Bab Bab 3 · DIANA'S GROVE

. DIANA'S GROVE

Curiosity took Adam Salton out of bed in the early morning, but when he

had dressed and gone downstairs; he found that, early as he was, Sir

Nathaniel was ahead of him. The old gentleman was quite prepared for a

long walk, and they started at once.

Sir Nathaniel, without speaking, led the way to the east, down the hill.

When they had descended and risen again, they found themselves on the

eastern brink of a steep hill. It was of lesser height than that on

which the Castle was situated; but it was so placed that it commanded the

various hills that crowned the ridge. All along the ridge the rock

cropped out, bare and bleak, but broken in rough natural castellation.

The form of the ridge was a segment of a circle, with the higher points

inland to the west. In the centre rose the Castle, on the highest point

of all. Between the various rocky excrescences were groups of trees of

various sizes and heights, amongst some of which were what, in the early

morning light, looked like ruins. These--whatever they were--were of

massive grey stone, probably limestone rudely cut--if indeed they were

not shaped naturally. The fall of the ground was steep all along the

ridge, so steep that here and there both trees and rocks and buildings

seemed to overhang the plain far below, through which ran many streams.

Sir Nathaniel stopped and looked around, as though to lose nothing of the

effect. The sun had climbed the eastern sky and was making all details

clear. He pointed with a sweeping gesture, as though calling Adam's

attention to the extent of the view. Having done so, he covered the

ground more slowly, as though inviting attention to detail. Adam was a

willing and attentive pupil, and followed his motions exactly, missing--or

trying to miss--nothing.

"I have brought you here, Adam, because it seems to me that this is the

spot on which to begin our investigations. You have now in front of you

almost the whole of the ancient kingdom of Mercia. In fact, we see the

whole of it except that furthest part, which is covered by the Welsh

Marches and those parts which are hidden from where we stand by the high

ground of the immediate west. We can see--theoretically--the whole of

the eastern bound of the kingdom, which ran south from the Humber to the

Wash. I want you to bear in mind the trend of the ground, for some time,

sooner or later, we shall do well to have it in our mind's eye when we

are considering the ancient traditions and superstitions, and are trying

to find the _rationale_ of them. Each legend, each superstition which we

receive, will help in the understanding and possible elucidation of the

others. And as all such have a local basis, we can come closer to the

truth--or the probability--by knowing the local conditions as we go

along. It will help us to bring to our aid such geological truth as we

may have between us. For instance, the building materials used in

various ages can afford their own lessons to understanding eyes. The

very heights and shapes and materials of these hills--nay, even of the

wide plain that lies between us and the sea--have in themselves the

materials of enlightening books."

"For instance, sir?" said Adam, venturing a question.

"Well, look at those hills which surround the main one where the site for

the Castle was wisely chosen--on the highest ground. Take the others.

There is something ostensible in each of them, and in all probability

something unseen and unproved, but to be imagined, also."

"For instance?" continued Adam.

"Let us take them _seriatim_. That to the east, where the trees are,

lower down--that was once the location of a Roman temple, possibly

founded on a pre-existing Druidical one. Its name implies the former,

and the grove of ancient oaks suggests the latter."

"Please explain."

"The old name translated means 'Diana's Grove.' Then the next one higher

than it, but just beyond it, is called '_Mercy_'--in all probability a

corruption or familiarisation of the word _Mercia_, with a Roman pun

included. We learn from early manuscripts that the place was called

_Vilula Misericordiae_. It was originally a nunnery, founded by Queen

Bertha, but done away with by King Penda, the reactionary to Paganism

after St. Augustine. Then comes your uncle's place--Lesser Hill. Though

it is so close to the Castle, it is not connected with it. It is a

freehold, and, so far as we know, of equal age. It has always belonged

to your family."

"Then there only remains the Castle!"

"That is all; but its history contains the histories of all the others--in

fact, the whole history of early England." Sir Nathaniel, seeing the

expectant look on Adam's face, went on:

"The history of the Castle has no beginning so far as we know. The

furthest records or surmises or inferences simply accept it as existing.

Some of these--guesses, let us call them--seem to show that there was

some sort of structure there when the Romans came, therefore it must have

been a place of importance in Druid times--if indeed that was the

beginning. Naturally the Romans accepted it, as they did everything of

the kind that was, or might be, useful. The change is shown or inferred

in the name Castra. It was the highest protected ground, and so

naturally became the most important of their camps. A study of the map

will show you that it must have been a most important centre. It both

protected the advances already made to the north, and helped to dominate

the sea coast. It sheltered the western marches, beyond which lay savage

Wales--and danger. It provided a means of getting to the Severn, round

which lay the great Roman roads then coming into existence, and made

possible the great waterway to the heart of England--through the Severn

and its tributaries. It brought the east and the west together by the

swiftest and easiest ways known to those times. And, finally, it

provided means of descent on London and all the expanse of country

watered by the Thames.

"With such a centre, already known and organised, we can easily see that

each fresh wave of invasion--the Angles, the Saxons, the Danes, and the

Normans--found it a desirable possession and so ensured its upholding. In

the earlier centuries it was merely a vantage ground. But when the

victorious Romans brought with them the heavy solid fortifications

impregnable to the weapons of the time, its commanding position alone

ensured its adequate building and equipment. Then it was that the

fortified camp of the Caesars developed into the castle of the king. As

we are as yet ignorant of the names of the first kings of Mercia, no

historian has been able to guess which of them made it his ultimate

defence; and I suppose we shall never know now. In process of time, as

the arts of war developed, it increased in size and strength, and

although recorded details are lacking, the history is written not merely

in the stone of its building, but is inferred in the changes of

structure. Then the sweeping changes which followed the Norman Conquest

wiped out all lesser records than its own. To-day we must accept it as

one of the earliest castles of the Conquest, probably not later than the

time of Henry I. Roman and Norman were both wise in their retention of

places of approved strength or utility. So it was that these surrounding

heights, already established and to a certain extent proved, were

retained. Indeed, such characteristics as already pertained to them were

preserved, and to-day afford to us lessons regarding things which have

themselves long since passed away.

"So much for the fortified heights; but the hollows too have their own

story. But how the time passes! We must hurry home, or your uncle will

wonder what has become of us."

He started with long steps towards Lesser Hill, and Adam was soon

furtively running in order to keep up with him.