu l vale which s s n e and stretches ea tward to Eve lod Daylesford . a e au i u s a n There could hardly be mor be t f l itu tio . It is within the protection of the hills and yet with a

on s a o f a nd an e o i th e l g vi t meadow woodl d b f re t, rich slo pes which are the cha racteris tic fea tures of

“ ” s n an u - s the di trict. A other b q et hou e complete d

the old garden at the other end. Campden has b ar dly a house that is no t str ong and s s d and f ew s ub tantial to ay, eem to have needed the tho rou gh resto ration w hich has been given to the has n s ch u rch . The inte rior bee craped so as to show bare s o s in t difi erent s the t ne heir hapes, a most s s u ncomely expo ure, urely never designed by the s The s is a s builder . out ide lmo t exactly like the other ea the w oo lsta lers r t gr t church of p , No hleach . and is o a sta s e n and h t ric lly nd betw e it Fai r fo rd . It is a li ne unifo r m—Perpendicular w or k with b u t ver y slight additio ns a f ew Jacobean tu rrets and an u gly

- es at no r eas . The s en o w r v try the th t pl did t e , a st n in e an s a f o r s riki g object th l d c pe mile , is a hu ndred n an er an and twe ty feet high , gr d th tha t of Nor th

' loar hm nd sugges ting in difl erentw ay s Magdalen to wer at Oxford and th e to wer s in n the highe t Cor wall. s ess f o r th e ssi dignity and j o yfu lne s, the fitn expre on o f a common co r po rate inter est that Willi am Morr is thou ght of as per i sh ing at the Renaissance. The great Perpendicu lar ch u r ches o f the Co tswolds ar e

r s o f a n r s the chu che commo life, if eve uch there be,

a a a . And expansive yet comp ct, l rge, liber l, homely the chur ch o f Campden mu st rank among their

best. r is ar n as u Histo y cle ly to be read withi witho t. It u he a n u s r il s is the ch rch of t loc l i d t y, bu t like tho e of Northleach o r Fairford at the height of pr os

r i and w n sias a es w as e pe ty , he the eccle tic l tate p pu

r mo n mass s. er ar e e la a g the e The cl gy they, wrot ’ ne an s r r in nr V I I s r n the Ve ti ob e ve , He y eig , who bear sw ay in w ar and peace ; but it w as the r ich

mer n s r in r and n s ho s cha t , thei k d ed frie d , w to od by them till the need o f Refor mation gr ew too n r e e n he u rgent to be ig o d ve by t middle class. Th e brasses and the mo nu ments r epeat the story of s he n r end o f ar i th e w all . At t o th the alt s the tomb Sir mas m o r o f the ano r o f a n of Tho S ith , l d m C mpde , er ff o f u ces rs r tw ice High Sh i Glo te hi e , a member o f “ w u ncil o f a es and a o r r the Oo W l , c u tie fr om his ” “ ” H e in 1 593 and his effi ies s you th . died , g lie in r o n a u r u s ma r ss w armou c io tt e , hile below him

u n the ss u see s o f es mo r i e, it m , three wiv . Th e n res n o u are are f br asses, i te ti g th gh they , ar infer ior

n liae. H e in 1 g died 401 , and f e a r o n i 1 3 e r his w i M i a n 86 . N a him ar e William “ " a l u o n am m r a o r istiu s villas s W l ey, q d e c t , who e is also 1401 and n Leth ew ar d 14 , Joh , 6 7. The

o f w oo lmer chants isa ar s in o n d ppe J h Martin, 8 1 r BY THAME AND COTSWOLD

e 1757 w s is s m rcer. , ho e florid epitaph upported by ilt~ hair ed r s and w s s n is s g che ub , ho e o imply ca lled ” n an s s ge tlem of thi pari h. But the inter est of the local industr y is supple . w an a s r ea ted by glimp e of the g ter world. I n the southern cha pel lie the ponderous rec u mbent marbles o f Sir a s ss s n a n B pti t Hick , Vi cou t C mpde , who died n 6 9 H is i a as i 1 2 . wife El z beth w da ughte r to ’ a Ma a n r n Land s L dy y . lifelo g f ie d of , who ga ve a b enefice in 1 6 37 to his college. They lie together s in their robes of ta te. and on the wall beside them n n s s Sir s n a ope tomb how Edward Noel , Vi cou t n his w u ana in s Campde , and ife J li , their hrouds. J u liana w as the elder of the two daughte rs of Bap

e i and an r s n . ti t H ckss , took the m o to her hu ba d Their grandson w as creaMd Earl of Gainsbor ough in at o at nnin 16 82 . He died Oxf rd the begi g of the s n late fatal civil war , whither he we t to assist his and so sovereign prince Cha rles I, w as exalted to the kingdom o f glory Da me Juliana lived till after the Restora tion to set up this great memorial ar ar e tw o ar n s s o f her husband . Ne ch mi g bu t , the ne w is n ins cr iption to o of hich worth quoti g. It eneio e Noel “ r eco rds the vir tu es of P p , the M ax

sa n ea o s sweetnefi e of her co nver tio . her z l u afi oetio n f e r a s and r c e s ar his w y , dropt thei te re e e t d thi m ble s to the deare memo r ie o f their u nval u able los e .

- r t Su pt ra mteam sider a o na . The family o f H ickes w ere good fr iends to the w as Sir Ba church . It p tiet w ho gave the fine brass lecte r n in 16 18 and the handsome oak nd in 1708 r pulpit, a the e H ickes w ho died Henr y , had been Vica r f o r fifty and “ ntr a ta m year s. co pseudo C a tholicos qu a m n u pcr os novato r es intre

p idu e cinder . r h The Gr amma Sc ool , a bea u tifu l fro nt facing

s is o r the str eet, ha a h t y too ; and in the seven teenth centu r y it w as o ne of trickery and idle n i s ness. Amo g ts usher P URC . EAGLE. CHIPPI NG CAM DEN CH H w as a n a rece t Dean, p nte as a in M r poi d boy, 1836 , aster , Robe t Smith ,

and n u £20 a . e receivi g, it wo ld seem , a ye r Lik

an the l a sc s s e n r e m y of oc l hoo l , it h a rec ntly bee

i ed and s o . v v , hould have a br ight fu ture bef re it Campden lies at the edge o f the dis trict we h ave

s e c e . o n n e e es w a k t h d G i g the c to th Tham , by the y that saw many marches and al arms during the Civil W o ne asses r a r ises ar , p Sto w o n the Wo ld . The o d a ea a o e a en and o ne se s to gr t height b v C mpd , e the

w er ro a w a u and th e no r - eas a to of B d y Ch rch , , to th t, 83 BY THAMES AND COTSW OLD

o n s r e c o f er t e o u n r n l g t t h f il c t y e ded by Edge Hill . Then th e w ay r u ns th r o u gh fi ne w o ods and between ar s o r i and a s o r and a n p k , N thw ck B t f d C mpde House , and n r ses a a n e n the i g i to th hill tow of Stow. Here u r h w and o n a the ch c , ell kept pe (like C mpden) all da s s s n o f he a ar n y , pre erve omethi g t ppe a ce of the s f s h churche o ixty years since . It as some charming little eighteenth centu r y u rns and sla bs with elegant Latin inscr iptions to a family that long gave Rectors

a r s . r u o n s u s to the p i h A C cifixi , gge tive in some n s an e nd ns poi t both of V dyk a Rube , the wor k of r de r a r an s o n s Pete C ye , h g the outh wall . It has snfi ered r o ne r a s i a n f m glect, pe h p lltre tme t too, but

a n a s s n o n it cert i ly dd di ti cti to the church. Ther e is o ne in ter estin g histo r ical memor y of this s r w a a r sa s n a di t ict, hich I h ve l eady id omethi g bout, s r but which i wo th a few mor e words. It belongs “ " a s to the once f mou Cotsw old games .

As o u s s y de cend the teep hill fr om Campden, s a r o es e is an t r r a through h dy g v . to your l ft o he g e t

l in a s o f W es to w s b - and o u hil . the p ri h u Edge, ab t a

r o a e er w as h a o o er mile f m the vill g . H e it t t R bert D v , ea in the se en e n u r e an o se rly v t e th cent y , b g th Olim pick games whi ch he designed f o r the training o f the yo u th in manly s po rts and f o r har mlesse mir the " a nd o llitie to t e Fo r o ea s j h neighbou rho o d. f rty y r he ms a r r o s H e 16 6 2 hi elf c ied n the game . lived till , and the a es n o n 1 851 en er g m we t till , wh they w e s u r esse Act o f r en a was a ime pp d by Pa liam t. Th t t , o ne u s sa o f f o as m t y , when a grea t deal lly w per

e r a ed an f u o ld st s. p t t , d a grea t many delight l cu om

o ne ea s ss ese o ld a s ! were d to d th . Why u ppre th g me They were su ppo sed to do har m to th e neighbo urk

~ oo s c s es w er a . h d , e pe ially after ho r e rac e llowed It 84

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD is r a b u w h n o ve y likely th t they did , t y were they t co ntr olled r a ther than abo lished ! It is that fo o lish impatien ce w hich has do ne so mu ch har m all the r s s w or ld ove . How ab u r d to think that all the Ju tice Shallows of the neighbo u r hood could no t have a o a s a d a a a n brought b ck the go d d y , n m de them g i w hat they were befor e the time spoken of by An ho n w n l r n w as n t y Wood , he the rasca ly ebellio begu s r ans u s i by the Pre byte i , who p t a top to the r pro ceedings and spoiled all that w as genero u s o r ia n e ge ien elsewhere . Per haps some day some ingenio us person may N o ne h f o r r estore them . ow as to lo ok r thei mem

r as n in o and ld ne s r s o i o ly bo ks o w pape . At the top

r is a s memo al o e r o f of the hill the e vi ible ri , h w ve ,

s Kif s pas t day . The tsgate stone mar k the bou nd ar u n r i c y of the h d ed n w hi h the games w er e held.

a a ss h a e is f o u fi n Aw y cro t e v ll y Ki tsga te C r t, a e c ass a o u se in a a n en os o n and b l ic l h m g ific t p iti , e hind it a heaven - kissi ng hill f ro m w hich y o u may see he r in a ll s c t g eates t view the di tr i t . I n 16 36 w as pu bli shed that ente r ta ining vo l u me

’ A m a lia Du bm m a in c er e rs the , whi h w ve es to co mme ra a es and r u n mo te the g m thei fo der, wr itten as sa se er a s a o Wood id by v l poet , mong w h m wer e ” h es o f he na o n s c c the c ief t t ti , u h as Mi hael Dray

te n and B en o nso n . w as a s a o a le n J It l o l c l col ctio , f o r th e a o r i o f th e w r r s in m j ty ite lived the Cotsw olds, “ and it w as thr o u gho u t o f the natu r e o f an E u co mi s ick to o u r w o r f r en Mr o er a t thy i d . R b t Do ve r " o n his f a u s Ann u all ss m s a mo A e blie t Co tsw o ld. Some o f the ver ses ar e qu ite go o d : they ar e all

u a n and c ar a e r s c . O ne w r r an o q i t h ct i ti ite , Oxf r d o r sa w thy, ys 86 la m a “ L “ w m fl

M me-y

" t 9 l , 2—7 g] G, a E i ‘l

I l L

v ‘ i v v a w

' o - u

onou r h cr ied Dom on th e do wm , a r e h t ey . to

87 needs mo ve the J u atice and his f x-iends farther w est

' wu da I canno t give u p for Shakespear e s eou ntr y its ’ s an sham in Shakespear e lo ve of hom st spor t. M y a time he rode ou t f r o m Str atf or d w ith haw k o r

- h 1 do . B i he never ou nd, no t dou bt u t of ho rse rac ng w say s a ord. “ ” “ nnin - s s n is the The ru g hor e. say Mr . Madde , m l w in hose do in s a e y ho r ee in hm and w g , Sh k speam too km intemsh and the ho r se- r aee is the o nly

in his u e a r f and h e w r itings . It is tr th t the Tu t f r w ic thoroughbred are ins titutions o f la ter da te, o h h

ar e n s no t to the Tu do rs. we i debted to the Stuart , I t is tr u e that these ins fi tu tions had not as y eh filled the co u n r i h u n d amblers and fiooded the t y w t r i e g ,

s - a in a hor e m rket with worthless weeds, order th t her e and ther e a ho r se might be bred of the rares t a o r a s ar n o n power to g ll p f o couple of mile , c ryi g ” his a a a b ck boy or attenuated man. Somewh t s a s in and - r h rp thi , I th k ; , afte r all, hor se races we e ' a n in a s r s popul r eve Sh ke pea e days, though he

n a o o a t s tur ed aw y from them t ther spor ts. So fir t did Mr. Dover. It w as no t f o r some year s that s was as Cot wold , the poet hath it,

' rostr ate to th - P h o fl es o f his Ai re trampling Nagge.

“ Yet the sports could vie with those of famou s " Spain . Their jous ts were

no bette r than o u r r iso n as e P b . What is the B ar r ier s bu t a Co u r tly w ay

Of o ur more do wne r t s o - igh p r t, the (Ju dged play ! Foo tsbs ll w ith us may b e wi th them Balc o ne ; ' ‘ As the at l ilt so w e at u mm r u y Q nne. C H IPPING CAMPDE N s s e w s s s s ay tha t th y ere football, kittle , quoit , hovel a cu d ell and s n s i l a n bo rd . g . i gle t ck ; bu l b iti g, cock n w n s n a n an in fighti g, bo li g, wre tli g, le pi g, d c g. pitch in the bar s - a in in n s n g , hor e r c g, r gi g of bell , jumpi g " in s s e a ar en ack , tc , l ge ough selection even without “ " e c and n a n the t , co t i ing some games which were u much better left o t.

“ So they lasted o n till there came to o much Art “ ” to corr upt their Simplicity e ; and it w as the o r ganizatio n o f horse - racing f o r the benefit o f gambler s a no r u a o u i th t dou bt b o ght b t the r ruin . Yet it is asan n o f in e r nn n ple t to thi k them th i begi i g. with

. and n Mr Dover, the delightful Endymio Porte r of e o n and B nd a n and n Mickl t , en Jonson a Dr yto , eve Shakespea re himself r iding throu gh the woods in s n a pri g to m ke spor t. And what a land it is to r ide throu gh ! The

' ntr a cou y bout Dover s hill is delightful. I have

ad sa so r i alre y id mething a bou t it. Ce ta nLy I cannot s r a i de c ibe h lf ts bea uties .

is a r o ne s e s and It borde land . On the id , outh s ar s we tw d , you ha ve the hills and downs consec rated to the Cotswold sheep to- day an d to the h u nting and a w n es o h ki g of old tim . To the no r th y u ha ve the au ar ic s r n s n r s e be tiful W w k hi e la e . a cou t y of h ltering

s . I n are fine r e o tree both the g y h uses, with thei r

a es and e r u o ns b u s g bl th i thick m lli , t the etting is

u f er e n a nd a s q ite di f t, the w y by w hi ch y o u a ppr oach e ar e u e ff er n o o th m q it di e t t . I think there is no clea r er di vidi ng line than tha t w hich comes by Chip

n a den sta n. As co e o pi g C mp tio you m fr m the east, ’ to e r ses o ver s nd ere e the l ft i D hill , a th th country has a o u c o f ea n t h bl k ess. To yo ur right the trees

ide the le ar w c s ir e v es n s in the h litt W i k h illag , e tling 89 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

s r in s o n the s . E h valley , o per ched the thicket hill n n n is n a ri gto may be a example. It o hill from which y o u get a glor iou s view of meadows and stretc hing al s n a as ! a one v ley . The church crowns all, a d, l th t s s is r n nd sa n in a n hould ay it, it fo lor a for ke cou try ' s wher e God s hou se is usually so well kept. Re tored

a in is b u c u so a ma cert ly it , t lo ked p, th t the people y n sa h r er s and an air o t go to y t ei pray there , with of br ow n ho lland and u ntidiness abo u t it all that goes to the ea n w fi nd h rt. If you ca get the key, you ill it no w o u n r s in a u r r is u t ith t i te e t rchitect e . The e m ch oo en en u r r and s r a a en s g d fifte th c t y wo k , ome re fr gm t

o f s a e n s n n gla s, prob bly G rma , o ne ho wi g the Mo th o f so w n his w ano r a s Octo ber i g heat, the with the rm

o f w as in s r a Henr y VII. It thi chu ch th t the grea t o s u e h e an as r an aw er Sir Jo hn F rte c , t loyal L c t i l y , u r a fine s r o n o f w as b ied . He left th t de c ipti the

n s na r as no a s u r b u le als et E gli h mo chy b ol te powe , t g

- liti m in n r as he r a n u s . po cu , co t t to t ty n y of Lo i XI Per haps f o r the fear of what he had written he w as allo w ed to die in peace in thi s f ar away village ; but

w as no t ms f r u n r rs a n it , it see , o two h d ed yea th t a y

nu en w as r o in mo m t e ected t his memo ry . Then , 16 77 Sir , Rober t Fo rtescu e set u p a gr eat tomb, with a figu r e o f the j u dge as the seventeenth centu r y anc n n e a set f ied him , and a fi ne flowi g Lati pit ph ,

w a u n an H r cw i tcs is o Sir ith b d t co nceits. yp e p s g od

n and u c is r n o e r r Joh , m h more. It ce ta i , h w ve , f om

w a n o n o sa s h o is r n n in h t A t y W od y , w v ited Eb i gto

16 76 a is , th t th Ca r oline tomb i ncor porates fr agmen ts o f an a r r o n n r h n e lie m ume t, f o t e w o r k of the fiftee th centu ry f o nt is like tha t o f the base u po n which the co lo ur ed efiigy no w r es ts ; and w hen Woo d saw th e “ tomb ther e w as th er eon the pr o po r tio n o f a man 90 CHIPPING CAMPDEN

”

n o n his a a in r a n o n r s. lyi g b ck , h bited ce t i l g obe The whole w as r es tored by Matthew Lor d Fortescue in 1 6 5 and n n u u r 7 , i deed it has bee to ched p f om time

has . Th e fin s to time. So th e church e oak ta lls survive only as w or ked into the ends of moder n

s su ff pews. Little that i old has been er ed to remain u except the pu lpit and the mon ments. These are Sir chiefly o f the family of Keyte . William Keyte in 16 32 and ten s Ma died , left the milk of cow from y “ 10 to November 1 to the poor of the parish for " e r Sir n a a ve . Joh Keyte his so n became b ro net at s r a i n n in 1 6 6 2 the Re to t o , dyi g ,

Qu i nu per is metib u s ex par te regis

Pro pr iis s umptibu s Hippar chu s tu it.

Of more moder n memorials o ne is attractive . It

is a sla o n ic a s u i the m rble b wh h J cob Mold, e q re, “ v n a l in 1 846 r s his Go er or of C pe Coas t Cast e , reco d " devoted a ttachment to thr ee maiden au nts . If y o u go fr om Ebringto n tow ards Mickleton you w ass o ne u a no r o u se r a s the s ill p beautif l m h , pe h p mo t a u in e is o a o n be utif l thos parts. It Hidc te B rtrim, w a i s n s n in the bro of hill , ts cool grey to e de ig ed the s s s w happie t tyle of the Caroline archite ct . It as in 16 6 3 r n s a r rs built , by F a ci Keyte, b other of the fi t " n r u s n baro et of Eb ingto n. Abo t thi there has bee a i n r i o n v r s a n h ghly e te tain ng c tro e y la tely . A cert i a h e in Tr ansa tions the Glen rc itect wrot , the c of ter hir A r ch l i S iet a r n css s e aeo og cal oc y , seve e i dict ” men t of the merciless mo der niza tio n of it. Also he gave so me o pinions as to the o ld ar rangements s en a e e n a and the alte r ation . Th c m th ow er, a e m n o f o r and s e a a le rn d a Oxf d, how d th t the rchi tect knew no t whereo f he talked ; a mighty facetious 91 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

w as . As o ne s i retort it to of tho e who l ved there , n A tony Wood had some strange things to say . f 3 ar 0 is Kif s e u r o s en . Not t gat Co t, n a pl did site

Below is Mickleto n. I ts chief fame per haps belongs to its connexion thr ou gh Richar d Graves with Shen s n w ho a n to e , wrote pretty Lati epitaph that is still

MI CK LRTO N.

B u t a so w as he r o f in the ch u rch . l it t bi thplace that

co nt o ersia s as er es W iddo w es a e o w itty r v li t M t Gil , f ll w

r f ar in a o f Or iel and Vica o S . M t t Car fa x in Oxford. H e w as the tuto r of the s till mo re famo u s and more

n e a s ia r nn e w learned co trov r si li t, Will m P y . wi th hom 92

BY THAMES I

Scar ce ar e su ch men t o Made and set u p by h is E u etts h is kindesman an J o hn Bo nner senio r T he 14

I do no t car e to add any pou nding o u t his r hymes t memor ial and lo I do em CHAPTER VI

LE C HLADE

HEN we have w a n d e r e d over the dis tr ict o n the long su m mer days there is many a spot to which W e often n s r eturn. Amo g the e s urely is the little to wn a of Lechl de, with the tiny villages that nestle h e s r a s n a by t t e m e r it, s s l and the old hou e , ful

o es a s an of mem ri , th t t d dotted abo u t th e fields

an s and a and a nd l e . Between Lechlade F irford,

s o r an n a w a e Kemp f d d Faringdo , e ch y th re happy sights to see and thoughts to r ecover fr om “ s u n r a w a is no t the pa t. Though the co t y th t y r a r o s n ar n r ema k ble , w ote William M rri e ly twe ty — year s ago and he knew the land so well ever y tu rn and every byway set me w lo nging to go af oot

r u u n r ne r s te in f o r a da a r th o gh the co t y, ve pp g y ; fte l fi ne a r st i e is the ro n o f ar in a l, a h ve t m c w the ye u c O n r a England ; there is so m h to l o o k at. the F id y 95 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

n n s a and a n we we t to I gle h m bove the Rou d House, o n a a s a s wh t might be c lled the uppere t Th me , for a a to at I n r h lf mile, look n chu ch , a lovely in s in s and s little build g like Kelm cott ize tyle, bu t " n s and n s in ha d omer with more old thi g left it. I n

INGW CHURCH.

n deed no w there are many old things lef t i it. is hardly su ch another church per haps in the It looks as if it had no t been

Anne sat o n the throne . It c all b e entury and fini shed ,

n s i r te n . wi dow , n the thi e th LECHLADE

the fine timber w o r k o f the age w hen the chu r ch w as m t a n r u e co ple ed, pl i t ssed r after s w ith th easter n po r

o n a ar n w l r ans r ti bo ded ceili g ith ight t verse ibs. On the south w all is a r emar kable sc u lp tu r e of the Blessed Vi r gin and o u r r a Lo d, with Hand pointing to Him r n s and f om Heave . Pew a pu lpit ' ther e a r e of pe r haps Char les I I s an time, d the ho u r glass w hich it may be the preacher in o ld days had

o n r n sa isf his o w n o r his fte to tu to t y , '

n r a n s a f o r m s . co g eg tio , ppetite ho ilie It cer ta inly has no t suffered f r om r estor er s ; b u t something mu st be done to it soon if it is no t to f all w n a o e do lt g ther . s ‘ a m o n o s If Willia M r r i s e j yed thi iii fiifif iéaggéi N 9 s an o ld- w o r u r s i tr ge ld ch ch , t ll more 22W did he delight in the wonder fu l r n r n a a thi tee th centu r y ba t Gre t Cox w ell. Ther e

Mr . M u s b e f ew in n an . acka il i m t E gl d like it , n his

“ s ar n o l s u s a o r r s mo t ch mi g bi gr aphy, te l th t M i al ways u pheld it as o ne of the fin est bu ildings in E ng " an o r in r and no o ne has s n l d, the w o ld , who ee it will n r a se o r a the r a thi k the p i exaggerated, th t biog pher is no t j u stified when he calls it the mo st splendid m s i u n o f s s r example of the do e t c b ildi g thi di t ict, a no ble str u ctu r e of the middle o f th e thir teenth cen u r na r a i n as au as t y. u pp oach ble n its dig ity, be tifu l a ' r a w n n u r s a ca thed l , yet ith o os tentatio of the b ilde r t, its hu ndr ed and fifty feet of gr ey roof r aised o n a forest ” r oak m s n s se a r of orde ly set ti bers . It ta d clo to p etty he sa a re t me f mily. they say , It is so vast that it looks G BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

r n s an ns and like a g eat cathedral whe you t d i ide it, ' ns great haystacks, waggo , every sort of farmer s r n and is in o ne ar a goods, a e stored withi , there p t

sta o . a s is r s ble to The church l o well wo th tudy, a n s a r n n partly E rly E gli h with fou tee th ce tury roof, na n ntu oak d a wi th the origi l fourtee th ce ry door, an r r s s a and towe pe hap of the ame d te, tw o of n the ext century . Her e lieth William Mor r ys s iity m few er of Co !

C O X W E IJ . mu m AND W DO N H ITEH O N K W .

s e o n s s h u e er w ll who e oul J hav m cy Amen. in a short gown with a girdle fr om which " a n , and s J o ha ne his w f qu i t pouch be ide him y e. It is but scanty sna tches o f histo ry that you can pick u p about places like th . but w ith Lechlade it

98 LECHLADE

Tr u t s s w as n a o , which tand beside it, o ce c lled S.

J ohn B a tis ts H u s a n a p The Ho pit l , fou ded bout

1220 s . l , to od there it would seem The good fo k ha ve a lways cherished fancies abou t the an tiquities of the nd h n place , a Defoe in is tou r played o the cr edulity o f his r er ead s at their expense. He set out ther ein o ne h u ns n an n i n of is h morous fictio , a tie t Bu ldi g la tely disco vemd by digging in a meadow nea r a e fi lo o r r a and six Lechl d fty feet ng, f ty b o d s u o ne u n r e r c r s high , pported with h d d b i k pilla ,

r u s n a w s n s o f er s co o f cu io ly i l id ith to e div lours,

" to sselaic o r and s s . w k, uppo ed to be a Roman bath never been able to discover a stone o r a br ick in th e

r er nd so in the Fe r s, a

s n s e chea t. The it w a

99 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

o n. r fte 80 did many o f the properties nea a t ha nd . Names like the Bloomer s and Redbays rise and dis

a ar . a o n n a r s s ppe Cl y Hill ce belo ged to the B thu t , and en ass se r i th p ed to ve al other fam lies, by sales.

r c is 8 . u r n The chu h dedica ted to La e ce, and he appears at the eas t end o n the middl e finial o f the r u oof, with book and g r idi r on in hand . The b ildi ng

s w as r s s ea r a in o u r e it elf ebuilt, it eem cl , l te the f t enth

n r d has e c r no n n a u ce tu y, an it th ha m, t u commo bo t

r e o f n ll o n n ar s n. he , bei g a o f e co tempor y de ig Rou nd it a t o ne time were houses f o r the chantr y '

o n . a n s priests, and the fair w as held har d by S L ure ce f as n o nd r e t, whe the Lo r d o f the Man r a the P ior to ok tolls . Ed w ar d IV g r anted the ad vow son to his

r c o a a mothe , Ci ely, D u chess of Y rk, with ch rge for th ree chantry p r ies ts to be a co r po ratio n holding lan s e e en a s to d, and by the am deed he gav lic ce l o r es The Jo hn Twy ny ho to fo und ano ther cha ntry p i t. ’ o r e s r a s a ta r f mer w re to say ma s at O u L dy l , the a r a f r w as an e i . r l tte t tha t o S. Bla se The p io y gr t d

o as a al n r in 1508 to the college o f 8 . Nich l t W li gfo d ,

and the man r a s o f 8 . ar y chant ies , wi th the ltar M y d an . a s sse u r ar . S Bl i e, pa d aw ay nde Edw d VI

The commiss io ners o f 1 549 th u s repor ted . ’ 2 0 o n e 2 . . P ishe f La tc heladde h o u seli g peopl , S Blase Cha u ntr y founded by o ne John Tw y ny ho e by ly cence by bym o pteigned o f King Edw ard the iiiith ' to fy nd a prey s te to celebrate in the seid p i she ch u r che f o r e er v . n n o f the a e o f 5 1 Sir John Leeche, i nc u mbe t the g years ha vi ng no other livi ng than in the seid cha untry w ” which y s y er ely £6 y e tenths allo ed. The stipend was paid by dean and chapter o f

r an s n ne w se the Wallingford . but, thei l d bei g ized , a commissioners reported tha t no o ne p id. 100

”

n n s fi a . 1820 n an i ge iou arti cer of the pl ce By , whe agricu lture felt itself har d b it after the great war t n on s n 12 w as over, the marke , which had go e i ce 6 0, as and w as no t es i ce ed , it r umed till the he ght of n 1 8 3 prosperity to the landed interes t, i 7 . These j ottings may show roughly how life went on in in as n the little town the l t ce tury, but I like to l o ok in th e ki ndly epitaphs o n the walls of the parish

ram: m s ADO“’ A “ ! I W DE . chu rch for the best exp of the feeling of the

a . is o ne e n n s pl ce Here , quit ge ui e, yet o quaint.

