Part 3 (1/2)
[Sidenote: A Roman station.]
[Sidenote: Many relics of antiquity found.]
[Sidenote: Traces of an abbey founded by King Stephen.]
[B] ALDBOROUGH. _Fair_, September 4.
[C] ALDBOURN. _Market_, Tuesday.
[D] ALDEBURGH is pleasantly situated in the valley of Slaughton, and bounded on the eastern side by the sea, which has made considerable encroachments, and nearly washed a street away. The river Ald runs on the south side, and forms a convenient quay. The town is mean in construction, and chiefly inhabited by fishermen and seafaring people.
Soles, lobsters, and other fish are abundant. It is remarkable as the birth-place of the late Rev. George Crabbe, emphatically styled the _Poet of the Poor_, who was born December 24, 1754. His father was an officer in the Customs, and at first gave him an education, merely suitable to follow the same pursuit; but when his prospects brightened, he removed his son to a cla.s.sical seminary, where he was instructed for a surgeon and apothecary, to which profession he was in due time apprenticed, but relinquished all views of establis.h.i.+ng himself in practice. At a very early period he became a versifier; and among his precocious attempts was a prize poem, on _Hope_, which was inserted in the _Lady's Magazine_, then published by Mr. Wheeble. Crabbe came to London, in 1778, with 3. in his pocket, and made versification his chief study. His first published work was _The Candidate_, a poem, in quarto, which came into the world anonymously, in 1780, and was favourably received. A short time afterwards, his poverty and poetry induced him to seek the patronage of Edmund Burke, to whom he submitted a large quant.i.ty of miscellaneous composition; he had no introduction to Mr. Burke, excepting his own letter, stating his circ.u.mstances; no recommendation but his distress, and yet his application was attended with success. His patron introduced him to some of the first men in the country, and soon after became the means of benefiting his fame and fortune; he selected from young Crabbe's works, _The Library_ and _The Village_, suggesting at the same time certain corrections and improvements. Among the eminent persons to whom he was thus introduced, was the Right Hon. Charles James Fox, Sir Joshua Reynolds, at whose mansion he first beheld, and was made known to, Dr. Johnson, who gave the young poet his opinion of _The Village_. Mr. Burke having directed Mr. Crabbe's views to the church, in 1781 he was ordained a deacon by the Bishop of Norwich, and priest by the same dignitary in the following year; he was next appointed domestic chaplain to the Duke of Rutland at Belvoir Castle. As Mr. Crabbe had not received a university education, he was offered a degree by Trinity College, Cambridge, but eventually received the grant from the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth, and thus became a Bachelor of Laws. Burke also introduced Mr. Crabbe to Lord Chancellor Thurlow, who presented him to rectories in Dorset and Lincoln consecutively. He had previously a curacy at Strathorn, a village near Belvoir Castle, where he married and became a father; he was universally respected for his talents and virtues, and died at Trowbridge, at seven o'clock in the morning of the 8th of February, 1832. The publications of Mr. Crabbe have placed him high on the roll of British Poets.
_Market_, Wednesday and Sat.u.r.day.--_Fairs_, March 1, and May 3, for toys.--_Inn_, White Lion.--_Mail_ arrives at 9-1/2 A.M. departs 5-1/2 P.M.
[Sidenote: Birth place of the Rev. George Crabbe, the poet. Biographical sketch of his life.]
[Sidenote: Crabbe's arrival in London, 1778.]
[Sidenote: His first published work well received.]
[Sidenote: Crabbe's introduction to eminent persons.]
[Sidenote: Promoted to the church.]
[Sidenote: Died at Trowbridge 1132.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-----------------+----------+--------------+---------------+ 27
Aldeby pa
Norfolk
Beccles 3
Yarmouth 11
18
Aldenham pa
Herts
Watford 3
St. Albans 6
41
Alderbury to
Wilts
Salisbury 3
Downton 4
27
Alderford pa
Norfolk
Reepham 3
Norwich 9
15
Alderley pa
Gloucester
Wickwar 4
Wooton 2
7
Alderley pa
Chester
Macclesfield 5
Knutsford 5
4
Aldermaston[A] pa
Berks
Reading 10
Newbury 8
42
Alderminster pa
Worcester
Evesham 10
Stratford-Av. 5
41
Alderton pa
Wilts
Malmsbury 6
Tetbury 7
15
Alderton pa
Gloucester
Winchcomb 3
Cheltenham 7
28
Alderton pa
Northamp
Towcester 4
Northampton 9
36
Alderton pa
Suffolk
Woodbridge 7
Orford 9
7
Aldersey to
Chester
Chester 8
Tarporley 8
16
Aldershott pa
Hants
Farnham 3
Odiham 8
10
Alderwasley to
Derby
Wirksworth 1
Matlock 4
7
Aldford to & pa
Chester
Chester 5
Malpas 10
45
Aldfield to
W.R. York
Ripon 3
Ripley 4
14
Aldham pa
Ess.e.x
Coggeshall 4
Colchester 6
36
Aldham pa
Suffolk
Hadley 2
Stow-Market 9
38
Aldingbourn pa
Suss.e.x
Chichester 4
Arundel 7
22
Aldingham pa
Lancaster
Ulverstone 5
Dalton 4
21
Aldington[B] pa
Kent
Hythe 6
Ashford 7
+--+-----------------+----------+--------------+---------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
population.
