The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 12, No. 329, August 30, 1828

The opening carries listeners along the historic Exeter road to the riverside town of Staines. It highlights the Saxon stone, the ancient bridge once rebuilt with royal oak, and the contrast between bustling Kensington and the quiet coaching inns that once dotted the route.

A sudden collapse of the town’s Gothic parish church during service prompts a bold rebuilding by architect J.B. Watson, preserving Inigo Jones’s brick tower while expanding capacity for over a thousand worshippers. Plans also include a new stone bridge that will frame the revived landmark.

The issue also features a lyrical ghost story, ‘The Spectre’s Voyage,’ about a luminous maiden who glides against wind and tide on the River Wye each night, vanishing at a hidden bend near Hereford. The verses capture the eerie beauty of the local legend.