I nscr ip tion on the Sou th W all of the Chancel of

New t s lace lie the m ains hi p of Mrs. Anne Simo ne Wh ose Me co mpleated th e tr u e chm

Of the entle- wo man the f r en g i d and the C hr istian. She was sincer e in her f r iends hip afl ab le and candid in a tio n and Pio u s in her devo tio n Liberia and m t In her char ity : c u ntance ave o st a H er a q ai h l real f r iend. oo a da and cons tant benef The p r ily actr m . She lived to a good old age And th e she decli ned gradu ally Thr o weaknem and infir mity o f body Yet she reta i ned a er and v vac t o f s ri s s cheer ful temp i i y pi t to the la t. She is gone to receive the reward of her vir tu e d has lef t her f r ends to mitate her exam e An i i pl .

She died 3sth September in! aged 70. 102 L ECHLADE

So far of the to wn and its church ; but the rea l interes t of the place lies in those char ming houses which stand o n its On outskirts. e of them above all is worth a pilgr image is to see. It the ’ delightf u l Butler s ” o C urt. The name goes back at leas t r 1 302 as f a as , but little beyond the fou ndations can b e of that date . The main part of the hou se w as bu ilt in the middle of the x th nm y ’ f m um s co unt xfi g g a n s and g ble e d , characteris tic w i ndows looking n out upo the trim la wn with the garden beyond. The as r n has an a i u s l e t f o t e rly e ghteenth cent ry hel to it.

l in s m s bui t the mo t co fortable of time , before comfort w as to n n s thought i volve ugliness. The la d . which a n an h ve ofte ch ged hands , and no w belong to an o s Oxford c llege, tretc h do wn to the beautiful little n r s river Col , ove hung by trees and full of co ol hady

s s s . pool , ju t before it pa sses into the Tha me The a n s as s o g rde of the house still keep , it h uld, the s e and flowers and her bs and fruit trem side by id , a grass walk leads to a gazebo at the and looki ng on r n n w o u l s it in u c the oad , where the ge tleme d D t h

' r es and a c f o r William s days and smo ke thei pip , w t h “ ed the flying coach as it r umbled and rattl by . 103 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

Many w ho have stopped to look u p the lane to w ar ds the beau tifu l old hou se mu st have longed to fi nd r est r d in i s u ness n the e, an t q iet homeli at le gth to depar t is a u r a u n in peace. It pict e of w h t co tr y life may f r s still be o tho e w ho love it.

' B u r ma s comrr m en w e GA D N R E .

104

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD s o s a wift, in the valley, between happy mead w th t go sharply up to the height where still stand the last tr ees o n the outski r ts o f the old for est o f Wychw ood . When Thomas Baskerville went by in go od King ’ s n a s sa r l o f Charle golde d y , he w the p etty vi lage “ r Sir n Fe ti lace has a Swinbrook, whe e Edmu d t p " a and good hou se and delicate g rdens . But family house both are gone no w ; only the quaint to mbs lie n s in r s a a s in the church , the old k ight thei t tely h bit and a n u n o o f as they lived wi—th the m g iloq e t rec rd their homely vir tu es and in the fields the ou tlines

“ of the te rraces in w hat were once the delicate " " “ s n o o is s a o r u ssa illa gar den . Go e t the pa ch l p t

s s s m n flo wer which Ba ker ville a w at Ea ter ti e . Go e is most of the o ld life : the wonder is that so mu ch a s rem in . ° o s as r is As f o r the town f Burfor d, aid B ke ville, t sea ted by a r ive r o n the declivity of a hill in a ir a n su a s nt delica te a , h vi g ch r re hill about it for hu ing and r aci ng that it tempts gentlemen f ar and r r s r near to come hithe to take thei pa time . The e is nothing of this no w ; yet the town is no t much changed . As o u o n l ass n w n r in y keep the hi ltop , p i g S i b ook e e c e see f ar n a n the m ado ws b low, you om to dow mo g

s d r a r s a as as the hill , an by the b ight w te th t fl h the s m a a n o ld n s u n light o n the , qu i t tow of big grey

s d fine and s r hou se , an above them the tower pi e of he o nd o u fi n a grea t chu r ch . Down t hill y u go, a y d

s l a su n a a a n in a s n you r e f, of dde , b ck g i the d y of Ki g r No t a u se do o u see a has no t rne Geo ge . ho y th t bo ' n s a r — an a w u a n a t least a ce tury we the m y th t, ith q i t gables and old roo ftrees and mighty carved arches

a s ac mes enr s f o r do orw y , go b k to the ti of the H ie 1 06 is a to s o and the Edwauis. It wn with a hi t ry too that you have come upon. ' Familiar en ough is the old town s name to the O e readers o f the State pape rs in the Record fi c . " " “ s l s and U o n l s The mill , Burford Mi l pt Mi l ,

parcel of the lands of the la te Earl of Warwick , and ar e often writte n of under Henry VIII , the stewardship of the town w as in great m u m n he r r w had las d at sinc Whe t P io y. hich w e

B URFO RD B RI DGE.

' 1 291 ss n a r an n s , was di olved , Edmu d H m , the ki g

r hm an . a s a barbe , the gr t of it A few ye r l ter o as s n a Nich l Au te , l te Abbot of Rewley, begged Cromw ell to indu ce the hu rgesses of the town to n a a n 1 1 a ar s i re gra t the ch pl i cy of £ ye , which t ll

r r n n s . mained out of the p io y e dowme t , to him The r an s s n o n and fine u se prio y l d were oo built , the ho s no s an in a ro e which w t ds pathetic dec y. ’ n n men a a n a ; emi e t h ve lived m it. Sir L wre ce J w B ano n of the Exchequer u nder Elizabeth and I , 107 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

s s u e n er enter tained th e Ki ng f o r two day . He lie b ri d u d and be a magnificent Rena issance tomb in the church ,

o n h o a r enr a left an ly dau ghter , w m r ied H y C rey,

s n a r u o f r an . Vi cou t F lkland, Lo d Dep ty I el d She was the eccentr ic Eliza whose conver sion to Rome a s su s r u r and w as so co n c u ed ch ti at Co t, who stantly watched o n her pilgr imams to Holy Well by the Welsh Bis hops and the E ngli sh Secretaries of

mo r s e as r - f a u s State . The the h w of the eve mo s r n his an a r Luciu Ca ey, to whom , whe gr df the died , H is u s at r a was the priory passed . ho e G e t Tew n a and ma a s a in th e s e r, he y h ve t yed little old hou e h so n in 16 34 by t e Windr ush . He ld it, i deed, to l a h ll r n ar i Wi li m Lent a , the Speake of the Lo g P l a n n an rs me t. Lenthall govern ed the tow for m y y ea

’ to him the difi er ent bodies tha t r uled the disturbed Commonwealth sent down their orders f or the r f r s ar gove nance of the district, o the di ch ge o f

a s and i . fine s a o f m gi terial au thority, the l ke The e l the Commonw ealth with the Ho use of Common s in session still hangs attached to N o docu ments in the

a . e r r a r box of p pers I n th p io y died the Spe ke , making his co nfession like a good Chr i stia n and

’ bewailing the er r ors o f his po litics and his life ; and w as in he buried the north aisle of the church, with “ " a s a r e n s l b ove him that r ad o ly Vermis u m. Nicho lle r n in 1828 o s , w iti g . the year bef re it w a so ld

“ as he s sa s by the l t of t Lenthall , y : The mansion is r o u o f e the great orna ment of Bu f rd . M ch th old house has lately been taken down ; b u t so me fresh rooms have been added more s uited to the needs o f an in n is a improved taste. Adjo i g chapel built by In he r r ar e Speaker Lenthall. t p io y preserved s ntin s so me o f w w e b everal fine pai g , hich re rought 108

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

her e from the collection of King Cha r les I at Hamp n to Cou r t. Other ho uses too have their memories ; and i r o i a u c a wh le th e p i ry, with ts be utif l h pel of has a n n Caroli ne Rena issa nce ar c hitecture, f lle i to

a s es r so n r a . dec y, till pr e ve methi g of thei old be uty

o ld c r n ca a n r a The re to y, whe ce me the p i te of th t

“ " r a p etty bit of sentiment, The Empty S ddle, itself

s s ar is drawn from the pr io r y that tan d h d by, quaint

a nd as w s w o n r s a o . ar quiet, it a t ce tu ie g The vic ’ a s II s a s w ge boas ts a fi ne front of Charle d y , hich w as in buildi ng when the merry monarch gave his so n the title of Earl of Bur fo rd as w ell as D u ke o f

. s s an s a fine S Alban . I n the High Street t d old n a men house with massive wrought ir o gates, th t

s no w till r emembe r an old squire living in, which

how art thou trans lated is a Wesleyan chapel . Ther e is a ho u se to o which bears the old name of

the a s u n a n Gre t Hou e , b ilt u der Willi m III or Quee nne o l s and a a n n A , with d panelled r oom m g ifice t s a ase s s n a n in s t irc . On the wall a re tr a ge old p i t g , so me evidently from the hand o f a s killed Italian es n r n r s and s ro l d ig e , i trica te pa tterns of flowe c l r and n a o es wo k, a rougher ser ies o f Bible sce es , p stl

and ro h s a . I n p p et , virtu es and memo r i es o f de th

a s s o s n the h ll Char ity u ccou r s me de o la te childre , o in a fi u o and a H pe, ne hoop . looks pon a harb ur s sa n to sea s t a s hip ili g out . and Faith pr ay a de k. with the books o f Je remy Taylo r and Comber and

W hole D t s e is a u a n the u y of Ma n a t her id . It q i t an s d curiou place ; and its cu riou s little chapel , wi th a s in u n e s s is es n ve try look g po th tai r , qu ai nt t amo g its s s o quai nt thing . Ther e the old gold still linger n the a s se - w ll . teaching faith and patience and lf ex 1 10 BURFO RD : A FORGOTTEN TOWN

—“ a minatio n Fidei per scu tum castrum fit tutam Si C hristu m nescia nihil es t si caetera nescia - au d in an o ld a a n the like. A fine old house w lled g rde ; and they say too the re are s trange s tor ies of its s e a o f pa t. Some profess to ha v fo und letter the

“ ' as n r n C h s in l t ce tu r y, dated f om my Au t atc may Gloucester (and indeed ther e is a remembrance of Aunt Ca tch may on the w all s o f Gr eat Ba rri ngto n s o ff w e s o f an o church , but three mile ) , hich t ll Oxf rd don living in the o ld ho u se and plotting f o r King s ma a s e ar e a es James . The e y be f ble , but th y f bl s l uch as cling natu r al y rou nd old houses. Now the

s n s as r and n i ho use ta ds trong eve , every tur of ts passages r ecalls so mething of the days w hen men s trove f o r the Popis h interest o r the Protestant su c

s s s s s ce io n. Many a fea t of the ancient day ha it s w n Fe s o o e Sw i een , he the ttiplace dr ve v r from n ro o o r b k, r my Lord Chancello Talbo t fr om Gr ea t

n o n w . a s s n o s his Barri gt , ith Mr J me Thom o , w h wa ’ n s u r and had a a n The S so t to , lre dy writte easons , in is h coach.

o c a r a n s F But we can g mu h f rthe b c k tha thi . e w

s w e - da a an is r O u town , feel to y , h ve older h to y. r local his to rian has pr attled of pleasant memories ; the H is has a to rical MSS. Commission woke to the existence of our town documents ; an agreeable and popula r bo o k about the Cots wo lds has brought u s into no tice by a strange apocryphal legend o f those same docu ments (always safely kept by the las t remaining burgess ) as ha ving been discovered by an eminen t his to ria n in his pew in our chu rch (which has no ll n s re pews at a ) . Lege d a lively company if they ar e no t modern ; but hard ste rn facts appeal to u s nd no w a th e r o r mo re. a th t ep t drawn u p by o ne of 1 11 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD the first living au thor iti es may be possessed by every o ne s n n who will pe d two shillings, we a ticipate a new t n n no t n ar grow h of k owledge, authe tic lege d y, among all our school childr en and o u r local anti ri n s qu a es. A d per haps too we may recover ome o f o u r r s ight after all.

ns r u n i s r u n ow or em r no vsa. neu rone.

One of the firs t towns it is that is kno wn to have had

l r - Ra n a a e r a merchant gi d, for Robe t Fitz mo g ve a ch rt 8 107 between 10 7 and 1 , which Ear l William of Glo u ca ter confirmed. Still the town has its old box of deeds and charter s . They belong to the last of th e no w at h es as a burgesses, who w c over the tow n And justice of the peace . the gild organization r e 1 12

e deeds falls similar ly into two divisions n n wi i s relating to the to wn gover me t, th t u n in a and in also in ed catio , ch rity pro r the othe to the church .

s o u r u r r s n a gild, say a tho ity, the epre e t tive of

l m ss n as rescr i ~ sto rion MSS . Com i io , w by p p f o r which he doubtless has evi does no t pro d u ce it ; and the cu s es w ere r ecognized in a charter of

II as havi ng existed in the time o f Henr y I .

e o r e n ee an s o u sa f o r m i d d th thi c ld be id, is s u fficient e vidence amo ng the Chancery

Misce llaneou s MSS . in the Public Recor d Offi ce to s o w a llia ar u h th t Wi m , E l of Glo ceste r, confirmed

the pr ivileges w hich the famou s Ear l Robert, his ' h r nr 1 s so n in 1 14 h an fat e , He y , who died 7, ad gr ted ' in n r s e s a r co fi mation of tho e which his wif f the , r z n had n nd ese a r Robe t Fit Hamo , co fer red a th l tte , w u s e e n an o f it o ld e m pro babl , i cl u ded the actua l gr t the o f r n s r ss The Gild Mer ha nt Gild Me cha t (See G o , c , ' 29 w the o z a n s ii . , here fragmen t f Ro ber t Fit H mo en an r e an Gi charte r is giv ) . At y ate the M rch t ld m u s t pr obably have exis ted in William the C o n '

u ero r s da r is no r l r o ne no n. q y , and the e ea ie k w

I ts o ffi ce rs were a somew hat u nu su al selection.

r e w a a s s s m r u r ss s The ere lw y ten, ometime o e, b ge e ,

a nd u s a l a r an. the u l head of the gi d, the lde m They ear e e tw o a if s and ha d a s a s e w y ly lect d b il f , they l o t rd a and occas ionally some other o ffi cer s . Whether o r no t the ba ili ff s lo o ked after the r ights of the lo r d o f the ma nor o r o f the king does no t seem certai n ; — and it is pretty clear that as Bishop Stubbs said of the j u dgments o f Morton w hen he w as at the same time A rc hbish o p o f Canter bu ry and Lo rd Chancellor 1 1 5

BY THAMES A ND COTSWOLD whoo by Gods grace y o u shall fynde of such a good nd r s n sa n r u nd o ver na u nce a p ie tly co ver tio , le a g , n s n im n s as s a d o demea e h emo ge t you , you hall as s r e av holde you ple ed with God me cy, Wh e h e yo u m n W r en a n in keepi gs. y tt t Londo the v day of

August. ‘ Richard E r le of W arw wke R W ar wy k. and Captayne of Callais l

n B ss o s en Of the good He r y i h ppe, who e gift the o n o f a s u s s r a w as s n d wme t the lm ho e e lly , omethi g

nosr r rmu ANGU AR B O L E, UR F RD.

o s m re hall be said . H is will is (not very corre ctly) an aly sed in the Report. With this perhaps we may leave the temporal n s s i tere t of the place. The documents contain many

e n s n s a s s ref re ce to local ame , of f milie till surviving, and o f an s and s s s as Gildenf o r d r e n l d treet , uch Ga d y e, r r n and Be ie Orchard, Wit ey Street, a no vu m hosp i ” tinu m n la r e a a gu , perh ps too hastily identified with n n the prese t Lamb I n . u rn to T we the church , which shared with the 122 m m m w d m w . has a n'vived w hen the gild h ns pn n d i h seems pr o hnb le t at f rmn th a e papu s. i assistance of the Regineu d th e d p- d i

“ f a h a m the 8h n o n n Pb llaI -d b o mm p m , y the grace o f Go d B is hop and vim x- of the chm h o f

Octo ber This go o d man w as m ted Au u st 27 1 44 7 as ish n s at Rome g , . B op of Dow ( ee

i l Su c ession . 201 Maziere Br ady. E p scop a c , i , fo llowed

b b Re ist. Sac. A n an acte y Stu bs, g n d d permanently i n an as a su fi ragan n E gl d. r r e mentio ned in s v a s Late vicar s a e er l deed , and the priests of neighbou r ing par ishes seem to have s nn n ofte n had clo e co exio with the town. There an n r ests as s were m y cha try p i , too, the will show,

and e s i a . n had its r th Ho p t l of S Joh p ior, the Gild s s I n r of 8 . Mary had it prie t. la te days there were so e s s s s m time canda l , often fictitiou , like those which the curious Room f or the Cabler cf Glos ter an d I l ia W ife (16 6 8) scurrilously and indecently tells of many n i —s as clergy of the e ghbourhood uch Coverdale,

a o n- o n- - a e a s cur te of Bourt the W t r ; Cl rk on, of Brad Ro w le once a s n well ; a of Burford ; J ck o , of Ki ngham. and s s s r other ; but ometime mo e veracious, as it s w as s n n n k would eem , the pre e tme t of Joh E y y n, i r he n nn v ca of t time of Quee A e, for many grievo u s

Of recent years many stories have been re ' co ver ed and collected o f the last century s vicar. and s . n s n s curate ; of Mr Fra ci K olly , who in said to a s ha ve encour ged fight in the chu rchyard ; o f Mr , 123 BY TH AME S AND COTSWOLD

Mr o s a as and . s s o e D ll Burge ; of cho l lecti n , and chu r ch s a ns d s an r e re tor tio , an high pew , d othe d lights.

r are a s es s n ne The e l o the i nter t , old a d w , belo nging s w ha a s to the chool , hich d alw y , till the recent

s c ar ss ns ses time of h ity commi io , the clo t connexion

u c . as n in 1 5 1 and with the Ch r h It w refou ded 7 , the indentur e o f r ef eo fi men t o rders that the hou r s of school ar e to be six to eleven and o ne to six in s and s n o ne to in ummer, eve to eleven and to ur r nd winte , a that the scho lam ar e

m a xo n s'rnas'r s u m ac , .

To go in the morning before the m or his o nd o r erl f r s the dep uty, tw a tw o d y , om the chool to u n n r a er if m an ch rch to mor i g p y , the be y sa u rs and id ho ,

n the church , the scholars weekly

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

Every quarter o ne is to be appointed to teach s a i s i the pettie , nd a collection to be made for h s t pend, se that every man in Bu r fo rd may be able to s n his so n no a n an n o r s n ss e d , t h vi g y i firmity ick e , a n his B s his r r to r e to le r A C , ca techi m , p ime , w it and read, until he be able to be preferred to the

- grammar school.

An r a s w f o r admi ble scheme it w a , hich but the tinkering fo lly of the nine teenth century might h ave s u r u n r vived as a go o d example to all the co t y. The little childr en w ere provided f o r in this clause last nd e r e n s quoted, a when they had learnt th i el me t

- n o n o ne a a s . they we t , every , to the gr mm r chool Ther e w as no su ch divi sion as w as made in later years .

is u c n in s u n s a There m h , i deed , the e doc me t th t o ne n o n d no as a n u a n might li ger n, a t le t mo g the q i t nd r n the collectio n of wills a cha ity deeds . Amo g l atte r is the bond which recor ds the fate of the cow beq u ea thed f o r the poor by the good per so n o f

n s es is s l m e ra o n Ki gham , who e bequ t ti l co m mo ted s Th e r se r the chu r ch w all . poo beas t w as t to hi e f o r a r o r u s ll n s a w as yea two for fo r hi i g year, but ver y like to have per is hed throu gh casualty and ill n r no t su fi er f o r men keepi g ; but the poo did , good s e su su b cr ibed to make u p the du m. These qu a intnesses o f o ld histo ry ar e wor th pre ser ving and there ar e o thers which time would fail me to tell of.

126 CHAPTER V III

MORE ME MORIES OF A FORGOTTE N TOWN

r AM he e again, and as I walk down the H igh Street many memo ries of the o ld days o a In c me bout me. the wilderness of the pr iory the leaves lie thick u pon the

g r ound, the ruined ‘ a s - ch pel look more car r u t , aunro an c nvac u . desolate than ever, h s is t e wind so bs in the high tree , and the river in The in llood and s wift as in the coldest w ter. i n l March a rs blow keenly dow the hi l, and the citizens do n lin r in th e streets as is their o t ge , wo nt to pass the time of day and talk o f the ' weather and their neighbours business . The old town looks gr ey and chn as it has looked these an s r s n in and m y centu rie ; and yet sp ing i comi g , even here o n the edge o f the Cots wolds we can feel that ther e is a su mmer be fo m u s and that it l will b e like other s ummers in this happy val ey. warm enough f o r the plough lads to play in the

‘ 8 ince this was w r itten the N ol and w indows o f the chapel havc been restored. 127 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

r n o s rive , a d none too hot f o r any f u s to it at ou r n wi dows or take our case in our old walled gardens. Modern ways have no t changed u s much for better o r s a s l for wor e . We have a p ri h cou nci , but we have s e r s al o typhoid f ve no w and then , and no drains to peak ’

. a s n a of We h ve ee motor car , and we don t think mu ch e r of it. Th re a e many of u s who have never hem as f ar a s n i r u r our cou ty c ty, yet w t of u s dec y o

s eamen r alo av 13 mo.

sn n n in o a ug tow , though we k ow u r he rts that is nn n s the bo iest on the cou try ide. We live veg

much like o u r fathers before u s. Memor ies come

sa n r in s s ts. quickly, I y , as we li ge the e tree Often when I tur n over an old book I find o quaint

" ’ . thou ghts turn most m dily to C H s days,

MORE MEMORIES OF A FORGOTTEN TOWN ter es ting example of the religiou s tr ou bles of th e

' c o . s Ih o te t rate No doubt. ince they had got their

s r n ir s wi h , they a g the bell with joy for the proclam w ation of Ric hard Crom ell. The churchwardens

n s s a 58 . w as s n l accou t how th t pe t thereon. O iver s had e n a in n 16 44 and Sir him elf b e h rd by Ju e, , William Waller and Sir Arthur H aslcrig had r ested s r in the town, but were di lodged ten day s late by l in the Ki ng himse f. The State papers the Record o ffi ce reinfor ce the town tradition that the place s n an a ar m and r si n and a s aw ma y l u excu o , the p ri h regis ter has pa thetic entr ies of the bur ial of soldiers r s u s a d u ri ng the w a . Of cour e the famo c pture of the Levellers is the central feature of interes t in s s the tow n hi to ry of those days. The tory was is r happily told by Mr. Gardiner in his h to y. But the enduring memorial cut in the lead of the “ r isner has its font, Anthony Sedley, p corol ' r s a l la y in the churchwardens book , Pd. to D nie l Mu u cke and other s for cleans inge ye chu rch when ye ” rs n 38 Levelle w ere take , . 6 d. If the truth were known we should probably find that the decay of th e place began with the Civil '

W ar . r u in n n n in s T ly, the ext ce tury, whe the K g a s a f o r o n s and Pl te w a r ced the down , grea t lords

s a s in s and in s i were tew rd of the meet g , thi , n the a s o r r as n n a s d y bef e Geo ge IV w Ki g, whe the co che s r an u e at till , tho gh by th new road the top of th e as Ra m in Cat and fi ne inn at hill , p t the p g — , the the end of High Str eet no w an inn no longer

r r s l s e ss s. p ospe ity ti l vi it d the burge e But the town, s n r s r c i n it seem likely, eve t et hed to ts old bou daries w ar and r a after the , what had been g e t houses were s n n e ens plit up i to te em nts, fine ga rd were cu t into 131

MORE MEMORIES OF A FORGOTTEN TOWN

The gild o f whi ch the co mmiss ioners note the chari s is as r s a table deed , I have already said, the ea lie t d ted o ne in n o and as e r ns mo r ifi ed the ki gd m, it l t d, much t a g ,

s dc ac in truth , till it death a combination of fi le and u r —b Act m rde , Mr. Leach ca lls it y private of a ia n in 18 and P rl me t 6 3. The gild, the school, the u ch rch wer e closely linked together. The gild a a e Mr s as an a a ch pel , p c . Leach , fr om the fir t w ctu l part of th e parish church ; it did no t merely stand in r a a the churchya d . And the present gr mm r

s w s n s s chool , ho e buildi g , tran formed though they s o e ar e, h w wor k probably of the fo urteenth c ntury. s a s s the u r ar n n t nd clo e by ch chy d , o the gree where are the alms houses which Henry Bishop set u p by ’ n a r s e s s the Ki gm ke licence . The school that no w xi t , in all th e o r s e gl y of ubv ntion by the Co unty Council, and with a body of governor s chos en expressly fr om those of the townsfo lk who u ndersta nd th e theo ry

and n o r s n a o n practice of educa tio , is traced f it fou d ti n s w an o f to Simo Wi dom , who as alderm the gild an d bailiff of the to wn. B u t honest Simon and his ma tes acte d for the town in refounding the ancient s h —o n in c ool which had no t been long decayed ly, n w r fac t, si ce the pious Protestantism of Ed a d VI and his ministers had made away with its endow

. n as h i n o n s ment Simo , is o wn inscript o the chool “ sa s f u n . s y , did but r eedy y the b ildi g The chool s ac w e n n al os o goe b k , may feel co fide t, m t t the very is o ne founding of the gild itself. Very likely it of the oldest schools in England ; and the tr im young n n all s as ca n sit ge tleme , in gloves a stately be , who under the great Norman tower and in the north aisle a n a ns r s s s ss s o n Su d y, may co ide them elve the ucce or of many generatio ns who ha ve sat where they sit 1 35 BY THAM ES AND COTSWOLD

perha ps ever since those fine ar ches above thei r

a s re u o n w e and he d we b ilt, and w h have bee hipp d ” lea rnt l essons (b u t cer tainly no t the black ar t of

s r as e a ar . is no a e chemi t y) th y h ve , h d by It t bl how in these old tow ns ever y tur n o f the hi stor y br i ngs

u s a a a n c s - c s b ck g i to the hu r ch. The ro y che ked boy and e r a er an th i school , the gild and its ld m , the

r r and s cs nd a s a r es p io y its te nant , politi a b ttle , ch iti and dissensi o ns all l ead u s to the no ble bu ilding w s hich i s till the glor y of the tow n . Old houses and old memo r ies give place to the ran and maj estic dignity of the gr eat chu rch . G d

s ac o s s an s d a w ness n p i u it t d to y, it i g to the piety

d s n has an riche o f many bygo ne gener atio s. It ' some o f the Norman w or k o f Rober t Fitz- Hamon s

e r n s er n i u ar i is so tim , Ea ly E gli h , the P pe d c l wh ch r esplendent in the sta tely and almos t u nharmed ’ u r n n es fi r and a e r o ch ch i e mil o at No thleach , l t w rk which u nder Elizabeth mar ked the impor tance o f

the mer chan t family o f Sylvester .

o n a rs in o n is i Am g the p pe the t w box the w ll , ’ a 1 478 n B sh o n - a r s a n d ted , of He ry y p, the Ki g m ke ge t

in the fo u nding o f his almsho u ses . He lea ves a 4d r s s sa n ass o n legacy of . to the p ie t yi g m his death a r in h u rc and day at each lta t e ch h, thus he names — c a o f . a r n the c them the h pel S K the i e , hapel of ro ss he a o f o r n Holy C , t ch pel H ly T i ity, the chapel

a r n a e . n a of S . L w e ce, the ch p l of S Joh B ptist, the l v ca ta m “ a . en vu o o r ch pel of S Clem t g to chlight, “ m vu l o voca tu m o f . as s e the chapel S Tho g id light,

r a a o f . ar and 8 . n and the g e t ch pel S M y A ne . the a ars ar e n b u t u ess the Most of lt go e, do btl vica r, s his c u r so o who know s and love h ch well , c u ld te ll a visitor where they s tood .

