A Poet’s Marriage.

Robert Browning, the famous poet, and Elizabeth Browning, one of the sweetest and truest of our poetesses, were married on the 12th of September, 1846, in the parish church of St. Marylebone.

The poet proved a model husband, intensely devoted to his wife, proud of her genius, and watchful over her happiness. In his “Life” we read that in 1851, and indeed “on each succeeding visit paid to London with his wife, he commemorated his marriage in a manner all his own. He went to the church in which it had been solemnised and kissed the paving-stones in front of the door.”

Time for Everything.—There is time enough for everything in the day if you do but one thing at once.

[OLD ENGLISH COTTAGE HOMES;]
OR,
VILLAGE ARCHITECTURE OF BYGONE TIMES.

PART V.

In our last paper upon this subject we described some examples of cottages in the immediate neighbourhood of London, and we propose devoting this one to a continuation of the same subject.

Close to the Church of Ryslip, and opposite to its western end, is a group of cottages, one of which is undoubtedly of early date, probably 16th century. It is long and low, the ground floor storey being of brick, and the upper portion of “Post-and-pan,” so that it is what is architecturally known as a “half timber” structure; one end has been plastered over in later times, and the whole forms a row of small cottages. We are in some doubt whether, as originally arranged, it may not have formed one single dwelling-house, the whole, or, at any rate, the centre portion of which was the parsonage. It has some curious features about it. A large black cross of brick is built into the wall, it is of the form known in heraldry as a “Cross Calvary” that is, it stands upon three steps. We do not, however, suggest that it has any heraldic signification, as its position seems to point to a different purpose. This cross is not in the centre of the building, but is placed exactly opposite to the western door of the church, and immediately over it are three windows, the centre one of which is much longer than the other two, and is now blocked up, showing that it was unnecessary for giving light to the room. These peculiarities seem to point out the fact that in former times this was the residence of the rector or vicar of the parish. The cross was placed there to mark out the house to any who might need his ministrations, and the long window over it to give light to his “study,” where he might write or read, and at the same time look out upon the church door to see who went in or came out of the sacred edifice. All the other windows are very small and high up, because those who resided in the other cottages, not requiring to read and write, and having no special interest in watching the church door, could do well enough without extra light in their rooms. The whole group of cottages is very interesting. The oak beams are well moulded, and have stood the test of time admirably. If our suggestion is correct, these buildings have a peculiar interest, as there are so very few mediæval parsonages in existence. Some thirty years back an interesting one was to be seen at Willesden, but in improving the churchyard they “improved” this venerable relic of church history off the face of the earth. It was of the same homely but substantial and picturesque character as the building at Ryslip.