ASHBOURN,

A RESPECTABLE town in Derbyshire, pleasantly situated on the river Dove. It has a handsome Church, with a fine spire; and contains some curious ancient tombs of the Cokaines, the Bradburns, and the Boothbys;† several of which appear B 2

to

* One of this family, of the name of John, represented Derbyshire in several Parliaments and Councils, during the reign of Edward the Third. Another, of the same name, was knighted at the Battle of Shrewsbury, anno 1403, and killed in that conflict. His youngest son, who was Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and a Justice in the Common Pleas, in the reigns of Henry the Fourth, and Sixth, lies buried in Ashbourn Church, where his own effigies, and that of his Lady, are displayed on the tomb. Sir Aston Cokayne, whose loyalty to Charles the First occasioned the complete ruin of his inheritance, was also of this family; and the last of them that resided at Ashbourn. He was the author of various Poems, some of which have merit; but his chief subject was Genealogical History, a theme but ill adapted to accord with the smooth current of the Pierian spring. E.

+ ASHBOURN HALL, the family seat of the Boothbys, and now the property of Sir Brooke Boothby, was purchased of the Cokaynes, by Sir William Boothby, in the reign of Charles the Second. The Park and Gardens were laid out by Sir B. Boothby, in a style of great elegance; and though the situation is low, the views are not unpleasing. The classic taste, and refined sensibility, of this gentleman, have been made known to the world, through the publication of a splendid volume of poems, under the title of

Sorrows,

to be as old as the time of Edward the Third. In this town are several charitable endowments for poor men and women. Though it is agreeably situated to the eye, it being in a fertile vale, with the hills rising rather bold, yet the objects are too much scattered for a picture.

I quitted Ashbourn, full of impatience to visit Dove-Dale, the beauties of which are spoken of by every one. After proceeding about a mile on the Buxton road, I descended suddenly to the left, and crossed the river Dove by a small bridge, when pursuing the road up an ascent to the right, it conducted to a place called FourLanes-End: here I again turned suddenly to the left, and shortly came in sight of Thorp-Cloud, a large conical hill, which forms a fine back ground to the scenery in its neighbourhood. It unites most happily with a mill, called by its name, and which will be worthy the attention of the picturesque traveller.

The road leading forward conducts to IlamVale, in Staffordshire; the beautiful seat of the same name appearing in the distance, crowned

by

Sorrows, Sacred to Penelope. In this work, which originated in the death of Penelope, the only child of Sir Brooke, is a neat engraving of the tomb erected to her memory in Ashbourn Church; and on which is a figure of the much-lamented girl, from the chissel of Banks, the late eminent sculptor. E.

by majestic woods. Ilam is at present the residence of Henry Bateman, Esq. its delightful grounds are generally visited by strangers, for the purpose of enjoying a ramble in its romantic walks.* I was content with viewing the beauties of Ilam-Vale at a distance: the effect was uncommonly fine, from the immense masses of shadows projected from various clouds, which served to unite the smaller parts, and adapt the scene to the purposes of study.

Leaving

The Hall at ILAM is a square stone building, of no particular character; but the grounds, though principally consisting of a meadow, of inconsiderable extent, surrounded by lofty rocks, are particularly beautiful, from the contiguity of a rich hanging wood, and the views which they admit of the surrounding country. Their great celebrity, however, has arisen from the singular circumstance, of the rivers Hamps and Manifold, here emerging into day within fifteen yards of each other, after flowing in distinct subterraneous channels; the former from the vicinity of Wetton Mill, a distance of nearly five miles northward; and the latter from Leek Water-Houses, about six miles to the south-west. That the streams which rise here are actually the same that are engulphed in the fissures of the rocks at the above places, has been proved by experiment; and that their waters do not intermingle during their under-ground course, is evident, from the difference of temperature, which, on trial with the thermometer, in October, 1802, I found to be two degrees; the water of the Hamps being at 46°. and those of the Manifold at 48°. The temperature of the air was 51°. In a little recess, or chasm, in the lime-stone rocks which overhang the hole whence the former stream issues, and incorporated with the lime-stone, are some singular petrifications like chert, exhibiting the correct forms of eels, flat-fish, &c. In a grotto in these rocks, Congreve is recorded to have written his comedy of the Old Batchelor. E.

Leaving the direct road, the traveller descends to the right hand into a deep hollow, called Bunster-Dale; one side of which is bounded by a steep acclivity, covered with wood; the other presents the face of bare and rugged rocks, of wild and uncouth appearance. This ravine continues for the space of about half a mile, when, by a sudden turn to the left, the mind is enraptured by an instantaneous display of the beauties of

DOVE-DALE.

THE Dale opens by presenting uncouth and rugged rocks, that lift their vast heads to the clouds, and whose grey and weather-beaten fronts contrast most happily with the foliage: to the right, the character, from being less bold and abrupt, produces a fine opposition of lines. The grandeur of this scene was greatly augmented by the clouds which passed at the time of viewing it, and which threw the whole of the distance into shadow, sinking it into one immense hollow, and giving a quickness and vigor to the light on the fore-ground, that was uncommonly happy. proceeding up the Dale, the mind is amused by agreeable falls of water, and rich foliage; the whole presenting such an assemblage of objects, as both delight and surprise.

In

After