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

u s and e a s and J tice , the like, with prim whit f ce n a sar r an a n su as e tly di ged g rme ts, ch he loved to r aw and a all a a m disr a d , , bove , with c l eg rd of the r u ms a n is e as si ci c t nces i which their lot ast, mply qu iescent as the Venu s w hen sh e is blow n by the ’ u in T nfi lds s r ch bby w ds across the sea . The a e hi to y i B u s well known : we can all r ead it if we will . t

a all s u r - a l wh t of tho e delightful , c ly he ded litt e ar ans nd h r an n ans H m , a w y did they have Ame ic I di ’ scu lptur ed o n their father s tomb What of John Spy cer and Alys his W y f e who beseech mer cy fr om r ass F ve s ar ! a thei br , by the y joye of M y Wh t ar t w s s eau u u s is of the B holome , who e b tif l old ho e still the most beau tifu l bu ilding within many a mile of the tow n What of that happy spouse who set u r s o sle e o u b u t p the wo d , I go t p before y , wee s a a to ea her am w s h ll w ke g t , or of the f ily ho e tomb bear s some of the happiest lines that wer e pr odu ced in an age of happy epitaphs

Lo I l u ed u L e , dl p to gether y Gr a A e G n u W y g , r e e Yo th , hite I nf ancy. ’ I f ea D th do th Natu r e s Law s Dispence, And Reco nciles All Diff er ence ; T he fi t On F es One u e l h , Ho se Sho u ld have One o m e ne T b , O E pi taph , One Gr ave ’ And they that L iv d and Lo ved E ither S o u d D e nd L h l y a y e and Sleep to gether . Go Read er w et er o , , h h go r stay o u mu st no ence n a a Th t h be lo g w y .

Tw o other inscr iptio ns o n childr en o f th e B ar tho lo mew s w ho e at s a h ar e n er n , liv d We th ll ill , i t esti g . One o ses ie a e 1 5 in 1 6 89 , M , d d, g d ,

Reader these Sacr ed w a s s a e r u h , ll p k t t , Her e lies belo w a lo vely yo u th ; Natu r e I m r o ved Ar ts and Gr ace p by , Made H o pes o f Fr iends to o f as t i ncr ease

BY THAME S AND COTSWOLD

These Happy Prepar ations gave B u t did Pr esage an ear ly grave ;

For loe Alas w ee find H im Dead , E r e Fif teen w er e accomplished : Yet in H f Dy g, e o r bade ou r Teares, S ‘ pake V orde and Things abo ve h is y ear es . Afl ectin u e g m ch th standers by , H is s ister most by Sympathy . “ Who then r emo te sc o ne dr o o pt came ho me to For af ter H im sh e qu ickly w ent

And nex t H is, stands H er Monu ment.

So s she it till stands. She w as b u t eighteen when a n died mo th after her brother . She w as

A V n R c in Gr n a u irgi i h ace a d N t r e, ' I n all He ven s G f ts a ess e a C a u r e a i th t Bl re t , ou r teo u s a e M k d w C , P ti nt, ee e, an Lo ly, I n en o u s S u C u Ho g i , er io s, heer f l], ly .

r e mes m d o cr e Afte that cou pl t the epitaph beco e i , s w n o I ill o t complete it.

r e is o ne m r e These ar e pathetic memor ies . Yet the o than the rest that star tles me as I pass over the s a s a n r r l b which bears its recor d . It tell th t Joh P io “ w as mur der ed and fou nd hidden in the pr io r y

ar d in r s 3r da r 16 97. g en this pa i h the d y of Ap il, s u r no m n s r f o r r s Now thi w as a m r de of com o o t, fi t men sa d m n s ser van to i that the good a , ometime t a r L en hall s a n a ne o u r w Spe ke t , w as l i by ighb hom the Pr otesta nt Mer cu r y da r ed only call Mr . H and n r r r n w h o had mar r e the my Lo d Abe co , i d the

ll s ar e th th e r me. widow of Will L entha , w a ch g d w i c i

w as a r ea r a f o r th e ar a Sco tsman w h o se It g t t i l , E l , , mar r a n had r e en sh ed h is u r se w as i ge me said pl i p , met when he came to Oxfo r d b y almo s t all the o fiieer s of the colleges and abu ndance o f to w nsmen to the nu mber o f 400 o r Th er e seems no 140

BY THAME S AND COTSW O]

c a lle d H ar r ingto n l) o w n o me w ay to th n o f the o ld sto ne q u a r r ie~ named af ter K it

e c - t S th f a b r i : ma n e r o f . w hose

s s b I t e tends n e L t and ha r d y . x i to Glo u c i ndeed the w ho le c o u r s e w a s n o t in ti

fl o u th - w e s tw a r ds to w a r ds Alds w or th u a nd a s mall h o u se s till ~ta ndi ng is said I

e e th w ighi ng r o o m.

I n 16 8 1 a r es a tten e ce , Ch l II d d the ra

o o d o n Ma r ch 1 7 at o r t W , , Oxf d, e t

e th mo r ning his Maj es tic left this pl. miles d s an w er e h e n en s div i t t, h i t d to

dinne r to see the h o r a- r ace o n the h

o n n w her e w i l mee him l j i i g, l t al the

o r e h s w as his fu r a nd n a . T i r eceptio

lie w as at s o me dis tance fr o m the t. by the tw o b ny lives w i th th eir maces a eo mr ntio n w h o r esen ed h m th t n , p t i a nd the n they acco mpanied him to

' a l s ho u se w her e ta n a r th l . ki g little e}

the ho r a- rar e o n the plai nes adj o ini him mo r e no b ili ty and gentr y tha n o n Ne w nmr ket heath . A w eek In

’ li me nt w as in sess n th to n l par a io ,

u aintl ended s ec. ab r u ptly and q v . p

' s mdu m tr a ightw av. Fr o m time to time du r ing the e x

' “ e tind re ter eu ee to the r ar e meetin

' - O eu mana er l w m o ne lle m y u . g

- b J l . m mligm u dated at li m u r v . S p n , a n timu a in “ hieh h e de~ir es lem tn h l m ee s ith 1 gen teel an

s h e no “ ie . e . p l n m g; all t p ‘ ‘ ‘ “ l ‘ l l ( a ”u A 2 . t l u l N 2 MORE MEMORIES OF A FORGOTTEN TOWN

r w n r s is no may be thou ght ight to the to pu e . It t o sa id whether lea ve w as given . The reputa ti n of the town was cer tai nly kept u p all thr ough the reign of r Geo ge III . r r a s r ev r The palmy days of Bu ford ce we e, how e ,

no n n n e n n u r . h doubt, ear ly i the i et e th ce t y T ey r a s a s as o f all he o er ar e we e l o the palmy d y , t th l g “ " r s o f u l Bu ford inns , so e pecially the B l , which n n he s r e o r ner n u in w a is the exte ded to t t e t c , i cl d g h t n n s On the n o w s ar e ow a fi e eparate house . wi d s a nd s s s w c many names and mottoe curril je t , hi h recall the times w hen smart u nder gr ad u a tes o f r r n o n s Oxfo d drove ove , be t port. It mu st have been in 1 840 that a veteran sports man n n r o u an s , re ow ed th ough t the Midl d , who talked a es n r da i with me bout the rac o ly the othe y . rode n them when he w as a demy of Magdalen. The best n s a s is in The L i e o a S r tsman accou t of tho e d y f f po , ”

s r ann in 1 842. by Nimrod , publi hed by Acke m u n ran a w ho is at r s u r The yo g F k R by, Ch i t Ch ch , makes his fi rst public exhibition o n Bu r fo r d r ace '

s . s sa s w Bib u r s r cour e The e, y Apperley, ere y ve y a s n a best d y . I n additio to the encou r gement given na and s n o f r to it by the patro ge pre e ce Geo ge IV , n n a s w ho w as r the Pri ce of W le , eceived by the Earl ‘ r n f o r at his s a in of Sherbo e the week , e t the n r and er da a his a ar eighbou hood, who ev y y m de ppe

o n o u r s s r a en e an o n his ance the c e a a p iv te g tl m , w as s fa vourite cropped roan hack, of hich he w a

“ fond as the impetuou s Ho tspu r of his crop - ear ” in an a h s roan, which . an eques tri trans port he c lled i " n r a r in a e n an e and i thro e, with me ely g oom tt d c , n

s of r s r S o This i . co urse, a mistake. The fi t Lo d her b r ne w as 1 8 he is a created in 7 4. and t peer age bar ony only . 1 43 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD familiar conver satio n w ith all w ho ha d the p r i vilege a o f n e of ddressing him. There w as a galaxy ge tl men o e s w ho a ne e at s t n w c j ck y , lo rod thi mee i g, hi h “ has n r s n n r eve i ce been equalled . The Nim od , w n si s s s s ith e thu a m, record the name of the blood da ho u rs n of the y , w rode o n the B u rford co e , begi — ning with the Du ke o f Do r set o f whose cou r age — du r i ng o ne o f the meetings he tells a s tor y and ending w ith Sir Tatto n Sykes and Nando Bu llock . Frank B aby and Ha rgr ave sent tw o ho r ses o n to “ n a e n s a u Wit ey , nd by th u s reli vi g tho e th t bro ght

o r er e na o and them fr m Oxfo d , they w e bled to g to,

n o u r se and in e r o e at retur from , the c , be th i c ll ge n —d n e s s o r r er ance ight rivi g alternat ta ge , f the fu th o f their mutua l impr o vement in thei r hazardou s

a as s o r r u a asu r occup tion, well a f thei m tu l ple e ; " s n and all w ent well f o r the fi r s t three day . The Nimrod adds a s tor y of thei r drivi ng back on th e n n a n to o u c e fourth ight whe , h ving dru k m h , th y had “ “ ‘ ’ a spill o n o ne of those sharp pitches as they ar e a n n u r o r and c lled by coachme , betwee B f d

I n late r years Frank Raby becomes a member of n u e n r e the club. Nothi g co ld hav bee mo e d lightful than Bibur y w as at the time in which o u r hero r s as w as became a membe of the club, compo ed , it , da the of the first spor ting aristocracy of the y , with “ heir apparent to the crown at the head of th em. Pathetica lly Nimrod adds that the week o f the u r i nis him Bib y meet ng . when the elderly Ado felt self thoroughly divested of the shackles of s tate and " as in a royalty, w the pleasantes t week the whole ye r r r to the Prince . The description of Burfo d du ing

s s is b u e scene d tho e day brief t vivid. Th , in eed. we 1 44

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

a ss a Yo u n Pi kwi sat t tea with Mi M tty . wo der if c ck is no t s i n o u t in h n r s t ll comi g here t e mo thly numbe , and you ar e no t su rpri sed to fi nd in the librar y the s a can n r see an e old book th t you eve ywher e lse . s is ! is a s r r A leep, it No, for time lway he e befo e an n and ai r s an h d with Gree wich the r l oad , d ther e es nd a a s are bicycl a S lvation Army. But till there ar e n nn s and n the quai t old bo et , the croquet, a d no w ' and then a shepherd s crook passing thro u gh th e s ss o a street , to a ure you that n t ll E ngland moves sa a and a s n r s at the me p ce, th t there till li ge much of the old bea uty of peaceful livi ng o n the slope o f s l s the Cot wold hil .

in men 8mm , C H APTER IX

A FRONTIE R LIN E B Y COTSWOLD AND THAME S

E CH LADE s r . , we ha ve see n, has a hi to y So have many of the villages ro u nd it ; so many indeed that I mu st only select a few names

s a . u as a u u n for a few word e ch So throp, E tle ch, Q e i g

n n . n Clanfi eld a e a r s a to , Col S Aldwy , , h v e ch thei peci l s interes t . is o a n . w n no s ne an Col S Ald y t, a might f cy, dedic ted No is a c u r n. n u r is. to S. Aldwy E glish ch ch It h ch

n a s o o n s r o r o f of S. Joh B pti t, f ll wi g per hap the p i y e o r u r r 1217 Lechlad , the great ch ch of B u r ford . F om n a e o s r and ss it belo ged to the bb y of Gl uce te , po ibly

as no u r a a s a n ther e w ch ch before th t d te . Re tor tio

r o no e s n an n s has bbed the w xi ti g edifice of y i tere t, but has reedified in th e best sense the charming manor

s n s i a has had house that ta d beside it. The v ll ge till e s n r i s the las t f w year only a loca l attractio , f om t fine s n r n r r and n po itio ove looki g the ive , comm i g beautifu l views up to Bibu r y and dow n tow ar ds Fai r

n n n su c ar o f s has ford. Que i gto , with no ch h m ite , o r as a belonged to a m r e ancient histor y. He e w an r s ta er s o f a n m o of the Ho pi ll , which we le r much in the r epor t given by Prior Ph ilip o f Th eme to the E l a 1 338 ano Grand Maste r y n dc Villanova in . A m r d n s l n s a with a gar den an dovecot, worth twe ty hil i g 1 47

but meanw hile it must no t be for gotten that they have s a ar n n a lo ng histor y behind them. Ea tle ch M ti belo ged a r n r r n and to M lve P iory f om the twelfth ce tury, the

rc s a and . . chu h w a dedica ted to 8 . Mich el S Martin Ro u nd her e much o f the property belonged to Mal

n s n vern, the to the family of Fitzpo n , the to the r u s s s ca thed al church of Glouces ter. Religio hou e abounded in these sheltered spots . The Vica r of Eastleach writes (in the M ne actions of the Glou cester s hir c A r chwa logical Society for 1899) that in his “ parish tradition assigns to Cote Farm the s ite of a religious house ; and be neath the road from Southrop to East s ~ lea ch w as a large to ne vault, trudi ' tio nally ca lled the Monk s Cellar (the slope is no w called Cellar hill) w hich w as

' and an n ll ect filled up, e try to that e

in ar s s 1 8 made the P i h Regi ter 74 , ‘ October : this mon th also w as buried

a ar s n s e- a n l ge. tro g, ton b uilt v ult u der the hill in this parish ca lled Cr uel hill ; and this memorial o f it is ma de to the intent posterity may no t be imposed

n . u s eu tr amon a s : upo A curio y g buri l m m m .“ will pos terity look there f o r info r ma cu vlw u r u m tion of the kind ! But when w e are in this dis trict the memories of

- i n old t me Church history ar e i exhaustible. And they back o go t the ver y beginnings o f English Christianity. a Ne r Crickladeit w as, as the Bishop of Bristol has ‘ s n in clearly how , that St. August e met the bishops or

‘ I give mt f ew fw tno tea ln thu e paper a but l cannot lor bear a mf er enee to the most inta esting artiele ol the 1 50 FRONTIER LINE B YCOTSW OLD AND THAMES

doctors of the neares t province o f the Br itons . The northern end of the br idge o r for d of the Thames at

Cricklade w mes thus into almo st o u r ear liest histo ry. i u n o n a Two m les f rther o n, by Down Amp ey, the ro d as o u r is an Oak y d ive from Fair ford to Cricklade, " “ r as at Fa m, no w only a cottage or tw o . It w the ” Oak that the meeting took place . Very likely it

was r r s he s by this ve y farm . A fo e t, t fore t of Sel

n . wood, stretc hed u p to Cricklade and the ce to Bath And Cr icklade itself w as for many centu r ies a town

r . r in o r of impo tance Here w as the c oss g, by ford r n r a b idge, of the Thames. Here we t the o d from Gloucester by Cirences ter to Mar lbor ough and W in s r r d s e r a ro a n che te o to Wanbor ough an Silche t , d lo g

s . used by the Welsh dr over s w ith their ponie . S a s n sa n r S mp o , a favour ite Celtic i t (we remembe him

at n D 1 e a n o ne . the Breto 6 ) , has the d dic tio of church

I s . n r a the 8 . Nicholas, the dedicatio of the othe , compliment from the trader s to the patron saint of thieves ! B u t per haps after all I am wrong in thinking that

8 . i 8 . N cholas had anything to do with the to wn. Mary has the dedication no w of the little church near a s r i i the Th me b idge , with ts beaut ful porch , ivy v n a co ered, that reminds me stra gely of the stairw y ' n r to the Ki g s School at Canter bu y, which like much

of this church is of the ear ly twelfth centur y . But

the great ch u r ch of S. Sampson is the glory of Cr ick

lade . It stands no t f ar from the junction of the a v lley of the Churn with the valley of the Thames. s a s r e r nd The tre m a in thei native wildness, a the old

Bis hop of Br istol in the Pr oceedings of the Clif ton Antiqu ar ia n

v iv. o d CM , ol. , on S me Results of the Battles of Deor ham an

Wanb oro u gh . 1 51 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

u ss and river growths are undis t rbed. Watercre are marshmallow abound, and a t Latto n there the a r s be utiful f itilla r ies. I n the dis tance ar e the hill ,

s n i o n s the White Hor e ra ge, H ghworth , the other ide

n r . the ge tle Cotswold slope . The splendid towe of S s s n s Samp on dominate the sce e . Like that of Kemp

<1.

i s ds in the mids t o f the r o f fi ford. t tan chu ch, ne Per

dieu lar w . na is ar n s pen ork The ve E ly E gli h, the chancel Decorated a fine memo ria l o f generations M u n s ar e n s n as in all devotion . Mon me t i tere ti g, thm is o ne o an e churches . Among them to the C mm d r o f

“ u r os his i e r 29 1 781 H M S . Centa who l t l f , Ap il , , 1 52

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

ar e all a s a r full of be utiful bit of rchitectu e, or fine m s o r s s . A tree , old hou e The three ne s were o ne — p y Omenie at Domesday time . The la ter churches av all n es s w s h e i ter t, though it be ome hat poiled by u s the resto r er . The ch rchyard cro s at Ampney r u s s l ma a s u ff r sa C ci it e f y h ve ered f om the me hands, b u t is o ne of the ver y few that ar e lef t anywhere a s s from medieval d y with figure complete. It is s r n n and has pre umably of the fou tee th ce tury, the

. V M. and her o s B . n Ro d on the ea t, the Child o the

s n s and a n — r we t, 8 . Lau rence o the outh, k ight pe haps o n i u — n n s n L g n s o the orth. Mey ey Hampto Church is n u r as mainly of the thir teenth ce t y, but w altered i n ins fi ne n the fou r teenth. It co ta the Jacobean o n n ames a l r m ume t to J V u x , the docto whom James “ nd l no a e I a VI wou d t llow to practic upon him. The only o ne o f his patients no w remembered is a a r s a a so f ar s M rg ret G i w ld , who c me as thi to co n s and ult him , died. ' n Am ne s ns cu s s as By Dow p y co pi ou pire, you may '

see r o a n is . a n s an it f m the tr i , Lord St Germ i old m or s with its noble gate house . The canal goe by an in r in s w s u a n : te est g w ay . It ho you So th C r ey you may n n w r is in a see Siddi gto , he e B hop Bull lived little u r and a r ir n s ma house by the ch ch , fte C e ce ter you y follow the valley o f the Chur n past Barnton with its

. r s . a n fresco of 8 Ch i topher B ge don, North Cerney, beneath Rendcombe chur ch (built by one of the

mas an d n i u s new a n i a Ta ) prete t o h ll , looki g l ke club ho u se f r om Pall M all dropped o n the pretty landscape ; the valley nar r owing and the hills rising to Coles borne (where note cu r iou s chancel arch) and so to the r s n is no t f ar Seven Springs. F om Cole bor e it over the r iver to the left to Elks tone w ith its cu rious 154 FRONTIER LINE BY mr sw om) AND THAMES

n r Norman and Perpendicu lar church . The the oad plunges down Charlto n hill to Cheltenham , with w e o a a magnificent view, and awake t fi nd th t we have left the Cotswolds as completely as we ha ve lost all traces of the Thames .

OLD BEAR ms ,

155 CHAPTER X

A BYWAY IN was cor sw ow s

N the Cotswolds there are certainly many ss byways. Great coaching roads cro them, and even the splendid Fossway of the Romans ; an o f u r and but m y the ways ar e of the past cent y,

poor things at best . After all it is no t the road tha t r s matte , but where it leads to ; and you cannot go f r n e a wro g if you follow here u p hill and down dal , f o r you come sooner or later to an old grey stone a se s nd s nin in v il l ge, t by the ide of a stream , a hi g

su n a s es so keenl o n s s . One the th t mit . y the Cot wold w ay there is that Beehis q u ite outside the common

o . is a s w rld It by, for it t ke you into a land where the th centu ry seems no t

a u - u s s to h ve beg n. A co u of grea t farm ho e and rambling cottages; of churches such as our fore

a s n m r s nn n s s . f ther k ew the , pe hap i oce t of Pu eyi m s s The pari h clerk urvives, as of old he of whom the — poet wrote I wonder if he knew of an inscription at Bibury

’ ’ I wkd a d and san ha , nd hem , g, and spit,

w w Some, hen I sang, ere pleased at it. ' b And so me when I gave o er .

Need any more be said to show that each house is 156

l l r s a sto a de ightful Ce y Pape , which the Roy l Hi ric l Society has lately p u blished ; but that shall need a a r s p pe to it elf. Fr om Northleach y o u shall turn southwards and find s o n s e F your elf the pl ndid oss way . To your ar e right the tall tr ees tha t shut in Stowell Park. s ss s where, if ever he laid a ide his harne , re ted the a s n a “ n r f mou Eldo , pill r of the Tor y party, who eve "

a . the as s n a s n r tted To left, you ri e to e rly eve n s n s s hu dred feet, tretc h undu lati g hill , bared mo tly e r s n n as of th i tree , but o lo ger fer tile of weal th in the a s W i d y of the Great ar . It s pathetic to remem ber how long the idea linger ed of the inexhaustible s an r r riche of the l d . At a prope ty no t f a away from here lived till 1828 an old spendthr ift who dissipated his money much as fashionable people did when w as n l in George IV ki g, but who to the last be ieved r the recovery of the good old times. He w as d iven s ss all his s r van s nd b n fi r to di mi e t , a to light u t o e e in the gr eat Elizabethan mansion ; yet still he said his n u s m r a n to childre , It m t co e ight : l d must come " n a r ight . For him it ever came right. I n c me the e c u o n the aw er w ho had r a a xe ti ; l y , g du lly tightened his o s at as and an n s a a h ld , clo ed l t . the cie t e t te c me mer to the ham . — — It is wo r th w hile thou gh it be a digression to

o w the a er no w rn s u re i foll l wy , tu ed q i . H s house stood at the ou tskir ts o f a little cou ntry to wn in this

r o o w no s as neighbou h d . I ill t ay which it was : it w ch H is s s no t No r thlea . tingy ways and hi b ad r ecord prevented h is ever winning popul ar ity among the

e. ear s n o n and a peopl Y we t , he saw th t he was

a a nd s r an e ss h ted . He h ted back , a t g ly he expre ed

is O e h hatr ed . n day at the mar ket he sto od by the 1 58 A BYWAY IN THE COTSWOLDS

" “ r o u Ah a s ! can s old to lsey and c ied t, , begg r I ell

av all u r - s aw r ye all u p ! We h e yo title deed , l ye " l u w as no t l a l . X and I. W e cou d sell ye p It r an n a a s a r fo gotten, d w he few d y l te he rode through the streets the V il lagers assembled as tho u gh by s and s ans o n c r s magic, w ith paper roll tr fixed pit hfo k , s r o u r and prodded the flank of his hor se . He e be ” - u - s title deeds ; here be o r title deed . s Stories like these cli ng to the little cou ntr y to wn . Many of them had their origin in the fact that people "

as w as a . No t f ar aw a r lived fr eely, it c lled y f om the places I have spoken of is a beau tiful Eli zabeth n u s l u r in Shelton w ich has a ho e , beautiful y fig ed , h of recent yea rs been repai r ed su mptu ou sly and w ell . Tales belong to it which are told again and again in n s no o ne can the cou try ide , but which vouch An r n m for the tr uth of. old ba o et, well re em

n s u o n o n r bered i these valley , wo ld occas i ide

n a s r e w er e he w as and dow the vill ge t e t, h lord r an o ld a a r sa r e a n in his an maste , with c v l y b dr w h d . One da he rode upon a gr ocer who stood at his s h0p y — door with a box of figs a lu ngs and the sword went

- u fi nd as rn a a in r u . thro gh the g box, a it w bo e w y t i mph an s o r s r a u n s man nd Rom tic t ie gathe ed ro d thi old , a r s s I n his g im torie too o f murder. las t days he w as e s his n r and n nd r fu ed to ki d ed ; whe he died , a the w as n r su r r s will read , it w as o ve y great p i e that the s s e his r Ar e s e tate wer left to butle . these thing e n s ! o f e ma b u t r ta n no t l ge d Some th m y be, ce i ly all. e a s o f n r ns Th y were the d y u r efor med co poratio , no t r ar s n s r of eformed p i h cou cil . After the corpo a n an s in a r n tio b quet , little town ha d by, there bei g no in s r s so u r u light g of the t eet la te , the j nio b r gess was e u to w a f rs a in s s d p ted lk i t. h v g loosed hi hir t 159 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

a r his s n tail , th t by thei light grave e iors might find

a r u s s s - n the w y to thei ho e . The hirt tails were k own " s to the wit as the local moon. am n a is a But I wanderi g from my w y , which th t past Stowell Park down the sharp descent to th e P osse r . r find a in in in b idge He e you charm g , the s as n w i a r comfortable tyle of the l t ce tury, th g een and s s s s e i before , table to the ide . Exqui it it looks n

‘ ‘ A CO I S‘V OLD HOUSE A FTER RESTORATI ON.

su m su n s a nn n s the mer , where the m ll begi i g of the n n r a s r n Col flow u de the rche of the b idge, overhu g

n s a i n . n s i s by gree bough . A mile aw y s Col S De i , t

r an and a r n s c a church No m E ly E gli h , w ith De or ted n a ns a n and Perpe dicular dditio . The prev le ce of Norman wor k along this valley sho ws how ear ly civili zation settled in the neighbou r hoo d o f the s r n s r a s es Roman road . The e ar e o trace of g e t ca tl , 16 0

BY TH AMm AND COTSWOLD

w hich owned and c u ltivated so much of these s a s r Cot wold l nd , to the boy king. So Salpe ton and Minster Lo vel remember

to the church of Deerhurst

s in w as a cell o f the great S. Deny the r s r s n subu b of Pa i h . The ame of the naturally have been s mx ed to the village to H r its n i n and gu lch it f om e ghbours Col Roger (b in S.

