The monks' day-room is a large building 60 feet long by 22 feet wide. The upper floor, forming one half of the dormitory, has disappeared, but there still remain the bases of the two central pillars which supported the groined roof. The restoration of Cleeve Abbey was carried out several years ago by Mr. G.F. Luttrell of Dunster Castle. Before that time the whole place was used as a farm, and floors of encaustic tiles were buried deep in farm-yard rubbish. There is practically no recorded history of Cleeve Abbey.

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



HAWARDEN

How to get there.—Train from Euston via Chester. L. and N.W. Rly. Nearest Station.—Hawarden. Distance from London.—186 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 4 to 5 hours.

Fares.—To Chester— 1st 2nd 3rd Single 27s. 10d. 18s. 8d. 14s. 11d. Return 51s. 9d. 32s. 8d. 29s. 10d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Glynne Arms," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from Paddington via Wrexham. Great Western Railway.

Hawarden is a small town, about 6-1/2 miles from Chester. The great interest of the place centres in Hawarden Castle, the home, until his death, of the Rt. Hon. W.E. Gladstone. There are really two castles, but little remains of the old one except the large circular keep and part of the banqueting-hall. On the spot previously occupied by the old battlements a modern wall has been built, from which a fine view across the Dee estuary can be obtained. The castle was probably built before the time of Edward I. Here Simon de Montfort surrendered the castle to Llewelyn. After its reversion to the Crown it was again taken by Llewelyn's brother, and it was about this time that the present keep was built. After its dismantling during the Parliamentary War, it was purchased by Serjeant Glynne, in whose family it still remains.

Within full view of the old castle, and enclosed by the same park, stands the modern mansion, constructed in the style of a castellated Gothic building of the thirteenth century. It was originally a square brick building, but it has had so many additions, besides being turreted and encased in stone, that it is almost impossible to trace the former structure. The south-east front looks on a gravel walk surrounding some formal flower-beds, which was one of Mr. Gladstone's favourite walks when he was unable to take other exercise. Visitors are not admitted to the modern castle.

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

Hawarden Church has a central tower, surmounted by a short spire; it was restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1857. A window to the memory of Mr. Gladstone, by the late Sir Edward Burne-Jones, has just been placed in the west end.



YORK MINSTER

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—York. Distance from London.—188-1/4 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 3-3/4 to 5 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 27s. ... 15s. 8d. Return 54s. ... 31s. 4d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Harker's York Hotel," "Black Swan Hotel," "Station Hotel," etc. Alternative Routes.—Train from St. Pancras via Sheffield, Midland Railway. Train from Liverpool Street, Great Eastern Railway.

The city of York is one of the most famous and interesting in the kingdom. It was originally the Eborac of the British and the Eboracum of the Romans, who made it an imperial colony, and the capital of Maxima Caesariensis. Later the place changed hands many times between Danes and Saxons until the time of William the Conqueror, who built the castle. The whole city was burnt in 1137, with the cathedral and forty churches, and in the Wars of the Roses it was continually the scene of sanguinary conflicts between the rival parties. It has been visited at various times by nearly all our kings, and numerous insurrections have been quelled within its walls. The cathedral—the chief glory of York—dates from Saxon times. The first church was founded by Edwin, the fifth king of Northumbria, but before it was finished he was slain, and the work thenceforward was carried out by his successor Oswald. The present cathedral was mainly built in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Its chief features are a nave with the most magnificent side-aisles in the kingdom, two transepts, a choir, a lady chapel, a large central tower, two bell towers, and a wonderfully fine chapter-house. During the last century it was twice nearly destroyed by fire, first by the act of a lunatic, and then by the carelessness of a workman.

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

Apart from the minster, the whole city teems with archaeological interest. There are many fine old churches, and much mediaeval architecture, including the gates of the city, which are wonderfully well preserved, one of the best being Micklegate Bar, where Richard Duke of York's head was exhibited. The city walls built by Edward I. still remain in a remarkably good state of preservation. Many of the towers, of which Leland stated there were forty, still exist.



COXWOLD, YORKSHIRE

THE HOME OF STERNE

How to get there.—Great Northern Railway, King's Cross Station. Nearest Station.—Easingwold via York and Alne; from thence runs a branch line to Easingwold. Distance from London.—199 miles. Average Time.—About 5 hours. Fares.—No through fares in operation. Accommodation Obtainable.—The village inn—"The Fauconberg Arms."

The pretty little village of Coxwold, where the Rev. Laurence Sterne wrote A Sentimental Journey, lies about 18 miles north of York. The hamlet stands on slightly rising ground. At the bottom of the hill is the village smithy, the well, a farm, and facing a big elm tree is the inn, bearing a great hatchment-like signboard showing the Fauconberg arms and motto. The cottages of the villagers are on the slope of the hill, and at the top is the church to which Sterne was appointed vicar in 1760. Close at hand is the quaint seventeenth-century house he occupied. It is a singularly picturesque little building, with its mossy stone-covered roof, its wide gables, and massive chimney-stacks. Sterne, in his humorous way, called it "Shandy Hall." The stone tablet over the doorway states that Sterne wrote Tristram Shandy and A Sentimental Journey at Shandy Hall; but this is not quite accurate, for he entered upon the incumbency of Coxwold in 1760, whereas two volumes of Tristram Shandy had already been published in 1759. Of his life at Coxwold one gathers that the vicar was more devoted to his books than to his parish. In the intervals of writing and his clerical duties he amused himself with painting, fiddling, dining out and telling stories, at the same time suffering from ill-health and other discomforts. His gift of humour, however, helped him to bear his troubles better than might otherwise have been the case. He was firmly persuaded that "every time a man smiles, but much more so when he laughs, he adds something to the fragment of life." Sterne's study may still be seen. It is a tiny room with a low ceiling, although it undoubtedly possesses the charm of cosiness. On one occasion Sterne writes: "I have a hundred hens and chickens about my yard, and not a parishioner catches a hare or a rabbit or a trout but he brings it as an offering to me." Sterne died in London in 1768 at the age of 55 years.



LLANGOLLEN AND VALLE CRUCIS ABBEY

How to get there.—Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. Nearest Station.—Llangollen. Valle Crucis Abbey lies 2 miles from Llangollen. Distance from London.—203 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 4-1/2 to 7-1/2 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 28s. 10d. 19s. 3d. 15s. 4-1/2d. Return 53s. 6d. 33s. 9d. ...

Accommodation Obtainable.—At Llangollen—"Hand Hotel," "Royal Hotel," "The Eagle Hotel," etc.

The scenery of Llangollen can scarcely be called mountainous, but the little town is situated in the most beautiful part of the hill district of Wales. Its chief charm, in common with all other Welsh villages, is in its contrasts,—deep lanes with fern and flower-clad banks lead you past picturesque cottages and farms, surrounded with low stone walls, half hidden by brilliantly coloured creepers; bold crags, high above the valley, give place to bright green sheep pastures, they in turn changing to thick woods of oak and ash.

Llangollen Bridge, across which runs the chief thoroughfare, is one of the so-called "wonders of Wales." It was built in 1346 by John Trevor, afterwards Bishop of St. Asaph, and was the first stone bridge in Wales. It is borne by five stone arches, and beneath them rushes the fine river Dee. The church is dedicated to St. Collen, but is of no particular interest. In the churchyard is a monument to the two fashionable ladies who at an early age tired of the vanities of this world, and lived in complete seclusion at Plas Newydd, a house just beyond the village, famed for its old oak.

Valle Crucis Abbey, which can be reached either by walking along the canal from Llangollen, or by train to Berwyn, lies in a beautiful wooded valley surrounded by some of the best scenery in the neighbourhood of Llangollen. A little to the east, a very picturesque view of the ruins, which are the finest of their kind in Wales, may be obtained over a quiet pool of water. The abbey was founded in the thirteenth century by Madoc-ap-Gryffydd Moelor, who was a supporter of Llewelyn in the cause of Welsh independence. The buildings are in Early English style, and some of the finest remains are a circular gable window and three decorated Gothic ones, also part of the west end with dog-tooth moulding, and a piscina and canopy in the south transept. Stretching at right angles from the south side of the church are the old monastic buildings.



