DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0192
168
ACCOUNT OF THE BROTHERS STEPS.
“ The Brothers Steps are situated in the field, about
half a mile from Montague House, (now the British
Museum) in a north direction. The prevailing tradition
concerning them is, that two brothers quarrelled about a
worthless woman, and as it was the fashion of those days,
as it is now, they decided their dispute by a duel. The
prints of their feet are nearly three inches in depth, and
remain totally barren, so that nothing will grow to dis-
figure them. Their number I did not reckon, but suppose
they may be about 90. A bank on which one of them
fell who was mortally wounded, and died on the spot,
retains the form of his agonizing posture, by the curse of
barrenness, while the grass grows all round it. A friend
of mine shewed me these steps in the year 1760, when
he could trace them back by old people to the year 1686 ;
but the circumstance was generally supposed to have
happened in the early part of the reign of Charles II.
There are people now living who well remember their
being ploughed up, and barley sown to deface them ; but
all was labour in vain ; for the prints returned in a short
time to their original form. There is one thing I nearly
forgot to mention ; that a place on the bank is still to be
seen where tradition says, the wretched woman sat to see
the combat. I am sorry I can throw no more light on
the subject; but am convinced in my own opinion, that
the Almighty has ordered it as a permanent monument of
his just displeasure against the horrid sin of duelling.”
Since the period in which the above account was writ-
ten, these steps have been inclosed from public view, or
nearly built over. The Bedford Nursery now occupies part
of the field ; it is therefore the more necessary that their
existence should be recorded, to prevent their memory
from perishing, and that they may still continue to serve
as a warning to all those who encourage that fatal practice.
Particulars
ACCOUNT OF THE BROTHERS STEPS.
“ The Brothers Steps are situated in the field, about
half a mile from Montague House, (now the British
Museum) in a north direction. The prevailing tradition
concerning them is, that two brothers quarrelled about a
worthless woman, and as it was the fashion of those days,
as it is now, they decided their dispute by a duel. The
prints of their feet are nearly three inches in depth, and
remain totally barren, so that nothing will grow to dis-
figure them. Their number I did not reckon, but suppose
they may be about 90. A bank on which one of them
fell who was mortally wounded, and died on the spot,
retains the form of his agonizing posture, by the curse of
barrenness, while the grass grows all round it. A friend
of mine shewed me these steps in the year 1760, when
he could trace them back by old people to the year 1686 ;
but the circumstance was generally supposed to have
happened in the early part of the reign of Charles II.
There are people now living who well remember their
being ploughed up, and barley sown to deface them ; but
all was labour in vain ; for the prints returned in a short
time to their original form. There is one thing I nearly
forgot to mention ; that a place on the bank is still to be
seen where tradition says, the wretched woman sat to see
the combat. I am sorry I can throw no more light on
the subject; but am convinced in my own opinion, that
the Almighty has ordered it as a permanent monument of
his just displeasure against the horrid sin of duelling.”
Since the period in which the above account was writ-
ten, these steps have been inclosed from public view, or
nearly built over. The Bedford Nursery now occupies part
of the field ; it is therefore the more necessary that their
existence should be recorded, to prevent their memory
from perishing, and that they may still continue to serve
as a warning to all those who encourage that fatal practice.
Particulars