I I 111 ItElftfllfllllli • • VTV m 1 M m DFC 11195? E Xf L B WILLIAM CHARLES HAY S . -'AKC H I T E C T: GARDENS OLD-&NLW THECOUNTRY HOUSE "&,ITS GARDEN' ENVIRONMENT A STONE URN ON THE ORANGERY TERRACE AT MAR'JAM PARK. GARDENS OLD8NEW TH E COUNTRY HOUSE & ITS GARDEN ENVIRONMENT THE SECOND VOLUME EDITED BY JOHN LEYLAND ILLUSTRATED PROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY" CHARLES LATHAM LONDON PUBLISHED AT THE OFFICES OF COUNTRY LIFEJf 2OTAVISTOCK STREET COVENT GARDEN J&X GEORGE NEWNES LIMITED 7-12 SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER^S SONS Hall, {Manchester . Park. Surrey • lldenham House, Herts, vlmesbun- .-tbbey. Wilts. •BaUarres. Fifeshire •Barncluith, Lanarkshire 'Banvw Court. Somerset 'BorJe Hill, Sussex •Brokenhurst /'ark. Hanh Cistle Ashbv, ff^orthants Chastleton H-mse, Oxon. Chirk Castle. Denbighshire CliisiL-ick House. MUJIevx Compton Wynyates. M 'ancu * Cranborne (Manor House, Doi\,-t uit. Mi.l.tt. A/jrc-uxxx/ him*. York*. Hartxtll House, dvlesburv Hncfll Grange. 1{eJdiUh Highnam Court. Glos. . H\tr Cross. Burton-on-lrent Holland House TAC'.K 331 \\\\. 136 . XI.. 33 316 183 , XXXI V '•/ XV. '*> /»/ \\\l . \\XVIII. . XXVI. . 178 IV, I . . 16; 30J 7> 376 . XXIX. 9 XII.. XIII., 359 3Q . XXVII. 4* . X.. XIV. XVI.. XVII . \\\ /05 XL . XLIII. XX , XXI. s/ XLI. Inwooti House, Somerset K,;l/e\ton Hall. Derbyshire . Kent-sell Hall. Suffolk . Isighlon Hall. Wetshpool Linton Park. Kent Littlec.ite //.;//. 'Berks. . Lochinch. Wigtownshire lontfeat. Warminster . fM.tpf.e. though it may he observed th it the formal character is chiefly exemplified in them, because, indeed, in various developments it largely prevails, disclose a view of much that the greatest workers in our garden development have accomplished — most of them inspired to their task by traditional methods and tin- inherited love for the things that are old. a few influenced by later views, which greatly affected the character of garden plan and design, all glorying in the supreme beauty of the multitudes of flowers now in cultivation, and some kindled to their achievement by the enthusiasm of individual taste. In these da\ s the lov e of gardening and interest in its history and character grow from more to more, and we cannot live anywhere without finding intelligent understanding and appreciation of the many various forms ot garden beauty. The great gardens of England are t.ike.i as patterns in other lands, and among ourselves .ire regarded as sources of inspiration in any garden plan. No! e\ery man i.in have .1 pleasaunce to his mind, but there ate few who, in the glorious example^ of our gardena;:e, cannot find some feature or Miggestion tor their need. I lie colitlu t ot ideas whii.ll has arisen in regard to the higher cliara. ter of garden de-i-n. giving rise to .1 Considerable volume of polemical literature, is ii itseli an encouraging sign, because it shows how real is the interest felt in the garden and how /e.ilous the quest for knowledge of its right character and its many beauties. The controversy is not new, for did not Maitial, in the garden of l.ucullus. express his preference for the untamed beauties..) Nature .>\er the results of the . ust m which then prevailed of placing tonsile b.»x trees amid the groves of myrtles and planes? The more modern controversy shows how tar we are from the days in which to most people the garden was merely a place wherein Mowers and bushes indiscriminately grew. 'I here has sprung up a craving for order and pla.i, and a demand that the garden shall st.md in nuuh closer relation to the house it adorns than was at one time thought GUARDIANS OF AN OLD GAkDbN MAlkWAY. GARDENS OLD AND THE GREAT YEW ARCH, HAMPTON COURT, LEOMINSTER. essential, with a truer understanding of the manner in which fl wers shall be cultivated, holding their large place in the garden design. The older dweller in these islands, like the modern, loved his garden well. It was a place for quiet and retirement, and for the welcoming of friends and their diversion, a place beloved for its shady alleys in the hot days of summer, for the delectable freshness of the evening air on the terrace, and for the pleasure of the green lawns where the English- man sped his well-turned bowls. In the pages of Shakespeare several garden scenes occur. There is that in " Richard II.," in which the ladies would dance, or tell tales, or sing, and where the bowls were sped, reminding the Queen how often F( rtune "runs 'gainst the bias." It was an ordered realm, extolled by "old Adam's likeness," the gardener, in contrast with the larger disordered commonwealth. In such pleasaunces men lived much, anJ it is delightful to find them, sometimes, like Lindsay of Edzell in his viridarinin, even transacting affairs of weight there. The garden is, indeed, a place where, in gay delight or pensive meditation, the days may well pass profitably if unnumbered. In the Introduction to the first series of "Gardens Old and New " some account was given of the successive phases of the gardener's art, and, after a more brief view of that interesting subject, it may be suitable here to develop a little more fully certain special characteristics therein dealt with, and to speak of some special garden features described in writings of the past and exemplified in gardens of the present. It was suggested that wh.le some look upon the garden as an extension of the house into its surroundings, others have regarded it as an approach of wild Nature to the'r dwelling- places. What may certainly be said is that neither house nor garden can be .complete in itself, each being the complement of the other. A certain formality of character is doubtless engendered from this relationship, and history shows that some constancy of features in this formality has r.xisU-d in widely different ages. The Tuscan gardens of Pliny the Younger were instanced, indeed, as presenting a remarkable similarity to the old Scottish gardens which Sir Walter Scott described at Tully Veolan. But there is another ruling condition which affects the character of any garden — the situation in which it lies, for manifestly what is suitable to the steep hillside cannot altogether befit the plain. There is, moreover, always a seeking for some distinctive character or feature in any garden, and, if it be found in the strictly formal, it may be discovered also in those adornments which were added to the natural gardens of a hundred years ago. The truth is that no class of gardening can remain under the ban. Each is good in itself, and each may in some degree borrow from the other. While we welcome the beautiful effects that are attained by aiming at natural character, let us not deride the fine tall yew and hornbeam hedges or the mossy terraces upon the steeps, and let us remember that essentially it is no worse to clip a tree than to mow a lawn — that, as was said in the last series, the difference is in degree and not in kind — that all gardening is in a measure formal, and that only extravagance is to be condemned. At such extravagance Pope raised many a laugh, and Rousseau did many times sneer. There were gardens like the famous one at Moor Park, near Farnham, in which the old formality existed without extravagance. The pleached alleys of such places still survive here and there, and the " cradel walk" — Queen Mary's Bower— at Hampton Court, and the examples at Drayton House, Northamptonshire, and at Melbourne in Derbyshire, are illustrations of what the older Englishmen loved. How they introduced quaint topiary features may be seen in many famous gardens, while fine hedges exist all through England. The pergola, also, though not essentially related to formal gardens, had often its place in them, and many beautiful examples of such garden features are illustrated in this work. The moral sundia!, again, belongs to the old formal garden, though it has been borrowed and used well in pleasaunces of every kind. There are excellent examples in old Scottish gardens, /.V7A'«V>/( , and \erv ii, : .inj here and th< Bn>. i tnirv. pr • .ind quaint i<> like that reo>: ! i-> Andrew Marvel), the dial mad. ..ut -i herbs and fli-A I -!en ceased to give content in times when in -n ii.u1 learned to look more abroad, .md. under the inflt!, i-alv .inj France, a l.i e came in. I he : master A.I> I . W:e. > rear. r • •! the famous garde antilly. Saint Cloud, and Meudon. Wilh.im III. «.is ..hietly instrumental in popularising the style «>! I.e Ndtre in England in his great example of the radiating avenues at Hampton Court. But obviously such a character can only he given to gardens upon a great scale, and there are illust.it.. .us at Melbourne, Cattle Howard, and some of our greater se.its »f fine work in this grand manner. The stately avenue was <>tu-n associated, as at Hampton Court, with the still can.il. and to the same period belong some other charming features— the lead* - and the gates and clairvoyees of hammered iron. Pecul arly pleasant in a garden is the hue assumed by old lead, and fine examples of statuary in this material exist still in many places. Lovely iron gates are found at many great seats, and notably, perhaps, at Drayton House, Compton Beauchamp, Kagley, Stoneleigh, and Belton. To such special garden features, however, we shall recur later on. There was a rapid reaction from the grandiose style, and Pope and his friends liked better the simpler work of Nature's :. although the poet had himself a garden full of arti- The discovery of the "ha-ha " or sunk fence seemed to Horace Walpole a capital stroke. Kent was the genius who produced and utilised the device. " He leaped to the fence and saw that all Nature was a garden." Working, we are t<>ld, like a painter in the materials of light and shide, he accomplished triumphs which lifted him immediately to a yre.it position as a garden designer, and " Capability " Brown followed in his footsteps. Kent became famous from hi* work at Esher and Claremont, at Ron-ham and Chiswick, while Brown achieved In -t !ame at Blenheim, and raised a crowd of followers, who worked with weaker hands in his manner, and d many things which It would I t" preserve. The special style of landscape gardening which Kent had made popular was developed ilm-lly in (-.upland, tnit it took great root on the Continent, wher.- pleasure grounds in this manner became known as English gardens. A Bourbon spy in Paris, in the year 180*. recounted t<> Ins mast, t in exile the details of Bonaparte's iam..us tour after the outbreak of war, in whuh he visited Normandy, Entering the district of Caux. the Celebrated Cluptal direvted his attention to the smiling countiy thereabout, the richness of the soil, the line ho. and the " English gardens." which Nature herself had e\ where treated. " What do \ ,.u mean by 'English gardens ' ? " brusquely demanded the I nst Consul. "I)o \ ou not know that this st\ le came to us tiom China, and was perfeitid in France, and that only a bad Frenchman d-uld honour England .is \,u do?" Bonaparte went on todeclareth.it " Jardins Francais " was the right designation for such places, and told Chaptal that the expression "hngl.sh garden" should never again oiiind his e.u>. Wluieupon, says the goss:pt the poor Minister, disconcerted, saw that he had spoken foolishly, .ind promised in the future to think nothing tine that came n 'in England, and, above all, never to attnlnite to that island what the First Consul approved. Nevertheless, the landscape garden u.is really an English creation, and as such has .1 J.iim to our regard. There had been presages of its coming among us. and it may be suitat !• to quote what Milton says of the Garden of Eden in the fourth book of " Paradise Lost," where Satan reaches the border : " Of Kilrn. where ilrliciuu* 1'nra.Hv, Now nearer, crown* witli her inclosure Krren, A« with • rurnl iiKiiiml. tin- cliaiupain hr« wildrrncMi. whow II.IIK With thicket overgrown. KrotrMlur Bl"' wild. ACCOM il< inr.l ; anil ovrr lirn'l UJi-Krew In»n|HT«lile heif(hi €ifloftir»t >hmlr. Cedar, and pinr, an-1 I'r. and tiranrliinu jului, A »>'*'•» >criie: and. u the rank* aicenil Shaile above ohade, a woody theatre -iipruiiK. THE GARDtN OF BOX AT BALCAKkES. xn. GARDENS OLD AND NEH' UJ [i o Q x. 2Q s o o X o .< < z I O X O X. < - z UI z xxii. GARDENS OLD AND NEW, ' xxrc. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. of John Evelyn. Thus is one garden of the time described : " My garden sweet, enclosed with walles strong Embanked with benches to sytt and take tny rest, The knots so cnknotted it cannot be exprest With arbors and alves so pleasant and so clulce." The great garden of the Countess of Bedford, which Sir William Temple described so well, was one of the best old examples of the rectangular garden. Such square parterres were often duplicated and multiplied. They displayed the old spirit of enclosure, and gave unrivalled opportunities to the terrace builder and the garden hedger. The greatest possible contrast is found between such gardens as these and that imaginary garden which Addison describes in the Spectator. Ad- mitting that there were as many kinds of gardening as of poetry, he spoke of his own as a place which a skilful gardener would not know what to call. " It is a confusion of kitchen and parterre, orchard and flower garden, which lie so mixt and interwoven with one another, that if a foreigner who had seen nothing of our country should be convey'd into my garden at his first landing, he would look upon it as a natural wilderness, and one of the uncultivated parts of our country As for my self, you will find, by the account which 1 have already given you, that my compositions .in gardening are altogether after the Pindarick manner, and run into the beautifu: wildness of Nature, without affecting the nicer ele- gancies of Art." There can scarcely be a question as to which is the better garden of the two — that which is ordered and planned, or that which seems no garden at all. Some things Addison certainly advo- cated which are excellent. He would have had many ever- greens in the garden, and often wondered that those who were like himself, and loved to live in gardens, had never thought of contriving a winter garden, which should consist of such trees only as never cast their leaves. That lesson has surely been learned, and in all our great gardens evergreens, either in formal shape or in natural profusion, largely abound, so that in the winter-time the garden is neither cheerless nor bare. Doctor Johnson looked with some tolerance upon the landscape features of gardening, which had come in when he wrote. In his "Life of Shenstone " he speaks of his subject's delight in rural pleasure and his ambition of rural elegance. We may suspect a little sense of humour where the ponderous doctor tells how the Arcadian poet began to point his prospects, to diversify his surface, to entangle his walks, and to wind his waters. " Whether to plant a walk in undulating curves, and to place a bench at every turn where there is an object to catch the view — to make water run where it will be heard, and to stagnate where it will be seen ; to leave intervals where the eye will be pleased, and to thicken, tlu plantation where there is something THE ITALIAN COLUMN WITH LEAD FIGURE, WILTON. to be hidden — demand any great powers of the mind 1 will not inquire. Perhaps a surly and sullen spectato- r-nay think such performances rather the sport than the business of human reason." Yet Johnson saw merit in a man who was doing best what multitudes were contending to do well. In France, Rousseau in "Julie" describes a garden that was unordered and unsymmetrical. There were rose bushes, raspberries, and gooseberries ; patches of lilac, hazels, alders, syringas, broom, and clover, which clothed the earth whilst giving it an appearance of being uncultured. He imagined that a rich man from Paris or London, becoming master of such a place, would bring with him an expensive architect to spoil Nature. Pope's objection to formality— though he had a , formality of his own — has been referred to. He sneered at symmetry. " Each alley has a brother, And half the garden just reflects the other.' Wai pole could see nothing in Kip's " Views of the Seats of the Nobility and Gentry" but tiresome and returning uniformity — every house approached by two or three gardens, consisting per- haps of a gravel walk and two grass plats or borders of flowers, each rising above the other by two or three steps, and as many walks and ter- races, and having so many iron gates that he was re- minded of those ancient romances in which every entrance was guarded by nymphs or dragons. We have seen that he greeted the ha-ha as the step to freedom, and Kent as the man who leapt the fence. " Adieu to canals, circular basons, and cascades tumbling down marble steps, that last absurd magnificence of Italian and French builders. The forced elevation of cataracts was no more. The gentle stream was taught to serpentize seemingly at its pleasure, anJ where discon- tinued by different levels, its course appeared to be con- cealed by thickets properly interspersed, and glittered again at a distance where it might be supposed naturally to arrive." T o Goldsmith, in that time when the old English gardening was dispraised, it appeared that the English had not yet brought the art of gardening to the same perfection as the Chinese, though they had lately begun to imitate them, and were yet far behind in the charming art! Thomas Whately, whose "Observations on Modern Gardening" appeared in 1770, thought that the new art was as superior " to landskip painting as a reality to a representation." It was an exertion of fancy, a subject for taste, and all Nature was within its province. The art had started up from being mechanical 10 the rank of the fine arts, which joined utility with pleasure. Repton, in his " Sketches and Hints on Landscape Gardening," 1794, seems best to have expressed the ideal of those who practised the art. The garden must display natural beauties and hide natural defects in every situation. It should give- the appearance of extent and freedom, by IN7KOD < • . O UJ xxvi. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. AN OLD GARDEN SEAT. carefully disguising or hiding the boundary. It must studiously conceal every interference of Art, however expen- sive, by which scenery is improved, making the whole appear the production of Nature only, and all objects of mere convenience or comfort, if incapable of being made ornamental, or of becoming proper parts of the general scenery, must be removed or concealed. It may appear to many, and not without reason, that this ideal was one of deception An impression of sixe and extent was to be given where it did not exist, and that which \\as the product of Art was to be made to appear as if it were the work of Nature, while objects which did not fall into the scheme of Nature were to be con- cealed from view. Hepton frankly con- fessed that the principles he had set forth were directly op- p ii s e d to those of the older g a r - den, which may perhaps be a sufficient con dem na- tion of them. Yet m a n y triumphs we re achieved in the natural style, and the work of Mr. Southcote a t Wo burn A STONE SEAT, DANBY. Farm, and the examples at Hagley, Hayes, and the Leasowes became celebrated, though the work of the Hon. Charles Hamilton at Pain's Hill in Surrey was one of the finest examples of the landscape period, deserving to rank with Brown's work at Blenheim, and it happily remains as an illustration of a real success to this day. As we have said, there were many who recoiled from the landscape style, and no one expressed the revulsion of fe ling better than Richard Payne Knight in his " Analytical Enquiry into the Principles of Taste," published in 1805. He remarked that, in former times, the house, being surrounded by gardens as uniform as itself, and only seen through vistas at right angles, every visible accom- paniment was in union with it, and the systematic regularity of the whole was discerni- b I e from every point of sight ; but when, accord- ing to the new fashion, all around was levelled and thrown open, the poor square edifice was exposed alone, or with the accom- panimentonly xxrii. (J < x - OJ / — s. Z xx'cm. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. of its regular windows and porticoes amidst spacious lawns interspersed with irregular clumps or masses of wood and sheets of water. He did not know a more melancholy object, for it neither associated nor harmonised with anything. He added that the view from one of these solitary mansions was still more dismal than that towards it. Mr T. James was a writer of much later times, who, in " The Flower Garden," 1852, had scathing things to say of the evil days upon which gardening had fallen, and the natural or Hnglish style of which we were proud. He jibed at the unmeaning flower-beds disfiguring the lawn in the shapes of kidneys, and tad- poles, and sausages, and leeches, and com- mas, and he thought, surveying the various styles that had pre- vailed, from the knotted gardens of Elizabeth, the pleach-work and intricate flower borders of James I., the painted Dutch statues and canals of William and Mary, the winding gravel paths and lace- making of Brown, to poor Shenstone's senti- mental farm, and the landscape fashion of his own day, there could be little reason to take pride in any advance in national taste. What may be said for the landscape gar- deners is that they opened the way for a greater love for the flower world, and for delight in the natural form and beauty of blossom and tree, mak- ing them a great addi- tion to any barren geo- metry. No doubt the real truth lies in what Cardinal Newman said in his " Idea of a Universe," that every- thing has its own per- fection, be it higher or lower in the scale of things ; that the perfection of one is not the perfection of another ; that things animate, inanimate, visible, invisible, are all good in their kind and have a best of themselves, which is an object of pursuit. With this thought in our minds, let us now reflect a little upon some of the individual merits of gardens such as are depicted in these pages, and first let us recognise the virtue that lies in the enclosure, the variety of level, the terrace, and the good tall hedges of yew or hornbeam which have been alluded to — the good old system, as Mr. James said, of terraces and angled walks, and clipped hedges, against whose dark and rich verdure the bright, old-fashioned flowers glittered in the sun. We may see that in such a manner of garden design there is a proper transition from the architecture of the house to the natural beauties of the paddock and the park. There are fine rectangular gardens of vaiied character at Montacute, Venn House, Ashrid^e, Ham House, Athel- hampton, Newstead, Hoar Cross, Balcarres, and in many other great English and Scottish gardens. Here may be found inspiration by those who would excel in such character of A SUNDIAL AT THE VYNE. design. The hedge which encloses does not necessarily exclude what is without. Indeed, from the elevated terrace, there is oftentimes a wide outlook over the features beyond. The hedges should certainly be of the best, and they may be seen in excellent taste at such places as Blickling Hall, Brockenhurst Park, Melbourne, Etwall, Drummond Castle, and in a multitude of other great gardens in the hind. Topiary features may be introduced according to the garden - maker's taste. They may be no more than some pleasant variation of the well- cut hedge, like the "bulwarks" at Sedg- wick Park or the stately composition in ilex and yew at Brocken- hurst. Such hedges may be used to accen- tuate design, as in the fine planned garden at Drummond Castle. It is not necessary, nor always desirable, to introduce exaggerated quaintness, though some love the conventional forms of verdant sculp- ture such as are found at Levens, at Hesling- ton Hall, at Cleeve Prior, at Hampton Court, Leominster, and at other places, includ- ing, as by a kind of recrudescence, the modern gardens of Elvaston, Derbyshire. At Pack wood the shapely yews are grouped in ordered ranks to typify, as by a green allegory, the apostles, the younger brethren, and the mul- titude gathered to hear the discourse of our Lord upon the Garden Mount. Let it not be imagined — Levens itself is a demonstration to the c o n t r a r y — t hat such quaint feature* are incompatible with a profuse growth of flowers. In great planned gardens, such as we find at Wilton, Longford, Belton, Trentham, Castle Ashby, and Stoke Edith Park, the features which are, or may be, enclosed become rich and elaborate. Fancy is exerted to devise plans for such " knotted gardens." There was a time when the flowers themselves were banished from like parterres, and when variously coloured earths were employed to give the colour which in these days is imparted by the radiant things that grow. The love of flowers has banisheJ that species of artificiality. There are examples in this volume of very magnificent planned gardens, which are gems in their setting of wood and lawn. They can rarely be satisfactory, indeed, unless, as in such a fine, reposeful example as that at Newbattle, the elaborate beds compose with fine belts of trees, which bring into the garden composition that element of shade and harmony which is necessary to balance such bright and varied features. But, when we reach these elaborate expressions of the gardener's art, we are far away from the quaint old enclosed gardens from which such things sprang. Now, the raised IN7KOD terrace, flanking or surrounding the garden, is m\n h i- enclosing We- m.iy s, e in tin- noble gardi i.s .1- Uatiield ,: ustrations .it much "I the best char -I i-.nji- < . HI. I i- i hi- i-itect at Montacute —admirable also at Bramshill— and if we had no example remaining, it would be e.i >njure up the beauty of a in.'ssy terrace and an old balustrade, with a peacock there loving to flaunt its glories in tin- sun, from which to overlook a well-arranged parterre, where perhaps a fountain decked the Cent: rsted in the lovely hue "I lead .l.lnrned Cene. We may turn then, as at Montaaile, into some beautiful garden-house, and here the garden architect h.is ! m.inv a triumph. >>•> brtler exemplar to the modern worker could be taken th.in those admirable buildi.igs. But. of course, garden architecture is nut confined to ttu- building of summer-houses upon terraces Some may like to have their retiring-place aloft in a tree, like the qi:.:int old summer-house in the lime at I'itchford Hall. The bowling .-h.nise at Meiloid Hall is another excellent example, and the magnificent dovecote or columbarium in the garden at the Nyne, with its mellow brick, giving character leatures. and its tiled dome, s I) a d o w e d b v t h e majestic oak, might be an inspiration to many. The garden-houses at Severn tnd and Charlton, Kent, are equally noteworthy. Let us, however, return to the terrace, which might form an inexhaustible theme. It s character must depend primarily upon tuation. It J«es not always flank a garden. Sometimes, in multiplied form, it constitutes, as ;it Barncluith, the garden itself. It has its variety of character also in its particular forms. It may comprise balustraded walls, or plain or even embattled parapets ; it may be composed wit:i green slopes, or it may take character from its hedges. It is often of stone, but sometimes, as at Packwood, there are fine examph excellent work in brick. It has its flawed w.us. us turf walks, and its gravel paths. The terrace can rarely tail to be associated with tl>e stairway, and here again there is extra- ordinary variety of character. Andrew Reid, whose "Scots d.ird'ner" was pub- lished originally at Edinburgh in 1685, and was the earliest Scottish book on the subject, desired, if it were possible, that a straight pathway should lead down to the centre of the terrace, and there, by a double stairway, give access to the garden below. In some cases the terracing is of very fine architectural character. What better could be wished than the famous terrace shadowed by the limes at Haddon, with its romantic memories of Dorothy Vernon and of her flight with young John THE SLNUIAL, l.tlhl.1) MANOR. Manners? Admirable again are the tein i .•.inbotm- r, illustrated m t1 ul the line <. I mple at Chiton Hall, Nottingham. The terr.ii.es at (iroomh: with their stairways and various leatun sm.ly in them-eKis. at.d there are e\amt< i s at M. Catherine*! < .ouit, Bath, and Wollaton Ha I. Nottingham, which .ire *!• hghtful. The magnificent terra, is at iJrummond C.istle. ..\ .risking the char.uti iistic garden then, have merits that are con- spicuous. We find in som pl.ui-s a st.u .11 of architectural terrace, with m.issue U-.ituns ,,r J.ISSK stone- work, .is .it Mar gam I'.trk. H.ilcarres, Hau-w .«.J. .md Linton Paik. At the otiier end ot the s .il, an- i,-r! ,. , s \vliich are !)•• more than green -i.iss s;..|) >, vsith level t"ps, rism- .iN.ve another— a kind of moulding of the ground, such .1 -ir.it Lochinch, having very beautiful ittc. t. These \anous examples ot line w-ik in gardening will s,-r\t- (., sh •« how really wide is the choice and how many are the opt ortumties nted to th.ise who have realised the beaut\ ol fitness in garden design. In mentioning the terrace we .ir<- led n.iturally !•• other li-.itnres, .nut l.ist . \.ise and the urn, upon wliuh main .1 > lattsinan h is lav ished Ins skill. Now thes,- ait ohjeit% t.iund in n ea r ly all gardens lormed within the List ZOO vi.ns. They are ottell of stone. not seldom ot marble, an.! in many instances ..j lead, that metal which under the intlueii the at m o sphere assumes a hue so delightful in any garden picture. There are line leaden vases at Chisw H k House, at Iford Manor, Somer- i. and at IVnshurst, to name no more, niticellt examples in stone are at Sion House, at Margam — a noble specimen on the orangery terr.ue in the gard-n then- forms the frontispiece «f this volume— and in many other places. We shall indeed scarcely find in a good garden a terrace or a garden sr.it without (lower vases to adurn it. Note the lovely examples at Hackwood, a Groombridge, and in very many of tin- garden pictures in this book. The sculptor has achieved many excellent things in bringing his skill t . bear upon these garden adornments, and nothing could be fairer or more beautiful than a characteristic vase well filled with a wealth »i radiant flowers, or more attractive in virm- situations than a nobly sculptured urn. The garden sculptor has also adorned our gardens with figures and the gay creations of fancy. He has produced many an excellent work in lead, and in old gardens it is delightful to encounter some idyllic figure in this material, XXX. GARDENS OLD AND NEW THE LION GATE, 1NWOOD. ONE OF THE IKON GATES, HAMPTON COURT. INTRODUCTION. standing pi-rl • -me \v. ill <>f \\elK lipped green. Pan upon Ins pedi-st.il IN .it K' ush.itn, .1 shepherd at Canons Ashhy, and cluracteristic arcadian Inures .in- at Fowls Castle and i-.niirkl Old Park. A kneelin, "black but comely." Norton < I In Yorkshire, and a like figure is in the lovely uaule: if in Warwickshire. Again we lind gleaming nut hie, tlmugh the uv i.f th.it Mil-Nt.iiuc n-t) judgment and i-.ire. .uul the Mtvutu.n must tx- .ippr<>pd.r emphasiv? and yet to harmonise its tv.mtiev 1 here .»e inn- bronze statues also, as welcome .is those of lead, as at Leighton Hall in South Wales, ulu-re we n •> ••'• iahis plunging headlonj; into a miniature ^l-gr.in. I THE GARDEN GATES, CHISWICK HOl'SE. the black slave kneeling to support an urn at Melbourne. Derbyshire, and at Kenishaw Hall, in the same county, two leaden centurions keep watch at the approach to one of the gardens. Leaden figures such as these have an attraction not to explain; but, of course, lead i> not the only substance in which the garden sculptor may excel. He may give us the also we may find excellent bronze vases, and elegant little amorini adorning the terrace borders. < irr.it is the variety of garden sculpture, and endless the play of fancy in garden planning and adornment. Paul Hentzner, who made a journey into bngland in the year 1598, noted the glories of the \ N ivli. with its pyramids of marble, its double fountain xxxn. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. sprouting out like a pyramid, upon which were perched small birds that streamed water out of their bills, while another fountain was in the Grove of Diana, where Actason was turned into a stag as he was sprinkled by the goddess and her nymphs. What it is necessary to avoid is an over-elabo- ration, destroying repose, such as Matthew Arnold noted at Knebworth, where he found the grounds full of statues, kiosks, and knick-knacks of every kind, a strange mixture of the really rom.mtic and interesting with what was "tawdry and gimcracky." Let us not forget that truly appropriate feature of an old garden, the moral sundial, or, as Charles Lamb calls it, "the primitive clock, the horologe of the first world " Nature herself is truly a dial, for, marking the seasons by her change, she tells the hours also by the opening and closing of many a flower. The sundial counts no hours save such as are serene, as Queen Alexandra's dial proclaims at Sandringham. They pass, but the g-irden monitor has only the stealing shadow when all things are gay. Sometimes dials are shaped of the House, Wrest, Kew Palace, and elsewhere. The forms are usually simple, but they rarely fail to be satisfying. In Scot'and sundials have a character all their own. What that character is m.iy be seen at Holy rood, Glamis Castle, Drummond, Balcarres, Pitmeddin, and Stobhall. These dials have elaborate features, and the gnomons are various and curious. The sundials at Newbattle are not excelled by any in Scotland, and are more architectural than sculptured works. The principal dial is extremely fine, and there is a copy of it with some variations at Tyninghame. The hand of the garden architect may also be devoted to the production of charming garden seats, and their stonework accessories. Excellent examples are at Aldenham House, Hackwood, and Danby, not to catalogue any more. Sometimes opportunities may be made and used well, as in the stately stonework known as Six Months of the Year at Barrow Court, where the changing seasons have their repre- sentatives in the semi-circle. There have been many who would limit the scope of the architect to the house, and who have THIS ENTRANCE GATEWAY, OKEOVER HALL. green things that grow, and Andrew Marvell may have referred to such a dial in that delightful garden of his poetry : " litre at the fountain's sliding foot, Or at some fruit-tree's uiossy root, Costing the body's vist aside, My soul into the boughs does glide; There, like a bird, it sits and sings. Then whets and claps its silver wings, And till prepared for longer flight Waves in its plumes the various light. How well the skilful gardener drew Of flowers and herbs this dial new, Where from above the milder sun Does through a fragrant zodiac run ; And as it works, the industrious bee Computes its time as well ;is we. How could such sweet and wholesome hours Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers ?" But, in the fashioning of sundials, the work is generally that of the' sculptor or architect. How beautiful are the forms that have been given to dials we may :-ee at Eydon Hall, tnlield Old Park, Chiswick House, Northenden, Belton regarded him as an intruder in the garden sphere. Those who have followed these remarks, and have examined the pictures in this volume, cannot hold that view. They will recognise, on the contrary, that there can scarcely be any great garden in which the architect does not exercise his skill. His work may consist in the making of terraces, with their stairways, and in the building of garden-houses, such as have been alluded to. It will include the construction of bridges, and the designing of appropriate gateways, which are ever a striking feature of the great homes of the land. How beautiful gateways may be made many of these places disclose. There are examples at Hatfield, Charlecote, Bramshill, and other noble places which are not to be surpassed. We are tempted to reflect upon the cause of such labour being expended upon the approach to the house and the garden. The gate was the symbol of hospitality, the place where the host would welcome his guests, and where he would bid them God-speed. It was the portal of the pleasures he would bestow upon them, and he sought to dignify it as A \ Mil. ' xxxvr. GARDENS OLD AND NHW. THE UPPER LAKE FROM THE EAST, MARKS HALL. THE EN I RANGE TERRACES, LOCHINCH. INTRODUCTION. simian sped his Ixnvls in the • •Id tunes IN written in m.iny t»->ks. and interest in the •jam • < w growth in the l"\e <-t the garden. I he: . •! howling greens in aJv.it/ . , _.|iinjf nowhere 'Inn upon the marvellouslv hi-.iutiftil terra. •• it ( in Sowers- < .md Sutton Place. tiuildtord, are other hmivs distinguished hv the po-session of charming howling greens. \ en lawn must needs be assented with the long bed «-f generous proportions, full of her ha flowers, that often ti>rms its margin. Mere the tall larkspurs. the glorious delphiniums in all their sluJes of blue, phloxes, hollyhocks towering aloft. queenly lilies, the red lychnis, and many another stately blossom may rise- a - the b a c k-** Around to things <>f ^mailer growth . h fill so well that attract feature in a garden — the well - managed border, formed by one who has every season in mind. In such beautiful garden the lovers <>i the formal style and those who cling to what is natural m meet upon com- mon ground, for they are, or should be, one •n their love <>t flowers, and the trimmest ar- rangement will be the more beautiful if it welcome tlv haidy flow . wh.ch are ra- diant from spring all through the summer until the fall of the year. The pictures of such beds at Borde Hill, as illustrated with this Introduction, and again at Munstead Wood. have suggestions of KM: it v that will surely fructify practically in the gardens of many. Let us turn now to some other distinctive features of the greater gardens, which nevertheless are interesting, attractive, and suggestive for those less dignified. Such are stately columns commemorative of famous men. or like that which rises at Wilton — a Corinthian pier, with a goddess m In i as its topmost adornment. Such are the stately avenues associated with the style of l.e Notre, exemplified in the triple radiating avenues at Hampton Court, and ihe avenue through Bu^hey Park. Here we tind the long canal, still and beautiful, reflecting in its slvery smi.ice the mighty trees that rise on either hand. One of the magnificent canals at Hampton Court is illustrated here, and is as tine A LILY-LINED PERT,( M \. unple as Ae coulJ wish o( gardening in the M ii Such work, it is true. t<> the park, rather than to tin- garden proper, but it has to-ne to us troin a turn when tin- spirit of the garden w.. vd into the \< * A stone-margined water at Albury is aN |, rich in its watei-hli s. in order t" suggest how glori«. . the lunities uttered to th'.se A ho can \\»rk in th- manner of the grand stvle ol gardening. Migmlueii in the splendid " Emperor's Walk " at (irunston I'.rk. It is found in the line pond with Its llaukn .it Sedgwkk Park, known as the "White Sea" and the •• hirtiiuat ouv" Could we wish anything liner than the ruble Fountain at Brockenhurst I'ark. ned with lilies, well ID with mavinry, rued with urns, tl inked with superb hedges, and with a Splendid double stair A. is le.i lip to the st lid .' I he statellili-s w Inch has Iven alluded to does ii'.t imply re- moteness. It may have t ie line and simple Characters de- picted at High- narn and else- where. It m.iv n be brought into m od < s t ir.len-.toiiv.est th.-m wit!i some I'har .it t< r ol dignity. dignity is not perhaps what mo>t people k in gardens — a remark which brings us • lion air * made, that len. like the house, is the ex- pression of I im wh Abundant the illustrations in tlu-M tlie many forms i nd ! w Huh may r- lens attrac- I • :)Ue, w.'uch may be de-ctibv.l as the leading feature of a st , garden, conducts us out fr >m the I. the neighbouring country, and thus we are led to sjvak of tin- landscape gar.'ens. It was an old fancy tn . rnal features of the parterres neighbouring the I>OUM- might give place, as one withdrew, to more of n.itu'.' ter. until at length nothing of the aitificial remained. That is an idea which may commend itself to many. There is much to ;:d fo it, and an examination ••!' the pictures incluJed in this volume will disclose how - ; !.in his bee;i applied. At least ot this we maybe sure.th.it no rig.d line y du ides the geometrical or formal gardens Ir^.m tl»e landscape features that he beyond. How sweet and beautiful a landscape garden may be made .v.vvrm. GARDENS OLD /tND UJ in X U Q UJ U UJ I f- IN7KODUC1 _] X JU 5 z .LI -r 3 UJ J^ z xl. GARDENS OLD AND we see in the illustration of the lake in the hollow at Pain's Hill. Here it is difficult to suspect the presence of the hand of Art, which, as Wordsworth said in another connection, has, indeed, worked in the very spirit of Nature. It is delightful to walk in the woods and t>y the streams at Aldenham House. Let it not be forgotten that the well-managed wood, with its varied trees, its rhododendrons, azaleas, and perhaps its lilies, certainly its gorgeously-hued fungi in the autumn, may be a veritable masterpiece. We may look over a fine landscape garden at Prior Park, Bath, or wander among pleasant ways in the gardens and woods at Wollaton, Nottingham, or seek the solace of rock gardens by woodland paths like that illustrated at Hartwell House. There are landscape features at Guy's Cliff, as we wander by the flower-bordered Avon, and in many another place. Chatsworth is an illustration of how stately grandeur may lie in the midst of a superb landscape, and compose a garden picture wholly satisfying to the eye. historically until it assumed the particular forms in which it exists to-day. We have seen what were the form and features of gardens in the old times, anJ what views have been entertained as to the character they should possess. We saw that the old garden was distinguished by the spirit of enclosure, and we have considered in what way the enclosure was made. We have discovered that the enclosed garden, possessing formality in a greater or less degree, was the garden of the old Englishman. Then we observed how the changing taste of successive generations modified the conception of the garden plan. The spirit of seclusion had been broken down, and men had learned to look around them to the world at large. Hence, in course of time, we saw how the nevv spirit came in, which, rejecting the older inspiration, thought it right to take Nature in an intimate sense into the garden plan. We weie able to recognise that there were absurdities and extrava- gances on the one side and the other, and that the landscape A PAVED WALK AT HARTWELL HOUSE. It may be observed that fine trees and water, with a graceful contour of the land, are the main features to be sought in the open ground. With these some objects must be combined ; else would the landscape garden scarcely be a garden at all. Where there is water, there may well be a bridge, and we see with what success the Palladian style is applied in the bridges which adorn the gardens of Wilton House and Prior Park. There is a famous classic bridge of three arches spanning the Derwent at Chatsworth, which Caius Gabriel Gibber (the father of Colley Gibber) adorned with statues, and we illustrate here an excellent example of a fine balustraded bridge, picturesquely placed in relat on to a waterfall, at Kedleston. A not less admirable and beautiful example exists at Amesbury Abbey. This Introduction has now surveyed, in a broad sense, the whole world <>f garde ling, It has described, without entering into too much detail, the broad character of the garden gardener went to excesses as great as ever his predecessor had perpetrated. Then we saw how a recoil resu ted from the baldness of the mere landscape garden, and how once again the taste of the garden-maker accepted in various forms the older plan. Then we recognised how glorious have become the opportunities offered in the marvellous beauties of the flower world to the gardener of these days. The true lesson to be drawn from the survey is one of eclecticism in selection co.n- bined with order in plan. Nothing that the garden designer and the garden lover can give should be rejected, whe her it be in architectural adornment, in the orderly arrangement of trees and bushes, or in the wealth of flowers which modern times have so marvellously multiplied. The relationship of the garden to the house is the one essential to be borne in mind, and he who would make a beautiful and a sweet garden must regard as his best achievement a right interpretation of the relation which exists between his garden and the dwelling-place it adorns. AN 7A'(« / CJ JT/I. OJ (/) 0 _: 0 xlii. GARDENS OLD AND NE\V. . O D O a; < D- UJ ^ O f- c/) LLJ UJ LLJ I I- /A'H/»/ Cl */;//. Q Q UJ J x - a: C _ _ I H - Z xlii. GARDENS OLD AND 1\E\V. X O O ai o_ LU O z a: LU f- (/> ai LU I H /.V7A'i '/ ' xliv. GARDENS OLD At\D NhW. The pictures in this volume a re the best help to such inter- pretation. The fitting character of garden things, be they in harmony or contrast, is found in them. It may be seen archi- tecturally in the water gate at Holland House, in stately garden fashion in the long walk be- neath the cedar and between the hedges at Stoke Park, Slough, and in the fine fountain and dainty arrangements at Hewell Grange, Redditch, and again in the wealth of floral charm association at Pain's Hill, things suggested by these should fascinate, while features and dispositions THE DU1 ind the sweetness of landscape These are but examples of many pages. An examination of them a diligent consideration of the they disclose must be a liberal e d u c a t i o n i n the gardening art. There is endless satis- faction in beau- tifying a house in its garden environment. This h a s been an occu- pation which has engrossed the attention or formed the diver- sion of many distinguish ed men. As all art is but a vehicle of expression, so they have sought, in this verdant form of it, to manifest their taste for the delight of their friends and the satisfaction of themselves. They have seemed to be in some world of enchantment where ever new vistas and other opportunities opened to them. Those who in these days are attracted to the work of garden creation or adornment will find both example and encourage- ment in these pages. GARDEN, PAIN'S HILL. THH KOSHKY, PAIN'S HILL. /.V7A-D/M ' / -.: v '• n X /I O _! D UJ C/5 < u Q Z O Q t- Z UJ Q O LU U Oi LLJ H LU I H ^ t 1 J DRUMMOND CASTLE, . , PERTHSHIRE. THE SEAT .... or THE EARL OF ANCASTER. TiO enter an old Scottish garden— characteristic intn>- non to a garden survey --is to penetrate .1 \v«nKI .ire and mJivklu.il charm, where i\en the green things that grow in orderly ranks reveal much "I history. The ancient hostility between England and the v . force of nature, .is it were, h.ul thrown our northern kinsmen into close sympathy with r-rance ; and when Mw> the Scottish cro\\n. -he brought with her some- thing of tin- spirit of another land. The refinements of the Ren. i and some of the I'ghter graces of the South begun thereafter to he grafted on the sturdy character <>t the dwellings of her opulent subjects. The ru. • mdeur of the castles of the old Scottish thanes, which crowned many a dizzy height and lifted their emhattlenu-nts above rocky preci- pices, whence their warlike inhabitants had looked out over the lower country, as eagles from their eyrie*. t«H.k on something of the charm of houses in gentler climes. Those tourelles "ii tlie chieftain's fortress bespoke plainly some kinship with the chateaux of li.iiui. and tliost- who know Mr. Billn wonderful work on the castellated and ecclesiastical ,|U! lure ot bcoiiand will he awaie how imposing i^ the ili.ir.uti-r and liow beautittil the ilet.nl that resulted from the combination ol st\ le*. AS with the hi'use, >'• with the garden. The wc-ll-h- enclosure, the straiuht paths N-tween yew and jumper, the lorm.il parteries, and the ilassjc vtoiu-work ot tlu-e n-ible pleasauiKes. still breathe the ^pint "1 the ^outh, and in a tew chosen pi. ice-, .Is on the telt.ues at l)iummond Castle, where tender blooms flourish, one may now alm"M I.IIK\ "iii '^ -ell in Mime garden of sunny Italy. where -lately vt.nrways.hy ter fragrant with the blossoms ot oranges, shadowed by the tall spires of cypie MS, and adorned with busts and antique urns, lead up to while pala//o walls out in the full li^ht of the sun. The Scottish garden-maker had .in ad\. intake which the lover of the terrace will not overlook. In England the lighting THE OLD CASTLE AND THE NEW. GARDENS OLD AND NEW, THE THIRD TERRACE, EAST. IWUMMOfffD CASH*. Kif.ui. .is m.inv n.1' made for greater peace in the land, had been tempted down from tlu where his castle • >ed intu the more delectable life ol the wide valle\s and plains. His descendants might love the plr.ulu -d alle\ . the . and the lei race ; but in many case* the !..r the Litter wen- denied them. In » how • <• <>n the hill remained a plan- ot power l.tr l.itt-r than in hngland. and. when the new spirit came in. the matrn.ils t"f line effects lay on the slopes below ready in the - hand. hrurnmond C.iMle is a Upual exami'lr ition in winch the natural character .it tin- has enaNed three terraces to Iv formed upon the s- with a splendid character of architecture and line garden and the garden js most worthy <>i »p»\ial rvtue. and ot unstinted admiration, because, though ihe thunders of cml broil and Strife haw- passed over it, though attainder lias shorn its o!d inhabitants of what they lovrd — lost in the at Stobhall, and whose descendants, as Earls of Perth, possessed it for some 250 years, followed by long torleiture. The seventeenth lentury garden at Imunmund Castle was laid out elm iK by John hrummond. s. v.,n,l I .ul • • IVrth. To him we attribute many beauties of tl»r steep, imp his time, with its ^Icnious s. and ihu-lly tile formal garden N-low . with its ilowt-r tx-ds ruh r as a t in the summer, and Ivauti'ul with rv in the winter, beds set off and relieved b> h-.\ and Indies, cut and trained in quaint fashion, and l-\ line i > presses and t.ire conileis. Ab \ and Douglas but he found his heart moved more than with a trumpet. It was the first Lord Drummond who, about the year 1491. built the castle in Strathearn, on removing from the former seat of his family, just in all his dealings." Here must a tribute of admiration be given to the taste and judgment of the second Earl of Perth, who was instrumental in forming the garden, whuh remains as a fine exemplar of his time. Like all his descendants. IK- was a strong upholder of the Stuarts, and in 1641 he Joined the association on behalf of Charles at Cumbernauld, and later on lined, with his s..n. Lord hrummond. in the sum of £$,aao, This son. afterwards the third harl. was tiken prisoner at Philiphaugh in 1645, when Leslie defeat .-d Montr James, the fourth barl, Lord Chmcellor of Scotland, a strong adherent of James II., resigning his estates and • n was allowed to depart to Hraiue, and died at St. («-rmains in 1716, having reteived from King James the titular title of Duke of Perth. His son was with Janxs in the expedition to Ireland, and took part in the rebellion of 171$, afterwards being attainted, upon which the titles of bail of Perth and Baron Drummond became dormant. The Scottish estates GARDENS OLD AND NEW. VRUMMOOfD CJS7LE. 5 _ a o X UJ z GARDENS OLD AND NEW. were saved, having already been assigned to the Earl's son James. This sturdy descendant was also a Jacobite, and in the rebellion of 1745 was in high command at Preston, Carlisle, Stirling, and Culloden. His estates remained forfeited until 1784, when, under an Act of Parliament, another James Drummond of the same house, descended from John Earl of Melfort, obtained possession, and was created Lord Perth and Baron Drummond. At his death, however, the titles became extinct, and the estate passed to his daughter Clementina, who married the Hon. Peter Robert Burrell, afterwards Lord Gwdyr, and later on Lord Will-ughby de Eresby in right of his mother. On the death of their son, Lord Wilioughby, the estates devolved upon their elder daughter Clementina, Lady Aveland, Baroness Wilioughby de Eresby in her own right, mother of the present Earl of Ancaster, who was raised to the latter dignity in 1892. Drummond Castle is approached from Crieff by crossing the River Earn, and following the Muthill Road, which for the first three-quarters of a mile is a noble avenue of great beech trees, with a few chestnuts and limes, and then for the rest of the way becomes a splendid lime avenue. A great gale in November, 1893, wrought vast havoc among these trees, and also in the castle avenue, as well as in the park, many splendid trees having then been over- thrown ; but judicious planting is now filling the gaps. By a high and massive gate of elaborate workman- ship, said to be old Italian, the castle avenue is entered, and is certainly a delightful way to traverse. It is narrow, and has scarcely room for two carriages to pass — there are, indeed, sidings at sundry points to enable this to be done— and it is lined on each side by great beech and other trees, which in most places over-arch the way, so that it forms a sort of tunnel of green, and has much charm in its undulating character, rising and falling as we go all the way in a straight line for a mile and a quarter. The trees are of enormous size, and form a fitting opening to the romantic regions of this princely demesne. The modern castle is of go >d character, but of somewhat plain construction. Passing through an archway into an exterior court, and thence by another porch under the ancient fabric into the interior court, we find the newer structure on the east side. Both buildings may be seen in one of the pictures. We may enter the formidable dungeon, with its ancient gate and guard-room intact, and ascend the stair to the balcony to survey the land- scape below. It is a prospect of fertile Strathearn, with many lordly mansi >ns, stretching away to Invermay and Duncrub, while westward are "Glenartney's hazel shade" and the pine- covert-d height of Turlum, from which the prospect is still more magnificent. To the north lie wooded and broken slopes, leading to the shores of an artificial lake, with much forest scenery, and the Grampians close in the prospect. Drummond Castle — the old structure— was well battered by Cromwell. It was strengthened and garrisoneJ by Royal troops in 1715; but lest it should ever fall again into the hands of enemies of THE FOUNTAIN IN THE EAST COURT. the Stuarts, Lady Jean Gordon, titular Duchess of Perth, in a spirit worthy of Sparta, caused the greater part of its walls to be levelled to the foundations during the rising of 1745. The square tower was built on the old lines and remains to tell the tale, and its chambers are used as an armoury and picture gallery. There are portraits of Charles I. and Charles II., of Maitland of Lethington, of Montrose and Claverhouse, with many family pictures, and the robes of the first Lord Drummond, who built the castle. It goes without saying that the internal plenishings of such an abode are befitting its ancient character. The garden lies below the castle wall, anJ has many special elements seeming to belong appropriately to Scottish gardens. The second Earl of Perth h.id already made his garden when John Reid, gardener to Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, Aberdeen, produced, in 1683, " The Scots Gard'ner," in which he indicates something of the character that was then found in the nort ern gardens, though in few places with the magnificence attained at DiummonJ Castle. He says that the pleasure grounds of his time were i sually divided into walks and plots, with a " bordure " round each plot, and at the corner of each might be a holly or some such bush trained up in pyramidal form, or approaching the spherical, "the trees and shrubs at the wall well p 1 y ed a n (.1 pruned, the greens there- 0 n cut in several figures, the walks laid with gravel, and the plot-; within with grass (in several places whereof may be flower- plots), tne bordures boxed and planted with a variety of fine flowers, orderly 1 n t e r m i x t , weeded, m o w ' d , rolled, and kept all clean an j handsome." In the lower garden of Drummond Castle this character is foind, but it is associated with the mag- nificent terraci ig, exceeding the dreams of m xlest John Rei i. The castle looks duwn upon the beautiful old-fashioned pleasaunce, which we may now approach by this noble series of terraces formed in the cliff itself, the descent being by stately stairways. Tender things flourish here which do not usually look kindly upon northern skies. Tropsolum speciosum flowered on this southern slope in the open air for the first time in Scotland ; Citrus decumana fruits freely ; and the Agave americana flourishes. In the summer of 1832 one of the latter plants reached a height of 23ft., and in 1851 of nearly 3oft. There is a very happy conjuncture of flowers in the garden with the varied hues of evergreens, though these predominate, thus making winter beautiful at Drummond Castle. This radiant garden lies some 3oft. or 4oft. below the southern part of the castle rock, and, in an oblong shape, it covers some ten acres. They are acres of singular beauty when surveyed from any one of those three grand architectural terraces, and the plan of the garden is curious, original, and distinctive. It takes the form of a St. Andrew's Cross, in the midst of which rises a splendid multiplex sundial, erected for the second Earl of Perth by John Mylne, his architjct, in 1630. Two broad grass walks cross one another ' 's'" 7. 0! a X, a — X a. UJ GARDENS OLD AND NEW. at this point, running severally from north-west to south-east, and from south-west to north-east. These walks of fine turf may be described as "bars " of the cross, and are so in fact in the design, as may be seen in our pictures. It must be noticed that, with the exception of three of the principal paths, running north and south, which are gravel, all the others crossing the garden are turf walks. One of the gravel ways passes through the centre of the garden, and on each of the four sides the enclosed space is encompassed by gravel paths. . The whole area is divided into parterres, laid out with equal taste and judgment, and arranged to show the arms of Drummond. There are many examples of antique statuary, and many fine vases selected by the late Lord Willoughby de Eresby, all adding point and character to the place, but nothing perhaps is so attractive as the old sundial with its multitudinous faces. Although flowers are in abundance, the great number of green things is noticeable, and gives a subdued aspect to the garden plan. Most, if not all, the garden sculpture is Italian, and some of the examples are very fine. It will be seen from the pictures that many sentinel yews flank the pathways. They are of beautiful and varied hue, and the junipers, hollies, firs, and box edgings are quite characteristic, while the terrace walls are covered with beautiful creepers. The yew hedges at each end of the terrace, which run from top to bottom of the slope, and form a division or termination, as it were, of the terrace proper, are a very notable feature. The charms of Drummond Castle by no means end with the garden, however. At the top of the broad avenue is the park, and the " policies," as the extensive grounds are called, are very attrac- tive indeed. They cover 511 acres, and are rich in magnificent specimens of all our ordinary trees. The Broad Oak aroused the enthusiasm of the poet of Ettrick Forest. The largest of the Urummond Castle oaks, how- ever, is on the south side, near the burn, and has a girth of I4ft. Sin. at a height of ift. above the ground. Two other noble oaks, with a grand spread of leafage, have a girth of 1 3ft. 4in. and of ioft loin, respectively. Another magnificent specimen is by the side of the walk which circles round to the sou h of the gardens, and measures i.jft 4in. at a height of ift. above the ground. Very picturesque also i? a peculiar gnarled oak near the burn on the east side of the castle. The ash trees are more splendid even than the oaks, and at least one specimen has a girth of 22ft. But the beech trees are the monarchs of the place, lifting their grey columnar trunks to a mightv altitude, with a noble crest of leafage. One colossal specimen is on tin- east side of the broad avenue to the south of the garden, and has a girth of 29ft. at itt. LENGTHENING SHADOWS ON THE GARDEN WALK. from the ground, and of i6ft. at 5ft. The extreme height is 7itt., and the spread of branches lojft. It would be tedious, however, to describe all the grand trees at Drummcnd Castle. A beautiful purple beech, planted by Queen Victoria on her visit in 1842, attracts much attention, and has a girth of about jft. Some lime trees standing adjacent are also of conspicuous size and beauty, and the Spanish chestnuts and silver firs are very fine. Three noble specimens of the latter are along the side of the walk from the garden, the largest of them having a girth of 23ft. gin. at ift. from the ground, and of i/lt. gin. at ;ft. There are beautiful specimens of araucaria an.l of Wellingtonia oigantea, some of the latter having a girth of i2ft. The deep rich soil is conducive to the perfection of growth in forest trees. The plantations are almost as interesting as the " policies," and are distinguished by great numbers ol splendid Scotch firs, some of them being noble individual specimens. Tne total extent under wood is 3 965 acres, including the 511 acres of the park, and firs, larches, and other coniferous trees flourish wonde"- fully. Most interesting is the wooded heignt of Turlum, which con.- mands the magnificent view which has been described. At the base are dark Scotch firs, now rather thin, then spruce firs, and larches to the top. Here the golden eagle has found a home, and the country is rich in wild birds The far-famed Trossachs also form part of the DrummonJ Castle property, which is one of the most magnificent estates in Scot and. A great deal of planting has taken place within recent years, much, h wever, having been done at an earlier time by the ihird and fourth Earls of Perth. The work went on between 1785 and 1800 with great vigour, and then it was that Turlum was planted, and the grtat pond made. The value and the beauty of the estate have been greatly increased through the care and attention devoted to it, and the art of the land cape g rdener, combined with ihe natural advantages of the situation, has contributed to make it an ideal country home. The total area is upwards of 10,000 acres of arable and 62,000 acres of hill and plantation. The estat inclu les the parish of Muthill, large portion- of Comrie and Callander, and portions of Crieff and Monzieviard. Within it; bounds are :-ome of ihe finest portions of Perthshire, and in hill anJ dale, wood and meadow, terrace and garden, it stands very high indeed among the great estates in Scotland. Lady Willoughby de Eresby, who died in 1888, effected immense improve rents, spending .£45,000 on farm buildings, additions, and alterations. Upwards of 160 miles of fencing was put up, at a cost of ;£i6,ooo, and more than .£8 ooo was spent in drai age, and the present posse, sor has continued tl e same enlightened policy. l*«r»»»T' i^^mr^ .4 ^^ M GRIMSTON PARK. YORKSHIRE. . . . THL SEAT MRS. THOMAS FIELDEN. N a very interesting pait »t Yorkshire, within a mile and a-halt of the ancient town of Tadcister. where the R >man station »t Calcana commanded the chief and lowest passage "t the Wharfe, and where the second, fifth, and eighth "it. -s,-d the river on their way to York, and wiMm a short distance also of t imous Tow ton I, stands this very .h.ir.uteriMi. and attractive c .INMC mansion, which the late Mr. John Fielden bniglr. with all its domain and its superb garden, from the tarl of LotvL-sb >rou^h, for the sum of ,£240.000. The country thereabout is very interesting, for you breathe history when you live there, although it is not in itself strikingly picture ^ue. Yet it has in it much of the rural beauty of England, it not the rare charm that is found in many parts of Yorkshire, and the ! stream of the Whirfe which bounds Gnimion Park on the north-east is ever an attraction, while the neighbourht the house of Grimston, with its Ion- Ionic portico {la, and the verandah ahove. giving tion from the southern sun, suj-ests .1 spirit dn from southern climes, \et very welc.mn- in these. It perfectly •>" piece of domestic architecture in the THE GAkUEN. 