The morning call., 1891-10-18
WAKEMAN'S
WANDBRINGS.'
He Describes What lie Observed in AL
Gent Coventry.
The First Impressions Of the Place Beautiful
Spires That Are Suggestive Of An
tiquity and RepOse.
EIecial to THE SUNDAY CA5L

or legend from DNSOOe LllntS MUS AuNEhiNN'
In the minds of men, and eventually be-
comes bulwark of local pride and power
as we'll as a subject of universal interest Is
nowhere in Britain more strikingiy Illus
trated than in this ancient city of Coventry.
Coventry has for 800 years meant, and Will
forever solely suggest-Lady Godiva and
Peeping Tom. Matthew of Westminster,
who flourished aAput 1300-70. first SET down
the episode as s6ber history, but failed to
make place for "Peeping Tom" He saws:
This Countess tGodival, devoutly anx-
fous to free the city of Coventry from
grievous and base thralld0m often besought
the Count, her husband, that he would, for
the love of the Holy Trinity and the Sacred
Mother of God, liberate it from such servi-
tude. But he Tebuked her for vainly de-
handing thing so Injurious 10 himself, and
forbade her to move further therein. Yet
she, out of her womanly pertinacity, con-
tinued to press the matter, insomuch
that she besought this answer from
him. Ascend he said. thy horse
naked. and pass thus through tue
city, from one cad Of it to the other,
in sight OF the people, and on thy return
thou shalt obtain thy request, Upon
which she returned, And should l be Will
ing TO do this wilt thou give me leave
Godiva, beloved OF God, assembled her horse
naked, lo0Sing her long hair, which clothed
her entire Oldy except her SnOw-WDlte legs,
and having performed the journey, seen by
none, returned with joy TO her husband,
who. regarding it as miracle, thereupon
granted Coventry Charter OF Freedom,
confirming it with his seal.
Ones first impressions Of Coventry are
disappointing. From Il score OF miles away
lis beautiful spires are visible and are en-
ehantingly suggestive Of antiquity AMI re-
nose. Nearing the city it rises from
mOnOtOnOus champaign country, little
wooded, and with an unpleasant RED
of the clayey soil chrckerng the fields
aud outlining the rather lonesome aud
hedgelcss adjacent highways Entering
the city from any direction, modern streets
bOrdered with modern houses hint OF
spongng out Of ali the old hooks and nests,
and give a f0rebOding sense of gainless
quest But once well into High street, to
the right and lett, in every direction ana
in nIermnable maze, are narrow thorough
fares winding and interlecinS in quaint and
charming confusion. Gudiyas and Peepins
Toms begin to smile and glover upon you
from every niche and window.
UD there to the right runs a narrow
street. Your impulse leads you thlther.
Not q hundred yards more, and down to
your left. opens one of the most character
full thorGUghfaTes in Europe. II Is Butch
eI's Row. You instantly step from the
nineteenth TO the sixt,e cath century.
A days lettering would be amply
rewarded here. just behind its ram
shackle old houses are perhaps pri-
N eval trees fringing a shadowy close
into which are huddied the churches
OF st. MichaePs and Trinity. All about
them is almost uurccorded age in architect
uge, Half.timbrred houses, two, three,
four and five centuries old, crowd around
the place in all manner OF angles and IAN
tas.ic facadrs. At the corner OF Hay lane
and Barley lane, just where the fire old pic
ture is mellOwe-t aS You look back upon the
half veTduTe-c0Vered masses of angles ana
carvings, stands a 3O0-year old inn, restored
in its zigzag pattern Of oak and mcrtar
black ard lavender paint ard overhanging
stories that the visitor may know
HOW THE OLD TOWN LOOKED
When its builders had left their work spck-
and-span III the glory of first completion.
