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King Alfred retreated to Athelney

2009-06-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

Athelney is located between the villages of Burrowbridge and East Lyng in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. The area is known as the Isle of Athelney, because it was once a very low isolated island in the 'very great swampy and impassable marshes' of the Somerset Levels. Much of the Levels are below sea level. They are now drained for agricultural use during the summer, but are regularly flooded in the winter.
Athelney is around 6 miles from North Petherton, where the Alfred Jewel (an Anglo-Saxon ornament dating from the late 9th century) was discovered in 1693.

Alfred Jewel

Isle of Athelney

The Isle of Athelney is best known for once being the fortress hiding place of King Alfred the Great, from where he went on to defeat the Danes at the Battle of Ethandun in May 878.
Archaeological excavations and written evidence indicate that at the time of Alfred the island was linked by a causeway to East Lyng, with either end protected by a semi-circular stockade and ditch. The ditch on the island is now known to date from the Iron Age. It is therefore presumed that the Isle was known by Alfred to have been an ancient fort, and that its existing defences were strengthened by him. Evidence of metalworking on the site suggests that he also used the island to equip his army.When translated from the Anglo-Saxon, the name of the isle,

Æthelinga íeg, is often thought to mean the Island of Princes; if correct this might suggest that the island had royal connections prior to Alfred.

To give thanks for his victory, Alfred founded a monastery, Athelney Abbey, on the Isle in 888, which lasted until the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in 1539, when the value of the rubble was put at £80.
After Athelney Abbey was dissolved the monks then built the church in the neighbouring village of East Lyng.

There are no remains of the monastery above ground, but excavations were carried out as part of the 1st and 100th Time Team television archaeology programmes.
The monastery's location was marked by a small monument on top of the isle in 1801 built by Sir John Slade, 1st Baronet of the Slade Baronets, on the site of a stone vault. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (Somerset County No 367) and Grade II listed building.

The monument is now on private land belonging to Athelney Farm and, although visible from a layby off the A361, is not accessible to the public.

THE ABBEY OF ATHELNEY

The island of Athelney is on the north side of Stanmoor, and on the north bank of the River Tone, being about 4 miles south-west of Bridgwater. It consists of two low hills divided by a shallow depression, containing 24 acres in extent, of which the eastern and slightly higher hill where was the monastery of our Blessed Saviour, St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Athelwine, comprises 11½ acres. It is still often in winter-time an island to which people have to go by boats.

It was to this place that Alfred retreated in the autumn of 877, and in the spring of 878 he built here a fortress called Ethelingaeigge. (fn. 460) Asser, (fn. 461) whose account is vivid and valuable, having visited the place as chaplain to Alfred himself, describes it as a small island in the midst of an impassable morass, and says that Alfred, while he often thought of the needs of his soul, among other good deeds ordered that two monasteries should be built, of which the one for monks was at Athelney. In this monastery he collected monks from every quarter, and placed over them, as their first abbot, (fn. 462) John, an Old-Saxon priest and monk, and certain other priests and deacons from beyond the sea, of whom, finding that he had not as large a number as he wanted, he procured as many as possible from the same race in Gaul, and among them Asser tells us he had seen a young lad who was born a pagan, who had been educated in the monastery and was by no means the least in advancement of the monks there.

It has been questioned (fn. 463) whether Alfred really founded the monastery—or whether he did not enlarge a hermitage or monastery already in existence. The dedication of St. Egelwine or Athelwine, the brother of King Kenewalch, suggests a greater antiquity, and the charter which Alfred granted to the monastery suggests that he rather enlarged than founded the house.Asser, however, who is our best authority, speaks of the monastery as recently founded by Alfred. He tells us that the monks who were gathered at first under Abbot John were not all men devoted to the service of God, and some of them resisted the discipline which the abbot would impose upon them.

On one occasion (fn. 464) a priest and a deacon of Gallic birth, having laid their plans, hid at night in the chapel waiting for the abbot to come alone in the early morning for his prayers, and intending then and there to slay him before the altar and carry his dead body and lay it before a house of ill fame. When the abbot, John, appeared that night they attacked him, but his efforts to resist them and his shouting roused the brother monks, and though the men wounded their abbot, he was rescued, and his assailants were ultimately caught and imprisoned.William of Malmesbury, (fn. 465) writing in the first half of the 12th century, tells us of a church which was there built, which seems to have been erected on piles and to have had apsidal chapels attached. He says the monks there in his time were few in number and poor, but they were consoled in their poverty by their love of a quiet solitude.The early history of the abbey is very obscure. There was a cartulary in existence in the first half of the 18th century, of which a transcript (fn. 466) of the earlier portion was made by Dr. Harbin in 1735, and this is now in the Phillipps library at Cheltenham. The original however has disappeared, and it seems as if probably the second portion contained the story of the abbey rather than copies of its charters.Collinson quotes the names of one or two Saxon abbots, which seems to suggest that he had actually seen the vanished manuscript. The Harbin transcript has been published by the Somerset Record Society, and it gives us a considerable group of early charters. A charter of King Alfred granting the manor of Sutton to the monastery is given in this cartulary in which he describes the place as 'the Island of Nobles.' (fn. 467) At the time of the Conquest, we find the abbey allied, together with Muchelney, to the great monastery at Glastonbury, so that the three foundations were acting together to resist Bishop Giso, who attempted to assert his visitorial authority as bishop of the diocese over Muchelney and Athelney but was compelled to do so through the medium of the Abbot of Glastonbury.In 1160 (fn. 468) we find the abbey providing for the conduct of its legal affairs by assigning to Robert de Beauchamp their lands in Frogmore, on condition of his representing them at the county assize and going to the pleas and business of their church whenever he should be called.Soon after a considerable change took place in the position of the abbot. (fn. 469) Bishop Savaric, as we have shown in our general historical sketch, persuaded Abbot Benedict II of Athelney to give the church of Long Sutton to found a prebend in the cathedral church of Wells; the Abbot of Athelney for the time being was to be ex-officio prebend of Sutton, with the stall next to the sub-dean. (fn. 470) It was also decided that he should not be bound to reside in Wells, but must provide a vicar with four marks a year stall wages.

In 1249 the then abbot realized the loss of freedom which ensued from his holding the prebendal stall at Wells.On the morrow of St. George, 24 April, 1249, (fn. 471) he was summoned to a chapter meeting at Wells, and sent as his proctor one of the monks of his abbey.

The chapter refused to accept the proxy because the monk was not a canon, and they condemned the abbot for a breach of the customary rules and laws of the chapter, because he had also made complaint before one of the lords of assize concerning some fishery dispute the abbey had with the dean and chapter about their estate at North Curry, without first making application to the chapter itself.

There are two other entries in the chapter manuscripts which are not easy of explanation, as they involved loss of estate to the abbey itself. During the episcopate of Bishop Jocelin (fn. 472) Abbot Benedict gave him the advowson of Ilton to form a prebend in Wells. The gift could not have been popular with the convent, for we find them soon after quarrelling with John, Chancellor of Wells, who held that prebendal stall. Benedict's successor, Abbot Roger, (fn. 473) gave also to Bishop Jocelin the tithes of Pitney and Wearne in the parish of Huish to support the endowments of that prebendal church.In the 14th century we have a good deal of evidence concerning the extent to which monastic houses were burdened by royal pensioners.

In 1304 Gilbert de Ragun went to the monastery with a royal letter, bidding them receive him as a pensioner, and they appealed against this, claiming exemption because already they had two of the aged servants of the king, John de Hanele and Nicholas Freyn, living there and provided with board and lodging at the expense of the abbey.On 6 September 1325, (fn. 474) John de Blebury also arrived with a similar request from Edward II. On 17 November 1327 (fn. 475) William de Rainton, the king's yeoman, came demanding such maintenance as Philip de Redynges had received in the late king's time.On 8 September 1341, (fn. 476) Edward la Chamberleyn, clerk, came with a royal request which was based on the fact of the creation of a new abbot and the king's claim to a corrody on each such occasion.In 1342 (15 December), (fn. 477) the abbey was called upon to receive Henry de Acum, 'Spygurnel,' to house, to provide, and to maintain him by reason of his previous good conduct to the king himself, and six years after, 5 March 1348, (fn. 478) as Henry de Acum was dead, Walter de Stodley, yeoman of the king's kitchen, was to receive such maintenance as Henry de Acum was wont to receive there, and there was a complaint added that Henry de Acum did not receive, through his own modesty and humility, all that was due to him.In 1314 Bishop Drokensford's (fn. 479) register introduces us to a disciplinary case. He received a letter from John Dalderby, Bishop of Lincoln, asking him to place William de Walton, a monk of Peterborough, in Athelney Abbey, or some other Benedictine house at the cost of his own abbey. He was sent away on account of his wickedness and disobedience to his abbot. The bishop asks that he may be placed in a separate cell and suggests fetters for his better keeping.

On 13 June 1319, Bishop Drokensford wrote to the Bishop of Lincoln to say that Walton had twice escaped from his fetters, and that as he caused a great scandal to Athelney, he must go back to his own abbey.In 1321 (fn. 480) Bishop Drokensford issued a pastoral letter to his officials, the archdeacons, the rural deans and the rectors in the diocese, concerning the ruinous state of the conventual church of Athelney. There were no funds, he said, to repair it, and he begged them to allow the monks to plead their cause in the churches on holy days after the Gospel, and he would assure contributors vere contritos of 30 days' indulgence ab injunctis penitentiis.On 22 October 1322 (fn. 481) the bishop appointed Roger de Stalbridge, the rector of Aller, and two monks as a commission to visit and inspect and report on all the buildings belonging to Athelney Abbey.

In 1349 the abbey seems to have been devastated by the plague. On 15 September Abbot Richard de Gothurst fell a victim; (fn. 482) on 23 September John Stoure was appointed but died on 22 October on his way to the king, and Robert de Hache (fn. 483) succeeded him.In January 1401 (fn. 484) there is a strange entry of a licence to Robert Wynchestre, a monk of Athelney, to whom Pope Boniface IX grants for life a room formerly assigned to him by the abbot and still in his possession, and the right to dispose, without requiring licence of the abbot and convent or others, of the goods acquired in the monastery from his offices or salary, or acquired without the same. This recognition of private property seems to be a direct annulling of the Benedictine rule.In 1462 (fn. 485) Abbot Robert Hill was granted a licence to have divine service celebrated in his oratory; this suggests that some sort of rebuilding of the church was taking place at that time.

On 17 August 1499 (fn. 486) the Feast of the Dedication was changed from 20 December to 30 August, and it is probable that this coincides with some extensive repairs, if not the entire rebuilding of the conventual church, the new dedication day being the day when the church was once more capable of being used for public worship. The buildings, however, do not seem to have been completely restored, for in 1503 (fn. 487) Bishop King issued a commission to inquire into their state.In the Valor of Henry VIII the house is said to be in debt to the king to the extent of £33 6s. 8d. which was possibly some outstanding portion of the fine of 100 marks levied on Abbot John George (fn. 488) and the convent in 1498 because of the assistance he gave to the insurgents under Perkin Warbeck in 1497.

On 17 September 1534 (fn. 489) the convent subscribed the Act of Supremacy and the Succession Act. The deed was signed by Robert Hamblyn, the newly elected abbot, Richard Welles, the prior, and eleven other monks.On 4 November 1535 (fn. 490) Robert Hamblyn, the abbot, wrote to Cromwell to inform him of the visit of Dr. Tregonwell and to express his joy that the house had been found ' yn metely good order.' The visitor had however enjoined him to remain in the monastery, and Hamblyn desired from Cromwell permission to go abroad on the necessary business of the abbey, and to take a chaplain with him.On 10 April 1536 (fn. 491) he wrote again to Cromwell, lamenting the debts of the house, and requesting Cromwell to devise some means that every man may the sooner be paid. 'Yff Y cowlde have a frynd that wolde lene me iiii. or v hundret poundes without ony prophete or lucoure, Y wolde gladly bynde me and my howse for the repayment of a hundret poundes yerely untyll the full some be payde.' To this letter he adds a schedule or book of the debts. He owed the Abbot of Dunkeswell £80, and the Abbot of Tavistock £40, and it is evident that he had borrowed recklessly when he became abbot. The Prior of Taunton and the Prior of St. John's Bridgwater had also lent money.

Various sums also are due to Ilton, North Curry, and Thurloxton Churches, and the prebendal vicar at Wells was in arrear of his stipend for two years. The sum total of debts is reckoned at £869 12s. 7d.On 2 November 1538 (fn. 492) John Dycensen, rector of Holford, went to Athelney apparently to sound the abbot about resignation. He wrote afterwards to Cromwell, giving a report of the abbot's words. To him and to the convent he had held out hope that neither religion nor the poor would suffer by the surrender of the house, for the Lord Chancellor Audley would probably settle down there. The abbot held out however for something more than a bribe of 100 marks, though the monks 'ware all glade to be advysed by my Lorde and to yelde thare howse and landes ynto ye kynges handes.'On 20 February 1539 (fn. 493) John Tregonwell, William Petre, and John Smyth, the royal commissioners, wrote to Cromwell and told him that with as much expedition as possible they had taken the surrender of the abbey.

It had indeed been surrendered on 8 February, (fn. 494) and the deed was signed by Robert Hamblyn, the abbot, Richard Wells, the prior, John Athelwyne, Henry Ambros, Robert Edgar, John Laurens, and Thomas Genynges. The abbot was awarded a pension of £50 a year, and on 24 February the prebend of Sutton was confirmed to him by Letters Patent. In Cardinal Pole's pension List of 1556, (fn. 495) pensions were still paid to Robert Hamblyn, Robert Edgar, Henry Poynings, and Thomas Genynges.After the surrender (fn. 496) the materials of the buildings were valued at £80. The site of the abbey had been leased to Lord Audley, but on 17 August 1544 (fn. 497) it was sold to John Clayton, gentleman, for £182 15s. and in April (fn. 498) of the following year he obtained a licence to sell it to John Tynbere.

The charter of Alfred of the manor of Sutton (fn. 499) exists with a careful statement of the boundaries of the manor. In 1007 King Ethelred (fn. 500) granted Ham to the small monastery (monasteriolum) of Athelney and to Alfric, the abbot. A charter of King Cnut, (fn. 501) witnessed by Earls Leofric and Godwin and Stigand, the priest, grants the manor of Sevenhampton (Seavington) to Athelney, and belongs to the period 1020–5.An abstract of the Domesday Survey is entered in the cartulary, describing the possessions as in Long Sutton, Ilton, Sevenhampton, Hamp, Lyng and Montacute, and records the encroachment of the Count of Mortain in Ashill, of Roger de Curcelle in Sutton, and of Ralph de Limesey in Bossington. The manor of Purse Caundle (fn. 502) in Dorset came to them just before the Survey by an exchange with the Count of Mortain. The abbey had previously received the manor of 'Biscopestone' on which the earl desired to build his castle of Montacute, (fn. 503) and he exchanged his manor of Purse Caundle for this manor.

In 1267 Henry III (fn. 504) granted the abbey a weekly market on Mondays in their manor of Lyng, and a yearly fair on the eve, day and morrow of St. James the Apostle, in their manor of Sutton.Roger de Mandeville (fn. 505) had given 'Andresia,' with fishery rights on the Parrett to the abbey and convent of Athelney, at the request of Herduin, the venerable hermit, and these rights being somewhat indefinite were constantly causing quarrels between the abbey and the dean and chapter of Wells who held the adjacent manor of North Curry.

In the Taxatio of 1291 the abbey is recorded as enjoying pensions in Bawdrip and Selworthy churches, and in possession of the manors of Sutton Abbots, Hurcot, and lands in North Curry, Combe Florey, and 'Hyda,' Hamp, Lyng, 'Hoggestle,' Clavelshay in North Petherton and Bossington.On the election of Robert de Hacche, (fn. 506) a monk of Athelney, to be prior in 1349, the property consisted of Sutton, Lyng, Ilton and Hurcot in the county of Somerset, and Purse Caundle in the county of Dorset. These are returned as worth £25 6s. 5d. In the Valor (fn. 507) of Henry VIII, 1535, the endowments of the house are returned as worth £209 a year.d shews the abbot standing and holding his staff and a book.
From: 'Houses of Benedictine monks: The abbey of Athelney', A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 2 (1911), pp. 99-103. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40922 Date accessed: 12 June 2009.

Alfred Burning the Cakes by Sir David Wilkie

It was here, in Athelney, that the story of Alfred and the Cakes originated.
Alfred, reduced to penury, took refuge in the home of a poor peasant family. The wife of the house resolved that her guest should make himself useful, and ordered him to keep an eye on some cakes she was baking.
But Alfred, deep in thought about the situation he and his realm found themselves in, let the cakes burn.

The returning wife berated him for failing in his duty - not realising that she was talking to the future saviour of the English people.

Winchester: Capital City of Alfred

2009-06-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

This magnificent bronze Statue, by Hamo Thornycroft, was commissioned by Alderman Bowker and the City Corporation to mark the millennium of Aelfred’s death. It was erected in 1901. It is 2.5 times life size, 15 feet (4.57 m) high, and weighs 5 tons. The base, in two parts, is of Cornish Granite, and the whole stands 40 ft high. The right hand grasps a cross-hilted sword, the symbol of Christianity which was to combat the power of heathenism. The left foot strides forward in a rather Pharonic gesture of Kingship and the subjugation of ones enemies. A Saxon helmet crowns the head, and the left hand rests lightly upon a Saxon circular shield. The cloak, thrown back over the right shouder, shelters the King and encourages the viewer to walk around the statue to view it face on. The granite pedestal bears just one word - AELFRED.

Born at Wantage, in Berkshire, Aelfred was the fifth child of Ethelwulf, King of Wessex and Queen Osburgh. His early life was spent mostly in the court of his parents, and he was much influenced by them in matters of learning and religion. Ethelwulf, before acceding to the throne of Wessex, was educated at the Old Minster in Winchester, by Bishop Swithun. It is known that Aelfred made at least two pilgrimages to Rome, one at the age of four, and one in the company of his Father, two years after the death of Queen Osburgh, his mother. Having left two of Aelfreds eldest brothers to rule over Wessex and Kent, Ethelwulfe returned to a divided Kingdom. Kent and the South East were relinquished to him by Ethelbert, but Ethelbald refused to surrender Wessex. Ethelwulf died almost a year later.Ethelbald died in 860 and was succeeded by Ethelbert until 865, when he too died and the throne passed to Ethelred I.

In 868 Aelfred married Ealhswith, the granddaughter of the King of Mercia. Aelfred was later to grant her an estate in Winchester, upon which the Nunnaminster was built.In 870 the Danes attacked Wessex, and over wintered at Reading. Early in 871 King Ethelred and Aelfred defeated the Danes at the Battle of Ashdown, though Ethelred later died of wounds received in the battle. Now King of Wessex, Aelfred was forced to negotiate a sort of peace with the Danes, literally paying them to leave his Kingdom alone (Danegelt). Aelfred used the time this bought to strengthen his Kingdom and to also develop the beginnings of a Naval fleet. At first using mercenaries, he later built a large fleet of ships to a design superior to that used by the Danes. In 876 the Danes reinvaded Wessex under a new leader, Guthrum, who established a base at Wareham. Aelfred was once again obliged to negotiate with the Danes, but Guthrum broke faith with their agreement and seized Exeter the following year. The city was put to siege and Guthrum requested reinforcements from the Viking fleet. Aelfred sent his small fleet of mercenary ships to intercept them, but a storm wrecked 120 ships of Guthrums fleet and he was forced to withdraw from Wessex into Mercia.

In 878 Guthrum suddenly attacked Aelfred & his household at Chippenham over Christ Mass. Aelfred fled to Athelney in the Somerset levels and lodged, with his wife and children, in the house of a swineherd. Guthrum proclaimed himself King of Wessex. Aelfred raised a small following and started attacking the Danes in a guerrilla war. News of his survival spread, and just seven weeks after Guthrum's surprise attack Aelfred confronted him at Eddington, pursued the Danes to their camp and laid siege to it. Fourteen days later the Danes surrendered. Although Guthrum was Aelfreds prisoner, Aelfred and Guthrum agreed to divide England into two, along a boundary from Watling Street in London across country to Chester. Later that year Guthrum was baptised into the Christian Church, with Aelfred in attendance at a ceremony on the Isle of Aller, and Guthrum settled peacefully in East Anglia until his death ten years later.In 896, nine of Aelfreds new ships engaged and defeated six Danish ships from East Anglia that were raiding towns all along the south coast. The captured crews were later sent in chains to Winchester, where they were hanged as a warning to others. It seemed to work as the rest of Aelfreds reign was relatively peaceful, and he was able to effect many reforms He strengthened the currency by increasing the weight of the silver penny to 24 grammes, and setting strict standards for coin weight and metal quality. He also introduced the silver halfpenny, though no examples of this are thought to survive. He built a mint at Winchester, the cellars of which may be found near The City Butter Cross and St. Lawrence Church. This mint became the fourth most important mint after London, York and Lincoln. Much of the currency minted here was used to pay the Danegeld.

Butter Cross Winchester:The tower in the background is part of St, Lawrences Church.

KING AELFRED’S REFORMS

He created a series of at least 30 burghs (Fortified Towns) throughout Wessex, so spaced that no one in the kingdom was more than about 20 miles away from these places of refuge. Examples that survive to this day are Wareham and Wallingford. In the event of invasion or attack the local populace took refuge in the nearest burgh, which was sufficiently well defended so as to withstand siege until Aelfred's army could relieve them. He reorganised the army by offering the privileges of Thaneship (Knightship) to the larger freehold landowners in return for undertaking regular military service and responsibility. Available only to those who held five or more hides of land, this privilege was conditional on serving one month in three under arms.A similar rotational pattern was applied to the recruitment system, or fyrd. Men were called to serve in the army for short periods. Not only did this provide fresh and rested soldiers, it enabled the continued production of agricultural and other produce, and so did little harm to the economy.
Aelfred introduced a series of taxes, which he administered as fairly and equitably as he was able. One particular tax became known as 'Peter's Pence', a tax of one penny on each household of which 50% went to Rome, the rest was used in the upkeep of the 'English Quarter'. This tax continued to be levied on 1st August (St. Peter's day) until the dissolution of the monasteries some 500 years later.
He built churches, restored many monasteries and convents, and founded new ones at Athelney and Shaftesbury, and the 'New Minster' in Winchester. Much larger than the 'Old Minster' but just a few steps away from it, it was to be a 'peoples church' and all citizens of Winchester had the right of free burial in it's cemetery. He also granted his wife, Ealhswith, a estate in Winchester upon which the Nunnaminster was built. He encouraged these places to become centres of learning and a light against paganism and ignorance. Aelfred brought scholars, teachers, artisans and craftsmen to Wessex from all over the country, and even further afield. Any citizen who held office was encouraged to learn to read and write, to better fulfil his duties. Those holding high office were also taught Latin.
Many books and texts were translated into Anglo Saxon, and many books were written. Perhaps the most notable was a record of important events in England since it's occupation by the English tribes, The Anglo Saxon Chronicles.As much as half of Aelfred's revenues were expended in education and the dissemination of skills and knowledge.
Aelfred also instituted a system of written Law, which set down the Precepts that were in common use throughout the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms. He drew heavily on previously recorded works of Law and also incorporated many previously 'unwritten' laws. He gave a structure to the Law, it's administration, and application. One of the most noteworthy precepts of Aelfreds law was that 'no man can give a judgement that he would be unwilling to have made against himself'. All but the most serious of crimes were punishable by assessment according to the 'weirgild' or 'person-price'. All freemen were assessed, according to rank, at a price which reflected their value to society. Unfortunately, serfs, who were literally no more than slaves, were seen as 'chattels' and could be punished as their owner thought fit. From this 'weirgild' could be determined the fine to be paid as compensation to the wronged party, more or less on a sliding scale according to the severity of the hurt suffered. Even murder, with a few exceptions, would likely result in the relatives being paid the full weirgild appropriate to the victim’s status.
There was no set judiciary to administer the Law. Generally lawsuits and criminal proceedings were heard by the Bishops and Ealdormen, whilst Thanes and landowners could mediate in lesser matters. Questions of business or trade were determined by the Reeves in charge of the Royal Estates. Each rank in society held responsibility for the people in their charge, and were expected to act both as protector and guarantor, to both vouch for the accused and pay the weirgild if they were found guilty.
Aelfred is the ONLY monarch ever to have been given the appellation ‘The Great’. He was truly a remarkable man, and a Great King.

THE NUNNAMINSTER

The Nunnaminster, later known as St Mary's Abbey, was one of Winchester's three great Late Saxon royal monasteries. Founded by Queen Ealhswith, Alfred the Great's wife, in 903, it became one of the foremost centres of learning and art in England. In 964, the Nunnaminster, Old Minster, and New Minster were brought into a single enclosure to ensure isolation from the growing city. As part of this reorganisation, most of the monastery was rebuilt.

THE NUNNAMINSTER

The Nunnery was rebuilt again after the Norman conquest, perhaps by AD 1100, by which time it was known as St Mary's Abbey. In the sixteenth century it was one of the largest religious houses in England. There were 26 Nuns in a total establishment of 102 persons - the latter including officials, servants and children of lords and gentlemen who were there to be educated. In November 1539 the Abbey was surrendered to Henry VIII as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and most of the monastic buildings were demolished. The site was subsequently gifted to the City by Queen Mary Tudor to celebrate her marriage to Philip of Spain in the Cathedral in July 1554. The land was later divided into two, the eastern part was occupied by a fine town house and formal gardens that survive today as the Mayor of Winchester's official residence and public gardens. The western part of the site was cleared for the City's Guildhall in 1873. Between 1981-83 archaeological excavations were carried out on this site by the Archaeology Section of the Winchester Museums Service, revealing part of the Nunnaminster's fascinating history. The earliest remains uncovered during the excavations were part of Ealhswith's Monastic church Circa 903. Most of it had been destroyed by foundations of the later churches that were cut through it. The surviving walls suggest that the church was built of timber, resting on stone foundations. The nave was about 6.5m wide with a grand double-apsidal ceremonial entrance at the West Front. A tomb found in the southern apse may be that of St. Edburga. To the south of the church was a masonry base, perhaps for a monument or churchyard cross. By 960 the Nunnaminster was said to be in a 'ruinous state'. As part of Bishop Ethelwold's reforms to the City's monasteries, the boundaries of the Nunnaminster were reorganised and the church rebuilt. Ethelwold's new church was about the same size as Ealhswith's, but it was built of stone supported on broad foundations. inside the church was a feature thought to be a double tomb. To the South were the Cloisters, a feature apparently absent from the earlier monastery. Following the conquest of 1066, the Nunnaminster was rebuilt in the Norman style of architecture, although the exact date of rebuilding is unknown. It may have been in 1068 when the Nunnaminster was rededicated as the Abbey of St Mary and St Edburga, or following the siege of Winchester in 1141 when the Abbey was said to have been damaged by fire. The new church was built on a grand scale, being almost three times as wide as its Saxon predecessors. The nave was flanked by the alternating large cruciform and circular drum columns. The church formed the centre of the religious community and was open to the public. The cloister to the south was where contemplation took place and many of the nun's day to day activities occurred. The Abbess Lodgings are thought to have been located to the east of the church. The Abbey Mill Stream passed through the monastery to feed the fishponds and power the Abbey Mill. Much of the remaining area of the precinct was occupied by buildings required to serve the Abbey's needs. The Abbey Mill, with the later addition of a Classical Portico, survives to this day and is used by the City Council as offices. Abbey House is also used as the Mayor of Winchester’s official residence.

NUNNAMINSTER 2

Alfred the Great granted his wife Ealhswith an estate in Winchester on which the Nunnaminster was later built. In the early 10th Century the bounds of the estate were copied into a Book of Gospels that once belonged to the Nunnaminster. The original is now in the British Library. "The bounds of the estate which Ealhswith has in Winchester run up from the ford on the westward weir of the most westerly mill eastwards to the old willow and then along the weir of the eastern mill, northwards into Cheap Street (now the Broadway): then eastwards along Cheap Street up to the boundary of the King's burgh (the city walls) of the old mill weir (the River Itchen) and there along the old mill weir until it reaches the old ash, and then southwards over the twofold fords onto Mid Street (a street lost as part of Ethelwold's reforms to the monastic boundaries): and there back west along the street and over the ford, so that the weir of the most westerly mill is reached again." To revive the monastic life in Wessex, Alfred the Great encouraged the arts. He invited scholars from the Frankish lands and brought men of learning together from all over England. The result was a blossoming of the arts in manuscript illumination, embroidery, ivory and bone working, and enamelling. The sisters of the Nunnaminster were in the forefront of this movement. They made and embroidered St Cuthbert’s Stole, which is now at Durham, and it is said that they may have worked on the Bayeaux Tapestry.

After Ethelwold's reforms the nuns followed the rules of St Benedict. Suitable women could enter the nunnery at any time during their lives. Many of the novices were young girls who, after taking their vows, lead a cloistered life under a strict regime for the rest of their lives.The regime called for an ordered day divided into eight canonical hours known as divine office. The normal day started at 2 am with Matins, followed successively by Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None (noon), Vespers and ended with Compline about 7 pm. there was also the Chapter Office, held in the Chapter House, where the business of the Abbey was discussed, followed by readings from the Rule of St Benedict. During the period between None and Vespers the nuns would fulfil other duties.

The earliest burials found belong to Ethelwold's church and are dated between 964 - 1108. There was one adult, one child and four neonatal infants. Monasteries were in the forefront of medicine of their day and young ladies of noble birth entered the Nunnaminster during their pregnancy. The high number of infant burials found probably reflects the high infant mortality rate of the time.In the medieval period a cemetery to the north of the church was reserved for the nuns. Other areas were probably put aside for general cemeteries. Thirty-seven burials were excavated in the church, the earliest dating to the 13th century. Burial in the Abbey church was highly prestigious and the graves found probably represent the highest levels of medieval society, and presumably include many of the Abbey's wealthy patrons.Males and females were present in equal numbers, but there were few infants or children. Of the adults, seven - all female - reached an age of 45 years or over. Arthritis was by far the most common disease. Despite the high status and wealth of those buried in the church, many showed signs of dietary deficiency. The high quality of the coffins indicates the social status of those buried in the church. One important 13th century grave located in the south aisle was that of a female over 45 years old in a stone coffin (The limestone coffin with a squared off top to the head end) accompanied by a wooden staff or crook of office adorned with a carved ivory top. Later the grave formed the focus of an enclosed chapel. She may have been an Abbess or a lay official of the Abbey. Food remains found during the excavations provide valuable information about the diet of this community of nuns. In the Late Saxon period the noble status of many of the nuns ensured a rich and varied diet. the remains of young lambs, piglets, goats, calves, and game animals were recovered.The introduction of the Benedictine Rule in the late 10th Century completely changed the diet. The Rule, which forbade the eating of meat, was slightly relaxed in the 14th century, but then meat could only be eaten on special occasions. The remains of sturgeon and dolphin - then considered a royal fish - suggest that despite plagues and famines in the city the Abbey was able to obtain high class fare for important visitors.

THE CITY CROSS (BUTTERCROSS)

The High Cross. Also known as the City or Butter Cross. Dated as early 15th Century the monument was restored by G. G. Scott in 1865. It is described as a tall many-pinnacled cross on a stepped plinth with five octagonal steps. It was once used by countrymen to sell produce, hence the name Butter Cross. In 1770 it was sold off by the Paving Commissioners to a Mr Dummer. When he tried to remove it, the citizens of Winchester organised a small riot and preserved the monument for the City.The monument is a protected structure, being listed under the Town & Country Planning Act and is also Scheduled Ancient Monument. No. 204. Map ref: SU 481 294. There are now twelve figures on the monument. Each face of the monument has a large figure about half way up, surmounted by two smaller figures in niches. The eight figures at high level represent, The Blessed Virgin, and the Saints Bartholomew, John, Lawrence, Maurice, Peter, Swithun, and Thomas. Of the four large figures, three are relatively new. According to records at The Historic Resources Centre the figures are representations of William of Wykeham, Lawrence de Anne (An early Mayor of Winchester), Aelfred the Great, and the oldest statue (Facing the nearby building) is of St John the Evangelist. There are, however, records that also indicate that this figure may be of St Amphibalus.St Amphibalus was one of the first British Martyrs (Died 25th June AD 304) and Winchester Cathedral was under his patronage before it was dedicated to St Swithun, so there is some connection to support this hypothesis.

WINCHESTER’S FIRST CHARTER

Winchester’s First Charter :- Granted by King Henry II, during Thomas `a Becket´s Chancellorship.

CURRENT Street NAME PREVIOUS NAME(S)

High Street Chepe Street (AS)

Principia & Vicus Magnus (R) Great Street (H)

Southgate Street Gold Street

Tower Street Snidelingestret or Snitherlingastret (AS) -

The Tailor’s Street Jewry Street* Alwarenestret (AS)

St Peter’s Street Flescmangerstret (AS) - The Butcher’s Street

St Thomas’ Street Calpe Street (AS)

Upper Brook Street Seyldwortenestret (AS) -

The Shield Maker’s Street Shulworth Street

Middle Brook Street Wunegrestret or Wongarestret (AS)

Lower Brook Street Tannerestret (AS) -

The Tanner’s Street Busket Lane Bucchestret (AS)

Colebrook Street Colebrochestret (AS)

Parchment Street Pergamene (R)

Parmentry West of the Cathedral Menstrestret (AS) -

Minster Street High St to site of North Gate Scowertenestret (AS) -

The Shoemaker’s Street High Street Northwards Bredenestret or Brudenestret (AS)

Kingsgate St Michael’s Gate

Market Street Thomas-Gate

Little Minster Street Burdon Street

Blue Ball Hill Redhouse Lane

Staple Gardens Bridney Street

Minster Street Munkestrete (AS)

Canon Street Paillard’s Close

St Cross Sperkeforde

Back Lane to Upper Brook St Wode Street

Back Lane to Lower Brook St St Ruel Street

Wharf Mill Segrim’s Mill

Prior’s Barton Mill Crepestre Mill

The Piaza Penthouse

This gateway is one of the few parts of Hyde Abbey that remain above ground. The Gateway is 15th Century built of flint with stone dressings. There is a large 4-centred carriage arch and a smaller one for pedestrians. The roof is tiled with modern rainwater goods. It has an open braced, Queenpost roof. The outer arch once had timber gates fitted. Scheduled Ancient Monument No. 97

Hyde Abbey area has a very good pub called the King Alfred and the street names are of the saxon period like(Saxon Street).

Key

R= Roman

H= Henry Vlll

As= AngloSaxon

THE MANOR OF GOD BEGOT

In 1002, Emma, daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy, married Ethelred the Unready. As a wedding present the Duke gave her Winchester and Exeter. Ten years later he gave her the the Manor of Goudbeyete, Godbiete, or as it is now known, God Begot. Thus it is clear that, although in the City, the Manor was not part of the City. The Manor made its own laws and exacted its own taxes without reference to the Mayor of Winchester, or even the King himself.The present building dates from 1050. Emma outlived both Ethelred and her second husband Canute and, eventually, her son Edward the Confessor succeeded to the throne. Emma remained in Winchester for many years, and gathered enormous wealth. When she died, she willed the Manor of God Begot to “Christ, St.Peter and St Swithun, tax free and toll free for ever” and so it passed to the Prior and monks of St Swithun. A Court Roll of the time records the following: “ Yf eny man or woman for eny felony clayme the liberte of Godbeat and enter it in eny house or place of ye same may bide and dwell safe from eny officer. And no mynyster of ye Kynge neither of none other lords shall do eny execucion withyn ye bounds of ye seid Manor but only ye mynystours of ye seid Prior and Convent of St. Swithun”.A manor court was held by the steward of the priory, in the same way as he held courts on other manors belonging to St. Swithun’s.It’s rights and privileges continued until the Dissolution of the Monasteries when the agents of Henry VIII took over the Manor of God Begot and all its possessions. A few weeks later Henry had second thoughts, and handed the lot back.The Manor was in use long before the birth of Queen Emma, probably as a trading centre. It is believed that the name Goudbeyete, Godbiete, or God Begot, means “the goods getter.”The present building has had a turbulent history and had varied uses, most lately as a prestige retail outlet.