10 GARDENS OLD AND classic style, and the raised verandah was specially arranged to give an out- look over the garden. The presence of marble vases and urns, and of gleaming statuary, contributes to the effect. D e c i m u s Burlon, Lord H o vv d e n ' s architect, as iswell known, carried out the improve- ments at Hyde Park in 1825, and designed the facade at Hyde Park Corner, and the triumphal arch. He intended to place upon the latter a quadriga, but the authorities lifted aloft that strange equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington, now removed, which is said to have provoked from a French officer the exclamation, " Nous sommes venges," and was always a vexation to the architect. Burton was a master of the classic style, and at Grimston Park applied it very successfully to domestic architecture. The gardens were laid out by Mr. W. A. Nesfield, and were ornamented with marble statuary and vases to adorn the long walks and the terraces. It has long been a custom for the gods and goddesses of antiquity to display their manly strength and womanly beauty in English gardens, and several well-known figures after Canova and other artists may be seen in our pictures. In the great Emperors' Walk, twelve marble busts of the Caesars, upon tall pedestals, with sombre yews, flank the way to a temple, wherein a large bust of the great Napoleon, the modern Cresar, stands. The arrangement may be compared with that at Brokenhurst Park in Hampshire, which is also, but in a THE FLORAL TERRACE. different ma n n e r , adorned with the busts of the Cassars. Nesfield, the gardener, was a remarkable man, who, after fighting his country's battles as a subaltern of the 95th in the Peninsula and Canada, became an artist and an excellent ex- ponent of the old water- colour school, and then turned his attention to landscape and classic garde ning, and did excellent work at St. James's Park, Kew Gardens, Arundel, Trentham, Alnwick, and other great places, Grimston Park being a good example of his style. The place was bought, with the manor of Selby and the domains of Londesborough, by the first Londesborough. This peer was the second surviving son of the first Marquess of Conyngham, and took the name of Denison under the will of his maternal uncle, who bequeathed to him immense wealth. Altogether, Lord Londesborough possessed upwards of 60,000 acres in Yorkshire, and was well known on the Turf, although his horses were not very successful in the great events. He was a piominent Yorkshireman, an enthusiastic antiquary, vice-president of the Archaeological Institute, and president of the Numismatic Society. His Lordship added much to the interest of Grimston Park. When he purchased the mansion he also became the owner of a remarkable collection of armour and ancient art work, which was described and beautifully illustrated in a volume entitled " Miscellanea Graphica," by Mr. F. W. Fairholt, the antiquary. Lady THE ENTRANCE GATES. G'RIMS7O0{ 11 12 GARDENS OLD AND NKW. Londesborough's great collection of rings has also been described in a privately printed volume edited by Mr. Crofton Croker. Lord Londesborough dieJ in 1860, and the fine church of St. John Baptist, at Kirkby Wharfe, in which parish Grimston lies, possessing many Norman portions, was restored in the following year in his memory. He was succeeded by his son, the present peer, who was elevated to an Earldom, but the estate was sold in 1872 to the late Mr. John Fielden of Dobroyd Castle, near Todmorden, on the borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire, and Mr. Fielden maintained the place in perfection, and added somewhat to its attractions. He died in 1893, and the chancel of Kirkby Wharfe Church was restored in memory of him. His immediate successor in the estate, Mr. Thomas Fielden, D.L., J.P., M.P., died in 1897. There is a richly wooded park of about 800 acres, including the home farm, and the estate embraces the township of Grimston and the parish of Kirkby Wharfe. The park is where is a large conservatory of stone, there is an attractive garden rich in floral beauty and embowered in gree.iery. Here is a contrast to the more open outlook on the south, and there are classic garden adornments which will be seen in one of our pictures. It is almost unnecessary to insist upon the excellence of the garden stonework, for here, truly, the architect has worked hand in hand with the gardener. There may be different opinions as to the merits of white marble statuary under English skies, but there can be no disagreement as to the beauty of that which adorns Grimston Park, and which has been very skilfully disposed for contrast and effect. The gateway of the eastern garden will be noticed also. Here we see how the craftsman in metals has lent his aid, and it will be recognised that in the clinging ivy and cool grey stone an excellent effect is produced. The skill of the ironworker will be observed also in the great entrance gates, which are very imposing and eminently satisfactory in their architectural THE HAST GAkUEN GATHS. dignified by the presence of many noble trees, including a fine group of sycamores, four of which are remark- able for having been planted within the space of one square yard ; nevertheless, they have now grown to the height of looft. The most striking feature in the garden is the imposing Emperors' Walk, which has been alluded to, and has rich ornamental trees for its near neighbours. The garden on the south side presents a formal arrangement, with regular beds and rounded bushes, and "the expanse is enriched by the presence of a number of admirably sculptured vases and urns in marble, as well as by several choice modern statues. A long walk extends parallel to the house, and the garden is terminated by a fine balustrade with a semi-circular extension towards the park, over which, like the house itself, it commands a wide and pleasing view. It will be remarked that the splendid trees which close the prospect to the east add great dignity and character to the place. On the western side also, character. There is thus at Grimston Park a union of structural merit and gardening skill, with particularly happy result. It has been mentioned that Towton Field lies not far away, and it v/ould be unpardonable to describe Grimston without an allusion to the great Palm Sunday battle in which the red rose of Lancaster was shadowed by an immen .e disaster, and wherein probably 30,000 good Englishmen tell, so desperate and hard-contested was the fray. Hall says that the battle was "sore fought, for hope of life was set on every part," though the hope was dashed for too many on that sanguinary day. The Earl of Northumberland, Lord Uacre, and many nobles and knights were killed, and from that field the Earls of Devon and Wiltshire were dragged for beheadal, and their heads place 1 upon Micklegate Bar at York in place of that of Edward's father, which had been set up with a paper crown " that York might overlook the town of York." /'/A'A. 13 z O S o — < u: u 5 Ul _ 14 ] Saxtt^- ? \ BROttENHURST £ PARK HAMPSHIRE, . J. MORANT. |j T by its HERE are grand characteristics in the immediate surroundings of this beautiful Hampshire house in the stately form of the long hedges of ilex and yew, the sequestered alleys between those walls of green, the truly imperial aspect of the great court, dignified busts of the Cssars, the noble descent to the long THE WESTERN ENTRANCE TO THE DRAGON FOUNTAIN. water begemmed with lilies — all these possessing an indi- viduality quite their own. They are gardens lying in an historic region of England, and so much of magnificent woodland is hereabout that we cannot forget that here was the great New Forest of the Norman kings — the forest in which the Red King fell. Time was when the vill.ige of Brokenhurst was almost in ihe centre of the forest, but it is now only a border village, con- sisting of one long straggling street, and possessing a church with some Norman portions which carry us back to the earliest forest days. Mr. John R. Wise, who wrote a notable book upon the New Forest, made the truthful remark that, if the church had been some- what disfigured, the approach to it remained in all its beauty. " For a piece of quite English scenery nothing can exceed this. A deep lane, its banks a garden of ferns, its hedge matted with honeysuckle and woven together with bryony, runs winding along a sid; space of green to the gate, guarded by an enormous oak, its limbs now fast decaying, its rough bark grey with the perpetual snow of lichens, and here and there burnished with soft streaks of russet-coloured moss, whilst behind it in the churchyard spreads the gloom of a yew, which, from the Conqueror's day to this hour, has darkened the graves of generations." These, indeed, are old patrician trees, mighty in their girth and dignified in their antiquity. The oak, covered with ivy, has a circumference of 2ift., while the enormous hollow yew measures i/ft. They are the immediate neighbours of Brokenhurst Park, which, for our descriptive purpose, they bring into relation with the old forest of Hampshire. Having thus glanced at the forest surroundings of Brokenhurst Park, let us approach the mansion itself, in order to taste the sweetness of its gardens, noting first, with excellent Gilpin, that true lover of the New Forest, who sleeps in the Boldre churchyard not far away, how gracious are the broad WKNHUKS1 THh GOLOliN GATtS. ThE BOWLING «.ht.tN WALK. 16 GARDENS OLD AND NFW. features of the outlook. He described the prospect as complete both in the foreground and the di?>tance. " The former is an elevated park scene, consisting of a <:reat variety of ground, well planted, an.l descending into ihe plain below. Among the trees which adorn it are a few of the most venerable oaks of the forest, probably of an age long prior to the Conquest. From this granJ foreground is presented an extensive forest view. It consists of a wide range of flat pasturage, garnished with tufted clumps, and wooded promontories shooting into it, contrasted with immense woods, which occupy all the rising grounds above it and circle the horizon. The contrasts between the open and woody parts of the distance, and the grandeur of this park, are in the highest style of picturesque beauty." How rare is the attraction of this prospect will be realised in imagination when it is remembered that such is in the foreground of the garden we illustrate — a garden so sweet, quaint, and beautiful that the artist loves to depict it. The Brokenhurst garden, indeed, furnished one of the most fascinating scenes in the delightful garden pictures of Mr.G. S. Elgood, R.I. sixteenth Earl of Erroll, and was the father of the late Mr John Morant, who died a few years ago, having been High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1869. The present possessor is the latter gentleman's son. We may well imagine with what delight the^e successive squires of Hampshire have surveyed and beautified their great possession. It was a master hand that worked in the creation of these gardens, directed by a mind which had imbibed the classic spirit of Italy. The late Mr. John Morant of Broken- hurst, who formed them, was, indeed, a man of great and discriminating taste, and many of the trees and bushes, which are so splendid a feature of the place, were planted by him within the last thirty years. Thus this Hampshire pleasaunce was invested with some of the charm that belonged to the great gardens of the southern land. The long pathways between ilex and cypress, the gloom of the solemn green made radiant in the sunshine, the still ponds and canals reflecting the gods and heroes of old Rome, the marble stairs leading up the terraced heights to the walls of an Italian palazzo, seem to THE DUTCH GARDEN. The Morants of Brokenhurst Park, in whose hands this garden has taken shape and grown, are old dwellers in the region of the New Forest. Veracious Burke tells us that they claim descent from the Moraunts of Moraunt's Court, Kent, who are said to have sprung from the ancient Norman house of Morant of Chateau Morant. Soon after the sei/.ure of Jamaica, in 1655, John Morant settled in the island. To him succeeded his son John, and to him another John, which last gentleman was the father of Mr. Edward Morant, M.P. for Hindon 1761, Lymington 1776-78, and Yarmouth 1780-84, who died in 1791. His son succeeded him at Brokenhurst, and took, like himself, a great interest in the condition of the New Forest, and resisted what he regarded as the unwise measures of the Government in an attempt to regulate it. Mr. John Morant died in 1784, leaving an infant son of the same name to succeed to the estate. At this time Brokenhurst House was temporarily the residence of Mr. Tln-ophilus F<;u!ks ; but in due time the heir entered into his own, becoming a man of note in the county, a J.P. and D.L., and High Sheriff in 1820. He married a daughter of the have their English counterparts in this truly imperial garden. There is a richness and beauty of detail and effect that is perhaps unrivalled in the land except in very few places indeed. Let us note the singular beauty and sequestered calm of the long walks between those lofty walls of ilex, the vista ended by some antique bust or figure. Think of the delight of entering that august pie jsaunce through the golden gate. Mark the rare loveliness of the green court, with those admirable statues flanking the way to the place where the old medlar tree extends its arms over the seat in the shade. Wherever we go there is something that well deserves to be called imperial. Look at the canal, with its water plants, leading away from the mansion to the splendid steps to the Dragon Fountain at the further end. It is worthy to be compared with any marble-lined canal, perhaps flanked with lofty arcades of yew and crested with g'cnes, pyramids, or crowns, in any garden of Italy. No marble enframes the water at Brokenhurst, but there is something truly English in the work in brick and stone. The moulding of the margin is excellent indeed, and the fountain playing like an inconstant •BROKF.NHI 18 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. THE BOWLING GRFEN AND MEDLAR. THE EASTERN SIDE OF I HE COURT. X — X J -f i. •^ — IU GARDENS OLD AND sprite, the amorini on their pedestals, and the flowering standard trees in their quaint pots along the way, with the bushes of yew trimmed to shape by the deft hand of the topiary gardener, are a right introduction to the double flight of steps beyond. At every corner and break there is a vase or urn richly carved, each of these something of a masterpiece in its way, while all about are the coniferous trees so characteristic of Hampshire, and an abundance of flowers to kindle a new charm in the shadows. The double ascent at the end of the canal is worthy to compare with that beautiful flight at Clilton Hall, Nottingham, A SIDE WALK. which has been noted as a marvel of garden architecture, and it leads to that upper court where the busts of Julius and Augustus look upon " regions Czesar never knew," fair as were the gardens of ancient Rome. Here again is a beautiful b.isin, reflecting the enchanting scene, with other amorini by the fountain, and vases filled with flowers at the margin. Then, each in his arch, stands the bust of a Caesar enframed in the greenery, and each one upon a sculptured pedestal. It is an arcade topped with globes of green, forming a wall and background to as fair a garden picture as you would wi-h to behold. It may be said, indeed, that here is a final expression ot the gardener's art working in the classic style. The cii'ining hand of the craftsmm has shaped these hedges to the garden-maker's need, and many as are the splendid hedges in England, there are few quite so characteristic as those at Brokenhurst. Two great uses may be marked in a dark- hedge of yew or ilex : it gives that character of enclosure that is necessity, as most people think, in every good garden, and it affords shelter from the biting wind, thus nurturing the flowers, to whose radiance it is a foil and background. '1 he pictures are a better description of the Brokenhurst garden than any words can be. They disclose a pleasaunce such as few can create tor themselves. Not everyone can - • emulate the hand that formed such a masterpiece. Not everyone can pro- vide sculpture in vases and figures so rich and good. Never have we seen statuary better disposed. There is a completeness and harmonious character in the garden which could not be excelled. Let us note, as ex- amples of richness, the cistern-heads or capitals used as pedestals in the fountain court. There are many of the kind in England which had their origin in Italy. The true cistern-heads belong, many of them, to the best period of the Renaissance, like the famous one by Sansovino at San Sebastiano ; but in many parts of Italy the capitals of ancient columns have been converted into flower-pots or pedestals for statues or sundials, and ruined temples and monuments have furnished the materials for attractive garden features. Thus we find at Brokenhurst rich Corin- thian capitals well employed. Mag- nificent specimens used to be in the famous Ludovisi garden in Rome, which was the very garden of Sallust ; but these have been scat- tered or destroyed. Diverted from their original purpose, such objects have found another use, and it is very pleasant to find them as fea'ures in such gardens as those of Brokenhurst. What is the presiding character to be discovered in this Hampshire garden ? It is an air of equal dignity and repose. Design rules the whole, and the directing hand has done all things well. Where quaintness has been sought, it nowhere tends to exag- geration, and the picturesqueness re- sulting from the presence of curiously cut trees in columns and balls, of trim hedges flanking paths and stairways, is but one part of a picture, and belongs to the composition of the whole. There is variety in the contrast of ilex with yew, and of both with the ivy-covered wall. The glossy ilex is less sombre than the yew, but where the two are found together the effect is all that one would wish. The orna- mental trees are admirably placed, and there is never-failing pleasure in the constant variety of their unfading green. Note, for example, how attractive is Cecil's Walk, with the verdant archway at the end. Again, 1 cw sequestered is the path by the bowling green, with its yews and its grass border, bringing us through an archway into the garden beyond. But it is unnecessary to describe further what is illustrated so well. Let us, then, conclude by rendering a tribute of praise to those who have created one ot the best of the classic gardens of England The soil was pr< piticus and the site was of the best, but there was needed a master mind and a master hand, and unstinted care as well. . r / _ JL - X. a J JU X C,.:R/)I-:NS OLD CO UJ U ULJ >" r- 3 U O (- H Di < O. BALCARRES, FIFE. THE SEAT or THE :EARL OF CRAWFORD.* ' t A N /\ Crawford, impressue and yrand in its noble terra.es /— \ and stairways, magnificent in its l-edg« -d niilu- * * and its box gardens, glorious in the splendour <»r its floral charms, and it- m every point oi vi- u .1 i\ pical en of the North. Nothing, amid all its teahr impressive as the character ot its dense walls ,>t \i-\\. its fees of the same, and its admirable patterns in bo\ the hand of the Ire.- and bush cutter has .u im-M-d real triumphs, without anywhere ten MI- t .warJs e.xtr .)ue conceit. VW.-in- reminded of what is said by John Weid who was gardener, more than tw . ii-uturn-s •» i ,, ,»rge Macken/if. . !•' .uij«ht Aberdeen, in his ;• 'Scots Gard'ner " ( if>So, «lu-re he describes the of the gardens it his time. As was said in the account of iJrummond. they were usualh -divided nit > \\.ilks and plois, \\ith a •• bordure ' round tacit plot — a box border, -uppose — and at the corner* ho.|u-> or otlur bushes in pyramidal turn, or apprraching the spherical. Let us r< how quaintly he says they should be plyed and pruned, the v t in several figures, the walks lai I with gravel, and the inner spaces with grass. " The bordures boxed and planted with a variety of fine flmM-rs, orderly intermix!, :ed. mow'd. rolled, and ke|t all clean and hands -me." He was speaking of just such .1 garden as \\<- m>w see at Balcarres, though doubtless one wanti i^ its stately m igi • ! .- Interesting aN.ut the g.irvlens ..t Scotland, and it is ; t,, make acquaint uue with those who formed them. I he noNemen who made Halcanes what it is have had a strange hi-1 Among them we encounter men wh.» hive lo ed their u;'f>l<'iis and who have w rke.l to mtr.Khue into S^.tla-ul those t harms in which Scottish gardens greatly e\iel. I hey have all Nvn men n< distinct o.i. and .1 .1 ..t their hi>toty and ot their house and its surrounJmgs will not l.u k either human interest or that which we seek in tin- qir.-st t"t beautiful gardens old and n The stately seat of the Karl ot Crawt.-rd is m t s.tu.ited u(-on the southern s|0|v ,,| that county, s .me three miles trom the sea, dignified by old woods, pi ssessing m its l-raig anobjeit, ascme writer has said, " worth all th.it twenty Browns c >uld dofor any place in con eiring romantic beauty." and Commanding a Superb \ie\\-, which embraces nearly the whole expanse of the Firth of r-orth. the I. t!n..ns opposite, the Hiss Hock out at s,-a. .1 ,| the Lammerino d Uiidyssay, Do furth that thou should do this day." But the Scottish knight, choosing the way of clemency, raised his foe from the ground and presented him to the Queen, "as a gift, wishing, like a true knight, that mercy should proceed from woman." bavidsand Alexanders still succeeded, forfeited all the titles and honours of his house. Strange was the way in which the title thereafter passed. The next heir, David Lindsay of Edzell, whose father had fallen at Flodden, succeeded as ninth Earl, while the" Wicked Master" perished in a brawl with a cobbler of Dundee. Earl Davidj who was the father of the builder of Balcarres, was a remarkable man in his time, and his action in regard to his peerage was peculiar. Taking pity upon the son of the " Wicked Master," he brought him up as his own child, nourishing indeed an adder in his bosom. His own son, Sir David, succeeded to the Barony of Edzell, while his second son, John, Lord Menmuir, was the ancestor of the Earls of Balcarres. Through the generosity of Earl David, the Earldom of Crawford went back to the original line, and David, son of the " Wicked Mjster," succeeded as tenth Earl of Crawford. Iniquity appears to have been deeply rooted in his line, for the twelfth Earl died a prisoner in Edinburgh Castle in 1621 ; reckless, prodigal, and desperate, he had alienated his possessions, and UJ U 01 X — - — O _ 0 G4KDENS OLD AND NEW. reduced his family to the brink of ruin. LuJovic, the last childless holder of the title in this line, contrived to obtain a regrant .of the title, by which was interpolated between himself and the family of Edzell the whole line of the Lindsays of the Byres, being the seventeenth to the twenty- second Earls, of whom the last died in 1808, after which the title reverted to those to whom it seemed rightly to belong. It is now time to go back to the sons of the ninth Earl, whose apparent rights in the Earldom of Crawford had been diverted. Sir David Lindsay of Edzell and his brother John, Lord Menmuir, who built Balcarres in 1595, were contrasted characters. David \vas the soul of honour, generosity, and warm affection, and had great taste in architecture and design, Edzell, from its situation— low and at the foot of the hills- could exhibit nothing picturesque or grand, apart from its own architectural character and decorations, Lord Menmuir, in fixing his residence at Balcarres, bequeathed to his descendants the enjoyment of pure and fresh air, of proximity to the sea, and a prospect embracing rock and meadow, island and lake, river and ocean, well-nigh boundless, and for which they have great reason to bless the merciful Dispenser of all thing's, who has cast their ' lines of life ' so pleasantly. And it may be an agreeable reflection to them that, though part of the original edifice, as built in the Scoto-Flemish Gothic of the sixteenth century, has been destroyed in the course of more recent improvements, the greater part still remains incorporated into THE PLANNED GARDEN OF BOX. while John was an astute lawyer and statesman of varied talents, a linguist, and a practical man of business, but a scholar and poet also. The two brothers had, indeed, much in common, and frequently corresponded. Both of them were great builders and planters, and while the castle of Edzell developed under David's hands, that of Balcarres had its origin in the taste of John. " Ye desire me," wrote David's half-brother. Lord Ogilvie, to him, "to bestow some few lines on you concerning my planting— truly, albeit 1 be the elder, 1 will gif you place as maist skilful therein. Your thousand young birks (birch trees) shall be light welcome." "Remember," wrote Lord Menmuir, "to send me my firs and hollins," forwarding at the same time a present of elm s^ed. Gaidening and planting were the favourite pursuit of both brothers, and in a letter from Lord Menmuir at Edinburgh to David, he thankshim for his "letter with 'La Maison Rustique ' and ' Columella,' whilk will serve for my idleness in Balcarres and not for this town " The taste for country occupations had descended from Earl David, and became hereditary in the Lindsay family both at Edzell and Balcarres. There exists a curious instrument of David's attested in his vindiarunn or garden at the former place. It is recorded that there his work included the garden wall, presenting the fesse chequee of Lindsay and the stars of Olenesk, flanked by brackets for statues and alti-rilievi. The garden at Balcarres was also at all times an object of interest and pride to its possessors. Lord Crawford, in his " Lives of the Lindsays'," remarks in regard to the building of the two houses: "But, while the more modern structure, and that a few of the more ancient trees that surround the house, ilexes and hollies, are still venerated among us as having been planted by the hands of our ancestor, Lord Menmuir." It may be remarked that Menmuir was the forensic title of the distinguished lawyer, and that it was his son, David of Balcarres, who became first Earl of Balcarres. The estate at the time included Balcarres, Balneil, Pitcorthie, and other lands, and Lord Menmuir, in 1592, obtained a charter uniting these in a free barony. He died three years after building the old house, and the property remained in the direct line of heirship of the family until 1789, when, mainly owing to the chivalrous adherence to the Stuarts earlier in the century, Alexander, sixth Earl of Balcarres, sold the estate to his younger brother, the Hon. Robert Lindsay of Leuchars, who had made a great fortune in the West Indies Meanwhile, misfortune had overtaken the family of David Lindsay of Edzell, and Burke cites the case of his descendant, another David, unquestionably head of the great house of Lindsay, as an illustration in his " Vicissitudes of Families." Ruined and broken-hearted, the last Lindsay of Edzell fled unobserved and unattended, and, losing the wreck of his fortune, landless, and Ivimeless, he proceeded as an outcast to the Orkney Islands, where he spent his last days as ostler at the Kirkwall Inn. Some years after the sixth Earl of Balcarres had sold his estate to his brother, the twenty-second Earl of Crawford, of the line of Lindsay of the Byres, died (1808), and the old title at length came to the senior line, the sixth Earl of Bjlcarres . 28 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. becoming the twenty-third Earl of Crawford. The new owner of the estate, the Hon. Robert Lindsay, lived until 1836, being succeeded by his son, General James Lindsay, M.P. for Fifeshire, who made large additions to Balcarres House, incorporating the old part with the new erection, and bringing the mansion to the state almost in which we depict it. His son, Sir Coutts Lindsay, Bart., also made considerable additions and improvements, and then, as is very interesting to recall, sold it again in 1886 to the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, so that the lands from which the title was derived came back once more to the possession of the direct representative of the first Earl of Balcarres, and of Lord Menmuir, the builder of the house. The magnificent terraced gardens had been formed before this time. They were laid out by Sir Coutts Lindsay, and are considered second only in Scotland to those of Drummond Castle. Their character is truly magnificent, and they make, with double and single descents, a noble approach to the quaint and beautiful box garden and the splendid circle and enclosing rectangle which are illustrated. The pictures show better than is not less attractive than the other parts of the grounds, being indeed a world of floral attraction as well as of useful products. Balcarres House, having been inhabited by so many interesting people, must needs be an interesting place. It has, in fact, associations of many kinds, but we shall be content to mention that here was written that pathetic ballad " Auld Robin Gray." Its writer was Lady Anne Barnard, daughter of the Earl of Balcarres, whose verses, as is acknowledged by learned and unlearned alike, are strong and true, and are a real pastoral, worth far more than all the dialogues of Corydon and Phyllis from the days of Theocritus downward : " My father urged me sair, My uiither didna speak, But she looked in my face Till my heart was like to break." Here is reached a height of human emotion and self-sacrifice which goes straight to the heart, speaking through the ballad form of the verse. The fact that "Auld Robin Gray" was written at Balcarres is always in the minds of those who visit THE SUNDIAL. words can describe how truly noble the gardens at Balcarres are. They rank among the greatest of Scottish gardens, and their favoured situation upon the southern slope is propitious for all things that grow. The box garden, an admirable example of pattern-work, the finely cut and dense yew hedges, the conical yew trees, and the magnificent woods, are the great features of the place. The advantage of such a manner of gardening is that at every time of the year, even in the months of winter, the eye can rest upon green foliage ; but the sheltered situation gives many advantages to the gardener, and the beds are full of flowers. Tub gardening is resorted to extensively, and effects are attained not to be surpassed, and when the frosts of winter come the tender trees can be removed. A wealth of flowers, and the charm of the well-kept formal qarden, are the chief attractions of the immediate surroundings of Balcarres. Natural beauty must be sought, as we have suggested, in the old woodl mds, an-1 up at che Craig, whence the view is truly superb. But the situation has favoured many kinds of gardening, and the kitchen garden the stately abode, and it lends a further attraction to the beauteous scenes which are spread around. Here also is one of those characteristic sundials which are so quaint and curious, forming such pleasing features in many Scottish gardens. ScotlanJ is richer than England in its dials, and the best of them have been an inspiration to many. Scottish families in England have reproduced the dials of th.it northern homes, and could anything be better than the grand examples at Drummond, Balcarres, and Glamis Castles ? A dial of Scottish type, lately set up by the Hon. Francis Bowes Lyon at Ridley Hall, Northumberland, has an inscription that deserves, in conclusion, t> be recorded here : " Ainjdst ye floures I tell ye houres. " Time wanes away As floures decay. " IU-yoiul ye toinbe I'resli flourcts blooinc. " So limn shall rys^ Above ye skyes." t » 1 GWYDYR . . . . CASTLE, DENBIGHSHIRE. HE SEAT . or TMC EARL CARRINGTON THE picturesque castle of (iwydvr. winch was an ancient seat "I tlu- Wynnes. stands in a trulv romantic part °f North Wales, in 'he valley "t the Con way, and adjacent t<> the pleasantly-Mtuated town of Llanrwst. The viMt<>r who provee.K from Llandudno to that famous centre of tourists in W -Coed, passes dOSC hv. and can lu-ver t.nl t" admire, the magnificent woods which are found in that part of the valley. The river Con way is navigable .is Mr as Trelnw. that eated place. whch is famous among artists, and w hose neighbourhood has often heen depicted in the spring exhibitions. whole region is full of history, tor here was a house of the great Llewelyn, and here, long before his time, Taliesm. the fattu •'• s|j poetry, is believed to have dwelt, having been found by the lake of Ceirionydd like Moses amon^ the bulrushes, and here again the famous Llywarch Hen did battle with his foes. In the fastnesses of the district of Snowdon lingered the poetic fire which nerved the chi.ftains for their with the Saxon, and in this romantic region of wood and wild Celtic fancy lashioned m\ strrious shapes of slran-e signiiuance. and ga\'e birth to the nn.iyinativ • tions whiJi are eml /»* UJ _) — (/> U x 5 *- * •J u a GARDENS OLD AN'D NEW. picturesque, and the high gables, embattled chimneys, and mullioned windows have often attracted the pencil of the artist. The new part is the kitcnen erected by Lord Willoughby de Eresby, about 1816. Within, the house abounds in curiosities, such as carved woodwork of the days of Elizabeth and James. Spanish leather hangings, a screen said to have been worked by Mary Queen of Scots, and the coronation chair of George II. It would be no easy task to find more beautiful carving and panelling than is to be found at Gwydyr. This is not the only house which Sir John Wynne built, for the site of another is pointed out on the rock above, of which all has been demolished save the chapel. The Wynnes of Gwydyr, who were of the an excellent feature, and are neighboured by rich herbaceous borders. The floral glories of Gwydyr are conspicir.