England, Picturesque and Descriptive: A Reminiscence of Foreign TravelCook, Joel
History
England, Picturesque and Descriptive: A Reminiscence of Foreign Travel
Cook, Joel
England -- Description and travel
with Sir Thomas Gower sprang the family of the present ducal house of
Sutherland, the head of it being created Marquis of Stafford in 1786 and
Duke of Sutherland in 1833. The present duke is the third who has held
the title, his mother having been the daughter of the Earl of
Carlisle--the famous Harriet, Duchess of Sutherland. The old Trentham
Hall was built in 1633, being rebuilt and enlarged by Sir Charles Barry
about fifty years ago.
[Illustration: TRENTHAM HALL--ON THE TERRACE.]
TAMWORTH AND TUTBURY.
Staffordshire contains some famous places. In the eastern part of the
county, bordering Warwick, is the ancient town of Tamworth, standing
upon the little river Tame; this was originally a fortification built
for defence against the Danes, and its castle was founded by Marmion, of
whom Scott writes,
"They hailed Lord Marmion,
They hailed him Lord of Fontenaye,
Of Lutterward and Scrivelbaye,
Of Tamworth tower and town."
Tamworth is also Shakespearian ground, for here Richmond halted on his
march to Bosworth Field, and made a stirring address to inspire his
forces for the coming combat. In later years Tamworth sent Sir Robert
Peel to Parliament, and his bronze statue adorns the market-square; the
ruins of the ancient castle are almost obliterated, and the present
castle is upon higher ground, its architecture being of various periods.
Tutbury Castle, of which little is left but a straggling mass of ruins,
stands on an eminence overlooking the Dove, and crowns a ridge of red
sandstone rock: it was a great stronghold, founded by John of Gaunt,
covering several acres, and was demolished after the Civil Wars. This
castle, like so many other famous places, was also one of the
prison-palaces of Mary Queen of Scots; although the castle is destroyed,
yet near by is its parish church of St. Mary, founded by Henry de
Ferrars in the reign of William Rufus, and known then as Ferrars Abbey:
its west end is one of the most perfect Norman fronts remaining in
England, and it has been carefully restored. Tutbury is known for some
of its ancient customs, among them the annual bull-running. A minstrel
band, after devotions and a long sermon in the abbey, had an excellent
dinner in the castle, and then repairing to the abbey-gate demanded the
bull; the prior let the bull out, with his horns and tail cut off, his
ears cropped, his body greased, and his nostrils filled with pepper to
make him furious. The bull being let loose, the steward proclaimed that
none were to come nearer than forty feet, nor to hinder the minstrels,
but all were to attend to their own safety. The minstrels were to
capture the bull before sunset, and on that side of the river, but if
they failed or he escaped across the stream, he remained the lord's
property. It was seldom possible to take him fairly, but if he was held
long enough to cut off some of his hair it was considered a capture, and
after a bull-baiting he was given to the minstrels. Thus originated the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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