Royal Oak Passage

A narrow paved passageway, connecting the High Street and St. George's Street. Leftside of picture - The ‘rear’ of ancient God Begot House with its overhanging and jettied floor on one side. At the rear of God Begot House the plan of St. Peter's Church is marked out on the pavement.

ST JOHN’S WINCHESTER CHARITY
Formerly known as St John´s Hospital it is probably the oldest charitable foundation in the country. It is believed to have been founded by St Brinstan, Bishop of Winchester, in AD 935 .St John´s House and Chapel stands near the ancient (Anglo Saxon) Bucchestret, Buck Street, now called Busket Lane. Part of St John´s House has a vaulted Kitchen, which may have formed part of the original Saxon Almshouse.

It is apparent from the records that the hospital has been around for a long time, although it is not clear what the original hospital was for. In 1289 it was re-founded by John Le Devenish, and has since continued to provide relief to the poor and needy.In 1400 one Mark Le Faire, Mayor of Winchester, left several houses to the charity, including the `house under the penthouse wherein Mr Hodgson died´ and `the great inn called the George´ In 1428 a descendent of John Le Devenish, John Devenish, endowed the Chapel on the North side, for the more frequent performance of divine service in the Chapel. Henry VIII confiscated some of the charities funds, but returned St John´s House to the City for the purpose of holding elections, and to retain a few of the beds.

The present building dates from 1428. However there were two Chapels on the site long before this. A Chaplain was appointed in Edward II´s reign, in 1310, to pray for the souls of English Kings and Queens. Desecrated during the reformation, and used as a School in the 18th Century, the Chapel was finally reconsecrated in 1836.

In 1558 Ralph Lamb left a farm at Amesbury, Wiltshire, five tenements in the High Street, and one corner tenement and garden in St Thomas´, to fund the construction of six houses or chambers within the hospital, and to provide various quarterly and annual sums to the inmates.

The control of the charity by the Mayor and City Corporation was confirmed by Elizabeth 1 in her Charter of the City in 1587. This continued until 1811 when a group of almshouse residents and Parish Wardens petitioned in Chancery against the purported maladministration by the City Corporation who were using funds for other purposes within the City. In 1829 the Court found in their favour and ordered that a charitable scheme be established.Over the years several smaller Charities, including St Mary Magdalen and Christes Hospital amalgamated with St Johns to form St John´s Hospital and the Allied Charities. This was changed again in 1984 to The St John´s Winchester Charity.The charity is administered by thirteen Trustees, three are nominated by the City Council, one by the Bishop of Winchester, with the remainder being co-opted.The present almshouses on the South side were built in 1833, and those on the North in 1856.A plaque on the wall in the entrance to the South courtyard records some of the main benefactors.

The river flows underneath the buildings. The round flowerbed is a well from which residents once drew their water. The charity currently has 79 units of almshouse accommodation on four sites. St John´s North and South in the Broadway, the new St Mary Magdalen Almshouses in Colebrook Street and Christes Hospital in Symonds Street. These house between 90 and 100 residents. Rent is payable on the accommodation, all of which has the benefit of a Matron or Warden and an emergency call system. A community room, adapted minibus, and Day Centre are also provided. Pastoral support is provided by the Chaplain, who takes regular services in the Chapel in the Broadway. Recent expansion of the Charities activities have resulted in the opening, in 1990, of Devenish House in Southgate Street. This is a 20 bed nursing home providing nursing and residential care for the frail and elderly. A number of beds are held open for short term convalescent and respite care. These are sometimes available for needy elderly persons from the wider community.
In 1996 the charity opened Moorside in North Walls. This is a 26 bed nursing home which provides nursing and residential care for the elderly mentally infirm, particularly those with dementia. Access to the beds is similar to Devenish House. Three of the beds are available for respite care. A day centre operates Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays to support those caring at home for a relative with dementia.

THE CHESIL RECTORY

No. 1. The Old Chesil Rectory is dated 1459, but is probably early 16th Century. (Cheese House). It has 2 storeys and 2 gables with bargeboards to the road front. The building is timber-framed with plaster infilling. The upper part oversails the brick ground floor.

THE CHESIL RECTORY

The roof is tiled and the projecting porch has a carved head. This was the site of the first Sunday School in Winchester. The building is now owned by the Local Authority, and is currently used as a Restaurant. Map reference SU 486 292.Chesil Street is a derivative of Cheesehill Street, which in turn comes from the Anglo-Saxon ceosel, meaning ‘gravel’. The appearance of the building is somewhat marred by the set of traffic lights which, although not attached to the building, are so placed as to dramatically detract from it’s visual amenity value.

This Cathedral Church, so named because it houses the throne (or ‘cathedra’) of the Bishop of Winchester, has its origins in the seventh century, when a Christian Church was first built on the site. Since then it has played a fundamental part in the life of this ancient city, and a role in our nations history.
Begun in 1079 in the Romanesque style, this Cathedral is at the heart of Alfred's Wessex and a diocese which once stretched from London's Thames to the Channel Islands. Its bishops were men of enormous wealth and power, none more so than William of Wykeham, twice Chancellor of England, Founder of Winchester College and New College Oxford. The chantry chapels and memorials of these great prelates are a feature of the Cathedral. These influential bishops also developed, re-fashioned and adorned this great Cathedral. There pilgrims sought the shrine of local saints, notably a former bishop, Saint Swithun, whose festival (15 July) was said to set the pattern for the weather for the next forty days.
The Cathedral was also the church of the community of Benedictine monks from its earliest days. Elements of the monastic buildings may still be traced through the Cathedral Close. Central to the life of the monks was the opus dei (the Work of God), the regular offering of prayer which they sang in the quire. The discipline of praying regularly for the world is continued today, most notably in the said morning office and the daily singing of Evensong by the Cathedral choir. Evensong still takes place in the choir of the Cathedral, the choir stalls with their magnificent gabled canopies, elaborately carved with flowers and plants, owls and monkeys, dragons, knights and green men

BISHOPS OF WINCHESTER

The following is the list of (Catholic) Bishops of Winchester with the dates of accession. (After 909 the chronology is certain) d.b = Died before, d. = Died BISHOP DATES
St Birninus 634
St Agilbert c 650
Wini (Wine) 662 - 63
Hlothere (Leutherius, Leuthere) 670 - 76
St. Haeddi (Haedda) 676 - 705 Diocese of Wessex split - Winchester & Sherborne 705
Daniel 705 - 44
Hunfrith 744 - 54
Cyneheard d.b 778
Aethelheard d.b 778
Ecgbeald (Ecbald) d. 781 - 85
Dudd d. 781 - 85
Cynebeorht (Cyneberht) d. 801 - 03
Eahlmund (Ealhmund) d. 805 - 14
Wigthegn (Wigferth or Wigmund) d. 833
Herefrith d. 833
Eadmund (uncertain)
Eadhun d. 838
Helmstan 838 (?)
St. Swithin (Swithhun) 852 - 62
Ealhfrith (Ealhferth) d. 871 - 77
Tunbeorht (Tunberht) d. 877 - 79
Denewulf 879 - 909 Diocese of Ramsbury & Sonning split from Winch c 909
St. Frithustan (Frithestan) 909
St. Beornstan (Byrnstan, Birstan) 931
Aelfheah I, (St Alphege the Bald) 934
Aelfsige I 951
Beorhthelm (Byrhthelm) 960
St. Aethelweald I (Aethelwold) 963
St. Aelfheah II (St Alphege) 984
Ceonwulf (Cenwulf) 1006
Aethelweald II (Aethelwold) 1006
Aelfsige II 1012 or 14
Aelfwine 1032
Stigand 1047
Aelfsige III (doubtful)
Walkelin 1070
William de Giffard 1100
Henry de Blois 1129
(Vacancy) 1171
Richard Toclive 1174
Godfrey de Lucy 1189
Peter de la Roche 1204
(Vacancy) 1238
William de Raleigh 1244
Aymer de Valence 1250
(Vacancy) 1261
John of Exeter 1265
Nicholas of Ely 1268
(Vacancy) 1280
John de Pontissara 1282
Henry Woodlock 1305
John Sandale 1316
Reginald Asser 1320
John Stratford 1323
Adam Orleton 1333
William Edingdon 1346
William of Wykeham 1367
Henry of Beaufort 1405
William of Wayneflete 1447
Peter Courtenay 1486
Thomas Langton 1493
Richard Fox 1500
Thomas Wolsey 1529
Stephen Gardiner 1531
John Ponet 1551
Stephen Gardiner 1553
John White 1556 - 60 =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=The following is a list of the Protestant Bishops, with their dates of accession.
Robert Horne 1560
John Watson 1580
Thomas Cooper 1584
William Wickham 1594
William Day 1595
Thomas Bilson 1597
James Montague 1616
Lancelot Andrewes 1618
Richard Neile 1627
Walter Curle 1632
Brian Duppa 1660
George Morley 1662
Peter Mews 1684
Sir Jonathan Trelawney 1707
Charles Trimnell 1721
Richard Willis 1723
Benjamin Hoadley 1734
John Thomas 1761
Brownlow North 1781
George Pretyman-Tomline 1820
Charles Richard Sumner 1827
Samuel Wilberforce 1869
Edward Harold Browne 1873
Antony Wilson Thorold 1891
Randall Thomas Davidson 1895
Herbert Edward Ryle 1903
Edward Stuart Talbot 1911
Frank Theodore Woos 1923
Cyril Foster Garbett 1932
Mervyn George Haigh 1942
Alwyn Terrell Petre Williams 1952
Sherard Falkner Allison 1961
John Vernon Taylor 1974
Colin Clement Walter James 1985
Michael Scott-Joynt 1996

Chantries & Monuments

Winchester Cathedral is famous for its chantry chapels, where daily masses were said for the bishops buried within them. The two earliest are in the nave: that of William of Edington (Bishop 1345-66) was designed to stand below the Norman arcade; William of Wykeham's soaring monument was built at the same time as his reconstructed nave. The remaining four chantry chapels stand in the retrochoir. Cardinal Henry Beaufort (1404-47) chose a site next to the final shrine of St Swithun. On a corresponding position on the north side is the chantry chapel of William Waynflete (1447-86), who was provost of Eton (1442-7) and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford. The chapel of Richard Fox (1501-28) was built during his lifetime, on the south side of the feretory platform behind the high altar. The aged, blind bishop is said to have spent much time here in prayer and meditation. His chapel is a marvellous example of the stone-carver's art. The small statues are modern; the original figures of saints were destroyed at the Reformation. The Bishop's 'cadaver' effigy facing the south aisle reminds the passer-by of the transient nature of life. On the north side of the feretory platform, Bishop Gardiner's Chantry Chapel is an amazing hybrid of English late Gothic and Continental Renaissance style deriving ultimately from Fontainebleau. Stephen Gardiner (1531-55) was the last important Roman Catholic bishop of Winchester, during the reign of Mary Tudor (Queen Mary I). He officiated at her marriage to Philip of Spain, which took place in Winchester Cathedral. Other, smaller memorials tell their own fascinating story. In the recently refurbished 'Fishermen's Chapel' in the south transept is the grave of Izaak Walton. Outside the Lady Chapel the statue of Joan of Arc seems to ignore the nearby effigy of Cardinal Beaufort. Sir George Gilbert Scott's imposing 19th-century monument to Bishop Wilberforce (son of the social reformer) stands in the south transept. Also of interest are the tomb of Jane Austen and the statuette commemorating the 'Winchester Diver'.
The monastery later became known as St Swithun’s Priory. Only a few parts of the domestic buildings of St Swithuns Priory remain. The Chapter House entrance (above). The 13th Century Porch to the Priors House and the Priors Hall were incorporated into the present day Deanery, which was largely rebuilt in the 17th Century.

Deanery Where you can buy cheap books all summer

THE CATHEDRAL CLOSE

The main entrance to the Close is the 15th Century Prior’s Gate. This has a plain four-centred arch and the original traceried doors. The parapet is castellated, and there is a coat of arms over the arch. Cheyney Court, also 15th Century, was once the Bishops Court House. This is probably the most photographed domestic building in Winchester. The ground floor is constructed of stone with an oversailing three gabled timber frame and plaster infill above. The Close wall forms part of the back of the house. The 15th Century Porter's Lodge is similar to Cheyney Court and forms a 2-storey projecting gabled part of the Cheyney Court block. The Wisteria, which can be seen between the Lodge and the Priory Gate, recently covered most of the Gate and the Lodge and made a great show in the summer. The Pilgrims Hall (c.1308) is all that remains of a longer Medieval building, once the priory guest house. It has a hammer beam roof, reputedly the earliest known example. The ends of the beams are decorated with various carved heads. It has an inserted floor and modern windows and entrance. The roof is half-hipped with clay tiles. The building is open to the public.

No. 9 'Church House' is a 17 th Century 3-storey, three-gabled stone building with an old tile roof. There is an 8-light mullioned and transomed window in each gable. The gothic porch was added circa 1840. Internally it has a Georgian staircase. The building is used as Diocesan offices. All that remains of the late 11th Century Chapter House, demolished c. 1850, is a series of Gothic arches between Dean Garniers Garden and the South Transept.

The grass marks the site of the Chapter House.

15th century Cathedral Gate into Cathedral Close, Deans Garnier's Garden, Deanery, shop and Cathedral.

15th century Cathedral Gate going out to City East Gate through which you can visit Winchester college, Wolversey Palace, Water Meadows, Jane Austen House.

Outside the City Toll gate's here is a placque that says that the church that is built across the gate housed a man and his family plus their pigs.

Entrance to the Deans Garden

DEAN GARNIER’S GARDEN

The Dean Garnier Garden is a new addition to the Cathedral Close and lies on the site of the dormitory of the Benedictine Monastery which was established for over 500 years, until the dissolution.The garden may be found between the site of the Chapter House and the Deanery and is accessed through a fine doorway and up a short flight of steps. The garden, designed by Sally Hocking, features three ‘rooms’. The first of these is the Dorter Garden with it’s recumbent Quince tree set in a lawn, with a small border planting. A three arched metal Arbour separates the Dorter Garden from the Presbytery Lawn and draws the eye to the old Deanery Bakehouse which is thereby incorporated into, but not part of, the Garden. Roses ‘Celine Forestier’ climb the Arbour and will, in time, shade the low stone benches underneath. To the left of the Bake House a little dog lies curled up beneath a fine stone bench seat.

Looking towards the steps and entrance of the Deans Garden

Arches of flowers in the Deans Garden

Plenty of seaing in the Deans Garden with different aspects to admire

Winchester: Capital City of Alfred

2009-06-12T02:39:00.000-07:00

Map of England showing Wessex and Winchester within it

Archaically known as Winton, Winchester is a historic cathedral city and the ancient capital of Wessex and the Kingdom of England. It developed from the Roman town of Venta Belgarum.
Winchester's major landmark is Winchester Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the distinction of having the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe.
Winchester railway station is served by trains running from London Waterloo, Weymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton and the North.

County of Wessex

Early history
Settlement in the area dates back to pre-Roman times, with an Iron Age enclosure or valley fort, Oram's Arbour, on the western side of the present-day city. After the Roman conquest of Britain the civitas, then named Venta Belgarum or "Market of the Belgae", was of considerable importance.
The city may have been the Caergwinntguic or Caergwintwg (literally meaning "White Fortress") as recorded by Nennius after the Roman occupation. This name was corrupted into Wintanceastre following the Anglo-Saxon conquest of the area in 519.

Winchester with the Cathedral dominationg the sky line

Development- Venta Belgarum

The settlement was established around AD 70, partially on the site of a previous Iron Age valley fort, now known as Oram's Arbour, which had been abandoned for some years. It became the civitas capital of the local Belgae tribe. Its name means 'Market of the Belgae'. The River Itchen was diverted and a street grid laid out. A defensive bank and ditch was dug around the town in the 2nd century and a hundred years later a stone wall was added. The interior was the home to many fine Roman town houses or Domus, as well as public buildings and Roman temples

Fighting dog export centre

The Roman conquest of Britain made Britannia a Roman province. At that time, in Britain there were giant, wide-mouthed dogs, which the Romans called Pugnaces Britanniae, that surpassed their Molossus dogs. A Procurator Cynegii, was stationed in Venta Belgarum and responsible for selecting these dogs, which were exported to ancient Rome for contests in the amphitheatre and for integration into the military of ancient Rome as war dogs.

Religion

The forum-basilica appears to have included a temple to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva along with an accompanying Jupiter Column. Elsewhere, there was a Romano-British style temple dedicated to the Celtic horse goddess, Epona. There was a large Romano-British cemetery to the north of the town, at Lankhills, and another to the east.

Decline

From the mid-4th century, new development at Venta halted. Houses fell into disrepair and the drainage system collapsed. The population concentrated itself in the higher and drier areas of the town. The defences were however strengthened and the cemeteries remained in use, notably with burials of males wearing so-called military-style mercenary belts. Occupation seems to have ceased in the 5th century, but David Nash Ford suggests the town's name may have become Caer Gwinntguic, as recorded by Nennius. The Saxons later called it Wintanceastre.

Major towns of Roman Britain

Londinium (capital of Britannia Superior) - now London

Eboracum (capital of Britannia Inferior) - now York

Camulodunum (first 'capital' of Roman Britain) - now Colchester

Bannaventa* (Northamptonshire)

Caesaromagus - now Chelmsford •

Calleva Atrebatum* (Hampshire) •

Corinium Dobunnorum - now Cirencester •

Deva Victrix - now Chester •

Durovernum Cantiacorum - now Canterbury •

Durnovaria - now Dorchester •

Glevum - now Gloucester •

Isca Augusta - now Caerleon •

Isca Dumnoniorum - now Exeter •

Isurium Brigantum - now Aldborough •

Lactodurum - now Towcester •

Lindum Colonia - now Lincoln •

Moridunum - now Carmarthen •

Noviomagus Reginorum - now Chichester •

Petuaria - now Brough-on-Humber •

Ratae Corieltauvorum - now Leicester •

Venta Belgarum - now Winchester •

Venta Icenorum* (Norfolk) •

Venta Silurum* (Monmouthshire) •

Verulamium - now St Albans •

Viroconium Cornoviorum* (Shropshire)

Anglo-Saxon times

The city has historic importance as it replaced Dorchester-on-Thames as the de facto capital of the ancient kingdom of Wessex in about 686 after King Caedwalla of Wessex defeated King Atwald of Wight. Although it was not the only town to have been the capital, it was established by King Egbert as the main city in his kingdom in 827. Saint Swithun was Bishop of Winchester in the mid 9th century. The Saxon street plan laid out by Alfred the Great is still evident today: a cross shaped street system which conformed to the standard town planning system of the day - overlaying the pre-existing Roman street plan (incorporating the ecclesiastical quarter in the south-east; the judicial quarter in the south-west; the tradesmen in the north-east). The town was part of a series of fortifications along the south coast. Built by Alfred to protect the Kingdom, they were known as 'burhs'. The medieval city wall, built on the old Roman walls, are visible in places. Only one section of the original Roman walls remains. Four main gates were positioned in the north, south, east and west plus the additional Durngate and King's Gate. Winchester remained the capital of Wessex, and then England, until some time after the Norman Conquest when the capital was moved to London. The Domesday Book was compiled in the city early in the reign of William the Conqueror

Medieval and later times

Winchester High Street in the mid 19th century.

A serious fire in the city in 1141 accelerated its decline. However, William of Wykeham (1320-1404) played an important role in the city's restoration. As Bishop of Winchester he was responsible for much of the current structure of the cathedral, and he founded Winchester College as well as New College, Oxford.

During the Middle Ages, the city was an important centre of the wool trade, before going into a slow decline. The curfew bell in the bell tower (near the clock in the picture), still sounds at 8.00pm each evening. The curfew was the time to extinguish all home fires until the morning.
The famous novelist Jane Austen died in Winchester on 18 July 1817 and is buried in the cathedral. The Romantic poet John Keats stayed in Winchester from mid August through to October 1819. It was in Winchester that Keats wrote "Isabella", "St. Agnes' Eve", "To Autumn" and "Lamia". Parts of "Hyperion" and the five-act poetic tragedy "Otho The Great" were also written in Winchester.
Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun and is the seat of the Bishop of Winchester and centre of the Diocese of Winchester. Since March 2006 an admission charge has been required for visitors to enter the cathedral

Pre-Norman cathedral

The Old Minster was the Anglo-Saxon cathedral for the diocese of Wessex and then Winchester from 660 to 1093. It stood on a site immediately north of and partially beneath its successor, Winchester Cathedral.It became part of a monastic settlement in 971.
The old legend that the Old Minster was built in the 2nd century for the non-existent King Lucius of Britain is erroneous. The stone minster was constructed in 648 for King Cenwalh of Wessex and Saint Birinus. It became the diocesan cathedral in 660. It was enlarged and redecorated over the years and Saint Swithun was buried outside it in 862. In 901, the New Minster was built next to it, so close in fact that it is said the singing of the monks inside each became hopelessly intermingled. Saint Æthelwold of Winchester followed by his successor, Saint Alphege, almost completely rebuilt the minster on a vast scale during their monastic reforms of the 970s. Saint Swithun's body was taken into an indoor shrine in what had become the largest church in Europe. However, after the Norman conquest of England, Bishop Walkelin built a replacement cathedral alongside and the Old Minster was demolished in 1093. Many of the Kings of Wessex and England, as well as holy saints, had been buried there, so their bodies were dug up and re-interred in the new building.
The Old Minster was excavated in the 1960s. It is now laid out in brickwork in the churchyard adjoining Winchester Cathedral. Saint Swithun's first grave is clearly marked. Finds from the site may be seen in the Winchester City Museum. The bones of the monarchs removed to the cathedral are now housed in the famous mortuary chests around the choir.

Notable events

Signing of the Regularis Concordia by King Edgar the Peaceable (973)

Coronation of Edward the Confessor (1043)

Marriage of Edward the Confessor and Edith (1045)

Coronation of Matilda of Flanders as queen consort (1068)

Winchester Cathedral: West Door

Construction of the cathedral began in 1079 under bishop Walkelin, and on April 8, 1093, in the presence of nearly all the bishops and abbots of England, the monks removed from Saxon cathedral church of the Old Minster to the new one, "with great rejoicing and glory" to mark its completion. The earliest part of the present building is the crypt, which dates from that time. William II of England and his older brother, Richard, Duke of Bernay are both buried in the cathedral. The squat, square crossing tower was begun in 1202 to replace an earlier version which collapsed, partly due to the unstable ground on which the cathedral is built. It has an indisputably Norman look to it. Work continued on the cathedral during the 14th century, in 1394 the remodelling of the Norman nave commenced to the designs of master mason William Wynford, this continued into the 15th and 16th centuries, notably with the building of the retroquire to accommodate the many pilgrims to the shrine of Saint Swithun. After King Henry VIII seized control of the Catholic Church in England, and declared himself head of the Church of England, the Benedictine foundation, the Priory of Saint Swithun, was dissolved (1539) and the cloister and chapter house were demolished, but the cathedral continued.
Restoration work was carried out by T.G. Jackson during the years 1905–1912, including the famous saving of the building from total collapse. Some waterlogged foundations on the south and east walls were reinforced by a diver, William Walker, packing the foundations with more than 25,000 bags of concrete, 115,000 concrete blocks and 900,000 bricks. He worked six hours a day from 1906 to 1912 in total darkness at depths up to 6 m, and is credited with saving the cathedral from total collapse. For his troubles he was awarded the MVO.

Important events which took place at Winchester Cathedral include:
Funeral of King Harthacanute (1042)

Coronation of Henry the Young King and his queen, Marguerite (1172)

Second coronation of Richard I of England (1194)

Marriage of King Henry IV of England and Joanna of Navarre (1403)

Marriage of Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain (1554)

Funeral and burial of Jane Austen (1817

Wolvesey Castle and Palace

Wolvesey Castle is a ruined castle in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was erected by the Bishop of Winchester Henry of Blois between 1130 and 1140.
The castle was the scene for the Rout of Winchester in which the Empress Matilda assaulted the Bishop Henry in 1141, during a period known as The Anarchy. The besieged defenders of Wolvesey set fire to the city, destroying most of the old town of Winchester and holding off Empress Matilda's forces until King Stephen's wife, Queen Matilda, arrived with re-enforcements from London.
It was once a very important building, and was the location on July 25, 1554 of the wedding breakfast of Queen Mary and Philip II of Spain.
The castle was destroyed by Roundheads during the English Civil War in 1646. It is currently owned by English Heritage.

Winchester Castle
Winchester Castle, is a castle in England in the city of Winchester, in the county of Hampshire, built in 1067. Only the Great Hall exists now; it houses a museum of the history of Winchester.

The Great Hall

Between 1222–1235, Henry III added the Great Hall, built to a "double cube" design, measuring 110' by 55' by 55'. The Great Hall is built of flint with stone dressings; originally it had lower walls and a roof with dormer windows. In their place were added the tall two-light windows with early plate tracery. Extensions to the castle were made by Edward II. In 1873 the roof of the Great hall was renewed.
The "Winchester Round Table" in the Great Hall, dendrochronology dating has placed it at 1275.An imitation Arthurian Round Table hangs in the Great Hall. The table was originally constructed in the 13th century, and repainted in its present form for Henry VIII, around the edge of the table are the names of King Arthur's knights.
Behind the Great Hall is a re-creation of a medieval garden called Queen Eleanor's Garden.

The Castle in history

In 1302, Edward I and his second wife, Margaret of France, narrowly escaped death when the royal apartments of the castle were destroyed by fire.
Margaret of York, daughter of King Edward IV, was born here on 10 April 1472.
On November 17, 1603 Sir Walter Raleigh went on trial for treason for his supposed part in the Main Plot in the converted Great Hall.
The castle was used by the Royalist Cavaliers in the English Civil War, eventually falling to Parliamentarian Roundheads in 1646. Oliver Cromwell then ordered the castle's destruction.
In the 17th century, Charles II planned to build King's House adjoining the site, commissioning Christopher Wren to design a royal palace to rival the Palace of Versailles. The project was abandoned by James II.
Another notorious trial took place in the Great Hall, on 15 March 1953; the 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu Edward Montagu along with Michael Pitt-Rivers and Peter Wildeblood went on trial on charges of having committed specific acts of indecency

The Castle today

Since 1889 Winchester Castle has been the seat of Hampshire County Council whose offices neighbour the Great Hall. Nearby, the excavated remains of the round tower with Sally ports and Guardrobes in the medieval city wall can also be seen.
The buildings were supplanted by the King's House, now incorporated into the Peninsula Barracks where there are several military museums. Winchester is also home to the Army Training Regiment Winchester, otherwise known as Sir John Moore Barracks, where Army recruits undergo their phase one training.

Winchester College

Winchester College is a famous boys' independent school, set in the city of Winchester in Hampshire, England, once the ancient capital. Officially known as Collegium Sanctae Mariae prope Wintoniam (or Collegium Beatae Mariae Wintoniensis prope Winton), or St Mary's College near Winchester, the College is commonly referred to as "Win: Coll:" or just "Winchester". The school has lived and worked in its present site and buildings for over six hundred years and thus claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England, though The King's School, Canterbury and St Peter's School, York claim far earlier dates for their original foundation . Winchester is the oldest of the original nine English public schools as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868. "Winchester has arguably the finest tradition of scholarship of any school in the country", says the Good Schools Guide describing the school as "uniquely civilised" and providing an "academically, comradely and architecturally privileged boyhood most Wykehamists treasure throughout their lives

History

Winchester College was founded in 1382 by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor to both Edward III and Richard II, and the first seventy poor scholars entered the school in 1394. It was founded in conjunction with New College, Oxford, for which it was designed to act as a feeder: the buildings of both colleges were designed by master mason William Wynford. This double foundation was the model for Eton College and King's College, Cambridge some 50 years later (a sod of earth from Winchester and a number of scholars were sent to Eton for its foundation), and for Westminster School, Christ Church, Oxford and Trinity College, Cambridge in Tudor times.
In addition to the seventy scholars and 16 "Quiristers" (choristers), the statutes provided for ten "noble Commoners". These Commoners ("Commoners in Collegio") were paying guests of the Head Master or Second Master in his official apartments in College. Other paying pupils ("Commoners extra Collegium"), either guests of one of the Masters in his private house or living in lodgings in town, grew in numbers till the late 18th century, when they were all required to live in "Old Commoners" and town boarding was banned. In the 19th century this was replaced by "New Commoners", and the numbers fluctuated between 70 and 130: the new building was compared unfavourably to a workhouse, and as it was built over an underground stream epidemics of typhus and malaria were common.
In the late 1850s four boarding houses were planned (but only three built, namely A, B and C), to be headed by masters: the plan, since dropped, was to increase the number of scholars to 100 so that there would be "College", "Commoners" and "Houses" consisting of 100 pupils each. In the 1860s "New Commoners" was closed and converted to classrooms, and its members were divided among four further boarding houses (D, E, G and H, collectively known as "Commoner Block"). At the same time two more houses (F and I) were acquired and added to the "Houses" category; a tenth (K) was acquired in 1905 and allotted to "Commoners". (The distinction between "Commoners" and "Houses" is now of purely sporting significance, and "a Commoner" means any pupil who is not a scholar.) There are therefore now ten houses in addition to College, which continues to occupy the original 14th century buildings, and the total number of pupils is almost 700. From the late 1970s there has been a continual process of extension to and upgrading of College Chambers.
In 2005 the school was one of fifty of the country's leading private schools which were found guilty of running an illegal price-fixing cartel, exposed by The Times, which had allowed them to drive up fees for thousands of parents. Each school was required to pay a nominal penalty of £10,000 and all agreed to make ex-gratia payments totalling three million pounds into a trust designed to benefit pupils who attended the schools during the period in respect of which fee information was shared.
The headmaster is currently Dr Ralph Townsend, formerly of Sydney Grammar School and Oundle School.

Boarding houses

Houses Official Name Informal Name House Letter

Chernocke House Furley's A

Moberly's Toye's B

Du Boulay's Cook's C

Fearon's Kenny's (occasionally "Kennaez") D

Morshead's Freddie's E

Hawkins' Chawker's F

Sergeant's Phil's (Naize) G

Bramston's Trant's H

Turner's Hopper's I

Kingsgate House Beloe's K

The Scholars live in the original buildings, known as College; individual scholars are known as "Collegemen". College is not usually referred to as a house, except for the purposes of categorisation: hence the terms 'housemaster of College' and 'College house' are not generally used. The housemaster of College is now known as the 'Master in College', though these duties formerly belonged to the Second Master. Within the school, 'College' refers only to the body of scholars (and their buildings); 'Winchester College' and 'the college' refer to the school as a whole. Every pupil at Winchester, apart from the Scholars, lives in a boarding house, chosen when applying to Winchester. It is here that he eats and sleeps. Each house is presided over by a housemaster (who takes on the role in addition to teaching duties) and a number of house tutors. Houses compete in school competitions, and in particular in sporting competitions. Each house has an official name, used mainly as a postal address, and an informal name, usually based on the name or nickname of an early housemaster. Each house also has a letter assigned to it, in the order of their founding, to act as an abbreviation. A member of a house is described by the informal name of the house with "-ite" suffixed, as "a Cookite", "a Toyeite" and so on. The houses have been ordered by their year of founding. College does not have an informal name, although the abbreviation Coll:'` is sometimes used, especially on written work. It also has a letter assigned to it, X, but it is considered bad form to use this except as a laundry mark.
Each house also had a set of house colours, which adorned the ribbon worn around boys' "strats" (straw hats). The wearing of strats was abolished for Commoners in around 1984 - Collegemen had ceased to wear them years earlier.
Admission to College is on academic merit, as measured in the Election examination, regardless of financial means, though the original statutes specified that the foundation existed for poor scholars and required entrants to take an oath that their net income did not exceed a figure chosen as the average income for the time. Scholars enjoyed a remission of fees, amounting for much of the twentieth century to two-thirds of the total. This remission has since been progressively reduced, and is due to be abolished altogether. The intention is to maintain the academic and institutional distinction between Scholars and Commoners, while using the money saved in bursaries for those pupils least able to pay, Scholars and Commoners alike.

Chapel
Situated on the south side of Chamber Court, the Chapel is part of the original College buildings and retains its original wooden fan-vaulted ceiling. Built to easily accommodate just over 100 people, it is now too small for the current school population of around 660. Additional seating installed in 1908 allows the Chapel to seat just over 300 people with the remainder (generally first and second years) worshipping in the nearby St. Michael's Church (known as Michla). Occasional services are also held in Fromond's Chantry, which is in the middle of the Cloisters.
The Chapel's most striking feature is its stained glass. The East window depicts the stem of Jesse. Down the Chapel's north and south sides is a collection of saints. Little of the original medieval glass, designed by Thomas Glazier, survives. A firm of glaziers in Shrewsbury was tasked with cleaning the glass in the 1820s. At that time there was no known process for cleaning the badly deteriorated glass and so it was copied, while most of the original glass was scattered or destroyed. Some pieces have been recovered. The south west corner holds the largest piece, bought and donated by Kenneth Clark. Five other figures bequeathed by Otto von Kienbusch and two more donated by Coleorton Church, Leicestershire were placed in Fromond's Chantry in 1978.
Until Victorian times the chapel was divided into a Chapel and Ante-Chapel, and had decorative panelling. This panelling was recovered by the school in the 1960s and used in the building of New Hall, the school concert hall, the design of which was specifically planned so as to house it.
The Chapel Choir sings regular services in the Chapel, as well as other venues. This consists of sixteen Quiristers (who attend the Pilgrims School) and a similar number of senior boys and a few dons (masters). There is also a choir to sing the services in St. Michael's Church (known as Michla), between which and the Chapel the School is divided for Sunday worship .
Academic structureUntil the 1860s the predominant subject of instruction was classics, and there was one main schoolroom used as both the classroom and the place of preparation, under extremely noisy conditions: there were adjacent rooms used for French and mathematics. Under the headmastership of George Ridding proper classrooms were built, and pupils had the option of joining "Parallel Div" for the study of history and modern languages. Later still a "Sen: Science Div" was added. Science teaching at Winchester had a high reputation: one of the early science masters duplicated the experiments of Hertz about radio waves, the equipment for which is still preserved at Science School.
For much of the twentieth century the senior forms were divided among three "ladders": the A ladder for classics, the B ladder for history and modern languages and the C ladder for mathematics and science. There was also a vertical division, in descending order, into Sixth Book (equivalent to the sixth form at other schools), Senior Part, Middle Part and Junior Part: depending on ability, new boys were placed in either Junior or Middle Part.
The school now offers a wide range of subjects, and no longer has a system of ladders. In 2008 it abandoned A-level as its matriculation credential and adopted the Cambridge Pre-U on the grounds that this will strengthen the quality of the school's intellectual life. In addition, all boys throughout the school are required to attend daily Division lessons on history, literature and politics that do not lead to external examinations. The purpose is to ensure a broad education which does not focus solely on examinations.
Winchester has its own entrance examination, and does not use Common Entrance. Those wishing to enter a Commoner house make their arrangements with the relevant housemaster some time before sitting the exam. Those applying to College do not take the normal entrance examination but instead sit a separate, harder, exam called "Election": successful candidates may obtain, according to their performance, a scholarship, an exhibition or a Headmaster's nomination.

