The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-15
FAKEMAN'S WANDERINGS.
Some Quaint Features Of an English
Cathedral Town.
Traditional and Historical Associations OF
Glouesstsr-Specimens of Ancient
Architecture.
Written for THE monNINe CALL

FROM among tDe OOISWOlu His Hhu Iva
days caught enticng glimpses of the spires
and roofs of ancient Gloucester grouped
about the huge tower Of its splendid cathe-
dral, all snuggled amid rich verdure beside
the cleaning waters Of the Severn. The cid
cathedral town, far from the worn ways OF
travel, rich in history, legends and quaint
old architecture of long ago. and still peace
full and simple in its provincial coloring and
ways, at last WOE me from the mountains
through winding beech-l roads and bios
s0ming hawthorn lanes.
Besides, there was personal interest in
the gray old town. All Of US, title-haters
that we Americans iercely assure the rest
of the world we are, love to know, IL we
are honest enough TO confess 1t, that,
| away back somewhere along the blood
line behind us, there has been some one
| of our kin who was somebody, who really
did something, and who was man enough,
| good or bad, TO have left an impress and
record upon the affairs Of his time. With
out pride or envy could contemplate those
! of my family and name who as THE eldest
sons of eldest sons" had for nearly thou
sand years enjoyed their titles, estates and
| castles over in Shropshire and Wales.
! But 10 know that another relative, John
| Wakeman, the last Abbot Of Tewksbury,
chaplain TO Henry VIII, had not only been
/
ter on its erection into diocese, tho Sd OF
! September, 1541, but had also been one OF
the translators of the New Testament. the
Revelations of st. John having been assigned
! to him. was something to quicken the pace
| and send along the veins pleasant thrill OF
! fine satisfaction and pride.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
| Sef-gratuation is such a wanton jade
ana in toxicant that / tramped from the hills
! into the old cathedral city in elated exult-
ance, almost meeting the gaze OF honest
/ Gloucester folk with the eXuberance Of
/ expectant recognition. There must have
| been too easy an air of familiarity in my as
| pect and manner, considering that the mud
! of the mountain sheepwaks was still Oh
my huge-soled shoes. 1t seemed, In my
| pleasant frame of mind, as though the land
| lord of the humble inn where / came to
/ lodge ought to have called me by name and
/ come to the door to receive me. Perhaps
he had never heard of my relative, the
Bishop.
But he merely glanced at my trousers
and shoes. Then ''boots" showed me to Il
room in the caves. Returning shortly, he
| presented a bill in advance. as follows,
Lodging, one and sixpence; attendance,
siXpence; candle, threepenee; boots, three
| pence. Total, two and siXpence. Paid,
| with thanks"
1 dom think the landlord expected boots"
| to return with the money. But he did, and
alive besides. For as | descended into the
little Yine-hung inn yard noticed with pain
that the coffee room maid was gathering to-
| getheT as if from hasty order, the remnants
| of some other travellers recent meal, one
| who probably had luggage II no great rela-
! tives; and as passed out into the pleasant
| streets of the leafy old city | was sorely
| haunted by the reflective query whether,
had that landlord known Of the prelate and
of the titled folk over in Shropshire and
Wales. he would have let me lodge at the
little inn at all.
In every other English cathedral town l
have visited | have always found High
street." the principal thOroughfare into
which all others lead, and from which some
| picturesque wynd or court brings you direct
to the cathedral close. 1t Is different in
| Gloucester. There was once famous cross
at the very center OF the city. The two
main streets of the town intersect each
other here. One running Dorth and south is
NOrthgate and Southgate TO and from the
place still called ''the Cross" The other
is Eastgate and Westgate TO and from the
same spot.
RELICS OF ANTIQUITY
All that which is picturesque and charm
ing from its antiquity, and that is much in
Gloucester. will be found within a distance
OF 800 yards from the Cross, upon these in
tersecting thoroughfaTes, or in the sleepy
old courts leading into them, always in
creasiDg in number and interest as yon ap-
proach the Cross. In ''the Rows" of
Chester will undoubtedly be found the
greatest number of oddly instructed half
timbered old EliZabethan houses of any
provincial cityof England.
But here in Gloucester are certainly more
aud more winsome Individual instances. At
the corner of Northgate street and
Shakespeare road, where b. jenkins "SoieS
and Heels Gents shoes for two and SIX
pence. and Ladies' at one and nine" and is
also Barber and Naturalist" who, with
his human various, reminds you strik-
ingly of Mr.. Venus In Our Mutual Friend"
is quanter structure than ever Dickens
painted.
little further up the same street, at
No. 102, is a huge old building, now trans
formed into foundry, where Sir William
Gladstone, father of the present Liberal
leader, formerly carried on a banking bust
ness. and Go note OF his issue may still be
seen in the Gloucester museum. just oppo-
site is the most characteristic old inn, en-
tered through a huge arcade, have yet
found In England. 1t is called New Inn,
though very, very old. It was built to
accommodate the pilgrims TO the tomb OF
Edward III, under the abbacy of Thomas
Seabroke in 1871. 1t is 451 years old and
absolutely intact.
In Westgate street, almost opposite where
you enter the little court leading TO
the cathedral, is another strange old
inn, not so large as New Inn, but even
more fantastic and charming. Never
elsewhere was seen such radiant tumble
of odd corners, little arches, protrndlng
| upper stories, peepU0leS OF WiDuO We, BaDteS,
Offices, 'ostrles, taprooms and wealth OF
foliage and club by-cheeked barmaids to
heighten the mysteries. cheer and charm
of this typical old English inn.
Most OF the shops are entered by steps
below the street. One, two, three and four
century old buildings bulge and protrude
above them. Nearly all the structures in
the district, previously referred to, have
second stories which project from one to
three feet beyond the first, with curious old
49,
corners and more than half have third and
fourth stories projecting in same manner.
AMONG THE PEOPLE.
Any one visiting the old cathedral towns
of England will be deeply impressed by the
extreme simplicity and almost rural eharac-
ter Of their inhabitants. Barring the
presence of a few modern innovations,
one seems to have CONE into the at
mospbere of an old English novel. This
Is especially true in Gloucester. All day
long the thoroughfares have a quiet
eountry-market coloring. The actual in
habitantS slip about and attend 10 their
meager affairs with smiling, humble,
tolerative air, rs though they had I'M
consciously taken on the manners of the
cathedral yergers, and rather stood aside
for the mere Swapping and brawpy country
element. The latter furnish mary pleasant
studies. Long-coated avy-jeweled buyers
are here. Froekad, listless, open-m outhed
yeomen are here. Your genuine English
farmer Is here. him with the stubby, sandy
tabs Of whiskers upon his ruddy face. with
bush brows, and a firm-Set mouth that ever
opens and shuts with a sound as though a
huge cork had been violently pulled. Snap
py-eyed farmers wives are here, and
plumes that would pique with envy q Lon
don costermonger belle, And better than
all, here are bevies of the most radiant
faced English countryside lasses eyes ever
beheld.
A more stirring and quite as eharacterful
a scene comes with the evening. The four
tuned chimes of the sweet cathedral bells