-us in our pictures. Fragrance and beauty of colour combine to lend a charm, which is the better appreciated because of the contrasts in which the gardens abound. But, after all, from whatever point of view we regard Gwydyr Castle, we recognise that from its picturesque architecture and the neighbourhood of its glorious woodlands it derives the greater part of its beauties. Here things seem to flourish abundantly, and from early spring to late autumn the garden is full of floral beauty. The quaintness of the double row of clipped yews in the old "Dutch" garden under the hill is undeniable, although its formality may not attract every beholder. From the terrace •:JB! THE GARDEN DOORWAY. Wynnstay family, held this place until the latter part of the seventeenth century, when Mary, the heiress of Sir Richard Wynne, married the Marquess of Lindsey, and Gwydyr came to the family of Ancaster and to the Carringtons. There is an old bowling green belonging to the place, on an eminence opposite the entrance and within a few hundred yards of the Episcopal Chapel formerly attached to the summer residence of the Gwydyr fan ily, but this relic of days that are gone does not now receive the attention it once did. Its situation — in the middle of a coppice— is beautiful indeed, and one can well imagine it in those Stuart times in which our fathers loved the peaceful game, and people the place with men who were as dexterous of eye and hand as they were famous in public life. It is to be hoped that, as we are learning to play once more, this fine stretch of turf will again witness the skilful contests it knew so well of yore. The magnificent woods are the real delight of the place, and give it a distinction which is rare, but the garden is particularly charming, with its bright parterres, clipped yews, formal hedges, and cypresses, and the dark forest forms a fine setting for the radiant glories of the flower-beds. There is much form.ility, as in the circular garden of the forecourt disposed about the sundial, but the formality takes a sweeter character in the terrace, with its quaint steps and carved stone vases. The grass steps at the end of the well-kept hedge .ire there are lovely views of the vale of the Conway, and the visitor who has completed his survey of the immediate surroundings may discover endless pleasures in the paths through the woods. He may ascend through the upper walks to the summit, and from Gwydyr-Ucha or Upper Gwydyr may enjoy a marvellous prospect of a glorious region. Here, over the entrance of the resting-place, is an inscription in Welsh, which rightly describes it as " A conspicuous edifice on the hill, towering over the adjacent land; a well-chosen situation; a second paradise; a fa'r bank; a place of royalty." One of the great charms of the wood is the waterfall of Rhayadr-y-Parc-Mawr, which, in a romantic place near the house, descends in a silvery cascade for a distance of about one hundred feet. It is particularly pleasant, in a romantic region where Nature takes its wildest forms, and where mountain and flood are majestic in their untamed grandeur, to find a domain like ( iwydyr Castle maintained by careful hands in the state of cultivated perfection which our pictures disclose. The wood and the rocky hill are seen to be the foil and contrast to the sweeter charms of the garden, and the attraction of both is enhanced by their variety of character. This, perhaps, is the chief lesson to be learned from Gwydyr Castle — that where contrast ran be attained, the artistic character of a garden and its surroundings will be greatly increased, and it is a lesson which the visitor to Lord Carrington's attractive place will not fail to make his own. 3 FROME. THE SCAT OF THE REV. W. A. DUCKWORTH CIG some two miles north nf tin- ancient tow .1 of Fiome. in Somerset-hire, in the midst t,| a i.iir and truitiul region of fcngland, lies tin- parish ot Urihardleigh. much out of the beaten track, and content to jog along with a quiet lilt- ••! its own. A hundred si-ar- ago it ! t-.ventv-eight inhabitants, aiu! now the 1 1- who dwell there do n.>t number more than about titty. I park covers nearly the whole at.-a ot the parish, and IN i [ leasant, picture*que, and well-wooded expanse, with a ••us lake and ponds. Here, in ancient time*, spread the xid, and the sylvan character still invests the land. The river Frome runs on the south side, and with the w.-Js, «.itrr. meadows, and orchards completes the rustic charm. In Domesday the placs is spoken ot as Horcerlei. obviously the attempt of some Norman surveyor to render its name It fell into the capacious hands of tl e tamous Geoff. .. H shop of Coutances, but returned to the Cr \vn, and was held of the King in capite by the t.uiu \ ..i IA- Cultura, or Colthurst. and in the rei'^n of td-varJ I. \vas : t<- that c,t he . \\erlautld. The Roiiwys atterwar .Is held the place, the heiress of the last ot whom was loan, wile ol Henry Champiicys, whose descendant. Thomas Champp«-\ •>, was made a Baronet in the seventh year ot ( i<-.,r^e III. I Champneys remained in joss»-Nsiy tl)e late William Duckworth, hs^. | ln> gentleman, who was the son ot deorye Duckworth, Esq., Of Musbur\ and ()\rr Daiwen. Lancashire, bought the estate in |S^. and showed excellent last,- m the ih.ir.Kter »t Ins hi.use and i-munds. N,,t many places in England have siuh a territorial situation, i the parks that are pr.utically parish-s. and not many the parishes whose inhabitants make so small a show at the polls. Ther •'!)!• ad\ant.i^es and pleasures in siu h a state ot things. The r ot ( )rchardlcigh is in a position of paramiiunt authority and respect m his parish, being tin- landowner, and thus truly the sq>nre o| tlu place, whkh t but of a single farmer— at the Long House harm — n>med in tlie county dire.toiy. I he late Mi. Duckworth recognised the charms and attractions ot the country. 'I lu-re was a diver-n\ of ground that promised many opportunities. His new mansion Id be erected on the hill in a better situation than the old. Krom this ele\ated point there were line views of distant Country, including Clev Hill and the Wiltshire Downs, as well .is a rich prospect ot the sylvan region around. The site Jioseii was in the midst of the | ark of 800 acr A'.k'iss 1Mb GARDENS OLD AND THE GARDfcN FROM THE TERRACE. // /A 7 >///(,//. GARDENS OLD AND gentle, and the character should be of broad terracing, with lawns and woodland reaches. But the house, of course, would be the central feature, and here Mr. Duck- worth displayed excellent judgment and discrimination. His mansion arose in the gabled style which is described as Elizabethan, but no observer of architectural ten- dencies could assign it to any century earlier than the nineteenth. To say this is not to disparage the structure, of which the merits are indeed conspicuous. The lofty gables, bold chimneys, pinnacles, and bay windows, with considerable quaintness in design, make an excellent grouping. Beautiful work in the matter of mouldings, crestings, finials, and other details adds to the charm. From the point of view from which the edifice is regarded in these pages, we are to observe how admirably it falls into its surroundings, how grand wistari;1 THE WEST TERRACE. The advantage OT situation is thus demonstrated, and like prospects greet the eye in other directions. In some places the trees approach nearer, and delight by the nobility of their form and the variety of their foliage. Every- where the stone- work is excellent, and the perforated barrier walls are admirable. There are magnificent vistas, and in ex- ploring the beauties of the garden it is delightful to find some pergola, as if from sunny Italy, giving shelter by the way, and affording support to many growing things. A wealth of floral enrichment provides both colour and fragrance, and from the early days of spring until the last winds of autumn have blown the gardens are full of attraction. And when the deciduous trees have shed their leaves, nn abundance of evergreens is there to make the winter verdant. The beauties of the park have been suggested. Her* A VISTA. clothes the frontage with floral beauty, how ivy and other clinging growths vest parts of the structure without concealing a single architectural feature, and how graciously the gardens and woods enter into the picture. The house is so advantageously situated that it commands a full view of all the country around. How beautiful is the treatment will be seen in one of our pictures, where the outlook from the terrace, or balcony, in trout of the house, is seen, with its well-gravelled paths, and green expanses of turf terminated by dividing walls, with aloes and floral triumphs in choice vases, beyond which the eye rests with satisfaction upon a range of the park and a beautiful belt of trees. are no empty levels of turf or wide and tasteless expanses ; witness the extraordinary richness of the foliage, and the remarkable splendour of individual trees and of the larger masses of woodland. I lie park, thus diversified in its 800 acres, has an extent from lodge to lodge of some two and a-half miles. The great lake, with an expanse of about twenty-four acres, is one of the glories of the place, and the landscape, with wood, water, and meadow, is most beautiful. Another notable feature of the park is the ancient church of Orchardleigh, which stands embowered amid foliage. Through the instrumentality and generosity of Mr. Duckworth it was restored under the care of Sir Gilbert Scott, K.A., in 1879. MUNSTEAD . . WOOD, GODALMING A \\< >Vi the garden picture in /\ this book none should be L — ^ more welcome than those of t * Munstead Wood, together with some a.vount of it and its environment, not only at the time «>t those high midsummer pomps which Matthew Arnold lovi-d. hut also in those months of the dying yi-ar ot which town dwellers can hardly appreciate the quiet beauty. It is .1 garden of natural character, with some stonework features in it consonant with its architecture, hut depending lor its charm upon an abundant use of the glories of the tlowvr world. And. to begin with, we would surest that this modestly beautiiul house, its wood, and its Harden, may well become classical, in the same kind of way as that unobtrusive house in Sdborne Village, known for the Plestor and the Hanger. The books which Miss Jekyll has written in and about th- house and garden and wo;xJ she loves so well, have certainly something of the same spirit that gives such unfailing charm to Gilbert White's inimitable letters. They are books marked THE RESIDENCE or MISS JEttYLL. ^ by intimate knowledge ol Nature, and b\ i lose .i| pi A i.ition "I tin- tvautv of Nature, anJ ot the gm.dness ot the w iv s ot tin- ol.l world. \ obxeivant man i.r unman can doubt that the last \.ars ,.| the la*t Century witnessed a wonderful revival, it not a birth, ot love for the yaiJen world, <>r that ' '-I of 'he garden, "the purest ot luim.n pleasures." has now a fast hold upon the lu-arts ol us ;i||, to our mamti-st ad\a ta^-. and that the teachers ot that cult ot horticultine are. on the whole, • •dly ti-lli'wship. Some there he, of course, who put on the airs ot teaJier without warrant, and J'i but fhapsulise; I ut simultaneously with tl em are to he louncl h\ing wt trrs who practise what they preach, who, by so doing earnestly and consistently. l:.i\ • d 'lie a real service in :lu-ir generation. Mr. William Kobuison, who began, many years a^,, ;i mission in the cause of Nature which M-eim-d almost hopeless, has lived to see his views in et with almost universal accept insomuch that a certain amount of react on was brought al*>ut. THE GARDEN DOOk 40 G.-IRDHNS OLD AND •*t *> •••II THE TANK. Indeed, as "a Man shall ever see that, when ages grow to Civility and Elegancie, Men come to Build Stately sooner than to Garden l:ithi\', as if Gardening were the greater Perfection," so it may well b^ that, Mr. William Robinson having accomplished his mission, one of the cleverest and keenest of his disciples may have advanced beyond the teacher in the direction of perfection. Miss Jekyll, indeed, has not attempted to " build stately," for stateliness would have been out of place with the site at her disposal, but she has certainly given the world an object- lesson in the manner of gardening finely. Climbing the hill towards Hascombe, on the way from Godalming, the wayfarer turns aside to the left, by a sandy track of the most unpreten- tious kind, with scrub trees and open land on his left, and a plain oak paling on his right. And then, after a while, he enters a little gate, not wide enough to admit a vehicle, and pursues a simple path, with grass and heather and bushes on either side, leading directly towards a greyish yellow stone wall, which looks as if it had stood for scores of years, although, as a matter of fact, it has stood tut a very few years; and then, turning to his right, he is in the porch, if porch it te. No cottage could have an approach more humble THE GARDEN COURT MI \s// in H. *>/). MUNSTEAD WOOD: A VISTA. GARDENS OLD AND NklV. THE LAVENDER WALK. or less ostentatious. Grand hydrangeas in simple tubs flank the entrance to the porch, and the door is of plain and solid oak. Indeed, substance, solidity, plainness, and the absence of pretence are the distinguishing marks of the whole house. It is a house and garden conceived and executed on the plan of simplicity. Inside, again, there is little which flashes upon the visitor or astonishes him ; all is beautifully plain and massive. At first he simply feels that everything is exactly as it should be. It is only little by little that he realises the details that produce the feeling- -the width of the hall, with its huge beams still bearing the adze marks, the fine propor- tions of the fireplace, with its glowing fire of oaken billets, the noble array of ancient pewter in the dining-room, the massive simplicity of the staircase, the light and space of the STEPS 1O THE TANK. .\ir\s7i -in gallery, the interest ol the th.m things thereabout. It IN pU-.is.un t., tn.irks ..ii tin- posts and i-, .uul it',- manner in whuh tin- uattsman. win-re curving timbers wer- required, lias ! th ise m which the natura! ' • • :iher would serve Ins need. And then, in th.- frst. and in the rooms later, the x t., reihse th ii every window has it» oaken millions set llush with the miter wall. and tlui each is pl.i,. -.1. • .is it were, accidentally, but with nought for the garden that is out ide. Ii may ch.ince. tor example, that the outlook AM a path, running like a river between two long hanks ot \' aelmis dames ..| every hue lavender, purple, and white — beautifully grouped, and at the end the pergola, with tea r..ses and many kinds of clematis ram- pant upon it. perg. la, indeed, is pre- w hat .1 .la should be. with Us massive pillars >'t masonry, its trunks ot trees, with the bark on, to sup- port the mass .,1 creepers, its OM.| shade at the en. I. From the win- dow of the hall, the view i s absolutely restful. The eye falls upon a little lawn, fringed with birches, tin.- most graceful of hnglish trees. with rhododen- drons, glorious in due si-ason, at their foot ; and through them, and between s rub of Spanish chestnut later. runs a br green path, at the end of which one sees the warm stems of a Scotch fir, which survived in the days of the great cutting — but thereby hangs a tale, the ex pin nation, indeed, of much of ths spec al beauty of Munstead. which must be postponed for a brief rnom.-nt. Even at th s point it must be plain that tiles-.- harmonies between hnuss and environment — this fashion in which the house takes advantage of every view of the wood and garden, and the wood and garden miss no view of the hou e — must be the result of careful thought on the part of some person or persons. It is well, therefore, to say at once that the persons in question are Mr. Lutyens and Miss Jekyll. and that the whole was the result of innumerable discussi-ms and debates between them. " When it came t.. the actual planning of the house I was to live in— I had made one fals< start a year or two before — I agreed with the architect how and where the house should stand, and more or less how the THE BEAUTY OF THE BIRCHES. should In- t, Aether. And I s.u.l that I wand, I a small with plenH ..I r...in in it. and that I disliked small. narrow p< ind would have nothing screwy oi ill-lighted. So he drew a plan, and we S.M.M , mi.- !•. an understanding, lust about the main blink, and then upon the details. I portion ol it was i.trefully talked over. a:i 1 I (eel hound to Confess that, in most LIM-S out »t the lew in which I put Mire on him to waive his judgment in favour of my wishes. I should have done better (o leave matters alone." I he combination, in fait, was in many n-spe.t- ideal, and that all the more so because Miss l.-kv II. living in the .otta-e in the WINK! hard by, and tending and arranging her garden and vvoodlanJ, w.is always on the spot to advise and !•• suggest. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I he garden was iH'lnre the Itouse — in pan, .it anv rate and that was an unmixed advan- tage. I he site. ''[J^, I" '. vv .is ..| ^re.ll natural tv.iuts . It was on a sandy hillside, with an admix- ture of (vat in the s.irfa.e soil, which had <>iue I'een a WINK! ; but of the original trees few survived, save the >cotch fir wliuh ha- been mentioned, and which has been spared b e cause its leading shoot had met s,,m, .undent .411. or 5(1. ah»ve the ground, and the gnarled a n d divided trunk rein. lining was as valueless for timber as it was tvaiitiful to III. Hut there was scrub timber of some fifteen yea is growth, and there were heath and I'M. ken. and so there w e r e e n d ! opportunities, hvell better than the pergola, than the rude wall which Miss Jekyll built for her beloved plants with her own hands, more than the rock garden or the tank, more even than the rampant roses, and the Iv border with its splendid background of warm red brick and creepers, may many like the wood, because it has been so admirably managed, and because the marks of interference with Nature have been so artisticall. tied. Nature has teen ^impelled, so to speak, to group the trees. There has been but little planting, but where the birches predominated their rivals have been removed ; and so it has been with the other t The paths, or many of them, are broad and straight, and the sandy soil makes them springy and dry to the f<«.t. Mere in summer you come ' those giant lilies, iof:. high GARDENS OLD AND NhU/. and more, the embodiment of stately purity and the pride of Munstend. Near the old cottage are rampant and luxurious roses of the simpler kind. Here, alongside the birches, is a group of brilliant cistuses, and well placed elsewhere are Ghent azaleas. The purple of the autumnal leaves of the blackberry, the gorgeous hues of the autumnal fungi, are not forgotten. In (act, that wood is a perfect example of how much may be done to improve a thoroughly wild spot without depriving it of its essential wildness. In dealing with the garden proper, it is only possible to make clear the principles on which Miss Jekyll acts, and they are more conspicuously visible in the aster walk and in the herbaceous border than elsewhere. As you look up the aster walk towards the house (which has a liltle flagged courtyard on that side, with the ripple marks of thousands of years ago showing in the flags, and here and there a tiny plant growing in a crevice), behind the asters are tea roses, and the asters themselves are not less remarkable for their abundance and striking — but all of them with due thought of the effect not only at one season, but in successive seasons. Of groups and masses, planned out with thoughtful regard to colour effects, she is an ardent, but not a s'avish, supporter, with a wise foresight which saves her from monoto iv of outline or of level. Low-growing foliage plants, especially those of a neutral grey, are encouraged near the edges in many groups, but they are not trimly kept. Indeed, in late autumn at any rate, Miss Jekyll's herbaceous border is not trim'.y kept, or intended so to be. One sees many a dead head, more than one mass of withered foliage, through which an errant nasturtium may send a flash of colour ; but the whole effect, the grey, and the scarlet, and the yellow of the late flowers, the coppery sheen of the lingering foliage, the soft warm red of the wall behind, and the purple of the belated vines, is excellent. The rule by which to produce such effects is simple in enunciation, difficult in the following. Group boldly with a thought of all the seasons and of all the colours ; ENTRANCE TO THE KITCHEN GARDEN. exquisite groupings of colour than for variety of level. They are tumbling waves of purple, and lilac, and palest lavender, and white ; and in front of them is a broad edging of white pinks, in the summer a blaze of fragrant white against a green background, in winter and late autumn a band of silver grey in front of the river of asters. Then the herbaceous border. A good wide path, along which a cart could be driven, runs straight across from the pergola in the direction of the " hut." On the left hand, as you face the hut, is a lawn with b?ds of many rare and luxuriant shrubs, and on the right the border, no mere strip, hut a genuine bed of generous proportions, anJ behind it a little path running concealed beneath the wal , so that the climbers and the vines, with their leaves purple in autumn, may be approached with ease. It is a glorious sight when the delphiniums, of many shades of blue and in bold masses, are in flower, when the giant poppies are in their glory, and the hollyhocks tower aloft. Nor is it less charming when these are over, and gypsophila is clothing the space which would have been bare, and dahlias and helianthus flash their colour upon the eye. But let no man suppose that tln-M.- are all. Miss Jekyll cultivates all herbaceous plants that the soil will support — one I ttle colony of yuccas is remarkably form many successive pictures in your mind, pictures which shall be harmonious in themselves and compatible one with another, and make them. That is the beginning and end of the whole matter, but it is also where the imagination of the artist comes in. For the rest, the golden rules are two, which are easily obeyed — not, in such a garden, to be a slave to tidiness, and not to attempt to grow plants which do not like your soil. Miss Jekyll's ground, for example, is by no means congenial to the growth of exhibition roses, and she does not attempt them ; but she lets the teas and the ramblers and the cluster roses ramp and climb trees and evergreens at their will, and the effect is at least as beautiful as that of any rosery. Especially is this the case near the hut, where monumental yew hedges, and hollies and roses, common but luxuriant, make a delightful picture. And everywhere a grateful odour, in wood and in garden alike, proclaims that Miss Jekyll does not forget the pleasures of scent in seeking and ensuring those of sight ; and in her two delightful books, "Wood and Garden" and "Home and Garden," will be found a score of distinct and well-chosen epithets showing how much store she places on fragrance, and how acutely she distinguishes it in its different kinds. HADDON HALL, DERBYSHIRE. . . THE SEAT OF THE . DUKE OF RUTLAND, tt.G. THE name and fame of HaJJon Hall have lifted that historic house to such a height of dignity and con- M-qmiKi- among the glorious mansions of ancient England, that it IN the chief exemplar and the speaking voice, as it were, of the dwelling-places of our long dead sires. What memories of old-time glories, ambitions, and occupations, of pasNj.ms long stilled, and yet <>! emotions that are ours, are evoked a- we walk in the golden shade of the sycamores and limes, or linger on the terrace und-.-r the low-hanging boughs of the yews, with that wondrous range of buildings before us and those glorious wind >ws, out of which looked lovingly into their garden the men and women of long ago! There is no rival to historic Haddon. Some places may be more magnificent, but the transcendental delight of the home of the Verrvms lies in its happy union of history and poetry with rare beauty of architecture and the external charms of an old garden, and a beautiful neighbouring land. Where else can we receive such impressions of ancient greatness touched with the witchery of bygone romance ? It matters not whether you approach Haddon Hall from the direction of the famous anglers' res->n of tli • l'i >.•.!< at Kowslt-y, or from the ancient town of Hakewell on the other hand, the prospect iN equally charming. That wonderful dale of the Wye. winch is so full of varied attracti"iiN. IN here \eNted in .1 -yhan garment, and as we ap; Much, upon the sloping platform of limestone, we see, rising .mud the trees, that marvellous pile of gre> battlements and towerN. In tin- bottom of the valley are cornfields and meadows, with many trees by the famous trout and grayling stream, whkh winds its sinuous way amid tall grasNes, and reflects in its placid reaches the umbrageous thicket- that clothe tin- steeps Haddon Hall, like its garden, owes much of its charm and picturesqueness to tiie slope upon which it stand-. Hr|..re you enter you have been charmed by the rustic Ivauty of the cottage, and by the qu.untness of the peacock and other form- curiously clipped in yew. It may be well, before we spe.ik of the historic and legendary interests of Haddon Hall, hnetly '• DOROTHY VERNON'S STAIRCASE. 46 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. describe the arrangement of the house itself, premising that here we learn as much of the manner of life of the mediaeval and Tudor gentlemen as can be learned in any other place in England. The visitor passes into the lower courtyard by the gate tower at its north-western angle, and is delighted with the beautiful structures which form ihe enclosure. The area is divided into two levels by three steps, which extend across it from north to south, and thus gains much picturesqueness. On the lower cr western side is the " Chaplain's Room," and, opposite to the entrance, the Domestic Chapel, of which the south aisle probably belongs to a time before the Vernons came to Haddon. It is worthy of note that this chapel does not stand at right angles to the line of buildings on the western side, and that its chancel window thus stands external to the line of building on the garden front outside, whence it forms a noteworthy feature. The upper part of this lower courtyard is formed chiefly of the splendid windows of the Great Ha 1, and very picturesque is the projecting porch, through which we gain access to the lobby separating the hall on the right from the kitchen and offices on the left. The Minstrels' Gallery is over the entrance passage, while the daTs is at the other end, and still has the great oak table at which the lord and his family dined in ancient days. Behind the hall are themselves most impressive and picturesque features, with extreme quaintness, beauty, and attractiveness of architecture. The gallery is entered by remarkable segmental steps of solid oak, and is richly panelled and adorned. At the further end is a doorway leading into the buildings which form the uppermost or eastern side of the mansion, where is the Ante-room, with " Dorothy Vernon's Steps," which lead down to the lovely terrace. The finest view of the buildings is gained from the lofty Eagle, or Peveril, Tower, which is or. the higher level of the eastern side, and commands not only the two courtyards, but the upper and lower gardens on the south side, and a great prospect of the lovely valley of the Wye. Before we pass out into the gardens, we shall glance at something of the personal interests and legendary history of the ancient place. The first recorded possessor was one William Peveril, a reputed kinsman of the Conqueror's, the last of whose family possessing Haddon tied abroad on suspicion of having poisoned Ranulph, Earl of Chester.. It is conjectured that some of the foundations of the mansion may go back even to the Peverils' time. It was towards the end of the twelfth century that the place passed to the Vernons by the marriage of Richard de Vernon with Avicia, a daughter of William THE DESCENT FROM THE GREAT TERRACE. is the private dining-room, and the beautiful drawing- room is above, and from the windows are delightful views down the course of the Wye. The kitchen, on the other side of the lobby, is approached by a sloping passage, and has a vast fireplace and ancient culinary appliances, while the buttery, wine-cellar, and sundry offices are near. This range of buildings, including the hall and kitchen, forms the lower or western side of the second courtyard, which, like the other, is surrounded by buildings of exceeding quaintness The magnificent Long Gallery or ballroom, a chief splendour of the place, extending along the southern side and projecting on the east upon the terrace, has glorious bays which command superb views of the garden, from which they and de Avenell, who had possessed the phce under the Kin<; ultimately the whole estate passed into their hands. Those who investigate the history of the structure of Haddon Hall will learn that it has been a creation to which nearly every subsequent possessor up to the seventeenth century added something. It was the first Vernon of Haddon who surrounded his mansion with a curtain wall for protection against the unruly. The later Vernons held the place through a female descent, for Richard de Vernon's only daughter married a certain Gilbert le Franceys, whose descendants came to be known by the greater name of Vernon. In the fourteenth century the place was broadly complete in its general character, the Chapel and Great Hall with the various // in.. 47 HJ U — I (- Q < x 48 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. ranges of buildings round the courts being then in existence, though the Long Gallery belongs to a later age. It was Richard de Vernon, a man of might in his time, who died in 1377, who added the porch to the Great Hall. Two Sir Richards followed in succession, the last of whom was Speaker in the Parliament o. Leicester in 1426, as well as 1 reasurer of Calais and Captain of Rouen, the builder of the chancel of the chapel. His successor, Sir William Vernon, married an heiress, and gained great possessions in Shropshire, where he is buried ; but, nevertheless, like his fathers, he went on building at Haddon, particularly in improving the chapel. His son, Henry Vernon, followed him, and was a soldier in whom the King-maker had trust. " Henry, I pray you fail not now, Knight of the Bath and Comptroller of Prince Arthur's Household. The knight carried on the work at Haddon, and completed the buildings overlooking the Wye, besides embellishing the drawing-room. We must now pass on to the famous Sir George Vernon, the bluff " King of the Peak," who was his grandson or great- grandson. Sir George was a man of much wealth, and his vast hospitality became proverbial, and made him one of the most popular men of his time. He raised the north-western tower, completed the dining-room, and did a great deal of other work at Haddon, and doubtless formed the garden on the south side. Dorothy Vernon, whose romance has contributed no little THE ANCIENT AVENUE. as ever I may do for you," wrote Warwick to him in March, 1471, and he added: " Yonder man Edward," lately landed in the North, was fast making his way South " with Flemings, Easterlings, and Danes" ; and Henry Vernon of Haddon was to march to Coventry "in all haste possible, as my very singu'ar trust is in you, and as I may do things to your weal or worship hereafter." But Henry Vernon, with the discretion which is the better part of valour, appears to have stayed at home instead of putting all to the test at Barnet, and seems to have pursued the policy of masterly inactivity which was so safe in the Wars of the Roses. His diplomacy was successful, and he was in the confidence of both parties, for no sooner had Margaret been defeated at Tewkesbury than the Duke of Clarence, brother of Edward IV., wrote to inform him that " Edward, late called Prince," had been " slain in plain battle." Richard 111. also put trust in Henry Vernon, and summoned him with troops he had promised before the battle of Bosworth ; but Vernon must have acted with singular discretion, for he was presently in high favour with Henry VII., who made him a to the fame of Haddon Hall, was his daughter, and ultimately sole heiress. We are left to imagination in regard to many of the circumstances of her love match with John Manners, the second son of Sir Thomas Manners, first