Notions

A notion is a manner or tradition peculiar to Winchester College. The word notion is also used to refer to unique and peculiar words used (with diminishing frequency) in the school. An example is "toytime", meaning prep or homework. It can also refer to more recent slang, some of which features the altering of vowels in certain words for sarcastic emphasis.
The Notions Test was until recently an important tradition in most houses, in which juniors were required to answer questions about notions. Although now banned under various pretexts including the European human rights conventions, the test was usually administered to new boys during their first term at the school by more senior boys, and aimed to test and demonstrate their familiarity with the vocabulary, history and traditions of the school. College Notions was more elaborate and continued for a few years longer than the Commoner tests. It took the form of an end-of-term celebration and marked the point at which new Collegemen formally became known as Jun: Men.

War Cloister

Situated to the west of College Meads, this cloister serves as a memorial to the Wykehamist dead of the two world wars. It was designed by Sir Herbert Baker and dedicated in 1924 and again in 1948.
A bronze bust of Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding sits on the west side of the cloister.
War Cloister occupies a strategic position in Kingsgate Street (accessed via "South Africa Gate", which commemorates the Wykehamist dead of the 1899–1902 Boer War), so that all Commoners go through it on their way to and from class.
Another older war memorial in the school is the entry chamber to Chapel, known as "Crimea" after the war.

Prefectorial system College

Traditionally there were always 18 prefects in College, though since the mid-twentieth century there have been fewer, 10 to 14 being typical. Of these, five (later increased to six) hold salaried offices. Historically, these were as follows, in descending order of seniority:
Aulae Praefectus (Aul: Prae:, Prefect of Hall), the head boy of the school. ("Hall", in this connection, is not restricted to the dining hall but means the College as a whole, as in the phrases "Trinity Hall" and "hall of residence".) He acts jointly with the Sen: Co: Prae: (see below). Bibliothecae Praefectus (Bib: Prae:, Prefect of Library), until recently in charge of Moberly Library (the school academic library); this function has now been taken over by a full-time librarian. Scholae Praefectus (Schol: Prae:, Prefect of School), in charge of bookings of the old School building and miscellaneous other functions. two Capellae Praefecti (Cap: Prae:, Prefects of Chapel): functions obvious. Formerly they took turns to officiate; until recently practice has been to differentiate between the "Sen: Cap: Prae:" and the "Jun: Cap: Prae:". Nowadays there is only one Cap: Prae: The post of Jun: Cap: Prae: (junior chapel prefect) has recently been abolished and has been replaced by Ollae Praefectus (Oll: Prae:), which literally translates as "prefect of tub". (This is the revival of an ancient office, which was suppressed in the nineteenth century when the office of Bib: Prae: was created. The duties were to do with catering, especially the disposal of uneaten food from College lunch, which was collected in a special wooden vat and given to the poor. This vat or tub is still on display in College Hall.)
Each Officer, in addition to his specialized duties, has charge of a College Chamber (day-room). Thus when IVth Chamber was reopened, increasing the number of chambers to six, a sixth Officer was created, the Coll: Lib: Prae:, in charge of Upper Coll: Lib: (the fiction library available to Collegemen). The post had previously existed informally, but the holder used not to rank as an Officer.
Formerly, there were one or two (originally five) further prefects "in full power", invariably, though improperly, known as Co: Praes. Officers and Co: Praes had authority throughout the school; the remaining prefects had authority only in College. Nowadays, while there are still six officers, they have little to do with the running of the school and are mainly responsible for their respective chambers, and there are no other College Co: Praes. In practice, only the Prefect of Hall has significant duties outside College.
The present practice is for all fifth-years in College to be prefects. Each officer nominates a prefect from those members of his year who are not officers to act as his deputy within his chamber; any prefects left over are sometimes known as "Jemimas" (reason unknown). The seven senior inferiors (non-prefects) in College are known as Custodes Candelarum (tollykeepers), but this is a purely nominal dignity. The next senior person in a chamber after the prefects and tollykeepers was once known as the in loco, and kept the accounts for Chamber Tea.

Commoner Houses

Outside College there is a Sen: Co: Prae: (Senior Commoner Prefect), who acts as joint Head Boy with the Prefect of Hall. There are then a number of Co: Praes (Commensalibus Praefecti, Commoner Prefects) with authority over all Commoners: traditionally, no Commoner has authority over any Collegeman. Nowadays, there is generally only one Co: Prae: per house, who acts as the senior house prefect. In addition, each house has a number of House Prefects, with authority only in that house. The Co: Praes (heads of houses) meet weekly together with the Prefect of Hall and Head Master to discuss the running of the school.

Sweat

There has been no system of fagging for some decades. College prefects used to engage junior boys as "valets": by the 1960s this had become a voluntary arrangement in which the valets were paid for their services, and the system disappeared altogether in the early 1970s. Similarly in the 1970s some Commoner houses retained traditions, for example in Toye's, of "trap-cads", who would perform services for senior boys for money and other benefits. Junior Collegemen still take it in turns to perform services ("sweat") for the whole Chamber such as bringing down bread and milk. The College Officers each engage (and pay) a second-year as a "writer" (Latin: "Scriptor"), to perform a variety of duties, more or less related to the position held by their Officer - for example, the Cap: Prae:'s writer lights the candles in Chapel before services, while the Schol: Prae:'s writer collects and delivers the morning's newspapers to each chamber. Sweats were officially abolished in 2005. However they remain commonplace in most houses and are organised for first and second year boys to do by their respective Housemasters

Domum

The school song is "Dulce Domum", which is sung on the approach of and at the break-up of the school for the Summer holidays. It is also sung at Abingdon School and Stamford School under similar circumstances, and was popular among 19th century English public schoolboys. For example, it is mentioned in the early chapters of Tom Brown's Schooldays. Paradoxically, although the subject of the song is the joy of breaking from the school grind and returning home for the holidays, it is often taken as symbolising the idyllic, nostalgic view of English public school life in the 19th century. It should not be confused with another song of the same name, but with completely different tune and lyrics, written by Robert S. Ambrose.
According to legend, it was composed by a pupil in the 17th or 18th century, who was confined for misconduct during the Whitsun holidays. (On one account, he was tied to a pillar.) It is said that he carved the words on the bark of a tree, which was thereafter called "Domum Tree", and cast himself into Logie (the river running through the school grounds). There is still a "Domum Cottage" in that area.
The song is sung at the end of the summer term, and on other occasions when a school song is normally sung. There is also a "Domum Dinner" held around the same time, for those former scholars of Winchester who were also scholars of New College, and for various distinguished guests. Until the reforms of the nineteenth century, there were three successive Election Dinners held during Election Week, culminating in a Domum Ball. Originally these festivities occurred around Whitsun, as suggested by the seasonal references in the song, but when Election Week was moved to the end of the summer term in June or July the Domum celebrations were moved with it.
It is rather remarkable that the author apparently treated 'domum' as a neuter noun. One could argue that domum is the accusative, meaning "homeward", and that dulce is used adverbially.
Here is the chorus (in Latin, with English translation):
Domum, domum, dulce domum!Domum, domum, dulce domum;Dulce, dulce dulce domum!Dulce domum resonemus.
Home, home, joyous home! (or: Homeward, homeward, joyously homeward!)Home, home, joyous home!Joyous, joyous, joyous home!Hurrah for joyous home!

Winchester quotations

Manners makyth man- William of Wykeham Motto of Winchester College and New College, Oxford

Broad of Church and broad of mind,

Broad before and broad behind,

A keen ecclesiologist,

A rather dirty Wykehamist.- John Betjeman "The Wykehamist"

Leader in London's preservation lists

And least Wykehamical of Wykehamists{:}Clan chief of Paddington's distinguished set,Pray go on living to a hundred yet!- John Betjeman "For Patrick" (about Patrick Balfour, 3rd Baron Kinross)

You can always tell a Wykehamist, but you can never tell him much- Anon.

These Wykehamists have the kind of mind that likes to relax by composing Alcaics on the moving parts of their toy trains.- Evelyn Waugh

Would you doubt the word of a Wykehamist?- Sir Edward Grey

O, Eternal God, the Life and the Resurrection of all them that believe in Thee, always to be praised as well for the Dead as for those that be Alive, we give Thee most hearty Thanks for our Founder, William of Wykeham; and all other our Benefactors, by whose Benefits we are here brought up to Godliness and the studies of good Learning; beseeching Thee that we, well using all these Thy Blessings to the Praise and Honour of Thy Holy Name, may at length be brought to the Immortal Glory of the Resurrection, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.- "Thanksgiving for the Founder" as at present used on commemoration days

Further reading

Adams, Wykehamica: Oxford, London and Winchester 1878 Cook, A. K., About Winchester College: London 1917 Custance, R., (ed.), Winchester College: Sixth Centenary Essays: Oxford, 1982 ISBN 019920103X

Dilke, Christopher, Dr Moberly's Mint-Mark: A Study of Winchester College: London 1965 Fearon, W. A., The Passing of Old Winchester: Winchester 1924, repr. 1936

Firth, J. D'E., Winchester College: Winchester 1961

Kirby, T. F., Annals of Winchester College: London 1892

Leach, Arthur F., A History of Winchester College: London 1899

Mansfield, Robert, School Life at Winchester College: 1866

Sabben-Clare, James, Winchester College: Paul Cave Publications, 1981, ISBN 0861460235 Stevens, Charles, Winchester Notions: The English Dialect of Winchester College: London, 1998 Tuckwell, The Ancient Ways: Winchester Fifty Years Ago: 1893

Hospital of St Cross

Set in open meadow land to the south of Winchester, the Hospital of St Cross was founded in the 1130´s by Bishop Henry of Blois for `thirteen poor men, feeble and so reduced in strength that they can scarcely or not at all support themselves without other aid´. The hospital was placed under the care of the Knights of St John, and the thirteen Brothers of this foundation still wear black gowns and a badge depicting the Jerusalem Cross.

The Chapel was started in the 1160´s and retains much of its late Norman purity, despite being somewhat altered in the 14th and early 15th centuries. The number of Brethren was enlarged in the 15th century by Cardinal Beaufort, who provided for a second order of almsmen, the `Noble Order of Poverty´. Brethren of this order wear magenta gowns. The octagonal chimneys mark the Brethren´s lodgings, built about 1445 by Cardinal Beaufort. On the East side of the Chapel may be seen a graveyard wherein are interred the remains of various Masters and Brethren. Apart from providing for the Brethren, Almsgiving is still practised in the form of the `Wayfarers Dole´. A piece of white bread and a cup of good beer or Ale may be obtained by knocking at the door of the Porters Lodge, and requesting the Dole. The plaque on the wall says it all...`Christ´s Hospital , Which was founded in the Year of our Lord 1607 by Peter Symonds, a Native of Winchester and afterwards a Mercer in the City of London. The Endowments of this House are applied to the maintenance of Six Old Men, One Matron, and Four Boys, and also to the Assistance of One Scholar in each of the Two English Universities. The name of such a Benefactor is remembered with gratitude by Posterity´.
The charity was amalgamated with several others by the Charity Commission and is now administered by the St Johns Winchester Charity.

The almshouses and vast Norman chapel of Hospital of St Cross were founded just outside the city centre by Henry de Blois in the 1130s. Since at least the 14th century, and still available today, a 'wayfarer's dole' of ale and bread has been handed out there. It was supposedly instigated to aid pilgrims on their route through to Canterbury.

Other buildings

Other important historic buildings include the Guildhall dating from 1871, the Royal Hampshire County Hospital designed by William Butterfield and one of the city's several water mills driven by the various channels of the River Itchen that run through the city centre. Winchester City Mill, has recently been restored, and is again milling corn by water power. The mill is owned by the National Trust.
Although Winchester City survived World War II intact, about thirty percent of the Old Town was demolished to make way for buildings more suited to modern office day requirements (in particular for Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council). Since the late 1980s the city has seen a gradual replacement of these post war brutalist structures for contemporary developments more sympathetic to the medieval urban fabric of the Old Town.
Education There are three state secondary schools: Kings' School Winchester, The Westgate School, and The Henry Beaufort School, all of which have excellent reputations. The sixth form Peter Symonds College is the main college that serves Winchester; it is rated amongst the top and the largest sixth form colleges in the UK.
Among privately owned preparatory schools, there are The Pilgrims' School Winchester, Twyford School, Prince's Mead etc. Winchester College, which accepts students from ages 13 to 18, is one of the best-known public schools in Britain and many of its pupils leave for well-respected universities. St Swithun's is a public school for girls which frequently appears on the league tables for GCSE and A-level results.
The University of Winchester (formerly King Alfred's College) is Winchester's university, beginning life as a teacher training college. It is located on a purpose built campus near the city centre. The Winchester School of Art is part of the University of Southampton.
SportWinchester has an association football league and two recognised clubs, Winchester City F.C., the 2004 FA Vase winners who were founded in 1884 and has the motto "Many in Men, One in Spirit", currently play in the Southern League, Division 1 S&E after a highly successful spell in the Wessex League and Winchester Castle F.C., who have played in the Hampshire League since 1971. Barnsley midfielder Brian Howard was born in Winchester.
Winchester women also have successful sports teams with Winchester City Women FC currently playing in the Hampshire County League Division 1 and recently went through a league campaign unbeaten. The club caters for players of all ability and ages.[1]
Winchester also has a rugby union team named Winchester RFC and a thriving athletics club called Winchester and District AC.
Winchester has a thriving successful Hockey Club <http://www.winchesterhc.co.uk/>, with ten men's and three ladies' teams catering to all ages and abilities.
The city has a growing roller hockey team which trains at River Park Leisure Centre.
Lawn bowls is played at several greens (the oldest being Hyde Abbey dating from 1812) during the summer months and at Riverside Indoor Bowling Club during the winter.
Winchester College invented, and lent its name to Winchester College Football, played exclusively at the College and in some small African/South American communities.

Winchester abroad

The city of Winchester is twinned with Laon in France and the Winchester district is twinned with Gießen in Germany.
The city of Winchester gave its name to a suburb of Paris, France, called Le Kremlin-Bicêtre (23,724 inhabitants), owing to a manor built there by John of Pontoise, Bishop of Winchester, at the end of the 13th century.
The city is also the sister city of Winchester, Virginia. The Mayor of Winchester (UK) has a standing invitation to be a part of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester (VA) each year in the Spring.

Media and culture

Winchester is home to Winchester Live, a live music festival set up in 2008 as a special event organised by Placid Piranha Promotions aimed at promoting the area of Winchester and Hampshire to the music industry and local music scene. Happening across three venues and boasting 11 gigs in 7 nights, it will be an opportunity to showcase Winchester as a thriving music town with big names in rock ‘n’ roll performing with a wealth of talent that Hampshire has to offer.
Since 1974 Winchester has hosted the annual Hat Fair, a celebration of street theatre that includes performances, workshops, and gatherings at several venues around the city.
Winchester hosts one of the UK's largest and most successful farmers' markets, with close to - or over - 100 stalls, and is certified by FARMA. The farmers' market takes place on the second and last Sunday monthly in the town centre.
On Channel 4 UK's Television Programme "The Best And Worst Places To Live In The UK" 2006, which was broadcast on Channel 4 UK on 26 October 2006, it was branded as the Best Place In The UK To Live In: 2006.

In the 2007 edition of the same programme, Winchester had dropped to second best place to live, behind Edinburgh.
Winchester in fiction12th century Winchester is one of the locations described in Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth.
Winchester is the main location of Samuel Youd's post-apocalyptic science fiction series, Sword of the Spirits. The books were published under the pen name John Christopher.
In the movie Merlin, King Uther's first conquest of Britain begins with Winchester, which Merlin foresaw would fall.
A fictionalised Winchester appears as Wintoncester in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles and is in part the model for Barchester in the Barsetshire novels of Anthony Trollope, who attended Winchester College; The Warden is said to be based on a scandal at the Hospital of St Cross.
In Philip Pullman's novel The Subtle Knife (part of the His Dark Materials trilogy) the main male protagonist, Will Parry, comes from Winchester. However, little of the book is set there.
In the Japanese manga Death Note, The Wammy's House, an orphanage founded by Quillsh Wammy, where the detective L's successors are raised, is located in Winchester.
A fictitious estate near Winchester is the scene of a crime in the Sherlock Holmes adventure, The Problem of Thor Bridge, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, while some of the action in his The Adventure of the Copper Beeches takes place in the city.
A scene in Henry Esmond by William Makepeace Thackeray is set in the choir of Winchester cathedral.
Winchester Cathedral is featured in James Herbert's horror novel The Fog.

2009-06-12T02:27:00.000-07:00

Donwell Abbey: Film Quotes

Mr. Knightley: "Emma, you didn't ask me to contribute a riddle."
Emma: "Your entire personality is a riddle, Mr. Knightley. I thought you overqualified."

These quotes will involve the character of Mr. Knightley, and will therefore most likely involve Emma quite a bit, as well

Emma Woodhouse: "Not one in a hundred men have 'gentleman' so plainly written across them as Mr. Knightley!"

Donwell Abbey: Novel Quotes

Further Banter She followed another carriage to Mr. Cole's door; and was pleased to see that it was Mr. Knightley's; for Mr. Knightley keeping no horses, having little spare money and a great deal of health, activity, and independence, was too apt, in Emma's opinion, to get about as he could, and not use his carriage so often as became the owner of Donwell Abbey. She had an opportunity now of speaking her approbation while warm from her heart, for he stopped to hand her out.
"This is coming as you should do," said she; "like a gentleman.-- I am quite glad to see you."
He thanked her, observing, "How lucky that we should arrive at the same moment! for, if we had met first in the drawing-room, I doubt whether you would have discerned me to be more of a gentleman than usual.-- You might not have distinguished how I came, by my look or manner."
"Yes I should, I am sure I should. There is always a look of consciousness or bustle when people come in a way which they know to be beneath them. You think you carry it off very well, I dare say, but with you it is a sort of bravado, an air of affected unconcern; I always observe it whenever I meet you under those circumstances. Now you have nothing to try for. You are not afraid of being supposed ashamed. You are not striving to look taller than any body else. Now I shall really be very happy to walk into the same room with you."
"Nonsensical girl!" was his reply, but not at all in anger.

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Generosity Itself

"This is the luxury of a large party," said she:--"one can get near every body, and say every thing. My dear Emma, I am longing to talk to you. I have been making discoveries and forming plans, just like yourself, and I must tell them while the idea is fresh. Do you know how Miss Bates and her niece came here?"
"How?--They were invited, were not they?"
"Oh! yes--but how they were conveyed hither?--the manner of their coming?"
"They walked, I conclude. How else could they come?"
"Very true.--Well, a little while ago it occurred to me how very sad it would be to have Jane Fairfax walking home again, late at night, and cold as the nights are now. And as I looked at her, though I never saw her appear to more advantage, it struck me that she was heated, and would therefore be particularly liable to take cold. Poor girl! I could not bear the idea of it; so, as soon as Mr. Weston came into the room, and I could get at him, I spoke to him about the carriage. You may guess how readily he came into my wishes; and having his approbation, I made my way directly to Miss Bates, to assure her that the carriage would be at her service before it took us home; for I thought it would be making her comfortable at once. Good soul! she was as grateful as possible, you may be sure. `Nobody was ever so fortunate as herself!'--but with many, many thanks--`there was no occasion to trouble us, for Mr. Knightley's carriage had brought, and was to take them home again.' I was quite surprized;--very glad, I am sure; but really quite surprized. Such a very kind attention--and so thoughtful an attention!-- the sort of thing that so few men would think of. And, in short, from knowing his usual ways, I am very much inclined to think that it was for their accommodation the carriage was used at all. I do suspect he would not have had a pair of horses for himself, and that it was only as an excuse for assisting them."
"Very likely," said Emma--"nothing more likely. I know no man more likely than Mr. Knightley to do the sort of thing--to do any thing really good-natured, useful, considerate, or benevolent. He is not a gallant man, but he is a very humane one; and this, considering Jane Fairfax's ill-health, would appear a case of humanity to him;--and for an act of unostentatious kindness, there is nobody whom I would fix on more than on Mr. Knightley. I know he had horses to-day--for we arrived together; and I laughed at him about it, but he said not a word that could betray."

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A Puzzlement

She was in the adjoining chamber while she still spoke, and opening the casement there, immediately called Mr. Knightley's attention, and every syllable of their conversation was as distinctly heard by the others, as if it had passed within the same apartment.
"How d' ye do?--how d'ye do?--Very well, I thank you. So obliged to you for the carriage last night. We were just in time; my mother just ready for us. Pray come in; do come in. You will find some friends here."
So began Miss Bates; and Mr. Knightley seemed determined to be heard in his turn, for most resolutely and commandingly did he say,
"How is your niece, Miss Bates?--I want to inquire after you all, but particularly your niece. How is Miss Fairfax?--I hope she caught no cold last night. How is she to-day? Tell me how Miss Fairfax is."
And Miss Bates was obliged to give a direct answer before he would hear her in any thing else. The listeners were amused; and Mrs. Weston gave Emma a look of particular meaning. But Emma still shook her head in steady scepticism.
"So obliged to you!--so very much obliged to you for the carriage," resumed Miss Bates.
He cut her short with,
"I am going to Kingston. Can I do anything for you?"
"Oh! dear, Kingston--are you?--Mrs. Cole was saying the other day she wanted something from Kingston."
"Mrs. Cole has servants to send. Can I do any thing for you?"
"No, I thank you. But do come in. Who do you think is here?-- Miss Woodhouse and Miss Smith; so kind as to call to hear the new pianoforte. Do put up your horse at the Crown, and come in."
"Well," said he, in a deliberating manner, "for five minutes, perhaps."
"And here is Mrs. Weston and Mr. Frank Churchill too!--Quite delightful; so many friends!"
"No, not now, I thank you. I could not stay two minutes. I must get on to Kingston as fast as I can."
"Oh! do come in. They will be so very happy to see you."
"No, no; your room is full enough. I will call another day, and hear the pianoforte."
"Well, I am so sorry!--Oh! Mr. Knightley, what a delightful party last night; how extremely pleasant.--Did you ever see such dancing?-- Was not it delightful?--Miss Woodhouse and Mr. Frank Churchill; I never saw any thing equal to it."
"Oh! very delightful indeed; I can say nothing less, for I suppose Miss Woodhouse and Mr. Frank Churchill are hearing every thing that passes. And (raising his voice still more) I do not see why Miss Fairfax should not be mentioned too. I think Miss Fairfax dances very well; and Mrs. Weston is the very best country-dance player, without exception, in England. Now, if your friends have any gratitude, they will say something pretty loud about you and me in return; but I cannot stay to hear it."
"Oh! Mr. Knightley, one moment more; something of consequence-- so shocked!--Jane and I are both so shocked about the apples!"
"What is the matter now?"
"To think of your sending us all your store apples. You said you had a great many, and now you have not one left. We really are so shocked! Mrs. Hodges may well be angry. William Larkins mentioned it here. You should not have done it, indeed you should not. Ah! he is off. He never can bear to be thanked. But I thought he would have staid now, and it would have been a pity not to have mentioned. . . . Well, (returning to the room,) I have not been able to succeed. Mr. Knightley cannot stop. He is going to Kingston. He asked me if he could do any thing. . . ."

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Unpleasant Suspicions

"I know how highly you think of Jane Fairfax," said Emma. Little Henry was in her thoughts, and a mixture of alarm and delicacy made her irresolute what else to say.
"Yes," he replied, "any body may know how highly I think of her."
"And yet," said Emma, beginning hastily and with an arch look, but soon stopping--it was better, however, to know the worst at once-- she hurried on--"And yet, perhaps, you may hardly be aware yourself how highly it is. The extent of your admiration may take you by surprize some day or other."
Mr. Knightley was hard at work upon the lower buttons of his thick leather gaiters, and either the exertion of getting them together, or some other cause, brought the colour into his face, as he answered,
"Oh! are you there?--But you are miserably behindhand. Mr. Cole gave me a hint of it six weeks ago."
He stopped.--Emma felt her foot pressed by Mrs. Weston, and did not herself know what to think. In a moment he went on--
"That will never be, however, I can assure you. Miss Fairfax, I dare say, would not have me if I were to ask her--and I am very sure I shall never ask her."
Emma returned her friend's pressure with interest; and was pleased enough to exclaim,
"You are not vain, Mr. Knightley. I will say that for you."
He seemed hardly to hear her; he was thoughtful--and in a manner which shewed him not pleased, soon afterwards said,
"So you have been settling that I should marry Jane Fairfax?"
"No indeed I have not. You have scolded me too much for match-making, for me to presume to take such a liberty with you. What I said just now, meant nothing. One says those sort of things, of course, without any idea of a serious meaning. Oh! no, upon my word I have not the smallest wish for your marrying Jane Fairfax or Jane any body. You would not come in and sit with us in this comfortable way, if you were married."
Mr. Knightley was thoughtful again. The result of his reverie was, "No, Emma, I do not think the extent of my admiration for her will ever take me by surprize.--I never had a thought of her in that way, I assure you." And soon afterwards, "Jane Fairfax is a very charming young woman--but not even Jane Fairfax is perfect. She has a fault. She has not the open temper which a man would wish for in a wife."
Emma could not but rejoice to hear that she had a fault. "Well," said she, "and you soon silenced Mr. Cole, I suppose?"
"Yes, very soon. He gave me a quiet hint; I told him he was mistaken; he asked my pardon and said no more. Cole does not want to be wiser or wittier than his neighbours."

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Mr. Knightley To The Rescue

"Mrs. Gilbert does not mean to dance, but there is a young lady disengaged whom I should be very glad to see dancing--Miss Smith." "Miss Smith!--oh!--I had not observed.--You are extremely obliging-- and if I were not an old married man.--But my dancing days are over, Mrs. Weston. You will excuse me. Any thing else I should be most happy to do, at your command--but my dancing days are over."
Mrs. Weston said no more; and Emma could imagine with what surprize and mortification she must be returning to her seat. This was Mr. Elton! the amiable, obliging, gentle Mr. Elton.-- She looked round for a moment; he had joined Mr. Knightley at a little distance, and was arranging himself for settled conversation, while smiles of high glee passed between him and his wife.
She would not look again. Her heart was in a glow, and she feared her face might be as hot.
In another moment a happier sight caught her;--Mr. Knightley leading Harriet to the set!--Never had she been more surprized, seldom more delighted, than at that instant. She was all pleasure and gratitude, both for Harriet and herself, and longed to be thanking him; and though too distant for speech, her countenance said much, as soon as she could catch his eye again.
His dancing proved to be just what she had believed it, extremely good; and Harriet would have seemed almost too lucky, if it had not been for the cruel state of things before, and for the very complete enjoyment and very high sense of the distinction which her happy features announced. It was not thrown away on her, she bounded higher than ever, flew farther down the middle, and was in a continual course of smiles.

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Praise Worth

Having Emma had no opportunity of speaking to Mr. Knightley till after supper; but, when they were all in the ballroom again, her eyes invited him irresistibly to come to her and be thanked. He was warm in his reprobation of Mr. Elton's conduct; it had been unpardonable rudeness; and Mrs. Elton's looks also received the due share of censure.
"They aimed at wounding more than Harriet," said he. "Emma, why is it that they are your enemies?"
He looked with smiling penetration; and, on receiving no answer, added, "She ought not to be angry with you, I suspect, whatever he may be.--To that surmise, you say nothing, of course; but confess, Emma, that you did want him to marry Harriet."
"I did," replied Emma, "and they cannot forgive me."
He shook his head; but there was a smile of indulgence with it, and he only said,
"I shall not scold you. I leave you to your own reflections."
"Can you trust me with such flatterers?--Does my vain spirit ever tell me I am wrong?"
"Not your vain spirit, but your serious spirit.--If one leads you wrong, I am sure the other tells you of it."
"I do own myself to have been completely mistaken in Mr. Elton. There is a littleness about him which you discovered, and which I did not: and I was fully convinced of his being in love with Harriet. It was through a series of strange blunders!"
"And, in return for your acknowledging so much, I will do you the justice to say, that you would have chosen for him better than he has chosen for himself.--Harriet Smith has some first-rate qualities, which Mrs. Elton is totally without. An unpretending, single-minded, artless girl-- infinitely to be preferred by any man of sense and taste to such a woman as Mrs. Elton. I found Harriet more conversable than I expected."
Emma was extremely gratified.--They were interrupted by the bustle of Mr. Weston calling on every body to begin dancing again.
"Come Miss Woodhouse, Miss Otway, Miss Fairfax, what are you all doing?-- Come Emma, set your companions the example. Every body is lazy! Every body is asleep!"
"I am ready," said Emma, "whenever I am wanted."
"Whom are you going to dance with?" asked Mr. Knightley.
She hesitated a moment, and then replied, "With you, if you will ask me."
"Will you?" said he, offering his hand.
"Indeed I will. You have shewn that you can dance, and you know we are not really so much brother and sister as to make it at all improper."
"Brother and sister! no, indeed."

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"An Anxious Friend"

He remained at Hartfield after all the rest, his thoughts full of what he had seen; so full, that when the candles came to assist his observations, he must--yes, he certainly must, as a friend-- an anxious friend--give Emma some hint, ask her some question. He could not see her in a situation of such danger, without trying to preserve her. It was his duty.
"Pray, Emma," said he, "may I ask in what lay the great amusement, the poignant sting of the last word given to you and Miss Fairfax? I saw the word, and am curious to know how it could be so very entertaining to the one, and so very distressing to the other."
Emma was extremely confused. She could not endure to give him the true explanation; for though her suspicions were by no means removed, she was really ashamed of having ever imparted them.
"Oh!" she cried in evident embarrassment, "it all meant nothing; a mere joke among ourselves."
"The joke," he replied gravely, "seemed confined to you and Mr. Churchill."
He had hoped she would speak again, but she did not. She would rather busy herself about any thing than speak. He sat a little while in doubt. A variety of evils crossed his mind. Interference-- fruitless interference. Emma's confusion, and the acknowledged intimacy, seemed to declare her affection engaged. Yet he would speak. He owed it to her, to risk any thing that might be involved in an unwelcome interference, rather than her welfare; to encounter any thing, rather than the remembrance of neglect in such a cause.
"My dear Emma," said he at last, with earnest kindness, "do you think you perfectly understand the degree of acquaintance between the gentleman and lady we have been speaking of?"
"Between Mr. Frank Churchill and Miss Fairfax? Oh! yes, perfectly.-- Why do you make a doubt of it?"
"Have you never at any time had reason to think that he admired her, or that she admired him?"
"Never, never!" she cried with a most open eagerness--"Never, for the twentieth part of a moment, did such an idea occur to me. And how could it possibly come into your head?"
"I have lately imagined that I saw symptoms of attachment between them-- certain expressive looks, which I did not believe meant to be public."
"Oh! you amuse me excessively. I am delighted to find that you can vouchsafe to let your imagination wander--but it will not do-- very sorry to check you in your first essay--but indeed it will not do. There is no admiration between them, I do assure you; and the appearances which have caught you, have arisen from some peculiar circumstances--feelings rather of a totally different nature-- it is impossible exactly to explain:--there is a good deal of nonsense in it--but the part which is capable of being communicated, which is sense, is, that they are as far from any attachment or admiration for one another, as any two beings in the world can be. That is, I presume it to be so on her side, and I can answer for its being so on his. I will answer for the gentleman's indifference."
She spoke with a confidence which staggered, with a satisfaction which silenced, Mr. Knightley. She was in gay spirits, and would have prolonged the conversation, wanting to hear the particulars of his suspicions, every look described, and all the wheres and hows of a circumstance which highly entertained her: but his gaiety did not meet hers. He found he could not be useful, and his feelings were too much irritated for talking. That he might not be irritated into an absolute fever, by the fire which Mr. Woodhouse's tender habits required almost every evening throughout the year, he soon afterwards took a hasty leave, and walked home to the coolness and solitude of Donwell Abbey.
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The Truest Friend

Emma was sure he had not forgiven her; he looked unlike himself. Time, however, she thought, would tell him that they ought to be friends again. While he stood, as if meaning to go, but not going-- her father began his inquiries.
"Well, my dear, and did you get there safely?--And how did you find my worthy old friend and her daughter?--I dare say they must have been very much obliged to you for coming. Dear Emma has been to call on Mrs. and Miss Bates, Mr. Knightley, as I told you before. She is always so attentive to them!"
Emma's colour was heightened by this unjust praise; and with a smile, and shake of the head, which spoke much, she looked at Mr. Knightley.-- It seemed as if there were an instantaneous impression in her favour, as if his eyes received the truth from her's, and all that had passed of good in her feelings were at once caught and honoured.-- He looked at her with a glow of regard. She was warmly gratified-- and in another moment still more so, by a little movement of more than common friendliness on his part.--He took her hand;-- whether she had not herself made the first motion, she could not say-- she might, perhaps, have rather offered it--but he took her hand, pressed it, and certainly was on the point of carrying it to his lips-- when, from some fancy or other, he suddenly let it go.--Why he should feel such a scruple, why he should change his mind when it was all but done, she could not perceive.--He would have judged better, she thought, if he had not stopped.--The intention, however, was indubitable; and whether it was that his manners had in general so little gallantry, or however else it happened, but she thought nothing became him more.-- It was with him, of so simple, yet so dignified a nature.-- She could not but recall the attempt with great satisfaction. It spoke such perfect amity.--He left them immediately afterwards-- gone in a moment. He always moved with the alertness of a mind which could neither be undecided nor dilatory, but now he seemed more sudden than usual in his disappearance.
Emma could not regret her having gone to Miss Bates, but she wished she had left her ten minutes earlier;--it would have been a great pleasure to talk over Jane Fairfax's situation with Mr. Knightley.-- Neither would she regret that he should be going to Brunswick Square, for she knew how much his visit would be enjoyed--but it might have happened at a better time--and to have had longer notice of it, would have been pleasanter.--They parted thorough friends, however; she could not be deceived as to the meaning of his countenance, and his unfinished gallantry;--it was all done to assure her that she had fully recovered his good opinion.--He had been sitting with them half an hour, she found. It was a pity that she had not come back earlier!

Hartfield: Film and Novel Quotes

2009-06-12T02:16:00.000-07:00

Hartfield: Film Quotes

Mr. Knightley: "Perhaps you dislike her because divides our attentions from you!"
Emma Woodhouse: "Really, Mr. Knightley, you are so comical, you ought to perform in the Town Square."

The quotes in this section are largely Emma's, but may also be from Mr. Woodhouse or visitors at Hartfield, such as Mr. Knightley.

Hartfield:Novel Quotes

Emma Woodhouse: "How fascinating that any discordancy between us must always arise from my being wrong."
Mr. Knightley: "Not fascinating, but true."

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Living The Good Life Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.
She was the youngest of the two daughters of a most affectionate, indulgent father; and had, in consequence of her sister's marriage, been mistress of his house from a very early period. Her mother had died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses; and her place had been supplied by an excellent woman as governess, who had fallen little short of a mother in affection.
Sixteen years had Miss Taylor been in Mr. Woodhouse's family, less as a governess than a friend, very fond of both daughters, but particularly of Emma. Between them it was more the intimacy of sisters. Even before Miss Taylor had ceased to hold the nominal office of governess, the mildness of her temper had hardly allowed her to impose any restraint; and the shadow of authority being now long passed away, they had been living together as friend and friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked; highly esteeming Miss Taylor's judgment, but directed chiefly by her own.
The real evils, indeed, of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself; these were the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her many enjoyments. The danger, however, was at present so unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her.