Aldwyn. its na no d Coln Roger took me, oubt, 16 2 A BYWAY IN THE COTSWOLDS

Norman ba r o n w ho had m u ch to do with the buildi ng o f i as he r s r has ts beau tifu l little ch u r ch . Al t e tore

n a a n b o u ma s see o r an o n bee t h d , u t y y till the N m n the point o f tu r ni ng into Early Englis h . O the nor th wall wes tw ar d ar e th e beautiful Ear ly Englis h ca pita ls of a door way w hi ch within is a plain Norman

a . ls sa rch A small Nor man window tel the me tale,

and the Ear ly English chancel completes it. The

o ne in lo m o s he position is a delightfu l , w ead w by t

r r w ose in as ar s a e ive , the vie cl d e tw d by wood d hill , w here ash and willo w are gr acefu lly mingled w ith fi r s an u s s and a ns and a , d little ho e b r , wh t you ' would swea r w as a her mit s cell j u st o n the mar gin

o f u r . ar is the stream, complete the pict e H d by an s a an V a ra and exqui ite Eliz beth ic ge, grey grea t e a h window ed and gabled . The w hol vill ge as the air all its u s o n o f a in a s , with secl i , h v g lway been well

a f o r . w as r ain s s c red So it , ce t ly , the church how , by

Mrs. r o the e r ess a o f n Ma y Co k, h i , I t ke it, the Milli g ns h o n r to who ad l g lived the e, and who died in 1782

H er tender Hear t with lo ve si ncer e ev Su fi Melted f or er y sr er .

And felt f o r th e Distrest. ’ ’ Whene er she heard the gr iev d co mplai So f t Pity f o r the So ns o f Pain h e Res ided in r Breast.

w o an o f in o J can - J ac s A m feel g, wh m qu e w ould have loved. ns n is no t r an a le 0 3 Wi o mo e th mi , wi th her e, a a n its r an and ar n s g i , No m E ly E gli h church, with n c la r a i ns and a r es r Perpe di u dd tio , to ation which has no s fi ne r a a e t poiled the No m n ch nc l arch . The 16 3 BY TH AME AND CO’I S’ W OLD

a s h Pe and t te in t eir names . H em r enfinds u s o f py a

b ' ou ntif nl o f tb e pu u h m the family o f H o w es. “ ey m hninated o ne feea in a gentleman who died

his pr incipla and his steady atta chment to his king

wheth er he f ollo wed l r . Pitt o e . Fb x . B u t w hat ever may ham b een th e politice o f ll n H o t ave no do u bt at all tlmt in his day th er e lived in th e

th e mgu h rity o f its windo m the chas te sever ity o f its dm fi o mbelo ng w ith ou t q uestion to the tas te o f

' o Dr . G s o r ~ . Fo lli . Dr tt, a ter . Dr Pmtpipa The eocle siastic who lived in this delicio u s ho u so mus t have en a scholar and a be gentleman. I camio t think that he neglected his par ishioners ; I feel eer h in that l is he did no t neg ect h cellar . A mfle om u p hifl and do wn dala eith er through

“ ' elebr ated in A C o tsw old V illa e or b c g . y the pro s

“ W illiam Mo r r is tho u gh t to be su r ely the mos t “ t in n a . I ts s l n E beau iful village E gl nd — p e did liza b ethan co u r t its fine u r c t Norman w o r k , ch h wi —h W m d a splendid Nor man do or gain more than f their beau t fr om their lo ve s o n s hal y ly urr u ding . r str eam r u nnin thmu h the villa the clea g g ge str eet, the spring mthe mn gardemthe old lo w b r idgea the 16 4

Begin at

s as you r ide

l a s r l h I s l down the br oad vi l ge t eet W t t pretty . a n efi ect r h thr ow , with kee eye to , ove t e placid str w m that flows throu gh the grm str ips along the n in as n road. Someo e the l t ce tury mus t ha ve worked in the town very happily. The harmony of

116 11 H 0 . l u . it Ml cannot be the wor k Of (3 00 . 0 tb all a s a are, very pretty, of d te ; the m jority of the em f o r table time of George III. The church might m a m a and an have quite co fort ble Georgi too, like

n u one had no t set s l a a its tower, if him e f to m ke i n r new Gothic erection of it. St ll eve the e are su r A BYWAY IN THE COTSWOLDS

n n an n vivals. Antho y Collet, ge tlem , left, we lear , o £10 to the poor of the parish two hundred years ag . H is epitaph is su perb

In him none ever any baseness saw ;

s u r as law . H is r u le w a ho no , and his wor d w

is fine r an and an There a Jo d tomb too, m y other s e pleasant things ar e in thi pleasant plac .

From Bou rton- o n - the - Wate r y o u cannot go any u n I f o u o as where witho t climbi g a hill . y g I would

a o u o u u n and s n s a . s le d y , y mo t de ce d ever l A ton an o r a o r o s n as indifl erentl Bl k, Ble k , C ld A to , they y

a it is n s s ix u n a s - c ll , o ly ome h dred feet bove ea level, b u t s o r i s na . it look w thy of t me The church , n an n a an r dig ified , like m y ear here, by Norm doo , has the uncommon featu re of an u nlighted east a o ne n o a ar and in w ll , with iche ver the lt another

s . is all u r i a at the ide It r de local wo k , l ke th t r a s a a o a an Notg ove, few mile w y, of which l c l ti

u ar ies a e so c and a is a s 1 450. q m k mu h , the d te perh p n s s u in a s an Human i tere t must be o ght the epit ph , d

a n. One is I n o r s a E l o no t in v i Mem y of Jo hu y tt, r and a his w a e u n o a cle k, Eliz beth ife, d ught r t Edw rd "

A l or th A lw o r th s u r . u s 1 y w of y , E q i e He died A gu t , 6 his r n s a s 16 7, and f ie d gave him curiou poetic n a s u n a inscription, o w lmo t decipher ble

t ca ed Samue hen The Lo rd ha h ll l ce,

W ho J oshu a did su cceed.

a r epetitio n ofBiblica l order which the epitaph - maker s

nin . f found en ter tai g A ar finer monument, very e r a s i r is o highly d co ted , though t ll of local wo k. t the s ar r so n n a r memor y of Gile C te , of Joh C rte of s ell in n o f s r s i his Nether w , the Cou ty Glo te , E qu re ; n n ar r a l n e two brethren bei g Joh C te of Ch r to Abbat , 16 7

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD see r s s and the Ber ks hi e down , the White Hor e ,

Fa n o n u r o r o s a a . l n ri gd Cl mp, thi ty f rty mile w y A o g

s o a n a ain thi road and y u come to H mp ett, perched g o n the s l n ses and ns. ide of a hil , spri kled with hou bar is no There is an air of pros perity, which t belied by the substantial rectory or the gay decor ation that th e ’ restorer s hand has given to the church . Apart from its n is r a n s . rece t handling, the church of g e t i tere t a a s a A Norman nave and chancel arch , the c pit l c rved

e r s n an a an e u n rud ly with bi d , give e tr ce to ch c l of

s F er is o ne a n ba en u ual plan . irst th e pl i y , th a a n n in s r v ulted bay , the ti y wi dow the ea t wall p ob a s n and bly the Norman original , the window to orth s - s ns l has ou th fif teenth century in ertio . The who e been painted with designs which it is no t possible n is a e tirely to praise . But the result certam rem rk a e s n s bl , and by no mean without i tere t. As you turn away and pass over the broken by s r s a way to No thleach , you remember with a t rt that you have never been r eally f ar 06 from the li ne of a s n the railways and the great co ch road . No e the ss u r n le you have been q ite out of the wo ld, i to a

s - s s a n n di trict which the guide book di d i to recog ize, i or recognize only to show the r ignorance of it. A an i sin a s l d it s without a gle gre t hou e, but with yeo ' men s dwellings su ch as other districts would make

s . no a s n s a how of There ar e dverti eme t , h ppily, and no a a u r a s is a n ns m te rti ts. It cou try quite u poiled.

l 70 CHAPTER XI

TRADE IN TH E XV . CENTUR Y

NOW lies long o n these high r s idge . Cold cr amps the little Cotswold lamb when his bro thers in south ern valleys ar e

war m in the su n . W h e n Ma r c h ends Tom is still bearing logs into ‘ a t h e h l l , a n d Dick blows his na s a il , nd icicles hardly thaw by CANOPY FROM BRASS O! A W OOL nfidda and y , NORTHLEACH CHURCH.

All alo u d the w i nd do th blow ' And cou n s e a s ghi g dr o wn th p r on s saw .

' s an s no t an s n a s s Thi l d doe ch ge i ce Sh ke peare day . " l is n and Sti l blood ipped , ways he foul . It is of our ways i ndeed that we ar e thinking now is a n n , for it the time for ro d me di g, to those 1 71 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

a e e n r who le ve v rything, as our cou t y folk do. till a

to o a e . And a s the a s l little l t the w y , gre t Cot wo d

r e n s s s s . h n oad, w re o ce the glorie of the e hire W e r a a s r a r o o a and he the g e t co che n, the g eat N rth R d t Bath Road wer e no t bette r than that which r an r and n r s r f om Oxford to Cheltenham, ce tu ie befo e that half the w ealth of England passed over them

to the sea . No o ne seems in o u r days to have thought of th ese l o ne end o f h r oads except Wil iam Mor ris. At t em ir en s r h e is o ne da his e r s e u s by C ce te y , l tte t ll , j t n ar s a o r n a o n n s r s twe ty ye g , d ivi g l g the lo g t etche

o f ss - W a r a ar n u n th e the Fo y , ove regul dow co try,

- lls sw s asan n e foot hi of the Cot old , ple t e ough . till w " a a in n s c me to the v lley which the t y Col cut through.

Here he w as by Chedworth, where the Roman villa is a as sa s r u e , the v lley truly, he y , ve y bea tiful . th s sw nd e n meadow so eet a wholesom . Twe ty miles aw ay to the no rth he w as near sta r ting his o wn n s i a r ad i du try, which m ght h ve evived the tr e of he n in an a u an s a t cou try, ide lly beautif l l d c pe ” a e clear air and wate r in abu nd nc . I am following ’ a r n o o w is ne Mr . Macha il cha mi g b k, hich o for a Co tsw old man to ha ve always near h is hand ; so I will go on to quote w hat he says of the near ness to Kelmsco tt o f what ha d once been a land of r ich “ trad ers Not many miles ofi lay tha t Cotswold co untry which in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries had been o ne o f the pr incipal manufactu ri ng s n an d ose r s centre of E gl d , an wh p o perity had only given w ay tow ar ds the end of the last centu r y befo re norther n water~ power and the energy of Yorkshir e

er s. s s and a m ast The lope v lleys of the Cotswolds, wher e the Thames and its tribu tary rivers br eak from 1 72

BY THAME S AND C OTSW OLD

s e fa rme rs, like their neighbour , well clad in th ir own a n wool s. Willi m Midwi ter comes much more pro “ eu tl in al s n his w ell and min y to the t e, elli g good " o sw model] w ell. forty sacks of good C tty o lde woll s an n a t forty pounds terling, d dini g, when he went n i a l n a u p to Lo ndo , w th Master Rich rd Ce y the Su d y before Allhallows Day and selling more wool over the table as they dined . Then would Richa rd Cely go down to Northleach to see the country for

am mo C W .

“ “ a nd buy xxvi sar plerys at No r layge i t and ni sar ler s at s a M dwin er, p y We twell , pretty a c a vill ge of whi h we h ve heard before . A mo nths later (it is in s team Cely the younger goes do wn to Nor thleach and l .

and n “ a W e. k ows no t where he is to

1 74 W TH E OOLLE N TRADE IN XV. CENTURY

and mighty ar e the complaints o f the Cely s thereon. " “ ‘ I n 1 481 r r se ' i a e a t it w as at g ete p y , xii i ii tod . — “ " No r thleach and great riding w as ther e all over in ar s the Cots wolds to get it. After tha t, the ye u r n and fr o all following, there w as m ch idi g to of s a rs a s in s nd n w e the e tr de , till t la t the corre po e ce — find a touch of romance quaint fifteenth centur y an romance tha t w as never in England ver y r om tic, — n n n to mi gli g with the trade . Richar d Cely writi g his r a i h r n o f brothe George t Cala s, o n t e thi tee th Ma in 1 482 is si l s y the year , bu ed, it wou d eem, with in two mar r iage projects. He has been deal g with ' s s o flicer a his r o e n the bi hop bout b ther, wh reo it “ was decided that all things should abide your " B u i h in in coming . t he h mself ad been tarry g o an Cotsw ld three weeks, busy packing wool there d “ a n . a is no all. ir r t Campde But th t t S , I w ite to you a process - I mu st really r espcll and p u nctuate ' —“ the young man s letter f o r him I pr ay God send Th thereof a good end. e same day tha t I came to a o n a n a Northle ch, Su d y, before matins , from Ku r f o r d (does he mean Burford Willia m Mid r winte welcomed me, and in our communica tion he as e in an w a k d me if I were y y of ma rriage . I told him na and y , he informed me that ther e w as a young n an a his is ge tlewom , whose f ther, name Lemery ke, and r s her mothe is dead, and she shall di pend by her 40 n s s sa mother pou d aze a they y in that country, and her father is the gr ea tes t ruler and richest man in a n d r th t cou try, an the e have been great gentlema n to see her and w n , ould have her. And whe matins this matter Lemo ryke. of all the 175 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

a r and m tte , the y oung gentlew o man both. An d the a u a a r S t rd y fte William Midwinte r wen t to London,

as all a re s w s wool g the r ere ent for. When I had a at am n and n p cked C pde William Midwi ter parted, I ca me to Nor thleach again to make an end of a n and o n n a n a r p cki g, Su d y ext fte , the same man that William Winter b rake fir st to came to me and told me that he had br oken to his master accor ding as n er sir e him is Midwi t de d , and he said h master w as as an right well ple ed therewith, d the same man said to me if I w ou ld tar ry [till] May Day I should a a s o f n en w h ve ight the you g g tle oman, and I said I w ou ld tarry with a good will ; and the same day he sho u ld ha ve sat at Northlea ch f o r the King b u t he sent o ne o f his cler ks and rode himself to Winch

combe . And at matins the same day came the young

n an and her - ia - law s ge tlewom mother tepmother],

they came into chur ch . And when matins w as done they went to a kinswoman of the young n an and s n ge tlewom , I e t to them a bottle of white ’ n nd e an f o r rom ey, a th y took it th kfq they had

come a mile afoot that mor ning . And when mass w as done I came and welcomed them and kissed n f o r r them , and they tha ked me the wine and p ayed n r me to come to din e with them , and I excused me, and they made me pr omise to drink with them after

s n n dinner , and I e t them to din er a gallon of wine, sen a r and they t to me he onshaw roast, and after a and r an w d di nner I c me d k ith them , an took n d William Brette with me, an we had right good

u n a n. is n and l comm ic tio She you g, little, very we l nd n favoured , a witty ; a d the country speaks much

. Sir all s a e mi good by her , thi matter bid th the co ng 1 76

CH APTER XII

B Y CHE LTE NHAM AND E V ESH AM

E TW E E N Campden and Cheltenh am lie sever al inter esting histo r ic sites of which I w ou ld s e ar as gladly p ak p ticu lar ly. Sudeley C tle, w o u e ns n i s s en i home of t Q e Wi chcombe, with t pl d d Perpendicu lar par ish chu r ch w hich has su rvived the

r a a a a ar s and a es g e t bbey th t g ve it to the p i h ; H yl , n u r with its qu ai t ch ch and beautifu l ruins. A w ord only can I give to each . S u deley has gone throu gh

u n s he s r . f ew many f o r t e , t be t pe haps its latest But and r a n n ar r s s as people see it, ce t i ly o t wayf e uch I n is a n u r a i if over am. Wi chcombe tow q ite bu ied l ve

r n n u n su ch ther e we e . Of the abbey o t one sto e po r su r es b u t r is u r an r es anothe viv , the e m ch f o tiqua i to u he s o f a n s d say abo t t tomb e r ly E glish king , an the r s he i a n s ven memo ie of t ch ld S i t Kenelm. Fine e u r o u s s n teenth cent y h se ta d u nhar med in the town. F r all i s r ness sa e n o t emote , ys a poet who has b e

e o r me er so a am he s in b f e h e, th t I t le s incl ed to speak , var iou s dead and livi ng people have thou ght it wor th while to make Winchcombe an exceptionally u r s u l a e n l r h in d h u pict e q e vi l ge, exc ptio a ly ic o l o ses, ” nd o r u na in i s u r h a f t te t ch c . a s i H yle s mor e than a mer e r u in . It h as so me ver y

fi ne ar es su r vi n f r m its o n e s l ndid s ch vi g o c p e C l o i ter s. 1 78 BY CHELTENHAM AND EVESHAM

It has some of the very finest thir teenth and four teenth century heraldic til es that ar e to be seen any u s s i and s s n a where, dug p afe by the k ll per i te ce of

s a an n B z . famous Glouce tershire antiqu ry, C o a eley It s u l l n a ha a q ite de ightful litt e church , o t much h rmed " si nce the days when KingStephen was a wor thy peer.

And it has gr eat memories of the King who built it, r Richard of Cornwall, o of King of the

ns n an his n r his u Roma , of Quee S chia wfi e, of He y whom the tw o sons of Ear l Simon mu rdered at

m s r amsn cam s , wm

te r and w h a : s ear w a w. Vi bo, h t s to be u r n w h hm l la b ied ear y y t e high altar. mothe b h The shr ine of the

The x o l and theas a a Cr mwel l t bbat, wor thy pair, has n n i s left othi g but t base . Only mor e complete s ru n is s n at de t ctio to be ee Winchcombe. is a is all i It d trict which, with ts tod ay,

s s n n ness the weep of frie dly lo eli , the vast a n is s the of b re dow , till a cou ntry o f f animm churches . The abbeys o f Winchcombe and Tewkes

u s set ne f o r b ry eem to the to the distr ict, and there is 179 ' ( tr ia d A fi ns s niit1 1 6 e sf zf w i ci i: is la t w t so

‘ “ ‘ t 1 1 : r me th er e th at B atis m f n m m. y

' ' r - i r s t The ahb ev w a s m a n annies a h ns a : Ike f :

and th e w r - h ei h ened b u t in it s o w er es ter n to er . g t l

v v -r - v ho o f p ort io ns indis p uta hl et a i r i . Th e B is p

B r is to l w o se o in io n in su ch ru nn e r s ever o ne . h p y w o u ld b e w i 3 and w ho s se to 3 011 1 1 . ha p aid many visits to t he ch u r ch is «envinced th a t t h e ea r es t . li mr t s ca nno t b e mu ch la ter t ha n t h e be g inning o f

h e e no es n t ighth centu r y . H e t t he u nio n o f I r ish a d

a in w e - s It lian flu ence in th e o r k. De r in ns : i no t mo r e

t an thir t m les f r o m Ma mes b u r d S. Aldh elm h y i l y .

u v had br o ght to Ma lmesb u r m u ch tin e I ta lia n w o r k . Aldhelm w as h imself the su ccesso r o f t h e I r i~ h m o nk

Maildu lf so the u nio n o f th e nfl u e nces is a n his r , i to ic

ac . eer u r s t Mr . Ru sh f o r h s i n T f t Of D h , t he 1 80

BY THAME S AND COTSWOLD

n o o u l bee tricked u t f all keeping. It wo d have — been well to pres er ve the a rrangement agains t w o f o u r se is no law hich c there , sacred o r s a —o f the s a s and a a set ma ecul r e t of the lt r, , it y he no r an r s i , th d south, but without o nament , wh ch s o u be h ld placed o n the east wall. Beside the church w as the great clois te r of which you can see (3 n s the t and the co ventual building , much of w e c u s a an in hich r mains . A deli io fl mboy t w dow is a great featur e of the east front of what is now a

lovely farm house. r s a s l So we part from Dee hur t, Cot wo d village that takes u s farther than any other back into the Englis h s pa t. And s n a o to Chelte ham, where the be utiful grounds ss s no t n us s and the cla ic temple , but the moder ho e , B u might almos t tempt o ne to ta r ry. t Cheltenham belongs to o much to fashion (extinct perhaps) for r r a so me . I cannot, howeve , fo be r to quote me words from A Gu ide to all the W a ter ing and Sea B athing “ la es s a 1 820: new c a a P c , publi hed bout A h lybe te s r n su r w r has a s n ~ p i g, of a very pe ior po e , l o bee dis s ne covered o n the e tate of Colo l Riddell. I ts fiicac as a n is u n r n e y to ic doubtedly g eat, partie

’ lar ly when combined with the Colonel s old fi ne n a a e ra is flavoured East I di M d i , of which he as " is a e in liberal as he of the w t r his pump. I came the other day o n this curious advertise Gl u ester Gazette r 13 1 79 ment in the o c of Ap il , 2 : “ n all s ns no t This is to give otice to Per o , to trust

e a u r an h n a Sally . the wif of me, Willi m S m , of C elte h m . As I will no t pay any debts that she the aforesaid do n a s n ss i Sally s hall o r co tr ct, a wit e my hand th s

o ar 1 792. NB . s is 30th day f M ch , Thi the third 1 82 BY CHELTENHAM AND EVESHAM

i she a sl d n is s sh is n t me h ve ope , a d it upposed e go e " ' to e Birmingham. I do no t share the lady s preferenc ,

but like her I am eager to elope from Cheltenham . o n I go to other Cots wo ld la nds . At th e edge of the Cots wolds beyond Campden lies a n s cou try which has fame among arti ts . Take the a as s o n a see ro d p t the church , top your w y to the gazebo or banquet house which is all that remains of r a ns the g e t ma ion and gardens of Sir Edward Noel ,

C E I PPI NG C AMPDB N .

n is my lord Viscount Campde . It y

- i n a harmed. I ts high pitched roof w th the iro r il n a s its w li along the top and the four pierced pi n cle , d s s n as n was ca rved doors and wide window , ta d whe it built just befor e the Civil in the time which s Clarendon tells of as so easy and pro perous. nd o n s Then down the steep hill a we twards , through W estone u b - Edge with a pretty half - timbem

r s is a b eau tfi u l u ns i house. Wille ey village po lt by Oi‘ tW é

' M n h ' De m hh m I - m o u mfight h “ fi r m m i m u m s- h a th ”

m a fi m z d w wm m m h m r mlir fi r 5 : 1; t k o f the m d m fi m h h m M m hfi m m fi d th W of

“ n d -v i “ fi

’ A fl i m d fi e h fl tfl m u g fi m m a m m m n m m m a m m

“ M W to a h ta day thm th e M oe-nu n : I m tv in d mmh s u e no t its

M l m ins rea fi fi rd m t han of th e

— Bg im ld 1 12 2 1 149 is a fine pieee of late Nor m w o r h t hieh gir es en m m to the ch u mh the ch u reh of All Snints th e pu ish ch u mh o f Br I has fine a hma . t a port h and th e li chfi eld cha el the ch antr o f Clemen t Lieh fiel p , y d. th e last. abba is a b ea u i r t, t f u l Pe p endicu lar addi tio n to th e

so u th . So a ain in the t mb u o f S. a g h L u r ence, w hic h w as bu ilt f o r the pilgr ims w h o visi ted th e a be th er is a b eau if u cha t ntr o f S. C ement b y , e l y l , no u sed as a a is r w e . b pt t y The f an t r a cer v o f the r o is f a l ar in o tsw ch u s B h of mi i the C old r che . u t t e

r ea si o f ves am is no t e t er o f i s ch u h g t ght E h i h t r c es, 186 BY CHELTENHAM AND E V E SH AM

but the o ne su r viving relic of the abbey. The Bell r is w r and s s n Towe the third o k, the mo t ple did , l connected the name of Clement Lichfie d. It

r ea m sr r o m r vmnau . s an s s he a u l n t d ea tward of t church, b i di g of a n r m n in a m gnifice ce, the wor k of a ich a rich time . It compares at once with the tower s of Northleach 187 BY TH AMES AND COTSWOLD

’ n a no hi me am hitti g t him, Do t t , I too old to fight. It w as his u se and wo nt to swear su ch oaths as m n s . As u s a the e he w as th excl i i g, they took his helmet o ff his head ; and discover ing by his face that he w as really the King he w as taken o u t of the

a and o n n da w as r s r his b ttle, the ext y he e to ed to n m r a sa s a n o f n s ki gdo , to the g e t ti f ctio the e emie o f ” mo n and ar n h d n Si the b o s who a bee killed . That gr im day gave Evesham its place in English s r a da ar s r a a r ss n hi to y, y of d k to m, bl ck c o the la d

m n - fro the or th west.

