Copyright N^. COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/motortourthroughOOyard A Motor Tour Through France and England By Elizabeth Yardley A Record of Twenty-one and a Half Days Automobiling ILLUSTRATED NEW YORK JAMES POTT & COMPANY 1911 Copyright, 191 1, by James Pott & Company First Impression September 1911 ©C!.A2y5i;48 Preface This book was originally started as a diary, but at the end of our journey I decided that other motorists might enjoy reading about what we had accomplished in so short a time, and the general public be interested in the variety of the trip and the illustra- tions, many of which have not been used before. I have not attempted a guidebook in any sense, but it may prove of some value in that capacity. Elizabeth Yardley. Contents PART ONE Chapter Page I. The arrival at Cherbourg .... i II. Paris to Blois 4 III. Blois, Chaumont, Amboise, Chenon- CEAUX AND LOCHES 1 3 IV. From Tours to Chinon and Saumur . 35 V. Along the Loire to Nantes ... 55 VI. In Brittany 63 VII. From Auray to Quimper 73 VIII. From Quimper to Brest and Morlaix ^6 IX. Along the coast to Dinard ... 79 X. Dinard, Saint Malo, Mont Saint Mi- chel AND AVRANCHES 83 XI. From old Avranches to modern Trou- VILLE 89 XII. Pont Audemar and Rouen .... 98 XIII. Rouen to Paris via Dreux and Char- tres 107 PART TWO I. From London to Bedford, via Hamp- STEAD Heath and Elstow . . . .119 II. Peterborough, Newark and Mans- field 124 (vl Contents Chapter Page III. The Dukeries and Sherwood Forest 134 IV. The Byron Country, Haddon Hall, Sheffield and Leeds 146 V. York Minster, Bolton Abbey and Windermere 171 VI. In the Lakeland 180 VII. FuRNESs Abbey, Levens Hall, Liver- pool AND Chester 192 VIII. The Gladstone Country and Wales 199 IX. Shrewsbury, Worcester Cathedral AND Broadway 212 X. To London by way of Oxford and Henley 224 XL The Departure 241 vi] List of Illustrations Facing Page Ruins of Chateau Gaii^lard at lyKS An- DKLEYS Frontispiece v'' Harbor at Cherbourg 2 ^ Chateau of B1.01S, Wing of Francis I . 3 ^' Chateau d'Amboise 26*^" Dungeons and Tower of Louis XI at LocHES 27^ Chateau of Chinon, Tour du Moulin . 46 ^' The Cathedral at Tours 47 --^ Statue of King Rene and the Chateau d' Angers 64 '^ Vannes 65 • Old Houses at Morlaix 72 The Bridge at Auray 73 Mont Saint Michel 96 - Terrace of the Casino at Trouville . 97 i The Spot Where Jeanne d'Arc was Burned — Rouen 108' View of Chartres and its Cathedral . 109; Hard WICK Hall 132 Bun van's Statue at Bedford . . . . 133 Byron's Bedroom at Newstead Abbey . 144 The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest . 145 Haddon Hall 156 [vii] List of Illustrations Facing Page Peacock Inn — Derbyshire; 157 Keswick 178^ The Shambles — York 179^ Wordsworth's Home — Grasmere . . . 188 KiRKSTONE Pass and Brothers' Water . i89 - Hawarden Castle 202 In the Rows at Chester 203 Llangollen Bridge — Wales . . . . 212 Shrewsbury 213 The Tower, Magdalen College, Oxford 238 Maidenhead Bridge 239 ^ [viii] PART ONE A Motor Tour THE ARRIVAL AT CHERBOURG August lyth, Down a gang-plank set at an angle of about eighty degrees we de- scended to the tender, and were amused by watching the other people trying to make the descent with dignity and at the same time keep their equilibrium. Quickly we were left behind by the huge liner on which we had spent such a restful few days, the passengers going on to Bremen fluttered their handkerchiefs in farewell, and as they disappeared in the distance I fancied them returning to their comfortable steamer- chairs and enjoying the balmy breeze we had left behind us. At Cherbourg, which is one of the five military ports of France, travellers seldom linger, though it is the portal to a charm- ing district, preferring to hurry on to other [I] A Motor Tour Through France and England towns, or Paris. We spent but a few min- utes in the Custom-House and were treated most courteously, then walked out on the pier to see the famous breakwater begun by Louis Sixteenth and finished by Napoleon First. The Digue, with its central fort, mounts no less than three hundred and thirty guns and has three lighthouses. Trains do not start on schedule time in this happy land, but await the pleasure of the guards who finish their chat or smoke before giving the signal, and then one slowly steams away from the harbour and into the lovely Normandy country, part of which we will cover in the automobile. We dined at the first table, having been fortunate in remembering to secure places from the steward who met us on the tender; other passengers, who had neglected to do so, clamoured for food but were obliged to wait for another dinner to be prepared. The steward passed through the coaches and gave to each of us a rose, a welcome to France and her flowers, for here one sees blossoms everywhere, the meanest dwelling having against its walls either a rose vine or pear tree. [2] A Motor Tour Through France and England After the light faded away, in a gorgeous purple and golden haze, the journey was a bit tedious and the glimmering lights of Asnieres were a welcome sight. Paris at last, and the usual hurry and bustle to se- cure a conveyance. Getting into one of the crazy little cabs we rumbled out of the sta- tion into one of the broader thoroughfares, the coachman cracked his whip and we took our place in the stream of moving vehicles, the swiftly rushing automobiles with their blazing eyes and the bicycles with their illuminated balloons; past the brilliantly lighted wine-shops and cafes with their little round tables on the sidewalks sur- rounded by happy sons and daughters of France, on we went to our hotel opposite the gardens of the Tuileries. 3] A Motor Tour Through France and England II PARIS TO BLOIS August i8th. Our start was made, in a windy rain storm, up the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe looming black against a leaden sky, through the Bois to Ver- sailles. On arriving at our destination the rain ceased, giving us an opportunity to re- visit the bath of the Bosquet de la Collon- ade, the memory of its beauty making one desirous to return to it again and again. At the Palace we confined our time to the Galleries containing our favourite portraits by Lebrun and Nattier. The last portrait that Vigee Lebrun painted of Queen Marie Antoinette hangs at Versailles and is known as ''Marie Antoinette and her Children." It is the one of the doomed Queen in which she is seated beside a cradle, the Duke of Normandy on her knee, the little Madame Royale at her side, and the Dauphin point- ing into the cradle. When the doors of the Salon of 1783 were thrown open the paint- [4] A Motor Tour Through France and England ing was not quite finished and for some days the frame reserved for it remained empty. It was on the eve of what was to become the Revolution and the country was speak- ing in no hushed whispers of the pubHc deficit in the nation's treasury and gazing bewil- dered at the bankruptcy that threatened the land. The empty frame drew forth the bitter jest '' Voila le deficit." Gazing at the Queen portrayed in all her glorious beauty one dreads to think of that lovely head bowed beneath the knife of the guillotine, and of the cruelties endured by her and her dear ones. The Nattier portraits of the daughters of Louis Fifteenth are all very beautiful and the one of Madame Pompadour exquisite. At the Hotel des Reservoirs, the old man- sion once occupied by that famous courte- san, Madame Pompadour, we had a cup of chocolate, and could, in fancy, see the rooms crowded with the white-wigged, silken-clad belles and beaux who flocked about her, hoping thereby to gain the favour of the King. A peep down the bosky walks of Ver- sailles which are redolent with memories of [5] A Motor Tour Through France and England Louis Fourteenth, La Valliere, Madame Montespan and Madame Maintenon, Louis Fifteenth, Madame Pompadour and la Du Barry, Louis Sixteenth and Marie Antoi- nette, then on we sped to Dourdan along a straight road stretched like a grey ribbon for miles before us, with tall trees each side of it, swayed by the wind like reeds. Many broken branches were in the road and we were in constant fear lest one should be blown against the car. At the Hotel de Lyon we ordered break- fast, and, while waiting for it to be pre- pared, went just across the way to the ivy- clad ruins of the Castle of Philip Augustus which consists of a massive circular donjon, girdled by a wall flanked by nine smaller towers surrounded by a formidable moat, where now are growing peaceful apple trees. The building of the adjoining church was commenced during the twelfth century and not finished till the eighteenth. Beside con- taining a wealth of stained glass windows, through which the sunlight fell making a thousand rainbows, there are beautiful col- umns, a lofty ceiling, splendid arches and a magnificent organ. Who would have ex- [6] A Motor Tour Through France and England pected to find such beauty in so small a town? Returning to the Inn we had our dejeuner beneath the shade of the trees in the flower-embowered courtyard, and fed the puppies who crowded around us begging. The afternoon was a shining one, the heavy clouds having been chased away by the still furious wind. Soon we reached Or- leans, where, in the square stands the eques- trienne statue of Jeanne d'Arc. This year the Maid of Orleans was canonized and now her image is the one most prominently dis- played in all the shops where the figures of saints are sold. The Cathedral of Saint Croix, though im- posing, dates from the decadence of Gothic architecture. It was destroyed by the Hu- guenots and practically rebuilt by Louis Fif- teenth. The florid facade attains a certain amount of dignity in spite of its bastard style, being flanked by two towers, two hundred and eighty-five feet high, between which are three portals surmounted by rose windows and an open gallery. The interior has double aisles and is one hundred feet high. In the right aisle stands a new marble statue of Jeanne d 'Arc. [7] A Motor Tour Through France and England The Hotel de Ville contains the statues of Jeanne designed by Princess Marie d 'Orleans; and there, also, in 1560, Francis Second died in the arms of the young and beautiful Marie Stuart. On the Rue du Tabour, number 37, is where the Maid of Orleans lodged, and, number 15, the so-called house of Agnes Sorel, which is now the museum of the Maid. Our desire to linger among these sur- roundings was overbalanced by our anxiety to reach Chambord and also to have time to visit Notre Dame at Clery, the handsome fifteenth-century church in which Louis Eleventh lies buried. Beside his tomb, is a flagstone which cov- ers the heart of Charles Eighth. The chap- els contain charming sculptures, and the one of Dunois-Longueville holds the remains of this famous ally of Jeanne d'Arc. In the Choir is the massive wooden statue of Notre Dame of Clery, the very one before which that crafty old Louis used to make his vows to her whom he considered his protectress; there is also some fine old glass, and the sculptured stalls are well worth seeing. Opposite Clery is Meung-sur-Loire, for- A Motor Tour Through France and England ever associated with Dumas' novel of the *^ Three Musketeers," D'Artagnan's intro- duction into the story and as the prison of that vagabond poet, Francois Villon. Beaugency too, with its Tour de Cesar looming high above the town, we could see across the river and a few kilometers farther on was Mer, whose fifteenth-century tower forms a beacon for many miles around, then Menars where La Pompadour had a chateau used as a rendezvous for the chase. The house has changed hands many times but the same gardens and terraces still descend towards the shimmering river. Entering the Sologne we found a legion of lakelets amid a sandy plain, but not the desert we had expected, in fact, the land- scape has been made to blossom as the rose. In the heart of the Sologne lies Chambord, and how beautiful it was in the rosy sunset, its towers, turrets and magnificent lantern reflected in the tiny river Cosson in whose limpid waters it bathes its feet. Luckily, there are no regular hours of closing this cha- teau and we were allowed to enter, after the guardian had first shown us into a room, requesting us to wait a few minutes. The A Motor Tour Through France and England place was filled with all sorts of china, lin- ens, photographs and post-cards, their sub- jects being the fanciful devices of the Kings and Queens who frequented the Touraine and views of the chateaux they occupied. To save time we purchased several articles for we fancied we would be kept waiting un- til we did so. Immediately afterwards we were taken to the chateau. The chief point of interest at Chambord is the wonderful spiral staircase where one person may ascend and another descend without seeing each other. This sets one to thinking of the important part it must have played in the intrigue of the time of Francois First and later. It was here Gaston d 'Or- leans and his little daughter, the Grande Mademoiselle, once played hide and seek. The apartments, numbering a room for each day in the year, are not very interest- ing; one, containing some toy cannon pre- sented to the young Count of Chambord; another, a portrait of Marie Lescinzska by Van Loo, some tapestry in the chapel which was worked by little Madame Royale when in the Temple; and, still another, being the study of Francois First, with carved walls [lOl A Motor Tour Through France and England and ceiling which was later the oratory of Marie Lescinzska, are the only things to claim much attention. It was on one of the window-panes of his study that, according to tradition, Francois escutcheoned with his diamond ring the famous couplet, Souvent femme varie, Bien foi est qui s^y fie There is a fine view from the terraces on the roof, and here we again peopled the place with nobles and courtiers, flattering Fran- cois Premier, who moved among them clad in the richest Italian velvets and surrounded by every splendour. There are thirteen staircases at Cham- bord. On the one beneath the dome of the Orleans wing are three caryatides represent- ing Francois First, the Duchess d'Etampes, and the Countess of Chateaubriand, that trinity of boon companions in intrigue. The lowering sun warned us to be on our way, and reluctantly we took leave; cross- ing the magnificent bridge that spans the Loire we drove up the Rue Denis Pepin into the courtyard of the Grand Hotel de Blois, an attractive little hostelry, where [II] A Motor Tour Through France and England we were welcomed by a smiling "Maitresse d 'Hotel." We were given quaint tiny rooms and after removing the stains of travel we dined in a hall where the walls were tiled with the emblems of the Renaissance Kings and Queens. Here we first tasted the Sparkling Vouvray of which we had heard so much praise, and found it had not been overrated. In the twilight we wandered down the streets and, at the one shop we found open, purchased post-cards to send to the dear ones across the water. 12] A Motor Tour Through France and England III BLOIS, CHAUMONT, AMBOISE, CHENONCEAUX AND LOCHES August igth. A heavenly sunrise, the severing clouds laced with streaks of glori- ous crimson, invited an early start. After breakfast we climbed the short steep hill to the Chateau of Blois and our first sight was the building of Louis Twelfth, built of black and red lozenge-shaped bricks, facing the little tree-bordered square. Above the en- trance to the courtyard is an equestrian statue of Louis Twelfth, replacing the an- cient one destroyed by the Revolutionists, and supposed to be a replica of the former. The windows are very ornate, and gargoyles abound in the decoration of the fagade. The only blot on this pile of Blois is the wing of Gaston d 'Orleans, who began a complete restoration of the whole, but luck- ily this was the only thing he accomplished. Our guide was a dear little old woman who took us slowly along, with some French [13] A Motor Tour Through France and England visitors, telling us in a sing-song voice the history of the chateau. I suppose it is im- possible to put much feeling in the telling of a story one repeats a dozen times a day. The apartments of Anne of Brittany are filled with inferior paintings and sculptures; all the rooms have been restored but the chimney-pieces are too gaudily decorated. Re-entering the Court, which, with its col- onnades, is quite cloister-like in effect, we proceeded to the Chapel of Saint Calais, a tawdrily decorated building. It was built by Louis Twelfth and his betrothal to Anne of Brittany is represented on one of the windows. In the wing of Gaston is the remarkable staircase frame (the steps have never been made; the staircase is of wood) crowned, in the interior, by an imposing double- storied cupola. It contains on the first floor the Public Library of the town and the Salle des Fetes, also two beautiful Gob- elin tapestries designed by Charles Le- brun. From the Terasse du Foix there is a glori- ous view of the town and the course of the Loire. In the Tour de Foix Catherine de [14] A Motor Tour Through France and England Medici installed her astrologer, Cosmo Ruggieri, an old alchemist and philosopher, but a sorry rogue, very useful to Catherine after the death of Henry Second. Where- ever Catherine resided Ruggieri was in her train, never for a moment leaving her, for on him she could lay the blame of the vari- ous poisonings and secret assassinations. Even when he went so far as to make an image of Charles Ninth and inflicted certain indignities upon it for which he was sent to the galleys, Catherine soon obtained his re- lease and set him to work again with his poisons and philtres. The grand staircase is in the centre of the wing of Francois First; it is the Chef d 'CEuvre of the Renaissance with its exquisite female figures and lace-work designs, the salaman- der, the hedge-hog, and the initials of Fran- cois First and Claude of France. The three statues representing Peace, Youth and Friendship present the profile of Diane de Poitiers and are attributed to Jean Goujon. Unlike most staircases, this one winds from left to right. We climbed it, admiring every inch of the way, to the second landing, from which we followed the guide to the apart- [15] A Motor Tour Through France and England merits of Catherine de Medici. The room where she died is directly beneath the one in which the Duke de Guise was murdered by order of Henry Third, and on her dying bed Catherine was obHged to listen to the death struggle going on above her. The ora- tory of Catherine contains a pretty apsis projecting beyond the fagade and a superb stone pendentive. The " cabinet de travail " has delightful carved wood-work in which there are no less than two hundred and thirty-seven differently ornamented panels which contain secret cupboards; all of the panels having hollow spaces, so that when one raps on them one cannot distinguish the cupboards from the spaces. From this room, it is said, Marie de Medici made her escape, when imprisoned at Blois by her son, but this story has been disproven as have so many other traditional tales. All the rooms have been restored by put- ting linens on the walls and painting upon them designs of the original decorations, but they have too new a look and are far too opulent and highly coloured. Above the apartments of Catherine are those of Henri Third which include the Salle [i6] A Motor Tour Through France and England de Conseil where the Due de Guise, sur- named "la Balafre" attended a council to which Henri had summoned him, in order to have him assassinated; the Salle des Gardes; the Galerie du Roi, formerly divided into five rooms, one of which was the oratory where the King placed two monks to pray during the murder of the "Balafre," and another room being the wardrobe chamber where the King had the corpse of the Due hidden; the Cabinet Neuf, where Henri re- mained during the assassination and the King's Bed-Room to which Guise, stabbed by the assassins in the adjoining room, re- turned and fell dead at the foot of the bed. It was then only that Henri Third dare emerge from the "cabinet neuf." Pushing the corpse aside with his foot, he said: "He seems greater in death than in life." In the Tour des Oubliettes or Tour du Moulin is the dungeon where Cardinal de Guise, brother of the "Balafre," was mur- dered the day after his brother was done to death. The cell is still armed with the same heavy iron door. The bodies of the two brothers were burned the same night and their ashes thrown into [17] A Motor Tour Through France and England the Loire for fear their followers might con- vert them into relics. We descended to the Salle des Etats, the oldest in the Castle, dating from the thir- teenth century. It is divided in two by eight columns and a mean staircase has re- placed the wooden one of two stories by which the King descended into the hall when the States-Councils were held. Along the Loire to Chaumont is a charm- ing drive, and our automobile bore us swiftly to the hideous wire-rope bridge which creaked in an alarming manner as we drove across it. The Chateau of Chaumont, owned by the Duke de Broglie, was such a contrast to the other chateaux we had visited, this one be- ing occupied by the family who reserve the left wing for their own use, while the right one, which is shown to visitors, is beautifully furnished with tapestries and furniture be- longing to the period of Catherine de Medici. The entrance to the court-yard is reached by crossing the bridge over the moat and passing between two lofty towers, the left one ornamented with the initials of George d'Amboise, surmounted by the Cardinal's fi8 1 A Motor Tour Through France and England hat, and the right one being adorned with those of Charles d 'Amboise who commenced the present chateau after 1473. A medal- lion decorating the gateway contains the initials of Anne of Brittany and Louis Twelfth, and the other decorations consist of letters C elegantly entwined, and some volcanoes, an allusion to the name Chau- mont (Chaud-mont= Warm-hill). And here and there, can also be seen some D's at- tached, standing for Diane de Poitiers. The winding staircase of honour leads to the Salle d 'Armes which has a ceiling painted in 1539 with the arms of Chaumont and Amboise, an array of Flemish tapestries, ar- mour, some carved wood benches and a lan- tern. Adjoining is the Council Chamber with its pavement in coloured faiences of Palermo, magnificent Brussels tapestries of the sixteenth century and Italian earthen- ware. In the bedroom attributed to Cath- erine de Medici is a Baldachin bedstead, a prie-Dieu and a dressing table, the owner- ship incorrectly ascribed to Catherine. From this chamber a balcony overlooks the chapel where the de Broglie family hold services. In the room supposed to have been occupied [19] A Motor Tour Through France and England by Ruggieri, the astrologer of Catherine, there is a private staircase ascending to the platform of the tower, which, according to tradition, he used as an observatory. Another chamber leads from the other side of the Salle d'Armes and is attributed to Diane de Poitiers. It contains her por- trait, furniture and tapestries and bed of the sixteenth century. Returning to the courtyard the beautiful well-head claimed our attention, also the wonderful view of the valley and the placid Loire, with its bars of sand and pebbles gleaming like gold in the sun. The owner had one side of the buildings and two towers removed from the chateau to obtain that glorious picture of the river. Leaving the picture-like Chateau of Chau- mont, we followed along the tawny coloured, slowly flowing river to Amboise perched high above the little town of white houses that cluster around its feet; it is the prop- erty of the Count de Paris, another pre- tender to the French throne. He and his family have undertaken its restoration and have established there a home and retreat for their old servants. [20] A Motor Tour Through France and England Under the guidance of the daughter of the guardian we were allowed to take our time and revel in the beauty of the gardens which are lifted high aloft and isolated from the peasant life below. Up an incline one goes first to the Chapel of Saint Hubert, a jewel set on the edge of the ramparts; over its door is the exquisite carving of the vision of Saint Hubert and above that in the tympanum, the Virgin between Charles Eighth and Anne of Brit- tany, a much inferior piece of sculpture. The interior is a gem of Gothic architecture, the carvings, veritable stone lace and much more beautiful, in a miniature way, than those in Chartres Cathedral. Along an odorous garden of roses and honeysuckle we continued up the inclined path leading to the chateau, at the head of which is a bust of Leonardo de Vinci, whose bones are supposed to lie in the chapel. The apartments, to which one is ad- mitted, are all in a state of restoration, con- sequently are in a barren condition. From the King's Apartments we went to the Salle des Etats, where the windows open on the conspirator's balcony, the ironwork of which [21] A Motor Tour Through France and England is a masterpiece of fifteenth-century crafts- manship. The Tour des Minimes, and the Tour Hur- tault, situated near the Queen's Apartments, are so built that horses and wagons can en- ter from the lower road and mount to the top. They were perfected by Francois Premier when he invited Charles Quint of Spain to visit him, for Charles could not or would not climb the hill, but mounted that great inclined plane in a state coach, followed by a retinue of splendidly attired courtiers. As he died later of gout, doubtless it was an im- possibility for him to approach any other way. In this same old castle Francois First spent his youth, educated by his mother Louise de Savoie, together with his brilliant sister Marguerite, the household forming what Frangois called the "trinity of love." And one can imagine the courtyard filled with people of the past stalking majestically about the terraces and courts we were tread- ing to-day, Catherine de Medici planning her diabolical deeds; the wily Henri de Guise; the haughty Conde; and the fair Marie Stuart with her youthful spouse, re- [22] A Motor Tour Through Frarice and England splendent in their costly velvets, brocades and laces. At Amboise Catherine rejoiced in the massacre of the Huguenots, and frail Marie Stuart and Francis Second, speechless with horror, were obliged to look from the bal- cony and witness the horrible atrocities committed. Abd-el-Kedar was imprisoned in the Salle des Etats, which, during his captivity, was partitioned off into apartments. Since then it has been restored to its normal con- dition. Under the mossy "tilleuis^^ and along the pathway beside the ramparts we went to the doorway where Charles Eighth was sup- posed to have struck his head when running to play a game of tennis, thereby causing his death. However, history tells us he died from a stroke of apoplexy, so another legend is shattered. Leaving the banks of the Loire, caressed by that golden river, we entered the valley of the Cher, and alighted in front of the tall iron gates of Chenonceaux. A walk up the broad avenue of plane-trees, between the sphinxes, past the tower and over the [23] A Motor Tour Through France and England drawbridge, took us to the entrance doors of that beautiful and graceful building which has been described as looking like a pretty capricious woman, garbed in white. The singular and fantastic gallery which almost spans the Cher is two stories high and stands on five arcades separated by abut- ments on each side of which is a semicircular turret rising up to the level of the first story. The entrance door has beautiful carvings. On entering we were taken to the dining- room, over the door of which, in carved stone, are Saint Thomas and Saint Cather- ine, patron saints of Thomas Bohier and his wife Catherine, one time owners and beautifiers of the Chateau of Chenon- ceaux. The dining-room, formerly the Halle des Gardes, has a ceiling decorated with the initials of Catherine de Medici, a chim- neypiece with the arms of the Brigonnet family and Flemish tapestries representing the Rape of Helen; a carved door of the sixteenth century representing Saint Hubert connects the dining-room with the Chapel which contains some old stained glass of 1521. [24] A Motor Tour Through France and England The chamber of Diane de Poitiers has a fine carved chimney-piece over which is a portrait of Catherine de Medici, Flemish tapestries of the fifteenth century, an ''Ed- ucation of Love" by Correggio and an Ital- ian library. The ''cabinet vert" adjoining has retained its decorations of the time of Catherine de Medici, with Henri Second furniture. A small cabinet leads out of this room and projects over the river. In the chamber of Frangois First, the chimney-piece is of carved stone, valuable autographs are displayed in cases, and there are some pieces of Italian furniture of the fifteenth century, a few pieces of Louis Thir- teenth furniture and portraits including one of the three authentic portraits of Diane de Poitiers. Passing along the lower story of the gal- lery we saw the old ceiling with its mournful decoration of the room of Louise de Vaude- mont, widow of Henri Third, to whom Catherine bequeathed Chenonceaux. One cannot blame Catherine for wresting this beautiful dwelling from Diane at the first opportunity. Much humiliation had she endured at the instigation of her husband's [25] A Motor Tour Through France and England fascinating mistress, for he even met his death in honour of Diane, who had the sat- isfaction of knowing he bore her colours on his lance and her initials, set in gold and jewels, on his shield. Both women continued in turn the work begun by Catherine de Brigonnet of embel- lishing and beautifying the house and grounds. Two pretty formal gardens run along the right bank of the shady Cher, and just be- low the Chateau a little wooded islet rests on the bosom of the waters. Tasso visited Catherine de Medici at Chenonceaux and the honeymoon of Fran- cois Second and Mary Queen of Scots was spent there. The Long Gallery has been no bridge of sighs, but the scene of many fetes and much merrymaking, for there Henri Second and Diane passed many hours, dancing, loving and intriguing. The death of Louise de Vaudemont seems to be the one sad occurrence. At present the Chateau is owned by Monsieur Terry, husband of the late Sybil Sanderson. One leaves Chenonceaux with very happy impressions; no bloodshed nor poisoning has [26] A Motor Tour Through France and England occurred within its walls, instead, most of the occupants have spent their happiest mo- ments there. We stopped at the jolly little Hotel du Bon Laboureur for a refreshing draught, then continued our way to Loches, a deli- cious run through smiling villages and bil- lowy country, most of the fields stacked high with golden hay. After entering the gates of Loches it is a steep climb to the present Parish church of Saint Ours, formerly Notre-Dame. In a musical voice the young woman, who showed us about, told us this church had only assumed its present form since the Revolution, after the destruction of Saint Ours which stood under the King's apart- ments in the special enciente called the Petit-Fort-Saint-Ours. In front of this pa- gan looking building is a porch, with ribs added, in the sixteenth-century style, which opens at the side by two small doors. An antique altar, in the shape of a round col- umn, ornamented with various carved sub- jects, serves as a holy-water font. The main door of the church, with semicircular arch and dating from the twelfth century, has a [27] A Motor Tour Through France and England magnificent archivolt with figures and alle- gorical subjects. The first bay of the nave, forming an in- terior vestibule, belongs to the building which Geoffrey Guise-Gonelle, Conte d'An- jou had consecrated in 965 . It is surmounted by a massive clock-tower, the upper story of which octagonal in form dates, like the stone spire, from the commencement of the twelfth century. The nave, properly so called, with two perfectly square compart- ments, is covered by two stone pyramids having eight sides (formerly they were coni- cal in shape outside) which forms the exte- rior roofing. The building of these pyramids