Glimpses of Nature, and Objects of Interest Described, During a Visit to the Isle of Wight: Designed to Assist and Encourage Young Persons in Forming Habits of ObservationLoudon, Mrs. (Jane)
History
Glimpses of Nature, and Objects of Interest Described, During a Visit to the Isle of Wight: Designed to Assist and Encourage Young Persons in Forming Habits of Observation
Loudon, Mrs. (Jane)
Isle of Wight (England) -- Description and travel; Natural history -- England -- Isle of Wight
Not discouraged by these remarks, Mrs. Merton sat down to table; and
she and Agnes, whose appetites were sharpened by their morning walk,
soon contrived to make an excellent breakfast; though Mr. Merton, who
was rendered more fastidious by ill health, could scarcely get anything
that he could like. At nine exactly the little carriage was at the
door; and Agnes, after running up stairs into the bed-room, to make
quite sure that nothing had been left behind, placed herself beside the
driver, rejoicing that she had taken the precaution of packing up her
portmanteau before she went out. Mr. and Mrs. Merton sat behind; and
thus the whole party were enabled to have a distinct view of the
country they passed through.
The ride from West Cowes to Newport does not, however, contain anything
very striking; and, as the distance is only five miles, they were not
long in reaching the town of Newport, which is remarkable for its
neatness, though it has little else to recommend it. Our party called
at the Post-office; and Mrs. Merton and Agnes visited the church and
church-yard, while Mr. Merton was reading his letters.
The Church at Newport was built in the year 1172, in the reign of Henry
II., and was dedicated to St. Thomas à Becket. There is nothing
remarkable in the Church, excepting the stone which marks the
burial-place of Elizabeth, daughter of Charles I., who died at the age
of fifteen, while a prisoner in Carisbrook Castle; and the handsome
monument erected to the memory of Sir Edward Horsey, who was governor
of the island in the time of Queen Elizabeth. In the church-yard there
was pointed out to them a grave containing six persons of the name of
Shore, who all died on the same day; and this having attracted the
attention of Agnes, Mrs. Merton asked an explanation, when the guide
told them, that this unfortunate family were coming from the West
Indies, on board the ship Clarendon; and, as they intended remaining
some time in the Isle of Wight, a house had been taken for them at
Newport, looking into the church-yard. The Clarendon was wrecked off
Blackgang Chine, on the 11th of October, 1836; and this unfortunate
family were among the passengers. It is said all was prepared for them
in the house; and even a dinner had been cooked by order of a near
relative of theirs, who was anxiously awaiting their arrival when their
dead bodies were brought to Newport.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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