KNARESBOROUGH, DRIPPING WELL

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—Knaresborough. Distance from London.—204 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 5 to 7 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 28s. 5d. ... 17s. 0-1/2d. Return 56s. 10d. ... 34s. 1d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Commercial Hotel," "Crown Hotel," etc.

Knaresborough, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, is a town of great interest and antiquity, and occupies part of the site of an ancient forest which was 20 miles in length. It was a crown manor before the Conquest, and was given by William the Conqueror to Serlo de Burgh, a Norman baron, by whom the stately castle was first erected. The place was afterwards held by Richard Plantagenet, who founded a priory in the vicinity, Piers Gaveston, and John of Gaunt, and the castle was for some time the place of confinement of Henry II. During the Civil War it was held for the King; but after the battle of Marston Moor it was taken by Fairfax, and dismantled by order of Parliament in 1648.

The castle, one of the finest of its kind, is situated in a remarkable position on a lofty rock, and was once practically inaccessible. It was formerly flanked by eleven towers, of which only one remains. The other ruins consist of a small portion of the keep and some very beautiful and elaborate vaulted apartments, in which the murderers of Thomas a Becket took refuge. On the cliffs opposite the castle is the famous Knaresborough "Dripping Well," whose waters have the property of "turning into stone" any articles left for a time under the dripping waters of the well. The water being highly charged with limestone in a state of impervious powder, rapidly encrusts the object until it appears to be made of solid rock, and various specimens of this result may be obtained.

About half a mile below the castle are the remains of the priory for brothers of the Holy Trinity, founded by Richard Plantagenet; and further south, hewn out of the solid rock, at a considerable height above the river Nidd, is St. Robert's Chapel, with a fine groined roof. It has an altar on the east side and contains carvings of the Trinity and the Virgin Mary.

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



FOUNTAINS ABBEY

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

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

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

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

The history of the foundation of Fountains Abbey is of considerable interest. In the twelfth century some monks of the Benedictine monastery of St. Mary at York, being attracted by the sanctity of the inmates of the Cistercian abbey of Rievaulx in Yorkshire, became dissatisfied with their own form of government, and wished to adopt the rules of Rievaulx Abbey and withdraw from their own monastery. This naturally did not please their abbot; but eventually, after appealing to the Archbishop of York, some land in a lonely valley, known as Skell Dale, was granted to them. Here, in the depth of winter, without shelter or means of subsistence, the pious monks suffered great hardship. After a few years Hugh, Dean of York, left all his possessions to the Abbey of Fountains, and after this endowments and benefactions flowed in.

In 1140 the abbey was burnt down, but in 1204 the restoration was recommenced, and the foundations of a new church, of which the present ruins are the remains, were laid. The great tower, however, was not completed till the end of the fourteenth century.

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



RIPON CATHEDRAL

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

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

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Black Bull Hotel," "Black Swan Hotel," "Bradford Hotel," etc.

Ripon is situated on the little river Ure in a picturesque valley in the west of Yorkshire. Its past history has been eventful enough, for it was burnt by the Danes in the ninth century, destroyed by King Edred, and laid waste by the Conqueror. It recovered quickly from all these adversities, and is now a peaceful town given up to agricultural pursuits. Besides possessing a small but interesting old cathedral and some ancient houses in its town, many places of historic importance lie in its immediate neighbourhood. Fountains Abbey is 3 miles distant (see Index), and also Fountains Hall, a fifteenth-century building. An interesting relic of old times is the blowing of the horn at nine in the evening by a constable outside the mayor's house and at the market-cross.

Ripon's minster became a cathedral in 1836. In the seventh century a monastery was established here, and St. Wilfrid, the famous Archbishop of York, built the minster. Of this building only the crypt remains, consisting of a central chamber with niches in the walls, and a window known as "St. Wilfrid's Needle" looking into the passage outside. It is reached by steps and a long passage leading from the nave of the present cathedral. Only the chapter-house and vestry remain of Archbishop Thurstan's Norman church, erected in the place of the Anglo-Saxon one, for Roger, Archbishop of York, pulled it down and began to erect the present building in (circa) 1154. Being only a Collegiate Church in those days, it was not built in a cathedral fashion, and it had no aisles to its wide and low-roofed nave. The present aisles were added in the sixteenth century, with the intention of giving a cathedral aspect to the minster church. Much of Roger's work has been altered by subsequent bishops, and the result is a strange succession of styles of architecture. Ripon is the only cathedral that has glass in the triforium of the choir.

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



DARTMOOR

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

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

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

While only two places are mentioned above as starting-places from which to get at Dartmoor, a dozen others, such as Tavistock and Ashburton, might be mentioned. Bovey Tracey, however, has many advantages, for the moment one alights from the train one sees only four miles distant two of the most rugged tors of the moor—Hey Tor and Rippon Tor—the last with its great logan stone balanced near the summit. A coach from the "Dolphin," which runs three days a week in the season, takes one through scenery which grows more and more desolate and grand as the summit of Hey Tor is approached. From Hey Tor the coach goes on to Buckland Beacon, whence a wide view is obtained, including the shining roofs of Princetown right away in the distance. Princetown, with its convict prison, is considered by the people of the moor to be its most important town. Holne, which is included in some of the coach drives from Bovey Tracey, contains the birthplace of Charles Kingsley. Dartmoor is so huge that one must be born and spend a lifetime in or near it to really know it, and the visitor can merely endeavour to see typical examples of its granite tors, its peaty streams, its great stretches of boulder-strewn heather, and its strangely isolated villages.

Eight miles from Bovey Tracey is Widdecombe, the lonely little village possessing a church which is known as "the Cathedral of the Moor." The great tower of the church was struck by lightning one Sunday in October 1638, and a contemporary account can be seen on some panels in the tower.

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



HAWORTH

THE HOME OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE

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

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

Accommodation Obtainable.—At Keighley—"Devonshire Hotel."

Haworth is a long straggling village 4 miles from Keighley, a large manufacturing town in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The road is very steep to the village—"four tough, scrambling miles." It consists of one street, so steep that the flagstones with which it is paved are placed end-ways that the horses may not stumble. Past the church and the lonely parsonage are the wide moors, high, wild, and desolate, up above the world, solitary and silent. This gray, sad-looking parsonage, so close to the still sadder churchyard, is a spot of more than ordinary interest, for it was the home of the Brontes—that wonderfully gifted and extraordinary family! Charlotte Bronte shared with her sisters their intense love for the wild, black, purple moors, rising and sweeping away yet higher than the church which is built at the summit of the one long narrow street. All round the horizon are wave-like hills. Jane Eyre, published in 1847, written with extraordinary power and wonderful genius, astonished the entire reading world. Little did any one imagine that the authoress lived far away from the busy haunts of men in a quiet northern parsonage, leading a gentle, sad life; for her two sisters, whom Charlotte loved as her own life, were very delicate, and their one brother, in whom they had placed great hopes, had given way to drink. Charlotte was known to the literary world as Currer Bell, her sisters as Acton and Ellis Bell. After Jane Eyre came Shirley, written in a period of great sorrow, for her two loved sisters died within a short space of each other, not long after the death of their unhappy brother, and Charlotte was left alone in the quiet, sad parsonage with only her aged father. Villette was well received. It was her last work. Charlotte Bronte married, in 1854, the Rev. Arthur Nichols, and after a few brief months of happiness passed away on March 31, 1855, at the early age of thirty-nine.

Haworth has been much influenced by the growth of Keighley.



RIEVAULX ABBEY

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

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

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

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

The most striking view of the abbey is obtained by leaving the main road and taking the footpath across Duncombe Park, where a sudden turn brings one in sight of a bend in the Rye, with the great roofless church rising on the left bank of the river. The principal remains of the fine old abbey, one of the most beautiful ruins in the kingdom, consist of the choir and transept of the church, and the refectory. The hospitium or guest house was formerly on the right of the lane leading to Helmsley. The great nave of the church is now a shapeless ruin, but from certain indications it may be seen that it was Norman, and probably the work of D'Espec. The lower parts of the transept are Norman, and the remainder Early English.

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

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

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



BRIXHAM, DEVON

LANDING-PLACE OF WILLIAM III.

