356 A Ramble in West Shropshire. 



matter. The great Wiltshire nunnery of Aymesbury had been 

 dissolved by Henry II. in 1177, on account of the immorality of 

 its members. The house was newly inaugurated as an abbey on 

 May 31 in the same year, and colonized with a purer sisterhood 

 from the Abbey of Fontevrault. The King, the Archbishop of 

 Canterbury, and the Bishops of Exeter and Norwich attended 

 the ceremony. Henry II. left nothing undone which could 

 contribute to the dignity of the new foundation, and Aymesbury 

 became the select retreat for females of the aristocracy. The 

 lead mines of Shelve doubtless furnished the roof of the con- 

 ventual Church." 



But it is time to draw our ramble to a close, although we 

 have by no means exhausted the objects of interest in this 

 neighbourhood, though we might with pleasure examine the 

 curious circles of stones near the foot of Corndon, and the 

 tumuli of departed heroes which are said to abound on its 

 summit, and the relics of more recent times in the hypocaust 

 and remains of a Eoman villa which still exist close to Linley 

 Hall ; and though by permission of the hospitable owner of that 

 handsome place we could with profit linger over the ingenious 

 and most instructive model which he has had made of the sur- 

 rounding country, enough will have been said to show that 

 a few days spent in the neighbourhood of the Stiperstones will 

 not be thrown away ; and now that an excellent hotel (I am not a 

 shareholder) is established at Church Stretton, a good centre 

 of operations has been created, and a country for the most 

 part inaccessible, if not inhospitable, has been opened up to 

 the lovers of science and of scenery. It may be hoped that its 

 many objects of interest may be investigated as they deserve 

 to be. 



