Next plott a sun-dial cutt in box and true-Lovers knotts; att ye entrance of ye Colledge over ye gate is the ffiennes’s and ye Wickhams Arms Cutt in stone Sett up there by my Nephew Say when he was at ye Colledge before his travels. There is a large stone statue in the Middle of ye first quadrangle of William of Wickhams ye ffounder, railed in wth Iron Grates.
In ye Library are ye pictures of some of ye learned men wch belonged formerly to the University.
From Oxford I went to Abington and Cross’d ye River Thames on a bridge att ye end of ye town and so Entered into Barkshire and rode along by ye thames side a good way, wch was full of Barges and Lighters—its 6 mile to Abington. Before I proceed will Insert ye names of ye ffounders of ye halls and Colledges in Oxford. University Colledge was founded by King Alfred. Baliol Coll. was founded by John and David Baliol, Merton Coll. by Walter de Mert, Exetter Coll. by Walter Stapleton, Oriel Colledge by King Edward the second, Queen Coll. by Robert Egglesfield, New Colledge by Wm of Wickham, Lincoln Colledge by Richard Fleming, All souls Coll. by Henry Chicklay Magdalin Coll. by Wm Wainfleet, Brason-nose Coll. by Wm Smith, and Richd Sutton, Corpus-Christy Coll. by Richd fox, Christ-Church Coll. by Henry ye eight, Trinity Colledge by Tho. Pope, St Johns Coll. Thomas white, Jesus Colledge by Queen Elizabeth, Wadham Coll. by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, Pembrooke Coll. by Thomas Feisdale and Richd Whitewick, Hart Hall by Walter Stapleton, St Mary Hall by King Edward the 2d, Newin Hall by Wm of Wickham, Magdalen Hall by Wm of Wainfleet, Gloster Hall by thomas White, Alton Hall by ye abbess of Alban, St Edmond Hall by ye arch Bishop of Canterbury.
From thence I went to Abington. Abington town seemes a very well built town and the Market Cross is the ffinest in England, its all of free stone and very Lofty; Even ye Isles or Walk below is a Lofty arch on severall Pillars of square Stone and four square Pillars: over it are Large Roomes with handsome windows, above wch is some Roomes with Windows and Little Like the Theatre att Oxford only this is a Square building and that round, it makes a very ffine appearance.
From thence I went to Elsly 8 mile farther, a little Market town, good Inns thence Newbury. Most of this way is much on Downs and good Roads, its 7 mile to Newbury where I called on an old acquaintance Marryed to a tradesman Mr Every, who is so Like the Minister his Uncle yt was my acquaintance. Here I staid an hour and then proceeded on to Basenstoke 12 long miles, being my ready road to Chichister, and from Basenstoke to Alton 8 mile and from thence to Petersffield and to Nurstead 11 long Miles, this was in Hampshire so was Basenstoke: here I lay at a Relations House Mr Holt that marry’d My Mothers sister. From thence I went to Chichester through a very ffine Parke of the Lord Tankervailes, stately woods and shady tall trees at Least 2 mile, in ye Middle stands his house wch is new built, square, 9 windows in ye ffront and seven in the sides. Brickwork wth free stone coynes and windows, itts in the Midst of fine gardens, Gravell and Grass walks and bowling green, wth breast walls Divideing each from other, and so discovers the whole to view. Att ye Entrance a Large Coart wth Iron gates open wch Leads to a less, ascending some stepps, ffree stone in a round, thence up More Stepps to a terrass, so to the house; it looks very neate and all orchards and yards convenient. Thence I entered into Sussex and soe Chichester, wch is 12 miles. This is but a Little Citty Encompass’d with a wall wth 4 gates which Casts the two streetes directly across each other and so Lookes through from Gate to Gate, one Streete does, the other it seemes did so formerly, but in new building of some of their houses they have encroach’d into the Streete and so hinders the through visto. In Midst of these 2 or 4 streetes Divided by the Market place is a very faire Cross of Stone Like a Church or greate arch, its pretty Large and pirramydy form wth severall Carvings. The Cathedrall is pretty Lofty, ye painting on ye Roofe in the quire and Isles Looked very ffresh tho’ 300 yeares old, there is in the jsle on ye roofe ye phaney of 6 faces joyned and 6 eyes and yet each face has two eyes and in another place the faces turned outward and so the 6 faces are 12 eyes. The Quire is good, there is a fixed pulpit in it overight ye Bishops seate wch is not usual, I never saw it before—Usually they have pulpits that are Moveable.
