The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-08-20
Especial Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright. 1921


Perhaps the best place, for time, to
muse upon the ancient city of Winches-
ter and its historic surroundings, is the
summit of st. Giles hill, which, within
the borough bounds, rises high above the
roofs of the city, almost within stones
throw of the east window of its mighty
cathedral.
Cushioned in its velvety beds of scented
clover, you feel the gentle breeze coming
softly over the Hampshire downs. 1t
sends myriad wisps of feathery clouds,
across the blue vault above. These
checker the valley and city foliage and
roofs with changeful arabesques OF sun
shine and shadow. In and our Of these
your fancy plays hide and seek with the
annals, legends and wraiths of Winches-
ter's long ago.
Round about this lovely Hampshire
valley, threaded by the cleaning Itchen,
beloved haunt of Isaac Walton, IS Won
drous wreath of story dim and legend old.
over To the north is Sichester, an ex-
haustless mine of Roman remains, within
whose walls the Usurper Constantine was
invested with the purple, and legend has
1t that King Arthur there received his
crown. Near it is Basing, site of one of
The lordliest castles Of early England. A
little nearer Winchester still is Oldham,
birthplace Of the famous old grammarian
William Lilly. To the northeast, at An
dover, Anlaf the Dane promised King
Ethelred never to recommence hostilities
against the English. Just below this is
Danebury Hill with it's famous Roman
encampment. Just west of you is the
sleepy hamlet of King SambOurn where
John OF Gaunt had his old-time palace.
AT the same distance to the east, near AL
l~csf INin1,t
And near by to the south is Romsey with
Its quaintest old abbey church in Eng
land, and the New Forest depths, where
the arrow from Tyrrel's bow pierced the
heart of ruftian Rufus, IIngland's second
Norman King.
II You were standing on this hill of st.
Giles on an autumn morning the hum of
the city below would recall quaint old
scene OF 400 or 800 years ago, for the spot
was the site Of one of the most wonder
ful 1airs III all the world of that antique
time 1t was famous st. Giles Fair The
whole plateau of the hill was covered by
a second town, shut in by high wooden
palisade. By royal edict all trade was
not only stopped in Winchester itself but
in all the other towns within a radius of
seven leagues.
From st. Giles Day, September lst to
September It'll, the vigil OF the nativity of
the Blessed Virgin, ali traders from all
date a fine Tor hardness was imposed.
The fair continued in this queer old town
Of queer old wooden booths until Sep
TENDER 18th. The Bishop of Winchester
had his stall as we'll as his customs duties
and other fines from other dealers. Sew
eral monasteries dealt in wine and spices.
And the foreigners from Normandy and
the low countries, Poland, and such dis
tant regions, and the vendors and BUYERS
from across broad English counties,
abode gypsy fashion on the hilltop.
What quaint folk, costumes, wares and
scenes must have once crowded this now
silent hill. Each street was devoted to
one manner Of wares or one nation.
Wines, spices, draperies, goldsmiths'
wares, braSSWorkerS', potterS' and furri-
ers' goods and weapons were here. Nor
mans, Poles, Dutch, Italians, Spaniards,
AIgerlans, CorniShmen, then accounted
west of England barbarians mingled to-
gether in common interest. Then there
was the strange medley of buyers, sight
Seers and citizens, MOBILES and ladies in
the rich costumes of the period; men in
tunic and mantle, long hose and pointed
shoes; women in straight, graceful gowns
and wlmpIes, artiticers, servants, yokels
and monks.
At this quaint forerunner of interna-
tional exhibitions there was "Piepow-
der Court" having rule over the dusty
shanks, peddlers and mountebanks. the
pjedS p0UdrettT, and to this court of quick
invitation and rapid disposal came all fair
folk delinquents. At the end of the long
and dusty day the marshal rode forth
from the Court Pavilion and issued proc
Iamatlon that all business must cease and
stalls be closed. So the citizens with
drew, leaving the palisaded hill town ST.
lent and lIghtess, save for the twinklinp
mere ana there OF wick in lamp or mortar,
the only ire allowable withinsthe IRE,
clncts OF the mart from shutdown To SIM
rise. Inc most famous of England's old
time fairs was continued until a quarter
OF century ago. Then, as Dean Kitchen
writes: LAS the city grew stronger and
the falr weaker, 1t slid down st. Giles
Hill and entered the town, where its noisy
ghost still holds revel once year,
All this was very long ago, but the wise
old annallstS count this antiquity as moth
ing. One can go with them, if not i'm All
faith, still with pleasant curiosity, a lone
way back OF TINS once famous English
lair. They will tell you that Winchester
is. perhaps, the oldest city in Britain
They point to st. Catharine's Hill, over
there just at the southern edge OF the
city, still plainly disclosing the fortified
camp of Nespaslan, who conquered the
place from Belgae, whence its Roman
name, Nenta Belgarum.
Far, far beyond these they have seen
with clear historic eyes. They will fell
you in all seriousness that Winchester
Was founded S92 years before the Chris
tian era. That would be 139 years before
the founding of Rome, or a matter of
2,1S4 years agOi A King Of ancient Brit
ain, Sudor Rods Hudibrass, is said to
have been the royal founder, and it was
mis- sou, Bladud, who built and enriched
with the lndiStinguishabIe fires of Mi
nerya the tine OLD Somersetshire city of
Bath.
Some things about royal Winchester's
i IL
know with eXactltude, and they mellow
5he thought perspective of the rare old
town charmingly, invest every gray old
stone of the place with wonderful assoc
CiatiVe interest, and give to every tone Of
the huge old cathedral bells the thrilling
voice OF a richly-storied past.
julius Cesar visited the city, B. c. o.
and the Emperor Vespasian a few wears
later occupied it and built walls, vestiges
OF which remain. For the next 500 wears
Winchester was celebrated for its mag
nificent enbroideries for the imperial
court, examples of which remain. Egg
bert, the first King of England, was
crowned here, and established a sort of
empire with sub-kings under him, out of
which came the English monarchicaI and
nobility systems of to-day.
The first English guild of merchants
was established here in $50. The wise
laws of Alfred We're made here, the first
great survey oil the kingdom was COM
pleted here, and in the scriptorium OF the
very cathedral you will now find in Win
chester, in S93, was done that wonderful
specimen of Winchester illumination
known as the Golden Book OF EDGAR
The first standard measures ever pos
sessed by England were ordered and
made here under the eClict of King Ed
gar, and you viii find these identical
measures in the Winchester Museum at
the Guildhall.