Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-07-01

Bowes, among the literary and ANTIQUARIAN
things of interest In its neishborhood.
The inn Itself must not be confounded, |
even under Its old name Of the Georgs
with the George inn of Grsta Bridge. AZ |
miles nearer York, now used a. q corn
mill. To disguise the exact location of |
Dotheboys ball, Dickens made Soueers |
(Shav) travel with young Nlokleby three |
miles from the George inn st Gpets Bridge |
to the suppOsltitious hail." followed by |
the "csrt-losd of infant misery" What |
they really did do was to dismount all TO-
gether from the York and Carlisle coach |
within the inn-yard of this very Unicorn,
and then ehiyer along the orookef, cobbled |
single street of Bowes until they arrived |
at the '1ong, coldlooking house." little |
way beyond to the west, and 'ta tall, lean |
boy (poor SmiksD with q lantern In his
hand Issued forth"
The Unicorn, which seems to have com
pletely escaped the attention Of English
antiquarians and travellers, is not only re-
msrkable from its associations, in having
been the most important inn near the bor-
der, between York and Glasgow and Edin-
burgh In olden times, but In also being the
largest of those ancient English roadside
hostelries still extant which were called
into existence by the necessities of travel
In the old coaching dsys.
At its very door the Royal Mall began
the ascent over the Great North road Of
weird, dreary and vast Stsnemoor, peopled
only by witch and wsrlock; silent ever
save from bowling tempests; and with no
semblsnce of humans upon 1t, save at its
desolste top, where William the Conqusrer
and Malcolm of Scotland fought dreadful
ly and long to decide the boundaries of
their respective kingdoms; and then vise
ly stopped and feasted, ssnsibly deciding
that on the very spot should be raised the
great Roi NOW Rsrel cross, or Cross of
Kings," on one side of which was craven
the image of William, and on the other
that of Malcolm; but sight hundred years
have eaten theEs old faces away; and none
others will be seen until kirkhy Stephen,
nesting In the valley, on the other side to-
wards ancient Penrith and Carlisle, Is
reached; all of which gave travellers chser
at the Unicorn u special Zsst not unniXed
with a tinge of dread.
Its form Is of double quadrangle, each
fully one hundred feet square. The one
next the street has lite entire front open to
the great inn-yard thus formtd. The two
sides sbuttiDg the street comprised respec-
lively the inn proper long, two storsed
and garreted atone structure, with a per
feet maze of curious old rooms approached
by outlAndish stairs, entries and landings,
rendered additionally bevildertng by coant-
less inches, cupbosrds, slcoves and bliod
psnelf; and the other a huge brew-hoUss,
with dozens of gTsneries and store rooms
behind. The side opposite she street pro
vided Offices and sleeping accommodations
for guards, pos.-boys, whips and all those
inn-helpers concerned In working the
coaches, or dealing with ;he tired cattle of
the many travellers on horseback, mer
chandise packers and wsgsnsrs passing be-
tween EDgland and Scotland q century
ago.
In this quadrangle are also many open
stone sheds, with tiled rDofs, stone feed
boxes and neat, slsatsd oobblestone aoorE,
where private vehicles and wAgoners could
hnd temporary shelter In great nurnbsrs;
and in the center of this quadrangle, SET
about with stone diinking-iFough is The
most tremendous ancient pump ] hEye
found In England, ssh creaklngly serving
the toanty usos of the present Degenerate
days.
The quadrangle bchind lhs ina- a-yErd Is
formsd BY what remains of the sncssnt
stage stables, when scores of pairs of post
horses could have found comfortable gusI-
ters and as many more csrters' sad pack
ere cattle have good shelter and care. In
the hostel proper the hugs old kitchen
must have quite equslsd the famous an
cient kitchen OF old St. Msry'E hail, Go
| yentry. There are still to be seen hall
dozen coffee ana breakfast rooms, low,
| with deep window -seAtE, gasint copbnArds
and odd old oak panel!ng, where guests
we're served in parties and groups, instead
| of In O common hall. There ara tons
and tons OF lead In the roof gutteTE,
about ths wiudow-frsmes, and still firmly
I holding the ancient tiny psnes Of GlRss.
Little old psrioTs and Iittlng -Tooms, with
curiou. windows and moEt ancient stucoo
work are still recognizable; bat most in
teresting of sll, and illustrating the Gus
toms of thA. early time Is 3 tiny tap
room opening into the rear OF the Inn
yard.
II has Low oHken settles built stations
~ into wall and noOr Its huge Ere
place is full of tiny cranes for stssmIng
/ Kettles. In one corner is an oAken bed,
enclosed In a closetlik frame, where
landlord or baTman could not oaly Tettre
At night completely from sight, hut also
lock himself in against uProar and die
turbAnce: and the window TO this room
is a low, portly bow, In the center Of
which, above a tiny Etout shslf, is a sin
gle hinged pane Through thls the sts-
blemen, hangers on, the late night trRv-
elers, who might be honest or otherwise,
were served with usguebaush or q j0rAm
only after they had deposited coin Of
the realm and the latter had reached the
hostel treasury, a great buckskin bag
within the dark rscesses of the barmGn's
fortified bed.
A wonderful old curio is the Unicorn
q. Bowes, all unknown to the people of
England themselves. Like the village IL
Is dead In its she'll It's oskeu timbers.
as thos In RAleigh's old home ct You
ehal, seem everlasting; but its mosning
belfry, its empty stables, Its crumbliDg
dove-co,es, its forlorn brew house, its emp
ty tap room, its grass grown inn-ysrd, and
even Its present occupancy by strange
creature half ploughmEn and half school
master, who stares Iisilessly up and down
the Great North read for occasional VIC
tim in wandering byciclist, lees frequent
literary tramp, or yokel from the near
fields, all serve to emphasize by contrast
the cheer and stirring days that once were
here.
As everywhere In Ensisnd along it,
grand old highways where stand thsss
crumbling monuments 10 the mellow
coaching dsys, there 'emsius but mourn
ful silence where there wss sn army o'
helpers and horsekeepers; where the bow
legged pos.-boys in their high ehokers
high hsts, hinge buttons and gorgeous
: waistcoats, led lives of positive rsnOwp
where the tinkle Of harness bTasses snC
clstter of hoof were endless; where "Rnl'
= Britannia" from shrill-keysd bugles enli
: vened the constant departure ami arrivA
8 of coaches; where the smart cry of "hrs
pair ou,l" set the inn-ysrd and stables
g in high commotion; and where through
!. the livelong day and night q great road
= SIDE inn, like the Unicorn, was the bright
n est, uveliest. oheeriest, moot haru--scs
! rum and delicious place to be found in al
: the length and breadth Of ''Merrie Eng
!, land" EDGAR L. HAKEMAS-