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Mr. Knightley's Visits

Mr. Knightley, a sensible man about seven or eight-and-thirty, was not only a very old and intimate friend of the family, but particularly connected with it, as the elder brother of Isabella's husband. He lived about a mile from Highbury, was a frequent visitor, and always welcome, and at this time more welcome than usual, as coming directly from their mutual connexions in London. He had returned to a late dinner, after some days' absence, and now walked up to Hartfield to say that all were well in Brunswick Square. It was a happy circumstance, and animated Mr. Woodhouse for some time. Mr. Knightley had a cheerful manner, which always did him good; and his many inquiries after "poor Isabella" and her children were answered most satisfactorily. When this was over, Mr. Woodhouse gratefully observed, "It is very kind of you, Mr. Knightley, to come out at this late hour to call upon us. I am afraid you must have had a shocking walk."
"Not at all, sir. It is a beautiful moonlight night; and so mild that I must draw back from your great fire."
"But you must have found it very damp and dirty. I wish you may not catch cold."
"Dirty, sir! Look at my shoes. Not a speck on them."
"Well! that is quite surprising, for we have had a vast deal of rain here. It rained dreadfully hard for half an hour while we were at breakfast. I wanted them to put off the wedding."
"By the bye--I have not wished you joy. Being pretty well aware of what sort of joy you must both be feeling, I have been in no hurry with my congratulations; but I hope it all went off tolerably well. How did you all behave? Who cried most?"
"Ah! poor Miss Taylor! 'Tis a sad business."
"Poor Mr. and Miss Woodhouse, if you please; but I cannot possibly say `poor Miss Taylor.' I have a great regard for you and Emma; but when it comes to the question of dependence or independence!--At any rate, it must be better to have only one to please than two."
"Especially when one of those two is such a fanciful, troublesome creature!" said Emma playfully. "That is what you have in your head, I know--and what you would certainly say if my father were not by."
"I believe it is very true, my dear, indeed," said Mr. Woodhouse, with a sigh. "I am afraid I am sometimes very fanciful and troublesome."
"My dearest papa! You do not think I could mean you, or suppose Mr. Knightley to mean you. What a horrible idea! Oh no! I meant only myself. Mr. Knightley loves to find fault with me, you know-- in a joke--it is all a joke. We always say what we like to one another."
Mr. Knightley, in fact, was one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse, and the only one who ever told her of them: and though this was not particularly agreeable to Emma herself, she knew it would be so much less so to her father, that she would not have him really suspect such a circumstance as her not being thought perfect by every body.

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Emma's Favorite Passtime

"Ever since the day--about four years ago--that Miss Taylor and I met with him in Broadway Lane, when, because it began to drizzle, he darted away with so much gallantry, and borrowed two umbrellas for us from Farmer Mitchell's, I made up my mind on the subject. I planned the match from that hour; and when such success has blessed me in this instance, dear papa, you cannot think that I shall leave off match-making."
"I do not understand what you mean by `success,'" said Mr. Knightley. "Success supposes endeavour. Your time has been properly and delicately spent, if you have been endeavouring for the last four years to bring about this marriage. A worthy employment for a young lady's mind! But if, which I rather imagine, your making the match, as you call it, means only your planning it, your saying to yourself one idle day, `I think it would be a very good thing for Miss Taylor if Mr. Weston were to marry her,' and saying it again to yourself every now and then afterwards, why do you talk of success? Where is your merit? What are you proud of? You made a lucky guess; and that is all that can be said."
"And have you never known the pleasure and triumph of a lucky guess?-- I pity you.--I thought you cleverer--for, depend upon it a lucky guess is never merely luck. There is always some talent in it. And as to my poor word `success,' which you quarrel with, I do not know that I am so entirely without any claim to it. You have drawn two pretty pictures; but I think there may be a third--a something between the do-nothing and the do-all. If I had not promoted Mr. Weston's visits here, and given many little encouragements, and smoothed many little matters, it might not have come to any thing after all. I think you must know Hartfield enough to comprehend that."

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Keeping Emma In Line

"You are a very warm friend to Mr. Martin; but, as I said before, are unjust to Harriet. Harriet's claims to marry well are not so contemptible as you represent them. She is not a clever girl, but she has better sense than you are aware of, and does not deserve to have her understanding spoken of so slightingly. Waiving that point, however, and supposing her to be, as you describe her, only pretty and good-natured, let me tell you, that in the degree she possesses them, they are not trivial recommendations to the world in general, for she is, in fact, a beautiful girl, and must be thought so by ninety-nine people out of an hundred; and till it appears that men are much more philosophic on the subject of beauty than they are generally supposed; till they do fall in love with well-informed minds instead of handsome faces, a girl, with such loveliness as Harriet, has a certainty of being admired and sought after, of having the power of chusing from among many, consequently a claim to be nice. Her good-nature, too, is not so very slight a claim, comprehending, as it does, real, thorough sweetness of temper and manner, a very humble opinion of herself, and a great readiness to be pleased with other people. I am very much mistaken if your sex in general would not think such beauty, and such temper, the highest claims a woman could possess."
"Upon my word, Emma, to hear you abusing the reason you have, is almost enough to make me think so too. Better be without sense, than misapply it as you do."
"To be sure!" cried she playfully. "I know that is the feeling of you all. I know that such a girl as Harriet is exactly what every man delights in--what at once bewitches his senses and satisfies his judgment. Oh! Harriet may pick and chuse. Were you, yourself, ever to marry, she is the very woman for you. And is she, at seventeen, just entering into life, just beginning to be known, to be wondered at because she does not accept the first offer she receives? No--pray let her have time to look about her."
"I have always thought it a very foolish intimacy," said Mr. Knightley presently, "though I have kept my thoughts to myself; but I now perceive that it will be a very unfortunate one for Harriet. You will puff her up with such ideas of her own beauty, and of what she has a claim to, that, in a little while, nobody within her reach will be good enough for her. Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief. Nothing so easy as for a young lady to raise her expectations too high. Miss Harriet Smith may not find offers of marriage flow in so fast, though she is a very pretty girl. Men of sense, whatever you may chuse to say, do not want silly wives. Men of family would not be very fond of connecting themselves with a girl of such obscurity-- and most prudent men would be afraid of the inconvenience and disgrace they might be involved in, when the mystery of her parentage came to be revealed. Let her marry Robert Martin, and she is safe, respectable, and happy for ever; but if you encourage her to expect to marry greatly, and teach her to be satisfied with nothing less than a man of consequence and large fortune, she may be a parlour-boarder at Mrs. Goddard's all the rest of her life--or, at least, (for Harriet Smith is a girl who will marry somebody or other,) till she grow desperate, and is glad to catch at the old writing-master's son."

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A Greater Offense

While waiting for the carriage, she found Mr. Knightley by her side. He looked around, as if to see that no one were near, and then said,
"Emma, I must once more speak to you as I have been used to do: a privilege rather endured than allowed, perhaps, but I must still use it. I cannot see you acting wrong, without a remonstrance. How could you be so unfeeling to Miss Bates? How could you be so insolent in your wit to a woman of her character, age, and situation?-- Emma, I had not thought it possible."
Emma recollected, blushed, was sorry, but tried to laugh it off.
"Nay, how could I help saying what I did?--Nobody could have helped it. It was not so very bad. I dare say she did not understand me."
"I assure you she did. She felt your full meaning. She has talked of it since. I wish you could have heard how she talked of it-- with what candour and generosity. I wish you could have heard her honouring your forbearance, in being able to pay her such attentions, as she was for ever receiving from yourself and your father, when her society must be so irksome."
"Oh!" cried Emma, "I know there is not a better creature in the world: but you must allow, that what is good and what is ridiculous are most unfortunately blended in her."
"They are blended," said he, "I acknowledge; and, were she prosperous, I could allow much for the occasional prevalence of the ridiculous over the good. Were she a woman of fortune, I would leave every harmless absurdity to take its chance, I would not quarrel with you for any liberties of manner. Were she your equal in situation-- but, Emma, consider how far this is from being the case. She is poor; she has sunk from the comforts she was born to; and, if she live to old age, must probably sink more. Her situation should secure your compassion. It was badly done, indeed! You, whom she had known from an infant, whom she had seen grow up from a period when her notice was an honour, to have you now, in thoughtless spirits, and the pride of the moment, laugh at her, humble her--and before her niece, too--and before others, many of whom (certainly some,) would be entirely guided by your treatment of her.--This is not pleasant to you, Emma--and it is very far from pleasant to me; but I must, I will,--I will tell you truths while I can; satisfied with proving myself your friend by very faithful counsel, and trusting that you will some time or other do me greater justice than you can do now."

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Failure To Communicate

Emma could say no more. They seemed to be within half a sentence of Harriet, and her immediate feeling was to avert the subject, if possible. She made her plan; she would speak of something totally different--the children in Brunswick Square; and she only waited for breath to begin, when Mr. Knightley startled her, by saying,
"You will not ask me what is the point of envy.--You are determined, I see, to have no curiosity.--You are wise--but I cannot be wise. Emma, I must tell you what you will not ask, though I may wish it unsaid the next moment."
"Oh! then, don't speak it, don't speak it," she eagerly cried. "Take a little time, consider, do not commit yourself."
"Thank you," said he, in an accent of deep mortification, and not another syllable followed.
Emma could not bear to give him pain. He was wishing to confide in her-- perhaps to consult her;--cost her what it would, she would listen. She might assist his resolution, or reconcile him to it; she might give just praise to Harriet, or, by representing to him his own independence, relieve him from that state of indecision, which must be more intolerable than any alternative to such a mind as his.--They had reached the house.
"You are going in, I suppose?" said he.
"No,"--replied Emma--quite confirmed by the depressed manner in which he still spoke--"I should like to take another turn. Mr. Perry is not gone." And, after proceeding a few steps, she added-- "I stopped you ungraciously, just now, Mr. Knightley, and, I am afraid, gave you pain.--But if you have any wish to speak openly to me as a friend, or to ask my opinion of any thing that you may have in contemplation--as a friend, indeed, you may command me.--I will hear whatever you like. I will tell you exactly what I think."
"As a friend!"--repeated Mr. Knightley.--"Emma, that I fear is a word--No, I have no wish--Stay, yes, why should I hesitate?-- I have gone too far already for concealment.--Emma, I accept your offer-- Extraordinary as it may seem, I accept it, and refer myself to you as a friend.--Tell me, then, have I no chance of ever succeeding?"
He stopped in his earnestness to look the question, and the expression of his eyes overpowered her.
"My dearest Emma," said he, "for dearest you will always be, whatever the event of this hour's conversation, my dearest, most beloved Emma--tell me at once. Say `No,' if it is to be said."-- She could really say nothing.--"You are silent," he cried, with great animation; "absolutely silent! at present I ask no more."
Emma was almost ready to sink under the agitation of this moment. The dread of being awakened from the happiest dream, was perhaps the most prominent feeling.
"I cannot make speeches, Emma:" he soon resumed; and in a tone of such sincere, decided, intelligible tenderness as was tolerably convincing.--"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am.--You hear nothing but truth from me.--I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it.-- Bear with the truths I would tell you now, dearest Emma, as well as you have borne with them. The manner, perhaps, may have as little to recommend them. God knows, I have been a very indifferent lover.-- But you understand me.--Yes, you see, you understand my feelings-- and will return them if you can. At present, I ask only to hear, once to hear your voice."
While he spoke, Emma's mind was most busy, and, with all the wonderful velocity of thought, had been able--and yet without losing a word-- to catch and comprehend the exact truth of the whole; to see that Harriet's hopes had been entirely groundless, a mistake, a delusion, as complete a delusion as any of her own--that Harriet was nothing; that she was every thing herself; that what she had been saying relative to Harriet had been all taken as the language of her own feelings; and that her agitation, her doubts, her reluctance, her discouragement, had been all received as discouragement from herself.--And not only was there time for these convictions, with all their glow of attendant happiness; there was time also to rejoice that Harriet's secret had not escaped her, and to resolve that it need not, and should not.--It was all the service she could now render her poor friend; for as to any of that heroism of sentiment which might have prompted her to entreat him to transfer his affection from herself to Harriet, as infinitely the most worthy of the two-- or even the more simple sublimity of resolving to refuse him at once and for ever, without vouchsafing any motive, because he could not marry them both, Emma had it not. She felt for Harriet, with pain and with contrition; but no flight of generosity run mad, opposing all that could be probable or reasonable, entered her brain. She had led her friend astray, and it would be a reproach to her for ever; but her judgment was as strong as her feelings, and as strong as it had ever been before, in reprobating any such alliance for him, as most unequal and degrading. Her way was clear, though not quite smooth.--She spoke then, on being so entreated.-- What did she say?--Just what she ought, of course. A lady always does.-- She said enough to shew there need not be despair--and to invite him to say more himself. He had despaired at one period; he had received such an injunction to caution and silence, as for the time crushed every hope;--she had begun by refusing to hear him.--The change had perhaps been somewhat sudden;--her proposal of taking another turn, her renewing the conversation which she had just put an end to, might be a little extraordinary!--She felt its inconsistency; but Mr. Knightley was so obliging as to put up with it, and seek no farther explanation.

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All's Well That End's Well

Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken; but where, as in this case, though the conduct is mistaken, the feelings are not, it may not be very material.-- Mr. Knightley could not impute to Emma a more relenting heart than she possessed, or a heart more disposed to accept of his.
He had, in fact, been wholly unsuspicious of his own influence. He had followed her into the shrubbery with no idea of trying it. He had come, in his anxiety to see how she bore Frank Churchill's engagement, with no selfish view, no view at all, but of endeavouring, if she allowed him an opening, to soothe or to counsel her.--The rest had been the work of the moment, the immediate effect of what he heard, on his feelings. The delightful assurance of her total indifference towards Frank Churchill, of her having a heart completely disengaged from him, had given birth to the hope, that, in time, he might gain her affection himself;--but it had been no present hope--he had only, in the momentary conquest of eagerness over judgment, aspired to be told that she did not forbid his attempt to attach her.--The superior hopes which gradually opened were so much the more enchanting.-- The affection, which he had been asking to be allowed to create, if he could, was already his!--Within half an hour, he had passed from a thoroughly distressed state of mind, to something so like perfect happiness, that it could bear no other name.
Her change was equal.--This one half-hour had given to each the same precious certainty of being beloved, had cleared from each the same degree of ignorance, jealousy, or distrust.--On his side, there had been a long-standing jealousy, old as the arrival, or even the expectation, of Frank Churchill.--He had been in love with Emma, and jealous of Frank Churchill, from about the same period, one sentiment having probably enlightened him as to the other. It was his jealousy of Frank Churchill that had taken him from the country.--The Box Hill party had decided him on going away. He would save himself from witnessing again such permitted, encouraged attentions.--He had gone to learn to be indifferent.-- But he had gone to a wrong place. There was too much domestic happiness in his brother's house; woman wore too amiable a form in it; Isabella was too much like Emma--differing only in those striking inferiorities, which always brought the other in brilliancy before him, for much to have been done, even had his time been longer.--He had stayed on, however, vigorously, day after day--till this very morning's post had conveyed the history of Jane Fairfax.--Then, with the gladness which must be felt, nay, which he did not scruple to feel, having never believed Frank Churchill to be at all deserving Emma, was there so much fond solicitude, so much keen anxiety for her, that he could stay no longer. He had ridden home through the rain; and had walked up directly after dinner, to see how this sweetest and best of all creatures, faultless in spite of all her faults, bore the discovery.
He had found her agitated and low.--Frank Churchill was a villain.-- He heard her declare that she had never loved him. Frank Churchill's character was not desperate.--She was his own Emma, by hand and word, when they returned into the house; and if he could have thought of Frank Churchill then, he might have deemed him a very good sort of fellow.

Randalls: Film and Novel Quotes

2009-06-12T02:07:00.000-07:00

Randalls: Film Quotes

Frank Churchill: "Is your horse just washing his feet or are the darker forces at work here?"
Emma Woodhouse: "The latter, I'm afraid. Something's happened to the wheel and I cannot move."
Frank Churchill: "Oh, well, you'll just have to live here then. Buh-bye."

The quotes here will be about the family at Randalls, and will therefore include quite a bit about Frank Churchill.

Randalls: Novel Quotes

The Deception Begins Miss Woodhouse made the proper acquiescence; and finding that nothing more was to be entrapped from any communication of Mrs. Cole's, turned to Frank Churchill.
"Why do you smile?" said she.
"Nay, why do you?"
"Me!--I suppose I smile for pleasure at Colonel Campbell's being so rich and so liberal.--It is a handsome present."
"Very."
"I rather wonder that it was never made before."
"Perhaps Miss Fairfax has never been staying here so long before."
"Or that he did not give her the use of their own instrument-- which must now be shut up in London, untouched by any body."
"That is a grand pianoforte, and he might think it too large for Mrs. Bates's house."
"You may say what you chuse--but your countenance testifies that your thoughts on this subject are very much like mine."
"I do not know. I rather believe you are giving me more credit for acuteness than I deserve. I smile because you smile, and shall probably suspect whatever I find you suspect; but at present I do not see what there is to question. If Colonel Campbell is not the person, who can be?"
"What do you say to Mrs. Dixon?"
"Mrs. Dixon! very true indeed. I had not thought of Mrs. Dixon. She must know as well as her father, how acceptable an instrument would be; and perhaps the mode of it, the mystery, the surprize, is more like a young woman's scheme than an elderly man's. It is Mrs. Dixon, I dare say. I told you that your suspicions would guide mine."
"If so, you must extend your suspicions and comprehend Mr. Dixon in them."
"Mr. Dixon.--Very well. Yes, I immediately perceive that it must be the joint present of Mr. and Mrs. Dixon. We were speaking the other day, you know, of his being so warm an admirer of her performance."
"Yes, and what you told me on that head, confirmed an idea which I had entertained before.--I do not mean to reflect upon the good intentions of either Mr. Dixon or Miss Fairfax, but I cannot help suspecting either that, after making his proposals to her friend, he had the misfortune to fall in love with her, or that he became conscious of a little attachment on her side. One might guess twenty things without guessing exactly the right; but I am sure there must be a particular cause for her chusing to come to Highbury instead of going with the Campbells to Ireland. Here, she must be leading a life of privation and penance; there it would have been all enjoyment. As to the pretence of trying her native air, I look upon that as a mere excuse.--In the summer it might have passed; but what can any body's native air do for them in the months of January, February, and March? Good fires and carriages would be much more to the purpose in most cases of delicate health, and I dare say in her's. I do not require you to adopt all my suspicions, though you make so noble a profession of doing it, but I honestly tell you what they are."
"And, upon my word, they have an air of great probability. Mr. Dixon's preference of her music to her friend's, I can answer for being very decided."
"And then, he saved her life. Did you ever hear of that?-- A water party; and by some accident she was falling overboard. He caught her."
"He did. I was there--one of the party."
"Were you really?--Well!--But you observed nothing of course, for it seems to be a new idea to you.--If I had been there, I think I should have made some discoveries."
"I dare say you would; but I, simple I, saw nothing but the fact, that Miss Fairfax was nearly dashed from the vessel and that Mr. Dixon caught her.--It was the work of a moment. And though the consequent shock and alarm was very great and much more durable--indeed I believe it was half an hour before any of us were comfortable again-- yet that was too general a sensation for any thing of peculiar anxiety to be observable. I do not mean to say, however, that you might not have made discoveries."
The conversation was here interrupted. They were called on to share in the awkwardness of a rather long interval between the courses, and obliged to be as formal and as orderly as the others; but when the table was again safely covered, when every corner dish was placed exactly right, and occupation and ease were generally restored, Emma said,
"The arrival of this pianoforte is decisive with me. I wanted to know a little more, and this tells me quite enough. Depend upon it, we shall soon hear that it is a present from Mr. and Mrs. Dixon."
"And if the Dixons should absolutely deny all knowledge of it we must conclude it to come from the Campbells."
"No, I am sure it is not from the Campbells. Miss Fairfax knows it is not from the Campbells, or they would have been guessed at first. She would not have been puzzled, had she dared fix on them. I may not have convinced you perhaps, but I am perfectly convinced myself that Mr. Dixon is a principal in the business."
"Indeed you injure me if you suppose me unconvinced. Your reasonings carry my judgment along with them entirely. At first, while I supposed you satisfied that Colonel Campbell was the giver, I saw it only as paternal kindness, and thought it the most natural thing in the world. But when you mentioned Mrs. Dixon, I felt how much more probable that it should be the tribute of warm female friendship. And now I can see it in no other light than as an offering of love."

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A Dance Is A Dance; But A Dance With Frank Churchill... It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successively, without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue either to body or mind;--but when a beginning is made-- when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, though slightly, felt--it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.
Frank Churchill had danced once at Highbury, and longed to dance again; and the last half-hour of an evening which Mr. Woodhouse was persuaded to spend with his daughter at Randalls, was passed by the two young people in schemes on the subject. Frank's was the first idea; and his the greatest zeal in pursuing it; for the lady was the best judge of the difficulties, and the most solicitous for accommodation and appearance. But still she had inclination enough for shewing people again how delightfully Mr. Frank Churchill and Miss Woodhouse danced--for doing that in which she need not blush to compare herself with Jane Fairfax--and even for simple dancing itself, without any of the wicked aids of vanity--to assist him first in pacing out the room they were in to see what it could be made to hold--and then in taking the dimensions of the other parlour, in the hope of discovering, in spite of all that Mr. Weston could say of their exactly equal size, that it was a little the largest.
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Confusion

Emma continued to entertain no doubt of her being in love. Her ideas only varied as to the how much. At first, she thought it was a good deal; and afterwards, but little. She had great pleasure in hearing Frank Churchill talked of; and, for his sake, greater pleasure than ever in seeing Mr. and Mrs. Weston; she was very often thinking of him, and quite impatient for a letter, that she might know how he was, how were his spirits, how was his aunt, and what was the chance of his coming to Randalls again this spring. But, on the other hand, she could not admit herself to be unhappy, nor, after the first morning, to be less disposed for employment than usual; she was still busy and cheerful; and, pleasing as he was, she could yet imagine him to have faults; and farther, though thinking of him so much, and, as she sat drawing or working, forming a thousand amusing schemes for the progress and close of their attachment, fancying interesting dialogues, and inventing elegant letters; the conclusion of every imaginary declaration on his side was that she refused him. Their affection was always to subside into friendship. Every thing tender and charming was to mark their parting; but still they were to part. When she became sensible of this, it struck her that she could not be very much in love; for in spite of her previous and fixed determination never to quit her father, never to marry, a strong attachment certainly must produce more of a struggle than she could foresee in her own feelings.
"I do not find myself making any use of the word sacrifice," said she.-- "In not one of all my clever replies, my delicate negatives, is there any allusion to making a sacrifice. I do suspect that he is not really necessary to my happiness. So much the better. I certainly will not persuade myself to feel more than I do. I am quite enough in love. I should be sorry to be more."

Box Hill: Film Quotes and Novel Quotes

2009-06-12T01:56:00.000-07:00

Box Hill: Film

Emma Woodhouse: "Is it possible that Mr. Elton met her while doing charitable work in a mental infirmary?"

Box Hill: Novel Quotes

The Newest Irritation Emma, finding her so determined upon neglecting her music, had nothing more to say; and, after a moment's pause, Mrs. Elton chose another subject.
"We have been calling at Randalls," said she, "and found them both at home; and very pleasant people they seem to be. I like them extremely. Mr. Weston seems an excellent creature-- quite a first-rate favourite with me already, I assure you. And she appears so truly good--there is something so motherly and kind-hearted about her, that it wins upon one directly. She was your governess, I think?"
Emma was almost too much astonished to answer; but Mrs. Elton hardly waited for the affirmative before she went on.
"Having understood as much, I was rather astonished to find her so very lady-like! But she is really quite the gentlewoman."
"Mrs. Weston's manners," said Emma, "were always particularly good. Their propriety, simplicity, and elegance, would make them the safest model for any young woman."
"And who do you think came in while we were there?"
Emma was quite at a loss. The tone implied some old acquaintance-- and how could she possibly guess?
"Knightley!" continued Mrs. Elton; "Knightley himself!--Was not it lucky?--for, not being within when he called the other day, I had never seen him before; and of course, as so particular a friend of Mr. E.'s, I had a great curiosity. `My friend Knightley' had been so often mentioned, that I was really impatient to see him; and I must do my caro sposo the justice to say that he need not be ashamed of his friend. Knightley is quite the gentleman. I like him very much. Decidedly, I think, a very gentleman-like man."
Happily, it was now time to be gone. They were off; and Emma could breathe.
"Insufferable woman!" was her immediate exclamation. "Worse than I had supposed. Absolutely insufferable! Knightley!--I could not have believed it. Knightley!--never seen him in her life before, and call him Knightley!--and discover that he is a gentleman! A little upstart, vulgar being, with her Mr. E., and her caro sposo, and her resources, and all her airs of pert pretension and underbred finery. Actually to discover that Mr. Knightley is a gentleman! I doubt whether he will return the compliment, and discover her to be a lady. I could not have believed it! And to propose that she and I should unite to form a musical club! One would fancy we were bosom friends! And Mrs. Weston!-- Astonished that the person who had brought me up should be a gentlewoman! Worse and worse. I never met with her equal. Much beyond my hopes. Harriet is disgraced by any comparison. Oh! what would Frank Churchill say to her, if he were here? How angry and how diverted he would be! Ah! there I am-- thinking of him directly. Always the first person to be thought of! How I catch myself out! Frank Churchill comes as regularly into my mind!"--
All this ran so glibly through her thoughts, that by the time her father had arranged himself, after the bustle of the Eltons' departure, and was ready to speak, she was very tolerably capable of attending.

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One-Sided Conversation Voices approached the shop--or rather one voice and two ladies: Mrs. Weston and Miss Bates met them at the door.
"My dear Miss Woodhouse," said the latter, "I am just run across to entreat the favour of you to come and sit down with us a little while, and give us your opinion of our new instrument; you and Miss Smith. How do you do, Miss Smith?--Very well I thank you.--And I begged Mrs. Weston to come with me, that I might be sure of succeeding."
"I hope Mrs. Bates and Miss Fairfax are--"
"Very well, I am much obliged to you. My mother is delightfully well; and Jane caught no cold last night. How is Mr. Woodhouse?--I am so glad to hear such a good account. Mrs. Weston told me you were here.-- Oh! then, said I, I must run across, I am sure Miss Woodhouse will allow me just to run across and entreat her to come in; my mother will be so very happy to see her--and now we are such a nice party, she cannot refuse.--`Aye, pray do,' said Mr. Frank Churchill, `Miss Woodhouse's opinion of the instrument will be worth having.'-- But, said I, I shall be more sure of succeeding if one of you will go with me.--`Oh,' said he, `wait half a minute, till I have finished my job;'--For, would you believe it, Miss Woodhouse, there he is, in the most obliging manner in the world, fastening in the rivet of my mother's spectacles.--The rivet came out, you know, this morning.-- So very obliging!--For my mother had no use of her spectacles-- could not put them on. And, by the bye, every body ought to have two pair of spectacles; they should indeed. Jane said so. I meant to take them over to John Saunders the first thing I did, but something or other hindered me all the morning; first one thing, then another, there is no saying what, you know. At one time Patty came to say she thought the kitchen chimney wanted sweeping. Oh, said I, Patty do not come with your bad news to me. Here is the rivet of your mistress's spectacles out. Then the baked apples came home, Mrs. Wallis sent them by her boy; they are extremely civil and obliging to us, the Wallises, always--I have heard some people say that Mrs. Wallis can be uncivil and give a very rude answer, but we have never known any thing but the greatest attention from them. And it cannot be for the value of our custom now, for what is our consumption of bread, you know? Only three of us.-- besides dear Jane at present--and she really eats nothing--makes such a shocking breakfast, you would be quite frightened if you saw it. I dare not let my mother know how little she eats--so I say one thing and then I say another, and it passes off. But about the middle of the day she gets hungry, and there is nothing she likes so well as these baked apples, and they are extremely wholesome, for I took the opportunity the other day of asking Mr. Perry; I happened to meet him in the street. Not that I had any doubt before-- I have so often heard Mr. Woodhouse recommend a baked apple. I believe it is the only way that Mr. Woodhouse thinks the fruit thoroughly wholesome. We have apple-dumplings, however, very often. Patty makes an excellent apple-dumpling. Well, Mrs. Weston, you have prevailed, I hope, and these ladies will oblige us."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An Uncertain Topic "What was I talking of?" said she, beginning again when they were all in the street.
Emma wondered on what, of all the medley, she would fix.
"I declare I cannot recollect what I was talking of.--Oh! my mother's spectacles. So very obliging of Mr. Frank Churchill! `Oh!' said he, `I do think I can fasten the rivet; I like a job of this kind excessively.'--Which you know shewed him to be so very. . . . Indeed I must say that, much as I had heard of him before and much as I had expected, he very far exceeds any thing. . . . I do congratulate you, Mrs. Weston, most warmly. He seems every thing the fondest parent could. . . . `Oh!' said he, `I can fasten the rivet. I like a job of that sort excessively.' I never shall forget his manner. And when I brought out the baked apples from the closet, and hoped our friends would be so very obliging as to take some, `Oh!' said he directly, `there is nothing in the way of fruit half so good, and these are the finest-looking home-baked apples I ever saw in my life.' That, you know, was so very. . . . And I am sure, by his manner, it was no compliment. Indeed they are very delightful apples, and Mrs. Wallis does them full justice--only we do not have them baked more than twice, and Mr. Woodhouse made us promise to have them done three times-- but Miss Woodhouse will be so good as not to mention it. The apples themselves are the very finest sort for baking, beyond a doubt; all from Donwell--some of Mr. Knightley's most liberal supply. He sends us a sack every year; and certainly there never was such a keeping apple anywhere as one of his trees--I believe there is two of them. My mother says the orchard was always famous in her younger days. But I was really quite shocked the other day-- for Mr. Knightley called one morning, and Jane was eating these apples, and we talked about them and said how much she enjoyed them, and he asked whether we were not got to the end of our stock. `I am sure you must be,' said he, `and I will send you another supply; for I have a great many more than I can ever use. William Larkins let me keep a larger quantity than usual this year. I will send you some more, before they get good for nothing.' So I begged he would not--for really as to ours being gone, I could not absolutely say that we had a great many left--it was but half a dozen indeed; but they should be all kept for Jane; and I could not at all bear that he should be sending us more, so liberal as he had been already; and Jane said the same. And when he was gone, she almost quarrelled with me--No, I should not say quarrelled, for we never had a quarrel in our lives; but she was quite distressed that I had owned the apples were so nearly gone; she wished I had made him believe we had a great many left. Oh, said I, my dear, I did say as much as I could. However, the very same evening William Larkins came over with a large basket of apples, the same sort of apples, a bushel at least, and I was very much obliged, and went down and spoke to William Larkins and said every thing, as you may suppose. William Larkins is such an old acquaintance! I am always glad to see him. But, however, I found afterwards from Patty, that William said it was all the apples of that sort his master had; he had brought them all--and now his master had not one left to bake or boil. William did not seem to mind it himself, he was so pleased to think his master had sold so many; for William, you know, thinks more of his master's profit than any thing; but Mrs. Hodges, he said, was quite displeased at their being all sent away. She could not bear that her master should not be able to have another apple-tart this spring. He told Patty this, but bid her not mind it, and be sure not to say any thing to us about it, for Mrs. Hodges would be cross sometimes, and as long as so many sacks were sold, it did not signify who ate the remainder. And so Patty told me, and I was excessively shocked indeed! I would not have Mr. Knightley know any thing about it for the world! He would be so very. . . . I wanted to keep it from Jane's knowledge; but, unluckily, I had mentioned it before I was aware."

Picnic scene at Box Hill

Places in Emma: Weymouth

2009-06-12T01:25:00.000-07:00

Harbours

Bustling streets

Scenery galore.

About the Area

As the waves crash against the rocks along the dramatic coastline of the ‘Isle’ of Portland it’s easy to see why this forms part of the World Heritage Coast. Yet just across the bay, Weymouth is home to a safe, clean and sheltered family beach.

Weymouth Seafront 1835

The Classic Seaside Resort of Weymouth, with its fantastic beach and vibrant harbour, nestles perfectly alongside the rugged 'Isle' of Portland, the perfect place for visitors who just want to get away from it all. With plenty of places to eat and drink, and all year round events, attractions and activities there's something for everyone, isn't it time you discovered Weymouth and Portland? ... the Natural Place to be!

The Jurassic CoastEngland's First Natural World Heritage Site

The Jurassic coast has been rated seventh on the list of 'must see' UK Tourist attractions. A survey of over 1,200 UK tourist ranked the World Heritage coastline as one of the most popular attractions alongside Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, the Royal Crescent in Bath and the Eden Project in Cornwall.
The Jurassic era started a little over 200 million years ago when sea levels rose to flood a desert landscape that existed during the Triassic Period. Throughout the Jurassic period tropical seas covered Dorset and marine life flourished. As sediments settled, the sea floor slowly subsided allowing many hundreds of metres of Jurassic sediments to accumulate. Subsidence and sea level change created deep water environments in which muds and shales settled and shallow seas in which sands and limestones accumulated.

The rocks of the Dorset coast generally dip gently to the east and this has the effect of exposing a complete sequence through the Jurassic period of geological time, from the oldest rocks around Lyme Regis to the youngest near Swanage. The diversity of conditions and the sheer length of time in which these rocks formed are reflected in the great range of fossils to be found along the coast today. Towards the end of the Jurassic, sea levels dropped and land formed upon which the famous fossil forest grew. The forest can be seen in the Army Ranges at Lulworth and on the Isle of Portland. However, the forest was short lived as it soon became submerged by swamps and lagoons in which muds, sands and limestones formed. These sediments straddle the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary at a time when dinosaurs ruled the land, leaving their footprints behind as fossilised trackways.
Later in the Cretaceous period, marine conditions again returned depositing first clays and sands and then a huge thickness of chalk. The Cretaceous rocks are very well developed along the Purbeck coast and are spectacularly exposed between White Nothe and Worbarrow Bay and from Durlston Bay, Swanage through to Old Harry Rocks. The pattern of rock types, thick bands of soft clays, massive beds of chalk and thin bands of hard limestone, have influenced the character of the coast. Folds and faults complicate the picture as they buckle and cut through the Jurassic and Cretaceous strata to form spectacular features such as the Lulworth Crumple.

Places in Emma: Richmond

2009-06-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

Palace of Richmond

Welcome to London’s most attractive borough, which for hundreds of years has been a favourite retreat of Royalty, the rich and the famous. The River Thames runs through the heart of the borough for 21 miles linking Hampton Court Palace, Richmond town centre and Kew Gardens with central London. With beautiful Royal parks and historic houses, theatres, museums and galleries rich with exhibits and town centres bursting with shops and restaurants, Richmond upon Thames rivals anywhere in London.

The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in south west London, England, which forms part of Outer London.

Settlement

It can been seen from a map that the borough is not entirely urbanised - there are some large areas of open space within the borough boundaries, including the largest urban park in Europe, Richmond Park. The borough is residential and home to some of the most affluent districts of London such as Barnes, Richmond and East Sheen. The main suburban developments are Hampton and Teddington in the south, Twickenham, St Margarets and Whitton in the central area west of the River Thames, with the more central districts of Richmond, Kew, Mortlake and Barnes following the loop of the river. It is the only London borough to straddle the Thames with districts on both sides of the river.

Hampton Court Palace

Parks take up a great deal of the borough and include Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Kew Gardens, and Hampton Court Park. There are over 100 parks and open spaces within its boundary and 21 miles (34 km) of river frontage - five times more green and open space than any other London borough.
The borough is also home to the National Physical Laboratory and the attractions of Hampton Court Palace, Twickenham Stadium and the WWT London Wetlands Centre draw both domestic and international tourism.
In December 2006, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of the Richmond upon Thames were the 2nd most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 29.8% of the population participate at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.

History

The borough was formed in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Twickenham from Middlesex with the Municipal Borough of Richmond and the Municipal Borough of Barnes from Surrey; council offices were centred at York House in Twickenham. The name 'Richmond upon Thames' was coined at that time; it is now commonly but inaccurately used to refer to Richmond only.
The borough is twinned with Konstanz in Germany, Fontainebleau in France and Richmond, Virginia, USA.
h ttp://www.totheriver.co.uk/HWick/index.htm

Richmond Park, at almost 1000 hectares (2500 acres), is the largest Royal Park in London and is home to around 650 free roaming deer. The pastoral landscape of hills, woodlands, ponds, gardens and grasslands set amongst ancient trees offers a peaceful respite to visitors.

The Park is designated as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). History and Architecture Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London covering an area of 2,500 acres.