Earl of Rutland. We do not know whether Sir George Vernon objected to Manners on personal grounds, or on grounds of religion — for Manners was a bitter enemy of the old faith, and was instru- mental at Padley, in Derbyshire, in securing the arrest of missionary priests, who were afterwards hanged, drawn, and quartered — or whether, again, he had formed other views as to his daughter's future. Whatever may have been the case, it is asserted by tradition that the attachment between John Manners and Dorothy Vernon was a secret one, or at least that their meeting was under her father's ban. The story goes that the ardent lover haunted the neighbouring woods disguised as a forester or hunter, in the hope of gaining a sight of his lady, or a stolen interview, or a note dropped from a window. According to tradition, the famous elopement took place on an occasion of some festivity at the Hall, held, as some aver, in honour of the marriage of Dorothy's elder I :•: >. / ill S. JJ 0 •x. JJ _] _) < o •J x. 0 — X t- 50 GARDENS OLD AND KEW. sister. John Manners had horses near, and Dorothy stole down the steps from the Ante-room and along th; terrace to where he was waiting. The sound of their horses' hoofs was drowned in the noise of the revelry, and a'ter galloping all nigiit they reached Aylston, in Leicestershire, where tfey w.re m.irried on the morrow. Of these things does the visitor think when he lingers on Dorothy Vernon's Terrace, and the memory o her romance will long cling to the ancient walls of Haddon. John Manners was a man of wealth and considerat 01, rich in his many friends in the Midlands, and possessing a HACDON COffAGE. brother who appears to have been his alter ego. Their coi respondence throws a good deal of light upon the society of the time, and they appear to have been in the confidence of the Earl of Shrewsbury in relation to his quanel with his wife, the celebrated " Bess of Hardwick," who was such a ureat builder of Derbyshire houses. The Earl wrote to John Manners in 1586 that he would have been down before but for h s " wicked wife— her tittling in Her Majesty's ear." The Countess seemed to have gained the Queen's favour, for, at an earlier date, Roger Manners had written to his brother John at Haddon : "Her Majesty hath been sundry times in hand with him for his wife, but he will nowise agree to accept her." John Manners survived his wife many long years, and lived quietly on his estate at Haddon, but took an important part in s me political concerns. He it was who built the splendid Long Gallery at Haddon, and since his death in 1611 m> important changes have been made in the place. The whole of the flooring, as \\ell as the solid steps by which it is entered, are said to have been cut from a single oak which grew in the park. The wainscot is singularly rich, the panels, which are arched, being separated by fluted pilasters, and above are the boar's head of Vernon and the peacock of Manners, with roses and thistles alter- nated. In the windows the shields of Rutland and Shrewsbury are emblazoned, with the Royal arms of Englan 1, and the whole of the details are very rich and beautiful. J o h n Manners, the husband of Dorothy Vernon, was followed at Haddon by his son, Sir George Manners, whose son John succeeded as eighth Earl of Rutland, an.i lived alternately at Belvoir and Haddon, and espoused the cause of Parliament. He sh.ired in the Restoration, and, though living much at Belvoir, appears to have exercised prodigious hospitality at Haddon, where there was a huge consumi - tion of beeves and sheep at the Christmas of 1663. The ninth Earl was created Marquis of Granby and Duke of Rutland Although Jihr, the third Duke, occas.onally lived at Haddon, it was during his time that his family finally ceased to reside in this ancient place, which was dismantle d a s a residence about the year 1740. It was after the place came into the possession of the family of Manners that the terraces as they exist now were formed, anJ they are certainly among the most beautilul examples of ' garden architecture and construction in this country. A singular charm pervade^ the upper terrace, and, though we may reflect that th a actual features we see cannot be associated with Dorothy Vernon, we are well conter.t with the gloriouscharacterthey possess. This secluded garden on the south side of Haddon Hall, with its descents and slopes, is not of great extent, but is of peculiarly rich and tasteful character, and is full of suggestion for th-jse who have li:ss is one of the two magnificent seats which are possessed by Mrs. Meyncll Ingram, the other being Temple \ . sam in Yorkshire. These ure.it domains were united through the marriage of Mr. Hugo Meynell of Hoar CrosN grandfather of the late Mr. Meynell Ingram, with the Hon. Elizabeth Ingram, daughter and co-heiress of Viscount Irvvin. What Ho.r dross lacks in historic memories or the greatness of ancient architecture, it may be said to have compensation for in the advantages of beautiful and commanding situation. For Temple New sam. where unfortunate Darnley was born, in the days when the Earl of Lennox possessed it, lies within about five nrles of the smoky town of Leeds, and something of the sombre pall extends even to that superb structure, which A .IN raised bv Sir Arthur Ingram in the times of Charles 1., and still, in the open halt ement- therm!, according t^ the pi"iis custom ot the time, maybe rea.l the \\<>rds. "All < iWy and Pi .use he given t" < i"J. the Father, the Son. and H"l\ (ihoxt. MI Hi,:!) ; Peace up >n F.arth ; (i»<>.hMll toward Men; Honour and true Allegiance to our dr.iv -.>us King; l.nving Attentions among his Subjects ; Health and Plenty within this H The Staffordshire in. in >r house is a noble in insmn also, cast in the same mould ot style, but of modem date. It lies n a picturesque tegion of the county to the \\est of the road from king's Bromley to Sudbury, and on the borders of Needw.tod Forest. The situation is extremely fine, being an eminence commanding entrancing view s ot the --urrounding country, w ith the well-wooded and attractive grounds re than at many places, a certain catholicity of taste lias enabled the charms of various styles and different lands to THE PLEACHED WALK. 5yds., but within not exceeding ioft., and "cut on the top with a loop and crest, like the battlement of a tower, adorned at each corner by a pinnacle, over which is wrought a canopy out of the middle branches about ayds. diameter, which is carried up again first to a lesser gradation, and then terminates at the top in a small pinnacle." Other fair plantations of trees and walks in Staffordshire does worthy Dr. Plot describe, and especially in the garden of Mr. Scot at Great Barr, Lord Massareene's garden at Fisherwick, and Sir Francis Lawlry's at Cannal, as well as young ores of silver fir at Mr. Chetwynd's at Ingestre, but none of them equalling the successes of Sir Richard Astley at Patshull, where the walks were from uyds. to I4yds. broad, and I48yds. to ijoyds. long, curiously planted on each side with double rows of elms. The Staffordshire men were also accustomed to cut vistas through the trees for the advantages of the prospect, and to lay out pleasant lawns. be brought together. What is particularly satisfactory is to find the garden so well and carefully tended. Nothing is wanting for its completeness and perfection, and the estate may serve as a model. The gate-house is a picturesque feature, and there are many other things upon which we might have dwelt. The Church of the Holy Angels, which has been alluded to, adds by its presence distinction and character to the grounds, and it is in itself a fine cruciform building of red stone, in the Decorative style of the fourteenth century, erected from the design of Mr. G. F. Bodley, A.R.A. The nave and aisles are of two bays, and there are north and south transepts and porches, while the great central tower is about noft. high, and has a peal of six bells. Mrs. Meynell Ingram has also founded an orphanage for boys called the Home of the Good Shepherd, which is maintained by her. A/O/fT? CKO5S. THK LAW.SS. THE WESTERN AVENUE. 58 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. Q O O ^ u < Qu f- < in (ft D O I ££ LU UJ I PACIWVOOD . . HOUSE, BIRMINGHAM, IN our quest for beautiful gardens, and for the charming houses they adorn, we seek many diverse le.itures, ments, and attractions We do .in ample meed «>t justice st\ le and ch.ir.ii.-ter of the sweet domestic art of lenage. There shall he no spirit of exclusion in an\ tiling we illustrate <>r write. Recognising that everything i> right when rightly used, we are able t«> exemplify a world <>t admirable things. From the quaint and modest garden of old hngl.ind, end >M-d within its walls and overlooked by its terraces, we may range to tile great and stately pleasaunces ot .uid pass ,,ut int • the wider expanses of the pastoral l.indsvarvs of Kent and Brown. Not anywhere shall we find any Inn,; more quaint and beautiful than the old gardens of PackwiMiJ House. It is a pleasaiuue ol terraces and dipped \e\\s. of dials and splendid gates — .1 true old garden oi tfngtand. "Thru iliarauntry ol veiii-ralre forest associated much with the im-moiu^ ot the imm >ital bard. It was anciently a house of the honourable family of Ketherstone, concerning whom ol.l 1 1.1^ l.ile. the veracious historian ot Warwickshire, has little to s.i\ . though lie r«-i«nds the nscriptioi^ on their monuments in the aiuient village Church of St. (iiles. One of these is sacred to the pious memory ot John Fetherstone, wh > died in 1670, ai the age -I ' «* '•; • 'A . ' • THE GATEWAY 60 GARDENS OLD AND NhW. 76, and whose probity, goodness, and ingenious character are extolled ; and another records the virtues of his son Thomas Fetherstone, who died at the age of 81, in 1714. This Thomas was a good son, a fond husband, an excellent father, and a man elegant in various studies and sacred exercises, whose Mberality built the north aisle of the church to be the resting- place of himself and his posterity. It is of good brick, but is not well in keeping with the rest of the structure, which is THE MULTITUDE WALK. said to have been in pan erected ia expiation by Nicholas Bromc of Baddesley Clinton, who, in •• fit of violence, had slain the parish priest there, becaust> as an old gossip hath it, he found the cleric "chucking his wife under the chin." Packwood House is an ancient structure of the half- timbered architecture so common in the forest districts of Warwickshire, now covered with rough-cast, and it has much excellent brick. Its outlines are picturesque, and its features largely belong to Stuart times, there being wainscoted rooms on the ground floor with carved chimney-pieces of good character. The wing on the north of the entrance, containing the domestic offices, is of the splendid brickwork so character- istic of the place, with moulded cornices and several mural sundials. This portion of the structure appears to belong to the reign of William III. or Anne, and to the same date may be ascribed the old brick stables, which are exceedingly interesting, and have very massive oaken stalls and fittings. There is an excellent sundial also on the lawn facing the park front of the house, which bears the date 1660, and the arms of Fetherstone on the gnomon — gules, on a chevron argent, between three ostrich feathers of the second, as many annulets of the first. The date on the sun- dial brings us to the date of the garden, which may perhaps be ascribed to John Fetherstone, who died ten years later, tho ugh no doubt his ingenious son, Thomas Fetherstone, being both a builder and a student, took pains that its style and character should be maintained. On the other hand, it is possible that the garden may even be earlier, and that some of its features may belong to Elizabeth's reign. It was one of those places, in the words of William Morris, "well fenced from the outer world," and filled with the quaint spirit of the age, wherein the old English gentleman might say: " Society is all but rude To this delicious solitude." The quaint and rare old garden at Packwood is like that Sir Henry Wotton described, " into which the first access was a high walk like a terrace, from whence might be taken a general view of the whole plot below." It is sur- rounded by brick walls, on the inside of which are raised terraces, with square summer-houses at the corners, an arrangement analogous to that at neigh- bouring Kenilworth, as described by Laneham, who wrote an account of the pageants there, 1575. Could anything exceed the chant in picturesque beauty of form and colour, of this old brickwork ? Wherever you turn you finJ ancient walls vested with ivy, clinging to tlum some- times in too fond an embrace. Grown rank and strong, its huge arms are intertwined with the brickwork, which they have loosened, and in part overthrown, and its very trunks have crept through the walls. Our artist, searching for constructive features, thrust his arm into the dense evergreen growth, and discovered by good fortune a beautiful stone vase, HOUSh. 61 Q O 0 •^ (J JJ u JJ n. O ^ J a: 111 I GARDENS OLD AND NEW. which had been hidden from view for thirty years. Never have we seen more quaintly beautiful garden steps than these nncient ascents at Packvvood. They are ingeniously built of wedge-shaped bricks, giving them an unusual curve, like the end of a spoon. Down the middle of the radiant space below the terrace runs a long pathway, which passes, at its southern end, through a most beautiful wrought-iron gate between tall brick piers of remarkably picturesque and beautiful character. The gateway is the entrance to another garden or orchard, and to a world of pious symbolism and wonder. The old Englishman loved to invest his house with something of the spirit of divine things. It might be an inscription merely, or some pious motto lifted aloft against the sky, or, perhaps, the windows, by number, would speak of apostles and evangelists, or the house, by its triple form, might tell of the Trinity. Out into the garden went the same spirit, breathing the devout ideas into the green things that grow. At Cleeve Prior, in this same pleasant region of England, the twelve apostles and the four evangelists are typified or exemplified in magnificent yew. on the Mount overlooking the evangelists, apostles, and the multitude below; at least, this account of it was gi\vn by the old gardener, who was pleaching the pinnacle of the temple." The walk to the mount is a gentle ascent, the apostle yews standing as we approach, interspersed with Portugal laurels, and there is much box. It is sometimes called the "multitude walk," because here are trees repre- senting the multitude gathered together to hear the preaching of our Lord, and the trees round the base of the mount may stand for the apostles. The mount itself is ascended by a spiral walk ^etw.'en old box trees, and the "tabernacle," or summer-house, of yew is at the top. England would be richer if it possessed a greater number of gardens like those of Packwood, speaking of the taste and spirit of former times. Ruthless hands and inevitable decay have worked together in their destruction, but we may hope that ancient Packwood will long remain, with all its significance of the past, and all the quaintness of its picturesque attractive- ness. It was, doubtless, in old times, a garden of use as well as of beauty and symbolism. There were spaces for the THE MOUNT. There is no sculpture of sacred figures as human, but merely the symbolism of number and character in the mighty masses of the well-clipped green. The creators of the garden at Packwood have gone a step further, and have given us the Sermon on the Mount as a wondrous and moving garden creation. Now the mjunt was a constant feature in the media?v.il garden, but does not appear to have been employed in a manner like this. We shall best describe the green wonderland of Packwood by quoting what Mr. Reginald Blomfield and Mr. F. Inigo Trnmas have to say about it in their book, " The Formal Garden in England," where they speak if old topiary triumphs. "The most remarkable instance still exists at Packwood, in Wai wick- shire," they say, "where the Sermon on the Mount is literally represented in clipped yew. At the entrance to the ' mount,' at the end of the garden, stand four tall yews, zoft. high, for the four evangelists, and six more on either side for the twelve apostles. At the top of the mount is an arbour formed in a great yew tree, called the ' pinnacle of the temple,' which was also supposed to represent (Christ kitchen requirements, while the lady would have her herbs and simples ; and there was the constant hum in the summer of the honey-laden bees. All along the south side of the terrace wall there are still to be seen thirty small niches for hives, two and two between the piers. A similar arrangement exists at Riddlesden in Yorkshire, though in this case the cells built in the thickness of the garden walls were for the nesting- places of peacocks. The bee was a welcome guest in our old gardens, and our ancestors were much skilled in the manage- ment of hives. The many dials of Packwood add a good deal to the quaint attractiveness of this moral garden of rare and individual character. The owner thereof doubtless felt the human significance of his sequestered old pleasaunce, and going out amid his trees could say, like the Duke in "As You Like It," " These ara counsellors, that feelingly persuade me what 1 am." Fortunately the modern Englishman is privileged to see these gardens, for, at due times and seasons, Mrs. Arton does not exclude those who would breathe the spirit of their ancient charms. HOUSE. THE TERRACE STEPS 64 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. UJ U Oi UJ H ID O u. LU I UJ U O Q- POWIS . . . . CASTLE, MONTGOMERY, -- EARL OF POWIS. A\vh;it perii»d men fust built on that rocky eminence where POWIS Castle stands n» man now can say. In tlii* Kittle ground of a hundred fights bet Britons under Caractacus and conquerors from I' me, Mwixt English and Welsh, and Welsh and Danes, tHfcre was net-d for a place where the chieftain might 'lire. And th<»e who visit Powis Castle, climbing the ent, are forcibly reminded hew strong a position this i- when they reach the crest and survev the outlook. Here W.IN .1 stron-holJ. one woirid say, where the foeman must !i eie he sm« te the wa'l. The deep ravine on the ' south side— where now the lovely garden delights us. and where, as one writer s. Flora and Ce: alternately contend — pre- sented live Micce--ive ast end- ing r»cky plateaux to confront the ass.iil.int. On every side there w ere steep escarpments, and on the north two darkly yaw inn- completed the defence. Here, as an eagle from his eyrie, could the chief survey the land around, and now you may stand on the height and look, delighted, over the sylvan \alev where the Severn is way, <>r turn to wliere the heights of Breiddin lift their distant blue, or te.ist - with the rare prospect of the glorious park where the hoary oaks of \vnerahle a^e . ruld many a nv tale unfold. Which- ever way you look yo.i cannot but delight in the landscape. Sui\ eying, then, trv2 •liticent prospect that is spread out before us from the topn.ost terrace, we think of the stormv history of Pov. land, and of the " Castell Cocli yn Mli through the centuries' history. One chr« nicler relates that the ghi Id emerged from ob»cutity in the year 1 1 10, wtun Cad\vgan .ip Bleddynap Cynvvn. weary of the per- ! his kinsmen, in to erect a cast It— m t tin- first, we nriy be sun — on the hill, but was slain by his nephew MaJ-.^ ere he had roofed his hall. But U«m t!ie time of BrcKhwal 1'niue of P< \' -it 660 w as defeated b>- the Savons, there lias been too much history in Pow yslanj to be included in tlu-st- pages. ) h.s Was a kingdom in itsell. chan-ing its NuinJanes many a time, th nigli it w.is merged with l)uietawr and (iwyn-dd under Hhodnma.' • the \e.ir X.H; but its priiues ,.mir to hold it in ..»/>//<• Irom the Hnglish Crown in the thirteenth century, having surrendered tlu- independeiue to which the Princes ..I \..-th and South Wales so do^-edly clung. Powys Wenwynwyn. one div.snm of Powysland, at length i.une to Sir John de Cherh-ton, or Cliarlton, who was regarded for many services to the l:n-lish THE ANCIbNT EN I RANGE. 66 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. HIE SECOND TERRACE. Crown by a marriage with Hawyse, the last representative of the princely house of Wenwynwyn, who brought all her Powysland possessions to her English husband's hands. Many a time did he raise men for service against the Scots, but himself surrendered in arms against the King at Boroughbridge in 1 122. This Sir John Charlton was the builder of the present Powis Castle, which has gone through many a change since his time. It is not, as a castellated structure, very spacious or remarkable in construction, but it is an excellent example of the military architecture of the early fourteiMith century, with four massive round towers. Within, there has been much modern- isation, but externally the feudal character is w e \\ main- tained, and the embattled building on the left of the approach to the keep is an unusual example of a great hall. The Jacobean entry, which has been attached to the Edwardian keep, is very striking, and has a peculiar effect, anJ TKE END OF THE UPPtR TERRACE there is much work of the same class within, all dating from the early occupation of the Herberts, to whom the castle came in Elizabeth's reign by purchase from the Greys, who had received it in marriage with the heiress of Edward Lord Powys. The gateway referred to was erected by William, first Earl of Powis, so created in 1674, who became Marquis of Powis in 1687, and was outlawed in 1689 as a follower of the Stuarts. James created him Marquis of Montgomery and Duke of Powis, after the Revolution of 1688, but these t ties were never recognised in England. The Royal Commissioners had decided that the famous stronghold should share the fate of many another castle after t li e Civil W a rs , but upon the owners giving pledges that it should never be em- ployed to the prejudice of the Parlia- ment or Com- mon wealth, the order was revoked, and only the out- works were demolished and a few breaches made in the walls. Nearly CASTLE. uj U IU H Q f- (/5 •< o o a. 68 GARDENS OLn AND NKW. THE VCWS. 1HE DESCENT. L.-ISILI-. ui — i — _ 3 to t/5 O c/) O 70 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. every possessor has modified the castle in some degree, and it was a good deal altered and modernised under the direction of Sir Robert Smirke ; but it is still a most imposing and interesting example of early military construction adapted to modern residential needs, and the red limestone of which it is built contrasts charmingly with the green surroundings. The terraced character of the garden has already been referred to. Indeed, no other character of garden design would have been possible, for Nature herself had formed the terraces by upturning the edges of the Caradoc stone towards the veitical position, thus making a series of escarpments ascending step by step to the hill. The garden terraces are five in number, and command surpassingly beautiful views, the most delightful of all being through a long vista of trees to the distant peaks of Moel-y-golfa and the Breiddin Hills. be observed, with the dancing figures of some gay rural community. There were old lead-workers who produced these things, and it is interesting to note that the piping shepherd of Powis Castle appears to be identical with a lead figure at Canons Ashby in Northamptonshire. A pair of quaint arcadians at Enfield Old Park are of the same class. Below the terraces the landscape character extends. Some part of the grounds was laid out by the celebrated "Capability" Brown, chief among landscape gardeners, and, unless that worthy be libelled, he a.tually proposed, in his vain search for uniform level or slope, to blow up the picturesque rock upon which the castle stands. But Nature herself would have warred against such destruction, and so the glorious terraced garden of Powis Castle remains. But Nature has done very much for the place, and the THE LOWER TEkRACt. Admirably diJ the garden architect employ his opportunities,' and the terrace walls, balustrades, and descents, adorned with figures and vases, some of them of lead, and all quaint or admirable, will contrast favourably with any other examples of the same style in the land. This terraced pleasaunce, being on the south side, is in a very favourable situation, and our pictures show how successfully the features have been utilised. The tall and singular yews, which rise with strange effect beneath the castle walls, offer a contrast of hue and character to the rich growth of flowers which makes the garden glorious. The walls are magnificently festooned, and it would be hard to describe the wealth of floral beauty which our illustrations will suggest. In such positions glorious herbaceous borders may often be founJ, while the walls, if well managed, may themselves be veritable gardens. I he contrasts of varieJ level, of garden masonry and statuary, of abundant colour and of cool j:rren grass, are simply admirable on the terraced - Castle. Particularly effective and picturesque- are the leaden figures which line some of the terrace walls. Lead, that admirable material for garden statuary, has often been employed for the shaping of rustic or arcadian, figuies, humble swains or dancing maidens, as on the third terrace at Powis. In one of our pictures the shepherd with his pipe will scenery of the district is glorious. The park on the north side is magnificent and most richly wooded. There are splendid oaks of huge size, especially a sturdy giant on the right of the approach, which, like many a brother, throws down a vast expanse of shaJe. Here are trunks silvered with the lichens of centuries, shadowy woodland depths, ope.i glades, a domain of beauty enchanting the visitor with the picturesque glory of sylvan charm and of rocky hollows, sunny slopes, and lovely dells, the silence broken only by the browsing deer, the note of birds, and the distant voice of tlu stream. It is a wood of rare beauty, in which, by judicious planting, the charm has been enhanced. Thus the visitor to Powys'.an.l comes back with charming remembrances of Powis Castle. He has looked out from the sundial terrace over a truly glorious prospect, and then h.is passed down the long flights of steps leading him to that beautiful gate of departure, and has refreshed his memory with m my a thought that adds to the glamour of the fam us pile. His mind has been carried back t) the early time ot Hawys (iadarn, last descendant of the royal line entitled to wear the talaith of gold, and he has associated Powis Castle with the long and noble line of the Herberts and with many wlnse names are prominent in history. I 71 I THE RESIDENCE EYDON HALL, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. MR. T. WILKINSON HOLLAND. * THE county of Northampton is famed, as one writer has said, lor its " spires .UK) squires." and has been styled by old Not don " I lu- Herald's (iarden." SO plentifully i» it stored with county seats and the .! the ^ro.it. They lie. indeed, upon v hand, and are mn-tly notable in character, -,,;m- .»t them known in history, and n«.t .1 1 1 w p.^e-Mim excellent jarden attractions. Burghley and Althorp are perh.ips the matt famous, but Castle Ashby and R.ickmnham are almost as notable. At Milton they show the tree under which WoNey sat; there is Dtayton, the home of the he Veres, the Mordaunts, the (iermaines, and the Stopfords ; Apethorpe, where Kirs J^mes met the youthful <• \ . and many another old mansion and picturesque residence of the ^••ntlemen of Northamptonshire adornins that favoured shire. The district in which Hydon Hall lies is als-, one full of history. At Edgt-cote House, three or four miles ., Queen Elizabeth stayed inAuyi:-!. 1572. anJ there Chatli- I.. with his two sons, was the -u. : ' N\r. i-tn Cliauiucv on the ni-lit tvfore the battle of Ed^ehill. < >n nei-hN»unn« hunsiiKHir. a -real battle was f..u:ht Ion- b fore betw.-en the Saxons and haiu-s. in 014. and in <4<*). on the sime spot, the.e was a san-uin.uy en-.i^-nu-nt Ivtween the p.utisans of hdward IV. and a bojy of insurants, in which the former were deteated, and the l-.nl "f Pembroke with his two l-r«-thers and e.^ht other ^e.itle men captured and taken to Banbuvy to be beheaded. Sul-ra\e and Wormleinhton. the ancient Iv-mes of the Washin-t'-ns. are al-o in this neighbourhood, with main' other liistonc phu The visitor to Hydon Hall has there! .1 -leal t •• interest him in its surroundin-s. while the country itsel! is one of singularly varied beauty, where the townsman would think it pleasant' to rest or to wander. The seat ot Viscount \ ntia, which is now occupied bv Mr. T. Wilkinson H II ind. Stands 0:1 .1 -entle eminence to the south-east ot the anuent AN OLD GAKUtN. 7:2 GARDhNS OLD AND Nh.W. HP(>.V H.UL s. — Q x: O a. i to GARDENS OLD AND NEW. village of Eydon, which lies amid the trees and is a remarkably pretty place with many old houses ; possessing, besides, a fine church v/ith Transition Norman portions, but which owes much of its perfection to a restoration made in 1865, when the south aisle and porch were added as memorials of the Reverend Charles A. F. Annesley of Eydon Hall. The present mansion represents an older structure, and was raised by the family of Annesley, now Viscounts Valentia, about the year 1780, the design being by Lewis, and the structure is certain'y imposing and characteristic. The actual builder was the Rev. Francis Annesley, secoid son of Francis Annesley, Esq., of Bletchington Park, Oxford, which is now the principal seat of Lord Valentia. The style is Italian, being a free adaptation of classic character, with elaborated and enriched Ionic columns supporting an ornamental entablature, crowned with a balustrade. Such a structure must needs be imposing, and to many more attractive than if it had been invested with the simple severity of the pure classic style upon which it is based. for a centre, is an enriched but formal arrangement. Still another descent brings us to the sunk garden, which is a realm of floral delight. Indeed, the two great charms of the place are its wealth of blossom and its wonderful richness of foliage. The gardens have been described as interesting, and formed in the French styh-. By this is meant that views have been opened out by cutting through groups of trees, thus forming such vistas as are seen in the " Bosquet de Bacchus," and other pictures of Watteau. In these arrangements fine taste has been displayed, and the garden at Eydon may be taken as an illustration of what may be accomplished by those whose estates are in the pleasant neighbourhood of rich and ornamental woods. There is unity in the vari.-ty of the place, and each part has a charm of its own, with its own special beauties. What Cardinal Newman has said, in his "Knowledge, its Own Object," touching the garden and park will beat- iteration. " You see to your walks, and turf, and shrubberies ; THE ORANGERY AND SUNDIAL. The situation is advantageous because of the slope which lies below, giving many opportunities to the skilful hand of the garden doi^ner. There is, indeed, an ascent upon every side, and from the windows very fine views are commanded over parts or the counties of Northampton and Warwick, in the foreground being the beautiful gardens and r chly woo.ied park of the house it>elf. There is extraordinary variety of foliage, and sylvan grace and richness are everywhere. Evidently the skilful hand of the planter worked here with knowledge and foresight, and thus the house at the preser.t day owes very much to those who have gone before. The fir trees are particularly numerous, and lend their grey and sober charm to the delightful walk we depict, and offer a marked contrast to the tries which rrnre closely neighbour the house. It will be noticed that the garden is upon several levels and that lu-re, again, an excellent use has been made of a tine opportunity. The low walls which divid-- the levels give shelter to a multitude of summer flowers, and below, with the sundial and fish-pond to your trees and drives ; not as if you meant to make an orcnard of the one, or corn or pasture land of t'ie other, but because there is a special beauty in all that is goodly, in wood, water, plain, and slope, brought ail together by art into one shape, and grouped into one whole." This is a true lesson for the garden-maker — the lesson of perfection in diversity and unity in variety. We think that the creator of the gardens at Eydon Hall was inspired by this thought, and certainly in every part of th-> achievement there is a beauty that will not elude those who have our pictures before them, while supreme satisfaction awaits those who are privileged to visit the place. 