was carried out or inspired by Thomas Pac- tius, prior of the Chapter. A steeple sur- rounded by four bell turrets covers the central tower which is square in shape from top to bottom. The two small aisles of the nave, added later, date from the twelfth and the sixteenth centuries, the choir stalls of the sixteenth century and the tabernacle of the eleventh century are very beautiful. By the aid of the flickering light from a tallow dip we descended to the crypt, one of the many secret passages Louis Eleventh [28] A Motor Tour Through France and England had made, in which is an altar and a well- preserved wall painting of Saint Brice. In the chapel of the Virgin the stained glass windows relate the story of the Sash of the Virgin, a unique relic preserved in the Treasury for which the church was built. From the church we walked along the Rue Charles Seventh to the Chateau Royal which overlooks the Indre, flowing peace- fully past. It is now used as the sub- prefecture. Once it was inhabited by the Kings of France; Charles Seventh, Louis Eleventh, Charles Eighth, and Louis Twelfth. In its present state the exterior dates from the first and last of these mon- archs. In the courtyard is the magnificent chest- nut tree, planted, it is said, by Frangois Premier and in the interior, in the oldest part of the building is the beautiful oratory of Anne of Brittany, decorated with ermines and cordeliers. In the basement of the highest tower is the tomb of the "fair and frail" Agnes Sorel; her recumbent statue is of the sixteenth century; two angels are kneeling at the sides of the head of the de- ceased whose feet rest upon two little lambs. [29] A Motor Tour Through France and England Agnes Sorel, known as "La Belle des Belles," was maid of honour to the Count- ess of Anjou; she attracted the attention of Charles Seventh of France and it was largely her patriotic influence that inspired that monarch to carry on his struggle against the English. She left a large sum of money to the Monks of Loches and was buried in the church of Saint Ours. Later the monks alleging scruples as to her past life, requested permission from Louis Elev- enth, himself hostile to Agnes, to remove her remains. The King agreed on condition that they also surrendered her endowments, but this condition they would not accept, so she remained in the church until her tomb was removed during the reign of Louis Sixteenth. Next we went to the donjon, the most re- markable part of the chateau; the founda- tion of Loches was built by Fulk Nerra, Charles Seventh rebuilt it and at the same time surrounded it with walls and fortified gateways. Louis Eleventh, who succeeded him, strengthened it, and to keep under his hand those prisoners who had angered him most built the Tour Ronde, or Tour Neuve. This big round tower contains vast halls re- [30] A Motor Tour Through France and England served for people of distinction, the prison of the Due d'Alengon, the Salle des Gardes, and the Salle de Question, in which can be seen the various instruments of torture. In the circular dungeon, hidden away in the foundations, ventilated by the smallest of loopholes, were once the famous cages in- vented at the time of Louis Eleventh by Cardinal La Balue, who had the misfortune to occupy one himself. These cages were made of wood and iron and covered with sheets of iron both inside and out and of various sizes. The one occupied by Car- dinal La Balue was said to have been too small to allow him to either stand up or lie down and was suspended from the roof of this underground prison. The cells of the Tour Ronde are the least impressive of the terrible prisons of Loches; the ones in the Martelet, the next building to the Tour Neuve, are far more interesting. There one sees cell below cell cut from the solid rock, the upper ones provided with small loopholes, but the lower ones like a tomb. Descending thirty-seven steps of a narrow winding staircase, with only the rays of one lantern carried by the guard- [31] A Motor Tour Through France and England ian to guide us, we entered the cell where was imprisoned for nine years Lodovic Sforza, Duke of Milan. The walls are cov- ered with rude paintings, designs and writ- ings done by him, to relieve the monotony of his existence. Also, he made a sun-dial on the wall opposite the narrow loophole, hoping thereby to keep track of the time. Philosophy, impatience and despair are de- noted in the notes covering the walls; his portrait also appears in several places. After nine years of imprisonment he died of joy on hearing of his release. The other cells bear inscriptions in various languages; Philip de Commines has written there "I have sometimes repented for having spoken; never for having kept silent." In the Tour Martelet was also imprisoned the Comte de Saint Vallier, father of the fair Diane de Poitiers, who secured his release by fascinat- ing the susceptible Frangois First, but after- wards the king, growing tired of her, she turned her attention to his son. We retraced our steps to the church, past the donjon proper, a rectangular tower of which nothing remains but the four walls; this with the towers, the church and the [32] A Motor Tour Through France and England Chateau Royal are things that form the Castle of Loches whose enormous enciente covers the top of the hill; it abounds in broken gateways, twisting passages and crooked lanes that lead to postern doors. Descending through the ancient streets we reached the Porte des Cordeliers a tur- reted machicolated tower and the Tour Saint Antoine remains of a demolished church. This Renaissance edifice has a Gothic base and was erected during the years 15 19 to 1530. It has a remarkable balustrade forming figures and letters and is completed by a cupola restored at the end of the nineteenth century. In the Rue Saint Antoine is another Renaissance build- ing, the Hotel Ruillon. The charming Ho- tel de Ville, built from 1535 to 1542 by the architect Jean Beaudoin and recently re- stored, adjoins the Porte Picoys of the fifteenth century. The Chancellerie is in the Rue de Chateau and dates from the reign of Henri Second. It is said that in the Hotel de la Couroirie the Protestants captured that famous jester of Henris Third and Fourth, called Chicot, and made immortal in the romance of Dumas fils. [33] A Motor Tour Through France and England The sun was casting long shadows as we reluctantly turned the bonnet of our car toward Tours; in the distance the Madonna on the keep of Montebazon towered black against the sky, then the spires of the Ca- thedral at Tours came into view stained a deep crimson by the wonderful western glow. After dinner we went for a glimpse of the Cathedral and had a heavenly few minutes; the evening star, large and lustrous, hung between the spires and there was a mist about the fane which was most beautiful. 34 A Motor Tour Through France and England IV FROM TOURS TO CHINON AND SAUMUR August 20th. Awaking early we quickly- dressed and hurried to the Cathedral and oh! how wonderfully beautiful it was, the soft grey colouring of its tall, tall front against the faint blue sky of the early morning. Inside it was very dark, just the altar candles to light up the arches which faded away in a mystery of shadows. We returned to the hotel for breakfast, collected our traps, and then made a last visit to the Cathedral. The sun was pouring through the magnificent stained glass windows, throwing a myriad of colours on the beauti- ful tomb of the children of Charles Eighth and Anne of Brittany. The figures are of white marble and there are little angels at the heads and feet. The carved towers of this Cathedral of Saint Gatien are 226 and 229 feet, respectively, its fagade is most lavishly decorated and Henri Second is reported to have said of it that, [35] A Motor Tour Through France and England "It was a jewel to which only the casket was wanting." The so-called house of Tris- tan the Hermit, known as the Maison des Pendus (of the hanged) from the numerous executions which took place there, of which the stout nails on the fagade are memorials, is built of red brick with grey stone trim- mings cunningly carved. Unfortunately, it is fast going to ruin which is to be re- gretted, for it ranks in interest with the Maison Gouin and the Hotel Semblan- The birthplace of Balzac is in the Rue National, number 39, and his statue faces the Place-du-Palais-de- Justice. The Abbey of Saint Martin fell during the years of the Revolution, a street was cut through the n^ve, so now the two dismem- bered parts and a gallery of one of the clois- ters are the only remains of that immense basilica and present a solitary appearance. The Tour Charlemagne, so called because Luitgard, the third wife of Charlemagne, was buried beneath it, adjoined the north tran- sept of the church ;^ the Tour I'Horloge stood to the right of the west portal. These two towers brought to mind the pathetic story [36] A Motor Tour Through France and England of the "Cure de Tours" who dwelt in the shadow of the great fane. In the Rue Descartes is the new basiUca of Saint Martin, built in the Romano- Byzantine style, by Lalou. The Maison Gouin has an almost pure white stone facade facing a courtyard, and is a mass of lovely lacework carvings, re- stored so carefully they look of recent date. The Hotel de Semblangay is another fine old house, and the graceful fountain of Beaume, the work of Michel Colombe, is a treasure of architectural art. The road to Lengeais has the Loire on one side and hills of vineyards, in shades of green, gold and red, on the other. Soon we reached the Chateau of Luynes, owned by the Duke of the same name. The apart- ments are closed to visitors and the grounds may be visited only after midday. As we were too early for the latter privilege we contented ourselves with the view of the house which presents an imposing appear- ance pitched high above the borders of the river, with its massive round pepper-box towers, with thick counterforts, which give it a formidable but inelegant appearance. [37l A Motor Tour Through France and England Luynes retains precious souvenirs of the Roman occupation and in the middle ages was called "Maille," and was the cradle of the family of that name, who owned it during four centuries, from the eleventh to the six- teenth. Toward 1501, the lands of Maille passed by marriage to the house of Laval; in 1619 it was purchased by Charles Albert of Luynes, Keeper of the Seals and one of the favourites of Louis Thirteenth, who created it a dukedom for him. A little more than halfway between Luynes and Langeais are two other an- cient buildings, the more interesting being the Pile of Cinq Mars, a solid tower without doors or windows ninety-five feet high and about fifteen feet in diameter, crowned by four small pyramids. It is probably of Ro- man origin and is supposed to be a funeral monument or beacon marking the conflu- ence of the Loire and Cher. The other is the ruins of the Chateau of the Marquis of Cinq Mars, also a favourite of Louis Thir- teenth, who was beheaded after being tor- tured, along with his friend De Thou at Lyons in 1642, for having conspired against Richelieu. After the execution of Cinq [38] A Motor Tour Through France and England Mars, Richelieu had the Chateau " razed to the height of infamy." The ruins consist of two cylindrical towers and portions of a huge wall which at one time must have been a formidable stronghold, judging by its towers and its commanding position. At present its aspect is most peaceful, little houses are clustered at its base and its sides are a con- venient support for sheds and storehouses for the farmers and vine growers. All along the road from Tours to Lang- eais are flourishing vineyards, the houses of the growers cut in the solid rock of the hill sides, and it was a novel experience to see a stove-pipe coming through a mass of foliage or in the centre of a flower bed, indicating a cave or room beneath. At Langeais, we were pursued by a man on a bicycle who urged us to have dejeuner at his inn. We followed him and entered a sweetly scented garden beyond a court- yard, where we lunched amidst a bower of shrubs, the only thing that marred our pleasure being a swarm of bees that hovered about us, much to the amusement of the little maid who served us and who kept as- suring us that they would not "^zV." [39] A Motor Tour Through France and England The Chateau of Langeais, which com- pletely dominated the town to which it gives its name, existed as far back as the fifteenth century when it was known as Alangavia. The old chateau was built by Fulques the Black, Conte d'Anjou, and the new edifice was erected by Jean Bourre, minister of Louis Eleventh about 1540. Among the historical events which have taken place at the chateau mention must be made of the drawing up of the Customs of Touraine by Charles Seventh, and the most important of all, the marriage of Charles Eighth and Anne of Brittany December 16, 1491. The domain of Langeais has been the property among others of Pierre de Brosse, barber and minister of Philippe the Bold, Francis d 'Orleans, son of the cele- brated ** bastard," then the families of de Bellay d'Effiat, barons of Cinq Mars, and finally of the Due de Luynes to whom it be- longed at the outbreak of the Revolution. Langeais was finally purchased by the late M. Jacques Siegfried, who presented it to the Institut de France after having it restored by the architect Lucien Roy and furnished in the style of its period, reserv- [40] A Motor Tour Through France and England ing, however, the use of it during the life of his wife and himself. Opposite the house once inhabited by Rabelais is the drawbridge, the main en- trance to the chateau, which is composed of two distinct parts. On the little prom- ontory, cut by the valley of the Roumer, there still remain the ruins of the keep of Fulk Nerra, the oldest of French donjons. At the foot of the hill is the Chateau of Jean Bourre, an imposing construction of the middle of the fifteenth century, which re- tains all its defensive equipment and the stern aspect of a feudal fortress. It is com- posed of two wings forming an open angle on its interior side looking towards the hill of the donjon; the exterior is perforated by uncommon windows crowned by machico- lations and has a covered watch balcony running around the circumference which is flanked by three enormous, magnificent towers with conical roofs. The interior facade, more exposed, has a less austere ap- pearance with its lofty dormer windows and the three turrets with angular spires. Being absolutely intact the Chateau of Langeais offers not only the greatest in- [41] A Motor Tour Through France and England terest for its architecture, but for its irre- proachable furniture in the taste of the period, and the artistic objects the late M. Siegfried collected, have, likewise, imparted to the chateau its animated character of former times and together with its ar- chitectural setting form a complete and harmonious ensemble. The former white- washed walls are decorated with beautiful paintings by Charles Lameire, inspired by fifteenth-century tapestries and designs in the Book of Hours of Anne of Brittany, a copy of which is in the chateau. When M. and Mme. Siegfried could not obtain gen- uine antiques of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries they had perfect copies made from examples in the museums, but no authentic specimen of those centuries was let slip if it made a fitting addition to the collections. There are fourteenth-century tapestries in almost every room; in the Salon des Fleurs the andirons are by Jean Goujon, the woodwork and cupboard copied from the models of Saint Germain I'Auxerois, a curious firescreen painted in grey camieu formerly belonged to Louise de Vaudemont, wife and widow of Henri Third, and formed [42] A Motor Tour Through France and England a part of the furniture in the mourning room occupied by the widowed Queen at Chenonceaux, and the Book of Hours of Anne of Brittany. The Salle des Gardes which is now used as the dining-room, has beautiful paving, a superb chimney-piece due to Francois d 'Or- leans, Frangois First andirons and two choir stalls of the fifteenth century, magnificently carved, which were removed from Arques. The Grand Salon, where the marriage of Anne and Charles was celebrated, has seven tapestries of 1535, Spanish choir stalls, a painting on wood of Anne and Louis Twelfth, Gothic chest, Anne of Austria cushions and a Madeleine by Henner. Langeais has very few pictures, but the magnificent tapestries more than compensate. The beds are mostly of the thirteenth century, those of the fifteenth being cum- bersome and not so pretty, while those of the thirteenth are small and beautiful. In all the rooms were tall vases filled with blooms, and from the windows facing on the courtyard we could see the gaily coloured formal gardens in front of the donjon. The decorative ironwork throughout the [43] A Motor Tour Through France and England building deserves careful study, the beau- tifully wrought knockers and bolts, also the torch-holders, candelabra, Italian tripods for holding the braziers, and the massive fire- dogs. We made the tour of the rounds, gazing down the machicolations, and through the little windows getting a curious view of the town and valley in the foreground and in the distance to the north the spires of the Cathedral at Tours. Below us the Chateau of Villandray where Philippe Augustus met Henry Second of England to conclude peace, and to the right Azay le Rideau, while farther on we could see the Pile and ruins of Cinq Mars. Our exit was made down the winding stairs of one of the towers on to the stone curtain enclosing the garden and once again we crossed the drawbridge and took the road to Azay le Rideau, along which, at little ponds were the brown peasant women pounding their snowy linen, and down little alleys between the rows of cottages we caught glimpses of tiny green gardens. Crossing the Loire we reached the Chateau by crossing a small bridge and entering [44] A Motor Tour Through France and England the grounds between two beautifully orna- mented gates, found ourselves in the Court of Honour which is bounded on the side op- posite the gates by the main building with its beautiful staircase facade. On the right the Court is bounded by a wing running at right angles to the main building and end- ing with a big tower; four smaller projecting coiffed turrets flank the exterior corners of the Chateau; the other three sides must be seen from across the Indre, as the river skirts it there. The Chateau is one of the purest crea- tions of the early Renaissance period, but in regard to size it is a comparatively simple and modest construction. Being entirely built at one time it is a most graceful build- ing, completely harmonious in style. It is, too, so charmingly situated, its white archi- tecture standing out in the midst of verdant country moistened by the cool waters of the Indre. Azay le Rideau has no historical associa- tions, no tragedies have occurred within its walls nor has any royal procession of note crossed its bridge. Over the entrance door are the emblems of Francois First and Anne [45] A Motor Tour Through France and England of Brittany and on the ceiling of the grand staircase are medallions of the Kings and Queens of France, restored since the Revo- lution. Four of the rooms are appropriately fur- nished with exhibits sent from the Louvre and the Cluny museums as well as private gifts from the Barons Rothschild and others. During the course of repairs and removing modern additions, an ancient well was dis- covered on the site of the former kitchen. The first Chateau is believed to have been constructed about 1266 by a certain Hughes Ridel or Rideau, whose name is still given to the locality. It is said that in 1417 the Dauphin Charles, afterward Charles Sev- enth, on his journey from Chinon to Tours, while passing in front of the Chateau, was in- sulted by the Burgundy garrison stationed there, that he then took the place by assault, exterminated the offenders and burnt the town which, on account of this act was called Azay le Brule (Azay the burnt). In reality, nothing is absolutely known of Azay before its acquisition and reconstruction in 1518 (.?) by Gilles Berthelot who at first was councillor and secretary to the King and [46] The Cathedral at Tours A Motor Tour Through France and England later Treasurer General of Finance. Berthe- let having been involved in the degradation of Semblan^ay, Frangois First confiscated the Chateau, which since then has passed into many hands. Among other proprie- tors of the seventeenth century may be mentioned Henri de Berninghem who built the stables and servants' quarters, and adorned with paintings the grand apart- ments called the King's chamber, because Louis Fourteenth slept there. The Chateau was finally owned by the Biencourt family and the last important event in its history is its occupation by the Germans in 1870 to 1871. Through the tiny park, across the little bridges over the branches of the Indre and among the flowers we wandered, then re- turning to the car sped like an arrow through the sleepy little town of Azay to Chinon, past great stretches of luxuriant vineyards, their vines heavy with huge bunches of his- cious grapes turning gold and purple in the laughing sunlight. We were in the heart of Touraine, with its market gardens, orchards and vineyards in every direction we turned our gaze. [47] A Motor Tour Through France and England At the Castle of Chinon, the pulling of a bell rope sent forth a silvery tinkle which was answered by a very young girl who admitted us through a small door in the entrance gate and allowed us to wander at will among the ruins. Looking over the battlements we saw the little town, with its old houses of wood and stone, clustered beneath our feet and the Vienne flowing beside it sparkling in the sun for mile upon mile. The site of the Chateau of Chinon was originally a Celtic "Oppidum" and after- wards a Roman "Castrum." In 427 Saint Brice founded a parochial church there and later Saint Mexme created a monastery, building there a second church which was afterwards converted into an ecclesiastical college. Clovis made Chinon one of the fortresses of his kingdom and during the tenth and eleventh centuries Chinon was the property of the Comtes of Blois, one of whom (Thibaut Third) surrendered it to Geoifrey Martel, Conte d'Anjou. It was thus that in the twelfth century the town became part of the possessions of Henry Second, King of England. This monarch [48] A Motor Tour Through France and England preferred Chlnon to all other continental towns, often resided there and died at the Chateau in 1189. According to local traditions his son, Richard Coeur de Lion, mortally wounded at the siege of Charles at Limousin, was con- veyed to Chinon and he too died there. It is certain, however, that he, like his father, was buried at Fontevrault, where his statue and tomb are still to be seen. When Philippe Augustus united Tou- raine to France, Chinon only surrendered after a twelve months' siege. Under Philip le Long one hundred and sixty Jews, ac- cused of having poisoned the wells of the town, were burned on an island in the Vienne. In 1428 Charles Seventh as- sembled the States General there whilst the English were besieging Orleans and at Chinon, too, Jeanne d'Arc was first intro- duced to the King and decided to relieve Orleans. Under Louis Eleventh Philippe de Commines was governor of the Chateau of the town, then in 1630 it became the property of Cardinal Richelieu whose de- scendants retained the seigniorial rights un- til the Revolution. [49] A Motor Tour Through France and England The Chateau is composed of three for- tresses, quite distinct from each other, sep- arated by deep ditches and erected in one straight line from east to west, on a lengthy oblong surrounded by escarpments over- looking the right bank of the river. The Chateau Saint Georges is the least ancient and yet the most dilapidated of the three. This was a sort of an advance fortress and was added in the twelfth century to the orig- inal chateau by Henry Plantagenet. It stands outside and in front of the present encircling wall which has been razed to the level of the interior grounds . Vineyards now occupy its site. From the Pavilion I'Horloge of the four- teenth century, through the gate of which we entered, we visited the Chateau du Milieu (Middle Chateau) built on the ruins of the Roman fort, remains of which have been discovered showing portions of the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth cen- tury buildings. It was restored under Charles Sixth, Charles Seventh and Louis Eleventh. Its enciente, almost rectangular and very long, has been converted into laid out gardens. On the summit of the ram- [50] A Motor Tour Through France and England parts, overlooking the town and the valley, stood the Grand Logis, a royal dwelling of which only the walls remain, the best pre- served portions being the chimneys. It was in that apartment that Henry Second of England died in 1189, after receiving the news that his favourite son John had fallen away from him. The famous interview be- tween Jeanne d'Arc and Charles Seventh took place in the Grand Salle du Trone about two and a half centuries later, and the Maid singled out the King from amongst the crowd of courtiers with whom he had purposely mingled. From the eighth of March until the twentieth of April, 1429, Jeanne occupied the tower of the Chateau du Coudray, under the guard of Guillame Belier, a lieutenant of the captain of Chinon. In front of the wall opposite the town stands the Tour des Chiens, and at the north-west corner the Tour d'Argenton which contains the prison cells. The Grand Logis, flanked by a square tower at its exterior corner, is separated by a deep ditch from the third fortress (The Chateau du Coudray) to which access is gained by a bridge. Its walls, likewise laid [51] A Motor Tour Through France and England out as gardens, have the form of a trapezium flanked with formidable towers. At the corner of the ditch stands the magnificent Tour de Boissy of the thirteenth century, polygonal and oblong in form, terminated by a platform with battlements, a fanciful restoration. The Tour du Moulin is the tallest and slenderest of the towers, and on its ground floor is a pretty arched room enclosing a Roman stela, some cannon balls and lapi- dary remains. We wandered about through a tangle of shrubs, talking of the Maid and of Agnes Sorel who once had her appointed apart- ment there as one of the Queen's maids of honour. Later, winning the entire affection of the King (Charles Seventh), she was pro- vided with a house in the neighbourhood, to which a subterranean passage was made to connect with the castle, enabling the King to visit her in secret. The town, with its picturesque, winding streets and stairways, suggesting Italian villages, has an equestrienne statue of Jeanne, and on the tree-lined quay is a statue of Rabelais surrounded by flower [52] A Motor Tour Through France and England beds. In the vine-covered courtyard of the Hotel de France we had some sparkling wine of Saumur, while the soft breeze tinkled the little bells hanging beneath the gallery of the old feudal Inn. Crossing the Vienne we took a last back- ward glance at Chinon seated majestically on the hills, then pursued our way to Sau- mur, along roads that were less straight but more attractive, through tiny villages possessing houses of the smallest order but each having a blaze of old-fashioned flowers in the miniature gardens, and rose vines and creepers clambering over their walls. At Montsoreau we again joined the Loire. Dumas ^/j has perpetuated the name of this place by naming one of his novels after the lady of the Chateau (La Dame de Mont- soreau), and what one of us has not been thrilled by reading of the adventures of that beautiful woman, and the heroic de- fense of Bussy d'Amboise against the com- bined attack of Montsoreau and his band of ruffians and the cut-throats in the pay of d'Epernon.f* Long ago it took its place as one of the masterpieces of this writer of his- torical romances. [S3] A Motor Tour Through France and England It was too late to visit the Chateau so we continued our flight to Saumur. There our hotel faced the river and from our windows we had a perfect view of the Loire under a starry sky. 54 A Motor Tour Through France and England V ALONG THE LOIRE TO NANTES August 2ist. Great disappointment was ours, on awaking, to see the rain pouring pitilessly from a leaden sky, which gave us no hope for a clear afternoon. However, being obliged to continue our journey, we tried to be cheerful. We visited the church of Notre-Dame de Nantilly, a remarkable edifice of the commencement of the twelfth century, the Normanesque nave of which was founded by Louis Eleventh. It has a wide aisle of the Flamboyant style, and a small private oratory delightfully carved which has been converted into a chapel con- taining a baptismal font. The crypt has a marble bas-relief of the Renaissance, an ep- itaph to Tiephanie, a nurse of King Rene of Anjou, a crosier of Gilles de Tyr, Custodian of the Seals under Saint Louis, and tapes- tries of the fourteenth, fifteenth and six- teenth centuries. In the church, which was gaudily decorated for the feast of some [55] A Motor Tour Through France and England saint, Mass was being held. The organ sounded as old as the church looked, but the sweet intoning of the priest held our attention and we tarried until the benedic- tion was pronounced. The Chateau, admirably situated above the town on the promontory commanding the junction of the Loire and the Thouet, was founded by Fulques Nerra in the tenth century, on the site of the Tour du Tronc. But it has been repaired and transformed many times and its appearance at present is that of a monument of the period of transi- tion between the military architecture and that of the Renaissance. After having given shelter to the Governors of Saumur during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was converted into a state prison, under the Revolution, the First Empire and the Restoration. The deluge of rain prevented a walk on the ramparts, the exterior being the only portions visitors are permitted to inspect. The Chateau has recently been acquired by the town and with the help of the Adminis- istration des Beaux-Arts, its restoration has been undertaken, also a museum installed [56] A Motor Tour Through France and England within the walls. Formerly, the building consisted of four large wings, but one has entirely disappeared, leaving the central courtyard open to the valley of the Loire. We had a wet ride to Angers but pre- ferred a soaking rather than enclose the car in curtains and forfeit a view of the damp- ened landscape. Just below Saumur and almost extending to the Ponts-de-Ce, are the cliff dwellers. These people excavate the hills into wine caves and dwelling-houses, which present a curious aspect. These ex- cavations, the old church of Les Rosiers, dating from the thirteenth century, with its fine Renaissance steeple, and the slate quarries of Treleze were the only interest- ing things on the way. The landscape suggested a Turner, a mist over everything and the delicate shades of green brought out by the heavy rain. After lunching at the Cheval Blanc at "black" Angers, we went to the Cathedral of Saint Maurice, an interesting Gothic and Romanesque building dating from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The fa- cade is adorned with carvings of the twelfth century; the stained glass windows are mag- [57] A Motor Tour Through France and England nificent works of the twelfth, thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, and the tapestries are of the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The immense organ loft is supported by Caryatides of the sixteenth century and the antique Holy- Water basin at the left of the main entrance, said to have been executed in Byzantium, is of antique green marble supported by two white marble lions. In the vault beneath the choir are the tombs of King Rene of Anjou and his wife Jeanne de Laval. It was Saturday and the church was being decorated for the next day by the nuns who were placing exquiste lace altar-cloths and gold