Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-19
4 VISIT TO OLD GLOUCESTER
Rich in Its History and Its
Mellow Traditions.
FAR FROM THE WAYS OF TRAVEL
The Quaint Architecture of
an Age Long Past.
Its Noble Cathedral. the Admiration of
All Traveiers--A Characteristic Old Inn
Tho Home and Printing House of
Robert Kailses.

GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND, April 3i.-From
among the Cotswold Hills / had for DAYS
caught enticing glimpses of the spires and
roofs of ancient Gloucester grouped about
the huge tower Of its splendid cathedral,
all Struggled amid rich verdure beside the
cleaning waters of the Severn. The old
cathedral town, far from the worn WAYS
of travel, rich in history, legends and
quaint old architecture of long ago, and
still peaceful and simple in its provincial
coloring and ways, at last won me from
the mountains through winding beech
lined roads and poisoning hawthorn
lanes.
Something after the manner of Ithe
ownership feeling of Silas Wegg in his in
nocent delusion regarding "0ur House,
and its Miss Elizabeth, y Master George .
Aunt Jane" and "Uncle Parker found
myself basking in the pleasant mysticisms
of tolerative relationship. The very wraiths
OF history that haunt the valley seemed to
come closer and clearer than though my
relative had not been the first preIate Of
this important see. The Isle Of Alney,
there in the Severn, where Edmund Iron,
side and Canute the Dane in 1915 decided a
great war by single combat, was tinted
with the interest of a remote family incl
dent: Tewkesbury across the valley
wonder where the house Of York crushed
the house of Lancaster, and the aisles of
the old abbey ran with blood in the butch
cry of the adherents of ill-fated Margaret
and her murdered boy-prince, came
dreamily within the same gorgeous setting.
Sell graduation is such a wanton Jade
aud intoXicant that tramped from the
hills into the old cathedral city in elated
exultance, almost meeting the gaze of
honest Gloucester folk with the exuber-
ance of expectant recognition. There
must have been too easy an air of
ri IN in
sldering that the mud of the mountain
sheep-walks was still on my huge.soled
shoes. IL seemed, in my pleasant frame
OF mind, as though the landlord of the
humble inn where | came to lodge ought
70 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 a
room in the caves. Returning shortly, he
presented a bill, in advance, as follows
Lodging, one and sixpence; attendance
slxpence; candle, three pence; boots, three
pence, Total, two and sixpencc. Paid,
with thanks"
/ don't think the landlord expected
'boots" to return with the money. But
he did, and alive besides For as | de-
scended into the little vine-hung inn yard,
l noticed with pain that the coffee-room
maid was gathering together, as if from
hasty order, the remnants of some other
travellers recent meal, one who probably
had luggage if no great relatives: and as 1
passed out into the pleasant streets of the
leafy old city was sorely haunted by the
reflective query whether, had that land
lord 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 |
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. II is
different in Gloucester. There was once a
famous cross at the very centre of the city.
The two main streets of the town intersect
each other here. One running north
and south is Northgate and Southgate to
and from the place still called "The
Cross" The other is Eastgate and West
gate TO and from the same spot.
All that which is picturesque and charm
ing from its antiquity, and that is much
IN gloucester, will be found within dis
lance OF 800 yards from the Cross, upon
these intersecting thoroughfares, or in the
sleepy old courts leading into them, always
increasing in number and interest us YOU
approach the Cross. In 1.-THE Rows" Of
Chester will undoubtedly be found the
haif-timbered old Elizabethan houses of
any provincial city of England.
But here in Gloucester are certainly
more and more winsOme individual in
stances. AT the coroner of Northgatc
street and Shakespeare road, where b.
jenkins, "soles and heels gents shoes for
two and sixpence, and ladies at one and
nine and is also barber and naturalist"
who. with his human various reminds
you sLrikingly of "Mr, Venus" in mutual
friend, is a quainter structure than ever
Dickens painted
A little further up the same street. at
number lO2, is huge old building, now
transformed into foundry, where Sir
William Gladstone, father Of the present
Liberal leader, formerly carried on a
banking business; and iive-bound note of
his issue may still be seen in the Gloucester
museum. Just opposite is the most
characteristic old inn, entered through a
huge arcade, have yet found in England.
II is called New Inn, though very very
old. II was built to accommodate the pill
grims to the tomb of Edward H., under
the abbacy of Thomas Seabroke in 1911.
1t Is 45l 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 us New Inn, but even more fan
tastic and charming. Never elsewhere
was seen such radiant tumble of odd cor
ners, little arches, protruding upper stories,
peep'holes OF windows, gables, offices,
'ostrles, tnp-rooms, and wealth of foliage
and chubby-cheeked bar-maids 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 carved brackets, where they stand at
street corners; and more than halt have
third and fourth stories projecting in same
manner.
All have strange, indescribably odd
windows, tiny-paned little, big, broad,
narrow, long, short, round and square,
with leadcased lintels; and they furnish
the quaintest collection of gables ewes ever
beheld. Perhaps the primmest and tidiest
of them all is the half-timbered home and
printing-house of Robert Raikes, at num-
Der Is, Southgate street. The body of the
grand old philanthropist lies in the
Church of st. Mary de Crypt, not 90 yards
away.
Any one visiting the old cathedral towns
of England will be deeply impressed by
the extreme simplicity and almost rural
character of their inhabitants. Barring
the presence OF few modern innovations,
one seems to have come into the atmos.
phere of an old English novel. This is
especially true in Gloucester. All day long
the thoroughfares have quiet country.
market cOioring. The actual inhabitants
slip about and attend TO their meager
affairs with smiling, humble, tolerative
air, as though they had unconsciously
taken on the manners of the cathedral
vergers. aud rather stood aside for the
more strapping and brawny country elc-
ment.
The latter furnish many pleasant studies.