Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/151

 a guide from the former place, who conduced us through Tissington, (remarkable for the ancient family seat of the Fitzherberts', now Lords St. Helens, who have resided there since the end of the fourteenth century) Bradburn, and Hopton—a village planted in the bottom of a deep valley, embowered in wood, and guarded by lofty grey rocks, under whose projecting heads the cottagers have built their little crouching dwellings. Here the rage of alteration has just destroyed a fine old mansion-house, the ancient residence of the Gell family, (which planted itself here in the reign of Elizabeth) whose descendant is the present lord of the manor, and occupier of the house now erecting on the scite of its predecessor. By this gentleman, the new road to Matlock, from Hopton has been made, and quaintly christened the Via Gellia; an affectation, however, that may be pardoned, as it contributes much to the enjoyment and comfort of the traveller, conducting him through a shorter, more agreeable, and convenient road than the former one.

Having again reached the turnpike, we wound down a gradual descent of two miles, through a narrow vale of peculiar scenery; grand sweeps of wooded hills on each side, and a river leading its babbling waters to the right of the road.