ornaments on the high altar and in each chapel. One feels like an intruder when walking about the churches in France, where, at all hours of the day the people of the towns go to devoutly tell their beads or confess to their priests. The Bishop's Palace, where next we went, dates from the twelfth century, but has been thoroughly restored by Voillet le Due in 1862-65 ^^^ iiow forms an admirable ex- ample of a mediaeval mansion. The back of the building is most interesting and [58] A Motor Tour Through France and England in the same street are two old, carved tim- ber houses. At the Logis Berrault, which is now a museum, we could see the sculptures only, as the picture gallery was closed. It is an interesting mansion of the latter portion of the fifteenth century, built by Oliver Ber- rault, Treasurer of Brittany. The black-banded Castle is one of the most wonderful buildings of its kind in ex- istence, standing on the site of the primitive palace of the Roman times where the magis- trates forming the Curia of Juliomagus met. It is built in a schistous rock overlooking the left bank of the Maine, and its walls, made of the same sombre material prolong the escarpment which serves as a course. Although the tops of its chess-board towers have been removed, its bastions knocked down and its moat partly filled up, its ap- pearance, especially on the river side, is formidable and imposing. Its encircling wall forms an irregular pentagon flanked by seventeen large round towers; at the north angle stands the high tower called Tour du Diable, du Nord or du Moulin. In the interior is the Chapel, built by Yo- [59] A Motor Tour Through France and England lande of Aragon in the fifteenth century, and the apartment in which, it is said. King Rene was born. The Chapel is now used as a shop. Almost in front of the Chateau is the statue of King Rene by David d 'An- gers, the lower pedestal decorated with twelve bronze statuettes of Kings and Queens. In the crooked narrow streets of Angers are many old houses of stone and wood; the Tour Saint Aubin once formed part of the Abbaye de Saint Aubin, and the buildings altered in the nineteenth century are now used as the Prefecture. The old abbey church of the Ron^eray is closed to the pub- lic, but La Trinite, contiguous to it, can be inspected and is most interesting with its curious arches over the nave, winding stair- case in wood of the Renaissance period and high altar, ornamented with its bas-reliefs in gilt wood of the sixteenth century. Be- low the nave, a staircase passes under the choir of the adjacent Rongeray church, to a small crypt with three naves containing a bronze statue of the Virgin (of the elev- enth century), the shrine of a pilgrimage, called Notre Dame de Rongeray. [60] A Motor Tour Through France and England Leaving the magpie coloured town of An- gers we started towards Nantes, passing Champtoce, where stand the ruins of a fif- teenth century chateau, once the abode of Gilles de Laval, Seigneur de Retz notorious for his excesses and cruelty, also known as "Barbe Bleu" and supposed to be the orig- inal of the Blue Beard of the nursery tale. He was executed at Nantes in 1440. The lichen covered ruins are time worn and riddled, but picturesque to a degree. As we drew near to Nantes the valley of the Loire grew more irregular, the trees have a stunted look and there is not so much vegetation; the people differ very much in their appearance from the Tour- aine peasants, the Bretons having many characteristics of the Welsh people. Their costumes and head-dresses too are very dif- ferent from the men and women of Tour- aine. On entering Nantes we passed the Cathe- dral of Saint Pierre, and the beautiful mod- ern fountain, in granite, by Driollet. The marble statue on top of the fountain repre- sents the town of Nantes, the bronze ones the Loire and its principal affluents, the [61] A Motor Tour Through France and England Sevre, Erde, Cher, and Loire. After din- ing, we went to a vaudeville entertain- ment (?) but left almost as soon as we entered the place, preferring the orchestra at our hotel to the poor entertainment of- fered at the theatre. [62 A Motor Tour Through France and England VI IN BRITTANY August 22nd, It is noisy in the Place Graslin and we were awakened early by the clang of the trams and boys calling the sale of their newspapers. Proceeding to the Castle of Nantes we found a most imposing building, dating mainly from the end of the fifteenth cen- tury. It formerly had seven towers, but one of them being used as a powder mag- azine was blown up in 1800. From the courtyard one gets a view of the Grand Logis, a Renaissance edifice re- stored, also the Salle des Gardes. The castle was long used as a state prison, and Cardinal de Retz, Fouquet and the Duchess de Berri, the mother of Count Chambord, were con- fined there. The Duchess was arrested at number 3 Rue Mathelin-Rodin, after lying concealed for the best part of a day in a small recess behind a chimney on the third floor. Sixteen hours she remained in hiding [63] A Motor Tour Through France and England and would never have been found, if the gendarmes had not lighted that famous blaze. Again and again her dress caught fire against the hot iron plate, to be put out by the Duchess, then the smoke of newspapers, added to the fire to prevent its dying, began to suffocate her, it was cer- tain death if she stayed, so weeping tears of rage that dried upon her cheeks blistered by the heat, she revealed herself to the gen- darmes. In the Castle of Nantes one of the cere- monies of the marriage of Anne of Brittany and Charles Eighth of France was solem- nized, in 1491, thus uniting the Duchy of Brittany with the crown of France. To Nantes Carrier was sent to suppress the rebellion. The monster went far beyond his instructions however, and ordered the execution, without trial of all who had been imprisoned, and, finding that the execution- er's axe, and the fusillading of hundreds at a time were too inexpeditious modes of ac- complishing his cruel commands, invented the Noyades, or drownings en masse^ which were effected by scuttling barges filled with prisoners bound together. But at last he [64] A Motor Tour Through France and England himself was denounced, recalled and sent to the guillotine. Nantes is filled with numerous bridges over the Loire and the Erde. It is one of the most flourishing commercial and indus- trial towns of France, and with regard to its population ranks seventh in the country. Fine houses of the eighteenth century line its quays. In the Cathedral is the tomb of Frangois Second, last Duke of Brittany and his wife Marguerite de Foix, a very elaborate work in the Renaissance style by Michel Col- lombe, the designer of the beautiful fountain at Tours. The figure of Justice at the right- hand corner is a portrait of Anne of Brit- tany, daughter of the deceased, who erected this monument in their honour. The Cathedral is beautiful without and within, the lofty nave producing a very im- posing effect. Under the organ are high re- liefs and statues of the fifteenth century, representing scenes from the lives of the early Patriarchs, and Bishops and a Duke of Brittany. Some of the windows contain ancient stained glass, but there is little, aside from the tomb of the parents of Anne [6s] A Motor Tour Through France and England of Brittany and that of Lamoriciere, a native of Nantes, to claim attention. In the Place Louis Seize is a column ninety- feet high, surmounted by a statue of Louis Sixteenth. The Jardin des Plantes is hand- somely laid out as a public promenade with an elaborate arrangement of lakes, water- falls, rocks and grottoes, besides fine groves and avenues of magnolias. From Nantes to Vannes was a glorious ride; a few clouds scudded across a deep blue sky, and the little streams, swollen by the rain of yesterday, danced through the verdant fields which were studded with wild flowers. At every small village the men and women were garbed in their best costumes, and each place differed a little in the style of the head-dresses of both sexes. There seemed to be fairs at a number of the villages and the peasants all in a merry mood were either walking in groups or riding in pairs in two- wheeled carts. At the hotel at Vannes we were made so welcome that we regretted that we could re- main for luncheon only. Our coffee was served to us at a small table on the sidewalk [66] A Motor Tour Through France and England in front of the hotel. While sitting there, a dog stopped in front of me and I threw him a lump of sugar, which he sniifed and left, and as I glanced again I saw a little old woman stoop to get it. When she saw me looking she smiled in an apologetic sort of way and asked if she might have it. Need- less to say I emptied the entire contents of the sugar bowl into her hands, much to the disgust of the waiter, but her smile and courtesy and the look of gratitude in her eyes will ever be remembered. In Brittany, one sees and marvels at the wondrous faces of the women, the pure, sweet modest countenances of the girls, expressions even the older ones seem to re- tain. There are holy brightnesses in their eyes, and on their lips, those doors to the borders of which the soul alone can come from which it looks out and all but shows itself. Goodness, kindness, as well as a cloistral spirituality radiate from their faces. The women are noted for their faithfulness; husbands and lovers are away fishing for months and sometimes a year, but the wives and sweethearts look at no other men; their spare time is spent in the churches [67] A Motor Tour Through France and England praying for the safe return of their loved ones. There in the churches one sees them on bended knees, their market baskets be- side them. I think they never pass a house of prayer without entering, and in Brittany the churches are legion, each small village having several. The country is poor and the houses of the peasants and fishermen are for the most part small and one storied with steep, thatched roofs, the windows (often without glass) are small, few in number and not in- frequently lacking in the poorest houses. Among the better class of farmers there are more pretentious homes, but even in such a house we find striking evidence of the simple life led by these people. Vannes is the capital of the Department, and the seat of a Bishop. Through the nar- row streets of the not especially picturesque town we went to the cathedral, which is very disappointing with its many styles of architecture. The church never very fine, has, by many changes, lost much of its orig- inal character and interest. In the north transept is the tomb of Saint Vincent Fer- rier, and above it is his bust in silver. He [68] A Motor Tour Through France and England was born at Valence in 1357, and in 1374 entered his novitiate among the Domini- cans. He was sent to Barcelona and Lerida to give lessons in philosophy, but aban- doned the same and devoted himself to preaching, and rambled through Spain, Italy, England, Scotland and Ireland as a revivalist preacher, but as in such coun- tries he was only partially understood, the effect of his sermons was lost. He spent two years in Brittany where he cannot have been of any use, as the peasants could not un- derstand French. He died at Vannes on the fifth of April, 1419, but the Pardon is on the first Sunday in September. We were unfortunate in being just too early or just too late for the Pardon in each place we vis- ited. The Pardons are the religious gather- ings of the people, not often in the towns, but about some chapel on an island, on a hill or in a wood. There may be seen the costumes in all their holiday beauty. We were told that almost every Pardon has a character of its own, and a description of one would by no means cover all. Along a gently rolling road we reached Auray, where we left our luggage at the ho- [69] A Motor Tour Through France and England tel and continued on to Locmariaquer, a small seaport on the Bay of Morbihan, all indigo blue, dotted with white caps. Here we motored about the neighbourhood and saw the most remarkable megalithic monu- ments, the chief one being the Mane-Lud into which we entered and saw queer in- scriptions carved on the walls, the Men-er- Hroeck, a menhir originally seventy feet high, but now overthrown and broken, and the two dolmans known as the Dol-ar-Marc'- hadouiren and the Mane Rutual. These dolmens and menhirs are on the way to Carnac, which is celebrated for its ancient remains. The seventeenth century church, dedicated to Saint Cornely, patron of horned cattle, has a curious porch, and close by is the fountain of Saint Cornely. A "gal gal" or tumulus sixty-five feet high and two hundred and sixty feet in diameter, con- sisting chiefly of stone heaped upon a col- umn is called Mont Saint Michel, and from the top we had a perfect view of the " Lines " of Carnac. These famous alignments are at the north of the village on the road to Auray, and con- sist of three principal groups, containing [70] A Motor Tour Through France and England hundreds of standing stones (it is said that originally there were from twelve to fifteen thousand) arranged on the moor in the form of a quincunx and forming nine or ten ave- nues. Some of these stones are fully thir- teen feet high and are estimated to weigh at least forty or fifty tons. These dolmens were the sepulchres, family or tribal, and the alignments consist of stones erected by members of the tribe, or families belonging to the tribe, in honour of the several dead who were laid in the dolmens. Isolated menhirs were either memorials to the dead, or boundary marks between tribal lands and all dolmens were originally buried un- der cairns or tumuli. When we stopped, several children ran eagerly about the auto- mobile saying "speak English," or "a pen- nee," but we soon discovered that those words were all the English they knew. Returning to Auray we went to the church of Saint Anne, of which the following story is related. In 1623 a peasant dug up an image, probably one of the Deae Matres of Gallo-Roman times so common in Brit- tany, at a place called Ker-Anna. He jumped to the conclusion that it repre- [71] A Motor Tour Through France and England sented the Mother of the Blessed Virgin. The CarmeHtes hearing of it resolved to build a convent and church on the spot, which they did in 1 645, where pilgrimages would be made, thereby starting quite a paying proposition. In front of the church is the Sancta Scala, copied from that at Rome, and indulgenced with nine years for every step ascended by pilgrims on their knees, but apart from this the church is too modern to be of any special interest. In the "Close" are numerous stalls where the picturesquely costumed women sell candles, small images, rosaries and post-cards. Near the church is a bronze statue of the Count of Chambord. 72 Old houses at Morlaix A Motor Tour Through France and England VII FROM AURAY TO QUIMPER August 2^d, Market day in Auray is most entertaining. Early one hears the rum- ble of the two-wheeled carts and the clatter of the sahots, then the chatter of the peas- ants as they display their wares. Some of the women had only two pats of butter, others a pair of chickens, others a few vegetables, others a dozen or two of eggs and others a piece of homespun cloth. The buyers would go from one seller to another, tasting the butter and examining the chickens, not pur- chasing until they thought they had found the very best in the market, then clatter away smiling at their success. A shop opposite the market contained some handsome carved wood furniture at most moderate prices. On a hill behind the hotel we ascended a tower getting a beautiful view of Auray and the surrounding country. At Lorient, a most uninteresting place, [73] A Motor Tour Through France and England we lunched and hurried on to Quimperle, a most charmingly situated town at the junc- tion of the Elle and Isore. Up steep streets, some ascended by steps, we found the church of Saint Michel which stands boldly out on the summit of the hill on the right- hand side of the river Lai'ta, sustained on massive substructures. It contains one exquisite window of the Flamboyant style, and the north porch is superb. Against the west end of the church houses are built, and inquiry revealed that the edifice had never had a western entrance as is cus- tomary in other churches. In the lower town is the church of Saint Croix, circular and Romanesque; the Lady Chapel is in the centre of the church, at the top of a dozen steps, and beneath it is the crypt. Against the west wall is plastered a fine Renaissance rood-screen. It is a short distance from Quimperle to Quimper, and we were fortunate to reach the latter place just in advance of a heavy shower. This beautiful town is situated at the juncture of the Stier and Odet rivers, at about a distance of fifteen miles from the [74] A Motor Tour Through France and England sea, and has a small port. It Is a bright and thriving city, the seat of a bishop and of the manufacture of the Breton faience, a pretty ware copied from the old Rouen pottery, but with original developments. Our room in the hotel faced on the charming esplanade by the side of the river Odet, and across the river, on the other es- planade, a travelling circus afforded us much amusement, as the rain did not dampen the ardour of the acrobats, nor the visitors' enthusiasm over the carrousel, to whose wheezing tunes we were lulled to sleep. 75 A Motor Tour Through France and England VIII FROM QUIMPER TO BREST AND MORLAIX August 24th, The great glory of Quimper is the Cathedral of Saint Corentin one of the finest Gothic edifices in Brittany. The portals are richly sculptured, and we had ample time to study them, as we had tire trouble just in front of the church. The twin spires are imposing and beautiful. The interior is most peculiar as the choir leans considerably to the left, and the junction with the transepts is awkwardly effected. The Lady Chapel is in the purest geomet- rical style, and the clerestory windows are filled with beautiful old glass representing saints, but the modern glass is detestable. We tried, unsuccessfully, to find the crucifix, that our guide-book told us was in the third chapel on the north aisle and which was sup- posed to have emitted drops of blood when a man perjured himself before it. The high altar is a gorgeous affair of gilded bronze adorned with statuettes and high-reliefs. [76] A Motor Tour Through France and England The museum contains a large group of lay-figures dressed in the various costumes of Brittany and an admirable collection of paintings, many of them by Breton artists. At Landerneau we crossed the mediaeval bridge which spans the Elorn, the valley of which presents many scenes of considerable beauty. The rocks are of white quartz break- ing through the leafy coverts of the hills and on its banks is a quaint old mill. The town possesses a few old houses and the church of Saint Houarden which has a beautiful tower and a superb porch. There is also a church dedicated to Thomas a Becket. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Landerneau was a great artistic centre, and its architects and sculptures are responsible for the splendid works In the region around the Elorn valley. The ride to Brest was made most disa- greeable by the presence of rain and fog, and on arriving there we could see little of the fine harbour, and its five lighthouses. Slowly we crossed by ferry to Plougastel, a village noted for the picturesque costumes of its people. Of course we saw none of them for the weather was far too inclement [77] A Motor Tour Through France and England for the peasants to be out of doors, and those who were obliged to be in the streets were clad most plainly. Up a steep muddy hill we found the churchyard, in which is a most marvellous Calvary consisting of an arcade under a platform crowded with stat- ues and surrounded by a frieze, carved with subjects in bas-relief. The modern church w^as so cold and dark that we remained there but a few minutes before continuing our journey to Morlaix. The fog had lifted, so the drive was a very beautiful one. Just beyond Plougastel we struck upon an elevated open stretch of road with wide prospects; below us the silvery Elorn wound its gleaming way between its mossy banks to the sea; and over the river, through the mist, we could just glimpse the dim outlines of the opposite hills. Gradually we dipped down and crossing the river fol- lowed along the sweet valley of the Elorn, twisting and turning, until the viaduct that spans and dwarfs Morlaix was reached. 78 A Motor Tour Through France and England IX ALONG THE COAST TO DINARD August 2Sth. A soft, sweet, balmy morn- ing beckoned us forth to investigate queer old Morlaix, whose quaint medieval houses are tucked away in the narrow streets, at picturesque angles, leaning towards one an- other as for protection. Most of them have interior courts, with galleries about them, the newels of the stairs effectively carved. The house of the Duchess Anne of Brittany, built in 1500, is in the Rue des Nobles, and near the Place Thiers is the church of Saint Melaine, with its beautiful carvings on the fonts, organ case and vaulting, dating chiefly from the fifteenth century. In the Rue des Fontaines are two Holy Wells and at Notre Dame des Fontaines, according to legend, a disciple of Joseph of Arimathea, preached and set up an image of the Blessed Virgin. Through an uncultivated wild country, along a deep ravine we sped to Guingamp, [79] A Motor Tour Through France and England a pleasantly situated town in green sur- roundings, with the little river Trieux flow- ing through it. The most interesting fea- ture of the town is the church of Notre Dame de Bonsecours, which is indebted to a mirac- ulous image for the lavish expenditure upon it. The image stands in the north porch, has been accorded a gold crown by the Pope and been profusely indulgenced. The church was formerly the chapel of the Counts of Penthievre. Its interior is most interest- ing, the vaulting of the choir being supported by flying buttresses within the church. The transepts are lighted by rose windows of the fourteenth century, but the other windows are filled with modern glass over- loaded with colour. There are very quaint houses here too, the one next the church once belonged to the Duchess d'Amboise. At Saint Brieuc we lunched, then walked to the Croix de Sante to view the pictur- esque ravine of the Gouet and the Bay of Saint Brieuc. Returning through the ill- built, irregular streets flanked with old houses of carved wood and plaster, we visited the Cathedral, a low, unattractive looking edifice. Though disappointing ex- [80] A Motor Tour Through France and England teriorly it has dignity within, and contains the tomb of Saint William, Bishop of Brieuc, an amiable, harmless man, very considerate of the poor and suffering. He was elected bishop in 1220, but soon quarreled with Pierre Mauclerc, Duke of Brittany, who drove him from his See, and obliged him to take refuge at Poitiers. In 1230, he returned to his diocese and at once began rebuilding his Cathedral. The chapel and fountain of Saint Brieuc are Flamboyant in style and very beautiful. On the way to Dinard we stopped at Lamballe, another picturesque town lying on a hill, crowned by the church of Notre Dame. This interesting and handsome building is of the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, and was originally the chapel of the castle of the Dukes of Penthievre which was destroyed by Cardinal Richelieu in 1626. Princess Lamballe, the devoted, unfortunate favourite of Marie Antoinette, was the widow of the last Duke of Penthievre. We reached Dinard at four o'clock, and had a delightful walk along the Greve de I'Ecluse. The sky was cloudless, and the sea a cerulean blue. The shore was lined [81I A Motor Tour Through France and England with bath-chairs, and huge umbrellas of vari- ous colours, under which the children played in the sand. At the Casino we had tea to the strains of an Hungarian orchestra. After dinner we had another walk along the shore, and the main avenue, where such beautiful jewellery was displayed in the smallest of shops, also ivories and other fas- cinating articles, to tempt one to loosen the purse strings. At the Casino we indulged in ''La Boule," and under the tutelage of a friendly Englishman we came away winners of several francs. His system worked very well that evening, but another time was most disastrous to our exchecquer. [82 A Motor Tour Through France and England X DINARD, SAINT MALO, MONT SAINT MICHEL AND AVRANCHES August 26th, Next morning before going to Saint Malo we visited the scanty remains of the priory, founded in 1324. The chapel, which is in ruins, contains a colossal statue of the Virgin and Child of the fifteenth cen- tury. The old house, traditionally sup- posed to have once been occupied by the Black Prince, has a couple of picturesque towers with conical roofs and gables. The ferry took us across to Saint Malo. It was a small craft, and we were much worried for fear the automobile would go overboard, as the ferry was crowded with motors and did not look equal to her bur- den. After a safe landing, we climbed the nar- row, tortuous streets and took the walk along the ramparts to see the curious ap- pearance of the town, and the view of the bay, which is dotted with fortified islets, [83] A Motor Tour Through France and England one of which contains the simple tomb of Chateaubriand. Anxious to spend most of our day at Mont Saint Michel, we hurried away along the coast. The Mont Saint Michel is fair to see, way out in the water at the end of a long cause- way, its spire thrown aloft in the blue sky five hundred feet. After lunching at the famous restaurant of Poulard Aine, where we had one of the celebrated omelettes and roasted chicken, which we were permitted to see cooking in the enormous fire-place, we began to climb ; first to the museum, a miniature Madame Tussaud's with more or less interesting scenes from the history of the Mont, then to the Abbey. It was founded in 709 by Saint Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, in obedience to the commands of the Archangel Michel, who appeared to him in a vision. Previous to that the rock had been a pagan sanctuary, known as Mons Tumba. The monks were protected by RoUo and the succeeding rul- ers of Normandy, and in 1066 they sent six ships to assist William in the conquest of [84] A Motor Tour Through France and England England. Pilgrims resorted to the Mont in great numbers and their pious gifts greatly enriched the monastery. Learning flourished there and in the twelfth century the Abbey was known as the "City of Books," having such a collection of manu- scripts. In 1203 it was burned by Philip Augustus but afterwards when he became ruler of Normandy he rebuilt it. The Mont successfully defied Henry Fifth of England. Abuses and disorders prevailing among the Benedictine monks, they were replaced by the brethren of the order of Saint Maur, who remained until the Revolution. It was then converted into a prison, but later re- stored to its religious uses under the Bishop of Avranches. It now belongs to the state, at whose expense it is being restored. Up the Abbot's Staircase we ascended to the church, the Gothic spire of which is crowned by the bronze statue of Saint Michel. From the terrace known as Saut Gautier, named for a prisoner who at- tempted to escape in the thirteenth cen- tury, the view from the platform extends over the coast of Normandy and Brittany. The adjoining church is being restored, [85] A Motor Tour Through France and England consequently looks quite new in colouring, but the architecture assures us to the con- trary. Above the church the outer gallery and the top of the tower are reached by means of the " staircase of lace." At present one is not allowed on the staircase, but it may be seen from an adjacent doorway. On leaving the church we went to La Mer- veille, a huge building abutting against the rock on the north, on a level with the third story. Its exquisite proportions together with its marvellous beauty and sublime grandeur of the exterior have rendered it "the finest monument of architecture in the whole world." The Cloister is the most beautiful portion of the building. There are two hundred and twenty columns, one hundred engaged in the walls and the others arranged in double arcades, with graceful vaults, and delicate carvings which fill the spandrels of the arches. The employment of rose granite greatly enhances the effect, and it is almost impossible to imagine any creation of stone more delicate than the exquisite carvings and beautiful frieze. Adjacent is the Refectory, once used as a dormitory by the monks, and then divided [861 A Motor Tour Through France and England into two stories. The pulpit still remains where one monk read aloud while the others ate. Beneath the Cloister is the Salle des Chevaliers, an admirable specimen of thir- teenth century architecture, with depressed vaulting and a triple row of beautifully wrought columns. It also contains two enormous fire-places with canopies. The Crypte des Gros Piliers is beneath the choir, and was formerly used as a chapel. Its massive yet graceful pillars support the choir above. The Almonry, where the monks received and assisted the poor, is another immense room divided into two naves by six massive pillars. The Promenoir is a double gallery with four columns about ninety-seven feet in length, at the end of the Promenoir is a gallery containing one of the cages con- structed by the order of Louis Eleventh and in which the unfortunate Dubourg was im- prisoned. The cells of Mont Saint Michel bear wit- ness to the barbarity of former ages and it was no surprise to be told that only one [87] A Motor Tour Through France and England prisoner ever escaped alive. This was a man Colombat, an artist, who fled by means of a subterranean passage leading to the greves. The walk along the ramparts was most enjoyable after coming from those cold lofty apartments, where, in some places the wall had been removed and then bricked up again, setting us to wondering if some poor wretch had been immured there and if his skeleton would be found, were the bricks re- moved. The afternoon was drawing to a close and everything was bathed in rose-coloured light. The tree trunks seemed to be wrapped in cloth of gold. Past stone cot- tages, solid and old, with queer little win- dows and high brick walls we drove into Avranches. The courtyard, with its pretty rose garden, at the Grand Hotel de France looked very inviting, and the spacious room assigned us a restful spot in which to rest our weary bodies. After dinner we walked to a street over- looking the Bay, and had a glorious view of the Mont, and the old ruined towers by moonlight. A Motor Tour Through France and England XI FROM OLD AVRANCHES TO MODERN TROUVILLE August 2yth. Avranches is one of the oldest towns of Normandy, it has a beau- tiful situation on a hill on the left bank of the See, and commands an exquisite and justly famed view of the Bay of Saint Mi- chel. From the Jardin des Plantes the Mont can be clearly seen. It is admirably de- scribed by Mrs. Macquoid in her work "Through Normandy." *'0n the right is the extensive valley of the See, a bright river winding and twisting in and out among the trees that border it closely; the sides of the valley are chiefly wooded, but here and there are glimpses of cornfield and meadow, and beyond is the sea with a distant line of coast; to the left is the valley of the Selune, which takes a straighter course through a rich extent of hilly wooded country, that melts finally A Motor Tour Through France and England into the blue hills of Brittany. But it is the centre of the picture that fixes the atten- tion — the Bay of Saint Michel; the right bank of the See stretches out, making a dark line between the glittering, treacherous sand and the almost empty mouth of the river, with its curves and stretches of wet and dry land; and rising from the brilliant line of light on the greves is the fortress- convent, as weird and phantom-like as ever in its distinct mistiness." Opposite the Jardin des Plantes is the principal church of the town, Notre Dame des Champs, a handsome modern structure, containing fine stained