'I herefore, Eydon Hall has a lesson, being an exemplar of many fine and goodly things. The prospect looking over the sund.al garden towards the house has some special claims to attention. It will be observed in the picture that here the beds grouped about the dial are stone-ed^ed, in a circular space of gravel, enframed by a square of turf. To m.my it might se.jm more attractive if green turf BYDON HAU.. ' MIDDAY BY THE SUNDIAL. GARDENS OLD AND XL'.'/. THE FLOWER WALK AT EYDON HALL. had surrounded them completely, but it must be remembered that there is an appropriateness in the style, with most agree- able variety in the design, and that many sanctions exist for such an arrangement. For a garden to be grouped about a dial seems peculiarly appropriate, and we are tempted here to add some reflections upon dials to those which were offered in the Introduction. As a recent writer has remarked, the whirligig of time has brought sundials into fashion again, though it might be truer to say that they have never been really out of favour, but only laid aside until :he particular mode of time-reckoning in the garden has come round once more. The dial, as Charles Lamb remarked, is a differe.it tiring from a clock, "with its ponderous em bowel ments of lead or brass, and its pert or solemn dulness of communication." Let it be remembered that none should regard this as a serious slur upon the venerable clock, but only as an expression of Lamb's greater liking for the dial, which he somewhat fancifully described as " the garden god of Christian gardens." We mortals, as another writer says, have a rooted antipathy to the intangible Father Time, and so love all time-markers that reveal his presence and passage. There is a picturesque nlj dial in the garden at Belton Hali, in which old Chronos is seen grasping his dial, while a cupid clings to it reproachfully and with downcast face, as if regretting its admonitions. ~\\M dial at Eydon Hall which has indu:ed these remarks is of a plain and simple type. Its congeners exist in scores in all sorts of places, but it is not to be denied that in such garden features there is greater scope for the imagination than is revealed in dials of this class. We may see everywhere, indeed, that the sundial now takes on a more ambitious, and withal a more beautiful, form. To some the very characteristic Scottish dials are an example, and where there are Scottish associations may well be regarded as appropriate. It should not, however, be beyond the ability <>f the architect to devise dials of attractive forms suitable for Hnglish and other gardens. I here is, as an example, an exceedingly tine mo !ern dial in the garden at the Old Place, Lindfleld, Sussex, illustrated in the first series of " Gardens Old and New," in which the gnomon is uplifted upon a pillar, with the motto, " Nunc sol ; nunc umbra " — true of the garden an 1 the world — and above it the pelican " in her piety," while the shaft of the pillar is spirally entwined with appropriate mottoes, and ivy clin.:s to its foot. Couid a garden be graced with a fairer adornment ? Suitable mottoes are desirable. " United in Time ; parted in Time ; to be re-united when Time shall be no more," are the words upon a recent dial of Scottish type, and a very beautiful one, erected by Lady John Scott at Cawston Lodge, Rugby, in memory of Lord John Scott. " Post tenebras spero lucem," and " Ut umbra sic fugit vita," are mottoes well known, and the terrible admonition, "On this moment hangs eternity," is known to the writer upon a dial. The position of the sundial at Eydon Hall is right — and let us recognise that in its baluster-like character it has appropriate relation to the house — for it is the centre of a garden plan, and about it are disposed very brilliant flower-beds, while behind rise noble groups of trees as a charming background, and floral borders make a margin for the walls. Indeed, it is a singularly beautiful picture that is presented as one loo! obviously attractive p.irt-- of l-.n^ianJ have their .inJ bad d.-tu.tN ^'«».l an) bad, that is, from the vnti.il point of view. Suffolk is no exception to the rule, there being in the county parts where the soil is first-rate for the farmer, hut in which for many generations no new or old mansions ha\e been built or inhabited by the cla-.s who seek the country, not to pur-ue business, but to enjoy the pleasures ol the country life. \\ hilst other neighbourhoods hav«. been noted for many centuiies for the number and character of the fine houses with good estates t'v.-re situated. One of the earliest parts of the the erect • >J mansions alter the Kelorma- tiunwas that mi thewe>t-m side, where a tnbut.ir. oi the river Stour meets the nver n.-ar 1. 0:1^ Mrllord. It is cl'^r !•• the lis-cx border, well w<>o.!,-d and watered, and lull »f th:- kind ut sc. nery th it (I'ms'alMe, who was born at n> distance away, deli^ht<\l to paint. All that was Ivst in the neiyhbotirho^l centred round the Ivautiful little town ol I Mellord. There st-Kid, and still stands, one oi t! ..- liiu-vt ,.| Suli«ilk churches, a rectory which canu-,1 a in. mm, kmtwil. Hall (which is described and illustrat d in this volume). M Place, and the s,ubjevt of the present aiticle, Mel!'-id Hal1, one of the best I'udor houses ..) |:ast Ar^iia. A !• n^ list it distinguished men were born at Long Mi lt"id. and lie buruj in the church: Maitins, lJaic\s, C>loj'to;.>, Coidell*, ai: I THE GATE-HOUSE. 78 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. generations of Parkers of Melford Hall, \vho gave their lives for the country by land and sea. To this family belonged Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, who was lost in the Cato in 1782; another Admiral, Sir Hyde Parker, Kt., and his sons, Admiral Hyde Parker, C.B., and Lieutenant-General John Boteler Parker, C.B. ; also Lieutenant Harry Parker of the Coldstream Guards, killed while carrying the colours at Talavera ; an J Captain Hyde Parker, R.N., who was killed while storming a Russian battery at Sulina on the Danube in 1854. THE OLD PORCH. Many great seamen have come out of East Anglia, or had their homes there, and among them not only Nelson himself, but there, at Melford Hall, the distinguished Admiral upon whose signal at Copenhagen he turned his famous or fabulous "blind eye." Melford Hall, the home of this fighting race, has a long and distinguished history. It stands on the site of a favourite residence of the Abbots of St. Edmund's Abbey at Bury. The manor, with probably about 2,000 acres of land-, waa given to the Abbey by Earl Altric, in the reign of Edward the Confessor. Abbot Sampson, of whom Carlyle writes, the most famous head of this wealthy and powerful house, often resided there from 1182 to 1211. Probably the old house was built of the half timber, half wattle and plaster, which was the favourite material for building old houses in Suffolk, brick being used for foundations and chimneys. It had a moat on three sides of it, an ornamental feature altered later to a semi-circle without reference to the plan of the new house. It is mentioned in the writings of the late Sir Wil'iam Parker, from which the historical facts which follow are largely drawn, that the Abbot used to enjoy the pleasures of sport there at second hand: "He did not honte hisself, and he favoured not that his rribnkes shoulJe; but he lyked meche to sytte in a stylle place in ye Melford wooddes, and to see ye Abbey dodges honte ye stagges." The Abbots of St. E.lmund's were mighty princes, and well able to keep up the state suitable to the highest order of the Peers Spiritual. At the Dissolution the revenue of the Abbey was equal to ,£250,000 of our money. The last Abbot, who was forced by King Henry VIII. to surrender this splendid trust, was a Melford man, John de Melford. He did not long survive the spjliation, dying a few months later ; fortunate, perhaps, not to be executed for high treason, as were the unhappy and equally innocent Abbots of Colchester, Reading, and Glastonbury. After the demolition of the monastery Melford Hall and Manor were granted by the King to Sir William Cordell, a Melford man born, who was Speaker of the House of Commons in the reign of Queen Mary, and Master of the Rolls to her and Queen Elizabeth, and also High Steward of Ipswich. Sir William was the builder of the present Hall, whose fine proportions and clean-cut, clearly-thought-out plan place it among the best of the severer order of Tudor man- sions in Suffolk. It has not the elaboration of Hengrave, nor the quaintness of Christ Church at Ipswich, but for general excellence and con- venience of plan it might serve as a model for a modern builder to copy. The forecou: t has the usual E frontage. There are no less than six towers of brick, rising from square bases into octagonal turrets, capped by cupolas and vanes. Unfortunately, a later owner of the mansion thought fit to remove all the stone mullions of the windows on the south front, and to replace them by sashes, which has weakened the effect of what was a particularly fine facade. But the height of the wings and the grouping of the towers here have a very dignified effect. The wings and rooms between the central towers are of three storeys in height, the connecting central portion only two mil. • te. ^\ _ z o _ O 80 GARDENS OLD AND KFW, storeys. The east front, which is the entrance front of the mansion, retains the old windows and fittings almost unaltered. The porch, with its upper chamber, is of stone, with two tiers of pilasters. On the ends of the wings are good stone- mullioned windows of eight lights, and projecting from these wings north and south large bays, that on the north front having no less than forty-four lights. Not all of the old house was pulled down. The cellars and foundations were used by Sir William Cordell, and the ancient wooden porch, which dates from the year 1515, was also retained. This is an extra- ordinary and most interesting piece of work, purely mediosval in spirit and design, and probably typical of the wooden decorative work of the timber and plaster houses, very many of which survive in Suffolk towns and villages, but few in the country, where they were pulled down to make room for new mansions, as at Melford Hall. The porch has a high pitched roof with a finial and openwork front. The sides are boarded in high enough to make a back to the benches on either side, chains, alle redy at one instante and in one plaice, with 1,500 serving men all on horseback, well and bravelie mounted to receive the Queen's Highness into Suffolke. There was such sumptuous feastings and bankets as seldom in anie part of the world was there seen afore. The Master of the Rolles, Sir William Cordell, was the first that began this greate feasting at his house of Melforde, and did light such a candle to the rest of the shire that they were gladde bountifullie and franklie to follow the same example." Sir William Cordell died three years later, and left no children. His niece and heiress married Sir John Savage, whose descendants were created viscounts. Elizabeth Viscountess Savage was created Countess Rivers on the death of her father, Earl Rivers. She was a Catholic and a staunch Royalist. Suffolk and Essex were Roundhead in feeling and very hostile to the gentry— in fact, the East Anglian Roundheads showed far more animus and class feeling than those of other parts of England during the rebellion. The THE GARDEN FOKECOURT. out with four open frames above, divided by carved uprights. Boldly carved grotesque figures in the mala and female costumes of the early Tudor period stand on corbels at either side of the entrance, anJ act as bracketed supports to the barge-board of the roof. A fine stained-glass figure of Queen Elizabeth in one of her most m:igni(icently embroidered and jewelled hooped dresses and ruff, with crown, sceptre, and orb, and a triple necklace of large pearls, is probably an excel- lent portrait of the Queen in her e.uly womanhood. It was no affectation of loyalty or gratitude which caused this image of the Sovereign to adorn the window at Melford Its owner amassed the greater part of his fortune as her Master of ihe Rolls, and she honoured him with a visit in which the host had nothing to complain cf if he desired to show his Sovereign the greatness of the wealth lie had amassed. When she came to visit him in 1578 "there were 200 young ge. tie- men clad tie all in whyte velwet, and 300 of the graver sort apparalled in black velwet co.its, and with ("air mob sacked the houses of the nobility and gentlemen as wantonly as did the French peasants those of the Seigneurs in the Revolution. A rabble set out from Colchester, accom- panied by the regular Train Band, and first sacked another house of Lady Rivers (St. Osyth), and then came to plunder Melford and seixe her person. They stole all they could lay hands on, destroyed the furniture, killed the deer, gutted the rectory, stole the rector's horses, broke down the cross on the green, tore up the brasses in the church, and behaved generally like the set of unmitigated blackguards which they undoubtedly were. All this time the Colchester Train Band with their officers were actually billeted in the long gallery of the Hall, and looked on. Lady Rivers was ruined by fines and confiscations, and died in 1650, but before Ivjr death sold the Hall to another representative of its first builder's family, Sir Robert Cordell, who was created the first baronet He was member for Sudbury and High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1653. I HI: BONN I ISO (JHbbN HOI GARDENS OLD AND Nf-W. THE NORTH FRONT. This younger line of Cordells altered the house, made the moat semi-circular, and put sashes in the windows. Sir Robert was succeeded by his son and grandson, after which the title became extinct. But Margaret Cordell married Sir Charles F rebrace, in whose family it remained till it was purchased by Sir Harry Parker (sixth baronet) in 1786. since which date that dis- tinguished family has con- tinued to live there. We have left an account of the gardens until the last. ;md it shall be brief. They are simple and beautiful, with ample lawns and superb beds and borders of flowers. There is no elaboration, and the masonry terrace and formal parterre are absent. There is no certainty that they ever were there. The land has been levelled, and on the north side the lawn is raised, with a slope to the ditch and a brick wall at its margin. The character of the gardens will be best gathered from the pictures. There is great structural completeness about the setting of the house, from the gates and lodge, where the octagon turrets of the Hall are repeated, to the magnificent bowling green pavilion. Tin- double gate-house, with its fine background of trees, is excellent, while the pavilion rHE is a most approached notable garden-house, or octagon of brick, by a steep flight of steps, and entered by an Ionic porch It has two levels, and the house is high, the windows being intended to give a wide view over the landscape. Each side is surmounted by a gable, and each gabie and interspace by a brick finial. The old brick garden wall and border lead- ing to this pavilion are a beautiful instance of the grace of congruity in which antique building and modern garden- ing agree. B'oad spaces of grass seem an appropriate fore- ground to the red brick houses of East Anglia, and glorious flower borders their right accompaniment. The sundial challenges the stranger as he approaches the porch, and i> a very pleasing and elegant example of the garden monitor. Melford Hall is distinguished by the presence of old trees in its neigh- bourhood, and they make, with the old house and its simple gardens, a fine picture of an East Anglian mansion. Melford is a house of which the county of Suffolk is justly proud. The builder was a Suffolk man of much con equence, and the present owners have maintained the traditions of the place with honour and distinction for many generations. t SEDGWICtt . . . PARK, HORSHAM. THE SEAT . . or MRS. HENDERSON. A1EAUTIPUL place in j : of Western bu- ^. It is one ot the many plej domains whiJi are found in the neighbourhood of ancient Horsham anJ the shadowy depth- "t the forest of St. Leonard's. Here, apart from the world, lived a peasantry who cherished the store- and folk of a former time with a tenacity which makes tlieir descendant- an interesting people, if we can but draw them from their native shyness, to-day. Here, long after the monster- evolved in the mists of antiquity had been dissipated by the ll.irin^- torch of science, lingered the beltet in a dragon, which harried. even ** '. 1614. the whole country-side. There were some perils of the netlier world there to he encountered in the woodland, but good St. Leonard had u.i^-.i the with a stubborn daring which had laid the old monster |..w. and wherever the Saint's Mood dyed the ground, patches of lilies of the valley sprang up. they '.. now, when all the Sussex world goes a-lilying. there are some, perh.ip-. who still think of the terror trom which the people were spa red. hxen yet -o.T>e old crone may tell you also of the phantom which rode behind the horseman who tr.ivervd the forest-wjy until he passed the bounds. The di-trict of St. Le.»narj's porest anJ Nuthur-t i- full of woodland attraction, and Nuthurst i- perhaps, even more attractive than the for^-t itself. Oak and beech, ancient pine anJ great plantations of larch, with rich under- wood, and many a bright touch of colour gained by the growth of orrumental trees are the distinctions of the place. Lo jkm^ .ward Horn the hill there i- a far • the pastoral land to the : .vith 4 di-tant gUmp :nmandin, «xjld not tail to attr.iv t the .ittiniion ot tlie u'eat baron- who mad< part of Sussex their home. A park « .is eru vick in very early times, and in the nineteenth • -d II. it « 'ining 4i» The park wa- ••ie an«.ient castlr - • which v.nv- very interesting ri - -f.ll exist. I he form w.i- oriular, with the defe iouble n the whole of the plan ian be maJe out from the basement walls. I he r-t.ite afur the Conquest wa- in the [ :> ot the family ••! - but there was some dispute concerning tl>e rights, and John le Maun-el obtained licence to tortity the place in i and Peter de \\-nf-.rd defended it in the Baron-' . but it subsequently reverted to John io v Krom hm it pa—ed by e.\char;_- to \\ .mi de Bra«jse. th< rd ot Bramber, and it remained attached to the Bramher lordship until the atta nder and death nf Thomas [Jui • N rfolk in i; In 1549 a hundred Jeer were kept in tlie park, which had been extended in area from 400 acres to 624 a,. res at the date of its d.spalement in 1608. The Sedgwick e-t ite had meanwhile been granted to Thom.i- - .r, and ha i pa-seJ through the hand- of Sir Thomas Pynes and Sir John Caryl. In 1705 it was purchased bv Sir John Bennett, anJ after \ by Cn.irle> [>uke "t Kichmond. who held it until 1750. I ;•> .1 rum, but the estate was sold to the Tud> H*0« THE iOLTH. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. FROM THE "MASTHEAD." S&DGMCK. a. CD — X GARDENS OLD AND NEW. Nuthurst, and from their successors passed to the family of the present proprietor. The beautiful house of Sedgwick Park, built within recent years, thus represents a great domain of former times, and its terrace surveys not only a supremely beautiful garden, butalsj • "THE CHIEF CABIN." a vast extent of the old hunting ground of William de Braose, lord of Bramber. The architect has raised on the hill a fair and attractive mansion. The pictures illustrate, better than words can describe, the glories of the garden, which lies in terraced descents to the south. Quaint and curious is the idea of likening the house and garden to a ship of the Royal Navy. What fancy inspired the delightful conceit we do not know, but here is embodied or figured an asso- ciation which, to those who love the garden, is dear, and it is extremely interesting t > learn that the garden was planned by Mrs. Henderson, and brought to perfection under her care. What a garden it is that we gaze upon from the lofty "masthead" of the abode ! Below is the semi-circular terrace, paved with huge Cyclopean blocks, which cherish green things in their crevices, all enframed on the homeward side by deep green yew hedges, giving place for beautiful seats for the view, while at the ends of the curves are classic athletes in bronze. Then we have a long broad pathway to open the garden perspective, and there are other hedges, kept svell, as hedges should be, and fringing strips of turf, margined by beds of flowers and low-growing shrubs. The path leads onward to another marked feature of tiie garden, still enframed with the hedges, and here the sudden dip of the ground has afforded another fine position for an outlook, ;,s it were, over a bastion— or, perhaps, in this maritime garden, we should say a bulwark — while paths lead down on either side to the lower level, where the " chief cabin " is a delightful place to rest in, with its cool stone archway and pavement. It was looking out from this point, or from the elevation above, that Mrs. Henderson's children, seeing with delight the water -space before them, proclaimed it as " The White Sea," a title which it deservedly retains. Reflecting the sky above, it shimmers in the summer sun, and con- trasted with the dark greens of its margin, it assumes the white sheen that impressed them. This is not a formal water, for there is no stone edging, and water-loving plants flourish exceedingly there. And yet, look at those quaint yew hedges, tall and dense and cut to shapes that are prim, and you will say that Nature and Art are here most happily conjoined. The special character and formation of these yew hedges, which is very curious and unusual, has caused them to be described as "fortifications." They close the view of this sweet and splendid garden, but not the view of the country. For beyond and below lies the great wooded park, rich and beautiful in its varied foliage, and the lovely country for many a mile, until the line of the Downs ends the prospect. It is a landscape possessing both richness and variety, very pleasant to look upon from a pleasaunce like this. What is particularly worthy of note is that no style predominates here. There i:; no exclusion of qualities — rather THE PORTHOLES.' an attempt to include many, and a successful one. The general character is, of course, formal, but the garden is full of so much natural beauty, and so closely neighboured by woodland and by individual trees of beautiful character, that it will content those who love the simple expression of the : f- X JLl Q Z - y u. _ x GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 'THE WHITE SEA. natural gardening style. Yet it lias the quality of stateliness springing from its largeness of character and long vista of uninterrupted beauty ; and anything which had broken up the garden, as by the planting of masses of trees, would have spoiled that charm. As it is, we look out upon a well-propor- tioned expanse, where there is a due subordination of parts, and where everything contributes to the effect of the whole. And it must be noticed that these various parts of the garden are all satisfactory in themselves, that they have an indi- viduality which is, perhaps, too rare in gardens. Note especially the great blocks of the pavement, and the marked feature of the '"fortifications." Moreover, it is characteristic A GARDEN S>HAT. of this garden that it belongs to the landscape ; it is a part of its surroundings ; it is wholly in harmony with its natural framework. Here, then, we may truly say, is a triumph in gardenage — a success which is not open to all, but which a few, who have gardens in like situations to that at Sedgwick Park, may also attain. We have not, of course, alluded to all the charms to be found in this lovely Sussex garden. There are beautiful terraces, with excellent masonry, ascents into woodland pleasaunces, and excellent groups of shrubs and flowers, all flourishing in perfection. The yuccas are a great feature, but it would be tedious, and is unnecessary, to attempt to cata- logue or describe the lovely things that grow in this favoured place. Water and wood, the green expanse and ihe radiant flower-bed, the dense hedges of yew and the waving beauties of undipped trees, all play their part in the beauties of these gardens. There is something very fas- cinating in the zeal with which Mrs. Henderson has pursued her task to its completion, and much that is delightful in the quaintness of many of the ideas that are expressed in her garden fancy. Look, for example, at the picturesque aspect of the green "port- holes," and at the ivy enclo- sure of the "upper deck." To work in a garden fair is the delight of many a lady ; to shape and fashion a garden is given, perhaps, to few. But it would be pleasant to think that this Sussex garden had inspired other ladies to work out fancies of their own. PITCHFORD HALL, SHREWSBURY. THE SCAT OF COLONEL C J. COTES. kHAT beautilul home of old Englishmen which we depict lies in a chosen part of the pleasant county of Silop, and is within about six miles of Shrewsbury. You mav approach it, if y»u Choose, by a delightful walk through the fields tro:n Con.Uer n- .IN \ou go old Condover Hall, which, in its fine old frontage of st,:ne. presents a very suggestive contrast to the more picturesque charms of ancient timber-framed iford. You will not forget that about a mile and a-half beyond the object of your journeying is the village «.f Acton Burnell. which is rather famcus in our history. There is a castle there which closely resembles the Bishop's Pakue at s, and was. indeed, built by the same hands. When Hdward I. held the great council of his Parliament at Shrews- bury, in 12X1, one of its sessions was held at Acton Burnell, and the King took advantage of the thronging thither of many representatives of the commercial classes to issue the ordinance known as the Statute of Merchants, which confirmed their rights and gave them power against their debtors. The ibuuring village of Pitchford took its name in very ancient times from a curious bituminous spring, which w is described by Marmaduke Kawdon of York in the seventeenth century. That old writer speaks thus of the fountain : " Thir is in this well four little M. Miles, about halle a \arddiep, out ot uhi.h coin -, little lumps of pitch, but that which is alt tile tope ot the well is s-iMis!,. and swunes upon the water hk.- tarr. but being skim.l t'.g-ther itt incorporates, and is knead together like soft wax and becomes hard." There was a landed family at Pitchford in the time <-f King Stephen, who took their name fiom the place, and still in the ancient church is a:i oaken ligare supp ,sed to represent one »i that srcuk. What manner ot house they had in this place we cannot tell, but the property had not l-.ng bc-en in the hands ot the ancestors ot its pu-sriit ..vsner. the ( )ttlr\ s. to whom it came by puuhise in 1470. when the existing mansion was erected. It is said to have been built by William Oltley. Sheriff ot the county. I his u.is a |..iest country, where materials for the building lay reads' to the hand. and many an oak bowed to the woodman's .i\<-. < io where you will, you will find fevs more beautiful examples st\le i if architecture dear to the tinglish mind, found mostly in Shropshire and northward through Cheshire and Lancashire, but in which no part of the country is p>or. Happily, PiMitord Hall has remained in excellent hands, and is n .w practically unchanged from the asp.-ct it anciently bore, except that the THE ENTRANCE 1>»IVE. 90 GARDENS OLD AND NbW. LU LU Oi H O LU QJ Qu UJ I Q Z 01 (/) 3 O LLJ I H • a; LU I H.U.L GARDENS OLD AND NEW. servants' wing was added at a later date, precisely in the same architectural style. There was once a moat about the house, which the Pitchford brook and the pond above the house supplied ; and there was no doubt a sweet and radiant garden, much to the owner's mind. Just as now, there were splendid trees surrounding, whose forest brothers had furnished the material for the building, and there were neighbouring houses of note, wherein dwelt men of mark in the shire. Within the mansion the rooms were panelled with oaken wainscot, as they still are, though now more recent portraits are framed into the walls. They were troublous times for many, to whom moats were no safeguard, and the builder of Pitchford Hall, or his successor, was careful to construct a secret hiding-place, where priest or fugitive might be secure. It is a chamber of considerable size, as hiding holes go, approached through a sliding panel, well concealed, by a ladder through a closet floor. The slope to look over the ancient homestead and all the gardens and pleasure grounds that lay thereabout ! There exists an old plan of the garden, made in 1680, which shows that the house was even then in the tree. Many have been the fashions of such places. There was the well-known arbour of Erasmus, where he ate as if in the parden itself, for the very walls were shrubs and flowers, and whichever way he looked he had the garden before him. We remember also thesurmier resting-place of Sidney's " Arcadia," which was " a square room full of delightful pictures made by the most excellent workmen of Greece." Then we think of the more stately summer-house of the Lord Treasurer Burleigh at Theobalds, where, in a semi-circle, were twelve Roman Emperors in white marble, and a table "of touchstone," and above cisterns of lead for fish or for bathing in the summer. But which of these could have the simple charm of the shadowy retreat held safe in the arms of the Pitchford tree ? And what kind of garden do we survey from this pleasant THE KITCHEN GARDEN house was shaped, as our illustrations show, like the letter E, the straight side being towards the church, though it was built long before Elizabeth could be flattered by such a plan. Among the Ottleys who possessed Pitchford, Sir Francis of the name deserves to be mentioned as the loyal governor of Shrewsbury in the Civil Wars. Their descendants continued to possess it until the year 1807, when on the death of the last of the name, Mr. Adam Ottley, it passed to the late Lord Liverpool, grandfather of Colonel Cotes, as next-of-kin. I Hiring Lord Liverpool's ownership the fine and characteristic old place was carefully maintained, and he had the honour of welcoming her late Mijesty within its walls, who, as Princess Victoria, visited it, accompanied by the Duchess of Kent, in 1832. A very tine view of the house is obtained from the summit of the avenue leading to Pitchford village, and a delightful prospect of the glorious old place lies also before the visitor who is privileged to ascend to that sweet old summer-house held secure in the arms of the mighty lime. What a delightful fancy created that rare resting-place, lifted aloft on the breezy altitude, or enjoy as we traverse the pathways ? There are fifteen acres of the pleasaunce, and the pictures disclose what they are. It is a dear old garden of pleasant scents and radiant prospects, with many a bloom to crown the successive seasons of the changing year. There are magnificent old trees, fine ornamental specimens, and yew hedges, and everywhere flowers, filling with radiance even the kitchen gardens them- selves. On one side the land slopes down to the house ; on the other it slopes away where grass terraces break the descent to the pleasant margin of the Pitchford Brook, where are walks and solitudes delightful to explore, and whence it is charming to look back to the beautiful old house we have left. But perhaps, after all, the rarest charm will be found in the great and grand old trees which tower up with sub- limity, and spread below their wide expanse of shade— the "old patrician trees" of that favoured land. There is beauty and charm, however, wherever we go, and with most pleasant thoughts of the good old English house and fair domain do we forsake the lovely surroundings of Pitchford Hall. MARGAM PARK, {.GLAMORGANSHIRE, THE or MISS TALBOT. THH ' in South Wales hy road or r.nl from Bridgend to Neath, after passing the sea \\ard opening of the Llynri Valley, finds himseli presently passing tlir.iu^h a very interesting part tit ( ilanior^anshire. On his lelt I K! space <>t s.mdy (Lit. with the Hue waters oi Sxxanse.- Bay beyond, \\hile m the ri^lit rises the splendid wooded hill n| Mynydd Marram t>i a height i>f aNmt Sooft. It is a jil >rio;is elevation, clothed from base in summit with the rich foliage of an oak xvoo.l, which covers it •me two miles a I .n.; the slope. The district thereabout is one nl -real natural attractions, and nut less of coinmerci.il possibilities, which have been much developed, as sh.ill shortly he mentioned. un Abbey, that picturesque m«Klern structure which :epM. st.uuls near the Um-worn ruin in a favourable situation, having the lull for its background, and commands .vrb view of W.HI.I, M-.i. .md sky. The stormy south- xx esters, in their tempestuous cotir.se, have sometimes done considerable damage here, and have swept lor generations th.