There is a faire Organ and another pulpit in ye body of the Church, there is also an entire Church in ye Cathedral by it self wch is ye parish Church. There are in all 6 parishes and so many Churches besides ye Cathedrall. Over the alter is painted glass Chequer’d blew white and Red, so deepe the Coullr is struck into the Glass as makes it darkish, in one of the Isles is a square place, on each side ye Wall is filled with ye Kings pictures from ye Conquest to their present Majestyes; there is also one Picture pretty Large of a Saxon King in his Robes and an abbott with his brethren, petitioning to build this Cathedrall which before belonged to ye Isle of Ely where was ye Bishops see. There is also one large Picture of another Bishop petitioning King Harry ye 8th to ffinish and paint ye Church. On ye other side the wall is filled up wth ye severall abbots and Bishops since ye Conquest that have been of Chichester. In their advancement they are brought from Bristol to Chichester and next advance is to Ely and so on to greater revenues. The tower is 260 odd steps, from whence you may see the whole town. There are 3 or 4 good New houses, one is ye Dean’s, Mr Edds, a very good man; from thence I saw ye Isle of Wight, Spitthead; the sea comes within a mile of ye Citty, Remarkable for Lobsters and Crabs Chichester is. There is an Engine or Mill about a Mile off the town draws up salt water at one side from the sea and fresh water from a Little rivulet wch descends from a hill, and so supply’s ye town. Halfe way off ye tower you go round ye quire and Looke down into it, there are severall effigies of marble and allabaster of ye Bishops of the place and one of the Earle of Arundell and his Lady.
Chichester is 50 mile from London ye Direct way by Guildford, but I went through more of Sussex wch is much in blind dark Lanes and up and down Steepe hills, to Billinghurst and passed through Arundell parke belonging to ye Duke of Norfolke, this was 18 mile, from whence I went to Dorken in Surry 15 mile, where are ye best trouts in ye river wch runns by Box hill a Remarkable diversion to people that go to Epsum. The hill is full of box wch is Cutt out in severall walks shady and pleasant to walk in tho’ the Smell is not very agreeable; the brow of the hill being Such a height gives a Large prospect of a ffruitfull vale full of inclosures and woods, and this River Runns twining itself about and is called ye Swallow, and Just about Dorken and Leatherhead 4 mile thence it sinkes away in many places wch they call Swallow holes, this Must be some quicksand, but ye Report of it is it sincks here and runnes undr ground a Mile or two and rises about Moles and Runs againe. Camden does credit this and repeates a tryal one made of forceing a Duck into one of those falls wch Came out at ye other side by Moles wth its ffeathers allmost all Rubbed off wch supposses ye passage to be streight, but how they Could force ye Duck into so difficult a way or whither anything of this is more than Conjecture must be Left to every ones Liberty to judge. From Dorken its 10 mile to Kingsston, a Chalky hard Road wch is in Surrey, this stands on the Thames, its a great Market for Corne; I was there on Satturday and saw great quantity’s of Corn and Mault sold; thence I passed by Richmond park wall a good way and Came in sight of Hampton Court wch is a Noble Building, had the good queen Mary Lived to have ffinished it, it would have been ye noblest palace in ye Kingdom. I passed the end of Wanstead and Clapham and part of Lambeth having Chealsey College in view and ye whole Cittys of Westminster and London so thro’ Southwarke over London bridge into Middlesex 10 mile in all from Kingston—this Little journey was 220 mile.