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

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

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

On the southern side of Tor Bay is Brixham, the fishing village selected by William of Orange as a landing-place when in 1688, at the request of the English Parliament, he brought over an army raised in Holland. It was from here, too, that he commenced his victorious march to London with thirteen thousand men—Exeter, Bristol, and other towns throwing open their gates to welcome the Prince of Orange. The French, on the momentous occasion of the visit of Admiral Tourville to the English coast during the reign of James II., found Tor Bay a safe place for their fleet to anchor, and William of Orange, probably having heard of this, chose the same portion of the Devonshire seaboard. The exact spot on which the Dutch prince first placed his foot on shore is marked by a brass footprint, and close by stands the statue of England's third William, overlooking the quaint quay, the brown-sailed fishing-boats, and the old-world village.

Brixham is just such another town as Newlyn or Port Isaac, for its streets are narrow and winding, and there are flights of stone steps here and there which add considerably to the picturesqueness of the place.

Brixham can easily be visited at the same time as Dartmouth, which is dealt with on another page. Totnes can also be reached by taking the train to Paignton, whence run two omnibuses at various intervals throughout the day. It is a delightful drive, occupying less than an hour. Totnes has a very quaint little main street which rises steeply from the bridge over the Dart. Near the highest portion the roadway is crossed by one of the old gateways of the town. This feature and the many quaint gabled houses give a charm to the place, making it attractive to all who love old architecture. Fragments of the old walls, a second gateway, and the shell of the castle, which is possibly pre-Norman, are also in existence.



CONWAY CASTLE

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

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

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

The castle at Conway is one of the noblest fortresses in the kingdom, the only one to approach it in size being the famous building at Carnarvon. The present town of Conway has gradually sprung up round the castle, built by Edward I. in 1284 to intimidate the Welsh. It was unsuccessfully besieged by them in 1290. At the commencement of the Parliamentarian War, the castle was garrisoned for the King by Williams, Archbishop of York, but was taken by Mytton in 1646. The building was comparatively unhurt during the war, but the lead and timber were removed at the Restoration by Lord Conway, who dismantled the beautiful fortress in a most barbarous manner, and the edifice was allowed to fall more or less into decay.

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

Near the Castle Hotel, in a side street, stands Plas Mawe, the "Great House," a rich example of domestic Elizabethan architecture, built in 1585 by Robert Wynn of Gwydir. The rooms contain much oak panelling and carving. A charge of 6d. is made for admission to the house.

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

The charge for admission to the castle is 3d.



THE DOONE VALLEY, EXMOOR

ASSOCIATED WITH "LORNA DOONE"

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

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

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

Every one who has read the late Mr. R.D. Blackmore's Lorna Doone has a keen interest in what is frequently called the Doone Country. This comprises the north-west corner of Exmoor, bordering on the boundaries of Devonshire. But those who visit the little village of Oare and Badgworthy Water must not expect to see all that the novelist's imagination conjured up. Nevertheless, though some have been disappointed, there is much to be seen which is of interest. The church at Oare, for instance, is closely associated with John Ridd and Lorna, and the Snowe family, mentioned by the novelist, are commemorated in the church. Then, too, the feats of a "Great John Ridd" are obscurely traditional in the district.

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



LLANDOVERY, SOUTH WALES

A CENTRE FOR THE FINE SCENERY OF THE DISTRICT

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

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

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

The town of Llandovery, chiefly interesting by reason of the interesting and picturesque excursions in its vicinity, is situate in the county of Carmarthenshire, 24 miles north-east of Carmarthen. The town stands on the river Bran, near its junction with the Towy, in a beautiful valley, surrounded by wooded hills. Besides these two rivers, some smaller streams join in the neighbourhood, and from this fact comes the name of the place, a corruption of the Welsh Llan ym Ddy fri, or Church among the Waters.

There are two churches of some interest, the more important being the one in the main street, where the famous Rhys Pritchard was vicar in 1602. The other church stands on higher ground to the north of the town, on the site of the old Roman station.

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

Llandovery is a good starting-place for the ascent of the Carmarthenshire Van (i.e. Beacon), about 13 miles distant, one of the highest peaks in South Wales. The view from the summit of the Van in clear weather is magnificent. Near at hand are the Black Mountains, a rather gloomy sandstone range, and in the distance are the mountains of North Wales, Swansea Bay, and the Devonshire coast. An easy descent may be effected on the south-eastern side of the mountain to Penwyllt station, on the Brecon-Swansea line. Just below this is Craig-y-Nos Castle, the home of Madame Patti-Nicolini.

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



DARTMOUTH, DEVON

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

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

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

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

Perhaps the earliest mention of Dartmouth is by Chaucer. Among his Canterbury Pilgrims he says:—

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

Whether this particular "schipman" was given over to piracy it is not possible to say, but the nature of their splendid harbour, which they protected with a great chain drawn across the narrow outlet to the sea, led the Dartmouth men into a trade which to-day goes by that name. Thus in the days of Queen Elizabeth, and even in more recent times, these lusty sailors gained a livelihood by periodical harryings of the opposite coast of Brittany, suffering in the chances of such warfare the disadvantages of sudden incursions of the Bretons, which, despite the chain and the two little castles at the mouth of the inlet, were sometimes so successful that when the Frenchmen retired there were a good many heaps of smoking ashes where comfortable homes had stood. Despite the varied turns of fortune's wheel, there are still many fine old gabled houses in Dartmouth, with overhanging upper stories rich in carved oak.

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

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



RICHMOND, YORKSHIRE

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

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

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Fleece Hotel," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras via Sheffield. Midland Railway.

Richmond was a place of considerable importance at the time of the Norman Conquest, when William I. gave the title of Richmond to his kinsman, Alan Rufus, on his obtaining the estates of the Saxon Earl Edwin, which then extended over nearly a third of the North Riding of Yorkshire. When Henry VII., who was Earl of Richmond, came to the throne, these possessions reverted to the Crown, and many years later Charles II. gave the title to the Lennoxes, with whose descendants it still remains.

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

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

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



TINTAGEL

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

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

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

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

The remains of a British or Saxon church are to be found on the summit of the island. The church is supposed to have belonged to the abbey and convent of Fontevrault, in Normandy. It was afterwards given by Edward IV. to the Collegiate Church of Windsor, the dean and the chapter being the patrons. Parts of the church of Tintagel have recently been restored by the vicar of the parish.

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

For Stonehenge and other prehistoric remains, see Index.



WHITBY

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

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

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Royal Hotel," "Crown Hotel," "Metropole Hotel," etc.

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

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

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

The Parish Church of St. Mary is worth a visit because of its extreme age (it dates from Norman times) and its quaint ugliness. Whitby built the ship in which Captain Cook sailed round the world. The house where he served his apprenticeship to a shipbuilder is in Grape Lane. The jet works are only carried on to a limited extent. In the Scaur, below East Cliff, ammonites are to be found.

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



CARNARVON CASTLE

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

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

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

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

Portions of the old Roman wall of the city still exist, and numerous interesting relics have been found. Traces of the old Roman forts or outposts are also to be seen.

The remains of the castle are very extensive, covering nearly three acres. The outer walls, from 8 to 10 feet thick, are nearly perfect, and have thirteen towers, with turrets of five, six, or eight sides. The five-sided Eagle Tower is one of the loftiest, and takes its name from the finely sculptured figure of an eagle which surmounts it. This tower is entered by the Water Gate. The other entrances to the castle are by a gateway on the north side, under a tower bearing a statue of Edward I., and by Queen Eleanor's Gate, which looks northward and is defended by four portcullises.

The enclosure originally formed two courts, and though the interior buildings are in a very decayed state, the outer walls have been preserved to a great extent by judicious restoration. Thus Carnarvon Castle is a prominent feature in the general aspect of the town, and shares with the magnificent remains at Conway the honour of being one of the two finest castles in the kingdom.



PLYMOUTH

How to get there.—Train from Paddington. Great Western Railway. Nearest Station.—Plymouth (North Road Station). Distance from London.—246 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 5-1/4 to 6-1/4 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 37s. 4d. 23s. 4d. 18s. 8d. Return 65s. 4d. 40s. 10d. 37s. 4d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Royal Hotel," "Central Hotel," "Chubb's Hotel," "Grand Hotel," "The Lockyer Hotel," "Duke of Cornwall Hotel," "Mount Pleasant Hotel," "Great Western Hotel," "Westminster Hotel," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from Waterloo. L. and S.W. Railway.

