Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-09-01


I within the borough bounds, rises high |
above the roofs of the city, almost |
! within stones throw of the east win
dow of its mighty cathedral.
Cushioned in its Yelvety beds Of !
scented clover,you feel the gentle breeze |
coming softly over the Hampshire |
downs. 1t sends a myriad wisps Of
feathery clouds across the blue vault
above. These checker the valley and
city foliage and roofs with changefu
arabesques of sunshine and shadow. In
and out of these your fancy plays hide
and seek with the annals, legends and
wraiths of Winchester's long ago.
Some things abont royal Winchester's
antiquity and history are easy enough
to know with exactitude and they mel
low the thought perspective of the rare
old town charmingly, invest every gray
old stone of the place with wonderful
associative interest, and give to every
tone of the huge old cathedral bells the
thrilling voice of a richly storied past.
Julius Caesar visited the city, II, c. 81,
and the Emperor Nespasian a few years
later occupied il and built walls, vestiges
OF which remain. For the next 800
years Winchester was celebrated for its
magnificent embroideries for tile i'm
Egbert the first king Of all England was
crowned here, and established sort of
empire with sub-kings under him, ont
,of which came the English monarchial
and nobility systems of to-day.
The first English guild Of merchants
was established here in $50. The wise
laws of Alfred were made here, the first
great survey of the kingdom was com
pletcd here, and in the scriptorum Of
the very cathedral you will now lind in
Winchester, in S96, was done that
wonderful specimen of Winchester
illumination known as the Golden
Book of Edgar" The first standard
measures ever possessed by England
were ordered and made here under edct
of King Edgar, and you will find these
identical measures in the Winchester
Museum at the Guildhall.
Over there in that turreted structure
which now frowns above the western
gate of High street. or rather in the
great hall of its oldest portion lived
William the..ssConqueror and all the
Angeyin kings. From it Rufus set forth
one August day in 100 OH that famous
hunting expedition 10 New Forest from
which his body was brought back III
peasant Purlxiss' cart TO be buried within
The cathedral where it now lies The
great tower fell upon the spot in 1lO7
and that was the Judgment, So tile times
said, for bnrying the royal ruiliaf
within consecratcd ground.
Henry !. of Scotland and Matild;
were married here. Cuur de Lion wa
royalty received here after his scr,
captivity. Henry ILL., was born in Iii,
castle and all the Edwards held cour
here. Henry v. received the Frcncl
ambassadors here and i'll Wncheste
Henry vi planned Eaton college aftc
Wykeham's School which, still one o
the most interesting Of British colleges
stands here to-day just as it then stoO
against the southern edge Of the velvet
cathedral close. Here Mary receive
Philip and their unfortunate nuptial
We're concluded; while thn great struC
.ture now standing beside the castle an
used as the Royal Barracks, was bui
by Charles H., though he never lived I
see it completed, rs sumptuous res
denco for himself and pretty Nell
Gwynne.
And SO on and on the grim Old stnr
runs. But, by and by, the DARK olasst
of Htxdarp, the square Norman tuwt
and tie ridge Of tho mighty ua,ya risin
above the banks Of leafy Hines and ii
peninsula formed by the vugfanl ltahe
covered with sward and flowers, temp
yea,down by winding paths froGl :
Giles Hill, and you ART soon stlndn
beside the ancient city Cross It Nj
buAt oser 900 years ago, in the reign
Henry VI, just before his murder |
Gloster, and has, besides its line d
grouping OF saints In the upper mich,
the carved figures of William Of WvE
ham, the famous founder Of WinCht 4
School, of Florence he Lunn, WI
chestcr's first mayor, 7O5 years 49,, d
martyr st. Lawrence and King Nltr
the Great.
You are now in the center Of Wi
chester in High street. You sudden
recall the curious fartatha, in all bl!t d
OF these old cathedral towns YOU lid
found High street. II matterel d
whether 1t We're high or low, III
street it had been ever since thcrc i
been an English tongue. Every WI
of interest to be seen is only 4 t,
moments walk off or on this 81 i faitil
street. So, in ali other English raIHc&
towns a. here, beneath the city NJ.
however Crampod its surroundings,
the ancient "mercatc square OF mari
place, and Jagged, zigzag thorodEhfa
lead TO the cross from outiviu y
turesqne spots and quarters.
All about are half-timbcrcd h3us
projecting Story over story Into
market place; and you wonder how ID
before from sheer age they will tuAI
Ted.Toofs iirst, over lIFto the cleau q
space below. Quaint shops are piuot
in between staid old mansion l&
boxes Of inns speGk the gray larp
with gilt and color Worn ,tt
scrubbed mrrcilessiy and washed v
white lead into apy VeStibuins gay "
cleaning brass Knockers and rare
cOlored glass.
just thoFe, to the right, is WynG
close, grayer, more Elglloy Of g4u
overhangiAg roofs and plotruding V
dows than the narrow street whore
are standing. II is messy old Mini
street. You saluter into its shade
AT its southern end Is uu inviting v
OF foliage and hght You viii
more gray heads here than ia any o,
equal distance in England Cray
men ana gray old wonGn silently
musing oyer gray old wares III their 8
old shops.
II is ali 50 startlingly suggc4tiy,
Ggc and decay, that You hasten ~. \
denly one side Of the shudowy pass
way stops short, and there before
is one of the sweetest sights III EnGlu
Itls the gTeatcathettral CLOSE, surrpHn
by iyy-hung l4th century houses,
area threaded and Rlyered by The
grant itcAcu stream, masses Vi Ii
rising here and there above, and
cnth.dpal ff r,4yn1 \AFnchaatar Rhnzg