And it over cast all th e land that men might scar ce see s er eat e an t m t no A gr i li w h r th i w as igh t o n ear th be.

r r m n o f u s er a c n So w ote Robe t the o k Glo ce t , w t hi g,

as sa s r m s a a . he y , thi ty ile w y B u t Evesham belongs to a later day than the n n I s w n u r thi r tee th ce tu r y . t t i ch ches ar e no t its r s o r i s s s in s u n s ea lie t t mo t di t gui hed b ildi g . One r a r a ns r eedified s a o f memo i l em i , omewh t, the r m n a time befor e Ea l Si o . The g teway of Abbat — Reginald 1 1 22 1 1 49 is a fine piece of late No r man r s n r an wo k, which give e t ce to the chu r ch yar d fr om the mar ket place . A few yar ds aw ay is u r a n s a the ch ch of All S i t , the p rish chu r ch o f has fi ne r n s . a a d Eve ham It po ch , the Lichfi eld

a an r o f n L ichfi eld ch pel , the ch t y Cleme t , the last a a is a au u r n u ar a o n o e bb t, be tif l Pe pe dic l dditi t th s u a a n in u r c o f au r ence o th . So g i the ch h S . L , which w as bu ilt f or the pilgr ims w h o visi ted th e

a r is a au u an r o f S. emen bbey, the e be tif l ch t y Cl t,

er Th e f an r r no w u sed as a baptist y . t ace y o f th e in s o r B r oof is familiar the Cot w ld ch u ches . u t th e

r a s o f sha is no t e ther o f its ch u r ches g e t ight Eve m i , 186

CHAPTE R XIII

C IRE NC E STE R

HAVE wander ed to and f r o thr ou gh this district nd n r s n sa in a a yet seem eve to have poke , ve r u r s w a a a o w n o f ve y c ory y , of the c pit l t it, And s is no t Cir encester . indeed thi to be wondered at f o r is w n so r an and i n so u l , it a to g d d g ified, f l of fi ne u n s an an n s r a s a b ildi g d of cie t hi to y, th t I he it te to set w n a f ew s r u s w c ar e all do catte ed tho ght , hi h

a A n s n r a w yfar er may have of it. nd o w i ce I w ote es r ds nd nu s ri n r n e th e wo a my ma c pt we t to be p i t d, r a a r r ar n n and ar is the e c me w ite of le i g ch m , who a anu s r an and sa an n s c lled Sylv U b , he id m y thi g abou t Cir encester in the Cor nhill M agazine in a r o in e H e sa s ll so a w P v cial L tter . y a well th t I ill say little ; b u t

r s s n u s sa s n f o r r n s Fi t, i ce I m t y omethi g, my f ie d

ns s le r r r s as na . i i t, t the e be a wo d of p ote t to the me is n n ars a ns r no It o ly of r ece t ye th t folk, i pi ed dou bt by r ailway por ter s w ith their passio n f o r s u r u u s a u an r no u n in u r pe fl o ex ctit de, beg to p o ce fo “ Mr . s a s r n s r . a s ear e ace yll ble Ci e ce te Sh ke p , p ar 10 al i nu s w h o has sa s e s r an Rich d G l e , id om t ge things abou t this place and his ner ves in his book a Tr avel in E n nd o Ciceter c lled s gla , pr on unced it , and all wise men and women down to this day w ith

him. B u n i r n and no w to t the evil fashio s sp eadi g, 189 BY TH AMES AND COTSWOLD speak the name as Shakespeare spo ke it is beeoming a su re mar k o f clnss. I t is a rar e ins tance o f the

n s l true pro uncia tion urviving among the gentlefo k.

n s . whe farmer , traders and labourers have los t it The name carri es you back a long w ay : and it a s si s n m ke you vi t the Museums, stored with ple did Th Ro man remains . e histo r y o f the to wn go es back to the Romans ; and all around it ther e ar e pieces of an n w r u n r u cie t ork of thei days to be fo d. Th o gh “ " Co r iniu m— w s i s n which a t a cien t name, the ches ter comi ng la ter as an English memor y that the place — had been a for tified ca mp there passed four Roma n I knield s s s u roads. Street run ea tward p hill and down da le through Bibury and Burfor d so they

sa am s s s. an r y , but I u piciou Akem St eet certainly I r mi n s comes fr om Ba th . n Street goes by Cire ce ter a r o u es to Crickl de , Wanbo gh , Silch ter, to London. The Fo ss W ay parted from I knield Street and wen t northwards through what is now called Foss Br idge and o u s s to Northleach , s p and down mo t perilou ly

- - - n o n a e r a u s w a . to Bourto the W t , thoro gh Cot wold y Only the other day I heard of aW esley an minister who s r r a in ar s a n r n compared thi ve y o d, the e of o ther —“ " n r a n s i is all u s and ns. co g eg tio , to life it elf t p dow On ss W a o r a er a s 0 6 r the Fo y , r th few mile it (th ee, a is ss r and s n r s th t , from Fo B idge eve f om Cirence ter) , is an a he s all the Rom Vill of Chedworth , t be t of the

in r c survivals this di s t i t. It w as of late bu ilding

r nd h r s an s a n i s p obably, a as Ch i ti emblem mo g t

s s o s r c s . treasu re . The ba th ar e th e o f a i h hou ehold The sna ils that they cultivated for food have still their descendants ; and of the o ysters that they ate there is o s a s o f s B n s n m ll tore hells. u t of these thi g , and fi n n and a r n s r the really e paveme t both here t Ci e ce te , 190 CIRENCESTER

I shall say no more than that the Orpheus amid delightf u l beasts is dou btless the fines t bit we have in u s all England. Mr. H aver fi eld will no doubt tell

can n n and s u u s n r u that be k ow , re c e fr om the u t thful

an i s u n s . tiquar e , in the Victorian Co ty Hi tory The modern history of Cirencester begins with the a n u n n n es w bbey which He r y I fo ded. It co ti u ith s r s r the plen did church , or igina lly No man, re to ed u n er r nd of a ar d Richa d I a , wi th a good dea l l te E ly n is r r nr o r E gl h wo k. lengthened u n de He y III n r n s Edward I. I n the fourteenth ce tu y the mo k s a n s w a and n in eem to h ve bee bu y ith the bbey, oth g

as n n w do e to the church. But with the fiftee th cen tur y the grea t woo l ind u stry r evived tr ade in

w n and n n s s u n at as the to , co sta t beque t c lmi a ted l t i u n na w as m e n the reb ildi g of the ve , which co pl ted

u 1 . w as s in f o r w n a abo t 530 It ju t time, , he the bbey n a s r s u su e a d its ch pel perished, the pa i h ch rch rviv d to show the glor ies of the Co ts w olds in r eligion . It is noteworthy that Queen Elizabeth gr anted the abbey r h s n n a to the Maste family, o n t e trict co ditio th t

s s and no r ane u se . it hould be de troyed , t put to p of The mitred abbate had no su ccessors in thei r dignities no n o r thei r sacred bu ildings. Th e parish did t eed them. u r s f o r s z w the The ch ch , which compare i e ith re u r s a t and o v n r a m g at ch che of Y rmou h C e t y, be , w ll i n s a a e o n s air ith a ts cha ges, the t mp th t b l g to F

n m s for d and No r thleach and Chippi g Ca pden. It i a u r c r o m r a a c u r o f ch h of ich , c fo t ble folk , h ch the n er ss n a f o r r o s o r people ev thele , o t a ch pel g eat l rd

n n l s u s u n e ha mo ks . Ma y gi d cl ter ed ro d it ; th y d

r ls d r a s r ea s w h thei chape an thei h ll . the g te t of hic last is the splendid buildi ng o n the sou th of the 1 91

CIRENCESTER

r a is in n chu ch, d t ction in itself to a y town. The bea u tiful chapel o f the Ho ly Tr i nity at the nor th of the u r w as u w en 1 430 and 1 440 and has ch ch b ilt bet e , s a fi n r — h a till e fresco of S . E asmus w o has a ch pel his o s — s s nd of wn in Westmin ter Abbey and bras e , a

ass and o f ir o s Ro e a is gl , the tomb S Th ma , diplom t t in East and West and fr i end of Elizabeth o f d Bohemia an of Archbisho p Lau d . u r a The ch ch has no t alw ays been well kept. Th t same ar chbis hop thr eatened its w ardens with the

ss n f o r a n had a him High Commi io , petitio re ched fro m some go od chu r chmen w ho made the chur ch cry out f o r her self I am in comeliness no t mu ch n r f f o r i ferio to the ca thedr al ch u rch o Bath , but

want of w hite lining of ma r le look r us tily. My

n w s ar e r - o u r w in o ne a and wi do pa ti c lo ed , hite pl ce in an r b u w as f u n e i c red othe , t I o d d w th ri h coloured

ass su as is in a r o r u r n ar in gl , ch F i f d ch ch e me the

sa w is e en s da . me diocese, hich k pt dec tly to thi y The an r i r e e he a r n is u n ch cel, whe e s ec iv d t S c ame t, ceiled a n m en is w r n o u t and like a b r , y pavem t o very u r n d w nhandsome . So the e came the pa vi g an hite w as in and s r n o f w i n h g pla te ceili g, h ch more eed n nd s o b e sa . r am r s a t id Then the e c e galle ie , pew in a blocked u p the chancel. Afte r all these th gs c me

Sir . Gilber t Scott Still it is a gr and fine church , o w rthy of the capita l town . Cirencester had its stor my days in the Civil a n W rs. It took the side that tr ading to wns ofte afi ected w u an , as stormed by R per t, d captured a n ag i by Essex. Prisoner s wer e shut u p in the “ u r ch ch , some almos t two whole days and two n s in all w l no ight , hich time they a lowed u s " s u s na e The te nc . poor fo lk w ho tell this tale were 1 93 N BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

' s an a t of the Parliamont pa rt, d had to m ke heir way a t n without stocki ngs or shoes or h ts to Oxford, get i g o n s a a n in ly at Burford hill , where they t yed w iti g s w as the deep now, a little piece of bread which all the r elief they gave u s in our w ay between " s a Cirencester and Oxford. But no t the phy ical h rd ships o f w ar made the place ready to welco me ba ck the King : it w as the marrying by banns at the High Cross and in the town hall by jus tices of the peace that the Cots wold lads and leases could no t s d n and t e tomach. An so the Ki g Church had h ir own again in Cirences ter as elsewher e . e no r ilu t th e church never w holly had h r own. a s n the a will have. The abbey l ud belo g to f mily of ' s W o s in za s Ma ter, arden of All S ul Eli beth day, to a who m the Queen granted them. Later c me the t s s e a nn o n Ba hur t to the to wn , and gav it co exi with the great wo rld o f politics and letters. Pope u rod his i s s ndj fr end, the first earl , to how other o u s e c h w to ri hes which he hinisc lf used so well.

u s w t Oh teach . Bathu rs t, yet u nspo iled w i th eal h. That secre t rar e betwee n the ex tr ema to mo ve

0! ma d - - good na tu r e and o f mean self lo ve.

e n s e he o u r s he Cir ce t r. the park, t arb , t projected " s canal . upplied the he rmit o f Twickenham with

man an ns ir o T e n u s a n. h o y i p ti tow f rni hed Y ung, o o as the s t . great Lord Bathur t wittily sa id, with " o e an th r Night Tho u ght, when afte r dinner with the cu rl at electio n time he was attacked by the furio us partizans o f the party which he came to ser ve and was s se a uppo d to h ve betrayed, and threatened in his bcd b a co o r s y pc with bi adas . Of u s s o f s Lord Bath r t hundred anecdote could be told. B e liveu in the wr i i n s of Po and Ar bu t g pa thnot. 194 CIRENCESTER

w f t Ga and r o r and in s n i s S i , y , P i , the ple d d peech of r e a r end his Bu k , who took him t the ve y of life to point the mor al of the grow th of Br itish America in “ his l e a r a e u r u ifetim , with g c f l t ib te to the many virtu es w hi ch have made him o ne of the mo s t a i h is o f h e s o r u na m n f m able, as e o ne t mo t f t te , e o " ' his o s in a w as o f his age. P pe sea t the p rk o w n es n and r o m n s as su as h d ig , f it exte d wide vi t ch t e nu s r o n r s e age loved . Ave es t etch eve y id . From “ ' " “ " o e s s he s en r es ar e P p eat t ev id to be seen. At o ne point is the climax of an artificial r uin ss l ns r o n s with an impo ib e i c ipti . The e wer e the diversions of the gr ea t Lor d Bathu r s t. The ar tificia l

m o n o f all ruin w as the ad irati beholders. The s r r fo llowi ng tale i told of it. A t avelle being shown “ the bu ilding by an aged wo man expressed a degree o f as and su r r se a t its r a an ple ure p i g e t tiquity. “ “ s is n n sa the o ld s n f o r m Thi othi g , id per o , y lord in tends bu ilding o ne tw o h u ndred years o lder very " so on. The magnificence o f Lo rd Ba thurs t stimula ted h u r expense everyw her e. The c ch added to its

a u s a s s a o s and n u n f mo pl te, till mo t f m u , i cl di g the “ fi “ u u s as a a i r ne Boleyn c p, ed ch l ce f om time immemo r ial ; the Master family nlmw t r uined themselves over an election at Bri stol ; the Cr ipps family wer e (and ar e) famou s ; the Po w ell family ans s a and w o n did good by no me te lthily, a

e is r e o f e dese r ved fam . Wha t the to be told th Cirences te r Society in Londo n and its r eco ver ed ’ property after a centur y s disappear ance The nine teenth centu r y seemed humdru m in comparison with the eighteenth . u n a u e w The w r iter o f an d te d g id , to hich the 195

MALMESBURY A B BE Y.

CHAPTE R XIV

MALME SBURY

s s v o ne e s HE Cot wold , e ery t ll me , are no t com

lete u a s . is a p witho t M lme bury It the clim x ,

the so - s n m n uth we ter co pletio , of this dis s s o e s and n di trict of hi t ric m morie , there ar e o greater

s a n n o u r an . o memor ie , cert i ly, withi r ge F r Malmes bu ry has fai r cla im to be o ne of the earliest homes of n s s and ar t and a n n and r E gli h hi tory, , le r i g, eligion. And f o r a s l ars its r n , be uty, it til be f i ge of forest, and is i s n s a s and is r washed by t twi tre m , p otected by s l a as its r a a u c the hel , t le t, of g e t bbey ch r h . Memories gr ow o n u s so r apidly her e that we can f e s see so pluck but a w . We mu t mething of the o n n and en r e e r and f u di g, th m mbe Aldhelm, William, and old Hobbes . It is a dim pas t into which the

n o f a - e n ar Ma ildu lf n u ame the h lf l ge d y co d cts u s . nne o n n r an and True, the co xi betwee I el d the sou th er n s s o f s and s hires wa ten clo e , it w a far fr om n n find r s n s in n u commo to I i h mo k E gla nd . But we 1 97 ave so tt e cer a nt ab o u t Maildu lf an o n h e h li l t i y , d t w o e am nc ned to sa it es no t r ea h l , I i li y . do lly

matte r .

e m is a u re c ear as no t man ar e in Aldh l fig l , y the se n ce H d s n as ve t ntu r . e w as o et an er h y p i g , w ell as

r est a ba s o S s o u s an h t . t a t t e r u ns p i , b , bi h p ill y d by i o f the a b e o u o o o w n ver th e an str eams b y , y l k d o m y

w c r d ed the t e to w n in its o u th and o u hi h gi l lit l y , y w o nder w her e w as th e br idge o n w hich he sto o d and sang his spi r itu al so ngs to the cou ntr y fo lk as th ey ’ lo iter ed o n their w ay ho me f r o m th e Su nday s o r

' ' n s s cs nd e m is th e n c Sa i t day ma . A Aldh l li k whi h ’ binds u s to Maildu lf h e w as o f th e West Sax o n Kin g s r o a ho u s e w ho sent him to b e u to th e r s y l . p pil I i h

o So w e m n h e au h ent c sto r and h m nk . ay bi d t t i hi y t e

s ado a es B u t he is f a r f r o m e n the o n h w v t l . b i g ly his to r ic pe r s o nage o f E ar ly Engli s h days w h o s e

s name is still r emember ed in Malme bu r y. E thelstan

s s left a la rge e ta te to the men o f Malme bu r y. Th e s in char ter by w hi ch it is gr anted is till fo r ce. Still

n h so n o o mmo ner o r the h u s an o f a o ly t e f a c , b d

’ co o ner s au hter ma h se he a o mo n r mm d g , y im lf c m e still co mmo ner s may o nly live within the w alls o f the l ar n ed h e o u tow n. Those w h o can speak e ly of t ts ide of sku lls tell that in Malmesbu r y still th e type is

th e l r is th e mo s t co nser vat ve that of o d B ito ns. It i

in n l n o it w as a r t s h str o n place E g a d. N dou bt B i i g

A s r i n o ld e r dden co mmo ne hold. to y s to ld of a b d i r

w h o w o u no o n o he ho u se o o r th o u h h e ld t g i t t , p g u h se h is co mm o n sh ar e as eca se e u o . w , b w o ld l

“ “ n A h hels an h e sa h ath ke t I all m Ki g t t id , p y die K i life : King A hth elstan shall keep I till I . ng and Mo naster y ar e the tw o gr eat m emo r ies o f th e

nd h mo nas e r is th e su cces so r o f th e town. A t e t y 1 98 MALMESBURY

a a n as a 8 . gre t S xo b ilic of Mary, w hich Aldhelm began to bu ild and to which B adger r efer red in “ his ar er 974 a o s ch t of , th t m t famou s monaster y which the Angles call by the tw o - fo ld name of ” Maldelmsb u rh s s . Be ide it tood the little chu rch 8 e r of . P te .

u ns an a an r an th e a n s D t g ve o g to bbey. The Da e sa o r an to sac th e a s cked , beg k, bbey. Vineyard r u ar So g ew p ound the abbey. w hen the Normans came they fou nd mu ch that they w e re r eady to r n and e a e s reve e ce, th y m d of Aldhelm a gr eat aint, u niting gladly w ith the E nglis h in the r ever ence o f e o s o him . Th uter ig n f thi s r everence w as the r u n r ea a u r o h e eb ildi g of the g t bbey ch ch. Ab ut t exact date of its beginning his tor ians and architects

s s u . r o f a s u r s s an till di p te Did Roge S li b y, the tate m " “ s o ma u ns in saecu lar ibns e bi h p , g , build the n w o r as s a as a u is church , w it imply c tle th t he b ilt It mos t probable that the w or k w as begun w hen

e n w as n in the r a a e o f n s h St phe Ki g, g e t g E gli nas s n al n mo tici m. The seco d h f of the twelfth ce tu r y is cer tainly the natu r al date to which to assign the o r an r o f th e na ass n highly developed N m wo k ve, p i g in m r n r u a s—o f the m s i po ta t pa tic l r —which o t impo rtant ar e the pointed ar ches near ly i nto Ear ly

E nglis h . And so wou ld say the writer of the e e u r u w exc llent gu id to the abbey ch ch , w itho t hich

“ ns o na no o ne sho u ld visit the town . Tra iti l the o s s u a and is no t a bad lder archaeologi t w o ld c ll it, it s o r u des ignatio n after all. Thu s the hi t y of the b ild ing has been summar ised by the most tr u stwor thy of moder n investiga tors ’ Aldhelm s Saxon basilica of sto ne w as standing at n n u s and w as s a the time of the Nor ma Co q e t, it p red 199

MALME SB URY

r u in a s and ar s a he as end ed b y , the che t t e t of the na and a s s ar e s a u ve i le likewi e w lled p . The nave is f o r the most par t of late Norman r h e r s r w as a a r ar wo k, but t cle e to y pr ctic lly ebt e ly

i n en u r and a s n au . n the fourtee th c t y, to e v lt added r r s o f s n r s To car y the th u t thi , flyi g butt es es were

s s s th rown acr oss th e ai le . The ou th porch w as also n n s n r cased and le gthe ed . The pre e t a rangement of f 1 822 the inter ior dates r om . The splendid nave is li nked to still earlier times by fine so u r n a n n s r n the th po ch , co t i i g the t iki g figures in

er he o r nd ner ar s panel o v t u te a in che , which r ecall the

s an ar o Lombar d tyle of e ly date . S me of the figur es are no doubt pr eserved fr om the ch u r ch which stood n r ans am n an nd e whe the No m c e to E gl d , a th y were w or ked into the fine do o r w ay as the No r man bu ilders

r o r er n u r is a so compl eted it. The l ate w k , P pe dic la . l n r s n and is n er o highly i te e ti g , it ev wh lly out of he s r o n o r a n The au o keeping with t t g N m . v lt f the nave is as beau tif u l a piece o f f o u r teenth centu ry m b e s n an The wor k as ay ee yw her e . cu r ious watc h in a r r a n o r at u r s is an g ch mbe , ec lli g the w k Deerh t, n r a the r s o f o l s abidi g memo i l of iche the d hrines . Long do we linger over qu aintnesses and beau ties o f ’ u r s a the b ilde r t. Bu t the ar chitectu r al deta ils ar e no t the whole

s o f al s u r r inte r e t M me b y Abbey . At eve y point the histo ry o f the building is entw i ned w ith th e

s r o f the na o n . w as n w ho a hi to y ti It Joh g ve, r o f na ar a h e u s o in the yea Mag C t , t c t dy of the cas tle o f Ro ger o f Sali sbu r y to the monks o f the abbey ; an d it may w ell be tha t it w as then that the castle w as pulled do w n and that the mater ials wer e used f o r co mpleting the building o f the nave of the 201 BY THAMES AND COTSW OLD a bbey church . Before that the father of medieval n s s r s E gli h hi to y, the true u ccessor of Bede , William

n a s u r had n ass a a . the mo k of M lme b y, lo g p ed w y H is books are a storehouse of all the lore and gossip

his . s s of time Touch after tou ch, little torie thrust in s r . or little epithets p i nkled spa r ingly, break the an s n ss his s n r r and f cied mooth e of o o ous hetoric, n a n a d s a s bri g cle rly i to view the pieties n the qu bble , the sac r ed memor ies and the the heroic tr aditions o f great among

“ Q ! k i Tn W AW <1 “ a M . which

s o f r remain the buildi ng of Aldhelm . The ich f o r n s r s a s aso n of it. ther e had bee e iou f ll of m ry

8 0 st s an s o r ar . for a parish church . it ill t d , p t of it Two year s after the purchase Cranmer gave licence s s e s u r f o r the u se of the remain a th pari h ch ch . s s Leland tells ho w r ich the abbey w as in manu cript . r u s ho w s a te Aub ey a cent ry late r tell they were c t red . s in an nn ss s m u s Some were de troyed mere w to e , o e ed s o o s s s u n s an to coher chool b k , ome old , like doc me t of n n en u r f o r as e Oxfor d college in the ni etee th c t y . w t ' a The u m s da had an o f p per. St p of Aubrey y m y e as r o r man and a o o and them . H w a p pe g od fell w ; s ecial ale his u se w as o when he brewed a bar r el o f . p t

s e - o n er a a s t p the bung h le, u d the cl y, with heet of an s n in so i m u cript ; he sa id oth g did it well , wh ch s methou ght did gr ieve me mu ch to ee. Afterwards —“ he is telling th e sto r y of his childhood I went to s a i at a r w as chool to Mr . L t mer Leigh Del me e , where

h e e s s I n t lik u e of cover ing of book . my grand ' fathe r s days the manuscripts fl ew abou t like bu tter

es . u s o s a n s s fli All m ic bo k , ccou t book . copy book , e e c e w u s r as tc , w re over d ith old man c ipts we cover them now w ith bl u e o r marbled paper ; and the glovers of Malmesbu ry made great ha vo c of them and gloves were wrapped u p in many goo d pieces of an tiquity . ' Aubr ey s B r ief Lives o fte n ta ke u s into the an a al s u r th e n l d bout M me b y, cou try which he and r his as loved remembered f om youth . Thom “ ” s Malmcsb nriensis Philoso h s as a s Hobbe , p u , he c ll w as o ne his s and a s him , of heroe , he took the gre te t “ pai ns to record what hou se w as famous for this ' ” u s n s w as a s famo ma bir th . It th t extreme how e

n s nt o r a s rs - a that poi te i o , f ce , the Ho e f yre ; the a s n l f n s f rthe t howse o the e t l d a you goe to Tedbu ry , zag

MALMESBURY

Ma 24 16 44 s n ass . fine y , , it again urre dered to M ey The market cross is a memor y o f the seventeenth centur y — and a ver y comfo r table refuge it is o n a w et day . Another memo r y is the beau tif u l and pathetic tablet i a s n the bbey church . Thu it reads

ss n er and a Stay, gentle pa e g , re d s u s b e a Thy doom , I am. thow m t de d , “ I n u r ed ho pe of a jo yful] r esu r recc o n heere ‘ res ts deposited all y° w as mo rta ll of y r eligiou s and ‘ virtuo us lady dame Oyscely Ma rshall da ughter of y “ ‘ ‘ no 8’ Hopton K la te lief tenant of y To wre

r m; s u m canes. s w ear .

r a “ f l Sir r oy l y aythf u l. modist and loyal! wife of Geo ge ‘ ’ o u er r e Marshall K . Whether nded in h mo y ‘ 1 y beau tifi cd a wife a mother o r a matro ne is u s an stdl a ques tion betw ix te hir (all disconsolate) h b d , a -v" l n o n all a n s d ughter, sex o ne ey this agreed uppe h d ‘ ‘ s r es in a n y uch were her pe fections in each tate, y v i e

was h r a o an e f yth , h pe, cha rity, temper ce , piety,

’ Tr umps of an Ar changell in y“ Day of God s general! CHAPTER XV

STRATFORD I N SPRING

s s s n UST u ch a yea r as thi it mu t have bee ,

n s a r e . a da s urely, whe Shake pe e di d A w rm y

w as in s r n no o u w en a it p i g, d bt, h Mich el Drayto n and Ben Jonson wa lked w ith him in the Ne and sa n f ar gar dens of w Place , t talki g w ith him

n . r da i a i nto the ight A cold bitte y , I th nk , w as th t ' r e s Da n no su n s n and S. Geo g y whe he died ; ho e, ' the wind s rude breath swept the Avon into cres ted ' D w s. o n . a s a n ave But S M rk y , whe he was buried , the air w as war m and the flo w ers o pened and the s o rchards glittered in the u n . 8 0 it seems to me it must have been ; and as I pass throu gh the beautifu l

o f o w o ss vale Stratf rd , ith the bl om of the plum trees like a w hite houseling cloth lifted in the air by angel s an s r n hand , d the hedge g ee with the freshest leaves s n and w s i of pri g, the ild cherrie l ghting u p the s I a r wood , feel th t the wo ld can have looked no brighter when his keen eyes last looked upon it in

health. has an n n Stratford ch ged beyo d recog ition. He would wonder to see the foundations of his house so care. a r a s o n r r fully gu rded pe h p he would w de mo e, and at n la ugh not a little, the house they poi t out as his s an mo r a bir thplac e . He would t d e h ppily in the old 207

BY TH AN AND COTSWOLD

is thou gh he died yesterday. H is remembr ance very close by u s as we walk back down the broad na ve and And in a out at the nor th door . the churchy rd it ' still follows us as we thi nk of him foll o wing his boy s fu neral u p the path w hom the little lad had been n n and had r u n so en car r ied to his christe i g, oft , or ' n his e s an walked so stately, holdi g moth r h d, that they might pray f or the fa ther who came so rarely

from London no w . There is no end to the memories that y o u can recall s fir e at s orfancy, whetheryou tir the the Red Hor e with ’ r a o s the poke that replaces Geo fi r ey Cr y n sceptre, or U I stand o n the Clopton bridge. by the nicor n nn, and ' look alo ng the meadow s where the boys games were Or o u ma o u n played . y y go t i to the streets, and na s o n the s n r ead the old me hops, a d wonder how n a s a n Or ma y of them Sh ke pe re k ew . , best of all, ma a o u th e you y w lk thr gh field to the villages, where o ld na s and s u the me , ome, do btless, of the old n r and in kindred , li ge , th k what fo lk were their for ar s n w as be whe the poet a lad . How often he walked throu gh these fields with o ld Jo hn Naps of d e r an n r ne . G eece, H ry Pimpe l Here he heard the s n n u thr ostle i g o the bo gh. I n y o u field he lay tha t su r a e r no n w n the mme ft o he witty pedlar went by. Here the spring song ca me to him that he wrote ' " w n f o r s s do Love Labour Lo t. Acr oss y o n heath he saw the witches ride . Here h e wept for the str i cken deer at that inn it w as that he spoke with s ss u and ate s w Mi tre Q ickly , of te ed applej ohns ; at s a saw n r s e thi , th t he Sly, the ti ke , le ping at the doo r. su all s e Here . rely . by the e ways. th forces of na ture spo ke to him no t less clearly than the scenes of hia childh ood and the men he s oke p with every day . 210 STRATFORD IN SPRING

n s u su c n s s a Such thi g he tho ght, h thi g he poke bout i n s we would give weeks of l fe to k ow. Yet mo t of ll are s n a e a a n and a , we ure that whe he c m home g i : i r settled to live those last years n St atfo rd, he had his in n is in s hope of k dly, ge tle le ure , the wander g i s i s s over the h ll , the goss p at the hou e door

' So w e ll live A d a and s and o n pr y. ing, tell ld tales , and lau gh At ded bu t er flies and ear o o r ro es gil t , h p gu

Talk o f co u r t news .

is a ie a r a s as s It qu t life th t St tford lives till , it mu t a e n en a s is h v bee wh Sh ke peare lived there . But it a r u s u n r n glo io co t y round . Westwar d to Compto W in ates so u a h n y , thw rd to C ipping Campde , I like an a n w n to f cy th t he ofte e t. Surely he loved the o s s a n n C t wold Did he w lk to Mi ckleto , where E dy mion Po r ter came to live Did he kn o w the downs o n which Master Dover gave his Olympian games, ’ wea r ing the King s coat Did he s tand in the great ch u r ch of Campden and r ead its brass to the flower ' n an s an s r w n i s fine of E gl d wool merch t , o w alk do t s r r s a d - as treet, whe e oof n wi ndows to day ar e su ch he may have looked u pon ! We dwellers o n the Cots wold slopes like to fancy that it w as here his s r s a c i s a a hephe d w t hed the r heep, here th t he m de one in the merriest ring at the sheep shear ing. A century later Shenstone drew hence the best thoughts a ns n l s th t i pired him, comi g home late s crew the w e d , or sitting with Gr aves in the Mickleton garden under s a and s h dow of the church , li tening to the

Gr otto es all hn'u ished with beeo W os u r h e m mu r incites o ue to sleep.

Where the little poet worked and lea rned the great 21 1 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

a ne o o . So a s s s u s o ne su r ely le r d, t , t lea t, it eem to o s a a n in s when spri ng c me g i the Cotswold . Nowhere a r h r r an sa and is there b ig te , comelie l d, we y often. s a s ar a an r we think, mu t Sh ke pe e h ve w der ed th ou gh r da a w n a it, befo e the y c me he they l id flowers o n la no i his tomb as we y them w , n the little to wn tha t a is neighbou r to these h ppy hills. Year by year as the spring days come ro u nd and lengthen o u t towards

m r a r ma a s su m e we m ke pilg i ge up the v lley , and we as his ar ana sa o f o ld say , M i id

I w ill r o b Tellu s of her w eed o str ew th reen w t flo w er s the e b T y g i h : y llo w s, lu es u r e v o ets and mar o The p pl i l , ig lds, Shall as a carpet hang u po n thy gr ave ( s da “ b ile u mmer ys do las t.

212

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

to make of these extr ao rdinary English ! Their "

s man a s w as a . is greate t , Sh ke peare, butcher It as na n n s o n Co s quite f ci ti g to watc h the hou d t all, and think of him whose hound w as outrun ther e or to go round the villages wher e Sly the ti nker slouched and (though with di sgus t we admit it) tippled ; or to investigate the or igiwws of his Ian G and to tru e the phrases of a l n a nest cl n or Master S e der, or th t ho ow r u n a in his fathe , who fo d the b be ’ W in ter s Tale on the sea - coast of Bohemia, which was so rema r kably like the Cotswold u plandis ; ' u r s r r n s n a or to spend ho ove Mr . F e ch ge e logies ; or

e B IRTE PLACE m u s “ W , on .

to discover the curiou s histor ies of the great he all s n s—and a around. But the e thi g there re a great —ar e no t at all s a a e n many more of them ep r t i terests ,

n s . And o ne n s a r all bu t one i tere t i tere t, fte , thou h is a s a ma r g that i nter es t Sh ke pe re, y pe haps d the censure of ever y antiqu ary o r socialist or histor ian in England who does no t concern himself with the object of o u r veneration ; but there am — unco nvinced thousands who will repeat Str atf ord is

s in o n in n an i the most inte re t g t w E gl d, its 214 SHAKESPEARE COMMEMORATIONS

s are so r v a so n r e n n ra e i nterest t i i l , yet e ti ly co ce t t d, d s an th u s so ab ol u tely u nique . W h o can r a s a r an fo get vi it to Str tford , howeve m y he may have paid How the wor ds of the latest o f the poets as he goes swiftly by echo in o u r hear ts

0 bro ad and smo o th th e Avon flo ws ’ By Str atf or d s many pier s ; ’ And Shakespear e lies by Avo n s side n s These thr ice a hu dr ed year .

n has s a l r n a is The tow thi m rve lous att actio , th t it s a u i er n n alway be t ful . Wheth it be a hot August oo when y o u fir st walk u p between those cool arches of a s r n n n n le ve to the church doo , or a Ju e eve i g whe y ou s tand in the meadows by a stile or a fi o o dgate and r s a s r a r in r da look ac os t the p ire, o lowe g Ap il y when y o u lean over Clopton br idge and look along And the cold gr ey water ; it is alw ays beau tiful.

how little there is of it Tha t is the chiefes t joy. r n r na r a no ass o n No wea y, i te mi ble t vail , m ive collecti

s all r a n . n a of fact , impo t t, to be studied O ly church , a r a u s a s and a f ew s n s in a rive , ho e. chool , to e a n—and a s r And er m g rde Sh ke pea e . ev y ood will ' r Yo u ma il agree he e . y come with the ch d s receptive n n n d st n as i a s mi d a d gapi g ears. an li e ( n the d y of those two dear o ld ladies whom no o ne who has seen will ever forget) to the absur des t fables w ith an r u and o u n entirely satisfied c ed lity, y may thi k with serious tears that in that ver y r oom the infant fir st ' and o ked in his n s s a s at a mewled p ur e rm , th t very o r u his an r n s desk he wrote, held o t h d to Holofe e , Mamilliu s as r a or M te P ge, or ventured little scratched ; o r in quite another scor nf nlly dismiss all th e impossible r s and s d bookmake the to rytellers, an 21 5

BY THAM ES AND COTSWOLD

a a —is s a n a separ te cott ge very mall. h rdly the dwelli g, ’ s f o r a su s an a an n s perhap , b t ti l yeom like An e father. But you ar e in no humour to dispute and there ar e

s i - r s and he in n s the two itt ng oom t gle ook, ju t as in ' ’ s h e Shakespeare s father house, and t garden is br ight

As o u n with spring flower s. y tur back you will o u no t see a n s repent if y do the birthplace gai , adly though yo u miss the o ld ladies w ho used to show u s and an r s n you so courteo ly with ever f e h e thusias m.

s n ou s an in l a r Out ide, whe y t d the twi ight, fte the ma find house is closed , it y be your fate to some little

‘ - ANNE m m w ar s ca r ru s , sno tmar .

n in - s n bu t childre reciting to y ou in depr essing s g o g, r r n s in ir e e a set of with me y twi kle the y , rough rs s s an d a in r n ve e , tr ge , an quite apocryph l thei lege d of Shakespeare having spent in bed the Saturday to n r are tw o Mo day. Among the treas ures within, the e ’ e s Gar r i ks i is o l tter of c , o ne of wh ch well w rth printing f o r preface to the special inter est of the s r i “ p ingt me at Str atfor d . It is addressed To the

a r n nd B ss s a - u M y o , Alderme , a urge e of Str tford m ” n Avo . Th u s it ru ns

218 SHAKESPEARE COMMEMORATIONS

Ma 8 1 9 o n n a n t e 76 . L do , South mpto S re t, , — y Gentlemen I canno t su fi ciently expr ess my Acknowledgments f o r the hono r y o u have done me in electi ng me a B ur gess of Str atf er d u pon Avon : A ' ' Town which will be ever distingu ish d and r ever enc d

- s as the Birth place of Shake pear . Ther e ar e many Cir cumstances which have grea tly added to the ’ Obligation y o u have co nf er d u pon me . The Fr eedom o u r n n u nan u s s n of y Tow give to me imo ly, e t to me ' ’ in an n and i nes timable and deli er d su ch elega t, Box , v to me in so flatter ing a manner mer it my warmest

r u m ss f o r r o g atit de . It will be i po ible me eve to f r ' s a en r so s get tho e, who h ve b o d me much , a to n n u n a me tio my worthy N me, with tha t of their n m n u a s an . a n s immort l Tow m I , ge tleme , yo r mo t o and n u ser bliged obedie t h mble vant, A R C D . G RI K .

The association of the great acto r with the ancient corpor ation w as an important step in r eviving th e national interest in Shakespeare and in the town o f

r . r in a a s s his bi th F om that year, f ct . d te the er ies

of commemor ations which has gr own te - day into an

s at r - on- n is en éte annual fe tivity . Str fo d Avo f as these wor ds are w r itten by o ne w ho has come across n s the Cotswolds to take pa rt i the fe tival. f or r as n a is a r all so Now the ve y re o th t there , fte , l a or f o r mas n a is no ittle t Stratf d , the o th t there chance o f being confu sed and set in a whirl of co n — - s r is f o r a in r fusion as a sight ee , ex mple, Oxfo d n all s f o r bee the place of other 9. Ther e is enough to see to fill u p da and ar e n s n y , there i tere ts e ough will combine to celebr ate the name 21 9 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

e n u r s n that mak s the tow famo s. So yea by year, i ce s u n ar n s a the theatr e w a b ilt o the m gi of the tre m , n e n sa ther e has bee a Shakespear festival . O ce we w that the au tho r of the bio gr aphy that is both scholar ly and popu lar had laid a wreath o n the stone that gu ar ds the honou r ed bones this year (1902) ther e w as a sermon fr om the tr u e poet and man of letter s who has sho wn how wor thily he can

r h e r - n r s B u s has n w ite of t eve livi g d amati t. t o it bee , w n r va s n r o r s r r s n e n ith i te l lo ge ho te , i ce the eight e th ” 9 u i n r . in e r 1 76 a e ce tu y It w as Sept mbe , , th t the j b le ’ as r w C ar r s n u s as and w celeb ated, ith ick e th i m , ’ Boswell s fo lly ; when Pye bu r st into indignant bombast at th e intr u sio n o f fr antic noise and the ’ ” e r o f am d in an m me and a mottl d he p to i , m de the ’ silver - slipper d Avon (0 mo st vile phr ase u pbr aid the gr eat acto r

’ What b eno r d vo ice is that w hich jo ins th e song Canst tho u w hose po w er s co u ld gi ve this w onder ing age To see th e so u o f S a es ear e r ace th e sta e l h k p g g , Canst o u m s u n r se cr u e th i j dgi g, p ai each l blow ’ a a s h e ta e Av c n w Th t l y t s g by on s u rre t fl o , ’ Canst tho u appr o ve tho se tr ees u ntimely doo m ’ ’ at w ave e r f e er h S a es s m Th th i o liag o t y h k pear e to b, O r v ew h e m ns mas u er i t o tley so o f q ad e, ’ I nsu lt th y patr o n s vener able shad e

ar a u n r ar s a er in 1 86 4 r w as a Ne ly h d ed ye l t , , the e M “ r en nar s va sa s r . a te c te y fe ti l , which , y Lee , cl imed n n B u w a to be a ati o nal celebr atio . t the fit y of

n u r n a s ar no u n ma r u ho o i g Sh ke pe e w as t fo d, it y t ly e sa n n e r en s b id, till the ight, ev r to be fo gott by tho e ho w nesse en h e r a ea r w it d it, wh t e M mo i l Th t e, which has ne a h e so fi ne a u n so r i a w ttac d to it b ildi g, ch i r ar and le n u r s as n i l b y col ctio of pict e , w ope ed w th 220

CHAPTER XV II

A Pu o ams es THROUGH sm ssr m s 's LAND

HERE is no shire so typically English as the a shire of Warwick . We ll feel that it is the

an . in hear t of Engl d There, perfection, ar e the beau ties which are scattered here and there over

s. in other countie The rich hedgerows, bright the summer with the cou n tless flowers that Shakespeare r s w n w a s knew ; the fe tile field , here the cor ve bright gold in the sunlight ; the green meadows by the ’ r r s n r s x h - ca s ive ba k, ac os whose e panse the ay rt slowly pass gathering u p their rich harvest ; the lush withy - beds which jut out i nto the stream where it bends and make home for the water - hens that so swiftly scurr y across the waterway as you row by : these are all the sights of a true English And he r rea s o land . t elics of the g t fore t, which g es back to the days before the Romans made histo ry in man i s ll lin er in r s s . B rita n, ti g y pa t of the hire The fores t of Arden it w as in the time when we know it n la n h b est. Before the it y betwee t e three gr eat Roman roads which inte rsect all this land by Cots

a s. n wold and Th me To the orth lay Watling Street. ss W a and s s to the east the Fo y , we tward the Iknield s a a n Street, which it elf m de border li e for the

s r Co t w olds. In the hea t of it all lies the to wn which the Romans made on the ford which crossed their 222 THROUG H SHAKESPEARE S LAND

n o wn paved w ay . Stratford is truly the ce tre of

England. And i is Warwickshire, with ts agelong h tory of

n and a i s an s o ns a lege d f ct. with ts tr ge uperstiti th t

s l n in o u - f - - l s its til li ger t o the w ay ham et , with i s o s l r n all del ghtful cu t m of vil age gaiety, is mo e tha s H is el e the land of the gr ea tes t Engli shman. to n u e is n r lan g the to gue of England, the litera y a all r gu ge of great English books . And here, whe e r n an in eve ythi g is beautiful in na ture , d where s w ar hi tory every interest of gallant endeavour, of

W M HI LL.

and and s ss is plot, of social change religiou progre , r s a intermingled in the memo ies of the pa t, the cle r ans l a n all wer is given to the r iddle of ife . th t whe is sa d al is n is i an id an l k own, still thought h gher th

a n nd n u n . as a a n c tio , a more e d ri g So we feel g i we r is a n ll s tu n to Stratfor d ways . It cou ty of fu e t

Surely nowher e is 223 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD n so s as r w r the n s s ight till he e, he e Avo glide oftly ’ past the church that w atches over Shakespeare s

. a r u e si d tomb A w lk th o gh th lent s treets, an on to the r s n old b idge, by which he o o fte cr oss ed, to the a s en r a in me dow where the townsm played, o , tre d g s u av nu in u rc ar is a n oftly, p the e e the ch hy d, u ique

n . u a n s n experie ce Or to look, thro gh the r ili g , upo

and s ar e all a the well , the fou nda tion , which th t w — remain of the Ne Place w hich w as his pr ide that, s is a - s urely. most fit t night time when only memorie r n d has of reve e ce are awake . Yet the hot ay too i n s n r n er ts char m , when i sen ibly you li ge u d the s s r hade of the old penthouse , or seek the shelte of

r and . r in s r in the g eat elms oa ks Stratfo d umme , fi eriest su n n r s a e as do the , eve seem to gl r other towns ; and in the War w ickshir e lanes ther e is a a s s l r and s a h e r s ac lw y he te h dow, and t e t of pe eful

n n ss. I n ar e e i s lo eli e the g d ns stand th tall lil e , white and l e n an s i a in g itt ri g, d the gr ea t lupin , del c te

u r and o — s em colo f rm , the fo xgloves mas se of th u n r the s es n u s de fore t tre , the br ight pi ks, the cl ter ing roses : all speak o f him who loved them as even

no er v . And l s ns of oth poet lo ed , over al , it is the e e a n an as e r u in s hot, bu d t, m t f l life , which the ummer days br ings back the memory of the greatest of '

a s s ns. a w s so so W rwick o W r ick hire is fertile, rich, l of a and a r so fu l vit lity power, and yet, at nothe n so u a s n ss mome t, f ll of dre m and visions, of quiet e s a and my tery, th t you know here is the centre of ' e England s lif . a a n A The l nd rou d Stratford is full of memor ies. Houses ar e no t of this century or the las t ; they go

s t as s f e . back , mo t of them , a le t to the day o Elizab th in s ma see Outside. the farmyards or the field , you y 224

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

w ith a free hand . Per haps the most interes ting ex is a w o n er ns ample th t hich c c the church. The non r o he no a e n j u ro , th ugh would t tt d the servic es in s an r w w hich the Hou e of H ove ere prayed f o r , wo u ld no s er i s l r the at as in t ev h m e f f om Church l t, dea th, and w ou ld b ear his shar e w hile h e lived in s o n as a chu rch Ye the call him men . t here

W ASPERTON HI LL. is in the spir it o f the ca refu l bachelor that he writes

s . To James Wright E q at Warwick. “ — n o Sn I received a li e from ne Mr. Gr ifiith o f ‘ n a w o su om o f lace Hampto Lucy, r te I pp y p if s er to n in which is a dismal r s ta not of W a p , rep e en tion of the state of the Ch u rch in the la tter w bai as to b e

' have b een pr esented in th e Bishop s Co u r t and if a ’ repair be not soo n made are likely to su fi er a pro cecntio n theac in—that the estimate talcen r ms to

l v he ho b £1 6 0, wher eo f fmm a Parish e y t y pe a o u t 228 THROUGH SHAKESPEARE 'S LAND m 30 10 . r ten , guineas from Mr B omley, more fro two other persons as well as fu r ther assistance from n : bu s the neighbouring gentry a d others t, it seem s n n so a till I how an example nothi g is to be do e, th t I su ppose my fi ne of tw enty gu ineas will at least '

ho new u r ar n Mr . be expec ted, t their ch chw de , u e r u £100 s is H b r t , p omised to make it p to thi

r aw m in f r r G. b u the I pr esume to d e o thi ty , t who le o f thi s I shall lea ve to you r management. n ar s r an ers ns o f aff a r s These ge t e t g to the i ide my i , and igno r ant o f the lar ge su m expended o n only a i a w is r a and has l fe hold estate , p rt of hich mo tg ged n he n r n f o r o t paid t i te es t clea ly ten yea rs past, but as I am chief in those par ts I find they be (sic) be pleased to let me know as mu ch when their o wn interest is

n n . as r u a as ss and a r co cer ed Be f g l po ible , r the let me save in somewhat else than appear a niggard e a a s n r here . There ar rre r of re t o will be before wanted to do something pr oper but whenever do ne if at all it may be necessar y to let that know ‘ y all is no t gold that glitters. I n this r epair I might per haps get the gr ant o f a vaul t fr om the Paris h for 2 o r 3 b u t mu s t no t this be co nfirmed fr om the Eccle l and w a w i siastica Court, h t ll be the expenses of a and fac u lty if needfull, the charge of the subterraneous " building . ' u Mr a r u s in b . r n Then , ef g to y T ylo s i terest in Hea th — u so a r n “ cote tho gh he did l te o , he adds : This ‘ c afi air u t a s o s hurch will p t p to my vi it to you, as I ' c an s an an r s na a a o n a t t d y pe o l pplic ti . nd as I mus t s a s w a er n f o r s n o r s en e ve ome h t h ei thi u f e xpense,

u r . r w r f ged They w ite o d that Mr . into this a fi air but is o pposed by two wou ld do what you 229 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

hin e n u in se afi air s as t k d ce t, b t as little appear the possible.

With my best wishes, am r s I , Sir, you ever, “ J u ne 22 1 . . , 736 . H B

r a tt rs at r o n su t. On u u s t Seve l le e follow l e , the bjec A g “ 2-1 1 736 r te : Fo r he r c b w e n u s lves , , he w o t chu h, et e o r e at pr esent a secr et I design tw o br ass br anches o f an c dlesticks and a fi ne mar ble table for their altar . These came to my hands by accident and at a reaso n able r ate and w ill b e or naments f ew of o u r cou ntry u rc s e a in nam ch he can boast. Be pleas d to p y my e twenty o ne po u nds towar ds the r e bu ilding of W as ” r en pe t Chu r ch .

I n t se a s w a nno e no t n as w e ass ho d y , e c t h lp i g p , ther e w as no ne o f the childish dispu ting that ther e ’ has been in o ther times as to w hether the Lor d s r u table shou ld b e o f s to ne o r w o o d . Th o gho u t the

t en h en u r n as man e am es r eigh e t c t y i deed , y x pl p ove,

er e w as 11 0 m r e f r u ent o r mo r e acc ta th o eq , ep ble, r es n m a r p e t to a par is h ch u r ch than a ar ble lta . f li v n r f r m a es ear b u n e ha e w a de ed o Sh k p e, t o ly to give ill u str atio ns o f the o ld lif e that links his time to

u r s he r u r a n er es s o f f ar er s and and r ds o , t l i t t m l lo , the

histor ical continu ity o f ch u r ch aff air s. The par sons

' o f Shakespear e s day w er e no t u nlike th e par sons of ’ ' a w nso n s o r hensto ne s and no t er u n R li S , v y like ,

- er a s er so ns to da . The new a in p h p , the p y ctivity r e bu ilding and r estor ing the o ld hou ses o f God is no t f u r m I n a char acter istic o nly o o ti e. the d ys o f Anne o r Char les II o r Eli zabeth mu ch mo ney w as spent o n beau tifying the bar e w alls o r r eedif ying the

fabr ic . The chu r ches o f lV ar w ickshir e have ever y di 230

THROUGH SHAKESPEARE' S LAND the penalty the town has to pay f o r its uniqu e " s n r s di ti ction. An Avon Sta mu t be trumpeted r a d n s fo th , n with it most strange vapouri g of petty “ " a r s u n i s u n Str tfo d politics , attack po cl que , po the n all r s in s n s worthy corporatio , exp es ed the tra ge t n r r rs E glish . Ther e must be an answ er . The E o of " n r r u is the Avo Sta , ver y mer y reading tho gh it be , s ul a s s r i es end ! pitef t the bes t. When will the e t f No t so long as there are any in Str atfor d who are a s l mbitiou of iterar y fame .

And meantime he r ests they cannot dis tur b him . And here in his o w n town we feel indeed as if with

all an s n s him genius had died . Har dly f ciful ou d tha t epitaph

Sta assen e w e so ast y . p g r , hy goest th n f . ’ Read if t s o v t t ast ho u can t, w h m en iou s dea h ha h p o : w o Wi thi n this m nu ment . Shakespeare w ith h ms Qu ick natu re dide ; whose name do th deck this to mbe Far or e s m than cost, ieh all y t h e hath w ritt v b u w i Lea es living ar t t page to ser ve his t.

r and in he r n a n s o r r oad l s He e , t g ee l e , the b fie d , “ " e w e u m n in ha o r es whil lie t bli g the y , the mem i co me thickes t. An n o n he n s d the ce we follow him u t o to t dow , r o f r s the long st etches Cotswold. He e ur ely it s u a r r u s w a , so thw rd f om Stratfo d, thro gh Ship n o r a n a n and a saw to C mpde , th t he we t, th t he ' the s tricken deer o r Master Shallow s greyho u nd outrun. Make the change that Judge Madden a o u a and r le and would h ve y m ke, go by Be ke y Stincheo mb e and o and ar e in an r Tetw rth , you othe

s o ll b land . Yo u tand no l nger on C o tsa u t in

r e a e and is t o u are o w er Be k ley v l ; it here, y t ld, h e it tha t th e poet w as m u ch given to all nu 233 BY THAME S AND COTSWOLD lu ckin s enoe e se in stealing venison and r abbits. W t is u u r u r n H i to be a s b b of D sley, a d the ll where m n Cle e t Per kes dwelt is to be Stinchcombe. But ther e is no su ch cer ta inty in these matters as there is in u r n - a m W inco t B to he th , the ho e of old Sly, or

r e r l - a and his whe the e w as the f at a e wife. Sh llow ” su r r u nd n s ar e s n o f u s r sa s o i g di ti ctly Glo ce te shire, y “ Mr . a f r M dden . Ther e never w as any r eason o tr ansfer r ing them to War w ickshir e and the neigh b o u r h o o d r a o r en r n x s of St tf d, ev if the e did o t e i t at the far thest side of Glou cester shir e Wenoet w ith its Visor ; the Hill w ith its Per kes ; Ber keley Castle standing by its tu f t of tr ees an ancient tr adition of ’ Shakespear e s soj o u r n ; and a family of the name a n ns w o e u s r s r in cl imi g ki hip ith the p t. Glo ce te hi e r s o n s ll h f ar aw deed, o at lea t Go t a edge ; b u t w y so ay fr om Str atfor d And h o w about th e Lu cey coat !

Yet is eau ul n h end it a b tif la d, t is of the Cotsw old u an s er o u ma o o w n u n a pl d , wh e y y l k do po the V le o f r r d h Be keley and the Seve n Channel . An it as em r es to o o f as es w r e n s w r e r s n m o i , c tl he ki g e p i o ed ,

anc r - n Th of hor ites dw elling o n t ee cr o w ed hills. e

o ans asse s a . f ar o ff is u s and a R m p d thi w y Not A t, t r r C omhall ther e w as fou nd mosaic pavement. G ea t r s a u n and r o a s w fine s t ee bo d , b d field ith hedge o u ses o o o f he o m o r a e a e n an h t , t c f t bl g , whe J e i u s en w r o r ear er . er e r e s n in A t ote, li Yet h the oth g n is b u a like the homely War w ick la d. It t per ilou s " o n ar o f as r am n fo ti g that the Di y M te Willi Sile ce ,

u o f o s can a . ar a that most delightf l bo k , t ke We e t h o me w i th Master Shakespear e and Master Do ver o n th e Co ts w o lds that th ey knew b est ; b u t w hen we f o llo w Ju stice Shallow f ar th er afield w e ar e u ncer tain o f th e w ay . 234

BY TH AME S AND

l n n fight. At B edi gto , the arish s n p which lie hidde in the hills . is a litt e n n u fift e th ce tury ch rch, with rema i ns 0

English work. It has still the old o a k p ew ; ns ne o ar n s : lo u tai d, with go d c ved e d ng in removal be pos tponed . The windows h a v e 6

s n s and . . w s curiou iche for images, h

a i n its O ld 8 . Gee

BLED! NUTON 0 08 03 11.

