204 Huyton The following are those of the greatest interest on this line. Harrow.-Celebrated for its collegiate school. Sheffield. The most extensive cutlery Glasgow, and its neighbouring town Paisley. For their manufactories of shawls, muslins, cottons, and thread. Great Northern. Dunstable. For straw manufactures. Peterborough: Cathedral. Northampton.-Manufactories of lace, Boston: Spire. stockings, leather currying, etc.; but Lincoln: Cathedral. its chief manufacture is that of boots and shoes, employing about 2,000 persons in that department alone. Rugby. For its collegiate school. Leicester.-A great stocking manufacturing district, employing about 3,000 persons in that manufacture alone. Coventry. For its manufactures of Leamington.-For its medicinal waters Cities and Towns on the Great Western Miles from London. 5 Ealing 22 Maidenhead 56 Abingdon rd. 63 Oxford 56 Steventon 60 Wantage road 63 Farringdon road 71 Shrivenham 77 Swindon 81 Purton 85 Minety 95 Cirencester 91 Tetbury-road 94 Brimscomb 101 Stroud 103 Stonehouse 114 Gloucester 121 Cheltenham 82 Wootton Bass. 93 Chippenham 100 Melksham 105 Trowbridge 109 Westbury 98 Corsham 101 Box : lake; also a large and interesting pile of ruins (Chepstow Castle). A remarkable phenomenon is also seen from the same spot viz. the river Wye, appearing several hundred feet below the level of the Severn, This illusion is caused by rocks rising perpendicularly to a height of 300 feet from the bank of the former river, while, from the top of the cliffs, the land slopes gently to the banks of the latter; thus seen from the elevated position of the Wyndcliff the illusion is complete, and nothing but the truths of science would persuade the observer that it is not as it appears. Hanwell. For its lunatic asylum. Slough.-Nearest station to Windsor. We would most strongly recommend Oxford.-Interesting to all literary men the traveller to pay a visit to this as one of the chief universities of neighbourhood, which will amply repay England. in natural beauties and interesting an Swindon.—The great engine depôt of tiquities the small outlay of time and money necessary for such a trip. this railway. Gloucester.-Cathedral city. Cheltenham.-A most fashionable resort for its mineral waters. Trowbridge.-Eminent for its manufacture of broad cloths. Bath.-A much-frequented city during the winter months. Bristol.-Interesting old city: once the chief port out of London. Eighteen miles from Bristol, on the banks of the river Wye, is situated the town of Chepstow, a station of the South Wales Railway. This spot is noticed fully here as an illustration, within a circle of five miles, of every description of scenery that can be found in England, except the lofty mountainous. Two miles south-west of the town is the confluence of the rivers Severn and Wye, which pour themselves into the Bristol Channel; and it is a remarkable phenomenon that the tide of the Wye riscs higher at Chepstow-bridge than any river in Europe. One spot in the neighbourhood (the Wyndcliff) presents at once a view of eight counties, with hills, precipitous rocks, woods, gentle slopes, a winding river; and a few miles beyond another river, spreading out with the appearance of an extensive Steamers leave Bristol every morning, and return in the evening. Wells. Here is one of the finest cathedrals in England. Exeter.-A cathedral city. Cities and Towns on the South-Western Railway, with their distances from London. Miles from London. 2 Vauxhall 10 Malden 15 sham 19 Weybridge 20 Addlestone 22 Chertsey 25 Woking 31 Guildford 34 Godalming 33 Farnborough 37 Ash 37 Fleetpond 40 Winchfield 41 Farnham 48 Basingstoke 58 Andover-road 67 Winchester 74 Bishopstoke 76 Chandlersford 79 Botley 80 Southampton 81 Romsey 82 Blechynden 85 Fareham 85 Dunbridge 85 Redbridge 88 Lyndhurst-rd. 89 Dean 90 Gosport 91 Beaulien-road 96 Brockenhurst 96 Salisbury 94 Diss 97 Burston The following are those of greatest interest on this line. Kingston.-See Chap. XIX, for corona tion stone. Claremont. The temporary residence of the late king Louis Philippe. Hampton Court.-Described fully in the chapter on the environs of London. Chertsey.-An interesting old town. Winchester.-The antiquary would be repaid by a visit to the cathedral of this city. Southampton.-This is the port from which oriental and other steamers start and arrive to meet the trains for London. Salisbury. This cathedral is one of the finest specimens of ecclesiastical architecture in this kingdom. Near here are the celebrated Druidical remains called Stonehenge. Cities and Towns on the Eastern Counties Railway, and their distances from London. Miles from London. 90 Thurston 86 Elmswell 1 Mile-end 2 Victoria-park and Bow 3 Stratford 35 Stanstead 41 Newport 47 Chesterford 51 Whittlesford 94 Bury 54 Shelford 79 Mildenhall rd. 95 Thetford 103 Harling-road 106 Eccles-road 110 Attleborough 115 Wymondham 120 Hardingham 124 Yaxham 126 Dereham 138 Fakenham 126 Norwich 132 Brundall 134 Buckenham 138 Reedham 141 Haddiscoe 143 Somerleyton 147 Mutford 149 Lowestoft 146 Yarmouth The following are those of the greatest interest on this line. Cambridge.-Another of our chief universities. Ely.-The cathedral of this city is an illustration of the architecture of different periods, and is certainly a most handsome edifice. Yarmouth.-Celebrated for its herringfishery; also for having one of the largest parish churches in England, built in the 12th century. Newmarket.-For its race-course. Norwich.-Cathedral city. Bury St. Edmunds. The archaeologist and antiquary should see the old abbey. Cities and Towns on the Brighton Cities and Towns on the South-Eastern and South Coast Railway, and Railway, and their distances from London. their distances from London. Miles from London. 29 Three Bridges 37 Hayward's 41 Burgess Hill 53 Glynde 61 Polegate Leonard's 51 Hove 55 Kingston 63 Goring 66 Angmering 68 Littlehampton 70 Arundel 95 Portsmouth The following are those of the greatest interest on this line. Epsom.-Made celebrated by being 23 Reigate 67 Ashford 72 Wye The following are those of the greatest interest on this line. the spot on which the great horse-Tunbridge.—Celebrated for its mineral waters. races take place-generally on the Brighton. Fashionable watering-place. St. Leonard's and Hastings.-Favourite Here is cavalry barracks. an extensive Canterbury. The cathedral is one of A watering-place, from whence the Boulogne steamers sail. Dover.-Nearest point to France. Between this town and Calais the electric telegraph was laid down. See the Castle. [30] CHAPTER III. A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF LONDON. FROM THE TIME OF BRITISH "LLYN-DIN," TO THE CLOSE OF 1850. AND brief it must be, when we con- only. There is every reason to believe, sider the size of the book and the age of the great wall which surrounded the London. History enables us to speak city, was raised by Constantine in the positively of its existence for nearly year 306. Maitland ascribes it to Theo2000 years; beyond that time, there is dosius, in the year 379; but the fact of so much fabulous matter interwoven with numerous coins bearing the inscription fact, that we will leave anterior dates to of Helena having been found near the speculators, whose anxiety for something walls, renders the former the most popuold permits them sometimes to gather lar date. According to Stow's admeaand treasure up, with the pearls of surement, the wall was two miles and truth, the rubbish of mysterious fiction. one furlong in length, defended at differThere are as many theories upon the ent distances by strong towers and basetymology of London, as upon the date tions. The height of the wall is thought of its foundation. That which appears to have been twenty-two feet, towers most entitled to our respect is, the forty feet. It began at a fort near the British Llyn-din, or the "Town upon present site of the Tower, and continued the Lake;" the transition to London along the Minories to Cripplegate, Newwould be easy, and when we consider gate, and Ludgate. There were four that the low grounds upon the Surrey principal gates, which opened to the side of the river were covered with four great military roads from London; water, the name of Llyn-din appears viz., Aldgate, Dowgate, Newgate, and most reasonable. Cripplegate. As new roads Were Most antiquaries are agreed that Lon- formed, more gates were erected, viz., don is of British origin, and, like the Bridegate, Ludgate, Aldersgate, MoorBritish towns of 2000 years ago, was a gate, Bishopsgate, and the Postern, or collection of rude huts, encompassed by Tower Hill. In the 5th century Rome, a mound and ditch. How long it was yielding to corruption, tottered. a town of this description we cannot forces were withdrawn, and London tell, but we know that when the con- again became a British town, Of the quering Romans came with their disci- Anglo-Saxon period we have little repline and civilization, London grew be- cord, but during that time London apneath their government into a substan- pears to have suffered much from the tial town, and the capital of the country; harassing warfare and ravages of the for we read that in the time of the Picts and Scots, the Saxons and the Emperor Severus, at the commencement Danes. Her of the 3rd century, it was a great and On the conversion of the East Saxons wealthy city;" and Tacitus describes it to Christianity, London was nominated as illustrious for the vast number of as the Bishop's See, and Melitus was merchants who resorted to it, for its appointed the first bishop in 604, and widely extended commerce, and for the in 610 a cathedral church was erected abundance of every species of commo- on the present site of St. Paul's, and at dity which it could supply. In the the same period the Abbey of Westyear 359, so extensive was its commerce, minster founded. In 884, Alfred gained that 800 vessels were employed for the possession of London, which he repaired conveyance and exportation of corn and strengthened. It was he who first |