The Beauchamp Brethren, who are the fewer, incline to give themselves airs over the Blanchminsters on the strength of this distinction: like Dogberry, in their time they have "had losses." But Merchester takes, perhaps, an equal pride in the pensioners of both orders.
Merchester takes an even fonder pride in St.Hospital itself--that compact and exquisite group of buildings, for the most part Norman, set in the water-meadows among the ambient streams of Mere.

It lies a mile or so southward of the town, and some distance below the School, where the valley widens between the chalk-hills and, inland yet, you feel a premonition that the sea is not far away.
All visitors to Merchester are directed towards St.Hospital, and they dote over it--the American visitors especially; because nowhere in England can one find the Middle Ages more compendiously summarised or more charmingly illustrated.

Almost it might be a toy model of those times, with some of their quaintest customs kept going in smooth working order.

But it is better.

It is the real thing, genuinely surviving.