- huge sleeps ot M\ nvdd Marram, keeping the oaks thereon to something approaclun^ a unit' >rm lev.-l. Few giants now lift their heads above the crowd, and thus from a distance the hold flank of the hill seems as if covered with a dense mass of well- clipped iireen. Between the house and the sea lies the ^r s.indy exp.in-e, winch would inov- landwa'd under the hr. had n-it the late Mr. C. R. M. Talh.it plant. titles of Arundo arenaria, wli az \\idespread roots bind the shilling mass together. When the broken hosts of tin- Ke.l knu had fruitlessly carried his arms into the m mntain tastuess.-s. and had Iveii driven back hy hardship and famine, his sun-'svir on the throne entered upon a \\iser and m ire ma-terful, il less s|..rmy and violent, policy. The Principality was dmcVI hy internal stnle at the time, and a sy>tem ol gradual OMK|;I- st tx-u in. the new tide ot invasion llowin^; alon^ the oi.ist, and vising sin. h le\-el expanses as that below Maryam Park to ^.nii a tootlvild, trom \xhich adx-.iiues inland mi^ht be made, the base resting ii|vin the sea. ( )ne Welsh ciiielt.iin summoned Robert i:it/- Hamon, the lord of G ster, t • Ins aij, and the d.-i.-at ot Rhys ap Tudor, the last prince xvho united Southern Wales under his rule, produced conditions of an irihy xvhich enabled F.t/-Hamoii to land safely on the coast .if ( ilanvi^an, lonquer the country round, and divide it am»n;; his t ,l|...xets. He himsell had a castle at kenli^, two miles south ot Marram, xvhich braved the elements tor a-es. but at length xvas over- whelmed by the sea in the sixteenth century. I he dexotirin^ sand engulfed it almost entirely, but still some fragments may he seen amidst the xvaste, while the whole church there GARDEN AffCHITECTLH;. 94 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. perished in the sandy deluge, and Mar gam Abbey, secure upon the hill, continued to survey the curious scene. It was Robert Earl of Gloucester, Fitz-Hamon's son-in- law, who planted the white-robed Cistercians there, in an abbey dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, about the year 1147. Giraldus Cambrencis visited the house in 1188, and King John was entertained there, for which hospitality, it is said, he excepted the Cistercians of Margam from his extortions. But, if the King's Ministers stayed their hand, it was far otherwise with the wild ravaging Welshmen, concerning whom a pitiable tale is told in the Abbey Chronicle of devastated farms, buildings burnt, and men slain w.th the sword. The ven- geance of Providence, however, sometimes followed. " Com- busserunt Wallenses liorreum nostrum ; divina tamen vindicta sequente." Then came the perverse people to waste the farmstock upon which the labour-loving Cistercians set such store. " Concremaverunt perversi homines oves nostras plusquam mille, cum duabus domibus, in una septimana." Sadder things were to follow. " Occiderunt Wallenses Mer-Honour, which flew Essex's flag in the Islands' Voyage, 1603. Afterwards he became Vice-Admiral of the Narrow Seas, and he escorted Raleigh from London to Winchester to- his trial, and was concerned in other notable events of his time. The old house, which was built by Sir Rice Mansel when he bought the place at the Dissolution of the monasteries, was a long rambling building. The site chosen was in clo>e proximity to the Abbey, and there is no dxibt the Abbey suffered much at the hands of the builders of the new dwelling- house. Tradition says tiie chapter house and cloisters were used as servants' offices, and one corner still bears the name of the "beer-cellar." Two interesting bird's-eye pictures have been fortunately preserved at Mai yam, and give a very good idea of the picturesque old house with its many gables and its walled gardens, and also of the surrounding country as it was 200 years ago. This house was pulled down by the late Mr. Thomas Talbot about the end of the eighteenth century, and it is said he intended to buil'l a new one or. the top of the FACADE OF ORANGEkY. famulos nostros." But worse even than Welsh incursions happened when the Abbey was dissolved and its possessions distributed. It is interesting to know that its clear income at the tirn^ was ^181 js. 4d. The site was granted to Sir Rice Mansel of Oxwich Castle, in whose family it continued until about 1750, when it passed through the female line, and the late Mr. C. R. M. TalN.t, M.P., who died in 1890, father of Miss Talbot, now of Margmi Park, was the descendant and representative <>f the grantee. Sir Edward Mansel of Margam, who died in 1595, married Lady Jane Somerset, youngest daughter of Henry Earl of Worcester, and their younger son, Admiral Sir Robert Mansel, who at one time spelt his name " Mansfeeld," was a great seaman among the many great seamen of Elizabeth'^ day. Through the Gamagts of O>ity he was related to Lord Howard, the Lord Admiral, with whom it is said he first went I" MM ; and he is believed to have served against the Armada in 1588. In i :; he accompanied Howard and Essex lo Cadi/ and was knighted for his services, and he was captain of the orangery (which he had already erected) in the Italian style, and the entrance to which would have been through the grove of orange trees ; but this idea was never carried out, and the present mansion was built on a higher site by the late Mr. C. R. M. Talbot about 1826. It has two great facades and the tower as its principal features. There is much originality in the treatment, and the picturesqueness of the grouping of towers, turrets, and chimneys is extremely attractive. Mr. Talbot was in large degree his own architect. The effect is certainly imposing, and the structure harmonises admirably with the dark wooded hill. The fragments of the old Abbey are few, but are extremely interesting, and are carefully preserved. The beautiful details of the chapter house, of which the roof fell in in 1799, the interesting groining of the cloisters, the fine features of columns and mouldings, entitle the remains to be ranked ;iMiong the most worthy of attention by the architect in South Wales. The roofless Abbey mill still stands by the water, and /MA' A. UJ U . UJ t- li! 0 . O [U X GARDENS OLD AND NEW. is a most picturesque feature of the grounds in its framing of glorious greenery. The gardens at Margam have mucli tlint entitles them to attention. The garden architecture, in the first place, is extremely good and varied. The old classic summer-house, with its Corinthian columns and arched niches, each having its statue, is an extremely fine example of English Renaissance architecture, belonging to two centuries or more ago, and would not discredit the hand of Inigo Jones. It was probably designed by one of his successors and imitators. The carved balustrades, terrace \\alls, and basins, with the enrichment of sculptured urns, statuary groups, and fountains, are of most excellent character. A picture of one particularly fine urn on the orangery terrace forms the frontispiece to this volume. The orangery, standing adjacent to the ruin of the Abbe)-, is perhaps the most interesting feature of the gardens, and is celebrated for its fine orange trees, many of which are 2oft. high. They are said to have been sent from Portugal by a Dutch merchant as a present for Queen Mary, consort of William 111., but the vessel in which they were shipped was above the higher stairway is associated with the new structure raised by the late Mr. Talbot The district surrounding the mansion is in many ways interesting. "1 he remains of a Roman camp may yet be traced on a lofty spur behind the Abbey known as Pen-y-Castell. It lies in a lovely situation, with a deep-wooded glen below, and commands a great outlook over the beautiful country. In the woods are remains of a small oratory or chapel, which belonged to the Abbey, and other chapels are in the neighbourhood, as well as monumental stones. The most remarkable of these last is Maen-y-Dythyrog, or "lettered stone," which is about I4tt. high, and stands on a bare hill-top two miles from the house. It has a Latin inscription to one Bodvucus who lies there, and there is a singular superstition among the country people that he who reads the lines will die within the year. The Taibach Copper Works are in the district, and not far away is the busy manufacturing region of Cwm Afon. Port Talbot is the seaward outlet of the activity of the region, and is a rising district, with harbour works and docks. It THE PRINChLY WALK. driven on the sands neighbouring Margam, the owner of which, by viitue of his rights as Lord of the Manor, claimed the valuable cargo. When he learned their intended destination, however, he promptly offered to despatch them, but the King requested him to retain them as a free gift; and thus to the present day they continue to be a delight at Margam. Trees and shrubs flourish amazingly at this beautiful place, and see.u to attain quite unusual vigour. The climate of the Vale of Glamorgan being mild, myrtle and arbutus tlower in the open. One huge bay tree has attained a height of Soft., and is greatly admired The richness and variety of the foliage generally will be observed in our pictures, and betrays the judicious hands of successive owners of the place, rite lower stairway to the westward, at the foot of an avenue, opens a delightful vista, through which the lofty tower of the house is disclosed, but this is only one among many beautiful points of view. It will be noticed that the garden architecture is of various dates. Evidently the classic features, which are so beautiful, belong to an earlier time, while the Gothic work was formerly called Taibach, but afterwards Abermouth, or Aberavon Port, but under an Act of Parliament passed in 1835 it took the name of Port Talbot. It lies in the parish of Margam, and Miss Talbot is the sole landowner. Her benefi- cence is well known there. In 1895-97 the Church of St. Theodore, which cost .£20,000, was erected at her charge. It is in the Early English style, and is ap.adnirable structure, designed by the late Mr. J. L. Pearson, R.A. Miss Talbot had already erected a c ttage hospital in 1893. It will be seen that this part of South Wales, like many others, is possessed of great natural beauties, and, at the same time, of considerable riches, and that it has an active and inte.ligent population. The owners of Margam Abbey have done no little to develop the region, and in many ways it owes much to them. It may be said, indeed, that the house is a centre of light and leading, and we, therefore, look with greater interest upon its architectural beauties and its lovely gardens and woods. Let i be added that the mansion is richly stored with works of art, antique statues, ancient furniture, and possesses some fine pictures by famous masters. r 97 i ORCHARDS WILLIAM CHANCE O\ the sanJy soil id tlu- \\e^t Surrey hills, \\here one of their m.my valley-fold* runs tip tn tin- edge ot a half-mile wide, well-w -ooded and sheltered plateau, is this newly- built house. The twentv six acres of land on which it Mauds are fur tin- must p.ut character, with groups of well-grown oaks, and that best of all undergrowth, the native bracken. All this h.is been carefully preserved, so that mi three -ides ttie forest-land te to the house. Nothing lias heen d.we tn alter the character of this ground, and only, the better to enjo\ it. has one broad grassy glade been cleared and levelled \\lnle sonu <>d paths lead into its deeper recesses, h.istward pen view towards Dorking and I.eith Hill over a rough .it whose further end the stone tor the house has been quart From every point on the land from which it can be seen the house seems to grow out of the ground. That this should be so, .in. 1 that it should in no w.iv jar with the wnodlan.l. speaks well for the line t.Me of tic CeMgner and for his infmate knowledge of the best traditions ,,f the country — traditions that, though clearly marked, are never obtrusive. Mr. b L. Lutyens. the architect, h.is worked well in.: Orchards is not a c<>py nor e\en an adaptation of anv other old west Surrey house, but in its m lin structure, as well as its smaller details, it laitt.lully follous the count v's Iv si traditions. I'lie house is ap| ro.uh-.-il by a slunt dn\e lioni a country by-road, which passes under a timbered arcluvay into the courtyard. Immediately in front is the projecting stone (virvh, carrying over it the oak-framed window ot a square bay in the wide passage or gallery above. To the lelt is the wing containing the o»ic» s, to the right the arched cloister leading to the larger studio, a delighttul ambulatory in hot summer days The courtyard gives an impression of ample sp.ue, each of its suK-s measuring about Oilt. The south front has onlv one wide terrace between it and THE CLOISTERS. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. DIPPING WELL IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN. the wild fern-clad ground. From this terrace a double flight of wide, easy steps leads to the garden, at the point where the wild gives place to cultivation. The garden ground has here been treated by planting shrubs somewhat in harmony with the wilder growths, in bold clumps with grassy ways between. The dining-room is in the south and east angle of the house ; a long southern window looks into the woodland, while windows to the east look through the arches of a narrow outdoor room, always in shade. The scheme of gardening was very simp!?. It was LOGGIA TEWACE. Ill u r O o — _ 100 GARDENS OLD AND AkCHWAY LHAUING TO I HK KITCHEN GARDEN. evident tliat the beautiful stretch of forest ground deserved to have its own sentiment preserved as much as possible, and that where it met the garden it would be well that the two should join easily and without any sudden jolt. Therefore the planting between wood and lawn is of easy groups of such shrubs and trees as first suggest woodland, crabs and amelanchier, with plantings of double-flowered bramble and double gorse, an J some of the wilder of the rambling roses. By degrees, as the clumps or brakes approach the lawn, they have more of the garden character; some are of rhododendrons, and one at some distance from these is of a/aleas, for the two should never be mixed ; among others are some of berberis and shrubby spirrra. Then comes a good stretch of lawn space, only broken by a fine old bush of blackthorn. Often a new place is sp tilt by the removal of good original features. Here the good taste of the owners, and especially Lady Chance's fme'.y-trained artistic knowledge, has carefully- preserved all that was of value, and made the most of every natural advantage. Though not much of a practical gardener before settling at Orchards, Lady Chance at once appre- hended the value of the best ways of gardening, and with rare aptitude assimilated a knowledge of the ways and needs of flowers, and, above all, acquired that fine sense, a thing scarcely attainable without considerable training in the fine arts, of the qualities that make a particular flower or plant most suitable for certain garden uses. In spring, before the bracken is grown, in the wild ground under the oaks are wide stretches of pale daffodils, planted in those long level drifts that Nature has taught us are the best ways of disposing these flowers. In another region, between the garden and a grove of oak, are tufts of wild primrose in the grass, and thriving clumps of cyclamen for autumn. This is in a place where the ground is grassy, but nearly bare of fern. Planting in dry walls is successfully done at Orchards, a way of gardening that brings quick reward. The walled kitchen garden is close to the house, an extra fruit wall dividing it into two portions. 'I he half nearest the flower garden joins into it as to its lowest quarter, but here the wall is represented by brick piers rising from a dwarf wall and connected at the top by a festooned chain of free cluster mses. Here is a double flower border backed by a box hedge, so that from the garden side flowers only are seen. Along the inner side of the east wall is a raised pathway some 4t't. or jft. above the garden level, giving a delightful view, over the parapet, of the open country, and recalling the " mounts " and raised paths of the old Tudor gardens. This division of the kitchen garden has double flower borders along the main path, with a tank in the middle, and rose arches. The borders are a blaze of late s-mnier flowers, hollyhocks and perennial sunflowers, phloxes and marigolds, while the brighter -coloured groups have iheir brilliancy enhanced by judiciously-planted regions of the grey of cineraria maritima, gypsophila, and lavender-cotton. It is one of the unending pleasures of a garden to seek out every spot in it that may be beautified by vegetation and to find the right plant for the place. Thus even the joints of the stonework inside the tank and just above the water level have been made the homes of the native ferns that after a while come spontaneously in such places ; so here are already thriving tufts of wall rue, spleenwort, and hart's-tongue. The large deep hollow left by the quarrymen at the end of the field has also been taken in hand. The steep descent gave many hours of pleasant playwork, in engineering a winding pathway of steps that rise from the lowest depth and land above among the mounded hillocks of sandy waste. Here ordinary garden plants would be inadmissible, the nature of the place demanding for the most part things of bold character, such as the giant rheums, thistles, eryngiums, elymus, and so on. Like all wild gardening, it will only be right if just the right things are used. Sloping banks of sandy debris show good sown broom and gorse, and tree lupines have been planted. Some of this region has been planted with birches, while steep sandy banks are covered with double-flowered and cut-leaved brambles. Cistuses are among the plants used here, and some of the sand-loving south Europeans, rosemary, hyssop, and lavender-cotton. Manifestly Orchards is an ideal country home, and it possesses, with the garden, that most precious quality of restfulness, as well as delight to mind and eye, that only comes of the right use of good and simple material. CHIRK DENBIGHSHIRE MYDDELTON CHIRK < X's II \: IN "DC of those notable stronghold* Nortli Wale-* which ha\v s-.-e:i :i very great JIM I • .I ! iNt.,ry. and the place is not to be dissociated from that ancient tortrcss Called by the Wels!) •• Castell Ci-.^i-n." upon the site of which it stands, and whose traditions it inherits. Here occurred several events in the great struggle of tin- Welshmen J'-T free-Jon in the t'me of Henrv II., which aroused such strong national reeling among them. It was in the valley Ivneath Castell Crogcn that the celebrated tij.t between the torce> of Henry and the Welsh was wa-.-.i. I lie hn-lish Kiny marched hi> men to the river Ceirmc, which is in the p.irk ot Chirk Castle, where he caused the t < Iv cut Jown. and won the passage ; but th • Welsh knew the country better than lie, and. interceptinj; his communications, drove him back in distress. The terntory atound Cistell Cro^t-n became the pmperu by descent of (inliith ap Madin:, who mairied an Knylish \vilc. and, at her instu.nion. took up .irm-« for Henrv III. ami Hdttard I. against Llewelyn. hd\\ard ^.i\e the wardship ot the children < t theihu-t to certain yreat nobles, who, according to tin cluoniclrr, obtained tlie lands for theniM-lvis bv clnrter. • t these t.uthlts-, uu.nJi.ins \\.is John tarl VV.uit-n, in whose family part ol the propert_v remained lor thiee ^eiu- rations. afterwards passini: '" the Fit/alans. Harls -if Arundel. Thoma- Mowbrax-, hulce of Norfolk, an I William Ki-auchamp Lord of Aber^a\<-nny. Meanwhile Ko^-r Mortinu-i.the other faithless nuirdian, had built in mo Chirk Castle, where tin- older stronghold had been. The place was alterwards united with the other part ot the tee. From the Beau, lumps it came to Sir Wi liam Stanley, who was t \ecuted i:i the tin; Hem> MIL, and Chi-:. and Holt Castle were granted to IHfc FLCWtW 102 G.-1RLENS OLD AM) A7-/7. THE IRON GATtS TO THE PARK tlie King's natural son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond nnJ Somerset. Later on the estate was in the possession of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and Lord St. John of Bletsoe, whose son sold tlie castle in 1595 to Sir Thomas Myddelton, who was fourth son of Richard Myddelton of Galch Hill, near Denbigh, and was governor of Denbigh Castle during the reign of Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. In 1592 he received a patent from Queen Elizabeth as a merchant adventurer, and traded largely with Antwerp and other places, making a large fortune. He became Sheriff in 1603, and eventually Lord Mayor of London, 1614. Sir Thomas bought Chirk Castle, 1595, which he presented to his son Thomas, he himself living and dying at Stanstead-Mount- fitchet, hssex, where lie is burie i. The knight was de- scended fr m Ririd, the son of Ririd Rhudd, or the " Bloody Wolf." It was after the marriage of another Ririd with Cicely, daughter and heiress of Sir Alexander Myddelton of Myddeltmi in Shropshire, that the Welsh family assumed the English patronymic. They were a very notable family, and several Myddeltons came to prominence, among them Sir Hugh Myddelton, the famous citizen of London, who brought to completion the great work of conveying the New River to the Metropolis, and who was a younger brother of the Sir Thomas who purchased Chirk. Sir Thomas Myddelton, the son of the first knight of Chirk, was also a man of mark. In the Civil War he sided with the Commons, and his castle was seized for the King by Colonel Ellis. Mean- while, Sir Thomas himself was fighting much in North Wales. One of his achievements was the capture of Powis Castle, and in December, 1641, he was under the unfortunate necessity of besieging his own castle of Chirk, when he was repulsed in an attempt to storm it, losing his chief engineer, together with 31 slain and 43 others hurt. The knight's castle was delivered by Colonel Watts to his daughter for her father's use in February, 1646. Charles 1. lay two nights at Chirk Castle, and appears to have been there with Prince Maurice when he heard of the defeat of Monlrose. The enthusiasm of Sir Thomas Myddelton for the THE LONG TERRACE. C/1STLE. I'M Q z (/J UJ 0£ (/» < an £ ^ _ Z _ _ ai w 104 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. Parliamentary cause had cooled somewhat, and his castle was garrisoned for the Parliament in 1651 until he gave security to the extent of £20,000 for his good behaviour. He declared for Charles II., but in 1651 was besieged in his castle by Lambert, and compelled to surrender. At this time it was intended to demolish the castle, as appears by an order of Parliament, August 27th, 1659. Lambert was to have seen the order executed, but for some unknown reason it was never carried out. It was a disastrous time for Sir Thomas Myddelton. In four years he lost .£45,030, and when Lambert came all his personal estates were swept away, the damage done to the building alone being estimated at ,£30,000. He died, however, in his castle in i656, and was succeeded in his estates by his eldest son, Sir Thomas Myddelton, who had been created a baronet in 1660 as a reward for his services to the exiled King. The title ended with Sir William Myddelton, who died early in the eighteenth century, and the estate then passed to " I entered first, at Chirkc, right ore a hrooke. Where staying still, on countrey well to looke, A castle fayre appeered to sight of eye, Whose walles were great, and towers both large and live. "Full underneath the same does Keeryock run. A raging brooke, when rayne or snowe is greate : It was some prince that first this house begun, It shewes farre of, to be so brave a seate. Oil side of hill it stands most trim to viewe, An old strong place, a castle nothing newe, A goodly thing, a princely pallace yet If all within were throughly furnist fit." The changes at Chirk Castle have been effected in excellent taste, and now, not only in the general character, but in the details of windows and chimneys, the hand of the architect is seen to have done excellent work, and whatever time had spared is retained. .The entrance gateway, with the two fl.inking round towers, is imposing in character, and the courtyard within is extremely fine. THE SEQUESTERED GARDEN. a cousin, Robert Myddelton, and from him to ths descendants of John Myddelton. On the death of Richard Myddelton in 1790, Chirk Castle passed with his daughter Charlotte, one of three co-heiresses, to Robert Biddtilph, Esq., whose grand- •< in, the present possessor of Chirk Castle, adopted in 1899 the old nam-- of Myddelton for himself and his two sons. Chirk Castle bears in its frowning height much of the aspect of tiie days when it was fitted to stand a siege. Nowhere are the walls less than 6ft. thick, and in some places there are from i6ft. to i8ft. of s-ili.l masonry. The castle belongs mainly to one period, and has been little altered, and is still a very line remain of old military architecture adapted t •) modern dome>tic uses. A quaint traveller, named Thomas Churchyard, who wrote a versified account of his tour in Wales, paid a visit to Chirk Castle, and describes what he saw there in 1587. He appears to have been a keen observer of things. We shall leave the pictures which accompany this article to suggest the character of the gardens of Chirk Castle. In their general aspect they are simple, and very beautiful in iheir simplicity. Fine trees, broad expanses of turf, gay flower- beds, handsome bushes, and, above all, splendid yew hedges, are the things which goto the making up of the delightful garden pictures. Mark that wall-iike hedge, cut like a bastion in the sunny garden. Observe, again, the long hedge upon the great terrace, with its background of trees. There is witchery in such things, and these are noble features of Chirk Cattle, from whose conspicuous eminence it is delightful indeed to survey the beautiful country that is near, with so attractive a garden for the foreground. The splendid iron gateways and the grille, which we illustrate, will show that nothing has beer spared to make the gardens what such gardens should be. Chirk Castle is a place of very great historic interest, and it is fittingly neighboured by the beautiful gardens we depict. HAREWOOD . . HOUSE, YORttS, THE SEAT Or TMt EARL OF HAREWOOD.i TH the H.irl of I! !. -t.indin^ in ..n t-le.atrd 'ituation in the r<>- mantic vallev of the Wharfe. lux b-.it "iii- rival "t it kinJ in Yorkshire, that cuinty s<> well stored with the mansions of the great. That rival < Howard; hut there -.lull be no a1, temp? to appraise their various merits lu-u . H • _:eat and palatial, both ii"ble an.i dignified. The aspect «.t H.u. .\.HK! is architecturally ver> impo-ing, and beautiful alike in situation and surroundings, but. like Blenheim. Chatxwi.rth. Kedlest»n. .md many <-tlu-r t houses, it ix ii .t to tv judged by ordinary domestic THb FIRST lERRACb. LOOMV. NuRTH. Man 'ardx It wa- built in the eighteenth century , and \\ax consi.Vrahly altered in the middle ..t the imu-teenth; but there had I'een an older ln-uxr • n the spot, around wlmh many interest-* had cvntred. There luid. in ta.t, been t\\o Hreat dwell n^-placcx l.» n-. one beiny Mai. \\ o ..I (.a-tle. of \\ : the ^rey ruin xtaiidx on hi^h ^lound \\itlnn Ha:e«oKl I'aik, .mi mandinj; a line view "t the \all.-\.\Mtli Kumbald'x V at^iM- llkley in the baik^round. It wax tlie aiuu-nt seat o| the », but \\as innxiderably altered and brou-ht t > li.mpletiou by Sir Wiliia-n de Aldhur^h, \v h • in.irned tin- heiu^x . t that familv, and \\lx»e shield of ainix, with the in.. a,, •• \ .it s.il b- sal." ma\ be -,-, n user a wm.loA above the main intiaiuv. The plan of the xtion-hol.1 was quadrangular, with angle towerx, tlie ^reat hall being on the west side and the entrance on the <-a»t. The poitcullix room and a •. e lor the portiiillix itxi-li still traceable in the eiittaiue tower, and tl:e ch ip« I h.ix sonu- ve.y inter, xtin: teaturex. I he I Ttu--x was dismantled probabl) during (.i\il War. and now the clad remains a e very pictu- resque, making the neighNiur- IUH..I the haunt ot artists. Harew.MKl House more directly t» • nun ion known as (iawthorpe Hall, which xt»o.l by t1 ' the lake NO me aooyJs. south ..t the present mansion. Here livrd the gri-at Yorkshire Imux- "i i , ne, and here was horn the fanvuis t-hi- ' ] the King's Bench who, m the reign ot HI-IK •. l\ .. .inmitted Prince Hal to pri-on. Although there is reason to know that Hrnn V. di.: t!iat .-lemen.y which Shakesp attributes to him, the put'ire of it will live in literature : •• You -li'l oituiilil nir : 1 ..i which I een from our pictures, the character of the place is derived from a free adaptation of the Corin- thian style applied to domestic pur- poses. Fergusson says of it that it is one cf those houses which are so thoroughly Eng ish and aristocratic that " one is inclined to overlook their delects of style in con- sequence of their re^pect- ability and the associ- ations they call up." The extensive gardens and grounds were laid out by "Capability" Brown, but they have since been altered and enlarged, and ro longer bear the exclusive mark of his style. We encounter his name in the annals of the gardens of English noblemen even more often, as someone has remarked, than we find the handicraft of Grinling Gibbons or one of his imitators in the internal adornments of their abodes. Many alterations were carried out by Sir Charles Barry. The great double terrace was formed in 1843, and is a very splen iid featurj of the place, and we do not know where better classic tc-rracing can be found than is depicted in our illus' rations. The whole of the architectural and sculptured features in the gar en are, indeed, very striking, and remarka ly good in their details. The statuary is nowhjre obtrusive, but holds the right place SPHINX. THE CIKCULAR FOUNTAIN. H.IREUVCTD. : . — 2 < J O r 0 2; < x 108 GARDENS OLD AND NFW, to give interest 10 the gardens. There is a magnificent view from the terraces over the valley and the park, the whole scene being extremely pleasing and rich in wood and water. The old cedars at one end are magnificent, and on every hand there is a splendid sylvan prospect. The principal garden was designed by Nesfield, and is one of the finest examples of his work. There is formality in the terraced arrangement, but very great variety, and during the summer-time the quaintly- designed flower-beds are filled with a bright array of plants in bloom. Several fine examples of deciduous magnolias flourish under the shelter of the terrace walls. From the principal floor of the mansion a double stairway leads down to a flagged terrace walk, having between it and the house wall a magnificent flower border, while vases full, of choice things are on the other hand, where three steps bring the visitor to the gravel terrace bounded by a long balustraded wall, from which there walk of about a mile and a-lialf from the house to the kitchen gardens, which are tastefully arranged with borders of old-fashioned flowers fringing the pathways and relieving the monotony of the parts planted with fruit trees and vegetables. Crown Imperials, arabises, fritillaries, lupines, double rockets, and pDlyanthuses are a few of the many charming flowers employed. In other parts of the grounds great masses of rhododen- drons furnish a beautiful underwood, the woodland itself consisting of beech, silver birch, oak, the flowering cherry, false acacia and larches and various other conifers. The flower garden and pleasure grounds occupy together over 150 acres. In the lake are masses of white and yellow water- lilies, while along the banks are planted many moisture-loving plants, such as reeds, giant spiraeas, flag irises, myosotis, etc. Then, as befits so great a place, there is, in one of the THE DOUBLE TERRACE. is a lovely outlook over the formal garden below and the park and landscape beyond. This formal garden is splendid in design and colour, with conical bushes to give distinction of feature, and at its outer edge is another balustraded terrace wall, with bold, semi-circular embayments towards the park and noble stairways leading down to the grass slopes. These grass slopes below the terrace are a pleasing feature, and evidently the dip of the hill has given many advantages to the garden designer. The park comprises several thousands of acres, and is splendidly wooded and varied in character, with the lake, embosomed in foliage, a prominent object in the landscape as seen from the house or the formal garden. The lake stretches ;iway from the western side of the mansion, being there bordered by beech woods and fringed by flowering cherries, and it neighbours the kitchen gardens and glass-houses, and broadens into a considerable sheet. There is a delightful vineries, the finest example in the United Kingdom of that most delicious of white grapes, the Muscat of Alexandria. This vine, according to the tablet in the vinery, was planted in 1783, and the house that contains it enlarged in 1839. Not- withstanding its great age, it is still a vigorous bearer and produces good crops of fruit. The church stands in the park half a mile from the village, and was perhaps the work of the monks of Bolton, to whom it was given by Lord Lisle in 1353. It was sadly treated when it was " beautified" in the style of 1793, but has since been well restored. It contains the altar tombs of Sir Richard Redman and Sir Wiliiam Ryther, both sons-in-law of Sir William Aldburgh, who built Harewood Castle, witii their wives. There also is the tomb, with effigies, of the famous judge Gascoigne and his wife, he wearing his judicial robes with collar of SS, and a coif upon his head. Harewood is one of those places which appeal to us chiefly HAREWOCFD. • O x: ^ O q 02 CO _ 0 Q D Z UJ O _ H- 1U x 110 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. vUiwiSf fffififflfSff! ???.