What to See in England Part 15

Winchester, the ancient Saxon capital of England, is situated near the foot of the chalk uplands surrounding the river Itchin. It is a city full of historical interest, and its two most striking features are the cathedral and college. Long before the Norman Conquest there was a grammar school at Winchester under the care of the monks. Bishop William of Wykeham was educated at this earlier school, and it was he who re-established it on a larger scale. The new college was founded at the end of the fourteenth century, under the direction of a corporation, and was allied to one of the colleges at Oxford. For five centuries this college, the most ancient of the public schools in England, has kept a foremost place among the many educational centres that now exist. Many of the college buildings remain almost the same as they were originally founded.

The cathedral, which is the largest in England, shows every style of architecture from pure Norman to Early Renaissance. It was founded by Walkelin, the first Norman bishop, whose carved font is one of the finest treasures of the building. Bishop Wykeham, at the end of the fourteenth century, continued the building, which had been steadily progressing for a considerable time, and commenced the partial casing of the Norman columns with Perpendicular mouldings. The vaulting shafts of the nave rise from the ground, and owing to the thickness of the Norman masonry, there is no proper triforium. The reredos was built by Cardinal Beaufort in the fifteenth century, and the Lady Chapel was added about the same time. Though it suffered much damage during the Parliamentary wars, the cathedral is wonderfully rich in monuments, all its various architects being buried there, and among the many shrines is that of William Rufus.

Winchester's a.s.sociations with King Alfred, and its numerous examples of architecture of all the centuries, make the city one of the most interesting in England.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photochrom Co., Ltd._

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL.

Showing the Norman north transept and the west end.]

SAVERNAKE FOREST

=How to get there.=--Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway.

=Nearest Station.=--Savernake.

=Distance from London.=--70 miles.

=Average Time.=--Varies between 2 to 3 hours.

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

Return 20s. 6d. 12s. 10d. 11s. 8d.

=Accommodation Obtainable.=--"Forest Hotel" (near railway station), "Ailesbury Arms Hotel," etc., in Marlborough.

=Alternative Route.=--Train from Waterloo. L. and S.W. Railway.

Savernake is said to be the only forest in England possessed by a subject. It occupies a piece of country 16 miles in circ.u.mference, is entirely open to all, and the Marquess of Ailesbury also allows Savernake Forest House to be seen by strangers when the family are absent. At Savernake Station one is brought within sight of the forest, and entering it at this point one is able to enjoy a lovely walk of 6 or 7 miles, which brings one out close to Marlborough Station, with the town on the further side of the railway. The forest is specially famous for its glorious avenue of beech 4 miles in length, and there is little doubt that there is no finer in the kingdom.

If one enters through the park gates, near Savernake Station, the house (formerly known as Tottenham House) lies on the right, and in the opposite direction one may notice, at the end of a perspective formed by great ma.s.ses of elms and beeches, the column erected in 1781 by the first Earl of Ailesbury (the marquisate was not created until 1821), commemorating the recovery of George III. and other circ.u.mstances.

If one crosses the avenue and bears off to the right across the turf the church of St. Catherine will soon appear in sight. It is a very richly ornamented structure, and was built by a former Marchioness of Ailesbury, in memory of her mother the Countess of Pembroke. Returning to the avenue, one may continue down it for about 3 miles to the "eight walks," where an opening in the ranks of the stately trees reveals a number of gra.s.sy glades running off to the chief points of the compa.s.s.

The walk going off to the south-west leads to the King's Oak, a gigantic tree whose hollow trunk is 24 feet in circ.u.mference. This oak is surrounded by a number of grand old trees, their bold outlines enriched with velvety moss. On an autumn afternoon, when the forest is a blaze of crimson and yellow, this spot is seen at its loveliest--the long shadows and the golden sunlight giving the scene a painted, almost too brilliant effect.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _E.H. Roberts._

THE AVENUE IN SAVERNAKE FOREST.]

ELY CATHEDRAL

=How to get there.=--From Liverpool Street or St. Pancras. Great Eastern Railway.

=Nearest Station.=--Ely.

=Distance from London.=--70-1/2 miles.

=Average Time.=--Varies from 1-3/4 to 3-1/4 hours. Quickest train 1 hour 38 minutes.

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

Return 20s. 0d. ... 11s. 11d.

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

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

In _Hereward the Wake_ Kingsley tells us how gallantly the Isle of Ely was defended against the attacks of William the Conqueror, but the chieftain was at last forced to surrender, and the monastery was seized.

Ely was created a bishopric by Henry I. in 1107.

The cathedral is one of the most beautiful and remarkable in England.

The oldest portion was erected in the reign of William Rufus and Henry I., and additions were continually made to the fabric until 1534, so that it contains an almost unbroken series of the architectural styles prevailing from the Conquest, yet so wonderfully has the design been managed that no disagreeable effect is produced.

The nave of the cathedral, considered one of the finest specimens of Norman work in England, was completed about 1174, and the west front, built by Geoffrey Ridel, the third bishop, about ten years later.

Originally there stood a square tower in the centre of the building, but this fell in 1322, crus.h.i.+ng three arches of the choir. The repair of this misfortune was undertaken by the sacrist, Alan de Walsingham, who erected in 1342 the octagonal tower now existing.

The choir contains much rich decorated Gothic; and the east end of the cathedral, with its two tiers of lancet windows, is very beautiful.

Another most interesting feature is the Lady Chapel, with a magnificent fan-vaulted roof; the walls were originally decorated with countless niches and statues of saints and martyrs, not one of which escaped the destroying hand of the Puritan.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Photochrom Co., Ltd._

ELY CATHEDRAL.

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

ST. IVES, HUNTINGDONs.h.i.+RE

=How to get there.=--Train from Liverpool Street or St. Pancras. G.E.R.

=Nearest Station.=--St. Ives.

=Distance from London.=--70-1/2 miles.

=Average Time.=--Varies between 2 to 3 hours.

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

Return 17s. 6d. ... 9s. 9d.

=Accommodation Obtainable.=--At St. Ives, "The Golden Lion Hotel,"

"White Horse Hotel," etc.

=Alternative Route.=--From King's Cross to Huntingdon. G.N. Rly.

St. Ives is a town of considerable antiquity, and in Saxon times was known as _Slepe_, which name is still retained by one of the two manors included in the parish, and it is applied to the town in the Domesday book. The more modern name is derived from Ivo, or St. Ives, a Persian who is said to have visited England in the sixth century, and to have been buried here.

A considerable part of the place was destroyed by fire in 1689, but there are still a number of quaint and interesting buildings. Over the Ouse is a stone bridge of six arches, supposed to have been built by the abbots of Ramsey. The approach to the bridge on the south side is by a causeway raised on arches to admit the pa.s.sage of the waters in time of floods, which have on different occasions caused much damage here; and over one of the arches, near the centre of the bridge, is a mediaeval building, originally intended for a chapel.

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

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

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BRIDGE AT ST. IVES, HUNTINGTON.]