Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-06-16
For The Ellsworth American.
Rambles in Old England.

DeeriDg, Me.
For The Ellsworth Americana
Rambles in Old England.
4 Trip to ostrntford-on-A,on-F my Log
The same lovely scenery is met with al
along this line of travel that character
! lies all parts OF this country A part o!
/ this ride is over the same line Of rail- and
4 consequently through the same beautiful
! scenery of farm and gardens. and the same
| fine cities through which passed a short
| time ago on trip into Wales. viz Wind
/ sor one OF the homes of royalty, we'll
! kept, quiet Reading, peaceful Stroud. sur
rounded by IT. sunlit meadows. oxford.
renowned for its educational institutions.
snd many nice towns and villages beside
| BY and by We switch of from the main
line in A more westerly direction, but
through the same charming scenery OF
meadow, farm and parks of noble old
trees, through the cities OF Lemontun
| and ancient Warwick. passing the famous
| ruins Of kenilworth, aud with the after
noon sun gliding the beautiful panorama
with his mellow light. We arrive at nv
destination, the world-renowned Stratford-
| on-Avon.
Now, Ia order to make this letter little
Interesting to your readers. | will quote
them-or more correctly tell them, ss |
don't propose 10 follow the written fact.
word for word-a few historical items
concerning thi. old town to which thou--
! ands who worship or admire the immortal
bard make pilgrmages The history Of
the town date. several hundred years back
OF the Norman conquest. Its name Is de-
rived from Its position on the great rorth
road from London TO Holyhesd and an
Old ford which crosses the Avon near
where the Clopton bridge now stands which
WAS built during the reign of Henry VII.
The town has been twice nearly DESTROYED
by fire, and once devastated by the plague
which caused the death of several hundred
Of its Inhabitants. The population num-
bers at this time about TO- 900 and each
census shows a steady Increase Stratford
Is governed by Il mayor and corporation.
II having been created q municipal borough
in 1864. The ancient town records char
ters and guild accounts are among the
most valuable and interesting In England
| and have been carefully preserved"
The town Is beautifully situsted in the
valley OF The Avon amid beautiful old
trees, many of which look ancient enough
10 have shaded the immortal viii and his
gentle Annie. II appears that Shake
spesre's father owned several houses in
Stratford and bequeathed them, with the
house in which William was born. to Will
liam who was his eldest son, at the time OF
Shakespeare seniors death. The poets
granddaughter Lady Barnard died in
1863, at which time the house went to an
other branch Of the Shakespeare family
where it remained until 1906. LII ls+7 this
building was sold To committee Of men
who Keep it in trust for the nation, as is
ter marriage, the Hathaway cottage, and
other places of intere-t The buildings
near the birthplace have been bought and
torn down, so there will be less danger TO
the birthplace from fire. No light is al
lowed in the building and it is heated in
winter through steam pipes from boiler
block or two away. The room in which
the poet was born and one or two rooms
on the ground are as they were in Shake
speare's day but part Of the building has
been turned into museum and library in
which are to be seen copies of several of
Shakespeare's plays, his signet ring and
many relics connected with the times and
life of the illustrious poet. Those articles
have been placed here by his admirers
from all parts of the world.
Back of the house in a garden can be
seen growing all the various shrubs and
flowers mentioned in his plays. The walls
of the room in which Shakespeare was
born are covered with thousands Of names,
which have been penciled upon them by the
visitors there. | tried to find q spot on
which to leave my autograph, but failed
to do so unless scratched it on the floor.
The window which looks from the room
into the street is formed OF perhaps fifty
very small lights of glass over which a
network of wire Is drawn outside to pre-
vent their being broken. The inside Of
those panes are covered with names of
people, who must have worn diamonds,
or borrowed one; among those | saw that
of Walter Scott.
The house in which the poet lived during
the latter part of his life and in which he
wrote several of his plays was called New
Place. The foundations Of this are here
yet and so is the old we'll, standing in the
midst of lovely little garden. which is
open to the public. A wall four feet high
surrounds the well, and that and the old
foundations are buried beneath wreaths of
Eneland's lovely ivy. The residence Of
Shakespeare came into the possession of q
vandal in 1853. the Rev. +. Gartrell, who
tore the building down to get rid Of pay
ing small tax which was on it for the
support of the poor of Stratford. He also
cut down in 1856 the mulberry tree which
Shakespeare planted in the garden at the
back of the house.
The house which adjoins those old
grounds was once occupied by the poets
son-In-law, DIR. Hall. In this house there
is q collection Of Shakespearean relics.
Near here stands the Chapel of the Holy
Cross, in the tower of which hangs q large
bell upon which the curfew is rung during
the winter now; and this bell is the one
tOlled at the poets death.
Adjoining the chapel is the Grammar
school in which Shakespeare received his
early education. This school was found
ed in 1882, and refounded by King Edward
VI" The schoolroom is the same now
as in the days when young Will was 1.-THE
whining school-boy. with his satchel and
shining morning face. creeping like snail
unwillingly to school" The town records
show that from 1863 to 1887 players con-
stantly visited the town and played at the
old Guild Hall. The poets father vas IN
admirer Of those players and . bailin Of