Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-30

church, from the top Of whose crumb-
ling Norman battlements rises tall
and very slender wooden spire. The
entire church to above the base OF the
spire is massed and matted with ivy,
and is an inspiring picture OF mellow
antiquity and hallowed repose.
At the east end, just beneath the
vestry window and but few feet from
the church wall, Is the ancient low
altar tomb OF the Grays. On the slab
is cut the famous inscription by Gray
himself in memory of his aunt
Mary Antrobus, and his mother,
Dorothy Gray: 1.-THE tender, careful
mother Of many children. ONE of whom
alone had the misfortune to survive
her" In this most humble tomb Gray
lies. He was buried here on the 9th Of
August, I'LL, in accordance with his
own request in his win made at Cam
bridge, but no mark upon the stone
which covers his dust ever served to
denote his resting place. Again the
friendly hand OF Penn is seen in the
tablet opposite in the old church wall,
recording the fact of Gray's burial
here. John Penn set this tablet here
eighteen years after Gray's burial; and
that Thomas Gray had lived and sung
in England.
The old south porch Is one of few
remaining curious eXamples-along
with that at Grasmere church where
Wordsworth is buried-of the very an
cient stone porches attached to country
churches. In olden times they were the
gathering places Of villagers. With
the room formerly over them called the
parvise the whole, with the stone side
seats and pisciEa, formed a tiny chapel
in which rustic marriages were solemn
lied. Husbands at Chirche-door have
! had tivo,n says Chaucer's Wife OF
Bath; and as this church and porch are
FULLY 600 years old many
such ceremonies have doubtless
been witnessed here. You will linger
long within it, for it not only coniures
olden wraiths OF this ilk, but YOU are
sitting in the very shade OF that ''yew
tree commemOrated in the "Elegy.n
Its broad branches reach TO the quaint
gable above you, and droop as II In be-
nignant and loving protection upon the
hallowed spot. For where you now sit
once sat Thomas Gray attuniug his
pensive Tyre to deathless song.
The interior OF this ancient church
Is very quaint and simple. Three
strange tiye-angled arches divide the
narrow side aisles from the nave, the
tlmbered vault OF which Is partly sup
ported by four huge oross-beams OF
OAK The pews are as straight
and narrow and as grotesuuely
carved as any | have elsewhere
found in England. An ancient
stone font lined with lead and undoubt-
edly 800 years old. stands in the center
of the nave and above the family vault
OF the Penns. The basement OF tho
tower is wholly occupied by the manor
pew. Its high paneling and narrow
lattice work arc very quaint and odd
II Is provided with settles, ottomans
ana a fireplace OF ancient design; cur
talns screen the occupants from the
gazeof other worshippers; IT is lighted
by tiny splayed window, cut in the tow
ers east wall; and the lord OF the manor
ana his family are admitted through o
prison like door beneath outer crumb-
ing steps, up which the change-rlngers,
led by Old Joseph Lowell, the sexton,
ascend when they don their coats for
the merry work in the 100 changes
inc chime OF six sweetly musical bells.
Aside from the memorial pew the
only spacious pew In Stoke Poges
church is the Gray family pew, now oo-
c!upied by the Allhusen heirs, who are
also owners OF the new handsome West |
Ehd cottage, mile north of the
enureh, which was Grays home during |
ms residence at Stoke Poges. II Is the |
slnniest, coolest place In the little
ehurch, and stands in the west eud Of |
the south aisle. Above it ON the one
side is a double lancet stained glass
window with representation OF Christ |
blessing, little children; and on the
9ther, along the south wall, is huge |
rem tablet, commemorating the burial |
within the church OF Thomas Penn.
son OF William Penn Of his (ThomRsl |
wue, the 1T. Hon. Lady Juliana Penn,
Inlrd daughter OF Thomas, first earl of |
f9miret, OF their sons, John and Gran
vi " n Penn, OF the wife of the latter and
VI shelr three sons and four daughters.
somehow there is here and all about
l.oke Poges an indissoluble linking OF
i tne memory of the pensive poet and the
Mhared OF the grand old Quaker chief
sih' Perhaps to you and |. as Amerl- |
S oensi " draws more close the kindly |
IL -. II.