+--+-----------------+-------------------------+------+--------+ 27
Aldeby pa
Lowestoft 7
112
530
18
Aldenham pa
Elstree 3
17
1494
41
Alderbury to
Farley 3
80
1323
27
Alderford pa
Aylesham 7
108
40
15
Alderley pa
Tetbury 8
108
200
7
Alderley pa
Congleton 8 172
1338
4
Aldermaston[A] pa
Kingsclere 5
49
636
42
Alderminster pa
s.h.i.+pston-Sto. 6
89
454
41
Alderton pa
Chippenham 8
103
213
15
Alderton pa
Tewkesbury 7
102
330
28
Alderton pa
Sto. Stratford 9
58
162
36
Alderton pa
Ipswich 12
79
575
7
Aldersey to
Malpas 5
175
138
16
Aldershott pa
Frimley 6
35
665
10
Alderwasley to
Bakewell 9
138
424
7
Aldford to & pa
Tarporley 9
177
710
45
Aldfield to
Borobridge 7
2 08
133
14
Aldham pa
Neyland 6
48
407
36
Aldham pa
Ipswich 8
66
318
38
Aldingbourn pa
Bognor 5
62
833
22
Aldingham pa
Lancaster 15
277
884
21
Aldington[B] pa
New Romney 8
60
732
+--+-----------------+-------------------------+------+--------+
[A] ALDERMASTON. _Fairs_, May 6, July 7, for horses and cattle, and October 11, for pedlery.
[B] ALDINGTON. Elizabeth Barton, commonly called the Holy Maid of Kent, a religious impostor, lived in the reign of Henry VIII. She was a servant at Aldington, and having been for a long time afflicted with convulsions, which distorted her limbs and countenance, and threw her body into the most violent agitations, acquired a power of counterfeiting the same appearances whenever she pleased. Richard Master, who then held this living, with other ecclesiastics, thinking her a proper instrument for their purpose, induced her to pretend that all she said and did, was by a supernatural impulse, and taught her to act her part in the most perfect manner. Thus she pretended to be honoured with visions; to hear heavenly voices and most ravis.h.i.+ng melody; she declaimed against the wickedness of the times, against heresy and innovations; exhorting all persons to frequent the church, to hear ma.s.ses, to make frequent confessions, and to pray to our lady, and all saints. This artful management, with her apparent piety, virtue, and austerity of life, completely deceived even Sir Thomas More, Bishop Fisher, and Archbishop Warham, the last of which appointed commissioners to examine her, to whom she was instructed to say, in her counterfeit trances, that she should never recover till she went to visit the image of the Virgin Mary, in a chapel dedicated to her in this parish, which was done. After that she pretended that she was called to be a nun, and the Archbishop being fully satisfied with the reports, had her placed in the nunnery of St. Sepulchre, Canterbury, where she alleged she had visions and revelations of a divine nature, so as to completely impose upon the public. The main object of the priests, her managers, was directed publicly to announce how G.o.d had revealed to her, ”that in case the king should divorce Queen Catherine of Anjou, and take another wife during her life, his royalty would not be of a month's duration, but that he should die the death of a villain,” which created considerable excitement, and much controversy: encouraged by the lenity of the government, the ecclesiastics in this conspiracy, resolved to publish the revelations of the nun throughout the kingdom. They had communicated them to the Pope's Amba.s.sadors, and exhorted Queen Catherine to persist in her resolutions. At length this confederacy became a serious affair, and Henry ordered the maid and her accomplices to be examined in the Star Chamber, where they confessed all the particulars of the imposture; and afterwards, upon a scaffold erected at Paul's Cross, were compelled to hear their confession publicly read; they were confined in the Tower until the meeting of parliament, by whom the whole affair was p.r.o.nounced to be a conspiracy against the king's life, and crown. The nun, and her confederates, were eventually attainted of high treason, and executed at Tyburn, April 20th, 1534, where she confessed the imposture, laying the blame on her accomplices, the priests; craving pardon of G.o.d, and the King.