Another journey into Herrifordshire from London, by Uxbridge to Islip 5 miles that is 7 mile off Oxford, from Islip to Woodstock where remaines no foote steps of faire Rosomonds Bower, only ye walls round ye parke and the little brookes that supply’d it wth water for ye baths and wells and ponds. Thence to Morton Hindmost in Glocestershire to a Relations house, My Uncle Richd ffiennes’s widdow, a little neate stone built town, good Innes for ye travellers being ye road from London to Worcester and Herrifford and wales. Thence over Broadway hill to Parshur in all 30 mile by 12 of ye Clock, thence to Upton, where we pass on a large bridge over ye fine River the Severn wch runs from Worcester and to Glocester, Shrewsbury and to Bristol where it runns into the sea—in some places its very broad, Some Miles over, but here it was no broader than ye Thames is at Staines—it affords good ffish, Salmon and severall sorts besides. I think this River does not Ebb and flow so farre into ye Land. Here we Enter into Worcestershire and ascend Manborn hills or as some term them ye English Alps, a Ridge of hills Divideing Worcestershire and Heriforshire and was formerly Esteemed the divideing England and Wales, Herriford Shropshire &c. were Weltch Countys. They are at least 2 or 3 miles up and are in a Pirramidy fashion on ye top. I rode up upon ye top of one of ye highest from whence Could discern the Country above 40 miles round and noe hills but what appeared Like Burrows or Mole hills, these being so high Nothing Could Limitt ye Eye but distance. Just at ye Bottom stands Worcester town which Looks like a Large well built town of Brick and Stone—I was not in it. On the one Side of this high Ridge of hills Lies Worcester: Oxford Glocestershire &c. appears in plaines, enclosures, Woods and Rivers and many Great hills tho’ to this they appeare Low: on the other Side is Herriforshire wch appears Like a Country off Gardens and Orchards the whole Country being very full of fruite trees &c. it lookes like nothing else—the apple and pear trees &c. are so thick even in their Corn fields and hedgerows. The descent is as long and steep in some places as its riseing was. Thence to a Relations house my uncle John ffiennes and his son; New house, 20 mile from Parshur which I rode all in one day in June and ye miles are here very long so that at Least it may be esteemed the Last 20 mile as long as the 30 mile gone in the morning. My Cos’n ffiennes has made a very convenient habitation at this place wch Contrary to its Name was an old built house—Timber worke, but by his alteration and additions of good Brick walls round the Court and 4 pretty gardens, wth good Walks grass platts much good fruite, of wch the Country does Easily produce, and if persons are Curious in planting may have ye best wch my Cosen has here, and the walls some Lower than other gives the sight of ye Garden at one view. Severall large orchards behind the house with new Stables and offices wch makes it look well. Itts in sight of severall houses, but all old buildings—Lady Hopton’s in a Low meadow—there are woods by it and a Little river parts them, called ye Framy wch gives Name to Severall Little villages as Cannon froom, Bishops ffroom, Castle froom; this runnes into another Little river Called the Lug and both runnes into the River Wye wch is on ye back side of Herriford town. This was 7 miles from us, its a pretty little town of timber buildings, the streetes are well pitched and handsome as to breadth and Length. The river Wye is as broad as the Thames is at Maidenhead bridge, or hardly so broad, its a Rapid River and seemed much disturb’d; there is very good ffish in it; it did not looke Cleare wn I saw it, but was thick and yellow but yt is against foul weather.
The Mount which is the only thing of ye Castle that remaines Commands the sight of ye river and town. The Cathedrall is very neate but small, the Carving of the wood in the Quire was good. In the Library I was shown by ye Dean of Herriford ye History of pope Joan with her Picture, it was printed in and with the history of all the popes in Rome successively—it was writt in old English, but I made a shift to read it. There is ye Bishops Palace and ye Deanes and Doctors houses wch are the best buildings, but they are not very ffine or Large. 7 mile thence on a flatt is Mr Paul folie’s Seate called Stoake in whose parlour you see Herriford quite plainer—its a very good old house of Timber worke but old ffashion’d, and good Roome for Gardens, but all in an old fform and mode and Mr Folie Intends to make both a new house and gardens. The latter I saw staked out, so it will be to no purpose to say anything of it as its now only ye good Barns and Stables that are new Covered wth slate, ye ffine Bowling-green walled in, and a Summer-house in it all new. There is beyond this, ffine woods and a delicate Parke above the house—pailed in; yt is stored with deare both red and ffallow and affords 12 brace in a season, there are also fine Coppices.
From thence to Newhouse againe 7 mile, hither we went 5 or 6 tymes from Newhouse to Broughton. We went by Eshum and ye Vale of ye Red horse being a Vale of a great extent, the earth is all Red, its a very Rich Country for Corn and ffruites and woods. Its Called ye Vale of Eshum or of ye Red horse from a Red horse Cut out on some of ye hills about it and ye Earth all Looking Red, ye horse Lookes so as yt of ye white horse Vale. Here is all very heavy way to Weston 25 mile in Glocester, to a Parsonage of my Cos’n Pheramus ffiennes given him for his life by his and our Grandfather Willm Lord Viscount Say and Seale—its a neate building all stone, and ye walls round Court, Gardens and yards, all are of Stone.