8 . ar a r o n s M y M gdalen, with thei d or ; n u a n n ce t ry Vic rius de Bledi gto , with 0 rs ns and n as e n pe o thi gs. But Ch tl to is beyond all these. It is a house and planned in the days of King i and a n n in it and S xth , rem i i g s formalities very mu ch as gardeners had 6 236 CHASTLETON HOUSE

s sa he o en o u see and o u ar e hi tory, you y t m m t y it, y no t wro ng . The pr ope rty o ver w hich it pr esides o nce belo nged " a es o ne o f the e o r a l s to Robert C t by, m m b e of the

n c u r o u Gunpow der Plot. Lo oki g ba k a little f rthe y find a u r u s o f an en n a s c io piece ci t i tr igue. C te by, " ca r no f r f r o see the t, lived he e t too a o a r ide over t ns r Le l n r s Lovel the dog, at Mi te ve by the Wi d u h , which indeed is in the same hundr ed of Chadlington . The estates of Catesby wer e r ightly co nfisca ted by him u n a mn r ro e e whom yo g L mbert Si el , the Oxfo d p t g of " Le el alse s r r r r T ddo r v , called the f u u pe Ha y y ; but his so n r e w as is n in ar , Geo g , w ely give m riage to is ss za s n au r o f a a M tre Eli beth Emp o , d ghte th t c tter ” n Sir ar s n pillar of the commo wealth, Rich d Emp o , and o f s a a as n s a s so , cour e, b ck c me the Ch tleto e t te to s s e l r as the Cate by . With them they stay d til the e w o r n o s n u es and n need t bor ow mo ey f r Papi t i trig , the a s s r a r o n s Richar d C te by old them to Maste W lte J e ,

an n in 16 02. ar a wool merch t of Wit ey, P t of the purchase money went to b u y gu npowder . a s s r n a a n Before we le ve the Ca te by , in thei seco d tt i is n n a s r ss a der, it worth oti g th t Mi t e Eliz beth , Emp ’ r a s n as son s dau ghte , wedded eco d time Sir Thom c and w as r an r w as sh e no t La ey , the g dmothe ( of Y u ll in ha s a Justice Shallow . o are a the S ke pe re r o n b ill ma country here. At Ba ton the , it y be, lived — o n a Goodman Pu ff o r per haps at Bar to n the He th,

s a n a Chr i to pher Sly. A le r ed Sh ke

ies this ; so per haps I am quite wrong. s No f a r o ff no u u rmises . t do bt lived

a Co ts wold man . we see is the house of He married a ma id of honour whose 237 ' w u en a s er a r ro father as Q e Eliz beth j ewell , ve y p a s es n s e w s h e u n ble bu in s, a d who e uncl a t fo der

r n Trinity Co llege at Oxford. Walte Jo es bu ilt I house in the year s betw een 16 03 and 16 10: and as ne r the a his n r built quite a ro d, eighbou . Mr. Gem r n o o o a r ss at and u il hia ar d G ee wo d , l ked c o him b t g e and h r to s ou t if s o he wall high r ighe . hut him

n o and b might. But Chastl eto h use w as built, i: l n w is no w wel , and where Mr . Gree ood lived only a o u s u s o f s m g zeb or banquet ho e , b ilt perhap the t

s a s of w hat was o nce hi m n ion. Walter Jones marri his so n Henry to the da ughte r of Sir Edmund Fei " a e ar e Sir n n chm pl c , r Edmu d, of whom Swi brook

s keep the u ndyi ng epitaph . They w ere all Ro y alii e e o n s n e o e v ry ne, a d they uff ered i de d f r th ir Ki: No t f ar from Chas tleton w as a fight in a lane “ ” s e a - e an o Cornwell which till th y c ll pell m ll l e, f r s r n the r n A the Ro u ndhead an. Whe tide tu ed r tl] a r s r Jones w as fugitive from the field of Wo ce te , a too k hiding in his o wn house in th e secr et chamb I n the room out of which it is entered the Par liame me u su e o r s b n who p r d him t ok thei upper , u t Mistn Jones dru gged their possets to such purpose that 1 n s in as s husba d was able to l k by they lept. and

his a r a s. All s for life, till h ppie d y thi while, the go Bishop J u xo n w as li vi ng har d by and saying t s e u in as o n prayer of th Ch rch Ch tlet House. “0 him he had the Bible that the Ki ng gave him on t ' s i eaf eld . Arthur Jones came back to pr osper ity even bef u the Resto ration and lived till the year befo re t n H is s r n aeo bi s Revolutio . heir we e oted J te , a

s m i is 1 38 t Henry Jones, who e flo t 7 , w as a chief p

238

i alb memtioning hmf difl cu lty to one or two ns gfi s t ou r ing fam the h tm o fi emd if he wo nld pmvide

‘ 1 . 5 e l. T 6 o f i m a lov hau he th Apr l was fixed, 1} i w ins of that day Mr. Jones went up to the f; to m A w h m e the meu at w o rk. o nds rf u l sig t et his

- . 1m h is t u s of th view No t an x y eight plo gh , ten em

nes o rk. double o , were at w The b e rm w re “ an n . ou t ribbons, and the men w ere clean Altogether the scene had a most animated anr cu m and m mb mi h ff . led almos t a g ty fair . W mm e a d n 7' wer ploughed. h rrowe , and s s n in o ne da n ow , that y , and the o ly regret exp that more farmers had no t heard of the prop

BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD in w r n an u n r a n no t a the iti g, with de t ki g to repe t ff enc nl o e . Still an oth er i nstance : a lady of Eve ode in r ebu ilding h er ga rden wall pu t it four inc hes

r Mr . o n s as a r o . f the out than sh e had a r ight t do J e , o man r u n n u n her at o n l rd of the o , po ced dow po ce, " and th e w h b k in i s f or mer all ad to be pu t ae t plac e. s a n no i r n had l o u t Thi worthy, h vi g ch ld e , to ook f o r an e r and s a o f u rte n his sin h i , he cho e boy fo e , cou n hi o r h o s u e and na e Joh W tm e , w cc eded took the m i 1828 l 185 3 his of Jones n . He lived ti l . Of him

daughter te lls this delightful tale. In 18 h s n an 50 is tenant at Cha tleto hill died, d the i s a n s s o f far m w as thrown o n h s hand . H vi g di po ed all his n s w as u a 10m ho w farmi g tock. he q ite at to s s n o n his s cultivate the land f o r the ea o , when ca u ally mentioning his difiicu lty to o ne o r two neigh r r o ff r i bou ring fa mers , the latte ered , if he would p ov de

- d r a and s and r him seed corn, an b e d chee e bee , to give ’ e a u 6 h o f r w as and on a lov h l. The t Ap il fixed , the n s n e mor ning of that day Mr . Jo e we t up to th hill to n u si his see the men at work . A wo derf l ght met

ss an si - o s n view . No le th xty eight pl ugh , te of them

o u n s r at r . s s w r ss d ble o e , we e wo k The hor e ere d e ed

in r ns d men w er e an s - s. out ibbo , an the cle mock frock Altogether the scene h ad a most anima ted appea r

n and s a s f a r . One h u n a ce, re embled lmo t a mighty i a s r u a and n a dred cre we e plo ghed , h rrowed , e rly n in o ne da and n r ss sow , that y , the o ly reg et expre ed w as that more far mers had no t heard of the pro

is a It is time to speak of the house itself . It an r l n a s a splendid piece of Jacobe wo k , bui t rou d m ll fi ne n has a s court, with a lofty fro t that two b y ff standing forth from it . Th e e ect of the extreme 240

BY THAME S AND COTSWOLD

s h e n and u s u implicity, t dig ity, the homely pict re q e

n ss is no eas s r . eau u r s e , t ily de c ibed The b tif l g ey Cot

wold stone has its u n f ailing char m . Within ther e is a sma a w a ais s m u a n w r aw n ll h ll , ith d , o e q i t ithd i g s o ne w a ar a er s a an annellin room , ith ch ct i tic J cobe p g no w a n a e o w tw o fi ne s a r as s p i ted light y ll , t i c e , a splendid galler y w ith a ceiling that r ecalls the famous one s ar s ear ier in a e is no , ome fifty ye l d t , which w su ff er r o a u r r r r and a u ed to t t B fo d p io y, n mber of r s one w the a u s s r a s bed oom , ith f mo ec et ch mber, ecr et

o n r en n o u t o f . r ar e s n n lo ge , op i g it The e ome i ter

n r r a s am n em a s r n a s esti g po t it , o g th t iki g Ch rle II at r is u n i f fi his w or st. Th e e a q a t ty o ne contempor ar y

u r n u r and u eau tif u h na. r e and r f it e, m ch b l c i He the e, r ar er e ar e so e a r c es a b u t most ely, th m t o iti th t should ’ mo e amo n em a o e W es m be r e v d, g th m d l of t aco tt s B u t o e air o f the a is Repo se. the wh l pl ce still

n n en u r and a n u r at its s seve tee th c t y, th t ce t y be t. san fi nd f r o a s r a az n It is plea t to , m Di t ict M g i e, that good w o r k o f needed r epai r is being do ne in the r men e and ha o ca . s is hou s , t t by l l wo k Thu it r e e r 1 903 cor ded, Sept mbe

An excellent piece o f r esto r atio n w or k is no w e e a has e n o u b eing co mpl t d t C tl to H se. Those w ho have been over this inter esting o ld mansio n mu st have mar ked with pain the dilapidated state of the o m c n o f the a er b eau tifu l d ed eili g g ll y. All alo ng one side the timber s had r o tted o w i ng to the r oof ec ve au s n u nsi ht b eco ming def ti , c i g g ly holes wher e I n 1 02 r . M er had f a en 8 . o h n o nes th e plast ll , J J , the

esso r r e- r o o f ed th e h o u se a co n th en po ss , t sider able

n se and ar tia l men e th e ends o f the eam expe , p l y d d b s, n s the w o r and h b u t h e did no t fi i h k , t e dilapidated 242 CHASTLE TON HOUSE

s r s n e has n ceili ng has been an eye ore eve i c . It bee ’ rs s Miss W hitmo rs Jones ambition f o r y ea to re tore it, an ambiti o n in which h er nephew tho r ou ghly shared ; n i 1 902 a r a s u s a u n r a s a d n , fte the l p e of j t h d ed ye r r s since the fir st attempt to repai the mi chief, the

o r f s r o n s r esu and s ar is w k o r e to ati w a med , thi ye it

o h n n n r a bei ng c mpleted . It as bee do e e ti ely by loc l

n nd r s r a s c n e . workme , a eflect the g e te t redit upo th m

Mr o n n n s a n f o r a s a n . J h Mi chi , who e t le t rti tic c rvi g is no n and ar e s m ns well k w , of which there peci e in the u r and ho u se r a both Ch ch the , p ep red the

u s f o r ar u s r ns r n in all and mo ld the v io patte , thi tee ;

ssrs . an as ns n as Me Newm , m o , of Little Compto , c t

e o n n so and fixed them . Th w r k h as bee do e ex cellently that no o ne w ho had no t seen the ceiling pr evio u sly cou ld no t dis tingui sh w her e the new joins

he o l d. m r h e e o he r s n t To a k t p r iod f t e toratio , the ' lo zenge o f Miss W hitmo rs Jo nss arms will be placed ' o n o ne side o f the east window ; her nephew s shield

W hi mo rs s o Th e ( t Jone and Dickins) o n the ther . c u r io u s gr o tesque heads o n each side o f the wes t n o o s wi d w, which the child r en f the hou se have alway ' a and Ma o main n an r e d . c lled Gog g g, u ch ge

“ " a n is no ll s Th t, i deed , the te of a the hou e . It a ns h as a n rem i , rem i ed th ro u gh all the changes o f c u r and s a e u n an h ch t t , ch ge d. Ther e is no hou se in n r like it the cou ty, pe haps in England. And its gar den ! It has the delightfu l yews in im

ss u r s a s and n s and r o s po ible fig e , the form l bed , li e , w , and er r a s and in o s t ce , the ut ki r ts that mo menta ry o n ss o n n ss a a n e ss n a c ce i to wild e th t B co f lt to be e e ti l . Seen fr o m the top o f the East tower ther e is a su c cs ssio n a en - r s of g rd pictu e that beggars pr aise . 243 COMPTON W I NYATE S

“ ” a e s s in with delight two ch p l , o ne a Popi h chapel

. H e a r the roof dmi ed the hall with its fine car vings, si e s the mu c gallery , th sculpture in the chapel. He n at s a n and at o ld wo dered the de ol tio , the sale of

n . ns sir t n The fur iture Oh , electio , Elec io s. y did it that have brou ght the hammer into many a " good old house . And so n r and to r a n s he bega to gathe , tell, f gme t o f he An he es t hi stor y o f the Compto ns . d t b t tha t o f e r a he had to give w as the lette r th g e t heiress, za n w h m r W illiamCo m to n Eli beth Spe cer, o a ried Sir p ,

and when her father the rich merchant died, brought w r h r h u s to her hu sband vas t w ea lth . She ote to e

w h w s his ew s band , o a overwhelmed with n re ponsi

bili ies . n u s t , a letter which Mr Howitt pri ted th

a a o u My sweet life, Now I h ve decl red to y my r su s a mind for the settling of you estate, I ppo e th t it wer e best f o r me to bethink and consider W ithin myself w hat allow ance wer e meetes t fo r me I ra and es to r me o s n p y b eech you g ant to , your m t ki d and n s o u lovi g wife. the u m f q a rter ly to be

a . s s a a e p id Al o I would , beside th t llowanc , have £6 00 u a o f o r r q rterly t be paid. the pe formance of r r cha ita ble wo ks : and those things I would no t,

n r w u n f o r . w a eithe ill be, acco ta ble Also, I ill h ve r s s o th ee hor e for my w n saddle, that none shall dare n r r w n ne en to le d or bo o o l d but I , no ne borrow but

. s w a e tw o n an s e you Al o I ould h v ge tlewom , le t on s s r v o o r hould be ick, o ha e s me the let . Also, believe is an n r a ew an it, it undecent thi g fo gentl om to stand n w s mu mpi g, hen God hath ble sed their lor d and lady

s w n - with a great e tate . Also, he I r ide a hunting or

- a in o r a o ne s to an a h wk g , tr vel from hou e other , I 247

COMPTON W I NYATE S

n s and Also I w ill have all my houses fur i hed, my lodging chamber to be suited with all su ch fur niture as is as s s s su a u s ns fit bed , tools, cha ir , it ble c hio ,

r s n - ar s a a ca pets, ilver warmi g pans, cupbo d of pl ce, f ir

- an n s . ra win a r h gi g , and su ch like So for my d g ch mbe in all o s s w a u r n s h u e , I ill have them delic tely f i hed , n n s n ass a bo th with ha gi g , couch , ca opy, gl , c rpet,

u s ns and all u n o n n . chairs, c hio , things there t belo gi g u r s Also my desi r e is tha t you would pay yo debt ,

- n and lead no build u p Ashby house and pu rchase la d,

as o u o a r a n w h o money, y love God, to my l rd ch mbe l i ,

ll a u r e r o u . would have a , perh ps yo lif , f om y So , o u a no w that I ha ve declar ed to you w ha t I w ld h ve , is u a r a o u and wha t it tha t I wo ld no t h ve , I p y y w n n r mo r an he you be a ea l , to allo w me e th I ” n w r and o u . o desi e, d ble attenda nce

ff So e n a The cumulative e ect is super b. d termi ed lady is likely to ha ve made a gr eat impr ession u po n h er contemporaries a nd to have tr ansmitted str ong

a cs h r n a at an ch racter isti to e desce dan ts. The l tter, y

r a a o f n an . te, may be r e d as we read the histor y E gl d Few E nglish fa milies have f o r so many generations r n e so no r a no din a ar bo ho u ble, if t comman g, p t a on i n Th e s m g the ch ef me of their country. fir t member of the family who beca me famo us w as gr oom

b edchambs r nr V a d sa s Du dals of the to He y II I , n , y g , n r ar s r n o f his withi th ee ye afte , in consideratio and a s r n good f ithful e vice, had a special gra t to him self and his heirs of an honou r able au gmentation to ' his ns n and arms, out of the King s o w n r oyal E ig

s s via a n r nd his Devi e , , Lio passant gardant O ; a for

m a n as u s i in a r ne de i Dr go er ed g le , w th co o t " ’ n a er se ar n d n V III s upo t ge t an vert . He ry 249 ar s are o ve r the a tew a the ho u se he u m g y of b ilt. A mo der n bo ok say s. w ith the u nintentional ill- natu r e o f co mpr ess io n w hich makes mu ch of o u r inf or ming “ su c ain u read n liter atu re h p f l i g, that Sir W illiam Compto n w as pre sent at the battle o f Spu rs and Field

the o t and h ad sta tes in of Cl h of Gold, e tw enty ” co u nties o f E ngland and th e f avou r of Henr y V I II I t seems that he pu lled do w n a hou se a t Fu lbr o ok (is that the village nea r Bu r f o r d and tr anspor ted the o n W in mater ia ls to Compt y ates in 1 509. I am so r ry f o r the ho rs es 3 Others o f th e fa mily have had much w higher titles to ho no u r . One as a familiar of

s ac r t a m to n an t r a a Jame . Bl k No h p o he , g llan t

f e at o to n ea t in 16 43. The f r Cavalier . ll H p H h o mer man w ho rece ve the etter u te a w as the i d l q o d bove, ' and it is sa id that he w o n h is w ife s hand by dis gu ising himself as a b aker and car r y ing her aw ay in

- Th an empty bread basket. e latter w as killed at the ict r w en he w as a n u mo ment o f v o y . h ch rgi g, R per t

- dvance his men. To the cro ear s w like. in a of p ho r er he ans w er sc r o ffer ed him qu a t ed. I o n to ta ke q u ar ter f r om su ch b ase r o gu es as y o u ar e and so died Spencer Co mpton . H e h ad been a s talw art

r er o f the n f r o m th e r s : his a s u ppo t Ki g fi t f ther , m to n the rs t E ar had a \V illiam Co p . fi l . p id f o r his

e if the rea s u r r eco r ds ar e to b e tr u s peer ag , T y te d e a r e tw o o n o ns o f the atter b u t ther pi i m , and the

s o - da t n he no b u Co mpto n t y hi k did t y it. It is ” d o c i he a m r n ee , t a t t ent o f ar e bette . i d ll p y l g fees. if he b o u ht he a in the str a Anyho w . g . p id ightf o rw ard w a as an h o no u r a e man o f o w er and y , bl high p w it n tho se da s no t af ter the f ash o might i y , i n o f those f o r w ho se go ld the nineteenth centu r y to w ar ds its close f o u nd a u se. 250 The Comptons remained sta unch to their sovereigns. James I w as often at Cas tle As hby I do no t kno w H is s s if he w as ever at Compton W iny a tes . vi it w r e ens v d r a o n s s e e xp i e, an Lo d North mpt eem to ave n as f r o ne ar n w n h hi ted much , o ye the Ki g e t to ' Sir n Y v r n s s w ho en r a n He ry el e to in tead , te t i ed him ’ so splendidly as did make Lor d No rthammo n s " h s w r the penu ry t e mo r e mi sliked. B u t thi as befo e ' ' r ich lady s mo ney came in then th e Ear l s magnifi

n s Pakin to ns ce ce knew no bo u nds . He vi ited the g w a n s and at Wes t ood w ith tr ain of a hundred k ight , so w ell w as the enter tainment liked that the gues ts said they did no t know w hether they possessed the a o r h e m r s ar pl ce t place the . Such w as the fi t E l h is a no o er aw r o ns l dy did t v e him . Late Compt

a n se a w o o f n n h ve do e wi ly nd ell . The Bish p Lo do who m James II in vain tried to terror ize w ill no t

r s u n be fo gotten. It has been a fa mily o f tru ty co s And so e ers u ns s s s. ll , elfi h tatesmen, go o d bisho p

it endu r es .

To - da as w en H e i r he w a s y , h w tt w ote , t y to r o Compto n W iny ates ar e perilou s and long . F m — — Chipping Nor ton to take another road than his it is a r o u gh thi r teen miles down shar p hill s and th r o u gh

a a o u n r r n n m ze of c t y oads . We pass Lo g Compto . w r a se a that hich Mr . No rman Gale h as tr i ed to i to

r an eu r w i is a n g d h ch it scar cely dese r ves . It cert i ly

a er e i b u n a r r s r a ar ad se . v y pr tty v llage , t o t te e t i l P i I s f ne u r as o u r se a a n t i ch ch co mmands it, a nd y i g i tow ard s Br ailes seems to r ise w ith y o u above all

u an n s s n s e an r a petty h m i te r es t , tro g, af , immemo i l

s u . s o u co e a o u ppor t At eventime a y m b ck, y come

at last o Up n the hills th a t keep, 25 1

COMPTON W INYATE S is o s e u fish o n is the m t d lightf l little p d , which the r ema ns o f h moa all ro w a r n s i t e t, c ded w ith w te pla t and r f e lecti ng the r o o f and gables o f the hou se . At its o r s s in s ee e — r the ide, till thi d p vall y the ve y ' o e as e i s f r n m sa — s bottom of the h l , H w tt ie d ight y i a r a s a n r nd e so u e i ed g rde , with ter ace a yew h dge, q i t and r a as s r a n se fo m l it might plea e my lo d B co him lf. What s tr ange tales gr ow abou t su ch a hou se as this Year s ago some childr en went into a r oom u n they had no t seen befo r e and fo d a tu mbled bed . Before long the tale w as spr ead that there had been a skeleto n there : and no w the story is that they u n s s o s n a o s fo d even kelet n . Not lo g g a visitor a ked to see the r u and n the se n to t re room , whe rva t e r ss s r r se n r sa s xp e ed u p i d i c edulity, id that he felt u re l fi nd his a had a r he cou d w ay to it from wh t he he d . So he did : and when he got there he pointed tr i u mphantly to so me hooks used to hang cheeses o n and sa h a of o ld men had n ansfi o n , id t t, , bee tr xed them. I s ther e anythin g mor e depr essing than a show ar s s o s s house W wick Ca tle, where the vi it r tea l

e r in - a r and i s na n s ar e th w it g p pe , the h deou or me t

o n s n inemas is dwelt with pride by the olem c , W i n . n ates so as o u ter r ible But Compto y , much y s is u u an o r s a sa ee of it, q ite h m , h ll I y homely The

a r a at as t n is ar and s s h ll, ve y like th t Ch tle o , b e, how

left, the galler y and And the cou ncil

i i s s and i s t, with t five door , t ' r es s a r o r a s to the p i t ch mbe , P pi t s is enti r ely unf ur ni hed . There ver y

a n - s and th t is all. The hidi g place the ho use behind fi replaces ar e all 26 3 e secret is r evealed and ther e is open no w . E v r y ; c ss s somethi ng patheti in the old room, with the cro e ser fo r al cu t o n the bea m tha t per haps ved tar, with

s u s it three ways of esca pe. W as it much ed There

s s I o no no a o o cealm nt8 ar e to rie , but d t k w them, b ut c n 0 o o u here. The Comptons have been t loyal to Ch rch a n one w o an to o n a . nd Ki g, uld f cy, c ce l much You

e en s r r a — ar e o fe l , wh you ee thei po tr its which n t r s — l ake he e, but at Ca tle Ashby that they wou d m a s o s a r e poor plotte r s. It may be a pity th t the e r om ’ no e ne e a a a n s s the t fitt d up w , the o n for ch pl i tudy , o ther for the orato r y where th e household might

a n no a r s i n no w . B meet to pr y, i fe of per ecut o u t ss n a s n e s And if doubtle o e ch pel i e ough in th hou e. r a s and one r r i a o u they we e both ch pel , ve y p v te. y w no t see s s and o u o u o se ould them , I uppo e ; y w ld l o ne n illustratio of the Cotswold his tory. w as a o n n a i men It l ely cou try, the very pl ce to h de in : and su ch a homely place as this wou ld never b e to s s o thought helter fugitive . It would be a l ng w ay for the pursuivant : and his carriage would break down in the mi r e or his horse be bogged before he o u s s got there. So y may fancy ; but it i a a home s all u w as so o e s mo t of , tho gh it unlike n ixty years a o a u s s s s g , th t the ho e trike you . Quite imple, sec no asse r n o is s luded, with tio f dignity, the hou e : a

a r m r a n - typic l Tudo co fo t ble dwelli g place , built in that delightf u l red brick o f which we never seem a n s no w to c tch the to e, and ta ki ng omething of its colouri ng from the hills and trees amo ng which it

r o s n is o The thought of ep e, i deed , over the wh le. ain s s n n o Ag come Thom o to mi d , though the f lk here ar e no t o n n b u t f ar it ind le t, i deed, very from 254 COMPTON W I NYATE S

No c a o u r ca cocks , w i th me, to ru sti l b ll , Fro m village o n to village so u nding cl ear To tardy Sw ai n no shr ill - vo iced matro ns sq u all N s s o w ves to stu n o u r car o do g , no babe . n i y d ac sm t sea r No hammers th u mp ; no ho rr i bl k i h . No no isy tr ad es man yo u r sweet sl u mbers star t \V i th so u nds that are a mis er y to hear B u t all is calm as w ou ld delight the hear t

S o ll natu r e and all ar t. Of ybarite o f ld, a

s is and t a A place o f q u iet r e t i ndeed it , h t with the tho u ght of p r ayer over it that leads apar t from s r i e T ho u o ld no t r e God. t f . he men w b ilt of did fo g t

o The ho u se in its secl u sio n is y et no t al ne . ar er a n o f u o r H d by is the ch u r ch , a v y qu i t piece T d

o t i s e sa s e Sir r G h c, w ith pew tha t w o u ld hav ti fi d Roge de Co ver ley and a so u nding - boa r d to th e high p u lpit that might have had j u stice do ne to it by Sw ift o r — o u t . I n 16 44 en th e o u se w as ca u red o ne S h , w h h pt wo u ld think that fr o m its positio n it cou ld no t have — s to od a lo ng siege the Par lia ment men defaced all

h s t e n s . e u ac a a n as mo u men t Th y wer e p t b k g i , be t

e i be w en u r w as r e u a er the th y m ght , h the ch ch b ilt ft

es r is o m Sir a R to atio n. Her e the t b of Willi m

o m n a u s r an a r s and ar s C pto , f ithf l e v t to Ch le I Ch le II , ' and her e th e banner s and a f ew o f the herald s ra n s a e in me o r th e n u r a t ppi g th t k pt m y ho o ed de d ,

a r n o f a r with fte them th e hatchrne ts l te yea r s . It is a ch u r ch tha t o ne may ima gine Mas ter I nglesant to w o rs in o r as er r e r r hip , M t Geo g He be t to deck with

o w er s and r e w n nse as w as his w fl pe fum ith i ce , ont.

er u e o me co m an o na e in he ser V y q i t , h ly, p i bl , t vice of

Go d. en is res o r d ma es a Wh it t e , y it c pe the hands o f the r esto r er I n no pla ce that I know wo uld it be easier to r epr o du ce the simpl e w o r ship o f Stewar t

i is he e n - en u r t mes . Ther e t ightee th c t y bar r el or gan 255

TH E TRACTARIANS AT HOME

n w u n r ss L iddo , he o ld eve mi a meet in the dir ecti o n o f Fai r fo r d ; and when no t hunting his favourite r ide w as to the top o f Fo x comb e and along the brow o f o w ar s u no r as c the hill t d C m , thence he ould

escr no t a r s l e d y if F i ford it e f, y t much o f the valley " u o f the pper Thames . Within a f ew miles of

'

is n . a r o o n er e Mr . F i f rd C l S Aldwy , wh Kahle s fa ther

w ca r . I n air o r he K eb les v as vi F f d t li ed , and the

r ains as s o ne a ren s w hou se em , doe the t Ci ce te r here the po et o f The Chr is tian Year beca me engaged to

Miss Char lotte Cla r ke . At Fair fo r d a nd Ci r ences te r y o u may fancy yo u r se f a os in the cen r e o f c za o n f r r l lm t t ivili ti , o the e a re fi u s s o f the e n en r r ne ho e ightee th c tu y , ca r iages

r vin a o n o u n r r s co nsta ntly d i g l g the c t y o ad , sma r t ho r ses and smar t ser vants. B u t at So u th ro p y o u n o he ea r o f are pl u nged i t t h t the countr y . It is o ne o f he ar s es c c le ass s to s r w en t p i h whi h i ted e ve , h

e r e in 1823 E as tlcach a n o r ar r e he l ft O i l , M rti ( B th o p , w hich the peo ple p ro no u nce B u the ro p) and Eas tleac h

e e n the o rs . r 1820 in w n a vill b i g the F om , I th k , he

a e lo o f o u s hr s e e he beca me F l w C rp C i ti , Tho mas K bl

a w his o er 1824 n he s ha red the cur cy ith br th , till , whe , f n n became cu r a te o Cir e ces ter . Jo h Keble had the

e o f w o as c r s s n s so le char g the t E tlea h pa i he , a d w a r H e ve a u r c u r ate o f So u th o p . li d t So th o p (Su ther o p)

o r wo r s nd w r a his Rectory f t yea , a it as the e th t infl u ence w as exercised with such pow erful eif ect o n

l s a n It. . o a i Isaac Wi liam d H Fr nde. The pass ge n which th e fo r mer des cr ibes his lif e at Sou throp has ss w as become almo s t cla ica l . It there tha t much o f

hr ti n Yea r as w r The C is a w itten , in the quiet devotion of two pastor al years . Dean Church sums up the co as he kno w so w ell how to analyse and 259

THE TRACTARIANS AT HOME

I n darkness and in wear i ness e trave r o s w ress Th lle n h i ay must p , No e to w tc o o o wer l am a h n tree r t . ‘V h in aw a th e on so e o u g y l e m h r .

