Cathedrals -- England; England -- Description and travel
A native art and civilisation existed in the Island, we know, before the
Roman Conquest. Great skill in enamelling, claimed by the ancients to be
of Celtic origin, and the primitive abundance of gold and tin, worked,
as history relates, by the Phœnicians, encouraged a certain degree of
native excellence in metal work. Besides this, the gold coinage and
other signs of their ingenuity, by remains discovered in Yorkshire and
elsewhere, illustrate that various branches of art existed a matter of a
century and a half before the Roman Conquest. Yet it is only reasonable
to suspect that the inhabitants of Gloucester and of the other camps
profited greatly from the far better knowledge and technique brought by
the invader from Rome, the acknowledged centre of civilisation at
that time. Certain it is that the Roman influence must have left some
result. The subsequent history of Gloucester has it that a mint existed
at the time of Alfred. It evidently fell into disuse, for a mint was
again established in the reign of King John. He also granted the
burgesses exemption from toll, and showered other marks of royal favour.
As far back as the twelfth century, Long Smith Street derived its name
from the numerous artisans who dwelled there.
They were employed in forges for the smelting of ore. Iron-founding and
cloth-making were also in full swing. Felt-making, sugar-refining, and
glass-manufacture all flourished at one time or another. Pin-making was
introduced by a Mr. John Tilsby in 1625, and until quite recently formed
the staple trade of the place. Bell-founding, once a feature, no longer
is practised. In its career of nearly two centuries close upon 5,000
bells of different sizes had been cast. With the exception of foundries,
many modern industries have supplanted the old, and include match works,
marble and slate works, saw mills and flour mills, chemical works, rope
works, railway wagon and engine factories, agricultural implements, and
ship-building yards; for it must be remembered that Gloucester is
reckoned as a port. It exports such valuable commodities as iron,
coals, malt, salt, bricks, and pottery. The town is also celebrated for
its Severn salmon and lampreys.
In discussing the resources of Gloucester, no regard has been paid to
the proper distribution of dates. A leap from the eleventh to the
nineteenth century has been unavoidably made, and to chronicle the chief
events it is necessary to go back to the year 1022, when a change was
made in Bernulf's foundation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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