John and Betty's History VisitWilliamson, Margaret
History
John and Betty's History Visit
Williamson, Margaret
England -- Description and travel
Richmond Park is a favorite resort for tourists, and driving and
bicycle parties. It contains some fine old trees, and a great many
deer which add to its attractiveness. Mrs. Pitt directed the coachman
not to drive about much, however, but to show them two points of
interest.
"This is the 'King's Mound,'" she observed, as the horses slowed down.
"Yes, that little low mound of earth just this side of the clump of
trees. I'll admit that it looks uninteresting enough; but it is known
as the spot where Henry VIII stood while listening for the sound of
the gun at the Tower, which told him of the execution of Anne Boleyn."
"Ugh!" Betty interposed, in disgusted tones, giving a little shudder.
"Think how he must have felt! Horrid old thing!"
"Don't be silly, Betty!" retorted John. "I guess a little thing like
that wouldn't trouble him!"
Almost in the center of the Park is a house called White Lodge, which
has long been a royal residence. It is approached by an avenue, which
was the scene of Jeanie Deans's interview with Queen Caroline, as
Scott describes it in his "Heart of Midlothian."
Their lunch was quickly over, and they were again on their way down
the long hill. In the town of Richmond, they mounted another tram for
the forty-minute ride to Hampton Court.
"If we only had had a bit more time," Mrs. Pitt apologized, "I should
have shown you what still remains of the famous old palace of
Richmond. Henry VIII and Elizabeth both held their courts there often,
and there the latter died in 1603. The palace was destroyed by order
of Parliament in 1649; only a small part of it was spared, and in that
the widow of Charles I, poor Queen Henrietta Maria, was allowed to
live. Are you getting plenty of history, Betty, my dear?"
"Oh, yes, but I'm always ready for more," smiled that young lady in
response.
The tram set them down very near the great palace of Hampton Court.
They went quickly through the entrance-gates of wrought iron, and
walked towards the building itself. This West Front is as Wolsey left
it, and is made of the old crimson bricks, with here and there a black
one. Passing under the gatehouse, they came into the Green or Base
Court, and here they paused to look about them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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