windows. The Hotel de Ville contains the public library and has many valuable books and manuscripts from Mont Saint Michel, amongst which the famous treatise "Sic et Non" by Abelard was discovered. At one time Avranches possessed a beau- tiful Norman-Gothic cathedral but this was destroyed in 1790, and only a few shapeless ruins in front of the Sous-Prefecture are left to recall it. Near by is a broken column surrounded by posts and chains, indicating the spot where Henry Second of England [90] A Motor Tour Through France and England did humble penance in 1172 for the murder of Thomas a Becket. In the Market Square, people were selling their provisions, and happily chatting to one another. On the way to Caen, we passed many Calvarys set among the trees on the road- side, some of them very primitive, and others most modern and too gorgeously painted. Soon the towers of Saint Etienne ap- peared on the horizon and we dipped down into the town of Caen. Caen first arose to importance under Wil- liam the Conqueror, who had built the Castle and two Abbeys, whose beautiful churches are still the chief ornaments of the town. It suffered much in the religious wars of France and was well-nigh ruined by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. From this town Charlotte Corday who was born in the neighbourhood, set out to assassinate Marat. Auber, the composer, and Malherbe, the poet, were natives of Caen, and Beau Brummel lies buried in the Protestant cemetery. After visiting Saint Sauveur, which con- [91] A Motor Tour Through France and England sists of two old churches placed side by side forming an immense nave, with fine old stained glass, a handsome belfry and an apse, richly decorated, of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, we went to Saint Eti- enne, or the Abbaye-aux-hommes, founded by William the Conqueror at the same time that La Trinite was begun by his wife, Ma- tilda, as an expiation of the sin they had committed by the irregularity of their mar- riage — they were cousins-german. The exterior view of Saint Etienne is very unsatisfactory, it is so hemmed in by the buildings about it. In front of the high altar a black marble slab marks the burial place of William the Conqueror, but it is doubtful if any part of him lies buried there. One authority says his thigh bone is all that has been left after the various destructions of the tomb, but another avers that there remains absolutely nothing of the Con- queror there. The church is distinguished by its dig- nified simplicity, the sacristy is an interest- ing specimen of architecture, and in it is an ancient portrait of the founder of the church. A beautiful carved clock case, the choir [92] A Motor Tour Through France and England stalls, pulpit and organ case supported by colossal figures are all worthy of much study. All along the streets of Caen are quaint houses, their fronts filled with wood carv- ing. In the Rue Saint Jean, number 148, is the house of Charlotte Corday and at num- ber 20 is the Hotel de Than of the sixteenth century. The chief church of Caen and architectur- ally the most perfect is that of Saint Pierre; it is a most interesting example of Gothic architecture. The chapels were added dur- ing the Renaissance period, and are elabo- rately decorated. The general impression of the interior is one of great harmony. The quaint capitals of the massive pillars in the nave are carved with a curious miscellany of sacred, profane and grotesque figures, rabbits, a unicorn, and a pelican, with sub- jects from old romances — Launcelot du Lac crossing the lake sword in hand, Aristotle on all fours ridden like a horse, and Hippoc- rates in mid-air in a basket. The end of the nave centres on a single pillar, the usual termination being one on on each side. The graceful apse, with its five chapels, is the masterpiece of Hector [93] A Motor Tour Through France and England Sohier, a native of Caen. The carvings on the pulpit and organ case, the vestry doors and the beautiful high altar merit much at- tention. On the south side of the church is a porch at which criminals, condemned to death, stooped to make the ''amends honorable,''^ taper in hand and on their knees. The ex- terior, with its spire and tower and flying buttresses, is most beautiful. Opposite the tower of Saint Pierre is the Exchange, formerly the Hotel Valois, an- other picturesque sixteenth century build- ing. It is chiefly remarkable for its hand- some winding staircase, and cupola, and the beautifully carved statues, David with the head of Goliath, and Judith with that of Holof ernes; also a fine dormer window in the middle of the building. The church of La Trinite is in the form of a cross and is smaller than Saint Etienne. With the exception of one chapel, it is Norman-Romanesque. Two square towers rise on the west fagade and another from the transept. All these were deprived of their spires, but in the eighteenth century were provided with balustrades. [94] A Motor Tour Through France and England The interior has small galleries surmount- ing the aisles. Formerly when the nuns in- habited the Abbaye, one was allowed to view the tomb of the foundress only through a grating of the Lady Chapel, but since the state drove out the nuns, those women who had devoted their lives to the service of the church and the duties of the adjoining hos- pital, one can buy tickets, go into the choir and stand beside the burial place of the Queen of the Conqueror. Cecily, the old- est daughter of William and Matilda was Abbess once, and the bones of the Queen were collected and placed in the vault by the Abbess de Montmorency. Four tombs have been erected over the grave of Matilda who died in 1083. Below the choir is the interesting crypt. Behind the hospital is an extensive park which commands attract- ive views, and where we would have much preferred seeing the nuns walking instead of the gaily uniformed gendarmes. About half a mile, along the Rue Basse, we went to see the Manoir des Gendarmes; a picturesque ruined edifice of the fifteenth century, built by Gerard de Nollent. It is crowned with battlements and on the roof [95] A Motor Tour Through France and England are two figures of armed men carved in stone, whence the name, and the outside walls are sculptured with coats of arms and medallions. The Castle of Caen, begun by William the Conqueror and finished by Henry First, is is now used as a barracks. It has been al- tered so many times that it presents few points of interest. On the way from sleepy, old-world Caen to intensely modern Trouville is the curious old Inn of William the Conqueror, at Dives. Dives-sur-Mer is where the conqueror set sail for England in 1066. A column on a neighbouring height commemorates the event, and the names of his companions are inscribed inside the porch of the church founded by Robert the Devil. It was almost destroyed by Edward Third. The Inn con- tains a museum of curiosities and the old Market Hall nearby, built of timber, has a most beautiful roof. At Houlgate the fashionables were play- ing tennis, driving and motoring, and the vil- las with their shady gardens were most in- viting looking. Deauville, with its broad straight streets, is the Newport of France. There are beau- [96] A Motor Tour Through France and England tiful houses and villas, and it offers in its comparative tranquillity a contrast to its more animated sister Trouville. It has a race-course, a golf club and polo grounds, a fine beach and handsome casino. The "ter- race," which is a mile in length, is lined with artistic villas, belonging to wealthy Pari- sians and Americans. At Trouville we rested for the night at the Hotel Bellevue, a pretty white building, its windows filled with boxes containing pink geraniums. Trouville is the fashionable watering-place of northern France. The painter Isabey, and the writings of Dumas, first drew the Parisians to the charming little fishing vil- lage, making it the rendezvous of the wealthy and brilliant society folk. On the beach front are long drawn out rows of huge hotels, fine shops and a mag- nificent casino. At the latter place we spent the evening, where first there was a concert and then a ball. At the tables we tried the system we had been taught at Dinard, with disastrous result. The few francs we had won at the latter place and several extra ones were raked in by the silent croupier. [97] A Motor Tour Through France and England XII PONT AUDEMER AND ROUEN August 28th, Before leaving Trouville we walked out on one of the quays to look back at the town. Viewed from there it is altogether charming; wooded cliffs dotted with picturesque villas afford a pleasant background to the ever varying kaleido- scope of the promenade and beach. There are two churches, Notre Dame de Bon-Secours near the casino, and Notre Dame des Victoires in the Rue Tostain fac- ing the harbour. The latter has a marble altar from the ruins of Pompeii, and the former some good modern glass and a fine pulpit. Along a pastoral land we sped to Pont Audemer, a small industrial village pictur- esquely situated on the river Rille. There we visited the church of Saint Ouen, one of the most beautiful in Normandy. The greater portion of the building belongs to the sixth century, the choir dating from the [98] A Motor Tour Through France and England eleventh. The chapel of the baptistry has a charming balcony and the exquisite win- dows are of the Renaissance period, those in the chapel of Saint Catherine being the most beautiful. The church of Saint Germain has a beau- tiful window of the fifteenth century. The building was begun in the eleventh, and the tower with its fine double windows dates from the thirteenth century. An ox's head carved on the north wall is said to com- memorate an incident connected with the building of the church. The ruins of the church of Saint Sepulcre are in a narrow side street; its walls are hung with ivy, and flowering vines are draped on the broken arches. Every spot of land about this district is cul- tivated. As we approached Rouen the land- scape became more truly Norman. Deep thatches overhang the ochre walls of the cottages which are covered in rose vines or espaliered with pear trees. The magnificent ruined Abbey of Saint Georges-de-Boscherville, dating from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries sits aloft on the hillside, passing which we [99] A Motor Tour Through France and England descended on the mediaeval town of Rouen. A brief visit to the Musee des Beaux Arts to see Gerhard David's "Virgin of the Grapes," the gem of the collection; then to the Cathedral, which, as we see to-day, was begun very early in the thirteenth century, after the older building had been almost entirely destroyed by fire in the year 1 200. It is one of the grandest Gothic edifices in Normand}^, but most unsymmetrical in plan. The fagade, whose towers are of un- equal height, is of the sixteenth century and most profusely decorated. The Tour de Beurre, which is the loftier, derives its name from having been erected with money paid for indulgences to eat butter during Lent. The appearance of the Cathedral as a whole suffers from the admixture of styles; but the intrinsic beauty of its parts such as the west front, the towers, transept doors, decorated windows, and the clustered arches in the nave is remarkable. The tombs in the Lady Chapel all belong to the sixteenth century; the mausoleum of the Cardinals d'Amboise being the finest. [ 100] A Motor Tour Through France and England Behind the figures of the kneeUng Cardi- nals is a bas-relief of Saint George and the dragon, and statues of Christ, the Virgin, and six saints. In the little niches at the base of the tomb are exquisite figures of little hooded mourners, bowed in grief. Opposite is the tomb of Louis de Breze, Seneschal of Normandy, erected by his wife, the well-known Diane de Poitiers. It is a Renaissance construction attributed to Jean Cousin and Jean Goujon. On the south side of the nave is the tomb of Rollo, first Duke of Normandy, and on the opposite side in the corresponding chapel lies his son, William of the Long Sword. Beneath the huge lime-stone figure of Richard Coeur de Lion is interred his heart, and buried on the opposite side of the choir, is his brother Richard Curtmantle, over whose resting place is a modern recumbent figure. "Above the pillars and arches of the nave runs another line of both in place of a tri- forium; above this again are two galleries one above the other; and higher yet are five horizontal divisions in the walls of the nave, [lOl] A Motor Tour Through France and England which has no parallel in England." (Wink- ler's "French Cathedrals"). The beautiful stained glass is mostly of the thirteenth century. The altar-piece, an Adoration of the Shepherds, is by Philip de Champaigne. The Archbishop's Palace is an extensive pile immediately behind the Cathedral. Going out by the Portail des Libraires, so called from the bookstalls that once oc- cupied the court, we crossed the Rue de la Republique to the church of Saint Maclou, a rich example of the florid Gothic style of the fifteenth century, and one of the most perfect specimens of the Flamboyant style in Normandy. The celebrated carved doors and the exquisite organ staircase are its greatest treasures. It is a small church, about half the size of Saint Ouen, but its proportions are extremely beautiful and the west front a marvel in plan, construction and ornamentation. Next to the Cathedral in importance, and exceeding it in interest from an artistic standpoint is the Abbey church of Saint Ouen. The tower is an exquisite fairy-like gem of architecture. The interior, of an [ 102] A Motor Tour Through France and England immense size, about four hundred feet long, eighty feet wide, and one hundred feet high, is an almost perfect specimen of the Deco- rated and Flamboyant styles. The triforium is of glass ; the clerestory is immensely large and lofty and the number of windows throughout containing beautiful coloured glass add much to the sublime effect of the whole. On entering the Portail des Mar- mousets, so-called from the heads with which it is adorned, one seems to see nothing but this magnificent glass. The tower over the transept is surmounted by an octagonal open-work lantern terminating in a gallery, called the "Crown of Normandy." In the donjon of the Tour Jeanne d'Arc the Maid was imprisoned in 143 1. The tower as it is at present was restored about thirty years ago, but the work was done so carefully that much of the original masonry was preserved and its appearance must be much the same as it was seven hundred years ago. Beneath the turret a wooden boarding projects. This formed a platform from which the defenders of the Tower hurled stones and other missiles down on to the heads of besiegers. Jeanne was burnt [ 103 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England in the Market Place at the foot of the Rue de la Grosse Horologe, and there a tablet marks her memory. It was hung with palms and faded flowers. The Place de la Pucelle, where Jeanne d'Arc stands (a paltry figure over a foun- tain) is opposite the Hotel du Bourgthe- roulde. This building is now a bank, but the court is open to the public. It was in this courtyard that the famous meeting of the Kings of England and France on the " Field of the Cloth of Gold" in 1520, is commemo- rated in a series of carved stone panels be- neath the roof of the wing on the left-hand side of the entrance. There are five in all. Henry is shown on the left and Francis on the right, the centre panel representing the actual meeting of the monarchs attended by their respective retainers. Cardinal Wolsey riding on a mule is on the second one. They are protected from the weather by a hood, for they are badly worn, and were it not for the printed explanation af- fixed to the wall the second and third panels would be almost unintelligible. The plaster casts of these panels in the Musee Depart- ment d 'Antiquites should certainly be seen. [ 104] A Motor Tour Through France and England Above the windows, carved in the stone are a series of pictures illustrating a very different subject. They represent in alle- gory ideas suggested by Petrarch's Tri- umphs. They, too, are much worn. The house is a beautiful one of the style between the Gothic and Renaissance. On the inside of the entrance gates the carved medallions of Henry Eighth and Francis First are wonderfully^ preserved. The Palace of Justice, a magnificent building of the latest Flamboyant Gothic resembles the handsome town halls in Bel- gium. In the left wing is the Salle des Pro- cureurs, a spacious hall with a timber roof. The central part of the Palace erected for the supreme tribunal of Normandy, is where the assizes are held. This hall is lavishly decorated, the fine cassetted ceiling is in carved wood. The fagade of the building is also richly ornamented. In the Rue de la Grosse Horologe is the old clock and belfry and a gateway dating from 1529. Its vault and sides are beautiful- ly carved and beside it is the fountain repre- senting the myth of Arethusa, the nymph, and Alpheus. [105] A Motor Tour Through France and England The house of Diane de Poitiers used to be in the little open space near by in which is the Tour Saint Andre. Corneille was born at Rouen and his dwelling-place is now public property, situated at Petit Couronne. The church of Saint Gervais contains the oldest crypt in France, also the tombs of the earlier Bishops of Rouen, Saint Mellon and Saint Avetien. In the wood work of the choir is a cunningly devised door; this the sacristan unlocks and through it admits you to the crypt; he also provides you with a lighted candle and by its rays you descend a long winding staircase. The crypt is ded- icated to Saint Gervais and it was in the Ab- bey of that name, possibly above this very place, that William the Conqueror breathed his last. The walls show distinct signs of Roman building, which is the only trace in Rouen of the Roman occupation, except some tombs, coins and mosaics found in the Department and preserved in the Museum of Antiquities. The old houses in Rouen were the quaint- est we had seen and it seems a pity others have been destroyed to make way for the unpicturesque boulevards and tram lines. [io6] A Motor Tour Through France and England XIII ROUEN TO PARIS VIA DREUX AND CHARTRES August 2Qth, The windings of the Seine led us to Les Andelys through well-kept villages, along highways with chalky hill- sides, and by-ways choked with wild flow- ers. On the steep, breezy heights above Le Petit Andeleys rise the ruins of the Chateau Gaillard. This "Saucy Castle" was built by Richard Coeur de Lion, and few ruins leave a more vivid impression on the mind than this fortress chateau, fitting into the landscape in a manner as does no other me- diaeval donjon of France except that of Chi- non. Its defences extend to the edge of the precipice descending abruptly to the Seine. It is a rag of a ruin but the thickness of its walls show what an impregnable strong- hold it must have been. Philip Augus- tus succeeded in capturing the fort only after a siege of five months. Margaret of Burgundy, the youthful wife of Louis Tenth, was held here probably in one of the [ 107] A Motor Tour Through France and England caverns in the side of the second Fosse and strangled with her own hair by order of her suspicious husband. The donjon is still in a fair state of preservation. Looking down from the Castle the view of the Seine, dotted with its wooded islets, is superb. The little town tucked in at the foot of these fallen ramparts is grouped about the grey old church of Saint Sauveur, a structure dating possibly from the end of the twelfth century. It is in the form of a Greek cross without galleries in the nave or transepts, interiorly rather bare but beau- tifully proportioned and with so close an ar- rangement of pillars as to enable the eye to take in the beauty of the whole building at a single glance, the choir with its triforium of twin arcades, the lancet w^indows of the beautiful Lady Chapel and the fifteenth century wall paintings. At Grand Andeleys the beauties of Notre Dame are numerous; the glass windows in the south aisle are par- ticularly noticeable, also those in the south clerestory of the nave, and the three large rose windows. The Renaissance organ case, with its fourteen panels representing the Christian arts, virtues and sciences and [108I The spot where Jeanne d'Arc was burned A Motor Tour Through France and England mythological characters is a curiosity in it- self, The stalls of the choir are quaintly carved, the great altar is of bronze, and in the southwest chapel there is a beautiful marble group of the Entombment. Along a romantic road, part of its way rock-walled, the stones covered with pink and yellow lichens, a slumbrous calm per- vading everything, we bowled quickly to Dreux, passing through Louviers, with its air of rural elegance, its pleasant streams, shady walks and trim gardens, the quaint old houses in the centre and the beautiful church of Notre Dame, imparting a mediae- val appearance. Evreux, a clean pleasant little town, is situated on the Iton. The small admirably proportioned Cathedral is its main attrac- tion, though the perfect Renaissance is out of harmony with the Norman architec- ture to the west of the nave, and the fif- teenth century wooden spire. The latter was erected by Cardinal La Balue, the fa- mous primate of Louis Eleventh, as was also the beautiful Lady Chapel which contains excellent glass. The carved wood screens of the chapels in the nave and those of the [ 109] A Motor Tour Through France and England choir are of the sixteenth century. Adjoin- ing the Cathedral is the Bishop's palace with its exquisite cloisters. On we rushed to Dreux where we lunched and then went to the Chapelle Royalle, a highly interesting erection in spite of the medley of architectural styles. The build- ing was begun by the Dowager Duchess d 'Orleans, mother of Louis Philippe but was enlarged and completed by the King as a burial place for their family. Here the remains of the exiled Louis Philippe and his Queen were transferred from Weybridge, England, The magnificent stained glass windows and fine sculptures complete a most gorgeous interior. The funeral monu- ments are in the apse to which steps de- scend behind the high altar. At the foot of the steps is the monument of Louis Phi- lippe and beside him in a kneeling position is his consort, Marie Amelie. Others buried there are Princess Marie, Duchess of Wur- temberg (over whom is the statue of the Angel of Resignation, sculptured by her- self) ; the Duke of Orleans and his Duchess (Helena of Mecklenburg-Schwerin) ; Mad- ame Adelaide, sister of Louis Philippe; the [no] A Motor Tour Through France and England Dowager Duchess of Orleans; the Princess of Salerno, mother-in-law of the Due d'Au- male; the two youthful children of the Comte de Paris; two princes de Montpensier, and the Duke and Duchess d'Aumale. The windows of the crypt contain the most magnificent modern glass and the sunlight shining through in such an illuminating way imparted a heavenly glow to the scenes from the Passion. The remembrance of their matchless beauty will always remain with us, these feelings in colour. There are other windows representing scenes from the life of Saint Louis. All were made at the facto- ries at Sevres and are beyond descrip- tion. Descending the steep hill of the town we came upon the church of Saint Pierre, a Gothic edifice of the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries with its weather-beaten exterior. However the Lady Chapel and the chapels of the aisles have good stained glass that has been restored, and the organ case is quite beautiful. The Hotel de Ville resembles a huge square donjon, having its fagade flanked by the projecting turrets at the angles, and [III] A Motor Tour Through France and England embellished with elaborate carving around the dome and windows. The way to Chartres lay along a straight grey road like the ones we had travelled in Touraine and several miles away we could detect the beautiful spires of the Cathedral outlined against the blue, blue sky. This Cathedral of Notre Dame is built (tradition avers) above a grotto where the Druids celebrated the worship of a "maiden who should bear a child." The interior af- fects one physically — such beauty is there — the superb stained windows, mostly of the thirteenth century, are above one a hundred feet, perhaps the finest glass being in the three rose windows of the west front. You look at these windows, and leave them and return to look again and again. The choir and apse are surrounded by a double ambu- latory and the latter is adjoined by seven chapels. The wall enclosing the choir is adorned with sculptures that are like point lace in stone, some of them are mutilated but not enough to detract in any way from the beauty of the whole. The "Vierge du Pilier" is in the north aisle, and before her at all hours are worshippers and the stand [112] A Motor Tour Through France and England is ablaze with candles, lighted and placed there by petitioners. In the treasury we were shown a piece of the veil of the Virgin, said to have been presented to Charlemagne by the Empress Irene. A funeral taking place in the nave did not deter visitors from walking about the chap- els, but we awaited the departure of the small band of mourners before seating our- selves to fully appreciate the marvellous beauty of the building. On the floor of the nave is a curious maze of coloured lines, sup- posed to have served for a penitential path for worshippers, the stations on it corre- sponding to the beads of the rosary. By winding streets we descended to the church of Saint Pierre in which are the twelve splendid Limoges enamels by Leon- ard Limousin, each two feet in length, rep- resenting the twelve Apostles. They were given to Diane de Poitiers by Henry Second and brought from her chateau at Anet, in the chapel of which Diane was buried. Only a few remains of the chateau are preserved and Diane's monument has been destroyed. A great many old houses are at Chartres, the quaintest being the one having the stair- [113] A Motor Tour Through France and England case of Queen Bertha on its front is in the Place de la Poissonerie. Through the nar- row streets when crossing little bridges we caught glimpses of the Cathedral on the hill above us until we took the road to Ram- bouillet. We passed through the small town of Maintenon, situated on the Eure which possesses the handsome chateau from which Frangoise d'Aubigne (widow of the lame poet Scarron) took the title of Mar- quise de Maintenon on her marriage to Louis Fourteenth. Here too are the ruins of that huge aqueduct begun by Louis Fourteenth to conduct the water of the Eure to Ver- sailles but discontinued owing to the great mortality among the workmen. An obelisk has been erected to its defend- ers at Epernon, a small and ancient town. Stopping at Rambouillet for dinner we saw the chateau where Frangois First died. Afterwards it belonged to Charles d'An- gennes, husband of the celebrated Marquise de Rambouillet and was acquired later for the crown of Louis Sixteenth; there also Charles Tenth signed his abdication. The Park covers three thousand acres and con- tains numerous avenues of tall trees. [114] A Motor Tour Through France and England After dinner we walked about the streets and fancied we had been placed in the sec- ond act of "Le Boheme," for a fete was tak- ing place and the square and streets were crowded with the populace making merry. A band gave most discordant but none the less entertaining music, the gendarmes mixed with the crowd lending additional colour to the picture, and small boys carried torches and gave screams of delight at the women throwing confetti in the faces of their admirers. Reluctantly we turned towards Paris. Past the Forest of Rambouillet which looked ghost-like in the light mist through which the moonshine shimmered. At Ver- sailles we found ourselves in the midst of another fete. In the distance we had seen the fireworks but they were finished before our arrival, and the crowd was dispersing in all directions. All too soon we reached the Bois, the Arc de Triomphe gleamed white in the moonlight and the fountains in the Place de la Con- corde seemed dripping with silver. Past the Tuileries gardens we slowly made our way to the gilded statue of Jeanne d'Arc. [115] PART TWO England FROM LONDON TO BEDFORD VIA HAMPSTEAD HEATH AND ELSTOW September /fth. None the worse for the choppy sea our boat encountered crossing the Channel, we were quite ready to resume our journey by motor and started at three in the afternoon, past Trafalgar Square with its wonderful column and lions, up Piccadilly with its steady stream of traffic, the like of which one sees in no other city in the world, to Hyde Park Corner, past the overdeco- rated Albert Memorial out to Hampstead Heath, which is one of the most open and picturesque spots in the immediate neigh- bourhood of London, its wild and irregular beauty of hill and hollow making it a re- freshing contrast to the trim elegance of the parks. It was once a notorious haunt of highwaymen and nearby are many old Inns frequented by the desperadoes. It was at [119] A Motor Tour Through France and England "The Spaniards " that Dick Turpin engaged rooms for the night. On being surprised by King George's men he made his escape through the window overlooking the stable yard, leaping on the back of his mare " Black Bess," and set out for his famous ride to York. It is here that one may see hanging over the bar in a frame three curious knives and forks with curved steel handles used by Turpin and two of his friends when at sup- per at the Inn. The other famous hos- telries are those of "Jack Straw's Castle" and the "Bull and Bush" in the garden of which is a holly tree planted by Hogarth. The wonderfully built English roads of a golden colour are narrow and winding with high leafy hedges each side, having once in a while a break in them of a long driveway up to an old mansion of which one can only ob- tain a view of its chimney tops, the spread- ing trees hiding all else. The English scenery is surprising by its endless variety. It seems to be a country of woods, hedges and soft airs, with no weari- some sameness. We drove on through a low-lying level drowsy land of deep green meadows freshened by little lazy streams [ 120] A Motor Tour Through France and England to the orchard embowered village of Old Warden. This village which is full of quaint houses with carved barge boards, red- painted doors and windows, was long the residence of the Lords Ongley who lived in Warden House. At the end of the short walk across the fields are the ruins of War- den Abbey, the arms of which are three pears. These were the famous Warden bak- ing ones grown in the Abbey orchard and still known the world over as Warden pears. Past acres of hops waving their tender green vines laden with blossoms ready for gath- ering, we sped on to Elstow, famous as the birthplace of John Bunyan who lived there for many years and whose wild youth, mar- riage, struggles with conscience and his call to take up the vocation of preaching have all been told by himself. In the main street is a long row of old cottages with overhang- ing upper rooms, dating from long before Bunyan's time, and on the left-hand side as you enter the village is pointed out the one occupied by Bunyan after his marriage. It is low built with two small gables and stands alone. In this old village was once an Abbey for Benedictine nuns, established during the [121] A Motor Tour Through France and England life of the Conqueror, of which some ivy- hung ruins still remain. The restored church has on its floor sev- eral interesting brasses, one of which repre- sents the last Abbess of the Convent and displays one of the best examples existing of the costumes of a Benedictine Abbess, with cowl, gown, cap and veil, wimple and pastoral staff. The five bells in the belfry claim attention from the fact that one of Bunyan's favorite amusements as a young man included bell ringing in Elstow church and the sexton does not hesitate to point out the very bell that used to be rung by Bunyan showing the groove worn by the rope, in the stone archway under which he stood, in dread lest