Scenes of Clerical Life.
Nuneaton is the Milby of Janet’s Repentance. There is an amusing description of a Sunday morning service at the church at the beginning of the story.
31–32. Nuneaton church, exterior and interior
Miss C. Norton
33–34. Nuneaton church and vicarage
Miss C. Norton
35. Nuneaton, Lawyer Dempster’s house
Miss C. Norton
No. 35 Church Street, the Orchard Street of Janet’s Repentance. The original of Dempster was a Mr. Buchanan.
36–37. Nuneaton, Dempster’s house, other views
Miss C. Norton
38. Nuneaton, garden of Dempster’s house
Mr. A. H. Howell
39. Nuneaton, grotto in Dempster’s garden
Mr. A. H. Howell
Miss C. Norton
The “Shepperton” church of Amos Barton. George Eliot was baptised here. The tenor bell was hung in her memory (1909). “The little flight of steps with their wooden rail running up the outer wall and leading to the children’s gallery,” is still in existence.
41. Chilvers Coton church
Mr. A. H. Howell
42. Chilvers Coton church, interior
Mr. S. T. Shipway
43. Chilvers Coton church, children’s gallery
Mr. G. H. Osborne
44. Chilvers Coton vicarage, garden
Mr. A. H. Howell
The open window belongs to the room in which “Milly Barton” died.
45. Chilvers Coton vicarage and church
Mr. S. T. Shipway
46. Chilvers Coton churchyard, Emma Gwyther’s grave
Mr. S. T. Shipway
Mrs. Gwyther was the original of “Milly Barton” of The Sad fortunes of Amos Barton, one of the most touching stories in English literature. The inscription is transcribed in full in Olcott’s George Eliot, scenes and people in her novels.
47. Chilvers Coton churchyard, Emma Gwyther’s grave
Mr. A. W. Hoare
48–48a. Chilvers Coton churchyard, tomb of Robert (“Adam Bede”) and Christiana Evans.
Mr. A. W. Hoare (48)
Mr. A. Hunt (48a)
49. Chilvers Coton churchyard, tomb of Sarah and Isaac Pearson Evans (“Tom Tulliver” and his wife)
Mr. A. H. Howell
50. Chilvers Coton church, extract from parish register
Mr. W. H. Stokes
Recording the marriage of Edward Clark and G. Eliot’s sister Chrissy, “Celia” of Middlemarch. The signatures include those of the Rev. John Gwyther (“Amos Barton”), Robert Evans (“Adam Bede”), Mary Ann Evans (the novelist), and Isaac P. Evans (“Tom Tulliver”—see No. 49).
51. Arbury Hall
Mr. W. H. McLauchlan
and Mr. W. H. Stokes
A copy of an older photograph; the view is not the same to-day. This is the “Cheverel Manor” of Mr. Gilfil’s Love Story. Arbury is the home of the Newdegate family. Robert Evans, father of George Eliot, was land agent for the Newdegate estate. This “castellated house of grey-tinted stone is described beautifully in the Love Story, ch. 2. See also three books by Lady Newdigate-Newdegate: The Cheverels of Cheverel Manor; Gossip from a Muniment Room; and Cavalier and Puritan.
52. Arbury Park, George Eliot Memorial
Mr. W. H. Stokes
Erected by Mr. F. A. Newdigate-Newdegate, M.P. Of rough grey stone, recording the dates and places of her birth and death, and the words “Lest we forget.”
52a. Arbury Park, Caterina’s Walk
Mr. W. H. McLauchlan
and Mr. W. H. Stokes
Ch. 7. of Mr. Gilfil’s Love Story.
52b. Arbury Park, The Rookery
Mr. W. H. McLauchlan
and Mr. W. H. Stokes
“The thick shades of the distant Rookery” where Caterina found the body of Captain Wybrow.
53. Astley church
Mr. W. H. McLauchlan
and Mr. W. H. Stokes
Astley is the “Knebley” church of Mr. Gilfil’s Love Story—“a wonderful little church, with a checkered pavement which had once rung to the iron tread of military monks.” (ch. 1).
53a. Astley castle
Mr. O. W. Barry
and Mr. W. H. Howell
“Knebley” castle.
53b. Astley castle and gateway
Mr. W. H. McLauchlan
and Mr. W. H. Stokes
53c. Astley castle, the moat
Mr. W. H. McLauchlan
and Mr. W. H. Stokes