From its heights there is an uninterrupted view of St Paul's Cathedral, 12 miles away. Richmond Park has changed little over the centuries and although it is surrounded by human habitation, the varied landscape of hills, woodland gardens and grasslands set among ancient trees abound in wild life.
The royal connections to this park probably go back further than any of the others, beginning with Edward (1272-1307), when the area was known as the Manor of Sheen. The name was changed to Richmond during Henry VII's reign. In 1625 Charles I brought his court to Richmond Palace to escape the plague in London and turned it into a park for red and fallow deer. His decision, in 1637, to enclose the land was not popular with the local residents, but he did allow pedestrians the right of way. To this day the walls remain, although they have been partially rebuilt and reinforced.
In 1847 Pembroke Lodge became the home of the then Prime Minister, Lord John Russell and was later the childhood home of his grandson, Bertrand Russell. It is now a popular restaurant with glorious views across the Thames Valley.

Places in Emma: Highbury

2009-06-12T00:44:00.000-07:00

Highbury is an area in the London Borough of Islington

Early Highbury

The area now known as Highbury was part of the larger manor of Tolentone, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Tolentone was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all Islington, the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Road. The manor house was situated by what is now the east side of Hornsey Road near the junction with Seven Sisters Road. After the manor decayed, a new manor house was built in 1271 (see below) to the south east; to differentiate it from the original manor and because it was on a hill, it was called Highbury, from which the area takes its name.
The site for Highbury manor was possibly used by a Roman garrison as a summer camp. During the construction of a new Highbury House in 1781, tiles were found that could have been Roman or Norman; unfortunately these have been lost.

Highbury Clock is located just north of Highbury Fields, near the junction of Highbury Barn and Highbury Hill. It was presented in 1897 in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria.Ownership of Highbury eventually passed to Alicia de Barrow, who in 1271 gave it to the Priory of St John of Jerusalem, also known as the Knights Hospitallers in England. The Lord Prior, who was wealthy, built Highbury manor as a substantial stone built country lodging together with a grange and barn.
In 1381, during the Peasants' Revolt, Jack Straw led a mob of 20,000 rioters, who "so offended by the wealth and haughtiness" of the Knights Hospitallers, destroyed the manor house. The Lord Prior at the time, Robert Hales, who had taken refuge in the Tower of London, was captured and beheaded on Tower Hill. Jack Straw and some of his followers used the site as a temporary headquarters; consequently the derelict manor became known for the next 500 years as Jack Straw’s Castle. This should not be confused with the better known Jack Straw’s Castle — formerly a pub and now residential flats — at Whitestone Ponds, Hampstead, which was named after the semi-legendary leader of the revolt.

Highbury House

Highbury House circa 1800

The Manor of Highbury remained the possession of the Knights of St John, until it was confiscated by Henry VIII in 1540. The land then stayed as crown property until Parliament began selling it in the 17th century.
John Dawes, a wealthy stockbroker, acquired the site of Jack Straw’s Castle together with 247 acres (1 km²) of surrounding land. In 1781 he built Highbury House at a cost of £10,000 on the spot where Highbury Manor had stood. Over the next 30 years the house was extended by new owners, firstly Alexander Aubert and then John Bentley, to include a large observatory and lavish gardens.
The grounds around Highbury House started to be sold off in 1794. By 1894 Highbury House and its remaining grounds became a school. Finally in 1938 Highbury House was demolished and is now the site of Eton House flats (on Leigh Road), built by the Old Etonian Housing Association in 1939.

Highbury Barn

Highbury Barn, 1819.

After the Manor house had been destroyed in 1381, the grange and barn remained on the east side of the track that ran south to Hopping Lane, now St Paul’s Road, roughly on the line of Highbury Park / Highbury Grove (the A1201). In 1740 a small ale and cake house was opened in the Barn, Highbury.
In 1770 William Willoughby took over Highbury Barn and greatly increased its popularity. He expanded its size and facilities, taking over land and buildings from the farm next door, reaching beyond what is now Kelvin Road and created a bowling green, trap-ball grounds and gardens. It could cater for company dinners of 2,000 people, concerts and dancing and became one of the most popular venues in London.
In 1854 events at the annual balls in the grounds of the Barn included the aeronaut Charles Green's balloon ascent. By 1865 there was a huge dancing platform, a rebuilt theatre, high-wire acts, pantomime, music hall and the original Siamese twins. The Barn became the victim of its own success. After a riot led by students from Bart’s Hospital in 1869, locals complained about the Barn’s increasingly riotous and bawdy clientele. This led to a court case and in 1871 authorities revoked the Barn’s dancing licence.
By 1794 Highbury consisted of Highbury House and Highbury Hill House, Highbury Barn and the gated terraces of Highbury Terrace and Highbury Place, which had been built on land leased by John Dawes. Highbury may have stayed this way, as the plan was to create a 250 acre (1 km²) park – Albert Park – between St Paul's Road/Balls Pond Road and the Seven Sisters Road. Instead a 27.5 acre (111,000 m²) site, which is now Highbury Fields was saved in 1869 and the 115 acre (465,000 m²) Finsbury Park were created. The rest of the area was developed.
The majority of the development of the area occurred in two phases; until the 1870s many large Italianate villas were built, mostly in the southern part of Highbury. After this time, development went down market with close packed mostly terraced houses being built, mainly in the north of Highbury. Available land continued to be in-filled with more housing until 1918, but little else changed until after World War II.
Highbury was bombed during the Blitz and again by V-1 flying bombs. For example, on June 27, 1944, a V-1 destroyed Highbury Corner, killing 26 people and injuring 150. Highbury Corner had an impressive station and hotel; it was never rebuilt and was planted with trees and grass and is now the centre of a traffic roundabout. A red plaque mounted on a building wall overlooking the roundabout, commemorates this event.
After the Second World War large-scale rebuilding in parts of Highbury replaced bombed buildings and provided new municipal housing. Some villas that had not been modernised were demolished to make way for yet more municipal housing; some buildings had to be listed to protect them. Following the property boom in the early 1980s, there has been some gentrification in the area and the council has begun selling some of the grand villas to private developers who have the finances to restore them, e.g. in 2004 Islington council sold four buildings on Highbury New Park to developers for £1 million each.
In 1913 Woolwich Arsenal Football Club moved north to Highbury, dropping Woolwich from its name. Their chairman Sir Henry Norris took a 20 year lease on part of the grounds of St John’s Hall for £20,000. The new Arsenal Stadium (also called Highbury) was built there. St John’s Hall, originally called Highbury College (of Divinity), was built in 1825 on what is now Aubert Park and was a grand ionic-style building, reminiscent of the British Museum. St John’s Hall burnt down in 1946 and was replaced by a block of flats.
The club prospered and by 1925 had purchased the freehold. Arsenal's subsequent success made Highbury well known, although this had a depressing effect on nearby housing. In 2006 the club moved to a new stadium on the west side of Drayton Park in Holloway and the old ground and some of its stands were converted to residential dwellings.

Highbury in the arts

Highbury was home to a movie/TV/recording studio, which was established at 65A Highbury New Park with a related training school next door in a disused church hall. The studios were built in 1890, originally as a music conservatoire, then a recording studio in 1926 for the Piccadilly label. In 1933 they became the Highbury (film) Studios and in 1945 they were acquired by the Rank Organisation. Due to economic difficulties, Rank closed the studios down and they were demolished in 1960. Athenaeum Court, a block of flats, now occupies the site.

The following books and films feature parts of Highbury:
The book A London Family 1870-1900 by Molly Hughes, ISBN 0-19-282896-7. In particular it mentions Highbury New Park.

The film Killing Her Softly was partially filmed on Highbury New Park.

The film Fever Pitch was filmed around the Arsenal stadium and along Highbury Hill.

The film Four Weddings and a Funeral begins with Hugh Grant trying to hail a taxi at Highbury Corner and ends in front of the houses that run along the edge of Highbury Fields.

The film The Arsenal Stadium Mystery was filmed in and around the Arsenal stadium.

The poem Summoned by Bells by John Betjeman. This verse autobiography mentions Highbury several times, including St Saviours Church on Aberdeen Park, which he used to attend. St Saviours closed in 1980 and is now an art studio.

Highbury is where the fictional comedy character Mr Bean lives.

Writer Alan Moore recorded a 'beat seance' in and about Highbury, titled 'The Highbury Working'.

In the early 70's a drama was filmed by the BBC called "The House on Highbury Hill".

Highbury is mentioned in Vanity Fair, the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray; in chapter 4, the Sedleys are said to be going "to dine with Alderman Balls, at Highbury Barn."

The novel Emma by Jane Austen is set in a village called Highbury, though located in Surrey. Highbury is mentioned in The Fire Sermon, part III of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land: "Highbury bore me. Richmond and Kew / Undid me."

Places in Emma: Southend-ON-Sea

2009-06-12T00:11:00.000-07:00

Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated within the Thames Gateway on the north side of the Thames estuary 40 miles (64 km) east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point.

History

Originally the south end of the village of Prittlewell, Southend became a seaside resort during the Georgian era. Proximity to London and access by train meant the economy has been based on tourism ever since. Southend Pier is the world's longest pleasure pier at 1.34 miles (2158m). It has suffered fires and ship collisions, most recently in October 2005, but the basic pier structure has been repaired each time. There has been significant loss of pier-head facilities since the major fire in 1976.
With the decline of seaside resorts, from the 1960s much of the centre was developed for commerce and many of the original features were destroyed through redevelopment or neglect. H.M. Revenue & Customs (HMRC), (formerly HM Customs and Excise), are major employers, and the central offices for the collection of VAT are there. Southend opened the University of Essex, Southend to boost the economy.
There are nine railway stations on two lines within the borough connecting it to London.

Governance
Southend-on-Sea was formed as a municipal borough in 1892 with the functions of local government shared with Essex County Council. In 1913 the borough was enlarged by the former area of Leigh on Sea Urban District. In 1914 the enlarged Southend gained the status of county borough, exempt from county council control and a single-tier of local government. The county borough was enlarged in 1933 by the former area of Shoeburyness Urban District and part of Rochford Rural District.
In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Southend became a district of Essex with borough status, however in 1998 it again became the single tier of local government when it became a unitary authority.
Seventeen wards each return three councillors, a total of 51. Councillors serve four years and one third of the council is elected each year, followed by one year without election. Following the 2007 local elections and a 2007 by-election, the composition isEntertainment and culture

Seafront attractions

Southend Pier Autumn 2007

The town is known for its seafront. Since 1986, a diesel-hydraulic railway has run the length of pier, replacing the electric service which opened in 1890. The pier has been beset by fires; a fire in 1995 destroyed the bowling alley at the start of the pier and a another fire in October 2005 damaged the far end of the pier. The pier was also run through by a boat in 1984.
The Kursaal was one of the earliest theme parks, built at the start of the 20th century. It closed in the 1970s and much of the land was developed as housing. The entrance hall, a listed building, is a bowling alley arcade operated by Megabowl and casino.

An amusement park, formerly known as Peter Pan's Playground, straddles the pier entrance. Peter Pan's Playground was eventually renamed Adventure Island as its size and popularity grew, and has since grown into a large amusement park with over 50 rides. The seafront also houses the "Sea-Life Adventure" aquarium, owned by the Miller family, who also own Adventure Island.
The cliff gardens, which included Never Never Land and Victorian bandstand were an attraction until slippage in 2003 made parts of the cliffs unstable, and the bandstand has been removed. The council wants to re-erect the bandstand but a location has to be found.
A cliff lift links the base of the High Street with the new pier entrance. The older Southend Cliff Railway, a short funicular, is a few hundred metres away, closed because structural and mechanical work needs to be done in order to meet European Union legislation which classes it as a cable car.
On the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, Southend hosts a farmers' market.
Festival eventsStarting in 1986, An airshow, dubbed Festival of the Air in 2009, takes place each May. At the show - one of Europe's largest free airshows - aircraft including high-speed military jets and sports aerobatic displays fly over the sea, parallel with the seafront. The RAF Falcons parachute display team and RAF Red Arrows jet aerobatics team are regular visitors to the show.
Looking back 1 mile to the sea front

Each August Southend Carnival opens along the "Golden Mile" with the lighting of the Southend Illuminations.
There are three theatres. The Cliffs Pavilion is a large building to host concerts and performances on ice. The most recent theatre is the New Empire Theatre. It is, unlike the other two, privately owned. It is used more by amateur groups. The theatre was converted from the ABC Cinema, which was originally a theatre built in 1896. The Edwardian Palace Theatre is a grade II building built in 1912. It shows plays from professional troupes and repertory groups, as well as comedy acts. The theatre has two circles and the steepest rake in Britain. Part of the theatre was a smaller venue called The Dixon Studio.
The establishment of Junk Club By The Horrors Rhys Webb and Oliver Abbott (Von Blitz) aided by Ciaran O'Shea, in the basement of the Royal Hotel in 2002, created a 'Southend scene' featured in NME, Rolling Stone and Vogue. Bands associated with the scene included The Horrors, These New Puritans, The Violets, Errorplains and Neils Children. Junk terminated in 2006. The Experimental Circle Club, set up by Thomas Silverman and Junk's Ciaran O'Shea, operates in Southend and London. Chinnery's is a music venue that has featured Arctic Monkeys, Zebrahead and Lost Prophets.
Southend is known for electronic music. The town has venues at the commercial and underground ends of the spectrum. The biggest underground music venue is the Royal Hotel which features house, techno, dubstep, breaks and electro. The Sunrooms champion all creative music.
Bands that originate from Southend include; Procol Harum, The Horrors, The Kursaal Flyers, These New Puritans, Ipso Facto, Scroobius Pip, Zior, and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
In 1981, Southend became the home of Essex Radio, which broadcast from studios below Clifftown Road. In 2004, the renamed Essex FM moved to studios in Chelmsford.
On the 28 March 2008, Southend got its own radio station for the first time, Southend Radio started broadcasting on 105.1FM from purpose built studios adjacent to the Adventure Island theme park.

Notable people

James Bourne, singer/guitarist in Son of Dork and previously in Busted.

Gary Brooker, lead singer of Procol Harum

Kevin Bowyer, concert organist

Emma Chambers, actress

Nathalie Emmanuel, actress Hollyoaks

Brian Cleeve, author and broadcaster

Jonathan Clements, author

Phil Cornwell, actor and impressionist

Tina Cousins, singer

Gemma Craven, actress

Danielle Dax, musician, actress and performance artist

Warwick Deeping, author

Warren Ellis, graphic novelist

Lee Evans, comedian

John Fowles, author

Benjamin Grosvenor, BBC Young Musician of the Year Finalist

John Hutton, politician

Daniel Jones, musician, producer and former member of Savage Garden

Phill Jupitus, comedian

Mickey Jupp, musician

Dominic Littlewood, TV presenter of several programmes, most notably To Buy or Not to Buy John Lloyd, former British tennis number one

Mike Guy, former Hungarian football player, 3 times NB1 winner

Robert Lloyd, opera singer

Lee Mead, musical theatre actor and winner of the BBC show Any Dream Will Do on 9

Helen Mirren, actress

Dicky Moore, singer/songwriter, guitarist in Scritti Politti

Annabel Port, broadcaster

Spencer Prior, former Southend United and Derby County footballer

Rachel Riley, Countdown co-presenter (from January 2009 onwards)

Joy Sarney, singer and one-hit wonder

Jake Shillingford, singer/songwriter, founder of My Life Story

Peter Taylor, football manager

Kara Tointon, actress (plays Dawn Swann in EastEnders)

Robin Trower, rock-blues guitarist

Matthew Cutler, ballroom dancer and professional on Strictly Come Dancing

Ron Martin, Southend United chairman 1998-present

Tris Vonna Michell, artist

Places in Emma: Box Hill Surrey

2009-06-11T02:03:00.000-07:00

'These fields may be bought now, or they may be built over; which is it to be?' Octavia Hill asked this question in 1875 during a determined effort to save Swiss Cottage Fields as an open space in London. The campaign failed, but in January 1895 Octavia Hill was one of three conservationists who founded a private charity dedicated to acquiring and protecting beautiful and historic countryside, coastline and buildings. They called it the National Trust. At 193 metres (634 feet), it is prominent in the landscape, standing at the corner of one of the few big gaps in the otherwise unbroken line of the North Downs. Since Roman times all lines of communication have had to pass through the gap carved by the River Mole right beside Box Hill: the Roman Stane, or 'Stone', Street, linking the then seaport of Chichester with London, crossed the River Mole by a ford; and that was followed by the carriageways, the stagecoach routes, the railway and the present-day roads.
... it's a greate height and shows you a vast precipice down on the farther side and such a vast vale full of woods, enclosures and little towns: there is a very good river that runs by a little town called Darken [Dorking] just at the foote of this hill, very famous for good troutts and great store of fish, on this hill the top is cover'd with box, whence its name proceeds ... Celia Fiennes 1694 People have visited Box Hill for centuries.
The seventeenth-century diarist John Evelyn, who lived nearby for a time, noted on 27 August 1655: 'I went... to Box Hill to see those rare natural bowers, cabinets and shady walkes in the box coppses ... there are such goodly walkes and hills shaded with yew and box as render the place extreamely agreeable, it seeming to be summer all the winter for many miles prospect.' But it is clear that other visitors were not just attracted by the natural beauty of the place. Daniel Defoe observed in A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain (1724-6) that 'here every Sunday, during the summer season, there used to be a rendezvous of coaches and horsemen, with abundance of gentlemen and ladies from Epsome to take the air, and walk in the boxwoods; and in a word, divert, or debauch, or perhaps both, as they thought fit, and the game increased so much, that it began almost on a sudden, to make a great noise in the county.'
To the Victorians it was literally a breath of fresh air, and the advent of the railway in 1849 made easy access possible for large numbers of people. They came to walk, cycle, picnic and admire the views and their surroundings. Box Hill is so close to London that it still draws around a million visitors a year. In 1971 it was declared an official Country Park, a measure that was intended to protect countryside near cities and give people a chance to enjoy the open air. Box Hill is one of the best-known summits of the North Downs, the chalk ridge which runs from the Hampshire border, eastwards through Surrey and Kent to the Straits of Dover. Hilaire Belloc, who loved the North Downs, described Box Hill as 'the strongest and most simple of our southern hills'; and there is certainly something elemental about it.
Box Hill was not always known as such The geographer William Camden referred to it in 1586 as 'White Hill' and it is easy to see why. The whole of south-east England was once covered by a huge dome of chalk which, over the last two million years, has been eroded to form two ridges: the North and South Downs.
At Box Hill the true chalk soils can be found on the escarpment and the sides of the valleys where characteristic downland plants flourish On the top of the hill is an 'icing' ofclay- with-flints, which supports a mixed woodland - predominantly oak and beech - and different plant communities.
The 120-metre-high (394 feet) sheer chalk escarpment has been cut away by the River Mole as it flows unceasingly at the base of Box Hill. Still known as 'The Whites',it is the finest natural river cliff in the county, if not in southern Britain. And on it grows truly ancient box woodland that has certainly survived since the end of the last ice age and may well have existed before then. The Whites is a sanctuary for these native box trees, offering them hot. dry growing conditions which few other British trees would tolerate. It has 40 per cent of all the naturally occurring box woods in ] the UK. Chalk has certain characteristics which ; add to the peculiar charm of Box Hill To '' the north of the scarp, the hill is deeply [trenched with a series of dry valleys or combes running down to the Headley Little Switzerland Valley, part of an old tributary system of the River Mole Over time the river's natural drainage has subsided to lower levels underground in the porous chalk, leaving no surface streams in the original narrow, steep-sided drainage valleys.
Largely due to the nature of the rock, which is easily eroded, this is a land-scape of soft and smooth curves, of dazzling whiteness (on almost every slope there are patches of bare chalk not covered by vegetation and exposed to the weathering action of rain and frost) and of lush greenness. Chalk rarely dries out, which is why the downland vegetation remains fresh and green when plants on other types of soil are parched with drought. It has even been suggested that there is some quality in chalk which lends a vividness of colour not seen in the flowers of other rocks, this being particularly noticeable in hawk weed rock rose, bird's-foot trefoil, milkwort, squmancywort and dwarf thistle. Near Box Hill the chalk can be observed at close quarters in a number of quarries, not least Surrey County Council's Brockham limeworks. Here, in the main heavy industry of the North Downs, chalk was quarried and burnt in kilns to produce lime and cement. The quarry, which can be seen from the Long Walk, is no longer used for lime extraction and is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but the scars that are left show the structure of the rock in dramatic fashion: as well as being minutely porous, it is cracked and separated all over into layers. It is this network of cracks and fissures which gives the chalk its great capacity for underground water storage.
... the current of the river being much obstructed by the interposition of those hills, called Box-Hill ... it forces the waters as it were to find their way through as well as they can; and in order to do this, beginning, I say, where the river comes close to the foot of the precipice of Box-Hill, called the Stomacher, the waters sink insensibly away, and in some places are to be seen (and I have seen them) little channels which go out on the sides of the river, where the water in a stream not so big as would fill a pipe of a quarter of an inch diameter, trills away out of the river, and sinks insensibly into the ground. In this manner it goes away, lessening the stream for above a mile, near two, and these they call the Swallows.
Today we know more about swallow holes, which occur only in limestone rocks, of which chalk is a form. As Defoe explains, they are holes or cracks in the river bed or river banks through which river water passes into underground channels, so diminishing the flow of the river. The average flow of the Mole above Burford Bridge is 63 million gallons a day, while at Leatherhead, down- stream, it is 55 million gallons: eight million gallons have therefore disappeared some- where along the way, the major part of which must go down the swallows. This leakage from the river goes on all year round, but in the summer the surface stream occasionally disappears completely. The bed of the Mole is then dry, except for a few residual pools, from Ham Bank near Norbury Park to a point near Leatherhead, where water emerges again into the river bed from a series of springs.
There are many subsidence holes, some old and some more recent, at the foot of Box Hill and elsewhere in the valley. In 1940 a medium-sized oak tree dropped without warning into a chasm behind a house in Mickleham. Apart from such odd happenings, the river valley holds other secrets. The elusive kingfisher may be seen at the foot of The Whites where the river is fordable by means of stepping stones. The same area harbours grey and pied wagtails, as well as moorhen, mallard and the gaudy semi-wild mandarin duck. Wild mink have been reported and, even more bizarrely, a small colony of the rose-winged parakeet has become established near the river. Box Hill from Denbies Hill. The River Mole winds between the trees at the base of the escarpment The River'Mole is something of an enigma. According to one school of thought, its name derives from its habit of burrowing underground, like its animal namesake. Others argue that in the Middle Ages the Mole was known as the Ernlyn Stream and its present name stems from Molesey where the river joins the Thames.Daniel Defoe, who lived in the neighbourhood for a time in the early eighteenth century, recorded his detailed observations of the River Mole in A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain.

Jane Austen

Excursions from Great Bookham to nearby Box Hill had a most definite impact on Jane Austen's fifth novel, Emma, which was published in 1816. At a critical point in the narrative, the wooded hill with the striking views is the setting for a picnic organised by Mrs Eiton.
'Emma had never been to Box Hill ... she wished to see what everybody found so much worth seeing.' But the outing is not a success, being marred from the start by 'a languor, a want of spirits, a want of union, which could not be got over.... even Emma grew tired at last of flattery and merriment, and wished herself rather walking quietly about with any of the others, or sitting almost alone, and quite unattended to, in tranquil observation of the beautiful views beneath her.'
She makes the journey home in tears. It is not known whether Jane Austen ever met Fanny Bumey, though it is just conceivable. Jane Austen, born in 1775, was several times a visitor to Great Bookham, where her cousin Cassandra was married to the rector Samuel Cooke. Whether or not they did meet, the younger woman seems to have been an admirer of the older, for Jane Austen's name appeared on the subscription list to Camilla. Possibly too the title of her best-known novel Pride and Prejudice was taken from the last paragraph of Camilla, where the words are repeated three times in capital letters.
Fanny Burney
'We are now removed to a very small house in the suburbs of a very small village called Bookham,' wrote Fanny Burney to a friend about four months after her marriage to Alexandre d'Arblay in 1793. 'Our views are not as beautiful as from Phenice Farm [on nearby Bagdon Hill, where the newlyweds had taken rooms for a time], but our situation is totally free from neighbours and intrusion. We are about a mile and a half from Norbury Park [home of her friend, William Lock], and two miles from Mickleham. I am become already so stout a walker, by use and with the help of a very able supporter, that I go to those places and return home on foot without fatigue, when the weather is kind.' Fanny Burney now returned to writing in earnest, starting work on her third novel, Camilla, in order to support herself and her husband, who had no income, being cut off from his property in France. Born in 1752, she had achieved fame at quite a young age with her first novel, Evelina, or a Young Lady's Entrance into the World, which in 1778 had taken London by storm.
Dr Johnson said that some passages might do honour to Samuel Richardson. Sir Joshua Reynolds took the book to the dinner table and was so absorbed that he had to be fed while reading, after which both he and Edmund Burke sat up over it all night. Her second novel, Cecilia (1782), enjoyed the same success and even greater sales, though the publisher did rather better from the profits than the author. Married existence in the sleepy littlevillage of Great Bookham seems to have ; suited Fanny Burney. 'Here,' she wrote, 'we are tranquil, undisturbed, and undisturbing.
Men of lettersI am every morning at the top of Box Hill - as its flower, its bird, its prophet. I drop down the moon on one side, I draw up the sun on t'other. I breathe fine air. I shout ha ha to the gates of the world. Then I descend and know myself a donkey for doing it. George Meredith Of all the many literary figures associated with Box Hill, none had a better feel for the place than the novelist and poet George Meredith. From 1867 until his death at the age of 81 in 1909, he lived in a flint and brick house built off the Zig-Zag road at the bottom of the hill. Nine years after he moved into Flint Cottage Meredith added a small timber-boarded chalet high up in the steep garden behind the house where he did much of his writing and even sometimes slept. There was also a shed for Picnic, the donkey. 'Anything grander than the days and nights in my porch you will not find away from the Alps: for the dark line of my hill runs up to the stars, the valley below is a soundless gulf. There pace like a shipman before turning in.
In the day with the south west blowing I have a brilliant universe rolling up to me.' Meredith was a great lover of country things and an energetic walker who rambled many miles over the Surrey countryside. Even at the age of 61, he was fit enough to join the Order of Sunday Tramps, an early rambling club. He describes the downland vividly in one of his most popular novels, Diana of the Crossways (1885): Through an old gravel cutting a gateway led to the turf of the down, spring turf, bordered on a long line, clear as a racecourse, by golden gorse covers, and leftward over the gorse the dark ridge of the fir and heath country ran companionably to the south west, the valley between, with undulations of wood and meadow sunned or shaded, clumps and mounds, promontories, away to the broad spaces of tillage banked by wooded hills, and dimmer beyond and farther, the faintest shadowiness of heights, as a veil to the illimitable. Yews, junipers, radiant beeches, and gleams of service-tree or the whitebeam, spotted the semicircle of swelling green down black and silver.
After Meredith's death, J.M. Barrie (author of Peter Pan) wrote a fanciful essay in which he imagined the old man sitting on the crest of the hill which rises in front of Flint Cottage, chuckling at the sight of his own funeral cortege solemnly accompanying an empty coffin to the cemetery at Dorking. Barrie himself is commemorated by Barrie's Bank, just outside Flint Cottage, where the playwright is said to have sat before daring to approach the great writer. Others who made the pilgrimage to Flint Cottage included George Gissing and Henry James; and the critic and caricaturist Max Beerbohm lived there for a time during the Second World War. In 1878 and 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson stayed at the Burford Bridge Hotel, at the foot of Box Hill beside the River Mole. On the second visit Meredith read him parts of his masterpiece The Egoist, and, when Stevenson exclaimed that the character of Sir Willoughby Patteme must have been modelled on himself, made his famous reply: 'I've taken him from all of us, but principally from myself.'

Places in Emma: Bath

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Bath (pronounced /ˈbɑːθ/) is a city in the ceremonial county of Somerset in the south west of England. It is situated 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Bristol. The population of the city is 83,992. It was granted city status by Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1590, and was made a county borough in 1889 which gave it administrative independence from its county, Somerset. The city became part of Avon when that county was created in 1974. Since 1996, when Avon was abolished, Bath has been the principal centre of the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES).

The city was founded, among surrounding hills, in the valley of the River Avon around naturally occurring hot springs (the only ones in the United Kingdom, using the common definition of a spring with water above average human body temperature) where the Romans built baths and a temple, giving it the name Aquae Sulis. Edgar was crowned king of England at Bath Abbey in 973. Much later, it became popular as a spa resort during the Georgian era, which led to a major expansion that left a heritage of exemplary Georgian architecture crafted from Bath Stone.
As City of Bath the city became a World Heritage Site in 1987. The city has a variety of theatres, museums, and other cultural and sporting venues, which have helped to make it a major centre for tourism, with over one million staying visitors and 3.8 million day visitors to the city each year. The city has two universities and several schools and colleges. There is a large service sector and growing information and communication technologies and creative industries, providing employment for the population of Bath and the surrounding area.

History

Celtic and Roman

The Great Bath at the Roman Baths.

The entire structure above the level of the pillar bases is a later reconstruction.Main article: Aquae SulisArchaeological evidence shows that the site of the Roman Baths' main spring was treated as a shrine by the Celts, and was dedicated to the goddess Sulis, whom the Romans identified with Minerva; however, the name Sulis continued to be used after the Roman invasion, leading to the town's Roman name of Aquae Sulis (literally, "the waters of Sulis"). Messages to her scratched onto metal, known as curse tablets, have been recovered from the Sacred Spring by archaeologists. These curse tablets were written in Latin, and usually laid curses on people by whom the writer felt they had been wronged. For example, if a citizen had his clothes stolen at the baths, he would write a curse, naming the suspects, on a tablet to be read by the Goddess Sulis Minerva.
The temple was constructed in 60–70 AD and the bathing complex was gradually built up over the next 300 years. During the Roman occupation of Britain, and possibly on the instructions of Emperor Claudius, engineers drove oak piles into the mud to provide a stable foundation and surrounded the spring with an irregular stone chamber lined with lead. In the 2nd century, the spring was enclosed within a wooden barrel-vaulted building, which housed the calidarium (hot bath), tepidarium (warm bath), and frigidarium (cold bath). The city was given defensive walls, probably in the 3rd century.] After the Roman withdrawal in the first decade of the 5th century, the baths fell into disrepair and were eventually lost due to silting up.

Post-Roman and Saxon

The Nävelsjö runestone commemorating a Viking who died in Bath.

Bath may have been the site of the Battle of Mons Badonicus (c. 500 AD), where King Arthur is said to have defeated the Saxons, although this is disputed. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle mentions Bath falling to the West Saxons in 577 after the Battle of Deorham. The Anglo-Saxons called the town Baðum, Baðan or Baðon, meaning "at the baths," and this was the source of the present name. In 675, Osric, King of the Hwicce, set up a monastic house at Bath, probably using the walled area as its precinct. The Anglo-Saxon poem known as The Ruin may describe the appearance of the Roman site about this time. King Offa of Mercia gained control of this monastery in 781 and rebuilt the church, which was dedicated to St. Peter. By the 9th century the old Roman street pattern had been lost and Bath had become a royal possession, with King Alfred laying out the town afresh, leaving its south-eastern quadrant as the abbey precinct. Edgar of England was crowned king of England in Bath Abbey in 973.

Norman, Medieval and Tudor

Bath Abbey From The Roman Baths Gallery

King William Rufus granted the city to a royal physician, John of Tours, who became Bishop of Wells and Abbot of Bath in 1088. It was papal policy for bishops to move to more urban seats, and he translated his own from Wells to Bath. He planned and began a much larger church as his cathedral, to which was attached a priory, with the bishop's palace beside it. New baths were built around the three springs. However, later bishops returned the episcopal seat to Wells, while retaining the name of Bath in their title as the Bishop of Bath and Wells.
By the 15th century, Bath's abbey church was badly dilapidated and in need of repairs. Oliver King, Bishop of Bath and Wells, decided in 1500 to rebuild it on a smaller scale. The new church was completed just a few years before Bath Priory was dissolved in 1539 by Henry VIII. The abbey church was allowed to become derelict before being restored as the city's parish church in the Elizabethan period, when the city experienced a revival as a spa. The baths were improved and the city began to attract the aristocracy. Bath was granted city status by Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1590.

Early modern

The Circus

During the English Civil War, the Battle of Lansdowne was fought on 5 July 1643 on the northern outskirts of the city. Thomas Guidott, who had been a student of chemistry and medicine at Wadham College Oxford, moved to Bath and set up practice in 1668. He became interested in the curative properties of the waters and he wrote A discourse of Bathe, and the hot waters there. Also, Some Enquiries into the Nature of the water in 1676. This brought the health-giving properties of the hot mineral waters to the attention of the country and soon the aristocracy started to arrive to partake in them.

The Royal Crescent from the air: Georgian taste favoured the regularity of Bath's streets and squares and the contrast with adjacent rural nature.

Several areas of the city underwent development during the Stuart period, and this increased during Georgian times in response to the increasing number of visitors to the spa and resort town who required accommodation. The architects John Wood the elder and his son John Wood the younger laid out the new quarters in streets and squares, the identical façades of which gave an impression of palatial scale and classical decorum. Much of the creamy gold Bath stone which was used for construction throughout the city, was obtained from the limestone Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines, which were owned by Ralph Allen (1694–1764). Allen, in order to advertise the quality of his quarried limestone, commissioned the elder John Wood to build him a country house on his Prior Park estate between the city and the mines. He was also responsible for improving and expanding the postal service in western England, for which he held the contract for over forty years. Though not fond of politics, Allen was a civic-minded man, and served as a member of the Bath Corporation for many years. He was elected Mayor of the city for a single term, in 1742, at age 50.
The early 18th century saw Bath acquire its first purpose-built theatre, the Theatre Royal, along with the pump room attached to the Roman Baths and assembly rooms. Master of Ceremonies Beau Nash, who presided over the city's social life from 1705 until his death in 1761, drew up a code of behaviour for public entertainments.

Late modern
The population of the city had reached 40,020 by the time of the 1801 census, making it one of the largest cities in Britain. William Thomas Beckford bought a house in Lansdown Crescent in 1822, eventually buying a further two houses in the crescent to form his residence. Having acquired all the land between his home and the top of Lansdown Hill, he created a garden over half a mile in length and built Beckford's Tower at the top.
Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia spent the four years of his exile, from 1936 to 1940, at Fairfield House in Bath. During World War II, between the evening of 25 April and the early morning of 27 April 1942, Bath suffered three air raids in reprisal for RAF raids on the German cities of Lübeck and Rostock, part of the Luftwaffe campaign popularly known as the Baedeker Blitz. Over 400 people were killed, and more than 19,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Houses in the Royal Crescent, Circus and Paragon were burnt out along with the Assembly Rooms, while the south side of Queen Square was destroyed. All have since been reconstructed, and regeneration work is continuing. Since 2000, developments have included the Bath Spa, SouthGate and the Bath Western Riverside project.