the bell should fall upon him. Two memorial windows have been erected to him with scenes from the "Pil- grim's Progress" and the "Holy War." On the unpretending village green a big fair used to be held once a year which is sup- posed to have served as the original of Bun- yan's idea of Vanity Fair in "Pilgrim's Progress." On this same green he was play- ing a game of cat on a Sunday, and just as he was about to strike the cat heard voices [ 122] A Motor Tour Through France and England from Heaven which caused him to cease playing and eventually brought about his conversion and started his preaching career. We reached the Swan Hotel at Bedford in a drenching rainstorm. Having wired in advance our rooms were ready for us, and in each a cheerful fire blazed in a most wel- come way. We were hungry with that keen hunger developed from automobiling and did justice to the good old fashioned English fare in this good old fashioned English Inn. [ 123 A Motor Tour Through France and England II NEWARK AND MANSFIELD September ^th. Bedford is a charmingly antique town situated on the toy river Ouse which brightens the landscape by its silvery gleaming as it takes its winding way to the sea. Its history goes back to very ancient times, the charter of incorporation granted by Henry Second is still preserved as are also those granted to the town by about a dozen other English sovereigns. The two great names of Bedford, how- ever, are John Bunyan and John Howard. At the corner of St. Peter's Green is a fine statue of the former cast from the material of cannon taken in the Chinese War. The base of Aberdeen granite is decorated with bronze panels representing scenes from "Pil- grim's Progress." This was presented to the town by the Duke of Bedford. The statue to John Howard was erected by public sub- scription in 1894 on the occasion of the cen- tenary of his death. [124] A Motor Tour Through France and England The old bridge over the Ouse, upon which was the prison where Bunyan was incarcer- ated, was partially swept away in a great storm in 1672 and the present one was erected in 181 1, but the spot occupied by the old dungeon on the bridge is still pointed out. The Bunyan Meeting House in Mill Street is built on the old site of Ruffhead's Barn. At first the congregation worshipped in the barn, which was finally bought by subscrip- tion, the Old Meeting House built, and Bunyan installed as preacher, a post he held until his death in 1688. The present build- ing was erected in 1848. The bronze gates, presented by the Duke of Bedford, contain- ing panels illustrating scenes from Bun- yan's works, are a prominent feature of the chapel. In the vestry is the gate of Bun- yan's prison, his chair, his jug, his will in his own handwriting and a copy of the war- rant for his arrest. The site of the old Castle of Bedford is marked by an artificial circular mound. In the red September air we hummed through Saint Neots, Huntingdon, the na- tive place of Oliver Cromwell, whose birth [125] A Motor Tour Through France and England is recorded in the register of Saint John's church, and the Grammar School still stands in which the Protector was educated. We passed antique farm-houses and moss grown cottages, along continuously winding roads where the eye was delighted by a succession of small landscapes captivatingly beautiful; through Stilton, famous for its cheeses, to Peterborough. We were fortunate enough to hear part of the service at the Cathedral, after which a verger conducted us about. The restora- tion of this magnificent building is complete, giving it the appearance, at a first glance, of a new structure until we see that the archi- tecture is Norman. Unfortunately all of the old glass was destroyed by the Puritans, but it retains the painted wooden roof and ceil- ings of the transepts added by Abbot Ben- edict in the twelfth century. Peterborough Cathedral was once a Benedictine Abbey, founded in 655, destroyed by the Danes in 870, and restored in 966. At the dissolution of the monasteries it was spared because Catherine of Aragon was buried within its walls. It having been suggested to Henry Eighth to erect a fair monument for her, [126] A Motor Tour Through France and England he is said to have repHed, "Yes, I will leave her one of the goodliest in the kingdom," and surely no queen could have had a more magnificent one than "Peterborough the Proud." A handsome white marble stone with incised inscription and coat of arms, has recently been laid down to her mem- ory, the original tablet above the Queen's grave having been destroyed by Crom- well's troops. Near the south door of the choir a black marble tablet shows the former resting place of Mary Queen of Scots, whose remains were taken to West- minster Abbey in 1612 by order of her son, James the First. The interlacing arches, illustrating the subtleties of every transitional period in architecture from Norman to Perpendicu- lar, are the most attractive feature of the edifice. Beneath the floor of the north transept, protected by wooden doors, are several richly ornamented slabs or coffin lids un- doubtedly Saxon; and form a series which may be considered one of the best in Eng- land. They are in their original positions, the spots on which they lie being outside [127] A Motor Tour Through France and England the Saxon church where was the original graveyard. The choir and altar have most exquisite mosaic pavements. The so-called New Building which forms the eastern end of the church, is remarkable for the beautiful fan tracery of the roof and its choir stalls and pulpit are of wood, magnificently carved. The cloisters on the south side of the nave are known as the "Laurel Court." Hawthorne says of this spot, "Of all the lovely closes that I ever beheld, that of Peterborough Cathedral is to me the most beautiful; so quiet it is, so solemnly and nobly cheerful, so verdant, so sweetly shad- owed and so presided over by the stately minster, and surrounded by ancient and comely habitations of Christian men." The west front, with its triple recessed arches eighty-two feet high, is of the finest Early English and unlike anything else in England. Over the middle door is a chapel dedicated to Thomas a Becket, and to the left of this entrance is a portrait of Old Scar- lett, the memorial which is usually looked at first. He is represented with spade, pick- axe and keys and a whip in his leathern [128I A Motor Tour Through France and England girdle; at his feet a skull. At the top of the picture are the arms of the Cathedral and beneath the portrait these lines: — **You see old Scarlett's picture stand on hie But at your feete there doth his body lie His gravestone doth his age and death time show His office by thels tokens you may know Second to none for strength and sturdye llmm A scarbabe mighty voice with visage grim Hee had inter'd two queens within this place And this townes householders In his lives space Twice over: But at length his one turne came What he for others did for him the same Was done: No doubt his soul doth live for aye in Heaven: Though here his body clad in clay.*' He is said to have buried both Catherine of Aragon and Mary Queen of Scots. The old gateways to the right and left of the Cathe- dral are covered with ivy as are the Clois- ters, the left gate leading to the old Prior's house, now the Deanery; the right one to the Bishop's Palace. The Guild Hall, in the Market Place, is an effective building with the lower part open and is used as a butter market. At Peterborough we left the pleasant river Nene, whence it finds its way to the North Sea through the Flat Fens, and con- [129] A Motor Tour Through France and England tinued our flight through bonnie England with its miles of neatly trimmed hedges and past picturesque farm-houses and their out- buildings with thatched roofs, sheep by the hundreds and chickens by the thousands, and on the hillsides the numberless cows browsing. On our way to Mansfield we passed through Grantham where, in 1642, Sir Isaac Newton was born at Woolsthorpe Manor (now a farm-house). The Angel's Inn is a quaint old building, formerly belonging to the Knights Templars, and dating from the thirteenth century, when King John is said to have held court and there too Richard Third signed the death warrant of the Duke of Buckingham. At Newark are the remaining ruins of a castle built by Alexander, Bishop of Lin- coln, called "The Magnificent." After it was surrendered to the Crown it was often the residence of John prior to and following his becoming King. He died there in 121 2. Charles First was ably defended there and in spite of famine, disease and slaughter the Castle remained impregnable, only sur- rendering at last by order of the King, [ 130] A Motor Tour Through France and England who yielded himself to the Scots at South- well. Since then it has remained in ruins. The best view of it is from the promenade along the river Trent. There are massive towers at each end and one in the centre and its stout walls give evidence of the strength of the old fortress. The eastern tower con- tains a spiral staircase leading to the room above the gateway and to the chapel. Near the western side are the remains of the Great Hall, once a magnificent apartment one hundred and thirty feet long by twenty- two feet wide. Its chief feature is a fine oriel window on the west front. In the thickness of the north wall is the entrance to the dun- geons, one of which is particularly terrible, a chamber of beehive shape, ten and a half feet in diameter and seventeen feet deep, sunk low in the rock. The enclosure in which the castle stands is now a public pleasure ground laid out with paths, green- sward and flower beds, while over the walls of the ruins climb flowering vines. The Saracen's Head, an Inn which ex- isted in the days of Edward Third, is famil- iar to readers of the *' Heart of Midlothian," as the house where Jennie Deans received [131] A Motor Tour Through France and England "a mouthful o' meat" on her way to Lon- don. A short distance south of the Market Place is the Beaumond Cross, which used to bear a plate with the inscription stating it was erected in the reign of Edward Fourth; but why, and the authenticity of same, are questions on which antiquarians differ. The town of Blidworth is surrounded with relics of Robin Hood; every hill and dale, cliff and cavern, and almost every tree of any age is supposed to have been connected with the outlaw chief. Will Scarlett is said to lie buried in the churchyard, and a cave in the cliff upon which the village stands is supposed to have been used as the store house of the outlaws. The sunset was a wonderful one; the fields were drenched in a purple haze and the trees seemed wrapped in gold. At Mansfield we stopped for the night at The Swan Inn, most unattractive exteriorly but quite the oppo- site within. The winding oak staircase is three hundred years old and our rooms were supplied with wonderful antique oak beds, dressing tables, chests and clothes presses. The place is almost entirely fur- [ 132] A Motor Tour Through France and England nished in genuine antiques and the wife of the proprietor told us that her husband had been offered a goodly sum hy one of our American millionaires for the contents of two of the bed chambers. In the hall was a crackling fire, its flickering flames of many forms and colors lighting up the comfort- able chairs around the hearth and from their brass cages, several brilliantly plumaged parrots talked and crooned to us. 133 A Motor Tour Through France and England III THE DUKERIES AND SHERWOOD FOREST September 6th. It was delightful driving forth in the fresh fragrance of the early morning, the roads free from traffic and children. Soon we reached Hardwick Hall, the stately home and one of the magnificent seats of the Duke of Devonshire. It was erected by the famous Elizabeth Hardwick, popularly known as "Bess of Hardwick," one of the richest women of the time of Queen Elizabeth. This wonderful person was born in the old hall at Hardwick which is now in ruins. She was married four times gaining great wealth by every marriage, and had children only by her second husband. Sir William Cavendish; their second son was created first Earl of Devonshire. Her fourth husband was the great Earl of Shrews- bury, whose death preceded hers by seven- teen years, she herself dying at the ripe old age of eighty-seven. She was unremittingly engaged in erecting mansions, it is said, be- [134] A Motor Tour Through France and England cause a gypsy informed her that her death could not happen so long as she continued building, so Chatsworth, Owlcotes, and Hardwick rose at her bidding, the latter place, however, was not completed during her lifetime. This oblong building faces an enclosed garden, the main flower beds of which form the initials E. S. (Elizabeth Shrewsbury). It is an Elizabethan building having six square towers, surmounted by open-work battlements in which the initials are carved beneath a coronet. The large number of lofty windows gave rise to the jingle, " Hard- wick Hall, more glass than wall." The rooms are all magnificently furnished in seventeenth century Jacobean furniture and the walls hung with the richest tapes- tries. The State Room is seventy feet long and thirty-three feet wide and another noble apartment is the famous Picture Gallery extending the whole length of the build- ing and lighted by twenty-seven thousand panes of glass. Among the pictures are portraits of the rival queens, Elizabeth and Mary, the latter in sombre garb, the beau- tiful Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, [135] A Motor Tour Through France and England "Bess of Hardwick" and Arabella Stuart who was born at Chatsworth in 1575. She was the niece of Mary Queen of Scots, and grand-daughter of "Bess." It was Arabella Stuart, who, when her cousin James the First was on the throne, married without his permission; both she and her husband were immediately imprisoned and from her weary incarceration in the Tower she was released only by her death, after losing her reason. For ten years Mary Queen of Scots was entrusted to the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and one may be sure his mas- terful spouse was practically the jailor of the Queen. In the apartment known as Mary Stuart's room there are numerous relics of the Queen, the chief being the bed having an exquisitely worked quilt with hangings of black velvet, embroidered with flowers of colored silk, done by Mary and her attendants. She was really confined in the old hall, but her eifects were removed to the presentb uilding. Over the doorway are her initials and around the walls runs the inscription, " Marie Stewart, par le grace de Dieu, Royne de Scosse, Douariere de Franc e.^^ [136] A Motor Tour Through France and England The ruins of the old hall stand on the brow of the hill, at right angles to the new building; it is but a fragment now, roofless, moss grown and luxuriantly mantled in ivy. Bolsover Castle, which is the property of the Duke of Portland, was originally a Nor- man fortress erected by William Peveril, a natural son of William the Conqueror. The present building was the work of Sir Charles Cavendish, son of "Bess" and the father of the first Duke of Newcastle. The part that is in ruins is far more beautiful than the habitable portion, in which Charles First was entertained in royal fashion on three occasions, when Ben Jonson was master of ceremonies and wrote the masques, one of which was "Love's Welcome." The chief apartment in the Keep is the Star Chamber, built in imitation of that infamous apart- ment that brought such odium upon Charles First. None of the rooms are furnished now and much of the handsome wood work has been removed to Welback Abbey. The Long Gallery and dining hall have hand- some groined roofs and the "pillar room" is unique. The Baily Wall encloses an ancient and [137] A Motor Tour Through France and England curious garden containing a carved stone fountain and numerous seats and summer- houses. Around this wall, it is said, Mary Stuart drove a pair of horses, to win a wager, and made the circuit safely. Bolsover is the center of a colliery dis- trict of considerable importance. From one of the mines alone the Duke of Portland is said to draw upwards of fifty thousand pounds a year in royalties. From the ter- race of Bolsover is a wonderful view of Der- byshire and the model village of Bolsover. For about five miles we drove on, rabbits scurrying away in droves at our approach and pheasants glancing shyly at us from amid the fringe of bracken. Then before us lay the park of Welback Abbey, studded with herds of deer, including a white vari- ety, and thousands of sheep. In the dis- tance were the foot hills of Derbyshire, and to our right Sherwood Forest proudly swept. Nestling snugly in the vale is this forest home of the Duke of Portland, a site possessing all the varied charms that wood and water can give. We passed "The Winnings," a group of white stone buildings, — almshouses erected [138] A Motor Tour Through France and England by the Duke of Portland at the request of his wife, for the benefit of the poor and to commemorate the success of his race- horses in 1888, 1889 and 1890. The Abbey was founded by Thomas de Cuckney and was one of the wealthiest in the country; at the Dissolution it was granted to an ancestor of Whalley the regicide, from whose heirs it descended to "Bess of Hardwick," who, in turn, left it to Sir Charles Cavendish (one of the sons by her second husband); from his family it passed by marriage to Wil- liam Bentinck, second Duke of Portland. A large portion of the present structure is the work of "Bess" and her son, suites of rooms and wings being added by suc- cessive owners of later date. The old and new parts harmonize so well that it is im- possible to tell where one ends and the other begins. It is a perfect palace of lux- ury, containing a vast collection of valuable paintings and articles of vertu. Visitors are allowed to go through the underground pic- ture gallery which is said to be "the largest and in every way the most magnificent pri- vate ball-room in England." Most of the pictures are copies of the originals which are [139] A Motor Tour Through France and England in the apartments above, and to which stran- gers are not admitted. The fifth Duke of Portland, called "the invisible prince," on account of his reclusive habits, turned Welbeck into a huge works- shop, and for eighteen years the stone- mason, the iron-founder and the carpenter were incessantly at work at an annual cost of about one hundred thousand pounds. He had built the underground apartments and subterranean passages, which are the unique features of Welbeck, radiating in all direc- tions from the Abbey, for several miles; some are wide enough to be used as carriage roads, and all are pleasant to walk or ride in, being dry, free from draughts and lighted by circular glasses that protrude above the surface of the ground all over the fields. The riding school is three hundred and eighty-five feet long, one hundred and four feet broad, and fifty-one feet high, the entire roof is glass; when artificial light is needed it is provided by eight thousand gas jets. The ornamentation includes a carved stone cor- nice and a metal frieze displaying represen- tations of animals, birds and foliage. The hunting stable contains stalls for [ 140] A Motor Tour Through France and England ninety-six horses and all the buildings, in- cluding the stables, poultry-houses, cow- houses and dairy are extensive and fitted in the most approved style. The gardens are very beautiful, the walls espaliered with pear trees and one finds many orangeries, vin- eries and conservatories, while the kitchen garden covers an area of ten acres. The terraces of the Abbey that face the river Meden are most artistic, the glistening river having its surface dotted with swans. About half a mile beyond the gates of Welbeck a charming forest road leads to the entrance of Clumber Park. There we found ourselves amidst scenery such as Sherwood alone can show. Huge old oaks are seen only here and there, but the varied hues of the heather, gorse, and bracken in profusion, together with the silver birches, combine to make the scene idyllic. Passing under a waving canopy of firs and larches we drove through the famous avenue of lime trees, which is about three miles long, with a double row of limes the entire length, and between the trees the bracken, out of which the rabbits were playing hide and seek. [141] A Motor Tour Through France and England Clumber House is owned by the Duke of Newcastle; it is of white freestone and was erected in 1772 by the second Duke, who also formed the lake which fronts the house, the pleasure grounds and plantation. Un- fortunately the Duke was in residence, and the house closed to visitors. The Dukes of Newcastle and their ancestors have ever been patrons of the fine arts, and as a con- sequence possess a priceless collection of paintings, many choice ceramics and rare pieces of furniture. The park has an area of four thousand acres and is eleven miles around, the whole estate comprising thirty-five thousand acres. Going south we passed through part of the estate and having reached its limits, en- tered Thoresby Park, which is twelve miles in circumference, and remarkable for its forest scenery; some of the trees now stand- ing were growing when King John was upon the throne, seven centuries ago. We drove through a dense foliage of monster oaks, the branches stretching across and forming beautiful living arches, the curtains of green leaves so thick that at times the gnarled old trunks of giant girth could scarcely be seen. [ 142] A Motor Tour Through France and England It is worth travelling hundreds of miles to look at such scenery, and scarcely anywhere else can its like be beheld. These are truly veteran oaks, the partiarchs of Sherwood Forest, noble and picturesque in their decay. Thoresby House, the home of Earl Man- vers, is the third mansion erected there; the first, in which the Lady Mary Wortley Mon- tagu was born, was destroyed by fire; then the Duke of Kingston, an ancestor of Earl Manvers, built another, which was demol- ished to make room for the present building, a stately edifice in Elizabethan style. On our way to Edwinstowe, we left the car on. the high road and going in about a hundred yards through the forest visited the Major or Queen Oak, whose gnarled, weather-beaten trunk of vast proportions has witnessed possibly a thousand years. At the height of five feet it measures thirty feet in circumference; and its monster branches cover a straight line of two hun- dred and forty feet. It is most remarkable on account of the emptiness of the bole, it be- ing quite hollow to the height of fifteen feet, and its interior, which is gained through a fissure, affords standing room for several per- 1 143 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England sons. It is recorded by one historian that seven persons have breakfasted together within this space, and sixteen persons have been known to squeeze themselves within its wooden walls. The marks of many tem- pests are visible upon its time-worn frame. Edwinstowe traces its history back to the days when Edwin, King of Northum- bria, having been slain in battle at Hatfield in Yorkshire, was buried in Sherwood Forest, this incident giving it its name. From that village, we took the road past the Duke's Archway which stands in a grassy drive; it is almost an exact copy of the Priory Gate- way at Worksop and was built by the Duke of Portland in 1842. Two sides are used as dwellings and once the large upper room in the centre was used as a school. In the niches are figures of Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Richard First, Friar Tuck, and Alan-a-Dale. The Parliament Oak is near here, and is one of the oldest trees in the Forest. There is a tradition that Edward First held a par- liament under its branches in 1290; King John is also said to have summoned a coun- cil of Barons there. [144] A Motor Tour Through France and England After leaving this we passed through the Birklands, a portion of the Forest belonging to the Duke of Portland, which owes its name to its birches, though there are many gnarled and knotted oaks and mighty beeches too. Near there is Rufford Abbey, the seat of Lord Saville. It is sometimes shown to travellers, but the King was a guest to-day, having come for the races which are taking place at Doncaster, so the house was closed to us. Rufford, called "Rumforde" by the Nor- mans, passed from them to Gilbert de Gaunt, nephew of William the Conqueror. Then the Earl of Lincoln, his eldest son, made the place the site of a Cistercian Monastery. At the Dissolution, it was given to the Earl of Shrewsbury, the father of the last hus- band of "Bess." Here it was that she brought about the marriage of her daughter Elizabeth with the brother of Darnley, hus- band of Mary Stuart. The unfortunate Ar- abella Stuart was the offspring of this union. Over the Clips tone road we returned to Mansfield to spend another night at the charming little hostelry there. [145] A Motor Tour Through France and England IV THE BYRON COUNTRY, HADDON HALL, SHEF- FIELD AND LEEDS September yth. Regretfully we left the Swan, and continued our way to Newstead Abbey, the ancient home of Lord Byron. This Abbey was one of the houses erected by Henry Second in expiation of the mur- der of Thomas a Becket, and dedicated to God and the Virgin Mary. At the Dis- solution it was granted by Henry Eighth to Sir John Byron who made it his favorite res- dence. He destroyed little of the old fabric, except the church; this he dismantled and it has since been allowed to fall into pictur- esque ruin. Before the monks yielded pos- session of the Abbey they collected their most valuable charters, hid them in the lec- tern and threw that in the adjoining lake; where it was found a century and a quarter ago, but their ornaments of gold and silver supposed to have been put in chests and disposed of in the same way, have never been discovered. [146] A Motor Tour Through France and England Under the Byrons, Newstead was fre- quently the scene of revelry and was some- times visited by royalty. They were a sol- dierly race and ardent partisans of Charles First, who enobled Sir John Byron. Lord Byron's immediate predecessor to the title, his grand-uncle, was known as **The wicked Lord Byron" and was ostra- cised by society after killing Mr. Chaworth in a duel at Annesley Hall. He afterward retired to lead a secluded and miserable life at Newstead. His wife and children and servants suffered from his animosity, and to spite his sons he allowed the Abbey to fall into decay and cut down all the beauti- ful majestic oaks he could, this work of de- struction being finally stopped by an injunc- tion obtained by the heir. He outlived his sons, so the estate descended to Lord Byron, of literary fame, to whom he contemptu- ously referred as, "the little lame brat at Aberdeen." After completing his education at Cam- bridge, Byron settled at Newstead, where his conduct was most eccentric. He sur- rounded himself with hare-brained compan- ions and, with them, gained unenviable [147] A Motor Tour Through France and England fame for his lawlessness. He was greatly attached to the place, however, and upon being urged to sell it when pressed for money replied, "Newstead and I stand or fall together, — I have fixed my heart upon it and no pressure present or future shall induce me to barter the last vestige of our inheritance." But later he was obliged to do so, though it grieved him deeply to part with his home. An old Harrow school friend. Colonel Wildman, bought it; later it was purchased by W. F. Webb, Esq., who finished the restoration begun by Colonel Wildman, and was succeeded by his daugh- ter and her husband. General Sir H. Cherm- side. Many events had happened to Lord By- ron before parting with his home. He had written magnificent poetry, waking one morning to find himself famous; he had travelled and made an unhappy marriage; he had taken his seat in the House of Lords, and he had been alternately the pet and the horror of the beau monde. After selling the Abbey he never returned to England, but lived on the continent, continuing his writ- ing, and died assisting the Greeks to obtain [148] A Motor Tour Through France and England their independence. His body was brought home by his valet and buried in Hucknall Torkard church. The ruins of the Abbey church are a beau- tiful example of Early English architecture. In the words of Byron it is "a glorious rem- nant of the Gothic pile," having in its cen- tre a large window: — " Shorn of Its glass of thousand colorings Through which the deepened glories once could enter Streaming oif from the sun like seraph's wings." In the centre below this is the grand portal from which the doors have long since been shed. The entrance to the house is gained through the old crypt, which has a low groined ceiling supported by pillars and on the floor and walls are many trophies of the chase gathered in various parts of the globe. Adjoining this is the parlor of the Monks. The grand staircase leads to the library, a long narrow room extending almost the whole length of the north side. Its oak panellings are decorated with various por- traits, including one of Sir John Byron "of the great beard," to whom the Abbey was [149I A Motor Tour Through France and England given by the eighth Henry. There is a fine collection of books, ancient and modern, and the other notable contents of the apart- ment comprise three stained glass windows, relics of the old building, a noble marble chimney-piece heavily carved with grapes, and an ebony chair which belonged to Henry the Eighth. The Monk's Dormitory now does duty as a grand drawing-room, its arched and richly decorated ceiling with its massive oak frame work dates from 1635. The pic- tures include the famous portrait of Byron painted by Philips, the refined features wearing a melancholy expression and a spir- ituality which the poet probably did not possess. Rich and rare cabinets are a fea- ture of this room, one beautiful specimen is of ebony inlaid with ivory of old Milanese work; another with innumerable little draw- ers is of ebony and tortoise-shell; another is of ebony and silver; and still another, old Italian in richly carved gilt. There is also a beautiful ivory chair inlaid with gold, once the property of Warren Hastings, who re- ceived it from Tippo Sahib. In the south corner are the interesting [150] A Motor Tour Through France and England relics of the poet; among them are his box- ing gloves, single sticks, ink-stand, candle- sticks, a copy of his first volume of poems and the penholder he used when writing "Childe Harold." These are displayed on a small circular table, on which Byron wrote "EngHsh Bards and Scotch Review- ers." Upon it too, during his final stay in England, Livingstone penned his last book, "The Zambesi and Its Tributaries." He was a personal friend of Mr. Webb's, and care- fully preserved there is the hat that Living- stone wore during his last travels, together with other relics of the great explorer. There are also the cap and jacket worn by Byron in Greece, his sword stick, helmet and sa- bretache, — all relics of the campaign in which he lost his life, — and the fragment of tree upon which the poet carved his own and his sister's name on the occasion of his last visit to Newstead. The refectory is now used as the dining- hall; it is panelled in oak said to be from one tree which grew in Hardwick Park. The Abbot's dining-room, Byron used for the same purpose, and the table and wine cool- ers are those of the poet-lord. [151I A Motor Tour Through France and England A winding staircase, on which is a stained glass window seven hundred years old, leads to the rooms used by Byron. These are jealously preserved in their olden state, so that they are seen very much as they were in his day. There are three rooms, the bed- room, the dressing-room, and the Monk's or Haunted Chamber. Upon the walls of the dressing-room are portraits of the poet's faithful retainer, "Old John Murray," and his pugilistic friend, "Gentleman Jackson," with views of Oxford, Cambridge and Har- row. A gilded four-poster surmounted with coronets, his dressing table