Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-10-25
Notes OF Foreign Travel.

Mi

Special correspondence to the HERALD.
We paid a farewell visit to London
and some of the friends it contained, and |
we also paid visit to a brother of the
editor of the HERALD, and had atriendly
cup of tea with himselfand family. Leav.
ing Kings Cross at 10 O'Clock at night
we slept quietly in the frst-class COM
partment of Il railway carriage, perfectly
free from interruption during journey to
York, distance of over two hundred
miles. We reached York at about in
the morning, and finished our rest in the
hotel adjoining the railway station and
under the Company's management. Such
hotels may be found i'll most of the largest
towns and are invariably satisfactory
and reliable. The city of York is second
to none in the kingdom in interest and
antiquity; some claim the foundation as
early as the reign of King David in Judea.
At any rate it dates back to the time of
Agricola, about eighty years before the
Christian era, and has almost never lost
in Importance since that date. It's noted
as the birthplace of the Emperor Con
stantine, and as the burial place of two
other Roman emperors. st. HeIen'S
Church is said to have been founded by
the Empress Helena. | believe the walls
of York to be unbroken and in perfect
condition, and passed through so many
"gates" and bars" that would make a
rough guess at score of those interest
ing objects of antiquity as piercing the
walls at different intervals. There are
many, very many, houses of great
antiquity as you pass along almost any
of the old streets, but of course all the i'll
terest in the numerous historic buildings
of this wonderful city pales and fades be-
fore its glorious Minister. Larger than
St. Paul's, and rnuch larger than West
minister, this enormous pile of church
architecture has no absolute rival as a
work OF art. Four or five times, twice
within the present century, has it been
the prey of the flames, yet its glorious
front today tells no tale of anything hut
beauty and devotion. The architecture
is of different phases, should say both
variations OF the perpendicular gothic
and early English decorated. There are
many wonderful Old monuments and
tablets in York Minister and in it's crypt.
The cathedral close and surroundings are
all in keeping with the architectural
beauty of the place. Passing by York
Castle, of which Clilford's Tower, built
by William the ,Conqueror, is the only
part standing, and which is now de-
graded to the use Of the country prison,
and going through Micklegate Bar, on
which the heads of traitors were exposed
we come to the finest barracks in Eng.
land, built on thirty-hve acres of ground
and most eomrodiously arranged, back
through another gate over the old moat
past the ruins of st. Mary's Abbey-~the
old st. Olave's-we continue on our way
to the picturesque and beautiful railway
station, counted the finest in England
and so farewell to York, and out by the
fresh bright daylight through the fertile
fields of Yorkshire with their colder
stacks of fresh grain, just harvested, tn,
rich stubble covered with focks of fowl,
and poultry fattening for market on tn,
grain left for these natural cleaners, anc
the large prosperous looking farm
houses with their wealth of ivy anC
flowers, pointing to the peace and pros
perity of their inhabitants.
Our next stop was at Retford, a prett,
place with only agricultural interests
but SO grown since Us home life Their
that he felt himself almost a stranger
We went to a service in the beautiful
parish church and wandered round man
places priced for their associations.
The next days journey deposited us a
Lincoln, whose beautiful cathedra
doomed up against the sky long befor
the train drew up within the towr
Lincoln Cathedral has certainly the mos
commanding site of any edifce that
saw during my journey, being on til