Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-03-18
SOUTHAMPTON.

SOUTHAMPTON.
at first sight does not strike the stranger
iayorab.y. Ii Is situated at the confluence
OF the ltlvers Itchen and Lert. and an
arm OF the sea. stretching tour miles above
and seven miles below the town. The
site is elevated, yet during our stay it was
exceedingly damp, foggy. and rainy.
80 as to produce a melancholy effect
yet after rapid survey and casual view
of the town. and short stay therein,
the visitor will come to this conclusion j;
that cohsumptives, il not too far gone,
will live as long here as any where else
The town. as is usual with the ancient
oriental cities, is irregularly laid out Ii
is however ON an elevated tract OF ground
which places it beyond the reach of flood
however much 1t may rain. AT the pres
ent writing the town contaius near $4,000
inhabitants. and is particularly noted for
It's ecclesiastical and military antiquities
and ancient mansions. and palatial re-
mains, and the general salubriiy OF the
atmosphere Is acknowledged. The name
Is said To have been derived from the
Saxon words Ham, house" and Tim
town, and its foundation WAS suppus.
ed to have been laid prior to the christian
era. From that time To the present il
has like most ancient towns of any no.
teriety, passed many changes, as we'll as
vicissitudes. AT one time it was occupied
by the Romans, after that the Danish in
vasion gave the town 10 the Danes II
was about the year lCl6 when Canute
the great Danish leader, had his contest
with Edmund Ironside. There are a
number of handsome streets i'm this town
among which High street seems the most
remarkable. The name of this stree,
would indicate an ancient origin of thi.
town, as there is not an antiquaied town
or city in England, that we visited, but
what had thoroughiare called High
street. IL may be- that the inhabitants o
every ancient city has been Oh a "high.
As Americans sometimes call il. 1t was
upon this street We noticed Canute's Pal
ace, where 1t is supposed the eminent
Dane used to reside; hotel now marks
the spot, where it is said he admin. tered
his rebuke TO his courtiers. Ii is here
alone we observed the first gate OF a CITY
which must have been erected during, ol
succeeding the Norman Conquest. The
gate Is under All arch way, over Higl
oeSSe, ''hith WIS Tic tu
trance ol the city; through the Southamp
ton wall, good portion OF which is still
remaining in good state of preservation
Over the gate way is hall, which wa
erected at the same time, and is now uset
as a town hall. From the appearance q
the arches In this hall, it must be of Nor
man origin; hence built about the time
or shortly after, as means of defense
Much OF the town is outside of the wal
and gate; but there is enough old Ian,
maj ks remaining To serve to illustrate tn
scriptural declaration in regard to tn
gate of the city
The Hat.y Library and Reading room
Is an institution worth visiting. Ii contain
over 1000 volumes, connected with whic
Il Lecture room, capable of seatin
1900 persons. | am under obligations I
JOS and Fred Blundell, tor admissi..n t
this institution. 1t contains many ancien
churches and hall among which Gull
Hall Is perhaps the most ancient. A r.
mafkable feature about this town is il
beautiful Parks. Cumberland Park col
tains the statue of DR. Isaac Watti
which is o feet high. carved from III
finest quality of siciliau marble. Whe
asked what thought of the statue n
marked, that it was a fine monument, an
that 1t was only excel'ed by the one erec