with all the toi- let articles he so frequently used, the chairs he sat upon and the pictures he loved are in the sleeping-room. The third room was for his valet, but before that was the Monk's Infirmary, and as it looked into the church, enabled the invalid to hear the service said below. This apartment is supposed to be haunted by the ghost of a monk, whose duty it was to wreak vengeance upon successive generations of Byrons holding the property. Lord Byron asserted that he had seen the ghost on several occasions and alludes to it in one of his poems : — [152] A Motor Tour Through France and England *'A monk remained, unchased, unchained, And he did not seem formed of clay, For he's seen in the porch, and he's seen in the church Though he is not seen by day. *'By the marriage-bed of their lords, 'tis said He flits on the bridal eve: And 'tis held as faith, to their bed of death He comes, but not to grieve. "When an heir is born, he's heard to mourn; And when aught is to befall The ancient line, in the pale moonshine, He walks from hall to hall." The cloisters resemble those at Westmin* ster Abbey, on a smaller scale and in the centre of the quadrangle is an ancient foun- tain whose stream has sparkled hundreds of years. Near it is a subterranean passage used as a bath by Byron, who was obliged to light it with lamps or candles. Tradition says it was used by the monks as a lavatory in which to wash their dead brethren. The present chapel is the Chapter House of mon- astic times. In Byron's day it was sadly neglected; but he was even then able to de- scribe it as: — "An exquisite small chapel had been able, Still unimpaired, to decorate the scene." [ 153 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England Byron's oak is in the gardens, which were laid out by Le Notre and are after the style of Versailles and Hampton Court. "Boat- swain" is buried in the old church where the high altar formerly stood; the poet wished to be buried in the same spot, but when he sold the Abbey he knew his wish would never be fulfilled. His fine Newfoundland dog was his constant companion; unfortunately he was seized with madness, but Byron was so ignorant of the nature of the dog's malady that he continued to fondle him and even wiped away with his own hand the foaming saliva from the animal's mouth, but to his master's great grief, the attack proved fatal. Over his grave Byron erected a marble mon- ument bearing the following inscription : — ''Near this spot are deposited the remains of one who possessed beauty without vanity, strength without indolence, courage with- out ferocity, and all the virtues of man with- out his vices." This praise which would be unmeaning flattery if inscribed over human ashes, is but a just tribute to the memory of Boatswain, a dog, who was born at New- foundland, May 1803, and died at Newstead Abbey, November i8th, 1808." [154] A Motor Tour Through France and England With deep feeling we approached the high altar in Hucknall Torkard church. The poet's grave is marked by a marble slab sent by the King of Greece in recogni- tion of Byron's services. The inscription is, ^' Byron, born Jan. 22nd., 1788; died April 19th, 1824." Upon the south wall of the chancel is a plain mural tablet bearing the inscription : — "In the vault beneath, where many of his ancestors and his mother are buried, lie the remains of George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron of Rochdale, in the county of Lancaster, the author of 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.' He was born in London on the 22nd of January, 1788. He died at Mis- solonghi, in Western Greece, on the 19th of April, 1824, engaged in the glorious attempt to restore to the country her ancient free- dom and renown." Beside it is the memorial tablet of the poet's only daughter Ada Augusta, "sole daughter of my house and heart." In the vestry is a panel in memory of Byron, and in the wall near by his grave is a marble pro- file medallion of the poet's visage, the gift of an admirer. [155] A Motor Tour Through France and England A short drive to the southwest took us to Annesley Hall, which nestles amid trees by the side of a beautiful lake. This hall is the old home of the Chaworth family, one of whom was killed in that infamous duel in the dark, by the grand-uncle of Lord Byron, from whom he inherited the title. It was Mary Chaworth with whom Byron fell deeply in love in his fifteenth year. She was a distant relative, consequently he spent much time at Annesley Hall; his love was not reciprocated, but with Byron it was a consuming passion which he enslirined in his poem "The Dream." After her marriage to Mr. Musters of Colwick Hall, Byron saw her and her child and, needless to say, was much affected by the sight. The poem, "Well! Thou Art Happy" has reference to the meeting and describes the feelings which it excited in the poet's breast. Its conclud- ing lines breathes his despair: — "Away! away! my early dream, Remembrance never must awake: Ohl where is Lethe's fabled stream? My foolish heart, be still, or break." Through Alfreton and Ripley we entered the Derbyshire country. Our way led [156] A Motor Tour Through France and England through the several Matlocks which extend along the Derwent in the romantic gorge which that water forms. All around us were the rocks and mountains; on the east side of the river the High Tor, an abrupt lime- stone rock rising four hundred feet above the river, and on the west side, the Heights of Abraham. Petrifying wells are numerous and there are delightful walks on both banks of Derwent River. At Rowsley, we lunched at the Peacock Inn, a quaint place with the sweetest old fashioned gardens. We took a peep in the bedrooms with their low raf- tered ceilings, delightfully furnished in an- tique mahogany with chintz coverings and hangings and diamond paned latticed win- dows. From there we went to Haddon Hall. It is picturesquely situated on a slope rising from the river Wye, and is an almost ideal specimen of an old English baronial man- sion. Though unoccupied it is in a fair state of preservation. Once the property of the Arundel family, Haddon in the twelfth cen- tury came into the hands of the Vernons, remaining in the family four hundred years. By the marriage of Dorothy Vernon it [157] A Motor Tour Through France and England passed to the Rutland family who are the present owners, but live at Belvoir (pro- nounced Beever). Leaving the main road, we crossed the river by a quaint old bridge weathered into a delightful harmony of greys and greens, and drove up to the Lodge of the custodian, whose little garden has yew trees clipped in the shape of the Vernon and Manners crests (the boar's head and the peacock). Climbing the slope, we entered the gate of the Norman Tower, and ascending a few steps were in the spacious courtyard where brightly colored flowers leaned their heads against the weather-beaten stone walls. The Chapel, which is the most interest- ing portion of the building, is situated at the southwest corner of the yard and is entered through a Gothic porch. It is of Norman date and consists of chancel, nave and side aisles. The east window contains some good fifteenth century glass which was put there by Richard Vernon and his wife Benedicta in 1427. The remains of the original bur- nished gilt ornamentations of the family pews, pulpit and reading desk are still visi- ible on the mouldings. The Vernon arms [158] A Motor Tour Through France and England carved In a fret on the old vestment chest, the Norman font attached by a plinth to one of the pillars, the old oak pews and gal- lery and the squint in the southwest angle of the church, from which a view of the church could be obtained without the spec- tator being seen, were pointed out to us by the daughter of the custodian. The plain simple roof of open timber appears to have been repaired or restored in 1624, as one of the beams bears that date carved upon it. Crossing the courtyard to the porch of the great hall, over the door of which are two shields bearing the arms of Vernon and Pembrugge, and within the portal, a Roman altar, found in the grounds some centuries ago, we entered the passage leading to the upper courtyard. On the left side of the passage is the buttery, and adjoining it is a vaulted apartment, probably once an ale cellar. From there a long dark passage leads to the kitchen, containing two immense fire-places, with irons for a great number of spits, and other cooking requisites, the huge chopping block is in the centre of the room, and dressers are placed about the walls. A large table with hollow places was used for 1 159] A Motor Tour Through France and England kneading troughs. Adjacent are the scul- leries, larders and wine cellars. The banqueting hall is one of the most interesting and best preserved specimens of the kind in existence; the hall seems in readiness for the reception of guests; the minstrel gallery seems to await the arrival of the musicians; the raised dais, opposite the old oak screen, decorated with stag's heads and antlers, seems prepared for the lord of the hall and his guests, for the same massive oak table stands there as in by- gone days. Two or three decayed pictures still hang on the walls, and to the screen is affixed a curious relic of an old baronial cus- tom, — a strong handcuff, in which the wrist was confined of any recreant who refused to drink the orthodox quantity of liquor. His hand was held high above his head and his companions poured the rejected liquor down the sleeve of his doublet. Opening from the banquet hall is the dining-room; richly ornamented panellings cover the walls surmounted by a cornice of carved wood work, the upper panels being adorned with shields bearing the arms of the Manners and Vernons, the peacock and [i6o] A Motor Tour Through France and England boar's head divided by the rose, shamrock and thistle. A panel over the fire-place bears the Royal Arms and those of the Vernons, with the motto : — Drede God and Honour the Kyng. A recess near the entrance, with an oriel window looking into the garden, contains portraits on its panels of Henry Eighth, whose son. Prince Arthur, occasionally re- sided there, and his Queen, Elizabeth of York, and the grotesque head with cap and bells, carved near these, is supposed to be that of Will Somers, the jester. An ancient copper wine cooler is also in this room. The ceiling is divided by beams into bays which were formerly enriched by paintings, as traces of the latter are still visible. Immediately over this room is the draw- ing-room, where, if the ladies of the ancient days could return, they would see the origi- nal arras and frieze. The panelled walls are hung with the faded tapestry, and around the ceiling is an ornamental cornice of stucco. Near the entrance is an ancient chair, the old brass fire-dogs are still there and the pan- els in the window recess possess portions of [161I A Motor Tour Through France and England their original green and gold decorations. A door at the upper end leads to the Earl's dressing-room and bed-chamber, the faded arras on the walls represent sporting sub- jects. Adjoining the bed-chamber is a small apartment, which is said to be the valet's room, but from the ornamental character of its decorations was more probably "my lady's." In this room, communicating by a narrow flight of stairs with the leads above the chapel, is a doorway concealed by the tapestry. The ball-room or grand gallery is the most splendid apartment at Haddon, occupying the greater portion of the south side of the mansion. It is wainscoted with oak and or- namented with Corinthian pilasters; on the frieze are carved boars' heads and peacocks alternating with roses and thistles. The windows lighting the three deep bays con- tain some well executed specimens of stained glass; on one is pictured the arms of the Manners and Vernons impaled and sur- rounded by a garter; the centre window has the Royal Arms of England surmounted by a crown, and the third has the arms of Shrewsbury and Manners. In a glass case [162] A Motor Tour Through France and England at the far end of the room is preserved the death mask of Lady Grace Manners who died at the age of ninety years. The anteroom leading from here contains a number of old paintings, among which are portraits of Queen Elizabeth, the first Charles, Prince Rupert and Eugene of Sa- voy. This room connects with the state bed- room; the large bay window of which over- looks the upper courtyard. The room with its lofty walls is hung with Gobelin tapestry picturing scenes from iEsop's Fables. The state bed, still preserved in a dilapidated condition, is hung with dark velvet lined with white satin, the embroidery of which can still be traced. George Fourth is sup- posed to have slept in this bed, which was moved to Belvoir for the purpose. This bed, an old fashioned dressing table, and large mirror are said to have been used by Queen Elizabeth when she visited Haddon Hall. At the foot of the bed stands an old oak cradle in which the infant members of the Manners family w^ere rocked. An old spinet and some antique chairs are the only other furniture there. Behind the tapestry is a door leading in [163] A Motor Tour Through France and England to the ancient state room, one of the oldest rooms at Haddon and remarkable for its total absence of decoration. The floors are of plaster, much worn, and the narrow win- dow and doorways are of extremely primi- tive workmanship, giving the apartment a most gloomy appearance. A short passage leads from this room to the circular flight of narrow steps of Peveril's Tower, which oc- cupies the northeast angle of the building. The view from the summit is magnificent; beneath are the spacious courts and em- battled parapets of the Hall, its terraced gardens and majestic woods encompassing it. To the north is the valley of the Wye and the lovely dale of the Lathkill and the towns of Bakewell, Monsaldale and Cresswell. In the opposite direction the view is equally grand and impressive, whilst in the imme- diate foreground is a succession of forests and meadows and behind them the lofty range of the peak, the dark hues of the far off moorlands serving to enhance the rich beauty of the nearer landscape. Retracing our steps to the anteroom ad- joining the ball-room we passed through Dorothy Vernon's doorway and descended [164] A Motor Tour Through France and England the few steps to the terrace garden, planted with yew and holly. It was by this doorway that Dorothy Vernon is fondly supposed to have fled in order to elope with Sir John Manners during the festivities attending the marriage of her sister to Sir Thomas Stanley, son of the Earl of Derby. At mid- night while the dancing was proceeding mer- rily Dorothy made an excuse to her partner, left the ball-room, opened the stoutly barred door of the antechamber and fled down the steps, along by the sombre stately yews down the hill to the bridge, where John Manners was waiting with a fleet horse. They jour- neyed all night and next morning reached Aylston in Leicestershire, where they were married. In this way the Haddon and Der- byshire estates were brought into the Man- ners family. The disapproval of the match by the family of Dorothy was due to the dif- ference in religion. A flight of steps at one end of the garden leads to the avenue of lime and cedar trees, which is known as Dorothy Vernon's walk, the popular tradition being that it was a favorite promenade of that celebrated lady. Another broad flight of steps from an open [ 165 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England balustrade on the north side of the terrace leads to the principal garden, the sides of which are laid out in pastures bordered with box and yew and the centre occupied by two grass plots separated by a gravelled walk. Rounding the lower end of the building we passed through a wicket-gate close to where we had entered the Hall, and noticed over the entrance the sculptured shields on which are the armourial bearings of the Vernons and their alliances. Along the peaceful Wye we drove to Bake- well, and in the church dedicated to All Saints, visited the Vernon Chapel, in the centre of which is a fine altar-tomb, an ex- tremely beautiful example of the highly dec- orated monuments of that period. This is dedicated to the memory of Sir George Ver- non, "The King of the Peak," who died in 1561, and his two wives, Margaret and Maude. The monument of Dorothy and her husband stands at the north end of the chapeL It is large and imposing looking and highly ornamented with the arms of the families of the deceased. Beneath a semi- circular arch are their kneeling figures facing each other. Sir John in plate armour and Dor- fi661 A Motor Tour Through France and England othy in close fitting dress and with cap and ruff, while beneath are the four figures of their children. At the north end of the chapel is a sumptuous monument erected to Sir George and his wife with effigies of them- selves and their children. There are many more interesting tombs to the dead in the church, and some beautiful memorial win- dows. The church itself is like most of the English churches, the style varied, Norman in one place, Early English and Decorated in another, with examples of still later peri- ods. In the churchyard, near the wall of the Vernon chapel, is a Runic cross, said to be one of the finest in Great Britain. It is, exclusive of the pedestal, about eight feet in height and is supposed to be at least one thousand years old. The sculptures upon it illustrate the life, death, burial, resurrec- tion and ascension of the Redeemer. Bakewell is the centre of the highlands of England, the district abounding for miles around in wild and romantic scenery. The Duke of Rutland rebuilt the baths on the site of the former ancient ones and they are enclosed in a garden near the centre of the town. Many of the houses are of Eliza- [167] A Motor Tour Through France and England bethan architecture, giving a quaint aspect to the place. Across the ancient bridge, with its five pointed arched and angular but- tresses, we sped on to Chesterfield, a busy manufacturing town. Chatsworth House is just now closed to the public, as the present Duke of Devonshire is repairing it in order to render it more habitable for himself and family. The curious twist of the spire of the parish church at Chesterfield is probably due to the warping of the wood work below the leaden casing, but local legend ascribes it to the devil. George Stephenson, the perfecter of the locomotive, is buried in Trinity church, and there is a Stephenson Memorial Hall containing an engineering museum and li- brary. Our way from Chesterfield to Sheffield lay through thickly wooded hills and leafy val- leys, and in the heart of this beauty was the town, clouding the sky with the smoke from her huge chimneys, thousands in number, suggesting an enormous volcano. Through the faint haze of smoke the dim outlines of the buildings could be discerned. Sheffield lies about ten miles north of Chesterfield in [i68] A Motor Tour Through France and England the West Riding of Yorkshire, at the con- fluence of the Don and Sheaf. It is unpre- possessing and smoke begrimed but pleas- antly situated at the east base of the hills forming the backbone of England. Horace Walpole described it as "one of the foulest towns of England in the most charming sit- uation." It early acquired a reputation for its blades, for the miller in "Canterbury Tales" is furnished with "a Sheffield thwytil bare he in his hose." It enjoys a world- wide reputation for its cutlery, files, steel and silver goods; also armour plate, guns and shells. The town itself is entirely given over to factories and business premises, while the residential suburbs spread up the slopes of the lovely hills on every side. The only in- teresting public building is Saint Peter's church which is prominently located in the heart of the town. In the Shrewsbury chapel there are the monuments of the Earls of Shrewsbury, including the gaoler of Mary Queen of Scots, who kept her confined for fourteen years, part of which time was spent in an old castle in Sheffield which, was demol- ished in the Civil War. South of Saint Pe- ter's is Cutler's Hall, in which is held the [169] A Motor Tour Through France and England annual Cutler's Feast the first Thursday In September. On leaving Sheffield we ran through a pass between the mountains of slag which sur- round this iron metropolis, then drove through a plain where the farmers were har- vesting their wheat, far and near. By many windings, our road eventually led us to Leeds, where we decided to spend the night. [ 170 1 A Motor Tour Through France and England V YORK MINSTER, BOLTON ABBEY AND WIN- DERMERE September 8th, Leeds is the great centre of the cloth industry, but not an interesting place. There was little to detain us for we did not care to visit the factories. There are many handsome modern buildings, and in City Square a spirited equestrian statue in bronze of the Black Prince, and statues of James Watt, John Harrison, Dean Hook and Doctor Priestly. The Town Hall is a large, ambitious, but somewhat begrimed structure in Paladian style, with a lofty clock-tower. In front of it are statues of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel and Queen Vic- toria. In the church of Saint John, the old- est in Leeds, the great screen is one of the finest Renaissance works of the kind in England; the church also contains its orig- inal oaken fittings. A cold windy ride we had to York, which we entered through Mickle Gate Bar, one of [171] A Motor Tour Through France and England the picturesque gates of the city walls of the most ancient metropolitan see in England. Of course, we went directly to the Cathe- dral, where we walked about in silent admi- ration of the beauties of that glorious fane. The most striking features of the exterior are the noble west facade, the Early English transepts, the imposing central tower, the Chapter House with its flying buttresses and the great east window. The nave, though much ornamented, has a simplicity peculiarly pleasing. The tri- forium is not a distinct division, but ap- pears part of the clerestory design; the roof is of timber, painted to resemble stone, and in original stained glass York Minster excels all other English Cathedrals, which adds greatly to the richness of the interior. The transepts with their clustered piers and pointed arcades are the oldest part of the existing structure. The beautiful lancet windows in the north transept are known as the "Five Sisters" and retain the original glazing of a peculiarly beautiful silvery green colouring. The verger told us the pat- tern for each window was made by one of five sisters, which recalled to our minds the [172] A Motor Tour Through France and England story told in Nicholas Nickleby by the grey haired gentleman travelling with Nicholas in the railway coach. The window in the east aisle of the tran- sept, reproducing an older one formerly in the same position, commemorates Sir Frank Lockwood. The monument to Archbishop Grey in the east aisle of the south transept is considered the best in the Cathedral, and the adjacent monument of Dean Duncombe by Boehm is also very fine. The rood-screen which separates the ma- jestic choir from the nave is most elaborate with rich tabernacle work and statues of English Kings. The choir was set on fire by a madman in 1829 and the timber vaulting of the roof and the stalls wxre destroyed, but have been restored. The altar-screen too is a reproduction of the old one. The great east window, which is second in size to that of Gloucester alone, retains its fine glazing. It is seventy-eight feet high and thirty-one feet wide and is entirely filled with glass, requiring an extra mullion. There are no less than one hundred and three win- dows in the Minster, most of them entirely filled with old mediaeval glass and very much [173] A Motor Tour Through France and England of the beauty in color of the Cathedral de- pends on the glowing and mellowed tints with which these windows are filled. The superb Flamboyant window at the west end of the center aisle measures over sixty-five feet high and twenty-five wide, and consists entirely of old glass except the faces of the figures. The marvellouslybeautiful Chapter House has seven windows of five lights, all of old glass. The east window has been clumsily restored by Willement. These windows are as thin as paper, but are protected by outer panes of plate glass. The Chapter House which is generally considered to be the most beautiful in England, is octagonal in form and has no central pillar. Each bay is oc- cupied by one of the exquisite windows with geometrical tracery, the mullions being broken up into slender shafts with capitals. Below the windows is an arcade famous for its richness and curiously beautiful design, consisting of a series of canopies, six to each bay, under each of which is a seat. The canopies are carved with unusual richness, having heads and figures and finials of oak leaves. At the top there is a cornice of [174] A Motor Tour Through France and England carved grapes and vine leaves. In grotesque- ness, fertility of invention, and perfect fitness as decoration this could hardly be surpassed. The roof is of wood painted to resemble stone, this being the modern decoration. Formerly, it was decorated with figures of kings and bishops and the bosses covered with silver. This and the floor tiling have an unfortunate effect, but it is hoped that some day the new glass, the tiles and the painted roof will all be removed. The crypt is most interesting, not only for its own sake, but for the light it throws on the history of the building of the Minster. There we see both Norman and Saxon re- mains, and beyond the walls of the former crypt are graves showing the limits of the walls of an earlier period, for undoubtedly the graves were in the churchyard. The Record Room, formerly a Chantry, founded by Archbishop Zouch, contains the fabric rolls and other documents concerning the building and constitution of the Min- ster. In the vestry is the famous horn of Adolphus. It is made out of an elephant's tusk and the wide end is ornamented with carvings which show a strong Eastern influ- [175] A Motor Tour Through France and England ence and was probably of Byzantine work- manship. It was given to the Minster by Alphus, son of Thorold, a short time prior to the Conquest. He placed it on the altar as a sign that he gave certain lands to the church. The horn was lost during the Civil War, but found by Lord Fairfax who re- turned it to the Cathedral. The vestry also contains the fine pastoral staff given by Catherine of Braganza to James Smyth, the Roman Bishop of Gallipolis, which was torn from him in the streets of York at the time of the deposititon of James Second. The streets leading to and from the Min- ster are narrow and filled with tiny houses of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, which overhang at their second stories and bulge outward or lean toward one another from the weakness of age. Stonegate and the Shambles are the quaintestof the streets, the latter a narrow cobble-stone lane only wide enough to permit the passing of one vehicle at a time. Half timbered houses line it on both sides, some of which have sagged so far that neighbors across the street may shake hands from one house to another. Doubtless the Shambles derived [176] A Motor Tour Through France and England its name from the butcher shops which oc- cupy many of the lower parts of the houses. After lunching we went to Saint Mary's Abbey, whose picturesque ruins are sur- rounded by gardens. In the museum of an- tiquities next the Abbey we saw the finest specimens of Roman remains we have met with outside of Italy. Floors of mosaic taken from villas constantly dug up around York, coffins of lead and stone uncovered by railway excavations, jars and vases, simple household utensils, and most wonderful of all is the mass of dark auburn hair kept in a special urn. It is supposed to be the hair of a Roman lady or British princess, dressed twenty centuries ago for the tomb and kept in place by pins of jet. No time remained for a walk about the city walls for we had to reach Bowness by night. Past Marston Moor, the scene of Cromwell's victory over the Royalists in 1644, we went to Knaresborough which possesses a Dropping Well of petrifying propensities, then continued on to Harrowgate among the Yorkshire moors. This is one of Eng- land's chief watering-places and is perhaps the most aristocratic of all English spas. [177] A Motor Tour Through France and England The wells and springs are of sulphur and chalybeate. On we sped through Skipton, supposed to be the birthplace of " Fair Rosa- mund " mistress of the second Henry, though Clifford Castle on the river Wye also claims that distinction. At Bolton Abbey we paused to visit the poetically beautiful ruins which lie at the foot of the most picturesque part of Wharfe- dale, the finest of the Yorkshire dales and one of the most beautiful valleys in Eng- land. The Abbey, which is situated on the bank of the Wharfe, is an Augustine foun- dation of the twelfth century. The chief part of this not extensive ruin is the church which has been restored and used for service. At the end of the single aisle is the Maule- verer Chantry, in the vault below which the Mauleverers and Claphams are said to be interred in an upright position, a tradition referred to by Wordsworth in " The White Doe of Rylstone." The gallery on the south side of the church where the monks walked or heard the services is still intact. At the Devonshire Arms we stopped for tea, then rushed on to Bowness, wishing we had been able to make a short detour to the [178] The Shambles, York A Motor Tour Through France and England south where lies Haworth, the home of the Brontes. At the attractive little village of Kirkby Lonsdale we stopped for petrol. In the transparent sky the sun was about to set, bathing the air in a delicate daffodil light, just tinged with lilac and enhancing the country which is attractively varied, with its mountain fells and valley and the lovely stretches of the river Lune both above and below the village whose mountain sides were clad in purple heather. Before we reached Kendal the lamps were lighted and the heavens studded with stars. Kendal Castle stood tantalizingly outlined for there was no moon to show its beauties. Here was born Catherine Parr, the last wife of Henry the Eighth. Cold and weary we reached Bowness. Again a telegram had provided for the dainty supper and hot drinks which awaited us and the cheerful fires which blazed in our cozy little rooms. 