Down by Sutton Pool is the portion of the quay known as the Barbican, famous as the spot from which the Mayflower cast off her moorings and commenced her momentous voyage across the Atlantic. The place is marked by a stone inserted among the granite sets, bearing the inscription "Mayflower 1620."

The Pilgrim Fathers had started from Delfshaven, in Holland, in July, and after coming to Southampton, started their voyage in the Mayflower and Speedwell. The Speedwell, however, proved unseaworthy, and both ships were obliged to put into Dartmouth, where the Speedwell underwent repairs. When they started again, however, it became evident that the Speedwell would not be able to stand the long Atlantic voyage, so once more the Puritans put back to the shelter of a port—this time Plymouth—and there abandoned the Speedwell. On 6th September 1620 (old style) they finally started, having reduced their numbers to 101 persons—48 men, the rest women and children.

After sailing for sixty days they reached the coast of America, but it was a portion of the coast not covered by the charter of the Company, whose assistance they had sought; they thereupon declared their intention to "plant this colony for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian Faith." The spot where they landed they named Plymouth Rock.

Plymouth Hoe, with a magnificent view down Plymouth Sound and its associations with Drake's game of bowls during the approach of the Spanish Armada, is one of the chief glories of Plymouth. The view includes Mount Edgcumbe Castle, the breakwater built across the mouth of the harbour and Drake's Island. The Hamoaze—the estuary of the Tamar—is always full of the activity of England's great naval port.



DURHAM AND ITS CATHEDRAL

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—Durham. Distance from London.—256 miles. Average Time.—6-1/2 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 35s. 10d. ... 21s. 2d. Return 71s. 8d. ... 42s. 4d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Royal County Hotel," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

For the magnificent position it occupies, Durham Cathedral is without a rival in this country; and even if one includes the Continent, the cathedral of Albi in France will alone bear comparison in respect to its position. Overlooking the Wear from a considerable height appear the two massive western towers and the magnificent central tower of the cathedral, and when these and the masses of foliage beneath them are reflected on the calm surface of the river, the scene is one of rare and astonishing beauty.

The origin of the cathedral and city of Durham may be directly traced to the desire on the part of Bishop Eardulph and his monks to erect some building in which to place the coffin containing the body of St. Cuthbert. They had travelled with their sacred charge for seven years, and at the end of that time, in 997, having reached the rocky plateau overlooking the river Wear, they decided to build a chapel there. Bishop Aldhun went further, and by 999 he had finished a large building known as the "White Church." Of this, however, there are no authentic remains; for in 1081, William of St. Carileph had been appointed bishop, and after he had remained in exile in Normandy for some years he returned to Durham fired with the desire to build a cathedral on the lines of some of the great structures then appearing in France. In 1093, therefore, the foundations of the new church were laid, and the present building from that day forward began to appear. Only the walls of the choir, part of the transepts, and the tower arches had been constructed at the time of Carileph's death in 1096, but the work went on under Ralph Flambard, and when he too was gathered to his fathers, the aisles were finished and the nave also, excepting its roof. Flambard also saw the two western towers finished as high as the roof of the nave. The beautiful transitional Norman Galilee Chapel at the west end was built prior to 1195 by Hugh Pudsey. This narrowly escaped destruction at the hands of Wyatt, who in 1796 pulled down the splendid Norman chapter-house.



RABY CASTLE, DURHAM

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—Durham. (Raby Castle is close to the town of Staindrop.) Distance from London.—256 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 5-3/4 to 7-1/2 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 35s. 10d. ... 21s. 2d. Return 71s. 8d. ... 42s. 4d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—At Durham—"Rose and Crown Hotel," "Royal County Hotel," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

Raby Castle, the ancestral home of the Nevilles and an almost perfect specimen of a fourteenth-century castle, is situated close to the little town of Staindrop in the county of Durham. Canute, the Danish king, is said to have had a house in Staindrop; and it was he who presented Raby Castle to the shrine of St. Cuthbert. The castle passed from the possession of the monks in 1131, when they granted it to Dolphin, who belonged to the royal family of Northumberland, for the yearly rental of L4. Dominus de Raby, a descendant of Dolphin, married Isabel Neville, the heiress of the Saxon house of Balmer, and their son, Geoffrey, took the surname of Neville. The present castle was built by John, Lord Neville, about the year 1379, when he had permission to fortify.

There is very little history attaching to the fortress, for, with the exception of two insignificant attacks during the Civil War, it sustained no sieges. It belonged to the Nevilles until 1570, when Charles Neville, Earl of Westmorland, lost the castle, together with all his estates, for the share which he took in the rising in the North for the restoration of the Roman Catholic religion in England. Not being situated on high ground, the chief defence of Raby Castle, apart from the strength of its walls, must have been the abundance of water which completely surrounded it.

The chapel is the oldest portion; but the castle was almost entirely built in one man's lifetime, and bears scarcely any traces of earlier or later work. The interior, however, has been much altered by modern architects, who have obliterated a great portion of John Neville's work. The Baron's Hall used to be a fine room, with beautiful windows, an oak roof, and a stone music-gallery. The kitchen, which occupies the whole interior of a large tower, is one of the most interesting and perfect features of the castle, though it has no longer the original fireplaces.



SNOWDON

How to get there.—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway. Nearest Station.—Llanberis (5 miles distant). This is the easiest of the ascents by a well-marked path. Distance from London.—257 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 6-1/2 to 8 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 41s. 6d. 23s. 7d. 21s. 4-1/2d. Return 74s. 9d. 40s. 9d. 37s. 0d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Royal Victoria Hotel," Llanberis. "Castle Hotel," "Snowdon Valley," "Dolbadarn," "Padarn Villa." Snowdon Summit Hotel is 3560 feet above the sea.

Snowdon is the name not only of the highest mountain in Wales, but it is itself a mountain range, broken up by valleys and river courses into four mountain groups of which Moel-y-Wyddfa is the central and highest one. The best spot from which a good view of the whole group can be seen is Capel Curig. The Llanberis ascent to Snowdon is the easiest, but not so interesting as the other routes. From Capel Curig the ascent is the steepest and finest, and is unsurpassed for grandeur of scenery. In respect of foreground Snowdon is not so fine as Cader Idris, and the mountains of Scotland and the English lake district. There is an absence of rich valley scenery in the mid-distance, which the Scottish mountains possess and which so adds to the beauty of the Cumberland and Westmorland mountains. But the glory of Snowdon is that it commands such an extended view of other mountain peaks and ridges. It well repays the holiday-maker to spend a night on the summit of Snowdon to see the grand panorama which gradually unfolds itself as the sunrise dispels the mist—sea, lakes, and mountain ridges standing out by degrees in the clear morning light. Naturally the view is dependent on atmospheric conditions for its extent. On a clear day one sees the coast-line from Rhyl to the furthest extremity of Cardigan Bay, also the southern part of the Menai Straits, nearly all the Isle of Anglesey, and part of the Tubular Bridge.

One of the mountain lakes is Llyn Llydaw, a fine sheet of water 1500 feet above the sea, and surrounded except on one side by the precipitous arms of Snowdon, and there are also the Capel Curig lakes. Snowdon is 3571 feet in height. All the ascents are free from danger. From Llanberis there is a pony-track all the way to the top, but it is not the most interesting of the various routes. The new mountain railway follows fairly closely the pathway leading from Llanberis.



HARLECH CASTLE

How to get there.—L. and N.W. Railway from Euston. Nearest Station.—Harlech. Distance from London.—259 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 8-1/4 and 12-1/4 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 37s. 10d. 24s. 0d. 20s. 4d. Return 70s. 3d. 43s. 10d. ...

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Castle Hotel," "Lion," "Belle Vue," "Cambrian" (Temperance), etc.

