HERTFORD: HOME OF MY BOYHOOD 43 



a number of the boys taking this duty by turns. Hot meat 

 and vegetables were served on flat wooden platters instead of 

 plates, and I used to pity the boys for not having any place 

 for gravy, which to me was (and still is) the chief luxury of 

 hot meat. What was still more amusing to us was that in 

 place of mugs there were little wooden flagons with wooden 

 hoops and handles, in which they had, I think, beer. If I 

 remember rightly, during the meal the boy in the pulpit read 

 a chapter from the Bible, and at the end there was another 

 grace and hymn. All was carried out with great regularity 

 and very little noise, and the crowds of brightly clad boys, 

 who had red leather belts over their blue coats, and whose 

 yellow stockings were well visible, together with the fine, 

 lofty hall, had a very pleasing effect. 



Among the other features of interest in the town was All 

 Saints' Church, adjoining the Grammar School. I used to 

 wonder at what seemed to me a curious and rather dangerous 

 plan of groups of four very slender pillars instead of one 

 large one to support the arches on each side of the nave. 

 I did not know then that these were characteristic of the 

 Early English Gothic, but are not common in our churches. 

 Another feature of this church was its peal of ten bells, which 

 were not only uncommonly numerous, but were of very fine 

 tones, so that when they were well rung, as they frequently 

 were, they produced an exceedingly musical effect, which I 

 have never heard equalled since. The church has since been 

 burnt down and rebuilt, but whether the bells were saved I 

 do not know. 



Very conspicuous was the square, ugly brick Town Hall 

 and Market Place at the bottom of Fore Street. This had, 

 however, a large clock-face projecting outwards and sup- 

 ported by three or four pieces of wood which seemed to hold 

 it quite detached from the building, and I used to wonder 

 whether it was a huge watch with all the works inside it. 

 What made this more curious (to me) was that it struck the 

 hours and quarters on very loud and sweet-toned bells, which 

 again I have never since heard surpassed. In this hall were 

 the law-courts, where the Assizes were held, and to which I 