179 A Motor Tour Through France and England VI IN THE LAKELAND September gth. The road from Winder- mere to Ambleside is one of the finest in the lake district. After passing the Sun Inn, the lake comes into view with its incompa- rable mountain surroundings. The housesof the town are irregularly built and command views of great beauty in all directions. In Saint Mary's church at Ambleside is a stained glass window in memory of Words- worth which was presented by English and American admirers. Another window is in memory of Matthew Arnold. The literary associations of Ambleside are many and in- teresting. The memory of Harriet Mar- tineau is indelibly linked with this village where her home, The Knoll, still forms a pleasing feature of the valley to the left of Grasmere road. There she wrote her famous *' Complete Guide to the English Lakes." George Eliot visited Miss Martineau at The [i8o] A Motor Tour Through France and England Knoll in October, 1852, and in a letter to a friend, dated the 22nd of that month she wrote : "Harriet Martineau called on Mon- day . . . Very kind and cordial. I honor her for her powers and industry and should be glad to think highly of her. I have no doubt that she is fascinating when there is time to talk." Emerson also visited Harriet Martineau in 1855, afterwards giving an account of his interview with Wordsworth in "English Traits." About a mile to the north of Ambleside is Rydal. Its literary associations cluster chiefly around Rydal Mount, the later home of Wordsworth. The house is a modest dwelling of sober hue, mantled with roses, jessamine, ivy and Virginia creeper. Here he died and a few days later his remains, followed by a large concourse of people, were laid in state near those of his children in Grasmere churchyard. All the road out of Ambleside is strewn with reminiscences of the poet and his friends and other celeb- rities. There is Nab Cottage where Hartley Coleridge lived and died, also Fox How, the [181] A Motor Tour Through France and England residence of Doctor Arnold, — a spot sacred to the Rugbeians. Rydal Water is one of the smallest but also one of the most attractive of the lakes. On the Keswick side of Rydal village is a low rock called Wordsworth's Seat, the top of which is reached by a few steps. A short distance towards Grasmere and close to the shore, a neat roadside cottage attracts at- tention; this is the Nab where De Quincey resided for some time, ultimately marrying the daughter of old Simpson the former occupant of the cottage, with whom he lodged. Later the cottage was occupied by Hartley Coleridge who died there and is buried in Grasmere churchyard. The charming little lake of Grasmere is considered by some the prettiest in Lake- land. At Dove Cottage Wordsworth resided and it still presents the same appearance. It was here Wordsworth and his sister had De Quincey as a guest, and from the latter, who himself afterwards lived in Dove Cot- tage, we have a number of reminiscences of the days by Grasmere. The relics within include an entire set of the first editions of Wordsworth's poems, some of his manu- [182] A Motor Tour Through France and England scripts, a large number of portraits of him- self and family and many of his friends. The furniture is just as it was in the days when Wordsworth was there. Back of the house is the garden which the poet made by clearing away some of the trees. Flag- stones in the grass lead to the summit of a hill where a beautiful view of the lake is obtained. In the church at Grasmere is a marble tablet to Wordsworth, the epitaph on which was written by the author of the "Christian Year." The churchyard is more sought after for there the poet lies at rest with the other members of his family and at no great distance from him Coleridge's son is buried. Here, as in Ambleside an ancient custom is observed in summer. Before the aisles in the church were covered with matting and the pews with carpet, rushes were used for keeping the feet from the cold floor. Every summer a gathering of rushes was made for the purpose and they were borne with pleas- ing ceremony to the church. The necessity for rushes has ceased but rush-bearing is still an important annual festival. Garlands are borne by children in procession to the [183] A Motor Tour Through France and England church, and a short service held for which a beautiful hymn was written by Owen Lloyd. As soon as we leave the village of Gras- mere we commence the steep ascent of Dun- mail Raisewhich looks down upon Grasmere. The boundary of the Counties of Cumber- land and Westmoreland on the summit of the pass, a short distance beyond the stream is marked by the cairn "heaped over brave King Dunmail's bones." Legend declares that at this spot the wandering king fell in with a ghost whose appearance was much in her favor. He entered into a certain bar- gain with her, pledging his word and she bestowed upon him a ring, taking as a guar- antee of good faith the king's neck ornament. The king unfortunately on a subsequent oc- casion suffered himself to make more or less questionable proposals to a beautiful damsel whom he had rescued, and as a result of his faithlessness was defeated by aid of the wronged fairy's relations. Surprised by the Saxons near the Castle or fort of Helvellyn, he fell fighting and it is said that on snowy nights the phantom of the king may be seen pursuing a spectral maiden who, when he [184] A Motor Tour Through France and England has her almost within his grasp, vanishes in a snow wreath. From the brow of the pass there is a magnificent view of the hilltops and vales. The rugged rocks of the summit of Helm Crag assume a variety of shapes, according to the position from which one views them. The most familiar of these is the Crouching Lion which in due course as- sumes the shape of the Old Woman at the Organ. Crossing the boundary into Cumberland we reached Wythburn, the favourite starting point of those wishing to ascend Helvellyn. Following the road along the lake of Thirl- mere there is a fine view of the Armboth Rocks, beautiful from their irregularity, River and Fisher Crags among them. As we proceeded we had a splendid view of the peaceful Vale of Saint John, including the majestic background of Saddleback and far- ther along, a glimpse of Skiddaw. About half a mile before reaching Keswick we drove to the top of Castlerigg Brow, where one of the richest of landscapes is unfolded. Dipping down a steep hill and passing the old toll-house we entered Keswick. It is a large prosperous market town on [185] A Motor Tour Through France and England the banks of the river Greta, close to the northern shore of Derwentwater, the most picturesque lake in England. In the Parish church of Crosthwaite, a half mile from the town, is a handsome monument to Southey (erected by subscription). It is a full length recumbent figure in white marble on a base of Caen stone and in the churchyard is his grave. Greta Hall, in which Coleridge lived be- fore Southey occupied it from 1083 to 1843, stands on a low hill at the northern ex- tremity of the town. Shelley too, when obliged to quit Oxford, went to Keswick with his child-wife, and lived under the protection of the Duke of Norfolk. The High and Low Parks are attractive features of the town and are situated on the north bank of the river. The Lodge at the gate of the Low Park is a museum contain- ing many original manuscripts, including the original John Peel. The great wild dog of Ennerdale, a desperate sheep-killing character is also preserved there. Derwentwater, the "Queen of the Lakes" is almost three miles long. Its compact form enables it to be taken in at one view. [1861 A Motor Tour Through France and England The picturesque variety of the steep wooded crags and green hills rising from its bank and the grouping of its wooded islets is most beautiful. The largest islands are Derwent Isle and Saint Herbert's Isle. On the last is the ruined cell of a hermit of the seventh century. The "Floating Island" which ap- pears at intervals on the surface of the lake consists of a mass of weeds made buoyant by the escape of gas from the decayed vege- table matter. Over hill and dale we sped to Penrith, which is the junction for Northern Lakeland. The town is one of the oldest in the north and has an interesting history, having fig- ured prominently in all the wars between the Scots and the English. The town is overlooked by the ruins of a castle, supposed to have been built by the Nevilles. The Parish church has an old tower, the higher portion of which was built by Warwick the Kingmaker. It still displays the bear and ragged staff, the device of the Warwicks. Inside are the portraits (in stained glass) of the father and mother of Richard Third. Leaving the town behind us and cross- ing the bridge over the Eamont, we came [187] A Motor Tour Through France and England upon a field to the left in which is a curious relic known as King Arthur's Round Table, circular and about twenty yards in diameter, surrounded by a fosse and mound. It is be- lieved to have been a tilting-ground, or it may have been the scene of the oldest and most brutal of duels, the girdle-duel, when the combatants were strapped together and fought to death, after each had driven his knife into a block of wood, the portion not embedded was then wrapped around with a leather thong, the weapons were withdrawn and, of course, the stronger blow secured the longer blade. Ullswater Lake resembles the letter Z, and is composed of three unequal reaches lying amid majestic mountains. It is the lake which combines the greatest variety of attractions, portions of its banks possessing the sylvan beauty of Windermere, while the mountain masses at its head are scarcely inferior to those at Derwentwater. Through a leafy road where the glens grew deeper and fairy-er we finally emerged into Patterdale, a pleasant place with most attractive scenery. The church is dedi- cated to Saint Patrick, and on the high-road [i88] A Motor Tour Through France and England is the well of this Irish patron saint, said to have been used by him for baptismal pur- poses. From this side too one can ascend Helvellyn and other scrambles are those to the tops of Stybarrow Crag, Place Fell and Fairfield. From Patterdale we began the ascent of Kirkstone Pass, our good car proving the exception to the rhyme : "He surely is an arrant ass Who pays to drive up Kirkstone Pass You'll find, in spite of all their talking You've got to walk, and pay for walking." The lofty mountains on both sides are covered with fragments of rock, and little streams run wildly down the pass. Evidently there is some vegetation, for sheep and cows are browsing on the steep sides, looking like toys glued to the landscape. Soon we looked down on the heights of Patterdale and the Brothers ' Water, which lake is said to derive its name from the fact that on two separate occasions two brothers were drowned in it. The two lakelets in the east are Hayes Water and Angle Tarn, both well stocked with trout. After amusing ourselves with the marvellous repeating [189] A Motor Tour Through France and England echo from Kirkstone Top, we went on about a hundred yards to the small public house which is appropriately named the "Trav- ellers' Rest." From its front we revelled in the unending miles of mountain scenery, weird, wild and rugged. Looking south, Windermere appeared but a speck of glit- tering silvery mercury, dots of similar ap- pearance being the minor lakes at intervals along the way. From the Inn we descended a very steep road to Ambleside. The shadows were slanting far to the eastward as we drove into the town of Windermere, whose lake is the noblest sheet of water in England. It is over ten miles long and a mile in breadth, with fourteen pretty wooded islets dotting its surface, forming one of its most attrac- tive features. Its banks are beautifully wooded and enlivened with numerous tree and shrub embowered villas having beauti- ful gardens. The shops are all "smartly modern." Bowness is a labyrinth of small streets, containing numerous pretty dwellings. The ancient structure of Saint Martin's church has a beautiful east window, one of the [ 190] A Motor Tour Through France and England oldest in the kingdom, taken from Cartmell Priory. The principal amusements of Win- dermere and Bowness are yachting and boat- ing, and the craft include many electric launches. Tired and hungry we reached Storrs Hall, there to enjoy a good English dinner and later write our last letters before sailing. 1 191] A Motor Tour Through France and England VII FURNESS ABBEY, LEVENS HALL, LIVERPOOL AND CHESTER September loth. The sun streaming In our windows warned us to be up and on our way to Furness Abbey. We had a glorious view of the lake from the dining-room win- dows and much regretted having to leave this delightful spot. Through the private grounds and out of the south gate of Storrs Hall, we followed the shore of the lake of Windemere until we reached Newby Bridge, which place owes its name to the quaint old-world bridge which has five low arches of unequal size and sharply pointed but- tresses. The recesses, in which a pedestrian may take refuge when endangered by pass- ing vehicles, carry the imagination back to the times when locomotion was primitive. Following the river Leven to Ulverston, a considerable town having linen and cotton factories, we continued to Dalton, a pictur- esquely situated mining centre, interesting [192] A Motor Tour Through France and England as the birthplace of Romney, the portrait painter. His grave is in the churchyard marked by a plain stone inscribed "Pictor Celeberimus." A little farther on is the Gateway Chapel of Furness Abbey. Few ruins are more im- posing in their proportions, more charming in their situation, or more affecting in their decay, than the remains of the once noble Abbey of Saint Mary of Furness. It was founded in 1127 by Stephen, Earl of More- ton and Bologne, afterwards King of Eng- land. The Abbot always exercised vicere- gal power, had the assize of bread and ale throughout the district, Aldingham and Ul- verston excepted, the appointment of chief constable for the liberty, free chase through all the district and wrecks of sea on the coast, except in Aldingham. Many wealthy per- sons bestowxd lands and other gifts upon the monks ; Sir Michael le Fleming and Wil- liam of Lancaster being great benefactors to the Abbey as were the Kirkbys of Kirkby, Boughtons of Houghton, and Huddlestons of Millom. So large were the possessions of this establishment here and in other coun- ties, and to such an extent did its opulence [193] A Motor Tour Through France and England augment, that it was surpassed by no reli- gious house in the kingdom, except Foun- tains Abbey in Yorkshire. At present the Abbey belongs to the noble Cavendish family who take great interest in the preservation of the beautiful ruins. The church built as usual in the form of a cross possessed various subdivisions, and from the portions still visible an accurate idea of its proportions and limits can be gained. The western tower or belfry has immensely thick walls with buttresses; the splendid Perpendicular west window has splays dec- orated with the leaf-like ornaments of that period, while the staircase in the wall of the tower is in an excellent state of preserva- tion. The floors of the nave and aisles are grass covered; the transept walls are of their orig- inal height, and the bases of the screen which intersected the choir still remain. The external mouldings of the great chan- cel window are supported on each side by crowned heads, supposed to represent Ste- phen, the founder, and Maud, his wife. In the south wall of the chancel are the Sedilia, [ 194 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England a marvel of art In masonry executed in the most exquisite Decorated style. The beautiful Chapter House arrests at- tention at once, with its three richly moulded semi-circular arches, decorated with dog- tooth moulding. The middle archway is an open porch, with groined and vaulted roof and this forms the entrance to the four sided room whose vaulted roof, long fallen in, was supported by two rows of slender columns, the bases of all of them being intact. The rosy sandstone draped in ivy is the beauti- ful feature of this ruin. More decoration seems to have been lavished on this apart- ment and the chancel than on any other part of the edifice. The Refectory, Cloisters, Fratery and Great Hall are magnificent ruins. The lat- ter now serves as a repository for relics found among the ruins, included in which are many curious gargoyles, corbels, mould- ings, pieces of piping and other interesting remains. Retracing our way through Dalton, Ulver- ston and Newby Bridge, we dipped down over the river Gilpin. Crossing it, we found ourselves in front of Levens Hall the "Ban- [195] A Motor Tour Through France and England nisdale" of Mrs. Humphrey Ward's ''Hel- beck of Bannisdale." It is a picturesque pre-Elizabethan man- sion famous in historic annals, rich in rare ornate oak carving and in works of art by great masters. Through the postern gate we entered the "Topiary" garden equal in every respect to that of Hampton Court. In the noble park are luxuriant rows of stately and venerable beeches and oaks, long stretches of broad grass-clad avenues and shady foot-paths. The distinction this gar- den enjoys is largely due to the many quaint images cut in box and yew. Cones, cylinders, pyramids and arches are plentifully dotted about and there is a peacock, a lion and a row of chessmen, all shaped in the trimmest way in the green bushes. Through the park under the old ivy clad bridge, past the front of the hall, the river Kent winds onward in broad, rippling shal- lows, and calm deep pools to join the waters of Moorecambe Bay. At Lancaster we lunched. The Castle there still retaining its ancient keep with a turret known as "John of Gaunt's Chair," is now the gaol. Past neat farm-houses, their [196] A Motor Tour Through France and England lawns and gardens as well-kept as many of our suburban districts at home, we continued to Preston, an important cotton manufactur- ing town, and then drove into Liverpool. There we were fortunate enough to gain entrance to the Walker Art Gallery as it was Students' Day and the pictures could be inspected until six o'clock. "The Meeting of Dante and Beatrice" by Henry Holladay and the Rosetti painting of "Dante's Dream" are there and are poems in color. Besides the very good collection of modern paintings, the gallery contains the Roscoe Collection, which includes early Italian, Flemish and German paintings and many casts of Greek sculptures. Opposite the gallery is the Wellington monument, a col- umn one hundred and fifteen feet high. Down through the busy streets we made our way to the ferry and were conveyed across the Mersey to Birkenhead. At Port Sunlight the workmen were returning from the soap factory to their model little houses, each having a garden in front of it and clambering vines on its walls. The village resembles the pictures of "Spotless Town" with its well-kept dwellings. [197] A Motor Tour Through France and England The sun was falling rapidly against the west when we reached Chester and cast a soft glow on the buildings which are mostly built of rosy sandstone. We spent the night at The Queen and had the largest sleeping- room we had ever occupied in a hotel. 198 A Motor Tour Through France and England VIII THE GLADSTONE COUNTRY AND WALES September nth. Chester, the capital of Cheshire, is doubtless the most quaint and mediaeval town in England, every effort having been made to carry out modern im- provements in such a way as to interfere as little as possible with the characteristic features of the place. It still bears distinct traces of its origin in a Roman Castrum, and the older part is surrounded by walls, the walk around which forms the best intro- duction to the city. At the northeast angle is the Phoenix Tower, the most interesting of those still remaining, still bearing an inscription, recording that Charles First here witnessed the defeat of his troops on Rowton Moor. The Water Tower owes its name to the fact that ships used to be moored to it in the days when the tidal water of the Dee washed the walls of Ches- ter. Morgan's Mount has an ancient watch- [ 199 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England tower; the ruins of the Goblin Tower are now called Pemberton's Parlor. The Rows form the distinguishing archi- tectural feature of Chester. How they orig- inated is uncertain and various are the theories that have been advanced to account for them. They are continuous galleries or arcades occupying the place of the front rooms of the first floors of the houses lining the streets, the ceilings of the ground floor forming the foot-path, while the upper sto- ries form the roof. They are approached from the streets by a flight of steps and con- tain a second row of shops. Those in East- gate Row are the most attractive; the Water- gate Rows are less interesting, but the street contains the three finest specimens of the old timber-built houses, in the number of which Chester excels all other English cities. Here is God's Providence House, so called from the inscription it bears, which is said to be a grateful commemoration of immunity from the plague in the seventeenth century. Near it is Bishop Lloyd's house with richly carved and pargeted front. Farther along is Stanley House or Palace, the oldest timber house of importance in Chester, originally [ 200 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England the town house of the Earls of Derby. Its small rooms and beautifully carved staircases are well worth seeing. The Yacht Inn, where Dean Swift once lodged, is also in this street. It was there that he, annoyed that none of the Cathedral dignitaries responded to his invitation to sup with him, scutcheoned on a window-pane the following sharp couplet : "Rotten without and mouldering within This place and its clergy are neariy akin." The cathedral was formerly the church of a Benedictine Abbey, founded by Hugh Lupus, a nephew of William the Conqueror. Considerable remains of the Norman struc- ture still exist, but the principal portions were erected during the thirteenth, four- teenth and fifteenth centuries. It is almost entirely built of the red sandstone of the dis- trict. The roof of the nave is of panelled oak, its bosses being ornamented with coats of arms, mainly of persons connected with the city and its history. Fine mosaics are on the north wall and in the north aisle of the nave lies buried William Makepeace Thackeray. Between the nave and the choir is a screen [201] A Motor Tour Through France and England of elaborate wood-work; while over the stalls in the choir are some of the finest oak cano- pies in England. In the Lady Chapel on one side of the bosses is depicted the murder of Thomas a Becket. Two flags suspended at the west end of the south wall of the nave were present at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Cloisters on the north side of the Ca- thedral are in the style of the fifteenth cen- tury; they are much battered but most beautiful. The Chapter House and its vesti- bule are both fine specimens of Early English at its best. In the refectory is a fine reader's pulpit approached by a staircase built in the wall. Through Werburgh Street, a thorough- fare lined by modern buildings modelled af- ter ancient patterns, to Foregate Street, as far as Park Road, we followed a path to the church of Saint John the Baptist, finely sit- uated above the Dee. This church dates from the eleventh century and occupies the site of an earlier Saxon one. The present building, however, is a mere torso, consist- ing of little more than the nave of the orig- inal church. The choir and chancel, crushed by the falling of the centre tower in 1470, and [ 202 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England the west front, destroyed by a similar acci- dent a century later, are picturesque ruins adjoining the church. The interior is an excellent example of simple yet stately Norman architecture. The west window was presented about twenty years ago by the late Duke of West- minster. It illustrates the history of the city from the massacre of the monks of Ban- go r-is-y-coed in 613 to the restoration of episcopacy in 1660. On our way to the Gladstone Country we passed Chester Castle, originally built by the first Norman Earl of Chester. The build- ings are now used as a barracks, the Shire Hall, the Assize Court and the Gaol. At this castle William First spent some time after laying waste the northwestern coun- tries, and several of his successors lodged within its walls when engaged in expeditions against the Welsh, and it was the resting place for one night of Richard Second when on his way from Flint Castle to London to resign the crown. At Hawarden (pronounced Harden) is the Castle which was for many years the resi- dence of the late Right Hon. W. E. Glad- [203] A Motor Tour Through France and England stone. It is a handsome modern mansion, having the character of a castellated Gothic edifice of the thirteenth century; within the park are the ruins of a very ancient castle which appears to have been built by the Bretons, although at the time of the Norman Conquest it was a stronghold of the Saxons. The ruins consist mainly of a massive cir- cular keep and contain a chapel, the top of which commands a fine view of the Dee val- ley. In the Early English church at Hawarden is a most beautiful monument with eifigies of Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone in white marble; above their heads an angel stretches his wings, and between them rests a magnifi- cent crucifix. The light is shed in soft col- ours upon it from a window presented by grateful Armenians and there is also a memo- rial tablet to Mr. Gladstone. Adjoining the church is Saint Deiniol's Library, established by the late prime min- ister. Many of his own books are there now and the whole represents part of the national memorial of the great statesman. About two miles from Hawarden is Ewloe Castle situated in a thickly wooded dingle. [204] A Motor Tour Through France and England It is an interesting ruin, finely mantled in ivy. From there we passed through Mold, the neighbourhood of which abounds in min- eral wealth. Its handsome church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is of Gothic architec- ture of the time of the seventh Henry. Through the Vale of Clwyd, distinguished for its rich cultivation and tranquil beauty, we drove to Denbigh, the county town, which occupies a conspicuous situation near the centre of the Vale. It stands on a steep acclivity, crowned by the ruins of its noble castle, whence there is an extensive pros- pect of the vale, with the town of Ruthin on one hand and Saint Asaph on the other. The castle dating from the reign of Edward First was granted by Queen Elizabeth to Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who afterwards entertained the Virgin Queen there with great magnificence. The castle afforded shelter to the first Charles after the battle of Rowton. Dismantled at the Restoration it has been partly restored and the interior is now used as a recreation ground. The fine church of Saint Mary begun by the Earl of Leicester has replaced Old Saint Hilary's, now closed. Sir Henry M. Stanley [205] A Motor Tour Through France and England was born at Denbigh. While we were there a military funeral was taking place and the soldiers were lined up in front of the home of their dead comrade, waiting to pay their last tribute, that of bearing his corpse on a gun-carriage to the church and burial place^ there to sound a final ''taps." Flying to the north of the fertile Vale of Clwyd we entered Saint Asaph situated be- tween the rivers Eloy and Clwyd. The Cathedral, the smallest in the kingdom, is a Decorated building of the fifteenth century. Its exterior is most plain, the massive tower being the conspicuous feature. The interior has fine carved oak stalls, some good modern stained glass and a monument to Mrs. He- mans, the poetess, who, however, is buried in Dublin. About three miles north is Bodelwyd- dan Church, sometimes called The Marble Church, one of the richest specimens of ec- clesiastical architecture in Great Britain, and erected by the late Lady Margaret Wil- loughby de Broke in memory of her husband at a cost of about sixty thousand pounds. The graceful lofty spire attains a height of two hundred feet. [206] A Motor Tour Through France and England Still speeding toward the north we reached Abergele, a small market town and seaport, consisting chiefly of one wide irregular street. Although the houses are more than half a mile from the coast, the salubrity of the air and suitableness of the smooth and firm sand, render it a favourite resort for bathing. Between Abergele and the sea is the vil- lage of Pensarn, and going along another mile we saw Gwych Castle, owned by the Earl of Dundonald, a vast and imposing structure. Though picturesque in appear- ance it is somewhat incongruous in its style of architecture and, to a large extent, sham, the greater part of the structure being a mere shell, built for effect. At this castle Mrs. Hemans passed nine years of her life. We sped along the coast to Colwyn Bay, a flourishing watering-place. Below us the Irish Sea beat upon its sands in fury and tossed about the big ships steaming to and from all ports of the world. From there we dipped south to Conway, the ancient and picturesque little town on the left bank of the Conway River, still sur- rounded with walls coeval with the castle. This wall is a mile and a quarter in length [207] A Motor Tour Through France and England and twelve feet thick, fortified with twenty- one semi-circular towers and three Moorish looking gates, (a style of building intro- duced by the Crusaders on returning from the East.) The town contains some curious old tim- ber houses, one of which is especially worthy of notice, Plas Mawr, bearing the date 1585. It was built in the reign of Elizabeth and it is said that she and the Earl of Leicester once occupied it. The interior contains pan- elled rooms, fretted ceilings, old fire-places and quaint carvings. The Royal Cambrian Academy of Arts holds its annual exhibition there. Conway Castle is the most beautiful ruin in Wales, and is finely situated on a rock ris- ing above the river. It was built by the first Edward as a security against Welsh insur- rection in order to command the pass of Pen- maenmawr, which then, as now, formed the road to Snowden and Anglesey. When in its perfect state, it must have been one of the most magnificent fortresses in Britain. Its shape is an irregular oblong, the walls of which are strengthened by eight massive cir- cular towers. [208] A Motor Tour Through France and England Through a portcuUised gateway we en- tered the Great Court, to the right of which is the Banqueting Hall, with roof and floor gone, but the level of the latter may be traced by the fire-place. In the Queen's Tower is a beautiful oriel window known as Queen Eleanor's Oratory. The King's Tower opposite, has below it a dungeon. The white painted suspension bridge is the jarring note of this otherwise perfect ruin. This leads across the river to the Castle, and was built to obviate the inconvenience and hazard of the ferry. One of the most celebrated scenic portions of Wales is the valley of the Conway River. Through this we drove, passing Trefriw set amid wild and romantic scenery and Llan- rwst which is broad, rich and beautiful. At the former place is a church said to have been built by Llewellyn the Great, and a most picturesque waterfall. Llanrwst is a market town on the river, surrounded by much magnificent scenery. In the church, dedicated to Saint Mary, is a stone coffin of the great Llewellyn, said to have been brought from Maenan Abbey. Bettws-y-Coed or "the station in the [209] A Motor Tour Through France and England wood" is charmingly situated at the con- fluence of the rivers Conway and Llugwy in a basin surrounded with luxuriantly wooded cliflfs and hills. At the Royal Oak we had tea and were shown the sign-board painted by the late David Cox, A. R. A., for this hotel where it is still kept as an heirloom. The views at Bettws-y-Coed present features of quiet loveliness and grandeur, in which water, wood and hill commingle. We crossed the Llugwy by the Pont-y-Pair, a romantic structure of the fifteenth century having five lofty and upright arches covered with ivy, beneath which the foaming cur- rent rushes with the fury of a cataract and then, making a sudden bend, quietly sub- sides into the channel of the Conway. The Fairy Glen is a romantic little dell with a delightful combination of waterfalls, rocks and woods reached by walking down a rough lane. The impressiveness of this glen is ma- terially aided by its accessories, the union of beauty and grandeur in the surrounding scenery, the luxuriant wildness of the over- hanging trees, the dark solemn colours of the rocky walls and the forms of the rugged ba- sins which receive the water. [210] A Motor Tour Through France and England Through deep wooded valleys we twisted to Conover, and sped quickly from there to Llangollen, up steep hills with the river Dee fretting and foaming along its rock-strewn bed in the valley below us. [211] A Motor Tour Through France and England IX SHREWSBURY, WORCESTER, AND BROADWAY September I2th. Llangollen or the " Church of Saint Gollen" is a neat little town delight- fully situated on the river Dee in a hill- surrounded hollow. For some inscrutable reason the bridge which is almost opposite the rose garden of the Hand Hotel is reck- oned as one of the ''Seven Wonders of Wales." It is a simple structure with four irregular narrow-pointed arches. Half a mile south of the bridge is Plas Newydd, once the residence of the celebrated "Ladies of Llangollen." Both inside and out the house is