Harlech Castle is about 10 miles from the pleasant town of Barmouth in North Wales. The name implies "on the rock," and every year it is a great attraction to the many visitors to Wales, because of the fine mountain and sea view obtained from this commanding height. Like many other Welsh castles it owes its origin to Edward I. after his conquest of Wales. Owen Glyndwr or Glendower, a Welsh prince and a descendant of Llewelyn, had rebelled against Henry IV. in consequence of repeated injustice done to him by Lord Grey de Ruthin, who had appropriated his estates. As Owen could obtain no redress from the king he took his cause into his own hands, and in 1404 seized the important stronghold of Harlech Castle. Four years later it was retaken by the royal forces. At first Owen Glendower was successful, but eventually he had to flee to the mountains. During the Wars of the Roses, when the Duke of York defeated Henry VI., Queen Margaret fled to Harlech Castle, but after a lengthened siege in 1468, the defenders had to yield to the victorious forces of the "White Rose." It is said that this siege gave rise to the favourite Welsh air known as the "March of the Men of Harlech." The castle stands high, is square, with a round tower at each corner, and gives one the impression of massive proportions and enormous strength. The main entrance to the inner ward is between two huge round towers, and the passage was defended at one end by two, and at the inner extremity by a third, portcullis. The ascent to the top of the walls is made by a stair from the courtyard. There is a well-protected walk on the battlements. The view from the castle is magnificent and extensive, and should the day be fine it is one vast panorama of mountain, sea, and coast-line—a sight not easily forgotten. Across the bay, 7 miles off, can be seen the equally ancient castle of Criccieth, although its ruins cannot compare to Harlech. On the other side is a glorious range of heights culminating in Snowdon, while to the left are the graceful Rivals, mountain heights which should not be missed.



GRASMERE AND RYDAL MOUNT

THE HOMES OF WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

How to get there.—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway. Nearest Station.—Ambleside (4 miles from Grasmere). Distance from London.—260 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 6 to 8 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 39s. 0d. 25s. 2d. 23s. Return 76s. 4d. 49s. 4d. 45s.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Prince of Wales Hotel," on lake, 1/2 mile from village. "Rothay Hotel," near church. "Red Lion Hotel," "Mossgrove" (Temperance), "Grasmere Hotel" (Temperance), all in village. No inn at Rydal village. Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

Grasmere is the name of a village and lake in Westmorland, about 3 miles north-west of Ambleside. The lovely village, beautifully situated at the head of the lake, has an old church containing the grave of Wordsworth. Wordsworth's cottage (a charge of 6d. is made for admission) is only half a mile from the church. It is restored, as far as possible, to its condition in Wordsworth's day, and contains a number of relics of the poet's family. The lake, a mile in length, and surrounded by mountains, forms one of the most beautiful scenes in England. Wordsworth afterwards removed to Rydal Mount (two or three miles off), which place remains especially associated with his memory. It is a somewhat remarkable fact that this quiet and thoughtful interpreter of nature was in the early years of his life, while going on a pedestrian tour through France, thrust into the early fervours of its great Revolution. Wordsworth's sympathy with the aims of the Gironde party might have cost him his life, for many of his friends in Paris suffered death, but happily circumstances caused him to return to England. It was his noble sister Dorothy, his constant and devoted companion, who met him on his return from Paris, broken-hearted, and induced him to return to nature.

Wordsworth's poetry was not appreciated for a considerable time, but he calmly wrote on, undismayed by the ridicule poured forth on the "Lake School of Poets," which included Coleridge and Southey, and gradually his calm and dignified descriptions of nature asserted their rightful influence. After publishing his greatest poem, The Excursion, the tide of generous appreciation set in. In 1843, Wordsworth was made Poet Laureate. His pure and fervent poetry was a protest against the diseased sentimentality of the age.



THE LAKE DISTRICT

How to get there.—Train to Ambleside from Euston. London and N.W. Railway. Nearest Station.—Ambleside (for visiting Coniston, Grasmere, Hawkshead, Patterdale, and Windermere). Distance from London.—260 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 6 to 8 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 39s. 0d. 25s. 2d. 23s. 0d. Return 76s. 4d. 49s. 4d. 45s. 0d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—At Ambleside—"Queen's Hotel," "White Lion Hotel," "Royal Oak Inn," "Robinson's Temperance Hotel." Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

Ambleside, situated in the very centre of the Lake District, is by many regarded as the most tempting spot in the whole region.

It is a long and straggling town of about 2000 inhabitants. The old church stands up the hill, in the more picturesque part of the town. The old ceremony of "rush-bearing," dating from the time of Gregory IV., is still, in a modified form, an annual function in Ambleside, which, with one or two Westmorland villages, can claim the custom as unique.

About a mile south from Ambleside is the northern extremity of Lake Windermere, 10-1/2 miles long, and varying in breadth from a mile in the widest part to a few hundred yards in the narrowest. The surrounding scenery is magnificent, of a soft and graceful beauty, which forms a wonderful contrast to the wild and sublime grandeur of other parts of the Lake District. There are a number of beautiful islands in the lake, which is very plentifully stocked with fish.

The little lake at Grasmere, a village to the north of Ambleside, is one of the gems of the Lakeland scenery; indeed, Grasmere is an excellent centre from which to visit some of the points of interest in the district. Wordsworth's cottage stands half a mile outside the village.

Within easy reach of Ambleside are Coniston village and lake, upon which a little steamer plies. Near the head of the lake is Coniston Hall, now a farmhouse, but for long the seat of the Le Flemings, a well-known Westmorland family.

Among the numerous other places of interest near Ambleside are Hawkshead, the scene of Wordsworth's school life, and a most charmingly picturesque village; Patterdale and the surrounding district; Langdale Pikes, Shap Fells, and Stockgill Force, a fine waterfall 150 feet high.



ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL

How to get there.—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. Nearest Station.—Haverfordwest (16 miles from St. Davids), thence by coach to St. Davids, past Roch Castle. Distance from London.—To Haverfordwest, 261 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 6-1/2 to 9 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 42s. 0d. 26s. 3d. 21s. 0d. Return 72s. 3d. 46s. 0d. 42s. 0d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Grove Hotel," "City Hotel," etc.

St. Davids, the most western town in Wales, is situated on the little river Alan, a mile from its mouth, near St. Davids Head, on the north side of St. Brides Bay. The place is now little more than a village, though in the Middle Ages it was a large city, the great resort of pilgrims to St. David's shrine. The city, which was the Menevia of the Romans, is almost as isolated now as it was in their days, the only available communication being by the daily mail-cart from Haverfordwest, and an omnibus twice a week during the season.

The modern "city" of St. Davids is a mere village, consisting of one principal street and two at right angles, with a fine old cross at their junction, but the chief attractions are its grand old cathedral and the ruins of its once famous Episcopal palace. The cathedral, originally built in 1176, is curiously situated in a deep dell, so that only the upper part of the lofty tower is visible from the village, and the close is entered by descending thirty-nine steps, locally known as the thirty-nine articles. The entrance to the close is through a fine old tower-gateway, 60 feet high, where the records were formerly kept and a consistory court held.

The west front of the cathedral, which has been well restored, is one of the finest features of the building. Among the more interesting objects in the cathedral are Bishop Morgan's throne, of remarkable workmanship; the fine rood screen, the work of Bishop Gower; Bishop Vaughan's beautiful Tudor chapel and monument; and the shrine of St. David.

The Bishop's Palace, on the opposite bank of the river, was one of the finest in the kingdom. It was founded by Bishop Gower in the fourteenth century, and, together with the cathedral, St. Mary's College, and other ecclesiastical buildings, was enclosed by a lofty wall having four gateways, of which only one remains.

In mediaeval days the shrine of St. David was regarded with great veneration, and was visited by William the Conqueror, Henry II., and by Edward I. and his queen.



FURNESS ABBEY, LANCASHIRE

How to get there.—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway. Nearest Station.—Furness Abbey. Distance from London.—262 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 6 and 7-1/2 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 38s. 2d. ... 21s. 9d Return 75s. 4d (available for one month).

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Furness Abbey Hotel," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

In the days of its prosperity Furness must have been one of the most important monastic establishments in the kingdom, although its completeness did not come about until many years after the date of its foundation in 1127 by Stephen, at that time Earl of Mortain and Boulogne. The situation chosen was on the banks of a stream flowing through a narrow fertile valley—the favourite position for Cistercian abbeys. The monks came originally from Savigny in Normandy. Having become very richly endowed, the foundation of the abbey was confirmed by the charters of twelve successive sovereigns and the bulls of various popes. Remarkable privileges were given to the abbot, who had great authority in the whole of the surrounding district, even the military element being, to a certain extent, dependent upon him.

