Olney, Bucks
THE HOME OF COWPER
=How to get there.=–Train from St. Pancras. Change trains at Bedford.
Midland Railway.
=Nearest Station.=–Olney.
=Distance from London.=–60-1/2 miles.
=Average Time.=–1-1/2 hours.
1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=–Single 8s. 1d. ... 4s. 9-1/2d.
Return 16s. 2d. ... 9s. 7d.
=Accommodation Obtainable.=–"Bull Hotel,” etc.
Olney was for a period the home of the delicate and sensitive poet
William Cowper, who was born at the parsonage of Great Berkhampstead.
His father was chaplain to George II. Cowper lost his mother at a very
early age, and the sad event made a deep impression on his mind. In
after years he wrote a poem addressed to his mother’s portrait which it
is said has drawn more tears than any other poem in the English
language. Cowper was sent to school at six years of age, but was very
unhappy there, and it laid the foundation of that settled gloom which
oppressed him all through life. When Cowper had finished his studies at
the Westminster School he commenced the study of law, and was afterwards
called to the bar; but he never practised, for he hated law. Cowper was
offered several appointments, but failed in examinations for them from
extreme nervousness. By the kindness of friends an income was secured
for him and he went to reside at Huntingdon. Here he formed an
acquaintance with Mrs. Unwin, the “Mary” of his poems, which ripened
into deepest friendship. He enjoyed much tranquil happiness during the
time of his residence with the Unwin family.
When Cowper and his friends moved to Olney they lived in the
old-fashioned regular fronted house illustrated opposite. Here Cowper is
said to have amused himself with his hares and in the making of boxes
and tables. He was also interested in the bees in the old-fashioned
garden at the back of the house, where one may still see the little
rustic summer-house in which John Gilpin and some of the Task were
written. The house now contains a Cowper museum, and visitors thus have
an opportunity of seeing the parlour and other rooms, besides many other
interesting objects connected with the poet. His great friend at Olney
was the Rev. John Newton. They were constantly together in their walks,
in their homes, and at church, and both wrote a number of hymns.
[Illustration: Thornborough.
COWPER’S HOME AT OLNEY.
The house now contains a Cowper museum.]
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Preface •
Ham House and Petersham •
Walton-On-Thames (scold’s Bridle) •
Harrow •
Holwood House, Keston •
Chigwell, Essex •
Waltham Abbey and Cross •
Downe •
Epsom: Its Races and Its Salts •
Epping Forest •
Hampton Court •
Rye House, Broxbourne •
Hatfield House, Herts •
Runnymead, the Signing of Magna Charta •
The Oldest Brass in England •
St. Albans •
Stoke Poges Church, Bucks •
Windsor •
Jordans and William Penn •
Knole House and Sevenoaks •
Greenstead Church •
Chalfont St. Giles •
Westerham •
Guildford, Surrey •
Gad’s Hill •
Ightham Mote, Kent •
Penshurst •
St. Michael’s Mount and Marazion •
Rochester Cathedral •
Tunbridge Wells •
The Quintain Post At Offham and Malling Abbey •
Eversley •
Farnham, Surrey •
Hindhead, Surrey •
Shottermill •
Penn’s Chapel At Thakeham, Sussex •
Chawton the Home of Jane Austen •
Selborne •
Elstow •
Lewes, Sussex •
Bodiam Castle, Sussex •
Colchester, Essex •
Layer Marney •
Battle Abbey •
Cambridge •
Arundel Castle •
Olney, Bucks •
Wantage and the Country of Alfred the Great •
Canterbury and Its Cathedral •
Reculvers •
Oxford •
Midhurst •
Pevensey Castle •
Savernake Forest •
Ely Cathedral •
St. Ives, Huntingdonshire •
Winchelsea and Rye •
Blenheim Palace •
Peterborough Cathedral and Crowland •
Peterborough •
Southampton •
Helmingham Hall •
Stonehenge, Wiltshire •
Netley Abbey •
Salisbury and Its Cathedral •
Sandwich, Kent •
New Forest, Hampshire •
Osborne House •
Carisbrooke Castle •
Lutterworth •
Compton Wynyates •
Kenilworth Castle •
Belvoir Castle •
Bath •
Boston and the Pilgrim Fathers •
Warwick •
Gloucester and Its Cathedral •
Norfolk Broads •
Norwich Cathedral •
Lichfield •
Sherborne and Its Abbey Church •
Newark •
Wells and Its Cathedral •
Stratford-On-Avon •
Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk •
Lulworth Cove, Dorsetshire •
Corfe Castle •
Lincoln and Its Cathedral •
Somerset, the Birthplace of Tennyson •
Glastonbury Abbey •
Walsingham, Norfolk •
Cheddar Caves, Cheddar, Somerset •
Newstead Abbey •
The Wessex of Thomas Hardy’s Romances •
Tintern Abbey •
Chesterfield, Derbyshire •
Dukeries •
Haddon Hall, Derbyshire •
The Isle of Athelney, and Sedgemoor •
Raglan Castle •
Dovedale •
Wellington and the Wrekin, Shropshire •
Wroxeter and the Roman City of Uriconium, Salop •
Buildwas Abbey, Shropshire •
Ludlow and Its Castle •
Shrewsbury •
Buxton and the Peak District •
Tewkesbury •
Exeter and Its Cathedral •
Market Drayton, Salop •
Chester •
Exmoor •
Knutsford •
Torr Steps On the Barle, Somerset •
Cleeve Abbey, Somerset •
Hawarden •
York Minster •
Coxwold, Yorkshire •
Llangollen and Valle Crucis Abbey •
Knaresborough, Dripping Well •
Fountains Abbey •
Ripon Cathedral •
Dartmoor •
Haworth •
Rievaulx Abbey •
Brixham, Devon •
Conway Castle •
The Doone Valley, Exmoor •
Llandovery, South Wales •
Dartmouth, Devon •
Richmond, Yorkshire •
Tintagel •
Whitby •
Carnarvon Castle •
Plymouth •
Durham and Its Cathedral •
Raby Castle, Durham •
Snowdon •
Harlech Castle •
Grasmere and Rydal Mount •
The Lake District •
St. Davids Cathedral •
Furness Abbey, Lancashire •
Monkwearmouth, Near Jarrow •
The Isle of Man •
Brantwood •
Fowey •
Hexham and Hadrian’s Wall •
The Lake District •
Keswick •
Alnwick Castle •
Lanercost Priory, Cumberland •
Lanercost Priory and Stepping-Stones.] •
St. Ives, Cornwall •
Bamborough Castle, Northumberland
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