Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 7.djvu/82

 62 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. vii. JULY 2*. 1920. most so, was the river Isis, which we crossed before coming to Lechlade. It is here a branch stream, but waters a fine track of meadows, now animated with haymaking. The hay in this part of the country is piled in the field in little ricks, not much larger than the biggest haycocks probably to prevent heating. Lechlade, a poor town. Fairford, not much better, but dignified by its chuich. This is a structure of fine orna- mented gothic, 3 or 4 centuries old, and rendered famous by its painted windows, taken in a Spanish prize, and probably executed in the Low countries. They are 28 in number, and present to the eye a quantity of very rich colouring employed, as usual, in scripture stories meanly executed. On the whole, I admired the outside of the church, more than the inside. It affords a fine object to Mr. Barker's contiguous pleasure grounds through part of which we were allowed to stroll. The most beautiful part of them consists of a piece of water the little river Coin widened edged with a fine turf crowned with a wooded slope. Some large horse-chestnuts, single in the foregrounds, but remarkably stiff and lumpish. Fairford to Cirencester, an uninteresting road. At the latter place our first visit was to the church, a fine old gothic structure, handsome within, with some good painted glass. Both of us climbed the lofty tower, and from the top had an extremely extensive view, but for want of a cicerone could not identify the objects. Lord Bathurst's house and grounds, adjoining the town, form a striking near object. After dinner walked in his park fine trees well disposed, deer, agreeable piece of water, little inequality of ground. Cirencester is a pretty large town, built of stone or plaster, many good houses, and the general air neat and comfortable streets mostly narrow and crooked. In the evening proceeded for Minchinhampton. Some miles of the road lay along Lord Bathurst's woods. Afterwards, a dreary flat stone-walled country, that made us think it long till we came to M'hampton, especially as our horse could scarcely make a trot of it. When arrived there a poor town with narrow rugged streets what was our vexation to find that not one decent inn would admit us they were all full, though upon what account we could not learn. We had nothing for it but to proceed near three miles further, to Rodborough. The ro^d soon disclosed such beautiful and romantic scenes, that we were mortified we had not daylight to view them. At length, by a descent into a vale of nearly a mile, we got to the Fleece, a capital inn where we soon forgot our disasters. 28th Thursday. A morning of enchantment. Rodborough is seated in a narrow valley, between steep acclivities, well wooded, and sprinkled with white houses in groups or single. It is in the centre of the fine woolen manufactory, marks of which appear in spinning miHs, tenter- grounds and in an abundant population. We sallied forth after breakfast, and ascending one of the walls of the valley came to an open down, which we crossed to the edge of another declivity. What a prospect opened ! It was that of the Vale of Severn, presenting at some miles' distance the estuary of that noble river, to be easily traced to its termination in the beginning of Bristol channel. Beyond it, the wooded eminences of Dean Forest, over which were dimly seen the- Black Moutains in Brecknockshire. Up the- stream the valley was bounded by the Hereford- shire Hills and the bold Malvern ridge. The rest of the prospect consisted of a noble panorama of hills and dales, full of towns and villages, all of white stone, and perched upon summits or half hid in woody dells. The variety is much too great for description, but it was such that we could scarcely leave the spot. Such an union of the romantic with the cultivated, the wild with* the populous, we had scarcely ever before seen.. A quiet walk in Sir G. Paul's close beech groves- gave an agreeable contrast to our morning's - amusements. * Afternoon, went to Gloucester. The first part of the road is enlivened with the population of" the manufacture. A pleasant farming country succeeds, with many orchards, the trees of which- hang over the road. Many large pear trees, with, a very small fruit, for making perry. The romantic scenery gradually declines towards the Severn, and the country about Gloucester is- tame. This old city has streets of good breadth tolerably built, but the general air is dulness.. Sabrina makes a very poor figure indeed, low under her banks, narrow and turbid. It is indeed only a branch of the stream. A few small vessels at the wharf ; but it seems as if there- never would be trade enough for the new channel for larger ships which is begun. A vast castle- like new county gaol, now the most conspicuous edifice in all our county towns. Strolled to the cathedral, the only thing in Gloucester worth seeing. Prodigiously massive round pillars in. the nave ; the choir of much lighter architecture. Tombs of two much injured men, Edward II. and Robert, duke of Normandy. Some bishops and divines of note, Warburton, Benson, Tucker the whole extremely neat, with much variety of structure. Very beautiful cloysters. The pin- nacles terminating the tower admirably light and elegant. 29 Friday. From Gloucester to Ross, our morning's ride, was dull, till we came to the hilly tract about midway when it afforded some- pleasing, wild views. On the Ross side the distant country begins to open. The town is- rugged and irregular, with no other beauty than an elegant spire steeple. Near the churchyard is- a fine prospect ; the Wye, a clear river of tolerable breadth, making a horse-shoe turn below, and showing itse]f in little breaks each way. A rich country beyond, and in the distance hills of Monmouthshire, Brecon and Glamorgan. The banks of the Wye here are green meadows by no- means romantic. Afternoon, Ross to Monmouth. The Wye soon enters a tract far enough from the character of tameness hinted in the preceding sentence.. It is seen from a high terrace on which the road runs a short distance from Ross, winding under- high rocky banks richly cloathed with wood and crowned with an old castle and other buildings. The road gives frequent glimpses of the river, which only make one long to see more of it. About 4 miles from Monmouth we saw it entering such a magnificent scenery of rocks, that we quitted our carriage and walked to the spot, and meeting with a boat sailed under some of" the grandest parts. Neither of us had seen.