Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary

[Jd755]

At long last getting on with this thread again. A shorty to resume with.

My Journey to Canterberry and Dover in Kent the same year from Amwell in Hartfordshire. I went to Royston 1 mile, and Epin in Essex 9 mile, thence to Drumford through Lanes and much wood-that part of Essex is full of woods; yt was 10 mile. Thence to Abnife 14 mile, thence to Tilbery 3 mile wch is a ffine ffort, a great flatt to ye Land, full of Watry ditches and may be flooded all over. Here was the fight by ye parliament in 1640.

Interesting. here Celia is saying there was a fight by the parliament in 1640 yet the mainstream has it that the English Civil wars started in 1642.

There are Severall Buildings by themselves of a Triangular form of Brickwork in wch ye powder and amunition is kept.

Tempting to interpret these triangular buildings as 'pyramids' however she specifically uses the word triangular meaning three sided.

I saw severall Colliers pass by Laden towards London.

Once again she mentions the transportation of coal.

The Thames here is very Rough and Deep so as we fferry over in a boate like a Hoy.

A Hoy was a term for a small coastal sailing boat.

The Bridg at Rochester is the finest in England-nay its said to Equal any in the world-it is not built upon wth houses as London Bridge but its very Long and fine, Iron spikes Like a grate is on the top of the wall wch is breast high, and these jrons on the top wch are above a yard more. Its jndented at Each arch as all bridges are, there are 9 large Arches wth ye middle one wch is to be opened by drawing up to give passage to Barges and little vessells. When ye tyde was out I saw the worke of the arches is wth wood Cutt hollow, and stands a good distance into the water to keep the water from bearing too hard against the Bridge.

Pretty good engineering. A lifting arch in 1697.

The town is large jncludeing the suburbs and all, for there is a large place before you pass the river wch washes quite round yt side of ye town to ye Dockyards, thats a mile from it where are two large yards for building shipps.

I saw severall Large shipps building, others refitting. There was in one place a sort of arches like a bridge of Brickwork, they told me ye use of it was to let in ye water there, and so they put their masts in to season

Certainly they knew what they were doing back then. Technology might seem "low" to us alive today however it was effective well built and reliable.

There were severall shipps at anchor along ye River. All behind the town is another hill wch is covered wth fine woods yt Looks very fine; thence to Sittingburn 11 mile all in sight of ye Lovely Medway. This is a very good town for ye Road and travellers as you shall meete wth . The Church is all built wth flints headed so Curiously that it Lookes like glass and shines with ye suns Reflexion.

A church made of flints with a shiny glass like appearance. Interesting.

 

[Jd755]

She is in Canterbury now.

There are also paper mills wch dispatches paper at a quick rate, they were then makeing brown paper wn I saw it. The mill is set agoing by ye water and at ye same tyme it pounded the raggs to morter for ye paper, and it beate out meale and Hemp and ground bread altogether-that is at ye same tyme. When ye substance for ye paper is pounded Enough, they take it in a great tub and so with a frame just of ye size of ye sheetes of paper made all of small wire just as I have seen fine Screens to Screen Corne in, only this is much Closer wrought, and they Clap a frame of wood round ye Edge and so dip it into ye tub and what is too thinn runs through; then they turn this frame down on a piece of Coarse woollen just of ye size of ye paper and so give a Knock to it and it falls off; on wch they Clap another such a piece of woollen Cloth wch is ready to Lay ye next frame of paper, and so till they have made a large heape wch they by a board on the bottom move to a press, and so Lay a board on ye top and so Let down a great screw and weight on it, wch they force together into such a narrow Compass as they know so many sheets of paper will be reduced, and this presses out all ye thinner part and Leaves the paper so firme as it may be taken up sheete by sheete and Laid together to be thoroughly dryed by the wind. They told me white paper was made in the same manner only they must take white woollen to put between.

There is a great number of French people in this town wch are Employ'd in the weaving and silk winding, I meete them Every night going home in great Companyes, but then some of them were Employ'd in the Hopping, it being the season for pulling them.

A short hop across the channel.

There is so much to note in her description of what she saw in Canterbury cathedral.

There is a large Market house and a town Hall over it in the town, but the Cathedrall is the finest sight there, the Carving of stone is very fine on the outside as also within, but its not so Large as Salisbury; its a square tower-no spire running up from it-but the small ones at Each Corner of ye tower for ornament.

There are two large jsles in ye middle of the Church wch leads to open gates of jron barrs and spikes, thence is an ascent of 20 steps, as Winchester Church is; up to ye Quire, where is a fine Large organ, so is the ffont well Carv'd and painted and Gilded, the bottom is white and grey Marble wth white marble statues round the stem to the ffoote, the top is made in a piramidy Carv'd and painted.

Celia really does use the number of steps in or outside a building to gauge the importance or standing of the building. Once again she shows she knows what shape a pyramid is so those ammunition stores in Tilbury fort really were triangular and not pyramid shaped.

