Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-28
MILDRED RUSSELL'S LETTER
SCENES ABOUT COVENTRY.
Tricks or the Spires -onaint strsets-kenii-
worth aud Warwick Castle-rhe Warwick
shire Iauea.

| Tricks OF the Spirss-Qnaint strssts-kenii-
worth and warwick Castle-rhe Warwick
shire Lanes.
| Especial correspondence Of the Dispatch
LONDON, July, 1888.
We left London by $3.50 train on
the London and Northwestern railway,
one Of the best-managed and smoothest-
running lines in England. After ride
of ninety miles we arrived at Coventry.
a town in Warwickshre, in the centre
Of England, whose history-legendary,
political. and social-would Gil vol
umes. 1t is a quaint old place, and
fairly bristles with "reminiscences Of
past days. Under the Saxon heptarchy
il was of considerable Importance,
and before the Norman conquest had
extensive religious foundations, while
to-day it can boast Of three fine
churches, one Of which belongs to the
most admired period Of Gothic archi-
lecture. On approaching the town the
three tall and tapering spires of these
churches dance round in the travellers
sight and stand at dozen different po-
sitions with regard to each other, and
are a landmark for the DeighbOrhood.
Sometimes the spires rise above one
another in a close row, and look like
the children Of the place, except that
the smaller ones never catch the taller
up in height. Sometimes they stand at
a distance as if they lived miles apart,
then they form a triangle, and then one
stands still and the others 90 racing
about. At all times they are graceful
objects in the landscape. and have Sc
cured for Coventry the name Of the
town of the Three Spires. and redeemed
it outwardly from the dull, uniform re-
semblance to a thousand others.
INDEPENDENCE OF SPIRIT.
In early times Coventry made itself a
name for independence of spirit. 1t
sided with the Lancastrians in the War
Of the Roses; but ali it seems to have
gained was the privilege of fighting and
paying contributions to the cause. 1t
had to suffer spoliation and diminution
Of grandeur later on for taking up anti
monarchical ideas, for on account Of
the yigor it displayed in espousing the
parliamentary cause, Charles III. razed
the walls and towers which once en-
riched the city. For this reason it is
less medgval.lOoking than the traveller
might expect to find it from its age,
but narrow, crooked streets and uneX-
pected turns still exist. Peeping Tom.
carved in stone. keeps in remembrance
the youth and beauty Of the THOUSAND
year-old Lady GOdiya. and St. Mary's
Hall is an interesting apartment. 1t
has an oak roof carved in all sorts Of
grotesque and queer figures and
painted window of antique and har-
mOniouS coloring.
THE GUILDS.
Some of the guilds, or trade associa-
tions, now existing are descendants Of
a time when they were much more
powerful than they are al present, but
something has been done in late years
to revive outside interest in these by
occasional professions IN costumes Of
the past.
The new part Of the town spreads
itself out in wide streets. and is the
fashionable residential quarter. Most
Of the houses have gardens. and many
are built in the villa style. A Gene
terry laid out by the late Sir Joseph
Paxton, landscape gardener and de-
veloper Of glass and iron buildings,
superseded the churchyard burial
places formerly in use. 1t is planned
on the principle Of forming quiet walks
and detached nooKs, where the dead can
rest and the living pay their visits of
neutrality-suspicious. without being
exposed to general observation from
the whole ground. The trees and
shrubs are now grown to full size, and
the entire place Is kept in the good or
der that a love and respect for the de-
parted would dictate.
TRUE PLUE.
Coventry is Known By name, at least,
to a much greater number of people
than its size and importance would
otherwise warrant. owing to the eI-
pressions True Blue " and " Sending
to Coventry" True blue was thread
once made in lar,e quantities here. and
a speciality of the place, and Sending
to Coventry was invented by military
men when this determined town held
them aloOf and forbade its citizens to
speak to them if they insisted on in
trudiBg themselves within its limits.
1t was then so earnestly devoted to its
own productions that, like some Of it's
present contemporaries, it considered
the well-being Of the world hung upon
the more or less cheerful way other
places bought the things it made. This
town is as ancient with regard to manu-
factures as 1t is with respect to other
departments. and possessed them al the
earliest possible period. But these Vi
cissitudes, bringing alternately wealth
and poverty and spreading over hun
dreds Of years, have been strongly
marked. Once it was woollen goods
that brought wealth to Coventry. Then
in modern days came ribbon weaving
'and matchmaking; but though these
still continue to be carried on, they are
in a depressed state.
4 NEW INDUSTRY.
The new industry of bicycle making
set up here with energy and enterprise
has renewed the prosperity Of the town
which was in such dire straits few
years ago from the collapse Of the rio.
bon and watch trade. On muct
smaller scale the finest kinds of bras
and iron, carpets. and few other spe
cialties are manufactured here.
KBNILWORTH.
The surrounding country is attrac
tive, and several show-placeS are within
easy reach. Stoneleigh Abby, the resi-
dence Of Lord Leigh, is four miles OF
and Kenilworth FIVE. The latter i
now the mere shell of a castle. bu
enough is left TO show the general plac,
Of the building and out-works and t,
realize the grandeur and pOmp will
which the Earl Of Leicester could en-
tertain Queen Elizabeth a his guest
The beauty of the views from Kenil
worth. and indeed from all Of thi