decorated with wood carv- ings and contains a few relics, antique fur- niture, paintings, china and silver. The "Ladies" were two Irish damsels. Lady El- eanor Butler and the Hon. Sarah Ponsonby, who swore eternal friendship, devoted them- selves to a life of celibacy and, secretly leav- ing their homes, lived together for half a century at Llangollen with their faithful [212] A Motor Tour Through France and England servant, Mary Carryl, who lies buried be- neath the same stone with the "Ladies" in the churchyard of Llangollen. Leaving the valley of the Dee we bowled along to Oswestry, an interesting old town with a picturesque church tower. The men, women and children were chattering in Welsh, in all the villages. From there we dipped south to Shrews- bury, standing at the bend of the silvery Severn, which makes a horseshoe around the town. This very ancient town contains many half-timbered houses which have stood for centuries. A kinsman of William the Conqueror, Roger de Montgomery, was made Earl of Shrewsbury and built the Castle, the interior of which is now used as a private residence. On the opposite side of the street, a little short of the entrance to the Castle grounds, is a building which was formerly the Shrews- bury School, an institution claiming as pu- pils Sir Philip Sidney and Charles Darwin. Saint Mary's church contains beautiful glass, superior to any other Parish church in England, excepting Fairford-in-Glouces- tershire. In the Trinity Chapel is a tomb [213] A Motor Tour Through France and England containing a headless skeleton discovered beneath it many years ago, believed to be that of the Earl of Worcester. Saint Alk- mond's Church is said to have been founded by Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great. In the street of Wyle Cop are several old wooden buildings, one being "Ye Ancient House" in which King Henry Seventh slept en route to Bos worth Field, August, 1485. The picturesque Market Hall was built in 1596 and is one of the finest buildings of its kind. At one end is a statue of Richard, Duke of York, brought from the old Welsh bridge when that structure was replaced and in front of the Market is a statue of Lord Clive, a native of the county. This square contains two of the finest half-timbered man- sions in Shrewsbury. One was the town house of the Irelands of Albrighton; the other belonged to the Owen family and bears on its front the words, "Erected by Richard Owen the elder, gentleman, ano. dni. 1592." A slight detour took us to Butchers' Row which is one of the best specimens of Shrews- bury's ancient streets and is entered from Pride Hill under a wooden archway. As the day was Sunday we were unable [214] A Motor Tour Through France and England to purchase any "Shrewsbury cake" of which one reads in Ingoldsby's Bloudie Jacke: — "A Shrewsbury cake of Pailin's own make." Past the thatched cottages of Church Stretton, nestling at the feet of the Stretton Hills, we motored quickly to Ludlow, where are the ruins of the Castle, still magnificent in decay, which was formerly the seat of the Lords President of Wales. Here Milton wrote his "Comus" to celebrate the ap- pointment of the Earl of Bridgewater to the office of Lord Marcher and a great part of Butler's *' Hudibras " was also written within its walls. In this prettily situated town there are many old wooden houses and The Three Feathers Inn has a most exquisitely carved front. Its entrance door is studded with fifty iron studs and has two wrought iron hinges, the end of each being designed in a fleur-de-lys. There is an abundance of oak work in the hall, the plain oak staircase lead- ing to a large dining-room with a beautifully carved mantlepiece. The ceiling is a study after the Italian style, the moulding repre- senting roses, thistles, acorns and bunches of [215] A Motor Tour Through France and England grapes, with centre panel bearing the Royal Arms of James First. The original fire- place has over it a very fine carving in oak of the same royal gentleman's insignia (the Tudor rose, portcullis and feathers). Most of the rooms, including the dining-room, are panelled to the ceiling. At Hereford we had not time to enter the Cathedral, but hunted out the Raven Inn, supposed to be the birthplace of David Gar- rick. All about Hereford is characteristic English river scenery, and in every direction are lovely walks, the numerous small and comfortable inns making it a comparatively easy temptation to extend one's ramble in almost any direction. At Ledbury we lunched at "The Feathers Inn" a quaint timbered house having ivy- geranium filled window boxes. After our midday meal we had a glimpse of the Insti- tute which was opened in 1895 to commemo- rate Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who spent her girlhood at Hope End, in the vicinity. About five miles north of Ledbury lies Malvern and by way of the Malvern Hills we reached this inland health resort, con- sisting mainly of villas, hotels and hydro^ [216] A Motor Tour Through France and England pathic establishments. The Priory Church was founded in the eleventh century and has a tower apparently modelled on that of Gloucester Cathedral. Saint Anne's Chapel, the ancient encaustic tiles, the fine fifteenth century stained glass windows, the miserere carvings, the mosaic in the reredos and some of the ancient monuments are all interesting. All along the road we met the country people who had gathered in the village to pick the hops. They were gaily dressed in their "Sunday best," the brightly colored ribbons of the girls fluttering against the stiflfly dressed attentive swains and the chil- dren in their red frocks looked like flowers standing among the grasses. Descending the Malvern Hills we took our way along the road to Worcester and soon the spires of the Cathedral loomed against the horizon and red gleaming roofs crept over the tops of the bushes, while the Severn sparkled in the distance. At Worcester we drove up High Street and entered the north door of the Cathedral. The plan of the building is a plain cross, the central tower being just over one hundred and sixty fefet in height. Between services [217] A Motor Tour Through France and England we were hurried through to see the Chapter House, a decagonal building, dating from the Late Norman period and having its vaulting borne by a single column in the centre; then we were permitted to glimpse the cloisters and the crypt, the latter having a fine groined roof and light supporting col- umns; and the Lady Chapel, on the south wall of which is a tablet to the memory of the wife of Izaak Walton, who was a sister of Bishop Ken. The quaint epitaph was written by her husband. Only a minute was allowed us for the most interesting memorial in the Cathedral, the tomb of King John in the choir, said to be the earliest existing effigy of an English monarch. It consists of a sarcophagus- tomb of the sixteenth century, surmounted by a recumbent statute of the thirteenth century. The King died at Newark but at his request was buried at Worcester. The choir is separated from the nave by a most elaborate screen and metal gates are also at the ends of the aisles. The stalls are handsome and the misereres very quaint. In the Chantry chapel there is an altar-tomb to Arthur, Prince of Wales, son of Henry [218] A Motor Tour Through France and England Seventh, elder brother of the eighth Henry and first husband of Catherine of Aragon. The magnificent groined roof, extending in an unbroken line for three hundred and eighty-seven feet is a feature that no other EngHsh Cathedral can match. The verger rushed us through with little ceremony say- ing they must prepare the place for the next service. It seemed most inhospitable to close a house of worship on Sunday and es- pecially against us from so far away and un- certain of a return visit to this wonderful old edifice. Worcester is a place of great antiquity. It lies on the left bank of the Severn in a fer- tile and picturesque district and was fre- quently besieged and burned during the wars of the middle ages, no other English town of equal importance having had a more checkered career. The last and most cele- brated siege was that of 165 1, when Charles Second and his Scottish troops were de- feated by Cromwell before the town after a very severe struggle, the young Prince nar- rowly escaping capture. In High Street is the Hop Market, a very important industry there, and the Guild [219] A Motor Tour Through France and England Hall, a Queen Anne building decorated with her statue and others of various monarchs and allegorical figures. On the way from Worcester to Pershore we crossed the Avon, "the river of song" and of wooded beauty, idyllic in its pretty windings. Continuing our journey, we reached the small town of Evesham, situ- ated in a fertile valley with many orchards and market gardens. Once it possessed a wonderful Abbey, founded in the eighth century. Of this nothing now remains ex- cept the dilapidated Norman archway and the beautiful Bell Tower. Simon de Mont- fort was buried there but no memorial marks his resting place. He was defeated and slain at Evesham by Prince Edward, afterwards Edward First, and a small col- umn marks the spot where the former fell. Before reaching Broadway we stopped at the old-world village of Wickhamford which has some pretty half-timbered houses, the handsomest being the restored Grange. The church contains the tomb of Penelope Wash- ington, bearing the Washington Arms. She was the daughter of Colonel Henry Wash- ington, cousin to the two brothers Washing- [ 220 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England ton who emigrated to America, one of whom was John, the great grandfather of our be- loved George Washington. Bathed in the sunset glow was quaint old Broadway, as we drove up to the beautiful stone doorway of the fine old hostelry, The Lygon Arms. The doorway bears the date 1620 and the names of John Trevis and his wife, Ursula. Our rooms were what we had dreamed of finding each night after leaving the Swan at Mansfield. Up queer little flights of stairs we went to the oak raftered chambers with mullion windows, possessing catches several hundred years old, and furnished in antique oak, a cheery fire blazing in the big fire- places. For a "parlor" we had what is known as the Cromwell Room, where the Protector IS supposed to have slept previous to the Battle of Worcester. This chamber has a handsome ceiling and frieze put there by John Trevis. The present proprietor, Mr. Russell, has furnished it, at considerable ex- pense, with furniture of the Cromwellian period. By candle light we fared sumptuously in [221] A Motor Tour Through France and England a low oak raftered room having a fifteenth century fire-place in which a roaring fire crackled, throwing high lights on the old panellings. The walls were adorned with old portraits, among which were some painted by Hogarth. After dinner, Mr. Russell was good enough to show us over the Inn, as we were pressed for time the next day. In the so-called Oak Panelled Room Charles First is fondly supposed to have been a guest on one occasion at least. The Ingle Nook is very large and is used as a smoking-room. In the private dining-room, Mr. and Mrs. Russell have a beautiful collec- tion of old paintings, crockery and furniture and a wonderful accumulation of Jacobean glass. The family dine at a long high nar- row table, sitting on tall stools of Jacobean times. During the restoration of the Inn, Mr. Russell discovered many interesting articles. Silver coins of Charles First's reign, an an- cient candle-stick, a striker used to produce the necessary spark with the tinder box, Cromwellian pipes, a periwig curler, several old Bristol bottles, and an old worm-eaten apple scoop, having carved on it the initials [ 222 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England of Ann Trevis, a daughter of John Trevis, once a landlord of the Inn. Georges, the Third and Fourth both hon- ored The Lygon Arms by visiting it, and, until a few years ago, the circumstances were fresh in the minds of the oldest inhabitants. After showing us about Mr. Russell gave us some delicious liquer he had bought at auction from the wine cellar of a famous old tavern in London. It was many years old and one cannot purchase the brand at pres- ent. A great deal has been done to restore this grand old tavern to its original condition and when Mr. Russell completes the work it will be a fine specimen of a Jacobean Inn. 223 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England X TO LONDON BY WAY OF OXFORD AND HENLEY September ijth. The baying of hounds awakened us early and leaning from the window we watched the men and women start off to hunt. The black and white of the pack, the pink of the hunting coats and the vari-coloured spirited horses making a beautiful picture along the wide street of Broadway with its rows of Elizabethan cot- tages, their diamond shaped panes glittering under their low thatched roofs. Leaving the dear old fashioned rooms we went to breakfast and afterwards Mr. Rus- sell took us to his antique furniture shop which was so enthralling we wanted every- thing we saw there. All the way to the venerable old church of Saint Eadburg were enticing rose-embow- ered cottages having mossy thatched roofs and graceful Tudor chimneys. The church is cruciform in shape and dates from about 1 190. The interior is of harmonious propor- [224] A Motor Tour Through France and England tions; the pulpit of the fourteenth century- has a text from Proverbs painted in Old English lettering around the top. Some an- cient carved oak stalls are fitted in the choir under the tower and over the chancel arch is painted the escutcheon of Charles First. Next we visited the Abbot's Grange which stands back in a garden at the foot of the Green. This is commonly known as the Priory. It has passed through many vicis- situdes, but is now private property and has been carefully restored, and, though not open to the public, is a picturesque object of interest of which Broadway is very proud. The garden surrounding the house has been made famous forever by great modern paint- ers. There bloomed the roses painted by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, and Mr. Sar- gent's picture in the Tate Gallery of "Car- nation-Lily Lily-Rose" originated there. In Pye Lane are the kennels of the North Cotswold pack and the site of the old Manor House of which nothing remains except the walls of an outbuilding. The old houses are all so pretty with their gabled and mul- lioned windows. One bears on its chimney- shaft the date 1675. Next to this are the [225] A Motor Tour Through France and England buildings, once the Old Bull Inn. Yew Tree Cottage has a curiously intersected roof and an ancient sun-dial over one of the dormer windows. Tudor House has fine mullioned windows, some of them still containing the original dim glass and lead fitted casements. It claims to have been the resting place of the first Charles. The Prior's House is another ancient build- ing supposed to be of the same date and origin as the Abbot's Grange. So low is its roof and so sunken the flagstones leading to its arched doorway that it seems to be weighed down with the burden of its age. As we climbed the hill toward Oxford we passed the attractive home of Mary Ander- son, now Madame de Nevarro. The dwell- ing is composed of two fine old farm-houses of Tudor architecture which have been transformed into a beautiful residence. One of the houses was formerly used for some years as the home of Maud Valerie White, the well-known composer and pianist. We had a delicious run, past thatched cot- tages with open welcome doors, to the vil- lage of Bourton-on-the-Hill. At this place, [226] A Motor Tour Through France and England tradition avers, was born Sir Thomas Over- bury, a gentleman of the Court of James First, who, at the instigation of the Countess of Essex, was slowly poisoned to death after being imprisoned in the tower. He had tried to dissuade the Earl of Somerset, favourite of James, from marrying this beautiful but wretched woman, who, in her rage, avenged herself in this horrible manner. A little farther on we dipped down to the small market town of Moreton-in-the- Marsh. Opposite the White Hart, another Inn honoured by a visit from Charles First, is the ancient Curfew Bell turret, jutting into the London road. This way we took with deep regret, realizing night would find us in London, our long anticipated trip a thing of the past. Passing Aldestrop we saw Daylesford House, once the seat of Warren Hastings, who died there and is buried in the church- yard. The Mansion House at Aldestrop is a fine Tudor edifice. Chipping Norton, a busy little manufac- turing town, we next passed and continued along the road for many miles, the ancient highway stretching far away in front of us, [227] A Motor Tour Through France and England gradually narrowing into a thread line of gold. At the small town of Woodstock we drove to the gates of Blenheim Park, the palatial residence of the Duke of Marlborough. The palace was not open so we needs must content ourselves with a stroll in the park and the views we could obtain of the house from there. The park and gardens are ex- tensive and attractive, containing temples, cascades and fountains. The park is stocked with deer who were grazing quietly under the shade of the spreading trees. The palace is imposing, but heavy in style. The best view of it is from the entrance gates, across the lake though even from there it is partly hidden by the trees. Woodstock Manor was an early residence of the English Kings, but no trace now re- mains of the palace built there by Henry First. Edward, the Black Prince, was born at Woodstock and Henry Second is sup- posed to have constructed there the bower for his " Fair Rosamund." In the gate house Princess Elizabeth was confined for some time by her sister Queen Mary. At Wood- stock Chaucer once lived and its name is cele- [228 1 A Motor Tour Through France and England brated In literature through the romances of Sir Walter Scott. The air was fragrant with the odour of bracken and pine as we sped through the country roads to Oxford. Arriving there we lunched at The Mitre, a fascinating old Inn with steps everywhere. After a tempting luncheon we hurried off to see as much as we could of the colleges in three hours, In the face of what Nathaniel Hawthorne has writ- ten: "The world surely has no other place like Oxford; it is despair to see such a place and ever to leave It, for It would take a life- time and more to comprehend and enjoy it satisfactorily." The Universities of Oxford have preserved so many of their mediaeval institutions unal- tered, differing so materially from the other institutions of Great Britain, Continental Europe and America in this respect. Ox- ford Includes twenty-one colleges and halls, and these, with Cambridge, are the most aristocratic universities of Great Britain. Christ Church, founded by Cardinal Wol- sey and renewed by Henry Eighth, is one of the largest and most fashionable of the col- leges. The " Fellows " are called " Students " [229] A Motor Tour Through France and England as it is attended by undergraduates. We entered through the handsome gateway, called Tom Gate which was begun by Wol- sey and finished by Wren. Crossing the Great Quadrangle we proceeded to the ban- queting hall in the southeast corner, with its fan-vaulted entrance to the beautiful room where the ceiling is of carved oak, and on the walls are portraits of Wolsey, Henry Eighth, Queen Elizabeth, John Locke and Gladstone, painted by Holbein, Lely, Mil- lais and Gainsborough. The Cathedral of the diocese of Oxford serves as the Chapel of Christ Church. It is a Late Norman or Transitional building and is the smallest Cathedral in England. The most striking feature of the interior is the curious arrangement of arches in the nave. They are double, the lower ones springing from corbels attached to the piers. The timber roof is ascribed to Wolsey, also the beautiful groined roof of the choir with its graceful pendants. In the east wall of the aisle of the south transept is a window of old stained glass from which the head of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, now replaced by plain white glass, is said to have been [230] A Motor Tour Through France and England struck off by a Puritan trooper. Most of the windows are by Burne- Jones in exquisite modern glass; the stalls and elaborate Epis- copal throne are also modern. The Lady Chapel occupies a very unusual position, adjoining the north aisle of the choir. Among the most distinguished members of Christ Church were Sir Philip Sidney, Ben Jonson, the Wesleys, Wellington, Peel, Ruskin and Gladstone. Retracing our steps to the Great Tom Gate, we proceeded to Oriel College. It has a most picturesque quadrangle, but is, how- ever, more noted for its members than its architecture, for Sir Walter Raleigh, Bishop Butler, Cardinal Newman and Thomas Hughes were educated here. A little farther on is Saint Mary Hall, known to the undergraduates as the " Skin- nery." Opposite this are the new buildings of Brasenose College and Saint Mary the Virgin's, and the University Church. A slab in the chancel pavement records that Amy Robsart was buried in the choir in 1560. At Brasenose College, the name of which seems to have been punningly perpetuated by an ancient knocker or door handle in the [231 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England form of a nose of brass, the gate and hall have preserved their original character. Near this is the Bodleian Library, contain- ing about seven hundred thousand printed volumes, thirty thousand volumes of manu- scripts, fifty thousand coins, and many drawings. In part of the reading room are glass cases containing autographs of cele- brated persons, some interesting memorials of Shelley and manuscripts distinguished for their age, illumination and beautiful or sin- gular bindings. On we rushed to New College, which, in spite of its name, is one of the oldest and most interesting buildings in Oxford. Founded by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester in 1379, it still retains its original appearance throughout a great part of the building. The upper story of the principal quadrangle dates from 1678 and the garden-wing was added in 1684. Beyond the city walls, with their mantle of ivy, are the buildings erected by Sir G. G. Scott in 1876, to which an east wing with a stately gate-tower was added by Champneys in 1897. The beautiful gardens, so sweet, quiet [232] A Motor Tour Through France and England and sacred in their stately seclusion, are bounded on two sides by the old city walls whose bastions are hidden by a mantle of ivy and against this drapery of green, tall brightly coloured flowers rest their graceful heads. The chapel, which is perhaps the earliest building in England erected from the foun- dation entirely in the Perpendicular style, contains the silver-gilt Episcopal staff of the founder. The beautiful large west window was executed from designs by Sir Joshua Reynolds; the other windows are of the four- teenth century. The fine carved stone reredos was restored in 1894 and the niches again filled with the little statues. The smaller quadrangle adjoins the chapel with its cloisters and tower, — the latter the last work of William of Wykeham, having been added as a fortification. Leaving new College, we passed the church of Saint Peter in the East, Saint Edmund Hall, the quadrangle of which possesses a wonderfully beautiful wistaria vine, and, gaining High Street, visited the College of Saint Mary Magdalen (pronounced Maud- lin.) This college was founded by Bishop [233] A Motor Tour Through France and England Waynflete and is without any exception the most beautiful college at Oxford. After entering the modern gateway lead- ing to one of the quadrangles, we saw in a corner to the right, on a level with the first four windows, an old stone pulpit where a University sermon is preached on the festi- val of Saint John the Baptist. To the left are Saint Swithen's Quad and part of Old Magdalen Hall. Beyond the vine-clad Muniment Tower is the so-called Founder's Tower, which contains two state bedrooms and a banqueting hall. These apartments contain some valuable old tapestry repre- senting the marriage of Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry Eighth, and Catherine of Aragon. The chapel contains an elaborate reredos with statues very like the one at New Col- lege, also a beautiful modern window in various shades of sepia. The cloisters sur- rounding the first quadrangle are very beau- tiful; a small passage connects the cloister with the Chaplain's Quadrangle. There one gets a good view of Magdalen Tower, one of the chief architectural glories of the city, said to have been built under the superin- [234] A Motor Tour Through France and England tendence of Cardinal Wolsey, when Bursar of the college. On May Day at five o'clock in the morning the choir sings a Latin hymn on top of this tower, a custom supposed to have originated as an annual requiem for the seventh Henry. The college grounds are most attractive, the deer park well stocked with the grace- ful creatures who rushed to the fence at our approach expecting we were there to feed them. The river Cherwell flows through the grounds and the walks along it are as beauti- ful as the gliding silvery river and overhang- ing leafy trees can make them. There is a peaceful calm and beauty in Addison's walk, (a forest aisle) said to have been the favour- ite resort of the essayist when an under- graduate. Under the little foot-bridge crossing the Cherwell and leading to this walk, two haughty black swans lifted their graceful heads and opened their scarlet bills for food. Among the names most eminent on the books of Magdalen are Wolsey, Addison, Charles Reade, Collins and Gibson. No time could we give to Queen's, Uni- versity, All Souls, Lincoln, or Exeter Col- [235] A Motor Tour Through France and England leges, but took a peep at Jesus College. This was founded by Queen Elizabeth and was first intended for Welsh students only. Divine service is still held in the chapel in that language twice a week. The chapel contains oaken wainscoting dating from 1621. In the Hall is a fine Jacobean screen and a portrait of Charles First ascribed to Van Dyck. In one of the common rooms is a fine portrait of Elizabeth by Zac- chero. At Trinity College the chapel contains a beautiful carved screen and altar-piece by Grinling Gibbons and in the garden is the celebrated avenue of limes. Balliol College was founded by John Balliol and Dervorguilla, his wife, whose son was for a short time King of Scotland. It is one of the largest colleges in Oxford and its standard of scholarship is very high. It is much frequented by Scottish students. The Hall contains portraits of Wycliffe, Archbishop Tait and Robert Browning (honorary fellow) and in the library are MSS. of Browning's poems and the ''old yellow book" that figures in "The Ring and the Book." [236] A Motor Tour Through France and England A little beyond Balliol stands the Mar- tyr's Memorial, erected to the memory of Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley, who were burned in front of the college in 1555 and 1556. The monument is in the richest Gothic style adorned with statues of the three martyrs. Enough time remained for a visit to the most picturesque of all the colleges, that of Saint John's. The old quadrangle belonged to the college of Saint Bernard, founded by Archbishop Chichele about 1440; the Hall is of the same period but has been restored. From the first quadrangle a vaulted passage with delicately beautiful fan-tracery leads to the second quadrangle. The south and east sides of this are occupied by the library. On the other sides are very picturesque oriel windows and the gardens have the finest lawns in Oxford. In the library is the skull cap in which Archbishop Laud was executed, also some fine MSS. and early printed works. On High Street our car awaited us. This principal street of the city is flanked on both sides with a long array of quaint and inter- esting buildings. Wordsworth devoted a [237] A Motor Tour Through France and England sonnet to the "stream like wanderings of that glorious street"; Hawthorne called it "the noblest old street in England"; and Sir Walter Scott admitted that it rivalled the High Street of Edinburgh. Crossing the Magdalen Bridge we turned toward Henley. The clouds floated lazily in a deep blue sky over the small perfectly kept farms, each outlined with its inevita- ble hedge, the whole landscape looking like a huge checkerboard. At the Red Lion, on the bank of the Thames, we stopped for tea. The river was thickly dotted with small craft, aflame and aflutter with brilliant coloured hats and par- asols of the women and gay coats and caps of the men. It was on a window of the Red Lion that Shenstone wrote those famous lines: — *'Who e're has travelled life's dull round, Where e're his stages may have been May sigh to think he still has found The warmest welcome at an Inn." Henley surrounded by wooded heights is the "Mecca" of boating men and much fre- quented by anglers. The Town Hall con- tains a portrait of the first George by Sir [238] A Motor Tour Through France and England Godfrey Kneller, presented by Lady Knel- ler, who is buried in the church. From the house-boats moored beside the flat shores of the river floated sweet strains of music, while from the punts and canoes the English voices came to us from over the water with tender distinctness. After taking some pictures of this ideal scene we crossed the bridge and proceeded to Maidenhead, through Temple Lock, be- yond which is Bisham Abbey, built in the Tudor style, originally a priory but now a private residence. Queen Elizabeth lived there for three years during the reign of her sister Mary. At Great Marlow Shelley lived in 1871. His "Revolt of Islam" was composed partly in his boat on the Thames and partly during his walks in the neighbourhood. Cookham is a most picturesque village on the Thames and near it is "Cliveden," the home of William Waldorf Astor, charmingly situated among rocks and hanging woods. At Maidenhead we dined. The river there is unsurpassed in its quiet loveliness. Our perfect day was drawing to a close in a sweet translucency. As dusk fell, lights be- [239] A Motor Tour Through France and England gan to twinkle in the house-boats and villas and from the punts came the sweet tinkling of guitars and mandolins accompanied by the mixed voices of the care free occupants. Here we lingered, — reluctantly taking the road for London. Long before reaching there the glow of the city lights was re- flected in the heavens. Threading our way among the many trams through Slough and Hounslow we re- entered that wonderful city and again passed by the monolith in Trafalgar Square and descended on our hotel. 240 A Motor Tour Through France and England XI THE DEPARTURE September 14th. The hurry and bustle be- gan early for we had left our packing until this morning. Through a mist of tears we left our friends at the steps of the hotel and hurried to the station. At Southampton there were many other steamers leaving for various ports and the wharves were thronged with travellers. Among us passed the faithful Saint Ber- nard with money box attached to his collar and gladly we gave our English coin to him for the widows and orphans of the sailors, receiving a bark of thanks from him at the tinkle of the money against the metal box. Until we were way out in the Channel the faithful creature kept on with his joyous barking. After passing the charming Isle of Wight we entered the broader Channel and steamed toward Cherbourg. Letters, pack- ages and telegrams were in our stateroom [241 ] A Motor Tour Through France and England and these kept us busy until the afternoon when we once again entered the harbor of Cherbourg and awaited the tender, bring- ing more passengers to join the many al- ready on board. The last piece of luggage was put on deck, the whistle blew and again we entered the Channel and with engines at full speed ploughed through the waters that led to the broad Atlantic and home. [242] %tf 21 19^' One copy del. to Cat. Div. seP 21 »dH ii litl!) lilHi LIBRARY OF ^°NGRESS « 020 657 474 4