Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-05
Historic English Inns,
Rev. James Johnston in Christian Union.

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dations of important historical English
Inns, and, although failing SO guarantee
their permanent security, the commits
sioners threw considerable light upon
their origin and modern history. This
mild inquisitlon included in its report
the popular Lyons inn, which long ago
made way for the Globe thaater, and the
quaintest of all the inns, Little Barnard's.
| Both New inn and Clements inn, adioin-
ing the Strand near the new law courts
were shown to have charters, funds and
! trustees known by the archaic designation
of the "Ancients;" the latter taking its
name from st. Clements, and in very
early times serving as a monastery.
More recently several inns whose event
ful changes merit narration have On one
ground and another excited the interest
of antlq uarians. Staple inn, which was
not In the market a few months since, has
peculiar if not antique architectural. lie.
gal and literary associations. The lnf1u-
entail Populations from the Commons
preservation society AMI the society for
the protection of ancient buildings were
not successful in convincing the court of
the London common council that it was
the duty of its members to preserve the
venerable city buloing. The original en-
dowment of this, as of other inns of
court, was trust Incidental to the main
tenance and welfare CT the legal profes
sion, especially within the metropolitan
area. AS an ancient inn of chancery it
was also place of learning and educa-
ton in tbs law, with large property, and
income recently averaging $4,000 per
anpum. Its name was due to the prior
settlement on the site OF the wool mer-
- ga -
from the Staple by New Palace yard in
the time of Richard Ii. Although the
Prudential Life Assurance company ac-
quired its possession at the sale for az
immense sum, that body has intimate4
its intention of preserving the antiquat-
ed fabric without alteration. The inn
comprises buildings of antiquarian and
esthetic attraction, in particular the
gable ended houses facing Holborn, and
also small garden pleasantly situated,
and court-yards through which many per
sons pass every day on their way between
Holburn and Chancery lane. The old hall,
which at one time had medieval services
of plate, furniture and pictures, was ex
cellently adapted for banduets and pub
lie gatherings. It's fioriated roof, fine
old wainscoting, windows rich with many
hued heraldic advices, constitute together
a worthy and valuable relic Of Old Lon
don. 1t was In the year 1859 that Samuel ].
johnson removed from Gray's inn TO
Staple inn, and there in solitude and dis
tress composed "Rasselas.''
The Did Horns tavern at Remington,
well-knOwn inn for the last 200 years, war
short time ago RACED to the ground to
make room for stately modern tavern.
This cid house had some delightful and stir
ing associations. On the common infrOnt
of it many of the adherents of the "Pre-
tender" were executed. Though little
out of the range of the great gatherings
adjacent st Georges field, which deter
minated in the disastrous Lord George
Gordon riots in 1880, spectators from the
bay windows OF the old house have looked
down on many famous political assem-
blage. What poetical recollections en-
twine themselves around the Chapter
coffee house, near st Paul's church. yard,
and the substantial old Castle hotel in
the heart of charming Richmond TIL
Chapter coffee-house, the haunt of the
wits and city celebrities of the "good old
days" is, as usual, to be supplemented by
superior structure. Like most houses of
its, type, its history has been fuctuat-
ing one, though the spot has rich liter
airy traditions.
Churchill of "Rosiad" fame and Bon
nell Thornton were habituaI frequenters,
and Goldsmith's "favorite corner" was
long one of its notaoiles. Chatterton in
one of his letters, says: 81 am quite fam
liar at the Chapter, and know all the
geniuses there" Booksellers and cleri-
cal personages were frequently found in,
its dingy boxes. It was popular be-
lief that some of its customers in sober
CARDS were curates oat of harness, who
were always ready to write sermon for a
guinea, if fortunate enough to have an
order for that commodity. Sir Richard
Phillips, Mrs. Gaskell, and other writer's
have descanted respecting the Chapter
and its notable guests. Few places are
capable of supplying more materials for
a series of facinating sketches concern
ing the habitudes of 18th century men of
letters. Castle hotel, of Richmond, is an
other of the doomed pilgrim resorts, and
possibly It's surrounding beautiful coun-
try, which has worldwide praise. The
painters have made strenuous exertions
for the inviolecy of this justly renown-
ed landscape.
ORly "a very small remove" from Lon
don, as Rogers would say, stands the old
"Pickwick Leather Bottle" at Gotham,
Kent, whose fame has grown within the
memory of present-day readers. This
was the unpretending village inn in
which Mr.. TUpman, when destiny was
against him and his heart was overwhelm-
ed, found peace and seclusion which was
denied linn under the ho5pitable roof of
Dingley Dell. Formerly the Leather
Bottle" relied for attraction upon Its,
natural charms and yernal woods and the
interest of the half-ruined college build
ing opposite, with the old church and it's
peerless brssses. Latterly the ''Pickwick.
room" has absorbed something akin t.S
universal affection. American actors
visiting England never fail to betake
themselves TO the "old time" Kentis1 viii
Iage to reconnoiter the scene of Mr.. Pick
wick's benevolent errand some 80 years
past in quest of his lost friend. Miss
Anderson has focused American devo-
tion toward Dickens By. requesting the
landlord to hang g ifesize portrait of
herself in the PickTickian parlor. 1t is
stated by the proprietor who cherishes
spirit of alteration for the immortal
shrine Of genius, that few American cap
tains whose vessels cast anchor for a
while at Gravesend failto slip away from
their ships for the purpose of taking a
drive through the orchards and hoI
ground and finally entering the low-roof-
ed Pickwickian room, where they are
reverentially observed removing their.
hats. The sanctuary" with is antique
chairs and smoky pictures, were preserved
unchanged, all OF which could have been
easily traced to the minute descriptionir
the novel, until the fire of last April
which severely damaged the building and
destroyed not a few of the Tupman relics