A little beyond, its low, wide front mass
Of cTumbling carving, stands one OF the
most interesting structures Of former age
in England. This is St. Mary's Hall. The
other, to me- most fascinating spot in Coven-
try IS FOrd's Hospital in Gray Friar'S Lane,
an almshouse for old, old women. There
are many, many other structures most rare
and curious mere; among them ST. MichaePs
Church, over which even a Hawthorne
could be warmed into eXclaiming: so old,
yet enduring; so huge, so rich; with
such intricate minuteness In its finish
that, look as long as you will
- at it. you can always discover
something new directly before your eyes;
and that "Of al English things L have
seen, methinks the churches disappoint me
least; Trinity Church. with its pulpit ac-
counted 'the very finest In the kingdom"
and Bonds Hospital, a remarkable struct-
ure founded nearly four hundred years ago
as a home for aged men. But these two
places are so perfect in their linking OF an
OIden with the present day; preserve in
thPmse elves such striking pictures OF re-
mote aud mellow past and wjthal present
so fully and at a glance the very rime and
mold # that which has held all English
speaking lands to the pleasant pages from
the golden age Of kusiish literature, that
one comes tn them 10 their hale and sturdy
age as we turn with heart-thrill aud delight
10 the beaming faces of dear old friends.
as nearly as can be obtained by anti
Quarians the date of st. Mays Hall Is
between 400 and 1926. 1t is therefore
nearly 500 years old. The ancient guilds
of Coventry were famous for their wealth
and sumptu0us hospitality, and this hall
was the gathering place OF the united
guilds. Il stands entire just as IL was
built 1t is also remarkable as being one
of the few places OF public interest to
which strangers are admitted in England
where a fee Is not demanded or expected.
That alone makes one fond OF the SPLEEN
did antique. Its entrance is opposite ST.
MlCudtl OuulCus 1 lIb Cd s4DSoY buOuHu
crumbed badly, were originally almost as
rich as those Of MelrOse Abbey. This
aTched way leads through sumptuously
decorated court over an open gallery d.
rectiy to the great hall of entertainment.
In the other buildings upon which the court
opeds are seen the arrangement of ages in
which the whole business Of festival wa:
conducted within the walls Of one estab-
Iishment The kitchen, entered beneath
the gallery, is one Of the largest and mos
antique now existing in England. Its
LOFTY ARCHES
Are supported by octangular columns
tremendous arch vaults the eOppers, anC
at each side is an angel holding a shield
The four chmneys are the largest of thi:
kind now eXtant, and have communicating
arches. Adjoining the kitchen are thu
vaults In which were stored records, treas
uTe wines and ales. 1t is said that thu
kitchen and cellar Of no king or potentatt
surpassed these in their day. They are il
every particular now as they were used II
the time of the early and splendid was
sailry.
The entire wall and ceiling of the in
terror OF the great hall is solid mass 0
sculpture, painting, tapestry and carving
Almost every development of art in EN-
blematic decoration for 600 years has founC
expression here; and more extraordinar.
than all else, each object or design stand
in its respective place just as it left som
masters hand. Coventry folk themselve
have no adequate comprehension OF To
mine Of art wealth these rotten walls con
tain. | have the word of famous LOndo
cannoisseur that he had, out of persona
curiosity, attempted careful valuation, bu
had given up In encouragement after b
had but fairly begun and reached the sun
of goo 600, or about S1.G00,000.
Only little way from st. Mary's Hall
down a narrow wynd called Gray Friar'
Lane, is found Ford's Hospital, an earl
and unique specimen OF architecture pre-
vaiIing in the early part of the slxteent
century. The entire front is covered wit
the richest Of wood carving. Three hug
and canOpied gables project from tho SCI
ond story. A wide low carved arch wa
leads TO long narrow court, open to tn
sky, whose sides are wholly composed {
carved supports and frames set with coun
less tiny panes. Thirty old women are
the charity. Sixteen are housed here
its sixteen quaintest rooms to be found
the British Isles. The entire structuI
stands precisely as it was built 1854 veal
ago, and is absolutely untouched by il
uoyation. The sixteen housed hospita
lers receive each per week shilling
free washing and physicians attendanc
and annually two tons OF coal. The