Governance

Coat of arms of the City of Bath

Historically part of the county of Somerset, Bath was made a county borough in 1889 and hence independent of the newly created administrative Somerset county council. Bath became part of Avon when that non-metropolitan county was created in 1974. Since the abolition of Avon in 1996, Bath has been the main centre of the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). Bath remains, however, in the ceremonial county of Somerset, though not within the administrative non-metropolitan county of Somerset.
The City of Bath's ceremonial functions, including the mayoralty – which can be traced back to 1230 – and control of the coat of arms, are now maintained by the Charter Trustees of the City of Bath. The coat of arms includes two silver strips, which represent the River Avon and the hot springs. The sword of St. Paul is a link to Bath Abbey. The supporters, a lion and a bear, stand on a bed of acorns, a link to Bladud, the subject of the Legend of Bath. The knight's helmet indicates a municipality and the crown is that of King Edgar.
Before the Reform Act 1832 Bath elected two members to the unreformed House of Commons. Bath now has a single parliamentary constituency, with Liberal Democrat Don Foster as Member of Parliament. His election was a notable result of the 1992 general election, as Chris Patten, the previous Member (and a Cabinet Minister) played a major part, as Chairman of the Conservative Party, in getting the government of John Major re-elected, but failed to defend his marginal seat in Bath. Don Foster has been re-elected as the MP for Bath in every election since. His majority was significantly reduced from over 9,000 in both the 1997 and 2001 general elections to 4,638 in 2005.
The electoral wards of the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority within Bath are:
Abbey, Bathwick, Combe Down, Kingsmead, Lambridge, Lansdown, Lyncombe, Newbridge, Odd Down, Oldfield, Southdown, Twerton, Walcot, Westmoreland, Weston and WidcombeBath became the leading centre of fashionable life in England during the 18th century. It was during this time that Bath's Theatre Royal was built, as well as architectural developments such as Lansdown Crescent, the Royal Crescent, The Circus and Pulteney Bridge.
Today, Bath has five theatres – Bath Theatre Royal, Ustinov Studio, the egg, the Rondo Theatre, and the Mission Theatre – and attracts internationally renowned companies and directors, including an annual season by Sir Peter Hall. The city also has a long-standing musical tradition; Bath Abbey is home to the Klais Organ and is the largest concert venue in the city, with about 20 concerts and 26 organ recitals each year. Another important concert venue is the Forum, a 1,700-seat art deco building which originated as a cinema. The city holds the Bath International Music Festival and Mozartfest every year. Other festivals include the annual Bath Film Festival, Bath Literature Festival (and its counterpart for children), the Bath Fringe Festival and the Bath Beer Festival, and the Bach Festivals which occur at two and a half year intervals.
The city is home to the Victoria Art Gallery, the Museum of East Asian Art, and Holburne Museum of Art, numerous commercial art galleries and antique shops, as well as numerous museums, among them Bath Postal Museum, the Fashion Museum, the Jane Austen Centre, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy and the Roman Baths. The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, now in Queen Square, and founded in 1824 on the base of a 1777 Society for the encouragement of Agriculture, Planting, Manufactures, Commerce and the Fine Arts, has an important collection and holds a programme of talks and discussions

During the 18th century

Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Thomas Lawrence lived and worked in Bath. John Maggs, a painter best known for his coaching scenes, was born and lived in Bath with his artistic family. William Friese-Greene began experimenting with celluloid and motion pictures in his studio in Bath in the 1870s, developing some of the earliest movie camera technology there. He is credited as the inventor of cinematography.
Jane Austen lived in the city from 1801 with her father, mother and sister Cassandra, and the family resided in the city at four successive addresses until 1806. However, Jane Austen never liked the city, and wrote to her sister Cassandra, "It will be two years tomorrow since we left Bath for Clifton, with what happy feelings of escape." Despite these feelings, Bath has honoured her name with the Jane Austen Centre and a city walk. Austen's later Northanger Abbey and Persuasion are largely set in the city and feature descriptions of taking the waters, social life, and music recitals.

Taking the waters is also described in Charles Dickens' novel The Pickwick Papers in which Pickwick's servant, Sam Weller, comments that the water has "a very strong flavour o' warm flat irons", while the Royal Crescent is the venue for a chase between two of the characters, Dowler and Winkle.

Moyra Caldecott's novel The Waters of Sul is set in Roman Bath in 72 AD.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play The Rivals takes place in the city, as does Roald Dahl's chilling short-story, The Landlady.
Many films and television programmes have been filmed in Bath including: the 2004 film of Thackeray's Vanity Fair, The Duchess (2008), The Elusive Pimpernel (1950) and The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953).
In August 2003 the Three Tenors sang at a special concert to mark the opening of the Thermae Bath Spa, a new hot water spa in Bath City Centre; delays to the project meant the spa actually opened three years later on 7 August 2006.

Parks

Parks Parade Gardens in July after a rain shower

The city has several public parks, the main one being Royal Victoria Park, which is a short walk from the centre of the city. It was opened in 1830 by an 11-year-old Princess Victoria, and was the first park to carry her name. The park is overlooked by the Royal Crescent and consists of 57 acres with a variety of attractions. These include a skateboard ramp, tennis courts, bowling, a putting green and a 12- and 18-hole golf course, a pond, open air concerts, and a popular children's play area. Much of its area is lawn; a notable feature is the way in which a ha-ha segregates it from the Royal Crescent, while giving the impression to a viewer from the Crescent of a greensward uninterrupted across the Park down to Royal Avenue. It has received a "Green Flag award", the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales, and is registered by English Heritage as a Park of National Historic Importance. The 9 acres botanical garden were formed in 1887 and contain one of the finest collections of plants on limestone in the West Country. The replica of a Roman Temple was used at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924. In 1987 the gardens were extended to include the Great Dell, a disused quarry that was formally part of the park, which contains a large collection of conifers.
Other parks in Bath include: Alexandra Park, which crowns a hill and overlooks the city; Parade Gardens, along the river front near the Abbey in the centre of the city; Sydney Gardens, known as a pleasure-garden in the 18th century; Henrietta Park; Hedgemead Park; and Alice Park. Jane Austen wrote of Sydney Gardens that "It would be pleasant to be near the Sydney Gardens. We could go into the Labyrinth every day." Alexandra, Alice and Henrietta parks were built into the growing city among the housing developments. There is also a linear park following the old Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway line.

Food

Sally Lunn's, home of the Sally Lunn Bun

Bath is linked to a variety of foods that are distinctive in their association with the city. The Sally Lunn buns (a type of teacake) have long been baked in Bath. They were first mentioned by that name in verses printed in a local newspaper, the Bath Chronicle, in 1772. At that time they were eaten hot at public breakfasts in the city's Spring Gardens. They can be eaten with sweet or savoury toppings. These are sometimes confused with Bath buns which are smaller, round, very sweet, very rich buns that were associated with the city following The Great Exhibition. Bath buns were originally topped with crushed comfits created by dipping caraway seeds repeatedly in boiling sugar; but today seeds are added to a 'London Bath Bun' (a reference to the bun's promotion and sale at the Great Exhibition). The seeds may be replaced by crushed sugar granules or 'nibs'.
Bath has also lent its name to one other distinctive recipe – Bath Olivers – the dry baked biscuit invented by Dr William Oliver, physician to the Mineral Water Hospital in 1740. Oliver was an early anti-obesity campaigner and the author of a "Practical Essay on the Use and Abuse of warm Bathing in Gluty Cases". In more recent years, Oliver's efforts have been traduced by the introduction of a version of the biscuit with a plain chocolate coating. The Bath Chap, which is the salted and smoked cheek and jawbones of the pig, takes its name from the city. It is still available from a stall in the daily covered market. Although there is a brewery named Bath Ales, located a few miles away in Warmley, Abbey Ales are brewed in the city.

Architecture

There are many Roman archaeological sites throughout the central area of the city, but most of them are around 15 feet (4.6 m) below the present city street level. Around the hot springs, Roman foundations, pillar bases, and baths can still be seen, however all the stonework above the level of the baths is from more recent periods.
Bath Abbey was a Norman church built on earlier foundations, although the present building dates from the early 16th century and shows a late Perpendicular style with flying buttresses and crocketed pinnacles decorating a crenellated and pierced parapet. The choir and transepts have a fan vault by Robert and William Vertue. The nave was given a matching vault in the 19th century. The building is lit by 52 windows.

The Abbey seen from the east

Most buildings in Bath are made from the local, golden-coloured Bath Stone, and many date from the 18th and 19th century. The dominant style of architecture in Bath is Georgian; this evolved from the Palladian revival style which became popular in the early 18th century. Many of the prominent architects of the day were employed in the development of the city. The original purpose of much of Bath's architecture is concealed by the honey-coloured classical façades; in an era before the advent of the luxury hotel, these apparently elegant residences were frequently purpose-built lodging houses, where visitors could hire a room, a floor, or (according to their means) an entire house for the duration of their visit, and be waited on by the house's communal servants. The masons Reeves of Bath were prominent in the city from the 1770s to 1860s.
"The Circus" consists of three long, curved terraces designed by the elder John Wood to form a circular space or theatre intended for civic functions and games. The games give a clue to the design, the inspiration behind which was the Colosseum in Rome. Like the Colosseum, the three façades have a different order of architecture on each floor: Doric on the ground level, then Ionic on the piano nobile and finishing with Corinthian on the upper floor, the style of the building thus becoming progressively more ornate as it rises. Wood never lived to see his unique example of town planning completed, as he died five days after personally laying the foundation stone on 18 May 1754.

Fan vaulting over the nave at Bath Abbey, Bath, England.

Made from local Bath stone, this is a Victorian restoration (made in the 1860s) of the original roof from 1608The best known of Bath's terraces is the Royal Crescent, built between 1767 and 1774 and designed by the younger John Wood. But all is not what it seems; while Wood designed the great curved façade of what appears to be about 30 houses with Ionic columns on a rusticated ground floor, that was the extent of his input. Each purchaser bought a certain length of the façade, and then employed their own architect to build a house to their own specifications behind it; hence what appears to be two houses is sometimes one. This system of town planning is betrayed at the rear of the crescent: while the front is completely uniform and symmetrical, the rear is a mixture of differing roof heights, juxtapositions and fenestration. This "Queen Anne fronts and Mary-Anne backs" architecture occurs repeatedly in Bath.
Around 1770 the neoclassical architect Robert Adam designed Pulteney Bridge, using as the prototype for the three-arched bridge spanning the Avon an original, but unused, design by Palladio for the Rialto Bridge in Venice. Thus, Pulteney Bridge became not just a means of crossing the river, but also a shopping arcade. Along with the Rialto Bridge, is one of the very few surviving bridges in Europe to serve this dual purpose. It has been substantially altered since it was built. The bridge was named after Frances and William Pulteney, the owners of the Bathwick estate for which the bridge provided a link to the rest of Bath.
The heart of the Georgian city was the Pump Room, which, together with its associated Lower Assembly Rooms, was designed by Thomas Baldwin, a local builder responsible for many other buildings in the city, including the terraces in Argyle Street. Baldwin rose rapidly, becoming a leader in Bath's architectural history. In 1776 he was made the chief City Surveyor, and in 1780 became Bath City Architect. Great Pulteney Street, where he eventually lived, is another of his works: this wide boulevard, constructed circa 1789 and over 1,000 feet (305 m) long and 100 feet (30 m) wide, is lined on both sides by Georgian terraces.
In the 1960s and early 1970s some parts of Bath were unsympathetically redeveloped, resulting in the loss of some 18th- and 19th-century buildings. This process was largely halted by a popular campaign which drew strength from the publication of Adam Fergusson's The Sack of Bath. Controversy has continued in recent years with the demolition of the 1930s Churchill House, a neo-Georgian municipal building originally housing the Electricity Board, to make way for the new Bath Bus Station. The was part of the Southgate redevelopment begun in 2007 in which the central 1960s shopping precinct, bus station and multi-story carpark were demolished and a new area of mock-Georgian shopping streets is being constructed. As a result of the changes the city's status as a World Heritage Site is being reviewed during 2009

Bernard Cornwell: Further Reading

2009-06-10T03:48:00.000-07:00

Suggestions for Further Reading.The Saxon Stories
A note from the author: I'm not listing every book here - some of them are very technical or obscurely academic. The two essential primary sources are 'The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' and Bishop Asser's 'Life of Alfred'

Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources

Authors: Asser

Asser's Life of King Alfred, written in 893, is a revealing account of one of the greatest medieval kings. Composed by a monk of St David's in Wales who became Bishop of Sherborne in Alfred's service and worked with him in his efforts to revive religion and learning in his kingdom, this life is among the earliest surviving royal biographies. It is an admiring account of King Alfred's life, written in absorbing detail – chronicling his battles against Viking invaders and his struggle to increase the strength and knowledge of his people, and to unite them at a time of conflict, uncertainty and war.
In their introduction, Simon Keynes and Michael Lapidge examine Alfred's reign and turbulent times. This edition also includes other contemporary sources, including annals from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, King Alfred's laws, his will and extracts from his own writings.
Although similar to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in its annalistic approach, Asser personalized his "Life of King Alfred" so that the man, and not just the Christian king who vanquished the paganistic heathen, was presented. Asser's "Life" differs also in its use of Latin, not the vernacular that most sources from Alfred's reign are written in.In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and seventy-eighth, andthe thirtieth from King Alfred's birth, the oft-mentioned army left Exeter andcame to Chippenham, a royal vill located in the north of Wiltshire on theeastern bank of the river called Avon in Welsh, and there wintered. Andthrough force of arms and want, as well as through fear, they drove many of thepeople there to go beyond sea, and brough most of the inhabitants of thedistrict under their rule.
At the same time the said King Alfred, with a few of his nobles and someknights and men of his household, was in great distress leading an unquiet lifein the woods and marshes of Somerset. For he had no means of support exceptwhat he took in frequent raids by stealth or openly from the pagans, or indeedfrom Christians who had submitted to pagan rule.
In the same year the brother of Inwar and Halfdene with twenty-three boatssailed forthe from the country of Dyfed [the extreme south of Wales], where hehad wintered and where he had slain many Christians, to Devon; and there,before the stronghold of Cynwit, he with twelve hundred others was miserablycut off in his wrong-doing by the king's followers, for many of the latter hadshut themselves up there for safety. But when the pagans saw the strongholdunprepared and unguarded except for defenses built after our manner, they didnot venture to storm it because from the nature of the ground the place wasvery secure on every side except on the eas, as I myself have seen; insteadthey began to besiege it, thinking that those men would quickly be forced tosurrender because of hunger and thirst, for there was no water near. But itdid not turn out as they expected. For the Christians, before they sufferedany such straits, prompted by God to believe it much better to win either deathor victory, at dawn made an unexpected sortie upon the pagans, and shortly slewmost of them, together with their king, only a few escaping to the boats.
In the same year after Easter, King Alfred, with a few to help him, made astronghold in a place called Athelney, and thence kept tirelessly makingattacks upon the pagans with his Somersetshire retainers. And again in theseventh week after Easter he rode to Egbert's Stone, which is in the easternpart of the forest called Selwood--in Latin "Sylva Magna," in Welsh "CoitMaur"--and there met him there all the dwellers about the districts ofSomerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire, who had not through fear of the pagans gonebeyond sea; and when they saw the king, after such great sufferings, almost asone risen from the dead, they were filled with unbounded joy, as it was rightthey should be; and they pitched camp there for one night. At dawn the nextmorning the king moved his camp thence and came to a place called Aeglea, andthere encamped one night.
Moving his standards thence the next morning, he came to a place calledEdington, and with a close shield-wall fought fiercely against the whole armyof the pagans; his attack was long and spirited, and finally by divine aid hetriumphed and overthrew the pagans with a very great slaughter. He pursuedthem, killing them as they fled up to the stronghold, where he seized all thathe found outside--men, horses, and cattle--slaying the men at once; and beforethe gates of the pagan fortress he boldly encamped with his whole army. Andwhen he had stayed there fourteen days and the pagans had known the horrors offamine, cold, fear, and at last of despair, they sought a peace by which theking was to take from them as many named hostages as he wished while he gavenone to them--a kind of peace that they had never before concluded with anyone. When the king heard their message he was moved to pity, and of his ownaccord received from them such designated hostages as he wished. In additionto this, after the hostages were taken, the pagans took oath that they wouldmost speedily leave his kingdom, and also Guthrum, their king, promised toaccept Christianity and to receive baptism at the hands of King Alfred. Allthese things he and his men fulfilled as they had promised. For after threeweeks Guthrum, king of the pagans, with thirty selected men of his army, cameto King Alfred at a place called Aller near Athelney. And Alfred received himas son by adoption, raising him from the sacred font of baptism; and hischrism-loosing on the eighth day was in the royal vill called Wedmore. Afterhe was baptized he stayed with the king twelve nights, and to him and all themen with him the king generously gave many valuable gifts.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and seventy-ninth, andthe thirty-first from King Alfred's birth, the said army of pagans leftChippenham according to promise and went to Cirencester (in Welsh "Cairceri"),located in the southern part of the district of the Hwicce, and there spent ayear.
In the same year a great army of pagans from foreign parts sailed up the ThamesRiver and joined the larger army, but wintered at a place called Fulham by theThames.
In the same year an eclipse of the sun occurred between nones and vespers, butnearer to nones.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and eightieth, and ofKing Alfred's life the thirty-second, the oft-mentioned army of pagans leftCirencester and went to the East Angles; and, dividing the district, they beganto settle there.
In the same year the army of pagans which had wintered at Fulham left theisland of Britain, crossed the sea, and came to East Francia. It remained fora year at a place called Ghent.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and eighty-first, andthe thirty-third from King Alfred's birth, the said army penetrated fartherinto Francia. Against it the Franks fought, and when the battle was over thepagans had gotten horses and became a mounted force.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and eight-second, andthe thirty-fourth from King Alfred's birth, the said army pushed its boats upthe river Meuse much farther into Francia and spent a year there.
And in the same year Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, fought a battle at seaagainst pagan boats; and he took two of them, having killed all who were inthem. And the commanders of two other boats, with all their fellows, were sothoroughly beaten and so badly wounded that they laid down their arms and onbended knees and with humble prayers surrendered.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and eighty-third, andthe thirty-fifth from King Alfred's birth, the said army pushed its boatsup-stream along the river Scheldt to a convent of nuns known as Conde, andthere remained one year.
In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and eighty-fourth,[Asser inserted the events of 885 into the slot for 884] and the thirty-sixthfrom King Alfred's birth, the said army divided into two troops. One went toEast Francia, and the other came to Kent in Britain and besieged the city whichis called Rochester in Saxon, and which is located on the east bank of theMedway. Before its gate the pagans quickly built themselves a strong tower;but they were not able to take the city, because the citizens defendedthemselves vigorously until King Alfred came to its aid with a large army. Andthen the pagans, on the unexpected arrival of the king, left their tower andall the horses which they had brought with them from Francia, and also most oftheir captives, and fled in haste to their boats, while the Saxons seized thecaptives and the horses. And so the pagans were forced by extreme necessity tosail again into Francia that same summer.
In the same year Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, transferred his fleet,filled with warriors, from Kent to the East Angles for the sake of plunder. And when they had come to the mouth of the river Stour, suddenly thirteen boatsof the pagans, ready for battle, met them; and a naval battle was begun whichwas bitterly contested on both sides, but which resulted in the killing of allthe pagans and the seizure of all their boats and goods. However, while thevictorious royal fleet was resting, the pagans who lived in the land of theEast Angles gathered boats together from any place in which they could findthem and met the king's fleet at the mouth of the same river, and in the battlewhich followed gained the victory.
In the same year also Carloman, king of the East Franks, while on a boar-huntwas so horribly bitten by a boar that he died. His brother was Lewis, who haddied the year before and who was also king of the Franks; they were both sonsof Lewis, king of the Franks. This was the Lewis who had died in theabove-mentioned year in which the eclipse took place, and who was son ofCharles, king of the Franks, whose daughter Judith was, with her father'sconsent, taken as queen by Ethelwulf, king of the West Saxons.
Moreover, in the same year a great army of pagans came from Germany to the landof the Old Saxons, in Saxon called "Eald Seaxum." Against them these sameSaxons and the Frisians joined forces and fought bravely twice in that year. By divine mercy the Christians won both these battles.
Also in this year Charles, king of the Germans, acquired, with the voluntaryconsent of all, the kingdom of the East Franks and all the kingdoms which arebetween the Tyrrhenian Sea and that ocean gulf which lies between the OldSaxons and the Gauls, excepting the kingdom of Amorica. [Brittany] ThisCharles was the son of King Lewis, and Lewis was the brother of that Charles,king of the Franks, who was father of Judith, the above-mentioned queen; andthese two brothers were sons of Lewis, who was the son of Charles, the son ofPippin.
In the same year Pope Marinus of blessed memory went the way of all flesh. Heit was who for love and at the petition of Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons,graciously released the colony of the Saxons residing in Rome from all tributeand toll. Indeed, he took the occasion to send many gifts to the said king;among which was no small portion of that most holy and revered cross on whichour Lord Jesus Christ hung for the salvation of all men.
And also in this year the army of pagans which was living among the East Anglesdisgracefully broke the peace which it had entered into with King Alfred....
In the year of our Lord's incarnation the eight hundred and eighty-sixth, andthe thirty-eighth of Alfred's life, the oft-mentioned army fleeing from thisregion went again into the land of the West Franks; they entered by the rivercalled Seine and pushed far up-stream in their boats even to the city of Paris,and there wintered. And they laid out their camp on both sdes of the rivernar to the bridge in order to keep the citizens from crossing--for this cityis located on a small island in the middle of the river. And they besieged thecity that whole year, but through God's favor and the vigorous defense of thecitizens they could not break the fortifications.
In the same year Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, after the burning of citiesand the slaughter of peoples, honorably restored the city of London and made ithabitable; and he intrusted its defense to Ethelred, ealdorman of the Mercians. And all the Angles and Saxons who had before been widely scattered or who were[not] in captivity with the pagans voluntarily turned to the king and placedthemselves under his rule.

note

translated in Albert Beebe White and Wallce Notestein, eds., Source Problems in English History (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1915).

Other works referred to in preparartion:

Elton, Geoffrey, The English (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1992).

Maitland, F. W., The Constitutional History of England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965).

Smith, Lacey Baldwin and Jean Reeder Smith, eds., The Past Speaks: Sources and Problems in English History, vol. 1 (Lexington, MA: D. C. Heath and Company, 1993).

Title: Anglo-saxon chronicles

Author: translation by James Ingram

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle on Alfred the Great
Section:

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is one of the few literary sources we have for England during the time period following the Roman presence and preceding the Norman invasion. Written by different monastic houses, the various versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle offer us a unique picture of the Anglo-Saxons and their world. Although written by monks, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is relatively unbiased in its portrayal of events. This particular variant chronicles the events Alfred the Great, king of Wessex, experienced during the Viking invasions of the ninth century.878. In this year, at Midwinter, after Twelfthnight, the army stole itselfaway to Chippenham, and harried the West Saxons' land, and settled there, anddrove many of the people over sea, and of the remainder the greater portionthey harried, and the people submitted to them, save the king, Alfred, and he,with a little band, withdrew to the woods and moor-fastnesses. And in the samewinter the brother of Inwar and Halfdene was in Wessex, in Devonshire, withtwenty-three ships, and he was there slain, and with him eight hundred andforty men of his force. And there was the standard taken which they call theRaven. And the Easter after, Alfred, with a little band, wrought a fortress atAthelney, and from that work warred on the army, with that portion of the menof Somerset that was nearest. Then in the seventh week after Easter he rode toEgbert's stone, on the east of Selwood, and there came to meet him all theSomersetshire men, and the Wiltshire men, and that part of Hampshire whichremained of it on this side of the sea; after, he went from the campt toAeglea, and one night after that to Edington, and there fought against all thearmy, and put it to flight, and rode after it, as far as the works, and theresat fourteen nights. And then the army gave him hostages with great oaths thatthey would depart from his kingdom; and also promised him that their king wouldreceive baptism; and that they so fulfilled; and three weeks after, KingGuthrum came to him, with thirty of the men who were most honorable in thearmy, at Aller, which is opposite to Athelney; and the king received him thereat baptism; and his chrism-loosing was at Wedmore; and he was twelve nightswith the king; and he largely gifted him and his companions with money.
879. In this year the army went to Cirencester from Chippenham, and sat thereone year. And in that year a body of vikings assembled, and sat down at Fulhamon the Thames. And that same year the sun was eclipsed one hour of the day.
880. In this year the army went from Cirencester to East Anglia, and occupiedand divided the land. And in the same year the army, which had sat down atFulham, went over sea to Ghent in France, and sat there one year.
881. In this year the army went up into France, and the French fought againstthem; and there was the army horsed after the fight.
882. In this year the army went up along the Meuse far into France, and theresat one year. And that same year King Alfred went out to sea with ships, andfought against four ship-crews of Danish men, and took two of the ships, andthe men were slain that were therein; and the two ship-crews surrendered tohim; and they were sorely fatigued and wounded before they surrendered.
883. In this year the army went up the Scheldt to Conde, and there sat oneyear. And Marinus the pope then sent lignum domini [of Christ's cross] to KingAlfred. And in the same year Sighelm and Athelstan conveyed to Rome the almswhich the king had vowed [to send] thither, and also to India, to St. Thomas,and to St. Bartholomew, when they sat down against the army at London; andthere, God be thanked, their prayer was very successful after that vow.
884. In this year the army went up the Somme to Amiens, and there sat oneyear. In this year died the benvolent Bishop Aethelwold. [Evidently acopyist's error; Aethelwold died in 984.]
885. In this year the fore-mentioned army separated into two; one part [went]east, the other part to Rochester, and besieged the city, and wrought anotherfastness about themselves; but they, nevertheless, defended the city until KingAlfred came without with his force. Then the army went to their ships, andabandoned the fastness; and they were there deprived of their horses, andforthwith, in the same summer, withdrew over sea. And the same year KingAlfred sent a naval force from Kent to East Anglia. As soon as they came tothe mouth of the Stour, then met them sixteen ships of vikings, and they foughtagainst them, and captured all the ships, and slew the men. When they werereturning homeward with the booty, a great naval force of vikings met them, andthen fought against them on the same day, and the Danish gained the victory. In the same year, before midwinter, Carloman, king of the Franks, died, and awild boar killed him; and one year before his brother died; he also had thewestern kingdom;and they were both sons of Lewis, who also had the westernkingdom, and died in the year when the sun was eclipsed, who was the son ofCharles, whose daughter Ethelwulf, king of the West Saxons, had for his queen. And in the same year a larger naval force assembled among the Old Saxons; andthere was a great fight twice in that year, and the Saxons had the victory; andthere were Frisians with them. In that same year Charles succeeded to thewestern kingdom, and to all the kingdom on this side of the Mediterranean Sea,and beyond this sea, as his great-grandfather had it, excepting the Lidwiccas[Brittany]. Charles was the son of Lewis, Lewis was brother of Charles, whowas father of Judith, whom King Ethelwulf had; and they were sons of Lewis;Lewis was son of the old Charles; Charles was the son of Pepin. And in thesame year the good Pope Marinus died, who freed the Angle race's school, at theprayer of Alfred, king of the West Saxons; and he sent him great gifts, andpart of the rood on which Christ suffered. And in the same year the army inEast Anglia brake peace with King Alfred.
886. In this year the army again went west, which had before landed in theeast, and then up the Seine, and there took winter quarters at the city ofParis. In the same year King Alfred restored London; and all the Angle raceturned to him that were not in the bondage of the Danish men; and he thencommitted the burgh to the keeping of the ealdorman Ethered.

Book Title: The Viking Art of War Author: Paddy Griffith Greenhill, of course, are specialist military publishers and this is an exhaustive account of how the Vikings operated, the weapons they used and the mayhem they caused.

Book Title: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings Author: Peter Sawyer A survey of the history of the Northmen, full of good tales and wonderfully illustrated.

Book Title: The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England Author: John Blair, Michael Lapidge,Editors Over five hundred pages with everything, or nearly everything, you ever wanted to know about the Anglo Saxons.

Book Title: The Anglo Saxons Author: edited by James Campbell. This is the best general history of the Anglo Saxon period of England. It's written by various historians and is beautifully illustrated. Verily Recommended as have a signed copy.

Book Title: Bloodfeud, Murder and Revenge in Anglo-Saxon England Author: Richard Fletcher The events described in this compelling book occurred long after Alfred's reign, but I include the book because it's full of good material about the Anglo-Saxons and because the chief victim of the bloodfeud was my ancestor, Uhtred, who is, presumably, a descendant of the Uhtred in the novels

Book Title: Alfred, Warrior King Author: John Peddie Before John Peddie became a writer he was a soldier, and he brings combat experience and a soldier's sensibilities to Alfred's career. There is, inevitably, much speculation about the campaigns against the Danes because the sources are scanty, but Peddie's solutions are always sensible and the story is full of excitement.

Book Extra's

Book Title: RAVEN BLOOD EYE
Book Author: Giles Kristian Publisher: Bantam Press
The plot is well written and has some very good twists as the story develops. If you want a great action story to put you into the shieldwall or on a sleek Dragon ship this is the book for you

Book Title: THE LAST ENGLISH KING
Book Author: Julian Rathbone Publisher: Abacus

I'm using the The Last English King as a reference point for Julian Rathbone's historical canon. Anyone who appreciates the craft of Bernard Cornwell will, I have no doubt, adore works such as Joseph, Wellington's War, Kings of Albion, A Very English Agent, Birth Of A Nation, etc.
The Last English King is a wonderful re-telling of the events leading up to William the Bastard's invasion of England in 1066 as seen through the eyes of the fantastically real Walt - one of Harold II's housecurls who has spent four years wandering Europe and Asia in shame for having failed his lord in his hour of need. The characterisation is extraordinary - in my mind Rathbone was without peer in this respect. It is impossible not to feel for the inevitable plight of Harold Godwinson and Rathbone works brilliantly within the historical novelist's great challenge that the reader will always know the outcome of major events underpinning the story. Walt is telling a story - a story of his failure and, within that, the failure of Harold to preserve England for all time. The truth is, of course, that neither failed ... both gave all they had and all anyone can ask but at the end of the day it was not quite enough. The rest, as they say, is history ..... but this book is far more than that.

Book Title: THE WANDERER (TRILOGY)
Book Author: Robert Hyslop Publisher: Cuthan Books This trilogy (Wolf's head, Viking & Varangian)concerns the travels and adventures of Ethelwulf, a young saxon forced to flee England in the late 10th century. He travels far & wide, both gaining and losing comrades alike. From Ireland to Iceland, the Baltic to Byzantium, The Wanderer takes us on a mammoth voyage. Reminds me of a (much longer) version of The Long Ships, but also has a history guide included - so you can learn as well as be entertained! Full of historical detail, this is an epic saga!

Book Title: WHALE ROAD
Book Author: Robert Low Publisher: Harper, 2007 Compelling 10th century Norse historical thriller. 15 year old Orm takes to the high seas with the Oathsworn, a ruthless band of Viking raiders and mercenaries, as they follow the words of a mad seeress in search of the lost treasure of Attila the Hun. However, they are not the only ones looking for the legendary hoard, and the hunt becomes a deadly race. Full of rousing battles and religious intrigue, this is an epic adventure in true saga tradition. The second book in the "Oathsworn" trilogy is now out as well- "Wolf Sea"
definately a good read and I recommend it as a quick read

The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell and Mordred, Bastard Son by Douglas Clegg

Reviewed by Christopher M. Cevasco 09 March 2006

Though typically perceived as distinct, if not mutually exclusive forms, historical fiction and speculative fiction are in many respects close genre cousins. Each seeks to recreate a time and place impossible to visit in the flesh, though the former does so by conscientiously exploring actual past events while the latter is the product of pure fancy. When a work of historical fiction makes use of medieval or ancient cultures, those cultures' more widespread beliefs in magic and tangible religious phenomena add an even greater fantastical seasoning to the mix. This is particularly true when stories are set in the ancient world, when pantheons of gods and mythical beings were often believed to walk among humans or otherwise directly impact daily life. But as will be seen, one need not delve so far back as this; even societies whose cultural and religious beliefs more closely resemble our own often provide ample room for the speculative. Supplement this with a generous helping of swordplay and epic battle sequences, and the result is often one that should sate even the most voracious fantasy appetite.
Case in point: Bernard Cornwell's The Pale Horseman, set in 9th-century Anglo-Saxon Britain. This is not a fantasy novel; like nearly all of Cornwell's books, it is strictly historical fiction—something you'll find in the "literary" section of your local bookstore rather than in the SF/F section, where Douglas Clegg's Mordred, Bastard Son sits. The second book in a new series about Alfred the Great and his attempt to form a united, Christian England, The Pale Horseman picks up where the previous book—The Last Kingdom—left off. Specifically, with invading Danish warriors having already overrun the Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia, Alfred must defend the sole remaining Saxon kingdom of Wessex against increasing raids on its west coast and eventually against a full-scale Viking invasion when the Danes break the tenuous truce Alfred had forged. The novel tracks Alfred's attempts to rally his scattered forces to take back his kingdom, a struggle culminating in the Battle of Ethandun. The story is told through the eyes of Uhtred, a native Northumbrian captured and raised by the invading Danes but now married to a Saxon woman and in the service of Alfred.
Notwithstanding Cornwell's real-world setting, pseudofantastical elements abound. The clearest example is the character Iseult, a young woman whom Uhtred takes as a mistress during a raid along the western coast of Cornwall. Among the native Britons still living in the region, Iseult is revered and feared as a "shadow queen"—one born with the ability to see the future and skilled in various forms of folk magic. She falls in love with Uhtred, but her periodic ability to see events before they unfold proves both a blessing and a curse as Uhtred finds himself made alternately indecisive or recklessly emboldened by her visions. And once Iseult is brought by Uhtred into the fold of Alfred's displaced kingdom, the clash of pagan and Christian cultures becomes acute, coming to a head when Alfred's young son, Edward, grows gravely ill and his devout Christian parents must decide whether to trust in Iseult's ritual magic as a last, desperate resort.
Uhtred's own polytheistic adherence to the gods of the Danes also adds a flavor of the fantastic; he gives offerings to the sea gods after success in naval skirmishes, frequently fingers the Thor's hammer amulet he wears about his neck for luck or protection, etc. Though these practices were quite real at the time, they feel fantastical to modern sensibilities that have been shaped by monotheistic hammer blows. But the 9th-century Christians also get in on the act, with, for example, the belief that God could reveal the guilt or innocence of one accused through the act of trial by combat and the widespread belief in the magical power of saints' relics. Even Alfred, seeking to exhaust all of his options before contemplating whether to ask the pagan Iseult to treat his sick child, gives up one of his most precious Christian relics—a feather from the dove that Noah released from the ark—which he burns and mixes with holy water for his son to drink.
Of course, unlike true fantasy writing, in which the reader knows the magic actually works, here everything is subject to mundane explanation—coincidence, self-fulfilling prophecy, natural phenomena, etc. But that's half the fun and what makes The Pale Horseman such a rewarding read—seeing how Cornwell deftly integrates the characters' belief in the supernatural with his always meticulous historical detail and gritty realism.
In contrast, magic—true magic that really works—takes center stage in Douglas Clegg's latest novel, Mordred, Bastard Son. When it comes to tales of King Arthur, the recent trend has been one of restoring the legend to its historical roots. Novelist Jack Whyte has done so quite successfully (the Camulod Chronicles), and indeed, before writing his Saxon series, Bernard Cornwell employed this approach in his own Arthurian novels (the Warlord Chronicles). While this archeological approach is important to the evolution of the Arthurian tradition, with Clegg's new book we see a refreshing return to the myth and magic of the legends. Mordred is in many ways a fairy tale—more so even than Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon, steeped as Bradley's book is in pagan ritual and contact with the fairy realm. Clegg's approach recalls Sir Thomas Mallory, Chrétien de Troyes, and even Edmund Spenser at times; his setting is never made temporally explicit but rather melds Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and high medieval British elements, resulting in a sort of timeless land that never was but which everyone familiar with the myth of Camelot will recognize.
And yet, the bulk of this first volume in Clegg's planned trilogy does not take place in Britain at all. Fleeing from Arthur, the half-brother who impregnated her and would now kill her and the unborn, bastard child who a prophecy indicates will destroy his kingdom, Morgan le Fay makes her way to the forest of Broceliande across the channel in Brittany. Like Iseult in The Pale Horseman, she finds the old ways of her people are increasingly out of place in Britain. Broceliande, however, hides the Isle of Glass within the caverns of the Lady of the Lake, and here, her son Mordred is born and lives out his young life as a student of the mage Merlin. This is a magical place populated by druids and priestesses, by the Eponi horsemasters who serve the goddess Epona, and by such fanciful beasts as the demonic boars of Moccus. The very gates to Annwn—the fairy otherworld and land of the dead—are to be found within the confines of Broceliande.
History and fantasy aside, however, both Mordred, Bastard Son and The Pale Horseman are also coming-of-age tales. This is particularly true in Mordred, which is foremost the exploration of a young man's journey from childhood to adulthood and his growing romantic and sexual attraction toward other men. The journey is deftly handled by Clegg through a succession of emotionally charged vignettes and the narrator's ongoing introspection, all of which result in beautifully bittersweet sentiment and a convincing expression of Mordred's deep longing, which cries out despairingly and often palpably from the page. Cornwell's protagonist also matures, from the reckless, often selfish young man introduced in The Last Kingdom, into a more sober adult. But like Mordred, Uhtred is an outsider—something of a misfit, a man without a country—and his maturation is hampered by his conflicted personal and cultural loyalties and his lust for battle and the Viking ways.
Unlike the action-oriented pacing of The Pale Horseman, the first two-thirds of Mordred is not a page-turner in the traditional sense; there is no swordplay, little in the way of adventure, hardly any real action at all. And yet Mordred nonetheless draws the reader in, casting a spell with words that lull one into what feels like a darkly magical waking dream. The pace picks up toward the last third of the volume as romance blossoms for Mordred, he comes to learn more about his father, and, more significantly, his mother descends deeper into a suicidal depression from which it seems she cannot escape. Morgan's plight is interlinked in a clever and original way with the fate of her sister, Morgause. While it initially feels as though Clegg is painting by the numbers with these two characters (perennial Arthurian favorites), by the end of the novel he has taken them in such an unforeseen and—in a manner perhaps only an author known primarily for his horror could do—terrifying direction that their portrayal alone makes this book one worth reading.
It is interesting to note that just as Cornwell chose to tell the story of Alfred through the eyes of one sympathetic to the marauding Danes, Clegg employs Mordred—the traditional villain of the Arthur cycle—to narrate Arthur's story. Historical fiction generally permits the modern reader to better understand historical events by showing them through the eyes of sympathetic protagonists. By taking this one step further and allying the reader's sympathies with those of very nontraditional perspectives, Cornwell and Clegg help to break down the biases inherent in textbook history itself—biases that are perhaps inevitable, given that history is, as we know, typically written by the victors. A close connection between otherwise distinct genres is again made manifest: just as science fiction allows us to view the human condition by extrapolating forward to where we might end up, historical fiction does this by looking back at where we have been. Complementary tools of self-reflection, each approach helps us to better understand our present.
Christopher M. Cevasco is the editor/publisher of Paradox: The Magazine of Historical and Speculative Fiction. His own fiction has recently appeared or is forthcoming in Allen K's Inhuman, Leading Edge, Twilight Tales, Flashquake, Simulacrum, The Horror Express, Dreaming in R'lyeh, and Lovecraft's Weird Mysteries.