*The Windows in ye Quire are most delicately painted as Ever I saw, ye Curiosity of the worke and Coullours beyond others, but the size of the windows much Inferior being very small for a Church. Ye Glass is very thick and the Coullours Laid on it strikes through the glass, its Coullours tinctures all ye Glass, an art wch now is lost amongst us.

Very interesting.
"but the size of the windows much Inferior being very small for a Church."
"ye glass is very thick"
Do these two observations suggest great age for this building even in 1697?
"the colours laid on it" does she mean painted on then fired to fix it?
"an art wch now is lost amongst us" A long gone skill in 1697...

At ye Alter is a Cloth and Coushons of purple ffigured Velvet the books the same, there is a broad tissue border of orrace work gold and silver, and at ye Edge is a ffine knotted fringe of purple silk and gold. The Bishops seate and Cushon the same wch was given by our good Queen Mary King Williams Queen when she was at Canterbery.

Fine human skill from Celias day that have all but vanished today. The replacement of skilled human produce with the machine made produce is nearly complete.

The Chapter house is pretty Lofty supported by its own worke wth out pillars, its Ceiled with Irish oake, there are severall good monuments of ye Kings and queens and great men and severall Bishops.

Irish oak...in Canterbury.

There is one Bishops statue yt was at ye paines to divide the Bible into Chapters wch makes it more Commodious to the Reader, and was a good Employment for him it being the proper subject of such a person of ye Church to studdy ye holy Scriptures wch gives the truest wisdom.

Even back then "the bible" was deemed to be "true wisdom" but the words written within it were deemed to be too much to take in for "the reader".

There is the Chaire that all ye Arch Bishops are Inaugurated in when made Arch Bishops, its wood with Elbows. There is another statue of a Bishop Cut out in wood, his Robes and all well Carv'd and is ffirm and solid still, Except some small deffaceing by ye soldiers in ye warre tyme, and this has stood some 100 of yeares.

Again more examples of skills that are now all but extinct.

There is a Chapple Called Thomas of Beckets Crown, the Roofe being Carv'd in the fform of a Crown and painted; there is also a pavement wch is much worne by the feete and knees off this Sts votarys that Came to do obeysance to his Shrine.

The wearing of the stone she talks of suggests either lots of people paying obeysance or a smaller number paying obeysance frequently.
Either way the wearing is indicative of quite some passage of years.

There is one Brass statue in armour but its not so bright being less regarded than that at Warwick.

So for all the good stuff she notes this singular statue in armour is noted for its obvious lack of regard. Wonder who it was a statue of.

Under the Cathedrall is a Large Church just Like St Ffaiths under St Pauls in London; this is given to the Ffrench protestants in the town for the worshipping God, it holds a vast number of people, its as full of Seates as Can thrust by Each other, it seemed a Little darkish, but they say when the doores are open its Light Enough, its so well arch'd that they Cannot hear them in the Cathedrall when singing-at least no wayes to disturb them.

Blimey there must have been a sizeable population of French protestants living in Canterbury at the time.

 

[Jd755]

The Castle at Dover is discover'd five mile off standing on the Edge of a very steep hill on wch you ascend up to ye tower 120 steps up, whence you discover Callice in Ffrance. I saw the Clifts and hills plaine, but in some Cleer dayes towards the Evening you may see the towers and buildings of Callice, you likewise see a vast way on all sides sea ward and to ye Land. The Castle is Left much to decay and ruinated only a small appartment for the Governour of three or four Roomes, Else ye whole is spoyl'd the floores taken up and wanscoate pulled down.

What we call Calais was called Callice in 1697.
Interesting to note Dover castle seems to have been fairly recently spoyl'd

I was in the roome Queen Elizabeth was kept prisoner in till the death of queen Mary, the balcony just by in wch she saw the messenger Coming which she supposed was of Death to take off her head, but proved the Messenger that brought ye news of the Crown and Kingdom falling to her by the death of her sister. She afterwards repaired the Chapple but now its quite out of use, the Roofe and side being Mouldred down in many places.

The state of the chapel is telling.

There is a fine dry well in ye Castle walled Curiously of a vast depth, the use of it was to Discover the work of the miners in tyme of a siege whereabout they were at worke, going down into this well discovered ye working by ye shakeing ye Earth at what side they were at worke, and so might defeate them by a Countermine

There is also a great well of 60 ffathom deep, the water is drawn up by a great wheele with a horse, notwithstanding its so deep yet its also wide and Exactly down Right, that I could see the water at the top, and when I flung a stone wch was a pretty while descending I saw when it plashed into ye water.

A fathom is 6 feet so this well was 360 feer deep. Impressive engineering.

There is one Gun of Cast Brass of a Great Length finely Carv'd and adorn'd with ffigures, this Carrys a Ball a great way tho' ye bore or muzzle of ye Gun be not bigger than my fist, so the Ball its Charged with Cannot be very bigg but it will do Execution a great way off; this was made at Utriche in Holland and presented to Queen Elizabeth; its worth a great sum of money for its Curiosity.

