Preheat oven to 425°F.

Wipe the chicken inside and out with a clean damp cloth.

Chop the onion and celery roughly.

Combine chopped onions, celery, herbs, zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper.

Lightly stuff the mixture into the body and neck cavities of the chicken.

Truss the chicken and set on a rack in an open roasting pan.

Brush the chicken all over with the melted butter, reserving some for basting.

Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and roast about 1 1/2 hours more.

Baste periodically, first with the butter and then with the pan juices.

About 15 minutes before the end of the roasting time sprinkle on the remaining salt.

Check for doneness: skin on the breast should be crisp and golden, and the drumstick should jiggle loosely.

Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh; juices should run clear.

The interior temperature of the thickest part of the thigh should register 190°F (88 C).

Transfer the chicken to a heated platter and let stand 10 minutes.

To make the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan.

Add the gooseberries and saute for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender.

Add the honey and salt to the gooseberries.

Puree the gooseberry mixture and return it to a clean saucepan.

When the chicken is finished, skim all the fat off the roasting pan.

Add about 1/2 cup of the brown drippings to the gooseberry sauce.

Heat the sauce through and stir in the cream.

Taste the sauce and adjust honey if needed; the sauce should be tart.

Heat the sauce until it bubbles.

Pour the sauce into a warmed sauceboat and serve over the carved chicken.