ancient Britons as a favourite resort for worship, and shortly after the introduction of Christianity it became a place of pilgrimage, and was visited in the fifth century by St. Kelna, a British princess, who founded a hermitage there.  Some sort of military defences protected the mount at a very early date, for Edward the Confessor’s charter in 1047 to the Benedictine monks, whom he settled here, especially mentions its castella and other buildings.

In Charles II.’s reign the estate was purchased from the Basset family by the St. Aubyns, who still remain its owners.  In the castle itself, which crowns the mount, the chief feature is the old hall, now known as the “Chevy Chase” room, from its being adorned with carvings of various field sports.  There is some fine old furniture and good pictures.  Visitors are allowed to see the principal rooms of the castle when the family are from home, and at all times to see the quaint old Gothic chapel.  There is a small fishing village with a pier and harbour at the foot of the rock.

[Illustration:  Photochrom Co., Ltd.

ST. MICHAEL’S MOUNT.

The rock is 250 feet in height, and has possessed a castle since 1047.]

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL

=How to get there.=—­Train from Victoria, Holborn Viaduct, or St.
  Paul’s.  South-Eastern and Chatham Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—­Rochester. =Distance from London.=—­33 miles. =Average Time.=—­1-1/2 hours.

                    1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—­Single 5s. 4d. 3s. 4d. 2s. 8d. 
          Return 9s. 4d. 6s. 3d. 5s. 4d.

=Accommodation Obtainable.=—­“King’s Head Hotel,” “Royal Victoria,”
  “Bull Hotel,” “Royal Crown Hotel,” etc.

Rochester, a most picturesque old town on the river Medway, has been a place of importance from the earliest times.  The cathedral, which is not very impressive externally, and is much surrounded by houses, is best seen from the castle.  It was the first church built after Augustine settled in Canterbury, but of this building no trace now remains except some foundations.  The Norman Bishop Gundulf in 1080 built a large portion of the Norman work of the present cathedral.  In 1201 it was largely rebuilt by money obtained from thank-offerings for miracles wrought by St. William, a baker of Perth, who was murdered near Rochester on his way to Canterbury, and buried in the cathedral.  The Norman castle, standing on the banks of the river, was built by Bishop Gundulf, and though it is now in ruins, the interior having been destroyed for its timber, the walls remain firm.  The castle was besieged by William Rufus and Simon de Montfort, and on both occasions suffered considerable damage.  One of the many interesting buildings in the High Street is the three-gabled house of Watts’s Charity, which has become famous from Dickens’s Christmas story of The Seven Poor Travellers.  According