There is a Little Cannon of ye same worke wch I have seen in ye Tower at London, there is a great Inscription on it.

I wonder if either gun still exist.

There are Gunns also planted in a Little ffort at ye ffoote of this steepe Clift to secure ye Road from Pirates, for as to Dover town it Looks like a place of no deffence, its a Little place, ye houses are Little and looks thrust together, there is a market house and town hall, its well enough for the accomodation of the seamen and to Supply the shipps wth anything, it seems where the town stands the sea formerly Came in and was Cover'd under water severall fathom deep so as the shipps Ride there in harbour.

"it seems where the town stands the sea formerly Came in and was Cover'd under water severall fathom deep so as the shipps Ride there in harbour. "
Bit ambiguous this bit or I am misreading it. Either way it seems that Dover town as it was in 1697 stands on land that used to be a beach shoreline or was land under the sea or a marsh maybe?

The town was only within the Limits of a wall wch Encompass's ye Castle of which small matters appears' only of a great Banck and some parts of ye Ruines of ye ffoundation, but ye sea Leaving the shore so ffarre they have built this town wch has no gates.

 

[Jd755]

You see a many pretty towns altogether almost, neate Churches and towers all the way you travell from Dover to Deale on yr Left hand, but beyond Deale you go a very deepe heavy sand for 4 mile to Sandwich. You go along by ye Sea side in sight of the jsle of Thannet wch is just over against Sandwich and is so near it you see ye Lands and jnclosures and woods and houses. I suppose it not a quarter of a League from Sandwich; this is a sad old town all timber building, you Enter by a gate and so you go out of it by a gate, but its run so to Decay that Except one or two good houses its just like to Drop down ye whole town.

Wonder why Sandwich was in such a poor state?

When I turned off the road to Maidstone I travell'd through Lanes and woods wch were very ffine but hid ye sight of the Country about being so Close; yt it was ye privatest Road I have travell'd. About 10 mile short of Maidstone you ascend a very steep hill wch discovers the whole Country at one view 40 mile off backward from whence we Came; and a few paces on the top of ye hill the descent of the hill on that other side is so great a fall that gives you as full a discovery of the Country all forward, both wch shew the variety of grounds intermixt wth Each other, and Lesser hills [and plaines and Rivers wch such advanced grounds present ye travellers at one view; this is Called Boxlye hills and is part of the same Ridge of hills wch runs along by Epsome.

Boxlye hills is Boxley hills today. Could be a transcription error or more likely another example of how the language changes via word sliding.

This was Market day being Thursday and it seemed to be well furnish'd wth all sorts of Commodityes and I observed there was great quantety's of Leather but Could not Learn what particular thing that was their staple Comodity or tradeing in, but in Generall it seemed to be like a Little faire for the variety of wares tho' they told me that was not so full a Market as some dayes because the Country people were taken up aboute their hopping so Could not bring things to Market.

Celia is describing a market in Maidstone during the hop gathering season.

 

[Jd755]

I being in Kent this year shall Insert something of Tunbridge.

Flesh, fowle and fish and in great plenty is brought from Rhye and Deale &c, this being ye road to London, so all the season the water is drank they stop here wch makes it very Cheape, as also the Country people Come wth all their backyard and barne door affords to supply them with, and their gardens and orchards, wch makes ye markets well stored and provision Cheape, wch the Gentry takes as a diversion while drinking the waters to go and buy their dinners

What that passage shows is how much food was being produced and harvested by the people living at the time. True the gentry aka the moneyed people coming out of London to partake of the waters at Tunbridge had an influence on this as did its proximity to London however it provides an interesting comparison to today where food is grown in other countries and imported. A country that cannot feed its own population is not really a country in my book.

it being Every day's market and runns the whole Length of ye walke, wch is between high trees on the market side for shade, and secured wth a Row of buildings on ye Right side, wch are shopps full of all sorts of toys, silver China, milliners and all sorts of Curious wooden ware wch this place is noted for, (the delicate neate and thin ware of wood both white and Lignum vitae. wood): besides wch there are two Large Coffee houses for tea, Chocolate &c, and two Roomes for ye Lottery and hazard board.

A market town for all manner of produce. The number of gentry staying in Tunbridge must have been quite high throughout the year.

There are severall bowling greens about ye wells, one just at it on Mount Sion and another up ye hill Called Mount Ephraim where is also a Large Chapple where the presbiterians have preaching: they have a minister wch by ye Collections of ye Company is also maintained all the winter to preach, as is the publick Chapple at the walks.

Bowling greens. Rapidly becoming a thing of the past these days but in Celias day they point to a surfeit of leisure time though for whom, gentry most likely, she doesn't say.

There are severall good taverns at the walks and all about to supply good wine and Brewhouses for beer and Bakers for Bread, but some of them Come from London and spoyle the market by raiseing ye price-so the higlers and Hucksters in a great measure.

Grasping buggers even in Celias day. Higlers and Hucksters as she calls them. They always want more. Perhaps its a human response to the possibilities money is said to offer.