A register known as the Abbot's Mortuary was kept at Furness throughout three centuries. This was almost unique among Cistercian monasteries, for only names of those abbots who, having presided for ten years, continued at the abbey and died abbots there, were entered in the register. During 277 years, therefore, only ten names were written upon the pages. When Henry VIII., in 1537, suppressed Furness Abbey, it was surrendered by Roger Pyke, who was abbot at the time.

The ruins of the abbey to be seen to-day are of Norman and Early English character, and the general hue of the stone-work is a ruddy brown. Their massive appearance almost suggests a shattered castle; but the share the abbey took in military matters is better illustrated from the fact that they built a watch-tower on the top of a hill rising from the walls of the monastery, and commanding a view over the sea and the whole district known as Low Furness. From this height the monks on watch were enabled to give warning by signals of the approach of an enemy. The painted glass, formerly in the east window, was removed many years ago to the east window of Bowness Church in Westmorland.



MONKWEARMOUTH, NEAR JARROW

THE HOME OF THE "VENERABLE BEDE"

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—Jarrow (2 miles north-east from Monkton). Distance from London.—268 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 5-1/4 to 7-1/2 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares—Single 37s. 7d. ... 22s. 3d. Return 75s. 2d. ... 44s. 6d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—At Jarrow—"Ben Lomond Hotel," "Burkett's Hotel." Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

Monkwearmouth, a little town 2 miles distant from Jarrow, the large shipbuilding town on the southern bank of the river Tyne, is famous for being the birthplace of the Venerable Bede. Bede, who was born in 673 A.D., was placed, at the age of seven years, in the monastery at Monkwearmouth, from which he went to Jarrow, to the new monastery just built by Benedict Biscop. He remained at Jarrow for the rest of his life, studying the Scriptures and writing books. His greatest work was the Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, which has given him his position as the father of English history. The story of his death is very beautiful. He was translating St. John's Gospel into English when he was attacked by a sudden illness, and felt he was dying. He kept on with his task, however, and continued dictating to his scribe, bidding him write quickly. When he was told that the book was finished he said, "You speak truth, all is finished now," and after singing "Glory to God," he quietly passed away.

The abbey churches of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow are interesting, because they have remained practically unaltered from their construction in the seventh century. The monasteries never grew sufficiently to require great enlargements, and thus they would have been to-day very nearly as the Anglo-Saxon monks saw them. Monkwearmouth Church was built in the Romanesque style by Benedict Biscop, who sent to France for workmen to put in the glass for the church windows. Besides the church, no trace remains of any monastic building at Monkwearmouth. The chancel and tower of the abbey church at Jarrow bear a great resemblance to those of Monkwearmouth, both being the work of Benedict Biscop. The domestic part of the monastery at Jarrow, where Bede lived and died, has disappeared, for the present ruins show Norman and not Saxon work. Monkwearmouth possesses one of the earliest Christian gravestones in England.



THE ISLE OF MAN

How to get there.—Train from Euston, King's Cross, St. Pancras, or Paddington via Liverpool, and thence by steamer. Nearest Station.—Douglas, on Isle of Man. Distance from London.—205 miles to Liverpool (75 miles by sea from Liverpool to Douglas, 90 to Ramsey). Average Time.—12 hours.

1st and 2nd and 3rd and 3rd and saloon saloon saloon fore cabin Fares.—Single 35s. 0d. 26s. 8d. 22s. 6d. ... Return 68s. 0d. 46s. 3d. 39s. 6d. 35s. 6d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—At Douglas—"Grand," "Metropole," "Regent," "Central," "Granville," and many others. At Ramsey—"Mitre," "Queen's," "Prince of Wales," "Albert," "Albion," etc. At Castletown—"George," "Union," etc. At Peel—"Creg Melin," "Marine," "Peel Castle," etc.

The Isle of Man is much visited because of its mild and equable climate, its scenery, and its quaint laws and customs. The island is 30 miles long, and is mountainous in the centre. From the highest point, Snaefell, one can see four countries. Picturesque wooded glens are to be found in many parts of the island, and these having become well known as attractive resorts, a small charge is made to enter each glen. At Glen Darragh there is a circle of stones, and at Laxey, famous for its gigantic wheel for pumping water from the mines, there is another small circle called the "Cloven Stones." In many cases the churchyards possess old Runic crosses.

Douglas, on the east of the island, is the chief town. It is a modern seaside resort, much frequented by Lancashire folk in August. Ramsey, further north, is quieter, and pleasantly situated on the only river of importance in Man. It is an old town, with yellow sands and a harbour crowded with herring-boats. Castletown lies to the south, a quiet old place, with narrow, crooked streets. Castle Rushen, built in the thirteenth century, shows no signs of decay. It consists of a keep and massive outer wall. Here the kings and lords of Manxland lived, though until lately it was the prison of the island. Peel, on the west, is chiefly remarkable for its rocky island near the shore, on which there are the ruins of a castle and churches surrounded by a battlemented wall. St. Patrick probably landed here, and the ruined cathedral is the oldest see in Britain.

The most famous king of "Mona" was Orry, son of a Danish king of the tenth century. The island became subject to England in 1290. The National Assembly, or House of Keys, was founded by Orry.



BRANTWOOD

THE HOME OF JOHN RUSKIN

How to get there.—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway. Nearest Station.—Coniston Lake (Brantwood is on the eastern side of Coniston Lake). Distance from London.—279 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 8-1/4 to 9-1/4 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 41s. 1d. ... 23s. 2-1/2d. Return 80s. 5d. ... 46s. 5d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Waterhead Hotel," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

The road to Brantwood from Coniston runs under the shade of beautiful trees, at the head of Coniston Water. After leaving behind the village and the Thwaite, with its peacocks strutting in its old-world gardens, one skirts the grounds of Monk Coniston. Soon afterwards Tent Lodge, where Tennyson once lived, is passed. Afterwards comes Low Bank Ground, which is only a short distance from Brantwood. The situation, as one may see from the drawing given opposite, is one of great natural advantages, while the house is quite unassuming; its simple white walls, however, give one the sense of a comfortable if unpretending home. The interior has been described as giving an impression "of solid, old-fashioned furniture, of amber-coloured damask curtains and coverings." There were Turner's and other water-colours in curly frames upon the drawing-room walls.

Writing of his earliest recollections of Coniston, in Praeterita, Ruskin says: "The inn at Coniston was then actually at the upper end of the lake, the road from Ambleside to the village passing just between it and the water, and the view of the long reach of lake, with its softly-wooded, lateral hills, had for my father a tender charm, which excited the same feeling as that with which he afterward regarded the lakes of Italy." Ruskin's death in 1900 took place at Brantwood. George Eliot, in speaking of him, said, "I venerate Ruskin as one of the greatest teachers of the age. He teaches with the inspiration of a Hebrew prophet."

Ruskin was the son of a wealthy wine merchant, and was born in London in 1819. He studied at Oxford, where he gained the Newdigate prize for English poetry in 1839. After taking his degree, in the following year appeared his first volume of Modern Painters, the design of which was to prove the great superiority of modern landscape-painters, particularly Turner, over the old masters.



FOWEY

How to get there.—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. Nearest Station.—Fowey. Distance from London.—282 miles. Average Time.—Varies from 7 to 8 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 43s. 4d. 27s. 0d. 21s. 8d. Return 75s. 10d. 47s. 6d. ...

Accommodation Obtainable.—"The Fowey Hotel," "St. Catherine's Private Hotel," "Cotswold House," etc.

Fowey, now little more than a fishing village and holiday resort, was once the chief port in Cornwall, and the equal of Plymouth and Dartmouth, a position it owed to its fine harbour, formed by the mouth of the river Fowey, on which it stands. On the west side of the harbour stands St. Catherine's Castle, dating from the reign of Henry VIII., and on the east the ruins of St. Saviour's Chapel, an old church. There are also remains of two square stone towers, erected for the protection of the entrance to the harbour in the reign of Edward IV. Between these forts, in mediaeval days, the men of Fowey used to draw a chain as an additional security. The houses are built chiefly of stone, but the streets are so narrow and full of angles that it is difficult for a vehicle of any size to pass through them. In the reign of Edward III. it sent forty-seven vessels to assist in the siege of Calais.

