them
by scratching names upon them or by carrying away broken chips as
souvenirs. Playful boys in churchyards sometimes do much mischief. In
Shrivenham churchyard there is an ancient full-sized effigy, and two
village urchins were recently seen amusing themselves by sliding the
whole length of the figure. This must be a common practice of the boys
of the village, as the effigy is worn almost to an inclined plane. A
tradition exists that the figure represents a man who was building the
tower and fell and was killed. Both tower and effigy are of the same
period--Early English--and it is quite possible that the figure may be
that of the founder of the tower, but its head-dress seems to show
that it represents a lady. Whipping-posts and stocks are too light a
punishment for such vandalism.

The story of our vanished and vanishing churches, and of their
vanished and vanishing contents, is indeed a sorry one. Many efforts
are made in these days to educate the public taste, to instil into the
minds of their custodians a due appreciation of their beauties and of
the principles of English art and architecture, and to save and
protect the treasures that remain. That these may be crowned with
success is the earnest hope and endeavour of every right-minded
Englishman.

[Illustration: Reversed Rose carved on "Miserere" in Norwich
Cathedral]

CHAPTER VII

OLD MANSIONS

One of the most deplorable features of vanishing England is the
gradual disappearance of its grand old manor-houses and mansions. A
vast number still remain, we are thankful to say. We have still left
to us Haddon and Wilton, Broughton, Penshurst, Hardwick, Welbeck,
Bramshill, Longleat, and a host of others; but every year sees a
diminution in their number. The great enemy they have to contend with
is fire, and modern conveniences and luxuries, electric lighting and
the heating apparatus, have added considerably to their danger. The
old floors and beams are unaccustomed to these insidious wires that
have a habit of fusing, hence we often read in the newspapers:
"DISASTROUS FIRE--HISTORIC MANSION ENTIRELY DESTROYED." Too often not
only is the house destroyed, but most of its valuable contents is
devoured by the flames. Priceless pictures by Lely and Vandyke,
miniatures of Cosway, old furniture of Chippendale and Sheraton, and
the countless treasures which generations of cultured folk with ample
wealth have accumulated, deeds, documents and old papers th