XIII

A ZIG-ZAG TRIP FROM YORK TO NORWICH

Late in the afternoon we left York over the Great North Road for Retford, from whence we expected to make the “Dukeries” circuit.  The road runs through a beautiful section and passes many of the finest of the English country estates.  It leads through Doncaster, noted for its magnificent church, and Bawtry, from whence came many of the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed in the Mayflower.  This road is almost level throughout, and although it rained continuously, the run of fifty miles was made in record time—­that is, as we reckoned record time.

At Retford we were comfortably housed at the White Hart Hotel, a well conducted hostelry for a town of ten thousand.  The “White Hart” must be a favorite among English innkeepers, for I recollect that we stopped at no fewer than seven hotels bearing this name during our tour and saw the familiar sign on many others.  On our arrival we learned that the Dukeries trip must be made by carriage and that the fifty miles would consume two days.  We felt averse to subtracting so much from our already short remaining time, and when we found still further that admission was denied for the time at two of the most important estates, we decided to proceed without delay.  The motor would be of no advantage to us in visiting the Dukeries, for the circuit must be made in a staid and leisurely English victoria.

Since this chronicle was written, however, I have learned that the embargo on motoring through the Dukeries is at least partially raised—­another step showing the trend in England in favor of the motor car.  By prearrangement with the stewards of the various estates, permission may be obtained to take a car through the main private roads.  Thus the tourist will be enabled in half a day to accomplish what has previously required at least two days driving with horse and carriage.

In this vicinity is Newstead Abbey, the ancestral home of Byron, and one of our greatest disappointments was our inability to gain access to it.  Perhaps we might have done so if we had made arrangements sufficiently in advance, since visitors are admitted, they told us, on certain days by special permission.  There has, however, been an increasing tendency on the part of the owner to greatly limit the number of visitors.  The coal mines discovered on the lands have become a great source of wealth and the abbey has been transformed into a modern palace in one of the finest private parks in England.  The rooms occupied by Byron, it is said, are kept exactly as they were when he finally left Newstead and there are many interesting relics of the poet carefully preserved by the present proprietor.