[Sidenote: The History of the Holy Maid of Kent.]
[Sidenote: Holy Maid of Kent.]
[Sidenote: The imposture detected.]
[Sidenote: Herself and confederates executed at Tyburn.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-----------------------+----------+--------------+----------------+ 42
Aldington ham
Worcester
Evesham 3
Moreton 10
35
Aldridge pa
Stafford
Walsall 3
Sut. Coldfield 4
36
Aldringham pa
Suffolk
Aldeburgh 2
Saxmundha 5
38
Aldrington pa
Suss.e.x
Brighton 5
Steyning 6
9
Aldstone Moor[A] to & pa
c.u.mberland
Carlisle 25
Kirk Oswald 12
15
Aldsworth pa
Gloucester
Northleach 4
Fairford 6
16
Aldwark to
Derby
Wirksworth 4
Ashbourn 6
44
Aldwark to
N. R York
Borobridge 5
Easingwold 4
45
Aldwarke to
W. R York
Rotherham 2
Sheffield 4
28
Aldwinckle-all Saints p
Northamp
Thrapston 3
Kettering 10
28
Aldwinckle-St Peter pa
Northamp
... 3
... 10
4
Aldsworth[B] pa
Berks
East Ilsley 4
Wallingford 7
+--+------------------------+----------+--------------+----------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-----------------------+-------------------------+------+---------+ 42
Aldington ham
Alcester 10
96
104
35
Aldridge pa
Lichfleld 6
116
1804
36
Aldringham pa
Dunwich 7
94
362
38
Aldrington pa
Worthing 7
55
615
9
Aldstone Moor[A] to & pa
Haltwhistle 10
272
6858
15
Aldsworth pa
Burford 4
78
353
16
Aldwark to
Winster 6
145
97
44
Aldwark to
Knaresboro 9
202
190
45
Aldwarke to
Barnsley 8
172
...
28
Aldwinckle-all Saints p
Oundle 5
76
247
28
Aldwinckle-St Peter pa
... 5
76
171
4
Aldsworth[B] pa
Newbury 11
50
268
+--+------------------------+------------------------+------+--------+
[A] ALDSTONE MOOR, in Leath Ward, is situated on the borders of Northumberland, in the most picturesque and romantic part of the county.
The town itself stands upon a hill, at the bottom of which runs the river Tyne. The immediate vicinity abounds in lead-mines, on estates which once belonged to the Derwent.w.a.ter family. On the attainder of the last earl, they were granted in aid of the support of Greenwich Hospital, from the trustees of which national inst.i.tution, the mines are at present leased. Satin spar is found in this parish; there is also a pool on Gildersdale Fell, the slime of which is used for painting yellow. About three miles from the town, are the earthworks of Whitley castle, where relics of antiquity have frequently been discovered.
_Market_, Sat.u.r.day.--_Fairs_, last Thursday in May, 1st Thursday in September, for cattle, horses, linen and woollen cloth.
[Sidenote: Picturesque and Romantic scenery.]
[Sidenote: The slime of a pool use for painting yellow.]
[B] ALDWORTH is pleasantly situated on a hill: here was anciently a mansion belonging to the family of De La Beche, the site of which is now Beach Farm. In the churchyard is a remarkable yew-tree, the trunk measuring nine yards in circ.u.mference, at upwards of four feet from the ground. The church is celebrated for its very ancient monuments, nine in number, disposed in enriched arches on each side, and in the centre of the interior; these are supposed to belong to the De La Beche family, and from the costume of the figures upon the tombs, may be referred to the fourteenth century; six of them are knights in armour; two are females, and one in the common habit of the time; some of the knights are represented lying cross-legged; these had vowed, or accompanied a crusade; the workmans.h.i.+p is excellent, and the att.i.tude and expression of each of the figures that remain perfect, are exceedingly graceful, but several of the monuments are now considerably mutilated. The font is very ancient, and remarkably plain, but very capacious, and somewhat singular in its form.
[Sidenote: Remarkable yew-tree, nine yards round.]
[Sidenote: Church celebrated for ancient monuments.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+------------------------+----------+--------------+--------------+ 29
Alemouth to
Northumb
Lesbury 2
Alnwick 5
28
Alesworth ham
Northamp
Deeping 7