Such an exper ience indeed w as that o f Isaac Williams w n s o a m he he ta rted from South r p to fi nd Dean F r , “ e w as o a s a o n wh re he to be l dged, olit ry place the ” s o s an n d fi nd a n r Cot w ld , d hard i dee to t ight f om in a s nd r a n er Southrop , thick mi t a i , the night p f ectl r so n er u n i y da k, that he wa d ed abou t t l " h i in morning . T ere s har dly a mor e so litary spot

all s r c s saa c s the di t i t. By it, a I William wrote

ON THE COTS OLDS W .

’ O er th e bleak w o ld the du ll au tu mnal day n s dar Ha g kling.

e w n o n r oad b t ee C l S . Aldwyn and Fair fo rd southwar ds is less secl u ded than that which goes n r an a m and has o th to De F r , it the accent of quiet secu rity which ri ngs o u t s o clear ly in the poem tha t

See the so f t green willo w spr inging BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

E very w ay h er f r ee ar ms flinging ’ O cr th e mo st and r eed i y grass . Lo n er e w nter as s g i bl t are fl e d, ’ See h er i d w t ve t pp i h r nal r ed , ’ And h er kindly flo w er display d E r e hcr eaf can l cast a shad e.

T ou the r udes an h gh t h d assail her , at entl sh e droo s P i y p awhile, B u t w en s o w er s and h h br eezes hail her , “ fear s a a n her w n g i illi g smile. ’ Thu s I lear n Contentment s power r o m the s ted w o b F ligh ill w ower , Ready to give th anks and live On th e east t at Hea ven ma e l h y giv .

If the u et r o o let eav , q i b k l ing, U the st on v e I p y al w ind, Ii aply half in f ancy gr ieving Fo r th e sh s I eav a de l e behind, the u t a de d By d s y w ysi rear , Nightingales with jo yo u s cheer S n m sad ness o i g, y t r epro vc, G adl er t an in cu tu o l i h l r ed gr ve.

“ mor e th e thickest bo u ghs are tw ining Of th e r eenest dar g kest tr ee, T her e th e u n e c y pl g , the ligh t de lining All ma ear b u t o a y h , n ne m y see. Fear ess o f the ass n o o f l p i g h , Har dly w ill th ey fleet alo o f ; So e ve in mo des s th y li t w ay , r ust ent r e and ce s r a s T i , aseles p i e.

A familiar sight in the Cotswold o n an au tumn after noon is that w hich is no ted in the lines f o r the

Twenty - thi r d Su nday after Tr inity

No w the t r e d u nter w nds a ass n no i h i p i g tc, And cch o ds o o d n ht f ro m ever bi g ig y gladc .

a es did no t o r d it o ne m h s I f d t f bi , ig t almo t fancy that en a f ew nes ater th e e s eaks “ w h , li l , po t p of a lofty ” s ee he w as t n n a s t d , hi ki g with mile of that animal 26 2 THE TRACTARIANS AT H OME

which Woodford (afterwar ds Bi shop of E ly ) when he fi rst came to Kempsfo rd as ked his churchwar den im a rs to b u y for h ho e quiet to ride and to drive,

in ab u t u r teen or teen eet hi h. and, I th k , o fo fif f g is r as a b u s I n the whole d t ict Keble w t home, t mo t h r H is h at home at Sout op and Eastleach . family ad held the manor of Eastleach Tu r ville f o r many gener atio ns ; and in a. chu rch is a Keble monument

0 n n as a dated 16 7 . of the lo g p t c me to him as he stood by the str eam that divides

K E MN FO RD.

a s s he p ri he , t two MiCh w l and 8 ‘ M l “ and E w le eh 8 r ; t a . And ew

W att him than s Se , o ft ptember breeze, And many lay h im do wn Within mu 0 cir cling woodland W il li er e r es e Wh b ight leav , reddening re they fall . ' ave o e W gaily r the waters bro wn.

A happy her ald to the wor ds of thanksgiving and hope with which the Church lays the bodies of her " ehildmn to r est w as the so ft September breeze . The of the dis tr ict sa nk into the hearts of ’ s a H s n n and tho e who ca me there t eblo i vitatio , when 26 3

THE TRACTARIANS AT HOME

‘ r an su u n X ve y calm d bd i g. ¢¢ or tp eio €a t fia vxé éew — that y e stu dy to be qu iet w as the note of all their s w r as it mi w be t o k , ght ell be the mo tto of the u n r r u it w as r u co t y whe e m ch of w o ght.

’ Tis t u s w en all its w ander n s as h h , i g p t, ’ O er the still tide Th e ar do t an its d e a a b k h h g i l s il t last, a s ado de And, like h w , gli

I nto its r est.

26 5 CHAPTER XXI

TW O POE TS AND TH E UPPE R THAMES

HE Upper a s T h m e , that part w hich flows b e t w e e n C r i c k lade and Ox f r has n o d, o t had its singers in su ch pro fu sion as the w r a s lo e re che .

‘ ' ‘ FA RI NGDO N ( H l R( H . r s n Reti ed, ile t,

r e r o he s f e w ch a ter all s s emot f m t bu y li hi , f , mo t poet

e led i sw ee s so f o n. o se w ho a v hav , t p tly d w Th h ve li ed by it have lear nt to lo ve it : b u t f ew have co me to seek

s au h s n r f o r it be ties. No o ne w o know it ca fail to t ace n e a a n and a a n o n ss and r its influ e c g i g i Ro etti Mor is. Often y o u tu r n a shar p co r ner and come u po n a

scene tha is m r r o r e in t e r nes o r r a e t i d h i li ; you t c ,

o a e a s e s o s ea stan da s n a p g th t e m t p k of di t y , the pictu r e o f a hamlet o r a manor - hou se w hich belongs

o h o ld n an tha h er e is s i u nchan e t t e E gl d t t ll g d .

h s me r es ar e kno n and cher is d B T e e mo i w he . u t her e is w o r u te o r tten th er ets w h c t k , q i f go , of o po , i h 26 6 TWO POETS AND TH E UPPER THAMES

e a e e o s o the a s en w m y w ll r call . It bel ng t d y wh men re disco vered

The little stream whose haml ets scar ce h ave names.

With the end of the eighteenth centur y there w as a a new acti vity o n the border s o f Cotswold and Th mes . The far mer s wer e r ich : there wer e the great canal schemes : the cou ntr y sq u ir es of the district wer e in r A n e s in thei glory. nd when the romantic i t re t

PA INGDOR CHU CH R R .

n u r a s ner a a new c at l ce y woke, poeti came to the descr iptio n of what seemed a new disco vered

land. fi rst poet who revived this interest w as the u Pye. He w as above all things a country he tu r ned to poetr y his M l in r s y the comfo t , and 26 7

TWO POETS AND THE UPPE R THAMES

So he war bles ; and in obliging f oot - notes he informs u s that he is complimenting the seats of

ar a u r ir l u se ar . E l H rco t, S Wil iam Stoneho , B t , the

Mr . nd Sir r . n r l n a R Rev Joh Lode , Mr s. A le , obe t r H n s s nce Th ockmor ton. o w changed ar e the ame i 1 774 ! Only tw o of these still hold th e ancestr a l

. u P a e home So m ch of th e landskip Mr . y e may h v ’ seen w ith b u t a slight assistance fr om his mind s ey e and then he goes o n to r ejoice over the seats of

r Mr M . M . u . ar es P e o r n er r So thby, Ch l y , L d Spe c , W mo ndefi eld n e and as r a an y (Locki g ) , , led t y by W t a e ec me e r m n a u g , to b o xtr emely ti eso e a d didactic bo t n Ki g Alfr ed . Th e spor ts o f a co u ntr y gentleman w aken him to ’ m r e ac and h n ea s h u s s f a o u r f o r o viv ity, e e tr t t e M e v the h u nter s o f the f o x .

' ’ Tho u gh gentle Shenslo nc deem d the h u nter s thr o at ’ Dr o w n d w ith its clamo r o u s s tr ain th e ly r ic no te u ve h o n Tho gh pensi T oms , indo lently laid ’ Beneat th e s ver w o w s tr em n s ade h il ill bli g h , a n w r u e ar th e tr eac r u s B iti g ith c l t he o ho o k , To u re the u t ess nma s of t r l g il l i te he b o o k , is a th ar Blame, as h h nds e b bed w eapo n dr aw ’ Fr o m th e mu te w r etches ago ni zing jaw ose w h in man s o r w o Th , o ly p t ith f r antic j y T e a tenan of h o t h r pid ts t e w od des r o y .

w as a er a o as n s h n It v y h ppy cc io , a e evide tly u o r e r a h o e s a e tho ght, f a littl p a t t e p ts w ho e f m

m e s his . er s n ight per haps clip e o w n After this div io , and an er nter u o n v W ar he r ns a n oth i l de Ci il , tu ag i to contemplate with satisfaction his neighbou r s Lord Radnor at Coleshill and Lor d Bar r ingto n at B ecket ; and so he comes r ou nd again to his o wn h m and his o wn u r to r a his o e ch ch , commemo te a u n r w ith to ch of r eal feeling, a d to ecall 26 9 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

r h s r wi th p ide o w his ance tor, Si Ro bert Pye. led th e Par liamentary troo ps to the capture o f Faringden o s s h u e, and bea t down the pi re of the ch u rc h t his S f wi h artiller y. o the po em o Faringdon H ill

en s w t s s s d i h a bur t of domes tic enthu ia m. Peace and pro sper ity in s u ch a place seems ete rna l

An o ve I ’ ltr i d, l ly u ydmt. my vo ice sh all still O r in h r o v s o r s e t y g e . o n thi h al thf u l hill . I n r u s t c nu s i mbers i ng the happy plains. her e F reedo m t u s d w m W r i mph an her e B r wwick reigns.

H S FA R INGDON FRO “ TH IS T AME .

s is u s and it All thi q ite cha r mingly illy, no t co nceivably ha ve any i nter est except for tho se w ho lo ve ever y memo ry o f th e de lightful

s B i h o f he sa di tri ct. u t n t e e ar lier par t t me poe m there ar e some desc r ipti ve to u ches which ha ve a ce r tain val u e in r eca lli ng the co untry as it w as when

n — h n s l George III w as Ki g t e po i ted pire of Lech ade,

c e e lowly C ri klade w ith th abs u r d legend o f th Greeks , “ ' " B db s d a n s e es proud a u r y height, an the c al ch m , a r s i lready abo tive. th o ugh de tined to grea t rev val.

When vain projecto rs doomed thy sticam to fl o w ‘ ’ h s ne s s w I hmug mead , glected. lingering. ad . and lo .

And so o n r “ to Fai fo rd and its windows. with 270

TWO POETS AND THE UPPER THAMES a as are n and an s a s ble e e go e, we roam the b k of Th me aw a e a k to passion and the tr u th of life. Pe cock n w s all a u all r r s and all s and r k o bo t ive , poet , eve y cor ner o f the glo be : and y et he com es back to the

- s sedge crowned geni u s of the sil ver Thame . The

an s am o f ssiss the a ra s o a gi t tre Mi ippi , c ta ct of P tom c, he v he ile t as . au n e h e o f az n t t S L re c , t pomp Am o , fert ' r s an s r s s r u s cou e of G ge , Nige and Nile my te io

s u r s r u r u a o and o ce , Tig i s, swift E phr ates , p o d T j — so u ndi ng Guadalqu ivi r no ne is f o r gotten and every English and Scottish str eam is remember ed as

th e s a no w n o as o r as a r o poet h ve k it, n t l t le t the J r w an s n d the Tw eed . All lend their aid to the de ig of n ras he u v ns on co t t, to t ni er sal peace that reig Thames

B u o w t r ou t n , h gh banks fr o m str if e remote, cr sta water s w nd a on Thy y l i l g, ’ Res ponsive to th e w ild bird s no te ’ Or lo nely boatman s careless song.

n o v o f he s r an Without bei g er a poet t highe t k ,

had o f w c w as Peacock the r eal poetic gift, hi h Pye

. r s w as at utter ly destitu te Like most mino poet , he

hi in a r a u n ns s. s bes t imit tion, p ob bly q ite u co ciou Th er e ar e whole stanzas of his that Scott might have ' n nd an in s a s writte , a m y l e th t might be Coleridge or ’ d u th e ass s n Shelley s. An yet the tho ght, cl ic allu io ,

n ras are a a s his o wn . th e happy tur of ph e , lw y They show the pr omise of the Peacock whom many years n d later w e come to k ow, the poet of tas te an melody is a a r s e and skill . There re l pow e too in the Epi od

r u s s a r e u in a o f a D id , uppo ed to h ve taken f ge " r u s o n o f r er na for est, afte the exp l i the o d fr om Mo , as well as a felicity of exp r ession that Peacock never 273 s es as h n h he mw the r im m an ee lo st. H e w rit t o g g va da s o f ear l Br itnin o f o f the sa ge y y ,

The knou cd m h and h aneh s m . ' ' That gleu ned as in l m day , mm mysfi c r adianoe blne ;

Primal nighg and cennnl ahadu ;

v B u Rome doomed to ine ita ble decay. t all this is b u t r ef ace to the tr u tr an u i sto r o f r i p e, q l hi y the ver

h es . At all ns es w t at he lov seaso he lov it, hen h e

H as seen th y tu r bid cu rrent flo w A delu ge o f dimo lving sno w ;

or in hot summer w hen

and ear s Sweet is the cou rse cl and till.

v ames and cer a n n And he lo es all Th , t i ly o t least. those u pper r eaches w hich so few car e to 800

Now peacefu l hamlets w ander ing th rou gh ds ea u t ev n And fiel in b y er ew , ‘V here Lechlade sees th y cu r rent str ong First w af t th e u nlabo u r ing bar k alo ng ; Thy co pio u s w ater s ho ld their sw ay ’ ' w a co te s ar c es o ld and r e To rds R d h g y, u t t e e os t ‘V here tr i mphed er s h reb l h , ' ar d o s w \V h en hapless Rich s h pe er e lost, O so u t w t u m ed r de And xf o rd gh , i h h bl p i , u E xistence f ro m th y g ard ian tide.

w n er w en new t ese One does no t o d , h he k h quiet. TWO POETS AND THE UPPER THAMES

a s a r me dows with their old histor ic tale . that he t r ied where

The w - v i o oo m ild flo wer wa es , n l nely gl ’ On Godsto w s deso lated wall ,

or that the stor y of Rosamund made pictu re a tragic pa st

And dim see w ly . hile mo r tals sleep , Sad f o o f c o rms l is tered maidens mo ve. The rans ent d o f t i reams life to w eep.

The fad ing flo wers o f yo u th and lo ve.

a n r in a Pe cock i deed w ites rom ntic youth , which to end his n e the of lo g lif . and with all his assumption n s o f comfortable cy ici m , he never really lost, and so 275

CHAPTER XXII

TWO COTSWOLD STATESME N

DOUBT there may well be about Cotswold

s poet , but ther e can b e none at all about two of s s a sm n thei r famou t te e . They

in difl er ent s very time , but they

o m n and f good e , noble u nsel fi sh r s r u n love of thei co try . Li v i n g m e m o r y a l m o s t mo m m y B M Y . — tou ches in deed it might quite

u no o ne touch , tho gh I know who remember s — as ar s r a o n - him the l t ye of the g e t g ver or general , ar n in s n a s W re Hast g . O ly the pl ce where he lived u u s a pr m r ve the memor y of L ci C rey, Viscount

n r cou t y. Down in the valley of the Windr ush lies the Priory u s r r as a Ho e of Bu ford , whe e he lived boy. It is a r n An u s at Gm t uin o w . d the ho e Tew where all men n n s and ac s in d of emi e t part f ultie Oxfor , besides

n s as as in th e s lodgi g there, ready college , when he 277

TWO COTSWOLD STATESMEN and quiet Oxfordshire field- banks wher e the fir st violets

n o s — f en er e are eve n w r ai ing thei r heads how o t , a da a r f o r n s en s a n th t y r ive E gli hm , h ll your re ewal " s be een . There is in deed no mo re bea utifu l village in England d a an a r n a a s and to y th th t where , ove hu g by t ll o k a r an s s i a g l ded with rich laurel hedge , he leeps n for n gotte grave. The hills r ound Stow may per ha ps rank among the as and l t of the Cotswolds . It w as between here “ " in n o n o s a a n as Chipp g Norto , the d wn , th t W rre H t ings wou ld r ide o u t in his o ld age to watch the local o u n s n n r e n v l teer trai i g d u i ng th Fre ch w ar . Old folk u a e s n s n till q ite l tely rem mbered him , a mall ma itti g

u e o n his rs s o s in f u lfil h ddl d ho e . H i h u e , recovered ' n a c s n s no t f ar o ff and i s me t of hild ambitio , lie ; t la rge conservato r y r ecalls the sto r y that he loved to walk in it becau se it reminded him of the clims te of n es o r I s c is Be gal. Dayl f d is a pretty village . t hurch o r u in n s u i in 1 816 new , f the b ild g tha t Hasti g reb lt

r s o r e his as u n s two yea bef death w happily de troyed , and its only i nterest is the collection of inscriptions that recor d the connexion of Has tings and after him ' s i his wife fam ly with the village . It is high land too whence the mo dern church of Daylesford looks down upon the valley of the Even

is r a lode. There the tablet which ecords the f ct that “ the last pu blic eff or t of his eminently virtu ous and lengthened life w as the t e- erection of this sacr ed su r n n s n a n edifice , which he pe i te ded with i gul r e ergy s in i s and in i a as ! and intere t t completion, wh ch , l the holy rites of sepu lture were very shortly afterwards " r h r is performed ove is mortal remains . The chu ch r n u r n as go ne : a mode p rchase pulled it dow , though 279

TWO COTSWOLD STATESMEN

iar had s n 1784 and no w d ies, which he kept i ce , which ma n in s ss n o f iss r n re i the po se io M Winter, of Wo to

r a s o r o s s in a l ss The pa k of D yle f d , the h u e it elf e ns a r and l r degree , the great co erv to y, the litt e chu ch

' n n no w n s s w s n of Oddi gto , u u ed but mo t i ely ot r e all a s nd s s destroyed , a memori l of him a hi dia rie illustr ate many a point that o ne notices as o ne r ides between the walls of Adles tr op and of h is o w n is a r u n a u in its es tate . It p etty co try, be utif l

s r s s and o ne s no t w n r a its umme hade , doe o de th t beauty as well as his ambition made th e village boy o as la in a n ce in r a s l ve it he y the v lley, whe late d y he i n and a s had the v ew pai ted , looked up t the hou e r which b e dete mi ned to make his o wn . But the

r s o o s s chief memo ial d n t r e t at Dayle fo rd . They

n ss n r the ea - n e w e belo g to Mi Wi te , gr t iec of the if to "

w o w as his a o r ar an. er h m he devoted , d ed M i Th e ar e f ew more remar kable histor ical co llectio ns in

n an . r s a s n a r all E gl d Fi t come the portr it , e ly of e l n r are high excell nce as w e l as i te est. Ther e u s e na s as in s as an an his exq i it e mel , of H t g old m , of

a r s ff her so nd his . wife, of Sir Ch le Imho , n, a wife r is s r an r s The e the t ge pictu e of Mr s. Hasting by

Zo ff n a n in n a in she s in a y, p i ted I di , which its the

s Mr s. ns as ra s and tyle of Siddo the T gic Mu e, , it

s i s n u lar r ff e . e mu t be admitted , w th i g ly poo e ct Th re

' is u r s e em a s Zo fi an the c iou pictur of th both , l o by y , in an n an a n sca a n e an a e I di l d pe, tte d d by yah . Th y s an in an he in u m - o o u tand h d h d , a pl c l r ed coa t, w ith a s a a r a n white w i tco t, l e dy bald a d looki ng w orn and

a ass . i r s o f a s r e h r ed P ctu e D yle fo d there ar , to o , painted f or him and one st r iking Indian scene of a s n an in f boat truggli g with the G ges high lood , which 28 1 BY THAMES AND COTSWOLD

records the insisten ce of Mr s . Hastings in coming to s n w as ill in s e a r s hi side whe he , pit of d nge which

her . I n his s h nearly cost her life poem , which is clear hand inscr ib ed in a thin q u arto of crims on o r azar s s o r is s s morocco c ve , the h dou t y told. It how that she loved him as fully as he loved her : and the happiness o f thei r las t yea rs ans wer ed the ques tion which he asked in his dedica to r y ver ses

n w w Wilt thou , my Maria , hen e meet, With eq u al jo y thy lo ver gr eet P r a Wilt tho u his tr anspo ts share. nd pro ve That absence is no cu r e f o r lo ve

The fi r st o f the por tr aits is that which H asti n gs

o is n i n s n and gave t h fr ie d Dav d A der o , which has no w retu r ned to the company of the o ther

is and memorials. It by Abbot, w as painted a n l in 1 796 r s n s s ppare t y . It rep e e t the tates man as an m n n and n old a , with face thi deep ly li ed , but the f eatur es which most arouse interest ar e the

thin fir m- set lips and th e maste r ly and determined a w h brow . It is the por tr ait o f a m n o mu st have n a n nd ar n do e gre t thi gs ; a the tist, if he ever ca me ea s a n ni s n saw i to gr te t f me, k ew ge u whe he t, and m knew how to tell en w hat it w as. The efl ect of this remarkable portrait is per haps incr eased by th e

fact that no t f ar from it in the dining- r oom at o n n s a a as a s I mh Wort ha g delic te p tel of Sir Ch rle ofi , dressed in all the florid l the Revolutionary

Imho fi s

282 TWO COTSWOLD STATESMEN

’ u s n an in r s n pict re , which ow h g Miss Winte collectio ; ’ and Hastings letters show no t only the pains that he ’ his s s n s a an b u t a w as took for tep o dv cement, th t he wor thy of them .

s r s are o r n e es n an s . To ome, lette m e i t r ti g th picture They come fr om the ve ry finger o f the men them

s is n su al ves. Fi r t the u ique r viv of the minute which are full of important fr om the da n Mrs. as in s in n a y whe H t g left him I di , through

w n a r his o a t as the time he , long fte p litic l w o a in afi air s n cM ed, he to k p rt public by urgi g Addingto n in 1 804 to hold o n in spite o f the attacks — against him o n which those char mi ng letters of r er a u sa —d n J . H . F e h ve m ch to y ow to the las t

n r s a no s w e br oke wo d th t he wrote . t adly, but

s r r no t many day befo e the end. And next to r s o n n a n n e the lette , thi p rchme t, mi ut ly and u r a in s o f min te ly olled, which c me bit quills, eon coo led in the nostrils and the of native r a to his adored Mar ian at the time o f his n r n w as in er Che te in da ge , whe he the pow of y S g at

s e are as ar no w as n Bena r e . Th y cle whe they were n and is r l n n r writte , it th i li g i deed to ead the a r ssn ss o f s and absolute fe le e the tyle, the ref rain which runs throu gh them all I love you mor e than " ever in my tr ou ble. ' — But no t only Hastings o wn letters some full of r f o r w as to o n r s his pove ty, he ge e ou to be rich a s s men to him rew r but l o tho e of great , are p ved. ’

s b e one at s of . J ohnso There hould lea t Dr n s, which r i w a s n Dr. Bi kbeck H ll , by the y , doe o t m m to

of Hasti ngs on the liter ature of the f;

TWO COTSWOLD STATESMEN

s his r on h word that devoted wife w ote is epitaph , r no w e es u Th s Lo d, l tt t Tho y ervant depart in ” peace . ’ — Of few men w ere those lines of L ando r s b u t half — tru e of himself so tr u e as o f this so n of the Cotswolds

I w ar med bo t ands bef o r e h h th e fir e o f lif e. I t sinks and I am r ead , y to depar t.

b u nw l n . s r ve d He strove, t u il i gly He lived to e , an

his s i and n a God accepted erv ce, led him ge tly, by

w s s as ar s r s and a . ay of orrow , to tho e l t ye of e t pe ce The memor y of War r en Hastings is the last that connects the distr ict w ith the gr ea t events of the ’ s r ss b u is ss u b a world prog e , t it impo ible to do t th t s s nd h e s r s ha r u n these dow n , the hill , a t t eam t t s ha s w a a n nu r u r s w ho wiftly to the T me , ill g i t e tho e will serve the cou ntr y in high place. Forgotten the ns ma se b e and es r e the a s old tow y em to , d e t d v lley , but still the country life is a nu r ser y of stou t hear ts r m n s n ar s. h s o u r a d tro g m T i life, exempt f o pu blic haunt h as a flavou r of the past abou t it. I n few other par ts of England is so mu ch of the old world left ; and ther e is in it still the pr omise of a b r ight fu tu r e . ENVOY

HAVE come to th e end of ENVOY

tell of this land which I have no t told, how many beautiful scenes and fine churches to be drawn that n s n s are no t figured here . The i tere t i deed of thi l s n n is country, as of al other whe you k ow them ,

inexhaus tible . s s n n s Wi th me, for ome bright hour of my jour eyi g n has n r u no t to be forgotte by me, bee the t e

AT W W H A LL HI LL, NEAR BURFORD.

and n n h poet ki d frie d, who as been o ften in my tho u hts as s r s a n s g the e memo ie h ve bee etdown, Henry a s i s ns r h Ch rle Beech ng, whom We tmi te as gained as

s s os him. H is r s n as the Cot wold l t wo d , writte he sped n u s s n o o ce thro gh the e vale , goi g from our f rgotten town ' a i a s s r has a to th t wh ch Sh ke peare bi th m de immortal, s a s h ll be, by his kindnes , the envoy to my book 287