Title: MORDRED, BASTARD SON

Author: Douglas Clegg

Chapter One

1
The long wooden boat, its sails lowered, glided along the marshy shoals at the inlet from the mist-shrouded sea.
Standing at the boat’s prow, a cloaked figure guided the boatman between the rocks, toward the strand, as if knowing the place by heart.
2
These were the days after the fall of the kingdoms of Arthur, King of the Britons, whose sovereignty had run from Cornwall to Wales to the west of Gaul called by some Armorica, by others, Britannia. The Romans threatened battle to the east; the Saxons and the men of the North had launched boats upon the southern kingdoms, and it was rumored that an attack on the coast was imminent. The omens of the last days emerged through the mist of smoke and ash that touched the stone-grey sea. Great dark fish of the deep flung themselves onto the sand, as if the water itself had been poisoned. In the air, flocks of ravens flew swift along the twisting roads at the edge of the marshy strand that led to the great rock island, the Dragon’s Mount, which jutted out from a strand of the southern Armorica coast called Cornouaille by the Celtic tribes. The priests and bishops called out for the heathens to be hunted down, for they had brought ruin to the crops and kept the land unholy and allowed the Saxons and the men of the North to destroy the holy sites. But those who had known the Days of the Kings and of the Druid Priests, had remembered the Roman captivity, called out for the Merlin in the old tongue, hoping that the ancient mage might save them from the devastation.
Atop the peak of the Dragon’s Mount, where the rocks flattened like great altars, soldiers stood vigil lest those who had lost faith during the fortnight might risk the quicksand marshes and ascend the rocky stair to the ancient place of pagan worship.
The year of war and fire lay dying, and the Cauldron of Rebirth, called by some the Grail, had been lost. The isles of Avalon in the brackish summer sea turned to haze and even the finest boatmen could not find them. Those who worshipped the heathen gods went underground, those of Christendom sought sanctuary in the ruins of abbeys and monasteries and nunneries and the Roman villas, which had become property of either church or warlord; the wars continued, even after the great castles of Arthur, pen-Dragon had fallen and lay in ruin.
All of it, so it was said, could be laid at the feet of one man, whose infamy had spread throughout the kingdoms and whose name had quickly come to mean, simply, “traitor.”
That name was Mordred.
“Mordred,” curved upon the lips of those men who sought the source for the unraveling of the world – as if the word “Mordred” were an eel that wriggled and slithered along the tongue, many grimaced as the name was spoken. He was known to be unnatural; a demon; a spirit of malevolence rising from the miasma; some believed him to be a creature of the night, drinking the blood of youths; still, others remembered his mother, and how she had turned to darkness and raised her son in shadow. A great price of gold and silver had been set upon the head of this bastard heathen, as well as for the sword he had stolen from the greatest of Kings of the Britons.
And yet, few could recognize the face of this man. By legend, he was a hideous, deformed creature, with the horns of the Bull-god upon his forehead, and the stench of the grave about him.
The villagers expected a phantom in the form of a man.
It was to this craggy shore that a stranger arrived, cloaked and masked.
3
He paid his fee to the boatman with a sack of gold – and none questioned him, though rumors spread as fast as fire across a field of drying hay.
A soldier under Bedevere’s command, standing with his comrades along the Roman wall, found the boatman soon after his landing. Threatening him and his crew with death, the boatman confessed that the masked stranger had first come to him with blood on his hands, blood on his gold, and had only washed in the sea when the stranger had noticed the boatman’s glare. “He wears a mask of gold and silver, as I have seen the heathens wear for their infernal celebrations,” the boatman said.
The soldier struck the old man hard, and the boatman fell to the earth. “You are heathen yourself. I see the markings upon your wrist old man. You brought this murderer to our land to escape his fate among Arthur’s knights.”
Then, he took the gold from the boatman. Passing it to his companions, the soldier told them to arrest the boatman until a confession was had as to the whereabouts of “that bastard Mordred who shall not live to see another dawn.”

4
And yet, for one long day and night, the stranger traveled inland, finding the narrow byways off the main coastal roads, avoiding the trade routes and the endless run of horsemen and soldiers.
The nameless days of December passed, the days without sun following the solstice; the hours since the song of swords had last been sung; many nights since the last cry had been heard on the battlefields, beyond the gentle slope of land. The fires had come, and then the silence. The dead remained unburied where they had fallen; the living had retreated from the sea to the forest and the inland villages. Smoke plumed at a great distance, from the still-burning towers along the sea wall. The sky above, at twilight, ran crimson through thatched gray clouds, and the local folk who lived along the marshlands and the fields beyond the ruined castle of the dead warlord, Hoel, felt this was a sign that Arthur had begun his journey to the Otherworld, through the isles of Avalon.
The forest by the roadside grew dark too fast; and omens and auguries were read by the priests of old, in secret places, and predictions of the coming year mingled with prophecies of the immortal king. Whispers rode the wind across the wolf-scavenged battlefield at the plain beyond the woods. At the far end of the torn castle wall, near the abbey and the old Roman road, it was whispered that all that had been found was lost, and all that had been dreamed, disturbed.
Into this approaching dusk, came that dark-hued stranger, a man of shadows, like the spirit of one long dead now raised to complete a task. That phantom, masked and shrouded, carrying a staff that looked as if it had once been a spear of war.
5
He wore a heavy, ragged cloak, as a beggar might, and some folk grew afraid that he brought a plague with him as he skulked beneath the fallen towers, still blackened and smoldering. His face, covered by that jeweled mask placed as if hiding a war-scar.
He grasped his staff, trudging up the dirt road with its markers of pikes with the heads of traitors upon them. In a time of plenty, he might be judged a wanderer, but in these dangerous times after the wars, fear had spread across the land. Strangers brought with them dread. The kindest among the folk in the village whispered in doorways that this might be a hermit come to the forests, having retreated from the world of men in order to fight the demons of temptation. Those of the old beliefs, those who still kept the antler headdress hidden beneath their straw mats, or went to beg the Lady of the Wood for herbs and salves, felt that he might be one of their Druids, perhaps even the sacred Merlin, disguised as a wanderer.
Those who held to fearful beliefs thought it might be one of the undead of the battlegrounds, called the Wandering Ones. These spirits had not been invited into the Otherworld for crimes they had committed and debts they owed.
This cloaked man went along, unmolested, unharmed, and as twilight grew near, he stopped along the rotting wood and crumbling stone of an old Roman villa that had but one standing wall left to it.
Here, he slept, curled nearly into a ball, against the cold stone.
6
He awoke shivering. Above him, a boy of no more than nine or ten, standing in a peasant shift, pointing down at him. Beyond the boy, two monks watched his slow movements as he sat up.
“The soldiers came. Three nights past,” the little boy said. “Sir Bedevere’s, they told me. Looking for a stranger, they told me. They promised my father and brothers gold should any of us find him.”
“That warlord’s army might have more pressing things to do than raid these villages and search for one man,” the elder monk said, resting his hand upon the boy’s shoulder briefly as if for comfort. “Do not be afraid of these things, child. And if gold is to be had, you shall have it, I’m certain.” His voice carried with it a wheeze and a cough, and the young monk with him touched the edge of his hand as if to steady him.
The young monk moved closer to the stranger, raising his russet robe slightly as he got down on one knee beside him.
“Is it the devil?” the boy asked. “They say he has the jaws of a wolf.”
The monk lifted the stranger’s hood so that he could better see his face. The monk reached up to the mask that covered the stranger’s eyes, and drew it from him. He recognized the mask as one used many years before in the heathen ceremonies, and it was the face of Cernunnos, the Lord of the Forest. A pagan god’s face, etched into the gold and silver mask. Around the eyes, amber and garnet stone.
The hunter and the hunted one.
Beneath the mask, a face sharply handsome, yet worn as if all his energies had been spent.
The stranger’s eyes opened and closed as if he believed himself dreaming rather than waking.
When the stranger opened them again, the elder monk said, “He has been hurt much. I dread what will become of him. Yet, we must take him. If not us, the soldiers. Or the wolves.”
The stranger’s eyes were warm and a brown-green shade.
Then, the young monk turned back to the boy and his companion, “This may be the one who has been sought these many days.”
7
The stranger did not resist the monks as they took him at the elbows and prodded him along, for the stranger, despite his youthful appearance, no more it seemed than a man in his late twenties, yet showed infirmity of limb and fell once or twice before reaching the monastery gate. The little boy trotted after the monks alongside the dirt road, and now and then reminded the elder monk that his father would want the gold “if the good Sir Bedevere keeps his promises.”
Watching the monks from a distance, some of the villagers came to the edge of the winter fields to ask after this prisoner. The boy’s father came, too, and drew his son back “for the plague may be with him, and demons upon his robe.” And then, his father shouted after the monks, “I will not forget what is owed me from this! What my son is owed!”
The elder monk glanced back at the shouting man, and shook his head when he saw the folk who had gathered to watch them. He said to the young monk who shouldered the burden of their captive, “They will want blood. It is all anyone wants, these days. More so than gold.”
The other monk remained silent, while the strange man leaned against him for support as they walked.
At the north gate into the monastery, which led first to the gardens, the elder monk said to the younger, “Bedevere will come soon enough for this man. We must keep him here overnight before the soldiers force their way to him. I do not want an innocent man murdered in a time like this. Too much murder has gone on. Too much greed. You will find what he seeks. Why he is here. If he is the traitor, we shall pass him to the knight’s men. But if he is not, we shall give him sanctuary.”
8
Inside, they took the stranger to a room of straw and dirt, and after awhile, in the dark, he slept again. The heavy-gated door, closed and locked. Though it was a prison cell, the place held a bit of warmth in the earth and when he awoke briefly, before falling back to the deepest sleep of his life, he found a bowl of fresh water near him, as well as a trencher of bread soaked with milk.
Sometime in the night, the young monk entered his cell, a slow-burning lamp in his hand.
9
The stranger sat up in the straw, stretching his arms over his head as he woke. “Thank you for the water,” he said, sleepily. “It revived me much.”
“You have great need of sleep.”
“I have need of that sleep from which one does not wake,” the man said. Then, when he tried to move again, he groaned slightly, reaching down to touch his side. When he noticed the monk’s eyes upon his hand, he said, “Do not trouble yourself with my pain.”
“You are wounded?”
“I am healed,” the man said.
“I want to see your wounds,” the monk insisted. “They may need tending.”
The captive lay back on clumps of straw and drew back the fabric of his cloak, but slightly. Then, he smiled, but did not say a word. He reached to the stays along his cloak and undid them, up to his throat, and drew out the curved silver pin that held it in place.
When it opened, the monk noticed the torque that encircled his neck. He had seen torques in his childhood, but they had been outlawed by the church and the king as symbols of the heathens. It was a twist of beautiful gold, a collar band that did not seem too tight against the muscled cords of the man’s throat.
“It was given me by one whom I loved much,” the captive said, fingering the torque, like a slave collar. “It cannot be removed, though I have tried. But you are after wounds, my friend. I offer them to you.”
Drawing back his cloak completely, the man reached up with his hands and tore the thin fabric of his shirt open to his waist. Between the jagged tears of the cloth, the curves of a lean physique, well-defined muscles, with a chest that was thick and broad despite his body’s over-all slender build. Upon his smooth flesh, small tattoos of the type that adorned the pagan priests – markings in the ancient tongue that could not be deciphered without risk of heresy. The small image of the sun itself lay just above the curve of his left nipple, and of the crescent moon at his right. Three small markings had been etched just below his navel, with what looked like the welt of a healing wound that rose from the thin strip of leather at his thigh. He had no tufts of hair there, as was the old ritual of the forest priests to remove the body hair of initiates into certain forbidden mysteries and damnations.
“Yes,” the man said, watching the young monk. “Are they not beautiful? It is hard to take your eyes from this art, for it is said that it holds a glamour for men to look upon it.”
The monk, transfixed by the body art, his fingers gliding lightly along the captive’s ridged and taut stomach to his navel, and felt the slight welt of scar where the tattoos had been made just above his loins. The man shivered slightly at his touch.
“You are a most unusual monk,” the captive said, softly, his eyes warming to the monk’s face. “Would you like to inspect the rest of me before I am throttled by soldiers? I could step from these trousers that you might see more of this magickal art.”
His skin shone with oil and sweat, and when the man drew open the strip of leather binding at his trousers, and parted the opening, he grinned. “I have lain with monks before, so if that allows me escape from this place, then we may know each other freely.” He brought his hand to the monk’s sleeve and tugged it. “Is this what you wish?”
The monk drew his arm back, and returned his gaze to the captive’s face.
His eyes seemed like shiny black stones now where they had seemed warm and bright beneath the sun, and although the man remained smiling, his lips thick and curved, he radiated fury.
“I do not wish to…” the young monk said, his throat dry. “I want only to know.”
“To know? Is that why do you keep me here? Or is it to sell my head to the highest bidder?”
“No. But you are hunted like the forest stag. You are safer here than out in the cold fields where Bedevere’s men might find you. You are the one who betrayed the king. And the knight Lancelot. And the Queen of the Britons, Guinevere.”
“All those?” the man said. “You know this?”
“I have heard. And worst of all, to the people of these lands, from here to the islands, you murdered King Arthur, the greatest leader of the Britons.”
“My father.”
“You are truly Mordred, son of Morgan le Fay?” “Yes. I am Mordred. I could lay claim to the family pen-Dragon, but I do not wish to do so. I am a prince of the Wastelands and of the isles of Glass and of Avalon and a priest of the sacred Grove. And only son of the king.”
“Why do you return here? We had heard you would escape to the Saxon lands, if alive. But…”
“You heard I had died, on the field. So here I am, a ghost.”
“Some reports were of your death, some not. I never believed you were dead.”
“Who are you not to believe in my death? You seem young to doubt me. How old can you be?”
“I am old enough,” the monk said. “I am nearly into my nineteenth year.”
“A dangerous age to bury yourself in a monastery, little brother monk,” Mordred said. “Your beauty is like a young stag in springtime. You should be out in the field dances, or riding a wild horse along the banks of a river. Chasing nymphs. Or men. The monastery is meant for old men, but the wilderness is meant for you. Your life has been shackled.”
“My life has been pure,” the monk said. “For I was born of sin and must atone.”
“All the world, according to monks, born from sin,” Mordred laughed. “Tell me, pure one, why have you come to me so late? To see my wounds? To cut off my head as I lay sleeping?”
“No.” The monk’s face reddened. “I would tend to your wounds, yes. But they seem healed. I would ask of you that you tell me of your life.”
“Why?”
Then, the monk said in a voice that was both nervous and hopeful, “That I might understand all of this.” In his eyes, a glistening of tears, yet he did not wipe them. “I cannot tell you more, for if I did, I would have to leave you to your fate. I have been raised among the gardens and cells of this abbey. My mother died before I reached a full year, and I have not experienced the world at all. The monastery have been my lot this whole life.”
“So tales of my crimes will please you?” Mordred asked.
The monk nodded.
“So that when you are on that hard wood bed, in your itchy shirt, after your evening prayers, you may lie there and think of the great and evil Mordred to whom you are superior?”
“No, my lord. Not in any way. But they say the world has unraveled, and the great knights and the King have passed. And you are the only witness who has come here who has known these noble knights and ladies of whom…of whom I speak. I wish for truth, good sir. I wish…” But the monk’s voice faded, and a troubling look came into his eyes. “I wish to know.”
“I will tell you what truth I know,” Mordred said. “If, with each tale, you allow me one freedom.”
“I cannot promise freedom.”
“I do not mean the freedom from this cell. I mean, the freedom with you that I desire.”
“I have heard of your desires,” the monk said.
“And I know the desires of one kept among monks his whole life, one of such beauty and longing and purity,” Mordred said. “But I need one freedom to begin, and another when I have finished.”
“Tell me,” the young monk said.
“For a kiss,” Mordred smiled, his gaze steady upon the youth who leaned forward while Mordred rose to meet it, and press his lips against the monk’s. The young monk withdrew after too long a moment, his face flush-red in the lamplight.
“Thank you,” Mordred sighed. “I have not felt so refreshed in days. And now, where shall I begin? Shall it be when I brought the Queen into the light of day? Or when, as a boy, I learned of the secrets of the earth and the lakes. Or of my training with the Merlin, in the eastern arts of necromancy and of war? I owe you my life tonight, my friend. I will tell you what you wish to know.”
“All of it,” the monk said, a slight rise in tone to his voice as if he were angry now for having given the kiss. “I want to know of Arthur and his knights. I want to know of meek and beautiful Guinevere, and that shining knight Lancelot, and the Lady of Astolat. I want to know of that terrible witch, Morgan le Fay and of her ogre-sister, Morgause, and of…”
“The lies that you’ve heard, second-hand, in your monk’s cage,” Mordred said, his eyes seeming to sadden a bit. “They are not true. Morgan and Morgause were not ogresses, neither were they terrible. In fact, many men believed them to be the most beautiful and powerful women of their time. If I tell you the truth, the truth as I know it from my own memory, tonight, will you help me escape this place?”
Without hesitation, the monk nodded his head, keeping his eyes on Mordred’s. “I will. Tell me of your mother. I have heard she was a great sorceress and spoke with the spirits of the dead.”
Mordred began his tale. “The king would one day call my mother the Witch-Queen, and she bore that title as if it were the greatest in all the world. And that is how I think of her, as the Queen of Witches, of the Faerie, of Broceliande and of Tintagel and of the Wastelands. But mostly, I think of her as Queen of the Britons. She was heavy with me in her belly when first she learned that Arthur, the King, but seventeen years of age, meant to murder her.

Battle of Ashdown
Alfred's Castle is a small Iron Age hill fort, situated at grid reference SU277822, behind Ashdown Park in the civil parish of Ashbury in Oxfordshire (formerly Berkshire). It lies 2-3 km south of the Ridgeway and is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
It has a large enclosure attached that shows as a cropmark. Excavation has shown this to be contemporary with the small enclosure, started in the 6th century BC. The hill fort was established within a series of late Bronze Age linear ditches and revealed much evidence for occupation within it. In the late 1st century, a Romano-British farmhouse was built within the abandoned prehistoric enclosure.
King Alfred won a great victory against the Danes at the Battle of Ashdown, in AD 871. Being located just to the west of Ashdown House, Victorian antiquaries associated Alfred's Castle with the King's troop movements before the battle. The exact site of Alfred's battle has not yet been determined, however, so is a matter for debate. The most likely sites are near Compton and Aldworth in Berkshire.
Excavations were carried out at Alfred's Castle from 1998-2000 by archaeologists from Oxford University, and post-excavation analysis is (2006) ongoing
Ashdown Battle of
Battle that took place on the 8th January 871 in which , at the age of 21, Alfred the Great and the West Saxons did battle with the Danes. Ashdown is in Berkshire. It could be considered a pyrrhic victory ( won at high cost ) as many lives were lost on both sides. This battle was one of eight that Alfred had engaged in that year. He managed to obtain a respite from the superior resources of the Danes by paying them danegeld. During this fragile time of peace he planned his next move.

Author: David A. Hinton.

Title: Alfred's Kingdom: Wessex and the South 800-1500.

London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1977. History in the Landscape series. ISBN 0460042890. Bibliography: p. 211-219.

Another knowledgable historian.

Alfred

We left King Alfred of Wessex in the early months of 878, when he was hiding from the Danish invaders in the marshes of Somerset. The Vikings who had beaten all the other English kings and subjugated their kingdoms appeared to have taken Alfred's kingdom as well. In the words of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Vikings "drove a great part of the inhabitants overseas." This doesn't mean the general population fled -- the refugees were undoubtedly the ruling class, the big property owners. They abandoned the kingdom, or they stayed and submitted.
Alfred's few months in the marshes are the most famous part of his life -- legend-makers could not resist the image of the fugitive king who was nevertheless destined to win in the end. From what we know of Alfred, he may have indeed spent some of his time in the marshes contemplating God's will. But he was not alone, and he was preparing himself in a practical way to make his big comeback. He had a base at a royal estate in the marshes, and when the time seemed right, he moved.
In the spring of 878, he left the marshes and summoned the men of the western Wessex to his standard. Gratifyingly, they responded, and within three days he was leading an army. He beat the invaders in the field at a place called Edington, then besieged them in their fortified encampment. After two weeks, the Vikings asked for terms. Alfred agreed to let them out if they would leave his kingdom, give hostages guaranteeing peace, and, finally, agree that their leaders would be baptized as Christians. All the terms were fulfilled. Three weeks after the Viking army left Wessex, their king, Guthrum and 29 other chief men returned to Wessex and were baptized. Guthrum was sponsored by Alfred himself, and thus became the godson of his former enemy.
Symbolically, this move was very important, for it showed a willingness of the invaders to bow, at least temporarily, to English standards. It was the beginning of a process of accommodation.
Alfred's victory was a crucial one for him. Attacks on Wessex did not immediately end,but Alfred began to make some gains. In 886, he took London, quite an important town, from the Vikings, and about the same time he made a treaty with Guthrum, now the king of East Anglia and the leading Dane in the south of England. The treaty (pp. 171-172) drew a boundary between English held Mercia and Wessex on one hand, and Danish held areas on the other. It also recognized the legal equality of the Engish and the Danes. Two men of the same rank were to have the same weregild, whatever their nationality. The Danes again were making an effort to fit into English society.
Alfred posed in the treaty of 886 as the chief representative of all the native English -- he acted with "the councillors of all the English race," and was looking out for native interests in dealing with the Danes. Whether he was accepted as such by other Englishmen is a doubtful matter. But in regard to Mercia, Alfred did show the magnanimity that one would expect from the king of all the English. . He returned the rich port of London to Mercian control very soon after he took it. Rather than earning resentment, he won an ally. Aethelred, the Mercian "ealdorman" married Aethelflaed, Alfred's daughter, and was a faithful adherent to Alfred's family for a quarter of a century.
Between Alfred's return in 878 and 892, Alfred worked to reorganize his kingdom against the possibility -- near-certainty, rather -- of further Viking attacks.
The actions Alfred took can be broken down into three parts.
First, Alfred established a navy. He was the first English king since the seventh century to show much interest in the military use of ships. Alfred's fleet was not a great formidable force. It was used for close in defense, and seldom if ever strategically. But the innovative attitude it reveals is impressive.
Second, Alfred reorganized his army. He enforced his right to call up free men to fight in defense of the kingdom, and exercised that right in a systematic manner. The levy of free men, called the fyrd, was divided into two parts, which were called up in rotation when necessary. This made it possible to get service from poorer free men who could not afford to fight full time. Alfred's arrangements were not perfect. The ASC tells us in 893 of a levy leaving the moment their term was up, even though they were besieging a dangerous Viking force. Yet Alfred's system generally seems to have provided him with troops when and where he needed them.
Alfred's third innovation was the establishment of a series of forts called burhs -- in modern English, boroughs. These served as the backbone of Alfred's defensive system, and were to evolve into the basis of English local government. Alfred created in the course of his reign about 30 strongholds.The new strongholds were meant as places of refuge and as obstacles to invasion. They were very well situated for both purposes. There was a burh within twenty miles of almost every spot in Wessex.
Not only were these places fortified, practical arrangements were made to ensure garrisons for them. The evidence for them is a brief document known as the Burghal Hidage (pp. 193-194). On the surface it is pretty cryptic, being just a list of burhs with the number of hides (units of assessment) attached to them. The explanation tacked on to the end, however, gives the key. Each hide is to supply one man, and the number of hides assigned to each city is enough to put four men on each pole (or 16 and 1/2 feet). The Burghal Hidage is a plan to assign 27,000 men to the various royal strongholds whenever garrisons are needed. Nor is the BH merely fantasy -- or at least it is very careful fantasy. Modern archaeology has found that the length of wall attributed to the burhs in the BH is very close to the actual length of wall at the time. Somebody made accurate measurements.
Right from the beginning most burhs were more than bare forts. They were towns with regular street plans, drawn up in anticipation of permanent settlement. They were centers of royal administration, or quickly became so. This is where mints were located -- for security and to service the merchants who gathered there. Merchants were there because Alfred (or at least his successors) required trade to be done in towns, where royal officials could collect taxes and prevent the sale of stolen goods.
Alfred's network of burhs made his successors the lords of all the most important towns in the kingdom, to their great financial and political benefit. The assignment of districts to those burhs encouraged the development of the traditional shires or counties of medieval and modern England.
Alfred and his planning was tested in the years 892-895. The last of the ninth century Viking attacks on England took place in that year, and they were aimed at Wessex, the center of resistence. The response of Wessex, as documented in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle, was quite impressive. The landing of Viking raiding parties in Wessex was invariably met by an immediate response. The Vikings were pinned down, besieged in their camps, sometimes cut off from their boats, and then chased away or defeated. The army of Wessex not only held its own, but, with the support of Mercians and some of the Welsh, fought the Vikings in disputed Mercia, and forced them finally to give up. Those who had property in England went home. The rest sailed for France, to raid up the Seine.
Alfred's success should be neither under- nor over-estimated. He was able to defend his kingdom better than any king on the Continent, and came out of the war with his power strengthened rather than diminished. But then it must be remembered that he had a small kingdom. He should be compared not to Charlemagne's descendents, who failed to hold their vast domains together; he rather should be compared to the newer warlords, the so-called feudal princes, the dukes and counts who gained power because they were effective defenders and organizers of territories threatened by war. Alfred did about as well as the Counts of Flanders of his time, or the Dukes of Burgundy.
Alfred's victories cannot be seen as "English" victories in a modern national sense. Alfred was still a sectional king, though he desired to be more. So much for qualifications. Alfred's victories are pretty impressive, and were won by hard work and intelligence.
Alfred's military and political success is only part what makes him a pivotal figure in the history of pre-Norman Conquest England. Alfred was something of a literary man, even a scholar, a fact that makes him the most knowable of pre-Norman kings. Asser, Alfred's biographer says Alfred spent every moment he wasn't fighting the Danes or hunting lamenting that he never had the time to study. You might be tempted to dismiss Asser's picture of Alfred the scholar too easily.
At first glance it seems hard to reconcile Asser's Alfred with Alfred the warrior-king. Yet the combination if unusual, is not unique, even within Alfred's own century. Charlemagne is the classic case of a phenomenally successful warlord who was also a dedicated patron of learning. Charlemagne, like Alfred, like most medieval men who thought about such things, identified learning with Christianity, which is of course a religion based on books. Charlemagne, like Alfred, believed that only rulers who deserved God's favor could hope for continued victory in this world, not to mention salvation in the next. The maintenance of religion, and therefore learning, was a duty and a necessity. The loss of learning would by itself diminish religious life, by making the proper praise and service of God, the proper rituals, impossible.
It is evident, however, that Alfred was something more than a patron. He was personally involved in the actual educational work. Alfred was alarmed by the loss of literate men -- literate in Latin, that is -- which cut the English off from Scripture and other religious works. He saw the solution in translations, not of the Bible, but of other morally uplifting books, so that men who knew no Latin would still have some fundamental moral and theological knowledge. Alfred himself became the mainspring of the translation project.
Alfred was something of a philosopher, and convinced, like all philosophers, that many of the world's problems came from a lack of philosophy. Alfred was a Christian philosopher, of course, and recognized that England's troubles were due in great part to purely moral failings. But he also blamed them on a lack of Wisdom with a capital W. Wisdom was something that could be found in books. The moral exhortations and philosophical reflections of ancient figures such as Boethius and Gregory the Great were things that all of the leaders of society should be exposed to. Alfred was particularly concerned that people should really believe the basic truths of religion -- for instance, in the immortality of the soul. If they did, they would act more sensibly, for long-term advantage and not foolishly and selfishly.
I have the feeling that Alfred may have been a rather uncomfortable king to be around. The works from his court have an intense, almost self-righteous atmosphere. Nevertheless, once again Alfred commands our respect. His intellectual achievements and those he inspired in others were the basis for the most successful western European vernacular tradition in the early Middle Ages. That he did this while he was fighting or preparing to fight is nearly as amazing as Asser would have us believe.

I like this last bit about Alfred as this is what we are beginning to feel in our group read, that he was an uncomfortable king/ person to be around. Politically everything seems to have a price, even people like Uhtred who knew about the Vikings so was of use to the King, Alfred uses him as a hostage and which, nearly led to him losing his life. His personnal battle with his inner demons also makes him undecipherable, in that he was supremely religious one moment , flogging himself for some indiscretion, but then commiting unchristian stances as well.

We find people did gain respect for Alfred just as Uhtred does, but he does not trust him.One bu one the kingdoms fall under the Viking yoke until there is only one, The Last Kingdom, Wessex and even this will slip away before the Saxon Series is finished. Only when Alfred's back is against the wall does he come out fighting and he has to win, or else England will be lost to the Anglo-Saxon's and Vikings will change Englishness.

The Pale Horseman rides through England bringing with him pestilence, sickness of the whole nation/ land and people, and with it death and hades/ hell. The title and its source Revelations 6:8 give us a clue to the plot and narrative of this book. This is being read July and August in the Bernard Cornwell Group.

Lords of the North, the following title also gives us a clue, to their rise of power and riches through the Danegeld. This is being read September and October in the Bernard cornwell Group.

The Sword Song sounds like the final outcome but Bernard Cornwell has written another novel to be published next year. This is being read November and December by the Bernard Cornwell Group and then hopefully the new one.

Look out for your favourite characters (Ragnar/ Brigid) and meet new ones as we travel with Uhtred through the politics and friendships between Anglo-Saxon and Viking, battles and feasts.

The city of York became a Viking stronghold, of which influence can be seen at the Jorvik Centre. It was to be some time before a King could say he was King of England. There are plenty of books on Alfred and this period in history. There are some good ones on the Vikings also, look for Michael wood, a historian who can tell a good tale of history. Also the article by Gareth Williams a British Museum Curator with a vast knowledge and interest in this period, taking part in re-enactments of Viking society and culture.

I hope you will enjoy the articles here on Winchester a truly wonderful town set among hills and woodland. St. Giles Hill with its pre-history settlement, the iron-age Celts and the Roman developments. The Anglo-Saxon Wessex Kings and the growth of nationalism and religion, with the move towards London. Henry Vlll dissolution of the monasteries, the Regency, Georgian and Victorian all made their mark in Winchester. The Cathedral holds a wonderful library and it's own Winchester Bible not to be missed, with its gold leaf and designed letters containing pictures of pigs, saints, scenes from the bible and plenty more. Visit Jane Austen's Grave or buy her books from the Deanery. From March until the weather lasts there is a book stall money in aid of the Cathedral (choir, roof etc) and you will find plenty of gems. Strolling through the water meadows brings you in tune with nature, with plenty of Damsel flies, Bees, deer, squirrels and many birds. The Queen Head pub does a very good selection of hot meals and drinks.

The high street has many street muscians and acts throughout the year and fairs such as the Hat fair, which are great fun, with stalls to buy food, jewellery, clothes and can be found for both the Water Fair and the French Market. In fact Winchester is never quiet with its many pubs and eateries, the theatre, library and museums. History surrounds you whichever way you walk and you are always finding out new information. Winchester has its quirks aswel with Little Minster Street and Minster Street both leading to the same place, The Square which is not exactly. The old market exchange with its cobbled walkways still holds charity stalls weekly for PDSA, Red Cross, Blind, MenCap, etc where bargains are to be had.
A university Town, so will see Cap and Gown, city smart, grundge along with Boho, which adds colour and style to a great city.

