Upon the way to Stroud many weird old buildings are passed which
once were, and some are still, cloth mills; but some are deserted and
dilapidated, and have a sad look, as if remembering more prosperous
days; and when the leaves are fast falling in the famous golden valley
they look indeed forlorn. One would think there can be little poetry
about an old cloth mill, but ere one gives an opinion one must visit the
golden valley in the autumn. Around Nailsworth, Rodborough, and
Woodchester there are many ancient houses which have
degenerated into poor tenements. Such a one at Nailsworth has the
brief address "No. 5 Egypt," which by all appearance was an
important house in its day. A gentleman who resided in a more
squalid part related how he had discovered a cavalier's rapier up in
the roof of a mansion, but in a weak moment had parted with it for
half a crown. "Southfield" at Woodchester is perhaps the most
picturesque of these stately houses, a house which near London
would fetch a formidable rent, but here a ridiculously low one. Some
six miles out of Stroud a really decent house, garden, and orchard
may be had for next to a song. A light
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railway may have now sent prices up, by striking northwards, but not
many years back we saw one very excellent little place "to let," the rent of which was only sixpence a week, and the tenant had given
notice because the landlord had been so grasping as to raise it to
sixpence halfpenny!