The Henson Journals

[439]

Tuesday, October 12th, 1915.

435th day

The weather is brilliantly fine, and almost oppressively warm. We called on Canon Moore, & were shown his house. It is on a grand scale, & remarkably interesting. Many of its best features were obscured under the rather squalid regime of old Rawlinson, his predecessor: but he had spent much money, & made many improvements. Then we went to St Augustine's, & were shewn the recently–discovered graves of the first Archbishops, & the extensive foundations of the earliest churches which preceded the Norman church. What an impression of power & majesty is made on the mind by the spectacle of these vast relics of two great Monasteries side by side in one little city, which contained besides many parish churches & other religious foundations! Mr Pott, the Sub–warden, acted as our guide, & shewed himself equally well–informed & interesting. After lunch we motored to Sandwich, & viewed that ancient & decayed city. The Town Hall, an Elizabethan building, is notable. It appears that the Mayors of Sandwich alone in England wear black official robes, & carry as their symbol of office a black–thorn stick. We were shewn a thumb–pressing machine formerly employed in the examination of reluctant witnesses. We visited two parish churches. Then we went on to Deal Castle, but found the Hamiltons absent. However we were shewn over it. We had tea with Mrs Molins, & then started for the return journey to Canterbury via Dover. We were held up by the soldiers, & only allowed to go through Dover on condition that we reported ourselves at the Police Station, & got a permit! Such incidents serve to bring home to the mind the fact of War.

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