A heavy blow was dealt to the town by Edward IV. After he had concluded peace with France, the men of Fowey continued to make prizes of whatever French ships they could capture, and refused to give up their piratical ways. This so incensed the king, that the ringleaders in the matter were summarily executed, a heavy fine was levied upon the town, and its vessels handed over to the port of Dartmouth, as a lesson against piracy. This treatment of Fowey seems a little hard in view of the fact that Dartmouth men were constantly raiding the coasts of Brittany.

The church, built in the reign of Edward IV. and restored in 1876, has one of the highest towers in Cornwall. The interior has a good timber roof, a carved oak pulpit, an old font, and several interesting monuments to the Treffry and Rashleigh families.

The finest and most interesting house in the town is Place House, the seat of the Treffrys, who have been connected with Fowey for many generations. Many of the apartments are exceedingly interesting, especially the hall, with its fine oak roof. The present owner allows the hall and other portions to be shown to visitors.



HEXHAM AND HADRIAN'S WALL

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross and St. Pancras via Newcastle-on-Tyne. Great Northern Railway. Nearest Station.—Hexham. Distance from London.—289 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 5-1/2 to 8 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 40s. 10d. ... 24s. 4d. Return 81s. 8d. ... 48s. 8d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Tynedale Hydropathic Mansion," etc. Alternative Route.—Train from Euston and St. Pancras via Carlisle. London and North-Western Railway.

Hexham has a beautiful position, surrounded with woods and hills on three sides, while the broad Tyne flows past the historic town. Above the surrounding roofs the hoary Abbey Church rises, with its one low central tower and flat roofs.

The history of Hexham begins with the granting of some land to St. Wilfrid in 674, on which he built a monastery and church. A few years later Hexham was made a See, and the "Frithstool" still remains from the time when its cathedral received the right of sanctuary.

This early cathedral was destroyed by the Danes, and the building left a battered ruin. When monasticism rose to its height, after the Norman Conquest, a priory of Canons of St. Augustine was founded there. Its wealth and numbers gradually increased until, at the end of the thirteenth century, an entirely new building replaced the Saxon one, and Hexham became exceedingly powerful.

Hadrian's Wall.—Three miles north of Hexham, at Chollerford, one may see the remains of the piers of a Roman bridge over the North Tyne, and close at hand is one of the best preserved forts of Hadrian's Wall. It was about 124 A.D. that Hadrian started Aulus Plautorius Nepos on the building of the line of continuous fortifications running from the mouth of the Tyne to the Solway, a distance of over seventy miles. This was built on the chain of hills overlooking the valley which runs from Newcastle to Carlisle. The massive and astonishing ruins to be seen to-day fill one with surprise, for they suggest to a considerable extent the Great Wall of China. The remains of the wall proper are, as a rule, 8 feet thick, and are composed of hewn stone (the total height of the wall was probably about 18 feet). Turrets and small forts are built into the wall at frequent intervals. The object of the wall was undoubtedly to act as a military defence against the unconquerable tribes of the north.



THE LAKE DISTRICT

How to get there.—Train to Keswick from Euston. L. and N.W.R. Nearest Station.—Keswick (for visiting Derwentwater, Skiddaw, Bassenthwaite, Buttermere, Cockermouth, Wytheburn). Distance from London.—300 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 6 to 10 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 42s. 0d. 26s. 7d. 24s. 1d. Return 81s. 0d. 47s. 6d. 43s. 0d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Keswick Hotel," "Royal Oak," "Queen's," etc. Alternative Routes.—Train from King's Cross to Keswick, Great Northern Railway. Train from St. Pancras, Midland Railway.

Keswick, usually regarded as the capital of the north-western portion of the Lake District, is situated in the lovely vale of Derwentwater, on the river Greta, shut in on all sides by mountain walls, the highest summit being the lofty Skiddaw, which crowns the range to the north of the valley. The old portion of the town is picturesque and interesting, especially the quaint old town hall in the market-place, marking the centre of the town.

Foremost among the attractions in the vicinity of Keswick is Lake Derwentwater, within less than a mile of the town, and separated from it by rising ground. The lake is 3-1/2 miles in length and 1-1/2 wide, and is remarkable for the transparency of its waters, the shingle and rocks at the bottom being clearly visible at a depth of 15 or 20 feet. The scenery of the lake is beyond description beautiful. "Here is Derwentwater," says De Quincey, "with its lovely islands in one direction, Bassenthwaite in another; the mountains of Newlands; the gorgeous confusion of Borrowdale revealing its sublime chaos through the narrow vista of its gorge; the sullen rear closed by the vast and towering masses of Skiddaw and Blencathra." The valley of Borrowdale is to the south of the lake, and near the south-eastern extremity are the famous Falls of Lodore, so wonderfully described in Southey's celebrated poem.

Bassenthwaite Water, connected with Derwentwater by the Derwent, is a smaller lake, but exceedingly beautiful, and Buttermere has a quaint little village which goes by the same name.

Among the many places within easy reach of Keswick are Cockermouth, the birthplace of Wordsworth; Wytheburn, the nearest village to Thirlmere; and Skiddaw, the ascent of which can be accomplished with comparative ease on pony-back. The summit is over 3000 feet above sea-level.



KESWICK

AND THE HOME OF ROBERT SOUTHEY

How to get there.—Train from Euston. L. and N.W. Railway. Nearest Station.—Keswick. Distance from London.—300 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 7 to 10-1/4 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 42s. 0d. 26s. 7d. 24s. 1d. Return 81s. 0d. 53s. 0d. 48s. 2d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Keswick Hotel," "Royal Oak," "Queen's," etc. Alternative Routes.—Train from King's Cross, Great Northern Railway. Train from St. Pancras, Midland Railway.

Keswick is much resorted to by visitors, as it forms convenient headquarters for exploring the Cumberland part of the Lake District. It is a small and not very beautiful town, containing several large hotels. It is situated in a flat valley through which the Derwent and its tributaries flow, and lies near the north end of Derwentwater Lake. Hills surround it on every side, while the mountains of Skiddaw shield it on the north. Since the discovery of plumbago in the district, Keswick has been famed for its lead-pencils. A renowned week of religious services, known as the "Keswick Convention," takes place here.

Crosthwaite, to the north-west of the town, is famous for its twelfth-century church dedicated to St. Kentigern. It has a long battlemented roof and massive square tower, and possesses many old brasses and monuments, besides a font of the time of Edward III. To most people the monument to Southey will be the chief object of interest. It is a recumbent figure, with an epitaph in verse by his life-long friend Wordsworth.

Robert Southey was the son of a Bristol linen-draper, and was educated at Westminster and Balliol. Southey and Coleridge were much associated with Lovell, a Bristol Quaker. These three friends made a plan—never carried out—of going to the wilds of America and returning to the patriarchal manner of living. They all married three sisters named Fricker. Unfortunately Southey's wife died insane, and he then married a very talented lady named Catherine Bowles. In the beginning of the eighteenth century the Southeys and Coleridges settled in the same house at Greta, near Keswick, and Mrs. Lovell, widow of Robert Lovell, and her son joined the household. Here Southey lived till his death in 1843. In 1813 he was made Poet Laureate, and later was given a pension of L300 a year.



ALNWICK CASTLE

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—Alnwick. Distance from London.—309 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 7 and 8 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 43s. 1d. ... 25s. 9d. Return 86s. 2d. ... 51s. 6d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Northumberland Arms," "Star Hotel." Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras via Sheffield and York. Midland Railway.

Standing in a magnificent position overlooking the town from which it takes its name, Alnwick Castle occupies the site of one of the oldest of the border points of defence. It is believed that a fort existed here during the Roman occupation, and that a castle was erected on its site by the Saxons, who named the place Ealnwic. Just before the Conquest the castle and barony were the property of one Gilbert Tyson, who was slain at the battle of Hastings. His possessions passed into the hands of the Norman lords De Vesci, who held them till about 1297, when the castle and barony were bequeathed by the licence of Edward I. to the Bishop of Durham. Shortly afterwards they were purchased by Lord Henry de Percy, from whom they have descended regularly to the present owner, the Duke of Northumberland. The castle is one of the finest examples of a feudal fortress in England, the walls enclosing an area of five acres, and the grounds, watered by the Alne, presenting scenes of the most varied and romantic beauty.

The two north-western round towers of the keep, together with the Armourer's and Falconer's towers, have recently been swept away in order to accommodate the new Prudhoe Tower. During the last six years 200 workmen have been employed in transforming the feudal interior of the castle into a Roman palazzo.

