Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-25
BACK FROM ENGLAND.
H. L. EDMUNDs TALKS OF TOUR
IN GREAT BRITAIN.
EXPLORE The LONDON TOWER
Sees Raglan Castle of Cromwell Fame
and Views Picturesque Scenery of
the Lake Region Made Famous by
Sir Walter Scott.

| Exploring the dungeons Of the fam
GUS London tower, seeing the costly
royal jewels kept therein, grouping
there way about through the dimly
| lighted rooms and halls of Raglan cas-
tie, of Cromwell fame. enjoying the
| picturesque scenery and the exhilirat-
! ing air of the lake region in Scotland
where Sir Walter Scott gathered Ibis
material for his Lady of the Lake."
and visiting many other places of
beauty and historic interest, were
among the experiences of Mr.. and Mrs
HI. Edmunds, of this city.during their
three months tour of Great Britain.
Mr.. and Mrs Edmunds have just re.
turned from the trip across the Allan
tic and their account of their travels
and their descriptions Of the many
places visited are most interesting and
instructive.
The Outward Voyage.
Mr.. Edmunds says of the trip:
Regarding my trip abroad which
you ask me to write Of, | will say af-
ter spending a week in the United
States and visiting my relatives in
Canada, we crossed over by steamer
to Buffalo, and visited Niagara Falls,
thence to New York where
we spent several days, finally
sailing on the steamship Phil
adelphia from New York to
Southampton and arrived there after
most pleasant voyage, passing along
the Isle of Wight by daylight. This
is very beautiful harbor. We had
on board, as there are on all ocean
liners, some very notable passengers,
among whom were Miss Hattie Will
! liams, Sam Bernard Julia Marlowe,
and many Others whose names | do
not remember. The first two named,
were on the concert program and
were enthusiastically received. There
was Marconi station on the ship,
and we were almost continuously in
communication with land, and knew of
the principal happenings on both
sides of the water as small news
paper was published on board the
ship.
In Great Britain.
"After short visit with my rela-
tives in South Wales, we made sever
al short excursions through the noun
tains, some of which are the most pic
'turesque of their kind in the world.
Some of them are cultivated and
nearly all of them are fenced and
cross fenced, with holly and hawthorn
hedges, kept trimmed to the height OF
four or five feet, the fields being di-
| vided into small pastures, majority
of them not exceeding FIVE or ten acres
each and some even smaller.
Visit RauIan Castle.
At Newport. which is shipping cen
ter in Monmouthsllire we visited for
about week. From theres we had a
most happy excursion to Raglan
castle. We had aslarge excursion wag-
on with four horses. called a, brake
and four, accompanied by our five cous-
ms and their families. This old castle
is about eighteen miles from, Newport
and was one of the most interesting
and said to be the finest castle in all
Great Britain. 1t with all the rest
was destroyed in the time of Crom-
| well, that is was made untenantable.
They charge IL cents admission to the
grounds, which are kept up and are
very beautiful The castle proper is
very large, some of the rooms are 100
| feet long and sixty feet wide and all
of the rooms have huge fireplaces in
them and quaint old images carved in
the stone walls both inside and out.
The window frames are all of stone
and the glass is loaded in. The chin
neys are very TALL there being sepa-
rate one for each fireplace.
In the Castle.
"When once inside the castle we
! q from IN
| for hours and climb winding stairs the
steps of which were made of stone.
! The walls We're of solid masonry from
| four to six feet in thickness. In the
| inner castle the windows were very
small being not over eighteen inches
high by about eight inches in width
The canonns for the defense had been
built right in the walls at the time the
! building was erected. On the inside
| of the castle everything was complete
| for living in case of an attack.
Walls Pierced BY Shells.
around the castle was a moat and
connection was made with the outside
world by means of a drawbridge. The
old castle presented formidable ap
pearance and it certainly looked as il
no army could capture that strong.
hold. An examination of the walls how.
ever, showed many holes in the forti.
fications where shells had penetrated
On the top Of the walls railing had
been built making it possible for tour
lists to walk about the top of the castle
Ferns, the most beautiful have ever
seen, English ivy, wild roses, peoples,
holly hawthorn and many other shrubs
may be seen growing on top Of the
L 1rrnllc and nlotau thn 1Irallsc ahn11t he