The Theme of Emma

2009-06-10T02:30:00.000-07:00

“Is he . . . a tall man?”
“Who shall answer that question?” cried Emma. “My father would say ‘yes,’ Mr. Knightley ‘no;’ and Miss Bates and I that he is just the happy medium.”
‘Facts’, in fact, are relative and everything depends on viewpoint. People see the world through their own eyes and interpret events independently. How the world is viewed even shifts within the same person depending on circumstance.
‘He had found her agitated and low.—Frank Churchill was a villain.—He heard her declare that she had never loved him. Frank Churchill’s character was not desperate.—She was his own Emma, by hand and word . . . and if he could have thought of Frank Churchill then, he might have deemed him a very good sort of fellow.’
If Emma was named after its theme, the title of the book would be Viewpoints.
Jane Austen, in the same manner as Dickens, examines her theme using virtually all of the book’s many characters.
Mrs Elton, arrogant and self-important, tries to force her own point of view on everyone else. ‘She thought herself coming with superior knowledge of the world, to enliven and improve a country neighbourhood.’ Not content with merely offering advice, she attempts to impose it.
She ignores the opinion of others (except when fishing for compliments) and so is incapable of improvement.
Harriet Smith is Mrs Elton’s polar opposite. She has ‘a very humble opinion of herself’ and no confidence in her own judgement, so, to a ludicrous decree, she adopts other people’s viewpoint. When shopping she’s ‘swayed by half a word’. Harriet ‘stood anxiously watching [Emma] for her opinion’ because Emma’s opinion is more important than her own. “Dear Miss Woodhouse, do advise me.” “What would you advise me to do?” “But if you would just advise me what I had best do.” “What do you advise?”
Emma claims she’s never going to marry. Harriet is shocked and incredulous. “But . . . you will be an old maid—and that's so dreadful!” Later in the book, however, [despairing of Mr Knightley] ‘Harriet say[s] in a very serious tone, “I shall never marry”’. Emma subsequently changes her mind . . . and Harriet promptly follows.
On Mr Elton: “There cannot be two opinions about him.” Oh, yes, there can. And she later adopts it.
The most extreme example in the book of a unique point of view is Harriet’s regard for Mr Elton’s pencil and court-plaster. To everyone else on the planet, the leadless pencil is useless junk and the plaster of utilitarian value only, but to Harriet, for a few months, they’re her ‘most precious treasures’. (The central theme is touched on again when the girls recollect the breaking of the pencil: Harriet can recall only Mr Elton’s position and Emma only Mr Knightley’s.)
Mr Woodhouse lacks the imagination to put himself inside other people’s heads and so projects his own viewpoint onto everyone else. He expresses intense concern for others but he lacks empathy (his own worldview is the only one that exists) so his compassion is twisted and blinkered.
‘His own stomach could bear nothing rich, and he could never believe other people to be different from himself. What was unwholesome to him he regarded as unfit for anybody.’ So he compassionately tries to stop everyone else from eating normally.
Mr. Knightley puts himself in other people’s shoes and imagines the world from their perspective. This gives him delicacy and consideration when dealing with others, and admits of tolerance for their weaknesses and failings. He’s not always successful in his empathy—partly because bias creeps in occasionally—but he manages it better than anyone else.
Emma: “. . . you have not an idea of what is requisite in situations directly opposite to your own”. Yes, he does.
Mr Knightley: “My dearest Emma, do not pretend, with your sweet temper, to understand a bad one”.
Mr Knightley: “You may be sure that Miss Fairfax awes Mrs Elton by her superiority both of mind and manner; and that, face to face, Mrs Elton treats her with all the respect which she has a claim to”. This is utter nonsense, but Mr Knightley is too gentlemanly himself to understand Mrs Elton fully. Emma predicts her behaviour to Jane far more acutely.
And again, this time in reference to Frank Churchill: “Respect for right conduct is felt by everybody”. No, it’s not.
Mrs Weston: “Mr. Knightley, I shall not allow you to be a fair judge in this case. You are so much used to live alone, that you do not know the value of a companion; and, perhaps no man can be a good judge of the comfort a woman feels in the society of one of her own sex, after being used to it all her life”. Generally, a woman can more easily empathise with a woman, and a man with a man, as less of an imaginative stretch is called for. On the other hand, judgement is more likely to be biased. Thus Mr Knightley is prejudiced against Frank while Emma is unjust to Jane Fairfax.
Mrs Weston: ‘I was quite surprised . . . Such a very kind attention—and so thoughtful an attention! [of Mr Knightley to arrange for his carriage to convey Jane Fairfax and Miss Bates to and from the party]—the sort of thing that so few men would think of’. This is typical of Mr Knightley’s general understanding and gentlemanly behaviour. “This is coming as you should do,” said [Emma]; “like a gentleman.”
Jane Fairfax, modest and reserved, refuses (for most of the book) to express her viewpoint at all. There’s good reason for her reticence but lack of openness is still a flaw in her character.
‘There was no getting at her real opinion. Wrapt up in a cloak of politeness, she seemed determined to hazard nothing.’
“I gave what I believed the general opinion.”
Miss Bates can’t keep her thoughts to herself and they all pour out in a torrent. Amusingly, and endearingly, she can’t even tell a little white lie, but blurts out the truth in an instant. Consequently, everyone knows her viewpoint on everything.
Miss Bates views the world in an upbeat, uncritical fashion and thinks the best of everything and everybody, so the world at large views her positively. In other words, her own good-hearted, cheerful viewpoint is reflected back at her and her felicitous perspective on life is self-fulfilling. “She is a standing lesson of how to be happy.”
Frank Churchill plays fast and loose with the truth and his expressed views are frequently false.
1) He moulds his opinions to fit in with whatever suits his selfish purpose.
“I agree with you exactly. A crowd in a little room—Miss Woodhouse, you have the art of giving pictures in a few words . . . Still, however, having proceeded so far, one is unwilling to give the matter up . . . and altogether . . . I am rather of opinion that ten couple might stand here very well.”
Secretly attached to Jane Fairfax, he uses Emma as a blind to deflect suspicion, and doesn’t worry about breaking Emma’s heart because Emma, he conveniently deludes himself, has managed to suss out the truth. (Everyone, to a certain extent, projects their own viewpoint onto others, and Frank is no exception: “Fancying you to have fathomed his secret. [said Mr Knightley] Natural enough!—his own mind full of intrigue, that he should suspect it in others.”)
2) He amuses himself by deliberately adopting false stances.
“And, seriously, Miss Fairfax is naturally so pale, as almost always to give the appearance of ill health.—A most deplorable want of complexion.”
3) He pretends to have a Harriet-like disposition and gently sends Emma and Harriet up.
“I have so little confidence in my own judgment, that whenever I marry, I hope somebody will choose my wife for me.”
“Your reasonings carry my judgment along with them entirely. At first, while I supposed you satisfied that Colonel Campbell was the giver, I saw it only as paternal kindness . . . But when you mentioned Mrs. Dixon, I felt how much more probable that it should be the tribute of warm female friendship. And now [after Emma has shared her suspicions about Mr Dixon] I can see it in no other light than as an offering of love.”
4) He flatters others (as in the quote above) quite shamelessly.
Miss Taylor’s viewpoint is that Emma is faultless, and so, by indulging her favourite and failing to criticise, ensures that she isn’t. Mrs Weston is highly impressionable and adopts other people’s general viewpoint and outlook on life. In short, Miss Taylor tailors her personality to fit in with others.
To Emma: “I have made a match between Mr. Knightley and Jane Fairfax. See the consequence of keeping you company!”
Along with her husband, she also matchmakes between Emma and Frank.
Furthermore, as just noted above, she shares Emma’s own high opinion of herself.
Mr Woodhouse’s influence is also apparent: “I did not quite like your looks on Tuesday . . . and though you will never own being affected by weather, I think every body feels a north-east wind”. And: ‘Mrs. Weston was afraid of draughts for the young people in that passage’. And: ‘There were Mr. and Mrs. Weston . . . very busy and very happy in their different way; she, in some little distress; and he, finding everything perfect’. Mr Woodhouse, too, enjoys his little distresses, so that ‘he had the pleasure of returning for answer, that they were all very indifferent’.
Mrs Weston debates with Mr Knightley and Emma in exactly the same fashion as they do themselves. She tries to put herself in another’s place to try to understand and explain their viewpoint. ‘Mrs. Weston laughed, and said [that Frank, who adjudged that Mr Elton’s house had ‘ample room in it for every real comfort . . . if it were to be shared with the woman he loved’] did not know what he was talking about. Used only to a large house himself, and without ever thinking how many advantages and accommodations were attached to its size, he could be no judge of the privations inevitably belonging to a small one.’
Mr Weston is outgoing and loves socialising (‘one cannot have too large a party’) while John Knightley has ‘reserved manners’ and loves staying in. Jane Austen extracts much comedy from these sharply contrasting viewpoints:
“I know nothing of the large parties of London, sir—I never dine with anybody.”
“Indeed! (in a tone of wonder and pity,) I had no idea that the law had been so great a slavery. Well, sir, the time must come when you will be paid for all this, when you will have little labour and great enjoyment.”
John Knightley is clever and insightful, but an outlook on life so contrary to his, renders empathy impossible, and Mr Weston’s extrovert behaviour is beyond his comprehension.
“One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.”
On other matters, John Knightley’s understanding compares favourably with his brother’s: “You need not imagine Mr Weston to have felt what you would feel in giving up Henry or John.”
From Mr Elton’s standpoint, he’s wooing Emma “Everything that I have said or done, for many weeks past, has been with the sole view of marking my adoration of yourself. You cannot really, seriously, doubt it. No!” and he’s outraged when he finds that Emma has paired him up with the lowly Harriet Smith.
From Emma’s perspective, Mr Elton is wooing Harriet Smith “I have been in a most complete error with respect to your views” and she’s outraged when she finds that he’s dared to set his sights on herself.
And the whole novel revolves around such varied and faulty viewpoints.

The picture above sums Emma up: some people see a young lady, some an old hag—and the way people view things in multiple ways is what the book is all about.
‘Emma, in the many, very many, points of view in which she was now beginning to consider Donwell Abbey . . .’
Emma is famous for its innovative use of free indirect discourse which unobtrusively (and sometimes almost imperceptibly) mixes in other characters’ point of view with the omniscient narrator’s voice. What obviously inspired, and to a degree dictated, this technique is that viewpoints is the theme of the novel.
A book so obsessed with point of view, inevitably plays games with the reader’s perspective. On first perusal, most people are only slightly more prescient than Emma, and along with her, misread almost every situation. On rereading, however, surprise is supplanted by understanding and from the reader’s new, omniscient viewpoint, a stream of ironic insights light up the text. By deliberately creating this contrast between first and subsequent readings, Jane Austen brilliantly dramatises and illuminates her thematic point.
A single example: when Jane arranges Frank’s letters to form the word Dixon and then pushes them away ‘with even an angry spirit’, her reaction appears to confirm Emma’s suspicions—there must have been an illicit connection between her and Mr Dixon.
Later, however, we learn that there was no romantic entanglement and the pianoforte came from Frank, so when we’re told that Jane comprehends ‘the covert meaning, the superior intelligence, of those five letters so arranged’, what is she comprehending? Mr Dixon’s ‘love’ was all in Emma’s head.
The answer, of course, is that Frank must have blabbed and told Jane every detail of Emma’s guess. It’s Emma, therefore, who’s the butt of the joke—though Jane doesn’t share Frank’s amusement. Just the fact of being thought guilty makes Jane blush, she’s annoyed at Frank for making a joke of it, and angry at herself as she dislikes deception and knows that she’s laid herself open to such charges through her secret engagement to Frank.
To learn why the picnic in Emma is set on Box Hill click here.
Emma on Jane: “She is a riddle, quite a riddle!”
Mr Woodhouse is obsessed with the following riddle:
Kitty, a fair but frozen maid,Kindled a flame I still deplore;The hood-wink’d boy I call’d in aid,Much of his near approach afraid,
So fatal to my suit before.
At length, propitious to my pray’r,The little urchin came;At once he sought the midway air,And soon he clear’d, with dextrous care,
The bitter relicks of my flame.
To Kitty, Fanny now succeeds,She kindles slow, but lasting fires:With care my appetite she feeds;Each day some willing victim bleeds,
To satisfy my strange desires.
Say, by what title, or what name,Must I this youth address?Cupid and he are not the same,Tho’ both can raise, or quench a flame—
I’ll kiss you, if you guess.
The answer is chimney sweep.
The verse, in other words, is written from the perspective of a fireplace—about as odd a viewpoint as you can get! And people with dirty minds and knowledge of old slang, might view the verse from yet another angle still.
Additionally, when Mrs Elton quotes:
And when a lady’s in the case,
You know, all other things give place.
she’s expressing the viewpoint of a bull. (Jane Austen is also having fun at Mrs Elton’s expense because Mr Perry uses the same phrase about Mr Elton when he’s eagerly pursuing Emma Woodhouse’s purse and heart: ‘he was very sure there must be a lady in the case’ or Mr Elton wouldn’t willingly, and for the first time ever, have missed out on his whist-club night.)

EMMA WOODHOUSE
Emma, in an occasional but significant way, displays the faults of most of the other main characters.
Frank Churchill amuses himself by adopting false opinions. Emma ‘to her great amusement, perceived that she was taking the other side of the question from her real opinion, and making use of Mrs Weston’s arguments against herself’.
Frank conveniently alters his views when his pleasure’s at stake. ‘[Emma] meant to be very happy, in spite of the scene being laid at Mr Cole’s; and without being able to forget that among the failings of Mr Elton . . . none had disturbed her more than his propensity to dine with Mr Cole.’ Emma asks the Westons whether she should accept the Cole’s invitation only because she knows that they’ll tell her to go. This is the only time that Emma asks for ‘advice’ in the novel!
Miss Bates can’t hold her tongue, but it does little harm thanks to her good-nature. But when Emma fails to restrain her acerbic thoughts, the consequences are more serious. Ironically, it’s Miss Bates herself who suffers most severely.
Emma is not at fault for having a lively wit and abundance of imagination, she errs only when she gives vent to her derogatory opinions—or at least, when they’re voiced to inappropriate people.
Emma correctly deduces that the Campbells didn’t give Jane the pianoforte, and since it arrives on Valentine’s Day, naturally suspects a lover. But it was unfair and unjust to tell Frank of her suspicions.
Ironically, the piano came from Frank himself, and when he pointedly teases Jane about his Valentine’s Day gift, Emma suffers needless pangs of conscience:
“How much your friends in Ireland must be enjoying your pleasure on this occasion, Miss Fairfax. I dare say they often think of you, and wonder which will be the day, the precise day of the instrument’s coming to hand. Do you imagine Colonel Campbell knows the business to be going forward just at this time?—Do you imagine it to be the consequence of an immediate commission from him, or . . . an order indefinite as to time. . . ?”
In Dickens’s wonderful David Copperfield the eponymous hero has an ‘undisciplined heart’; in Emma, the heroine has an undisciplined mind. She composes a splendid list of books to read . . . but doesn’t read them. She starts numerous portraits . . . but doesn’t complete them. (Though she’s highly inventive in finding excuses for their incompletion.) Above all, she allows her imagination to run away with her and fails to rein in her tongue.
Jane Fairfax lacks openness, and when Emma fails to be transparent, too, it leads to all sorts of problems. Her coy compact with Harriet not to name her friend’s new infatuation, for example, causes Emma intense anguish when it turns out to be her own Mr Knightley.
Similarly, if she’d been less clandestine in her dealings with Mr Elton and approached him about his supposed feelings for Harriet more openly, she’d have avoided a great deal of heartache.
There are times, however, when reticence is a virtue. Emma demonstrates this in her coach ride to the Westons. She’s irritated by John Knightley’s comments but resolutely keeps her views to herself. ‘She could not be complying, she dreaded being quarrelsome’ and so wisely determines to be silent.

VIEWPOINT
Viewpoint is affected by:
Gender: ‘The ladies here probably exchanged looks which meant, “Men never know when things are dirty or not;” and the gentlemen perhaps thought . . . “Women will have their little nonsenses and needless cares.”’
Fatigue: When feeling fresh, strawberries are (according to Mrs Elton) “the best fruit in England—everybody's favourite—always wholesome—delightful to gather for one’s self—the only way of really enjoying them.—Morning decidedly the best time—never tired—[but when fatigue does sets in] only too rich to be eaten much of—inferior to cherries—currants more refreshing—only objection to gathering strawberries the stooping—glaring sun—tired to death—could bear it no longer.”
Death: Dying is ‘to be recommended as a clearer of ill-fame. Mrs. Churchill, after being disliked at least twenty-five years, was now spoken of with compassionate allowances.’
Pain: “Poor Mrs. Churchill! no doubt she had been suffering a great deal: more than anybody had ever supposed—and continual pain would try the temper.”
Money: “A very narrow income has a tendency to contract the mind, and sour the temper. Those who can barely live, and who live perforce in a very small, and generally very inferior, society, may well be illiberal and cross.”
‘With their wealth, their views increased.’
Love (which colours everything): Jane Fairfax plays the song Robin Adair:
What’s this dull town to me
Robin’s not near
What was’t I wish’d to see
What wish’d to hear
Where all the joy and mirth
Made this town heaven on earth
Oh, they’re all fled with thee
Robin Adair
What made th’ assembly shine
Robin Adair
What made the ball so fine
Robin was there
What when the play was o’er
What made my heart so sore
Oh, it was parting with
Robin Adair . . .
Weather: ‘The weather added what it could of gloom . . .’
‘The weather [cold, wet and stormy] continued much the same . . . and the same loneliness, and the same melancholy, seemed to reign [rain] at Hartfield—but in the afternoon it cleared . . . Never had the exquisite sight, smell, sensation of nature, tranquil, warm, and brilliant after a storm, been more attractive to [Emma]. She longed for the serenity they might gradually introduce.’
Time: “I thought him very plain at first, but I do not think him so plain now. One does not, you know, after a time.”
The birth of a new day: ‘To youth and natural cheerfulness like Emma’s, though under temporary gloom at night, the return of day will hardly fail to bring return of spirits.’
Heat and food: ‘Some people were always cross when they were hot. Such might be [Frank Churchill’s] constitution; and as she knew that eating and drinking were often the cure of such incidental complaints, she recommended his taking some refreshment.’
Flattery: ‘Perhaps [Emma] might have passed over more had his manners been flattering to [herself]’. Both Emma’s initial opinion and Mr Knightley’s later opinion of Harriet Smith is coloured by Harriet’s (flattering) admiration of them.
Demonstrative behaviour: It’s hard to empathise with a stoic and it’s only when Jane displays agitation (when she wants to leave Donwell Abbey alone) and briefly opens her heart, that Emma is able to enter ‘into her feelings’ and genuinely compassionate her. “The more sensibility you betray . . . the more I shall like you.”
Novelty: ‘Human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of.’

SLAVERY
The source of Mrs Elton’s wealth, and that of her brother-in-law Mr Suckling, appears to be closely tied up with slavery.
· Bristol, where they come from, was second only to Liverpool as a slaving port and dealt primarily in slave-produced commodities such as sugar. · Jane Austen gives a sarcastic hint about the trade of Mrs Elton’s father: ‘Miss Hawkins was the youngest of the two daughters of a Bristol—merchant, of course, he must be called.’ · In 1562, John Hawkins became the first major English slave trader. · Jane’s remark about “the sale—not quite of human flesh—but—”, immediately brings the name of Mr Suckling to Mrs Elton’s lips and she hastily defends him from a nonexistent charge.
In addition to these well-known points, here are some more:
Pity For Poor Africans (1788) by William Cowper
I own I am shock’d at the purchase of slaves,
And fear those who buy them and sell them are knaves;
What I hear of their hardships, their tortures, and groans
Is almost enough to draw pity from stones.
I pity them greatly, but I must be mum,
For how could we do without sugar and rum?
Especially sugar, so needful we see?
What? give up our desserts, our coffee, and tea!
[A modern-day analogy might be with battery hens. Unless you approve of chickens being crammed for life into wire cages so small they can barely move, with almost every natural instinct frustrated, then you buy free range eggs or find egg replacements. Opponents of slavery, too, needed to boycott its products.]
Mrs Elton famously champions Maple Grove, which is ironic because to opponents of slavery, maple groves were renowned for producing ‘sugar not made by slaves’! Indeed, the abolitionist friends of Thomas Jefferson (U.S. president, 1801-1809, who championed the growing of maple groves, banned the importation of slaves, called slavery an ‘abomination’ and owned over 600 slaves himself), hoped that large-scale production of maple sugar would hasten the end of the slave trade. An 1803 farmer’s almanac exhorted: ‘Prepare for making maple sugar, which is more pleasant . . . than that ground by the hand of slavery, and boiled down by the heat of misery’. And again in 1805: ‘Make your own [maple] sugar, and send not to the Indies for it. Feast not on the toil, pain and misery of the wretched’. [Slavery-free sugar from India was the most common substitute in England, while hundreds of thousands of people, according to Thomas Clarkson, stopped eating sugar altogether.]
Coffee was produced with slave labour, unlike tea, so kindhearted Miss Bates says “No coffee, I thank you, for me—never take coffee.—A little tea if you please”.
Thomas Jefferson said that “a child raised every two years is of more profit than the crop of the best laboring man. . . . It is not [the slaves’] labor, but their increase which is the first consideration with us”, while James Hammond’s plantation rules emphasised the importance of sucklers: ‘The period of suckling is twelve months . . . The amount of work done by a suckler is about three fifths of that done by a full hand . . . Sucklers, old, infirm and pregnant receive the same allowances as full-work hands.’
In the West Indies during the 1700’s, however, it was the general opinion of slave-owners that “suckling children should die for they lost a great deal of the mother’s work during the infancy of the child”, or put another way, that ‘females are above three parts of their time taken up in breeding and suckling a tedious and precarious offspring, from which no profit can be expected for many years to come’. This buy-not-breed attitude gradually changed, however, and after Britain’s abolition of the slave trade in 1807, the continuation of slavery became entirely dependent on suckling.
Mrs Elton: “If you mean a fling at the slave-trade, I assure you Mr Suckling was always rather a friend to the abolition.” A friend to the end of slave trading, but not—the implication is—to the rearing of slaves on his plantation. ‘Mason labeled the slave trade as “diabolical,” “disgraceful,” “infamous,” and “detestable” immediately prior to arguing that slave owners’ rights be strengthened. Obviously, opposing the slave trade was not equivalent to opposing slavery.’
‘Proving that bought Slaves, who keep not up their Numbers by the Births, do not nearly refund their Purchase-Money, and that the Planter’s true Resource is to rear his Slaves . . .’ by William Dickson, Letters to Thomas Clarkson [of whom Austen was a big fan] (London, 1814). Mitigation of Slavery. Since this book was published the same year that Jane Austen wrote Emma, Mr Dixon, a common variant spelling of Dickson, may well be a tribute. Mr Dixon saves Jane (who compares governessing to slavery) from dying at sea, while William Dickson’s campaigning helped to end slave-trading which saved thousands of slaves from a watery grave—on average about 15% died during a sea voyage. (In 1787, Dickson told Clarkson about a voyage where ‘above one fourth perished on the voyage to the West Indies’.) Mrs Elton tries to bully Jane into becoming a governess/slave prematurely, while the Dixons encourage her to stay with them in Ireland.
From Encarta: ‘The first whites to denounce slavery in Europe and the European colonies were members of the Society of Friends—commonly known as Quakers. Unlike the prevailing idea of the time that blacks were inferior to whites, Quakers believed that all people, regardless of race, had a divine spark inside them and were equal in the eyes of God. These beliefs led them in the mid-18th century to take steps against slavery in Great Britain and the British colonies in North America. The first goal of the Quaker abolitionists was to end slave trading among fellow Quakers because the barbarity of the buying and selling of slaves was more obvious than that of the institution of slavery as a whole. . . . In Europe, Great Britain had the strongest abolitionist movement. The major turning point in its development came in 1787 when Evangelical Christians joined Quakers in establishing the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Led by William Wilberforce . . . and Thomas Clarkson . . . the society initiated petition drives, mass propaganda efforts, and lobbying in an attempt to end British involvement in slave trafficking.’ In The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament, Thomas Clarkson devotes a whole chapter to the American Quakers and explains their importance to the eventual abolition of the slave trade in Britain. ‘It may be asked, How the Quakers living there should have become forerunners and coadjutors in the great work now under our consideration. I reply, first, That it was an object for many years with these to do away the Slave-trade as it was carried on in their own ports. But this trade was conducted in part, both before and after the independence of America, by our own countrymen. It was, secondly, an object with these to annihilate slavery in America. . . . The American Quakers, lastly, living in a land where both the commerce and slavery existed, were in the way of obtaining a number of important facts relative to both, which made for their annihilation; and communicating many of these facts to those in England, who espoused the same cause, they became fellow-labourers with these in producing the event in question.’ All of this is relevant to Emma because the famous Quaker ship that left England for America in June 1657 was the Woodhouse. [Mr Woodhouse: “I have been long perfectly convinced . . . that the sea is very rarely of use to anybody. I am sure it almost killed me once.”] ‘Her coming was one of the most important landings on North America’s shores. It brought the seven men and four women who planted the Quaker seed in England’s North American colonies.’ Mr Woodhouse is exceedingly nervous and shaky, so, in other words, he’s a quaker. ‘Poor Mr. Woodhouse trembled as he sat.’
‘To members of this religion, the words “Quaker” and “Friend” mean the same thing.’
‘Sixteen years had Miss Taylor been in Mr. Woodhouse’s family, less as a governess than a friend’ (in light of Jane Fairfax’s comments about governesses, this is particularly striking). She and Emma ‘had been living together as friend and friend’ and Mr Woodhouse (‘beloved for the friendliness of his heart’) ‘liked very much to have his friends come and see him’. ‘Friend’ is an important word in Emma and, along with its various derivations, occurs far more frequently than in Jane Austen’s other novels—309 times in Emma compared with 186 in Pride And Prejudice, for example.
Mr Elton marries Miss Hawkins which gives him a Bristol connection. He’s an unpleasant character so, naturally, Jane Austen links his name (and his wife’s) with slavery. Abraham Elton was Mayor, and in 1722 became MP, for Bristol. He ‘invested in slaving voyages and owned a brass works which supplied brass goods to many slaving ships (brassware made up a large part of the trade goods carried to exchange for slaves in Africa).’ His son Abraham II, who also became Bristol’s Mayor, continued the involvement in the brass industry, while ‘Elton’s brothers Isaac and Jacob invested directly in slave ships’. The biblical Christian names suggest religion and Abraham Elton V, in fact, was a West Bromwich curate before inheriting the title in 1790.
Cotton was a slave crop so it’s no surprise that the box in which Harriet Smith enshrines Mr Elton’s court-plaster ‘was well lined with’ this slave-produced product. This ‘putting by in cotton a piece of [Mr Elton’s] court-plaister’ is the only mention of cotton in the book.
Austen may have been alluding to the black African Ottobah Cuguano through her use of the name Campbell. It was Alexander Campbell who purchased and brought him to England and (probably) freed him. Cuguano’s Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery, which was first published in 1787, is still in print and was the first abolitionist publication in English by an African.
In America, one of the resolutions of the July 1774 Fairfax Resolves was a recommendation that no slaves should be imported into the British colonies. The resolutions took the opportunity of “declaring our most earnest Wishes to see an entire Stop forever put to such a wicked cruel and unnatural Trade.” Additionally, it ‘resolved that the claim lately assumed and exercised by the British Parliament, of making all such Laws as they think fit, to govern the people of these colonies . . . is totally incompatible with the privileges of a free people, and the natural Rights of Mankind; will render our own Legislatures merely nominal and nugatory, and is calculated to reduce us from a state of freedom and happiness to slavery and misery.’ The Fairfax Resolves, therefore, may have given rise to Jane Fairfax’s name. Jane ‘had long resolved that one-and-twenty should be the period [of starting her slavery as a governess]. With the fortitude of a devoted novitiate, she had resolved at one-and-twenty to complete the sacrifice’; ‘. . . the sacrifices [Jane] had resolved on’; Jane had “actually resolve[d] to break with him entirely!”.
Both Mr Martin and Mr Knightley go to Kingston—a name that conjures up thoughts of Kingston, Jamaica:
‘Jamaica had the largest demand for slaves of any British colony in the Americas. It received one-third of retained slave imports shipped by Britain. In some periods, such as in the 1720s and the 1790s, Jamaica’s share of Africans shipped by Britain to the Americas was between 40 and 50 percent. . . . Kingston quickly became the major market not only for slaves intended for the largest British sugar island, but for those resold to most of Spanish America as well.’
In the days before photography, and with artists not drawn to the subject, few pictures of slave ships and slave-trading existed. Nicholas Pocock, later famous for his paintings of naval battles, is therefore notable for having drawn ‘pictures of ships, featuring slave trading on the coast of Africa’, such as his The Southwell Frigate. Below is his painting King’s Weston to Bristol Channel.
Mrs Elton: “We [she and the Sucklings] had had a delightful exploring party from Maple Grove to Kings Weston.” [Note the different punctuation from the previous “We explored to King's-Weston twice last summer”.] On the left of the picture is Kings Weston House, home of the Southwell family from 1679-1822. Edward Southwell (Tory MP for Bristol from 1739-1754) married a woman with wealth inherited from her family’s Caribbean plantations. He ‘actively promoted the city’s involvements in the slave trade’.
Jane Fairfax compares the plight of governesses with slaves.
Jane: “You have everybody dearest to you always at hand, I, probably, never shall again.”
Olaudah Equiano: ‘In this manner [by being sold at market] . . . are relations and friends separated, most of them never to see each other again . . . and thus prevented from cheering the gloom of slavery, with the small comfort of being together’.
“I was soon put down under the decks, and . . . I became so sick and low that I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to taste anything.”
“Dear Jane at present . . . really eats nothing . . . I dare not let my mother know how little she eats.”
“Jane [having quarrelled with Frank and facing the prospect of life as a governess) would hardly eat anything . . . everything they could command . . . was distasteful.”
Slaves aboard ship so often refused to eat that a device was invented—a speculum oris—to pry their jaws open so that the sailors could force-feed them.
‘The world is not their’s, nor the world’s law.’
Frank Churchill is by far the most prominent Churchill in the novel, of course, but Mrs Churchill is also a significant offstage figure. Unpleasant people in Emma are linked with slavery and Mrs Churchill “has no more heart than a stone to people in general”. (‘What I hear of their hardships . . . Is almost enough to draw pity from stones’.)
Travel books were hugely popular in Jane Austen’s time and one that had long been widely circulated was Churchill’s A Collection of Voyages and Travels (London, 1732). Amongst the many accounts of travels abroad are a few that deal with slavery, including a slave uprising on the Don Carlos. The tales of slavery are applicable to Mrs Churchill, the rest to Frank—and talk about his (potential) journeys to and from Highbury fill a large amount of the text.
‘He had wanted very much to go abroad—had been very eager indeed to be allowed to travel.’
“As soon as my aunt gets well, I shall go abroad,” said [Frank]. “I shall never be easy till I have seen some of these places . . . I have more than half an expectation of our all going abroad . . . I feel a strong persuasion . . . that I shall soon be abroad. I ought to travel.”
“I shall go abroad for a couple of years.”
Emma also makes bitingly ironic comparisons between spoilt Highbury life and the slave trade—nearly all of it in the chapter beginning ‘It may be possible to do without dancing entirely’.
‘The Middle Passage was the longest, hardest, most dangerous, and also most horrific part of the journey of the slave ships. With extremely tightly packed loads of human cargo that stank and carried both infectious disease and death, the ships would travel east to west across the Atlantic on a miserable voyage lasting at least five weeks, and sometimes as long as three months . . . The terrible Middle Passage has come to represent the ultimate in human misery and suffering.’
At the Crown: ‘Another room of much better size might be secured for the purpose [of supper]; but it was at the other end of the house, and a long awkward passage must be gone through to get at it. This made a difficulty. Mrs. Weston was afraid of draughts for the young people in that passage; and neither Emma nor the gentlemen could tolerate the prospect of being miserably crowded at supper.’ ‘Each slave had both feet shackled to other slaves . . . The narrow space lacked light and fresh air, sitting was impossible, and it was difficult to change positions without hurting one’s neighbor. Things were worse when bad weather was encountered. During these times, slaves stayed below for extended periods. After the storm, seamen often found dead Africans intertwined with others who were still alive.’
But perhaps Emma and friends could just skip the supper? ‘A wretched suggestion. A private dance, without sitting down to supper, was pronounced an infamous fraud upon the rights of men and women.’
Slave ships were appallingly filthy: ‘The deck, that is the floor of their rooms, was so covered with the blood and mucus which had proceeded from them in consequence of the flux, that it resembled a slaughterhouse’. ‘After forty or fifty days at sea, the slave ship would stink of urine, faeces, and vomit.’
At the Crown: “This paper is worse than I expected. Look! in places you see it is dreadfully dirty”.
Much thought went into packing slaves into ships for transportation. Occasionally, slaves were packed loosely (so fewer died), but never too few or there wouldn’t be enough to make the voyage financially worthwhile. Normally, though, slaves were crammed into the hold so tightly that, prior to their going onboard, any observer would wonder in what possible manner they could be disposed of. ‘It was impossible to imagine how they could all have been stowed away.’ As soon as they entered the ship, male Negroes were chained together in couples.
In Emma, it’s apportioning space to dance in that’s the source of concern:
· ‘pacing out the room they were in to see what it could be made to hold’. · ‘portioning out the indispensable division of space to every couple’. · ‘five couple are not enough to make it worth while to stand up’. · ‘it became a certainty that the five couple would be at least ten, and a very interesting speculation in what possible manner they could be disposed of’.
Slave ships were notorious for packing slaves so tightly that they had ‘scarcely room to turn’ in.
At Randalls, Frank Churchill says, “We allowed unnecessary room. Ten couple may stand here very well.” Emma demurred. “It would be a crowd—a sad crowd; and what could be worse than dancing without space to turn in?”
‘The Middle Passage – A Way of Death
At the savage Captain’s beck,
Now like brutes they make us prance
Smack the cat about the Deck
And in scorn they bid us dance.
This late 18th century verse refers to the action now known as ‘dancing the slave’. The enslaved Africans were brought daily above deck and [as they crossed the Passage] were made to ‘dance’ as a way of exercising their muscles after the long periods of cramped positions below deck.’
At Randalls: ‘The doors of the two rooms were just opposite each other. “Might not they use both rooms, and dance across the passage?” [No, because good old] ‘Mr. Woodhouse opposed it earnestly, on the score of health. It made him so very unhappy, indeed, that it could not be persevered in.’
The dance was to take place at the Crown Inn, which is not surprising as the British Crown had long had close ties with slavery, profiting directly from it, licensing it (as with the Royal African Company) and actively promoting it (in 1770, King George commanded that slavery not be abolished in the colonies). Jane Austen must have taken particular wicked delight in dedicating Emma to the Prince Regent.
Life below deck was frequently damp, airless and for many slaves literally uninhabitable as the appalling conditions frequently killed them. Mr Woodhouse’s words about the Crown, therefore, form a perfect analogy: ‘A room at an inn was always damp and dangerous; never properly aired, or fit to be inhabited’.
Olaudah Equiano: ‘The stench of the hold . . . was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there . . . the air soon became unfit for respiration’.
Mr Woodhouse is much concerned with damp in general and slaves had good reason to fear it: ‘Their huts . . . are often open sheds, built in damp places; so that when the poor creatures return tired from the toils of the field, they contract many disorders, from being exposed to the damp air in this uncomfortable state.’
All of these digs at slavery are not just confined to Emma. Perhaps the most detestable character in Mansfield Park, for example, is Mrs Norris, and since Mansfield Park itself is financed through an Antiguan slave plantation, it’s no surprise to find that she shares the surname of ‘Robert Norris [who] was a trader in West Africa from the 1750s to the 1780s. In the late 1780s, Norris represented Liverpool slave traders by appearing before governmental investigative committees. Through his work during the investigation and his defence of the slave trade in his Memoirs, published in 1789, Norris was influential in preventing heavy regulation of the slave trade through the early 1790s.’
Additionally, the selfish and unprincipled Henry and Mary Crawford have a name of chilling significance when applied to the brutal Middle Passage. ‘Derived from the Gaelic “cru” meaning bloody, and “ford” meaning ‘pass or crossing,’ the CRAWFORD surname is believed by most to mean a crossing of blood.’ [Given this association with 'bloody', their Christian names may also hint at bloodthirsty Henry VIII (“I once saw Henry VIII acted”) and his daughter Bloody Mary.]
Jane Austen’s own family had a link with Antiguan slavery—at which she’d hardly have been delirious—and if you look at the map of Antigua showing plantation owners, you'll find four very familiar name (Willoughby, Wickham, Elliot and Lucas)—an adorable bunch of characters. Willoughby and Wickham are the principal “villains” of their respective books, while the obnoxious Sir Walter Elliot is pompous and selfish. Charlotte Lucas isn’t arrogant or nasty, but like the other characters (and slave owners) has a lust for money and comfort that overrides her better feelings.
Four minor names also crop up: Martin, Freeman, Oliver and Parry—all offstage characters who we never get to meet. West Indian sugar plantations were notorious for having absentee proprietors, and consequently, all of these characters are absent from the books!
Note that the names are all grouped in a small arc around Willoughby church in the SE—apart from 'Elliot' who’s sandwiched between two Wickham properties slightly higher up.
Mr Woodhouse’s doctor, Mr Perry, is probably Austen’s most famous offstage character and so, predictably, on the map there’s also a Perrie—which is a common variant spelling of Perry.