Alnwick, situated so near the border, was the scene of countless raids and conflicts during the Middle Ages, and with these fights the castle was always closely associated. It was besieged in 1093 by Malcolm III., King of Scotland, and defended by Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland. The Scottish king and his son Prince Edward both fell during the siege. King David gained possession of the town in 1135. William the Lion, who took part with young Richard, afterwards Coeur de Lion, against his father Henry II., entered Northumberland in 1174, with 80,000 men, and laid siege to Alnwick; but the attempt was a failure, and William was taken prisoner.



LANERCOST PRIORY, CUMBERLAND

How to get there.—Train from Euston via Carlisle. L. and N.W. Railway. Nearest Station.—Brampton (Lanercost Abbey is situated 2 miles north of Brampton). Distance from London.—317 miles. Average Time.—Varies between 6 to 9 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 40s. 10d. ... 24s. 4d. Return 81s. 8d. ... 48s. 8d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—At Brampton—"Howard Arms," "White Lion Hotel." Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras. Midland Railway.

Lanercost Priory is situated in a singularly beautiful sylvan valley watered by the river Irthing. Only the shell of the chancel remains, but the nave has been restored, and is now used as the church of the parish. The walls of the roofless transepts as well as the central tower are still standing. The pillars on the south side support a much decayed clerestory, but on the opposite side both the triforium and clerestory are in a fairly good state of preservation.

A side chapel in the choir contains some very finely carved but battered altar-tombs belonging to the Dacre family—one of them is believed to be that of Lord William Howard. Under what was the refectory of the conventual buildings, one may find the crypt in a very good state of preservation. In it are preserved some Roman altars and carvings discovered at various times in the locality. A number of Roman inscriptions having been discovered on the walls of the Priory Church; it is generally supposed that much of the building material was obtained from the Roman wall. The Rev. J. Maughan has argued for the existence of a Roman station at this point, and its name is believed to have been Petriana.

The monastery adjoining the Priory Church belonged to the order of St. Augustine, and its endowments consisted of all the land lying between the Picts' wall and the river Irthing, upon which the buildings stood, and between Burgh and Poltross.

After the dissolution the monastic buildings were put into a proper state of repair, and were converted into a private residence by Lord Thomas Dacre, who built the castellated portion towards the south, which of course did not belong to the original structure. Half a mile distant from the priory is Naworth Castle, the historic seat of the Earl of Carlisle, and Brampton is famous for its mote, which was possibly a Danish fort.



CHILLINGHAM CASTLE, NORTHUMBERLAND

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—Belford (6 miles from Chillingham). Distance from London.—323 miles. Average Time.—About 9 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 44s. 11d. ... 26s. 11d. Return 89s. 10d. ... 53s. 10d.

Accommodation Obtainable.— Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras via Newcastle-on-Tyne. Midland Railway.

The castle at Chillingham, the seat of the Earl of Tankerville, is a remarkably picturesque building, erected in the reign of Elizabeth, on the site of an older fortress. The castle, which is now in the occupation of Sir Andrew Noble, to whom it has been let by Lord Tankerville, contains many valuable portraits.

An ancestor of the Earl of Tankerville, Charles Lord Ossulston, came into the property in 1695 by marriage with the daughter and heiress of Lord Grey, Earl of Tankerville, a descendant of the Greys of Chillingham and Wark, who had much property in Glendale.

The herds of cattle at Chillingham are believed to be survivors of Bos primigenius, the wild ox of Europe, which is the supposed progenitor of our domestic cattle. This fact is of great scientific interest and is analogous to the preservation of the few remaining buffaloes in America, only in this case these wild cattle have been preserved through much changed conditions for a vastly longer period.

The King, when Prince of Wales, shot one of these animals, but in doing so had a rather narrow escape. The chief external appearances distinguishing the cattle from all others are as follows—"their colour is invariably white; muzzles black, the whole of the inside of the ear and about one-third of the outside, from the lips downwards, red; horns white with black tips, very fine and bent upwards; some of the bulls have a thin upright mane about an inch and a half or two inches long."

It should be pointed out that there is some danger in encountering any of the herd in the absence of the park-keepers. The calves have been noticed to have the wild characteristic of dropping when suddenly surprised.

A reproduction is given opposite of Landseer's picture of the wild cattle.



ST. IVES, CORNWALL

How to get there.—Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly. Nearest Station.—St. Ives. Distance from London.—325 miles. Average Time.—About 9 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 50s. 3d. 31s. 6d. 25s. 1-1/2d. Return 88s. 0d. 55s. 0d. 50s. 3d.

Accommodation Obtainable.—"Tregenna Castle," "Porthminster," "Western," "Queen's," etc. Alternative Route.—None.

St. Ives is a quiet, old-world fishing town on the northern coast of Cornwall. The town occupies the western limb of the wide bay of St. Ives. On the narrow neck of land joining the promontory known as The Island to the mainland, most of the houses of the fishing town are packed away in picturesque confusion, while the streets are tortuous in the extreme. On either side of this isthmus the land rises; behind it thunder the waves on Porthmeor beach; in front are the deep green waters of the harbour, protected by two piers. The beach is of firm, hard sand, upon which the boats are hauled up in safety. The fifteenth-century church, standing on the site of the former Norman chapel, is a large building near the harbour. It is said that the Norman structure was dedicated to St. Ivo, a Persian bishop, who is supposed to have Christianised the Britons in Cornwall in the ninth century, and to have erected six chapels. Others think that St. Ia was the daughter of an Irish chieftain, and was murdered at Hayle. The beautiful font is thought to be a relic from the former chapel. A fifteenth-century cross has been dug up in the churchyard and re-erected. On the island is a little building which is thought to be the remains of one of St. Ivo's chapels. There is also a fort of Cornu-British origin, and a grass-covered battery on the hill, whose green slopes are covered with fishing-nets. Half-way across the bay the river Hayle enters the sea, and at the furthest extremity is Godrevy Point with its lighthouse.

St. Ives became an important town in the time of Edward III., and its present church was erected in Henry VI.'s reign. Perkin Warbeck from Ireland and the Duke of Monmouth from Holland each landed at St. Ives on their ill-fated ventures.

During recent years St. Ives and the neighbouring fishing villages have attracted numerous artists of considerably varying merit, and an exhibition of the Royal Academy is now almost certain to contain at least one picturesque glimpse of the place.



BAMBOROUGH CASTLE, NORTHUMBERLAND

How to get there.—Train from King's Cross. Great Northern Rly. Nearest Station.—Belford (4-1/2 miles from Bamborough). Distance from London.—393 miles. Average Time.—About 9 hours.

1st 2nd 3rd Fares.—Single 43s. 11d. ... 26s. 11d. Return 87s. 10d. ... 33s. 10d.

Accommodation Obtainable.— Alternative Route.—Train from St. Pancras to Belford (Midland Railway) via Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Standing on an almost perpendicular mass of basaltic rock, overlooking the sea at a height of 150 feet, is Bamborough Castle. The stately keep belongs to the original stronghold, which was built on the site of what was probably one of a chain of fortresses raised by the Romans for the protection of the coast. For many centuries the castle was possessed of great strength, and was frequently used as a place of refuge by the Kings and Earls of Northumberland. It was founded by Ida, king of the Angles, about A.D. 547, and suffered considerably at the hands of the Danes in 933. Earlier than this, however, in the seventh century, Bamborough was besieged by Penda, the pagan king of Mercia, who, although having recently gained several victories, made great efforts to burn down the castle. Having set his men to work to accumulate a great mass of brushwood, Penda had huge piles heaped up beneath the walls. As soon as the wind was in the right quarter he set alight the brushwood. Shortly afterwards, however, the wind veered round until it blew in the opposite direction, to the discomfiture of his own people, who were thus obliged to abandon their camp.

Afterwards the castle was repaired again, and was besieged by William II. when Robert Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, took refuge there. During the Wars of the Roses Bamborough was frequently captured and recaptured, and in the various sieges suffered very severely.

In 1720 Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, having purchased the castle, bequeathed it in his will for charitable purposes. The Bishop's trustees carried out a considerable amount of repairs, and at the present time the residential portion is frequently let by the trustees to tenants for varying periods.

THE END