. Cathedrals, abbeys and churches of England and Wales, descriptive, historical, pictorial . thrum poinded his Danish host down upon the royal palace at ChipjDenham,in Wiltshire, the power of Wessex seemed to be completely overthrown. Theonly refuge open to the fugitive king was the marsh-land of Somerset. But thebeaten ruler was no ordinary man, for his subsequent action showed, and posterityhas recognised. King Alfred to be the greatest of all the English kings beforethe Norman Conquest. He retreated to the island of Athelney, a spit of landbetween the Parret and the Tone, which fm-nished li
. Cathedrals, abbeys and churches of England and Wales, descriptive, historical, pictorial . thrum poinded his Danish host down upon the royal palace at ChipjDenham,in Wiltshire, the power of Wessex seemed to be completely overthrown. Theonly refuge open to the fugitive king was the marsh-land of Somerset. But thebeaten ruler was no ordinary man, for his subsequent action showed, and posterityhas recognised. King Alfred to be the greatest of all the English kings beforethe Norman Conquest. He retreated to the island of Athelney, a spit of landbetween the Parret and the Tone, which fm-nished liim with an imi^enetrable 292 ABBEYS AND CHURCHES. [Bkiuowatek, Wkston fastness. There, like a tiger crouching for a spring, he sojourned for eightniontlis, until he was ready to inflict a crushing blow upon the invader this period is attributed the episode of the buining of the cakes, dear to theheart of Mrs, Barbauld. The wars of King Stephens reign must have swept over this district, for theking laid siege to the castles of powerful and predatory barons in various directions. Bridgwater: the exterior. around it; but nothing need be recorded here respecting them. Taunton Castlewas, however, rebuilt by Bishop GifPard in the previous reign; Bridgwater Castle,built by Walter de Briwere in the reign of King John, has now totallydisappeared. Upon three occasions the peace of this neighbourhood hasbeen disturbed by conflicts for the possession of the English crown. PerkinWarbeck, after failing to effect much in Ireland, landed upon the coast ofCornwall, where his chief sympathisers were, and advanced eastward to conquerEngland. He seized upon Taunton, but got no further. Here he was faced bythe royal forces, from which he fled without striking a blow, and was speedilycaptured and ultimately led to the gallows. ^Vllen, on April 23rd, 1642, Sir John Hotham, by order of Parliament, closed ZoYLANI), ANI> TaINTON.] CAVALIER AND ROUNDHEAD. 293 the gates of Hull ai^ainst King
Size: 1789px × 1397px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectchurcharchitecture
