Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-04-21
WAKEMAN'S WANDERINGS
ROUND ABOUT BOLTON ABBEY,
WHARFEOALE AND OLD ILKLEY.

anu Ahtiquiies-tharmi Memories
Of the BOyhood Home Of the Notet
Preacher, r ebert CoIIyer. the york
shire Blacksmith"
Copyright, 1891. by Edgar L. wakeman.l
ILKLEY, England. April 3-Where the
fierce winds of the German ocean meet the
wild winds from the Irish sea, and both
In savage cOnvolutions, roll icy fog banks
along the barren hills, lies little vale, set
like nest between the highest Yorkshire
mOors This is Wharfedale All around
are dreariness Of scenery and the griminess
and hardness Of countless mills. But with
in this one dale, as If in blessed compensa-
tion, are numberless winsome spots and
scenes. Hkley, quaint and old in its char
acterful village life, shining and new from
the innovations Of rich loiterers drawn
hither by the hygienic wells, and from very
love Of the sweet old spot, as Ruskin and
Turner were, is the Wharfedale's tiny
metropolis. II was the Olicdna of the
Romans. All Saints, its ancient church.
stands on the site Of a former Roman fort
and station. The entire region round about
Is filled with Pictish and Druidic remains.
while the valley sides and craggy moor
scars rising above, are exquisitely set with
hedge and copsc, lawn and bloom, with
here and there the walls Of ancient manor
house or Of battlemented turrets showing
statelily against the outjuttings OF. the
crags above.
Innumerable English antiquarians, nat
uralists and tourists come to Wharfetlale
All visit the classic shades Of Bolton abbey.
four miles ABOVE Hkley. Few Americans
have seen il because OF its remoteness. The
ancient priory was founded in Il5l. and
owed its origin TO pathetic tragedy. best
told in Rogers ballad, THE Boy Of Eyre
mond-" Lady Alice, wife Of William Fitz-
Duncan, nephew TO King David of Scot
land, was the founder Just a little above
the abbey the river Wharfe is compressed
within deep, torrent-like, rocky channel
called the Strid, because one can stride or
leap across IL. The son Of Lady Alice at
tempted to cross the Strid leaGinga hound
In leash. The latter, suddenly shrinking
back, precipitated the boy Of EgremOnd"
into the torrent. He was drowned. In
dolorous memory, Bolton abbey was built
Among all the abbey ruins Of Great Brit
ain, Bolton, blended with its surroundings.
Is certainly the most attractively pictur-
esque. Melrose is incomparably more in
teresting a. an ecclesiastic art relic; ivy
buried Dryburgh protects the grave Of
Scott; kirkstall as an impressive ruin is
far superior; aud Fountains is more per
feet, spacious and splendid; but Bolton alb
hey stands rs both an impressive and pict-
uresque olden shrine in perfect dream OF
natural beauty and repose.
The ruins are situated on the west side
OF the Wharte, upon gentle grassy emf
nence where the river curves broadly 70
the east. breaking in rippling shadows
along its sunny way. The ancient convent
ual walls are so fallen in places as to be
overgrown with grass and shrubbery: other
portions Of the wall still stand high and
lofty, subdued in their jagged outlines by
masses Of ivy. The shell of the great priory !
church is yet entire, and into its splendid I
nave has been built parochial chapel-al- |
most type of a truant faith still clinging to
Its mother Church; while the daintiest little |
parsonage eyes ever beheld has been built |
but Of the ruins, over against where once
stood the court Of cloisters. An ancient
escutcheOn is emblazoned on its gateway:
Is porch is buried in ivy, and in summer
Wild hops and ladybower kindle the
lark masses with bloom. There is a
ine old arch still standing which once
ed TO the chapter house. In the nave is a
wooden screen of remarkable Tudor work.
The decorated windows Of the transepts
Ire excellent examples. The early English
work OF the west front of the nave has a
recessed doorway, enriched
With fifteen holdings, while the west
window Is as exquisite an example of the
perpendicular style as may be found in
England. In every direction the eye falls
m matches scenes Of sweetness and rest.
The very air and sunlight Of the little vale
aaNs g.
lreamfully dwells upon the sacred and
lassic memories Of the ivy hid ruins; the
Nharfe modulates its wimplings 70 the
pirit of the spot; and even the birds, low
ng the valley as a retreat from the ever
rowding Of the grim and smoky mills.
ing here in their Wharfeside sanctuary
heir softesf and tenderest songs.
Outside of all quaint and pleasant things
bout old and new Tkley, it is a delightful
lace 10 visit, from the human interest Of
he town and its neighborhood. The an
sstors Of that sweet singer, Bishop Heber,
we'd and died there. It is the land of the
airiaxes, whose noble blood was trans
lsed 70 our own Virginia. Il was the
Assionately loved haunt Of Turner. who
ever spoke Of sweet Wharfedale without
quivering Of the voice." while Ruskin
discerned little hits Of nkley scenery
anging on 10 the Alpine heights when
urner came 10 paint them" But the per
'nality above all others that links the
merican heart Of today to old ukley is
he our country has held in loving re- /
lrd now these two-score years. the ,
'eat thearted man who, at Philadelphia.
hioago and New York. has made other
en-, komanist or Protestant, orthodox or 4
'terodox, better and happhir for his min. /
~ among them-grand. gray Robert /
lllyer, who, when he passed from the iron |
the spiritual anvil. knew no change In
e real man that was in him, which made 4
great preacher and teacher out OF the \
Yorkshire blacksmith" Of nkley. I
Of his lineage there was a grandfather I
10 fought under Nelson. and went over 4
ard one dark night in a storm. he wac !
the fathers side. On the mothers side =
= another grandfather sailor who went =
heath the waves with his ship. The two i
doWs fought the wolf while they were q
le, and died presently Of the fight. Then a
the century was coming IN. Yorkshire. 4
th its great mills and factories. came %