< THE OUILOOK FROM THE UPPER TERRACE. THE TbRRACK STAIRWAY. H.IREWOCfD. 11) z — Q x < • .u u < :L I; 112 GARDENS OLD AND KtiU'. THE SECOND TERRACE. by tlierr magnificence. Both in tlie house and its surroundings we find all those features which we associate with the great classic seats of the land. From tie windows fine views are commanded of Wharfedale and of Otley Chevin, from the highest point of whic'1 there is a surprising prospect, including York Minster at a distance of thirty miles, while to the south the smoke of Leeds and the manufacturing district clouds the sky, and away to the north and north-east a vast extent of THE BROAD TERRACE GARDEN. beautiful country lies mapped out below the spectator, with the Wharfe winding through the verdant dale. Much of this scenery may be seen from the windows and terrace of Harewood House. The interior of the mansion is very noble and stately, with ceilings painted by Zucchi, Rose, and Rebecci, and tine pictures by Reynolds, Lawrence, Hoppner, and others. The great gallery, a noble apartment nearly Soft. long by 24ft. broad, contains a collection of antique china which has been valued at ,£100,000. Splendid, however, as are the apartments of the house, these attractions are far surpassed by the charms of the garden and tile- landscape. It is truly a great and stately domain, well fitted to be the residence of an exalted nobleman. Good for- tune has placed it on the course of a romantic river, and in an unspoiled region of the exten- sive county of York. An ideal day may well be spent at Harewood, i:i surveying the splendours of its art treasures, the bjauties of its gardens, and its park of 1,800 well- wooded and picturesque acres. Out to conjure up in print or manuscript the attraction of su.h a place is not easy, though our illustrations will go far to supply the deficiency, and will show how truly magnificent is the character of Harewood House. ALDENHAM . . HOUSE, HERTS. THE, RESIDENCE LORD ALDENHAM. A l.l>l:\M \\\ IN .1 qaaint house in .1 beautiful ,. /\ dignified by the presence of a stately avenue ot elm-, / A some two hundred years old. leading to the front i * entrance, a leaiv regiment breaking tin : the tree-Jothed hill- towaids famous Harrow. The history of the mansion is une\enUul. It was probably built about 1550, has been altered by v.i :iitil little of the original structure remain-, and ha* never been sold, but passed by marriage to the present family. There is much to interest the architect and antiquary. The n >Me oak hall i- of the time of Charles II., an.l the west front of the same period. The house is a mixture of many styles, but the old and charming Queen Anne character ha- tven well pie-ei\e.l, meriting at this Jay the description Chauncy gave or it in 1700— *" fair house of brick." The period <• :ge II is Wen in the bow of the drawing-room and the library, and the east front looking on the rose garden is of quite modern times, about twenty-five years ago. Then- is .1 simple grandeur in the entrance from the elm avenue. The red brick is toned by the pleasant green of the trees, and nothing obstructs the mansion with its face to the hr.ud stret.h or open land The garden is glorious in colour as in repose Immediately against the house the quiet terrace may be gay with colour from an array of begonias, fuchsias, and summer bedding plants, it telie-hing to w.iU through the quaint | l< ached alley ot lime- to the woodland and \\ildeiness hi-yiid. u here shrub* ot imp-iriance tor colour of U-al. stem, and flower are mas-e.l in a hiild and piituresqu • w.iy. I he planting is quite modern; in truth, the gardens h.u.- been tr.in-|..rnu-d bv Lord Aldenham until they may be repaid -d a- new. and during the pa-t twenty \i-ais, with I. is ^ardi-ni-r-smi. the H 'ii. X'ic.iry (iihb-, M.I'., he has carried on extensive and judicious planting. Thomas Suit >n, who own<-d the estate in i;<>o, wnul.l scarcely recognise in the pn-s< nt extensive and \\i-ll-planted p.irk, garden, and woodland the Aldenh im ot his tar-off day. The e-t;:te pa--- -d in 1614, with fi it gentleman's d.mght -r and to her husban.l, Henrv <'. ij'nll, in whose tamily it remained until 17)4, and th^ir arms still re.iii loverthehal iio >r. Then it pa—ed to Potvrl Hu. l.mn- extinct in the male line. The estate then descended to a relative — Miss y.yi-s and thence to the ( iihbs tamily as heirs-at-law through the marriage of Antony - urandiaiher of the li.-t Lord Aldenh im) with horothea Hucks. It i- difficult t'> know \\lu-re to begin in a surve\ of the gardens and woodland at Aldenham, \v hich Comprise upu 1Mb KIlCHbN GAtl \tfl\l ll THE WATERFALLS. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. A STONE SEAT. Pomeroy), which stand above the steps at the end of the terrace, being good examples of the revived art of le.id sculpture, so well suited to the more formal parts of the garden. Many interesting features may be seen at this point. The rose walk is a fragrant and pleasant retreat on hot summer days, appropriately placed near the garden of bush roses enclosed within a yew hedge. This meeting of yew and rose is full of subtle chirm. The gardens have their varied character also. Yew deepens the tea rose tints, bringing out the tender shades, and making a background of colour for the groups of the best kinds planted in beds of simple design. In the immediate precincts of the house flowers are massed and grouped every- where, and there is a border of sub- tropical plants, remarkable for effec- tiveness. Not far away is a quiet scene — an orchard garden of apples planted in the grass, where the 'daffodils dapple the turf with flowers. In many gardens this form of gardening, imitating the sweet ways of Nature herself, is being carried out with success. fragranf with the breath of Simplicity is the charm of such wild gardening, scattering the flowers about in drifts and little colonies. The wilderness at Alden- ham is one of its most attrac- tive features. It is a place of vistas, cool green walks, and brilliant splashes of colour, not from flowers, but from the stems and fruits of the shrubs. This massing of shrubs is unusual, and worthy of imita- tion. No matter whether the winds of winter whistle through the trees, or the rich tints of autumn colour the boughs, this wilderness of shrub.s presents bright features. Here an enor- mous group of the sumach Rhus typhina spreads out its characteristic foliage, touch-d with brilliant colours in Sep- tember days, there the air is sweet briar, and the heavy racemes of Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora (the biz panicled A GARDEN SEAT. THE SEAT BENEATH THE OAK. hydrangea) weigh down the shoots. The Japanese ro-e, cut-leaved bramble, double bramble, Cornus Mbirica (the Siberian dog-wood), Rubus odoratus, Japanese windflower, symphoricarpus, ribes, and spiraea are a few of the shrubs massed in this btld and in- teresting way. One may imagine the effect of dozens of plants of the Cornus sibirica in the winter landscape, a glorious splash of colour in the grey. We can only describe this planting as magnificent for its effective ness, whilst the restfulness and charm of the wilderness are preserved. This free planting does not disturb the quiet grassy paths flecked with sunlight, and retreats from the glare of " bedders " and the heat of summer and autumn. By following one of the pleasant grass walks, and leaving the house and kitchen .///)/• .V//.-IA/ //i I/ A/. II? 118 GARDENS OLD AND A BRIDGE IN THE GARDEN. garden, with its fine ornamental domvay, the north- west side is readied, and here many changes have taken place during the past few years. On every hand are beautiful effects from the choice collection of trees and shrubs, and streams mean- dering into the moats of the i Id house, pulled down in the tim. of Henry VIII., where now is the water garden. Ti.e moats have been restored according to the old plan, whilst the old stew-pond is now a delightful bathing-place, grouped around with flowers and shrubs, kxtensive altera- tions, with new drives and walks, have been completed during quite recent times, and greatly adorn the splendid estate. The collection of plants is rare and interesting. Aldenl.am is not a garden .of one season only ; it is delightful to visit at all times — during the spring, when the flowering trees are I urdened v\ ith b.os^om and the marsh marigolds dot the streamsides with colour ; through the summer month*; aid in the autumn, to learn the value of the changing leaf in beautifying tie landscape. The trees and shrubs are massed upon the grass, and notwithstanding that the alterations have been com- pleted within quite recent years, the impression is that THE KNEELING SLAVE. of a garden mellowed by time. Weeping and variegated leaved trees are in abundance. A weeping tree is generally of graceful beauty, and casts a grateful shade upon the lawn in ____^___________ the hot su nmer days, but there must be no crowding together. Every tree should display its characteristic charm — the willows by the water- si ie, the holly upon the lawn, and the thorns i i the park. The willow is in its drooping form a thing of beauty, but rarely is it planted in the garden, or, for that matter, any of its precious family. 'I hose who have bare lakesides should learn something of the beauty of verdure from t e grounds at Aldenham. Oaks and elms prevail, and a noble group of six elms stands out against the sky ; but, as in the shrub masses near the water gardens, weeping trees are one of the features, the weeping beech near the house beinx unex- celled in the British Isles. It is a splendid specimen of its kind, the branches sweeping the grass and forming a fountain of leafy shoots, an arbour of grateful green in the warm days of summer. A varied garden, indeed, of natural beauty, with just enough of formaliiy near the house is tr.at at Aldenham. [ H9 1 COM1 TON WYNYATES, WARWICKSHIRE, THE SCAT Or THE MARQUESS OF NORTHAMPTON. 1'HIN four or five miles or the position where the King established himself on the eventful day of the b.ittk- ot i-dgehill, and below the slopes of the hills, hidden, indeed, in a sylvan hollow, stands one of the must beautiful Tudor houses in England. Warwickshire is very rich in cattle- and h former time, but it has nothing to surpass this admirable quadrangular house of the Marquess of Northampton. We lould not wi-h for a better presentment of the domestic life of our Tudor ancestors than is found in that wondrous structure, with its towers, embattlements, and mullioned and enriched windows, its porch and its timbered gables, its turrets and .1 chimneys, its chequered brickwork and its old-world pictures queness. England is fortunate, indeed, that it still : - such places, and Compton \V\n\ati-s is .ioubly fortunate in that it is pri/ed and treasuu-,1 by its noble owm-r and maint.mud in as high a st.tte as i-ver it knew <•: yore. I he ino.it. indeed, which u.is its outer guard, lias ^uu- in part, and now the visitor no longer t.irrirs to p.irh-y with tli- watchman hole is then-, through which he looked out to le.irn who the strangi r might :id the twisted stairway by wl ich he ascended to t.iU.- .1 larger survey. The oaken door is there also, Iv.irmg yd in its si-ams marks of the impotent fury of some who endeavoured to make turbulent entry th.it way. Originally the house was larger than it is now, and some evidences of its former extent still remain. Its buildings surround a quadrangular space 57(1. across. Over the arch of the entrance, as may be sei-n in our picture, are the aims THE ANCIENT GATEWAY. 120 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. of Henry VIII., with the griffin and greyhound for supporters, and the royal crown above, and in the spandril of the arch on the left are the Castle of Castile, the pomegranate of Granada, and the sheaf of arrows, which stand there for Catherine of Aragon, while on the other side the portcullis badge of Henry is plainly seen. The external front is very beautiful, with it-; old brickwork clustered with climbing flowers, and the sundial above ; but for the picturesqueness of the structure externally our pictures are sufficient warrant. Entering the court, there is seen the great bay which lights the hall, that customary feature in all the better houses of the time. The walls are vested with ivy, roses, clematis, and the fiery thorn, and there are old fuchsia trees along the FOUNTAIN, SUNDIAL, AND TOWER. pathways. In the south wall a door leads into the chapel, of which the noble mullioned window is a conspicuous feature externally. Close by, in the angle between the chapel and the hall, is the great parlour panelled with oak, and having a plaster ceiling bearing the arms of Compton and Spencer, erected in the reign of Elizabeth by William Compton, first L:arl of Northampton. Compton Wynyates had been built by an earlier Sir William Compton, who gained distinction at the Battle of the Spurs, where he was knighted for his bravery. In the great hall of his house he welcomed Henry VIII., with whom he had been at the Field of the Cloth of Gold. This notable chamber has an open timber roof, a minstrels' gallery, and a finely carved screen, which separates it from the lobby and staircase and the kitchens beyond. The chapel to which we have referred is also very beautiful, and possesses some most curious carvings, including the Seven Deadly Sins repre- sented as knights in armour, each with an imp behind to urge him forward. Sir William Compton's son Henry, created Baron Compton of Compton in 1572, received Queen Eliz.ibeth at his house in the same year, and was one of the peers who tried Mary Queen of Scots. He was succeeded by his son William, afterwards made Earl of Northampton. The drawing- room on the south side is a fine apartment wainscoted with oak, and having a good plaster ceiling put up by the latter noble- man, to whom much of the beauty of the house is due. There is a romantic story connected with the Earl's marriage. A certain rich Alderman Spencer, who was Lord Mayor of London in 1594, had a beauteous daughter, vv.iom he looked upon as the apple of his eye. With sturdy civic character the alderman did not look with a kindly eye upon the gallant young courtier, Lord Comp on, who aspired to the lady's hand. Indeed, so little did he approve the youthful swain, that he forbade him to enter his house at Canonbury. But, as Love laughs loud ac locksmiths, so did Lord Compton laugh at the alderman. By an astu.e device and ingenious stratagem he came to the house disguised as a baker, with many loaves in a huge basket, as those who saw it believed. Returning he encountered the alderman, who commended his enter- prise and gave him sixpence, telling him he was on the way to make his fortune, which, indeed, appeared to be true, for, greatly to the civic anger, it was discovered that he had carried away the lady concealed in his basket. The fury of the alderman was not to be appeased, and even Elizabeth exercised her offices in vain ; but at length, at her request, he consented to be the godfather to an infant, in whom Her Majesty had some interest, and who proved, as he presently learned, to be his own grandson. Then it would appear that a reconciliation was brought about, and the handsome carving and panelling over the mantel-piece in the drawing-room at Compton Wynyates are said to have been brought from the Canonbury house, and the arms of Compton and Spencer are displayed in many parts of the structure. King James I. visited Lord Compton at Compton Wynyates in 1618, the year before he was raised to the harldom. Mai.y, indeed, were the royal visits paid to the old Warwickshire mansion. Charles I. was there in the times of Spencer Compton, the second Earl, who was killed at Hopton Heath in 1643. Considerable alterations were made in the house by the fourth and fifth Earls, and in the time of the eighth Earl, who died in 1796, much waste occurred, whereby the house subsequently fell somewhat into a state of ruin. ID \) -o — s O a. 5! U J *v 5 0. 0 U) 122 GARDENS OLD AND Nl:W. The old timber was cut down on the estates to the value of ,£50,000, but Nature, ever kindly, has long since made good the loss. Happily subsequent possessors have valued the place and restored it, until it has resumed its old splendour, and stands as we depict it. Charles, third Marquess of Northampton, who died in 1877, did a great work in restoring and refurnishing his grand old seat. It would be a pleasure to describe the many splendid chambers of this historic house The great hall, chapel, and dining-room have bejn alluded to. There is the bed-chamber of Henry VIII., with the Tudor rose and the devices of Catherine of Aragon in the glass. The council chamber, the priest's rocm, and the long quarters over the drawing- room, known as the " Barracks," are extremely interesting. intere.-ts that surround the picturesque house of the Marquess of Northampton, and our illustrations will convey an idea of its structural beauties in stone, brick, and wood, and of the charming manner in which its walls are vested with flower- ing growths, these adding their sweeter charms without disguising the details of the admirable structure. It may be interesting to note that the mansion possesses eighty rooms, with seventeen distinct flig'its of stairs, and 275 glazed windows. There is in the grounds a relic of the old times in a quaint brick dovecote. A stone path, of which some portions may still be seen, led down from the house to the lower end of the pool, where the mill stood, an ice-house now occupying the site, and the water from the moat descended into two stew- ponds, and then to the mill pool. IHB PEKGOLA. Elizabeth, James 1., and Charles I., as we have seen, visited the house, and the room in which Charles slept is still sh >wn, with a spiral staircase by which either the moat or the upper part of the house could be reached. Again, the secret hiding-places and recesses for men who sought safety in troublous times would attract the curious. We are reminded that the place was captured for the Parliament after a three d.us' siege in June, 1644, when the Earl of Northampton's brother, with a dozen officers and 120 men with horses and guns, was seized. I he place was plundered, and Dugo.ile asser s that the Rmn.dheuds killed the deer and defaced the monuments in the church. Sir Charles and Sir William Compton made an effort to recover thu house in the next January, and gained a footing at night in the stables, but they were repul-ed with loss, and the third harl retained the estate only by paying a heavy composition. The Parliamentary troops remained in possession until June, 1646. The "Barracks" preserve by their name the memory of the troublous times when soldiers were quartered in the house . We have said enough to show how very great are the The gardens have been greatly beautified, and are maintained with a richness which many possessors of fine gardens might envy. In loveliness, radiance, and sweet appropriateness they are all that we could desire. Excellent green turf occupies in large part the place where the moat once extended, and all about are spread great borders and n asses of those tall-growing hardy flowers which are the glory of gardens from the first days of spring until the winds of autumn have blown. The effect of these splendid glowing flowers is superb, and nothing could excel the extreme beauty of the picture presented by their radiance, contrasted with the dark hue of the brick and stone of the old house and with the dense and luxuriant foliage of the trees that rise in the background. There is little here that is formal in arrangement, but a few hedges and solemn yews serve to unite the character of the old garden and the new. The circular grass plat with the sundial, neighboured again by those hardy perennials, is a centre of interest in the place. The square garden walk is extremely beautiful, and whichever way we look the glorious extent of the park reaching to the tops of the hills fills the mind with satisfaction. That '/( • Y ID \) /7/.y I- UJ H- z £ . O O (J — a a: < O H o f, x H 124 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. ACROSS THE MOAT. part of the moat which remains reflects, indeed, scenes that would be hard to beat, but which the imagination of those who see our pictures will readily conceive. There is the beautiful feature of a pergola to give shade in the heat of the day. Peace and repose, above all things else, invest the ancient abode. Its a r is that of sequestered calm, as it lies in the hollow in the green cup of the wood-encircled dale. The lights in the picture are in the sky-reflecting moat and the gay splendour of the flowers. The verdant slopes and the fine woodland supply the fitting frame. Compton Wynyates has attracted the skill of many artists, and it is truly rich in all that is architecturally pictorial — a wonderful grouping of effects in the varied outline of the structure and in its quaint features, set in the sweetness of its gardens and grounds. THE SUNDIAL. It owes much of its glory to the present Marquess of Northampton. The pathway by the dovecote, which has been alluded to, leads to the church. Th.j old edifice suffered much in the Civil War, when the monuments were wasted, but it was rebuilt by James, third Earl of Northampton, in 1663. Some of the" memorials had been thrown into the moat, but they were recovered and placed in the new edifice. Among them is the effigy of Sir William Compton, who built Compton Wynyates. He wears a collar of SS. with the Tudor rose. Another figure is that of his grandson, Henry, first Baron Compton, and there are several effigies of ladies and others of the family. Spencer, eighth Earl, was the last to be buried at Compton Wynyates. He died in 1796, and his wife and successors lie at Castle Ashby. Memorial banners and hatchments are also in the church, which form a long and practically complete record of the family of Compton. Whether we regard Compton Wynyates from the point of view of the architect seeking that which is beautiful in brick and stone, or the lover of natural beauty look- ing for the charms of a superb English landscape, or of one who finds his joy in the ravishing sweetness of a lovely garden, we recognise that the place deserves to rank very high among the glorious old houses of England. "Compton Pike" stands above it on the hill, placed there in earlier times, as a guide to those who sought the house which is below in the hollow, and is now a fine standpo.nt for a survey of the country. — H < >- S. O t- o. S O u z 01 Q O O _1 u. H Z O u. I - ~; 1U 126 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. LLJ CQ CO CQ (/) UJ UJ O Q 2 CO Q_ m T E- fci Ml* ':^"w5 }PP I •J 53 "\ u. • . -.« -J [ 137 3 AMESBURY . . ABBEY, AMESBURY. WILTS. THE SEAT or SIR EDMUND ANTROBUS. B.rt Fit- >M ihe garden pont of view Amesbury i« ch elly interesting for the richress o its t..liage and the superb character of its garden architecture. The place itself Is abundantly interesting also, and i» is i i possible to say how far its legendary antiquity might he carried back into the dim prehistoric age*. 1 here are those who say that the name signifies •• 1 IK- Land "t Ambrosius." the Brit>-R»mai General ssh> cam-.-, invited over by Vortigern, to a sist in expelling from B-itain the barbarous Saxons. The conventual house of Ameshurv is associated with the Arthurian legend as the refuge of (,Hi • <. -n Guinevere in her flight. We all know Tennyson'-, description of how she came to the " Holy House at Almesbury." and . ed the paring blessing of King Arthur, the "waving of h s hands that blest " as he left her for ever to meet his doom in the "Great Battle," she finally bving clu sen Abbess. Malory's account in the " Morte d' Arthur " is somewhat different. The site of the convent of Am?shury lies to the east and south-east of the present house, and, tradition tells us, once covered a space of thirteen acres ; at the present day not one stone above ground tells the tale of its former grandeur. The foundations of nuns' cells have been discovered, however, in many places by digging. The site of the monastery is unknown. Could it have crowned the great British earthwork (locally known as Vespasian's Camp and the Ramp.irts) which surrounds the wood to the west of Amesbury ? Alfred the Great presented fe monasteries of Ambresbury and Banwell to Asser. Bishop of Sherbornc, m recognition Of his M-I \ki-s. Urn-til 1:1 i ida founded tin- lle-ie lid '' at Ambreshury n qSo. t • 'he murder <-l her st, , Kdwird (the M.iitvt). at Corfe. I'obert of Gloucester a'ludes 'o the circumstance. In 1177 Hmrv II. dis the nuns, and gave thi- hous«- to tin- M-tvy ot 1'i.nltev.iult in Normandy. A priest and twenty-four nu s came tlwnce to ArnNesb-arv, and the c<>;.vent increased in glory and riches. King John conferred upon it important privileges, an I Hleinor, sole daughter • f Gt-ofliv tarl ot Brt-t.i^iu-. at lu-r own request, uas buried there. Mary, si\t i daughter ot l-.dward I., in companv with thi teen ladies ot noble Ivrth. t..,,k the veil there in u!;. and two years after .vards I leal -\ of Hei-.ry III., and motlier of Edward I., .iNo t" >k tin- \c-il at Ambresbury, an.i di-d th re June 2IM. I2«)i. during the :ue of her son in Scotia id On his return, he summoned a'l his cli-rgv and barons t>> AmlTi-s u v, where he solemnly completed the ent mbment »t his mother, on the day of the itv of the Virgin Marv, in the conventual church foimde I by her, and where her obsequies were reve ently celebrated. Isabella of Lancaster, ton th daughter of Henry L.irl ot Lancaster, was prioress in 1202. Florence Bormewe, the last prioress but one, at the dissolution of the monasteries refused to surrend-r her abbey to the Kind's emissaries. They u !• te : •• Albeit we have used as ma iy ways as our poor wits could attain, yet in tin- e ul we could not by any per-u bring her to conformity, but at all times «he resleth at remaineth in these terms.' -«he .mswered : "It the King's highness commanded me from the house I will gladly »u, though "KENT HOUSE"— THE EAST GATE. GARDENS OLD A\:D 1 beg my bread, and as for pension 1 care for none." Death soon afterward-; released her from the humiliation of surrender. Joan Darell, the last prioress, was more pliant, and surren- dered to Henry Vlll., December 4th, 1540. According to Tanner, the Abbey Lands were given to the Earl of Hertford, afterwards the Protestor Somerset, and after liis execution were probably gr.mted to Irs son, Edward Earl of Hertford, by Elizabeth This Lord Hertford lived at Amesbury, and h s tomb is in Salisbury Cathedral. His second wife was Francis, daughter of Lord Howard of Blindon. She had previously been engaged to Sir George Rodney of Rodney- Stoke, but jilted him for Lord Hertford. Sir George Rodney was heart-broken. He followed Lady Hertford to Amesbury, and sat up all one night writing verses to her w th his own blood, and finally " fell upon his sword and died." Amesbury Church still possesses the bell given by Lady Hertford, which bears the following inscription : " lie s! rouge in faythe, Prayes God well, Francis, Countess Hertford's bell." The property of Amesbury passed by marriage, sale, and inheritance respectively to the families of Aylesbury, Boyle and Queensberry, Henry Lord Carleton (the owner before the Queensberrys) leaving it by will to his nephew, Charles Duke of Queensbe'ry, in 1724, who marrit-d the beautiful Lady Catharine Hyde in 1720. She was the Kitty of Prior, and Gay Prior's ballad on her is well known. It begins : •'Thus K'tly, beautiful and younjj, And wild as colt untani'd, I!1, s; okt' the Fair from whence she sprung With li tie ra^e inflain'd. •' Inflain'd with rage at snd restraint Which wise mamma ordained, And sorely vex'il to play the saint Whilst wit and beauty reigned." The poet Gay was her especial friend and protege. Opposite t > the present dwell- ing-lKuseis a grassy bank — sloping to th- river flowing below — cut into fanciful shapes resembling the facets of a diamond, and in this bank is set a sort of stone room en- closed by wrought-iron gates, a beloved haunt of the pcet when at Amesbury. He is said to have written the words of the " Beggar's Opera" here, and the recess is still called Gay's Cave. The old house, inhabited by the Queensberrys, was built by John Webb (architect, born 1611), frcm designs by his uncle, Inigo Jones, in the Palladian style beloved by him, and an engraving and plans of it may be f^und in " Vitrivius Bntannicus," pag- 7, Vol. 111. The beautiful entrance gate piers, now standing at Ame.-bury, are by Webb. The magnificent bridge, one of the finest garden features in England, spanning the river Avon in the pleasure grounds is later than Webb (1777), and is a lovely object amid its sylvan surroundings. It is known kcally as Bannister Bridge — i.e., Baluster Bridge. The Duchess of Queensberry died in 1777, and the Duke in the following year, the title descending to his cousin, William Earl of March, in 1778. He succeeded his cousin Charles as fourth Duke of Queensberry, and in 1786 was created a British peer, taking the title of Baron Douglas of Amesbury. This Duke of Queensberry was commonly known by the nickname of " Old Q." He died unmarried in 1810, the estates passing to Archibald, Lord Douglas of Douglas, whose executors sold A SUNDIAL. them to Sir Edmund Antrob'.is in iS.q A:nesbury HVJ<;P remained uninhabited during a period of sixty years (for " Old Q." never lived there, though he sent orders from time to time to his steward for the cutting down of trees). At one time Sir Elijah Impey was tenant, and at another some French nuns occupied it for a while. Sir Edmund Antrobus's grandfather, upon inheriting Amesbury from his uncle, \vi-hed to restore and enlarge the house, but on examination, finding it to be eaten through with dry rot, decided to pull the old place down and build a new mansion in its place closely resembling the old, and in the same Palladian style. The present Amesbury Abbey stands in a small but pretty- park, through which the Christchurch Avon flows. Sorrow's I avengro stopped to gize over the parapet of Amesbury town Bridge at the river below; thus : "Presently I p:\ssed by a church which rose indistinctly on my right hand; anon there was the rustling t l<>.>'.< name frrni the place, txjt the Cevtr tons did not continue 'ong, their rstate passing to the family of Trillow, of whom Sir John, in n».i. ad I J the south aisle to the church which Bardolt il<- (.rstreton liad built. From the Trillows the manor passed to Sir John Bishopsden, and with Sir J ihn's daughter Philippa to Sir William Cati-t\v. Their son, Wihiam Clateshy, was the smu-what famous Minister of Richard HI. .and Speaker of the House of Commons in 1 484. who was taken at the battle d H s\\ orth and put to death. Henry VII. confiscated the eM.it.-. hut they were restored to William Cateshv's sun ( ieorge in I4<)'>. and continued with his family until they came to Robert CaU-shy, author of the Gunpowder Plot. THE DIAL IN THE BOX GAkDl.N. 132 GARDENS OLD AND NFW. Catesby was one of those who had suffered very severely under the penal laws in the time of James. Driven to desperation, after a licentious youth, he turned with fervid zeal to the faith he had foresworn, and in sinister conditions conceived that monstrous plot which it is difficult to imagine how any human mind could have harboured — the plan of blowing up the Parliament House, and of involving in common destruction the King, Lords, and Commons who had framed and executed the penal laws. It does not appear that this wild conspiracy took shape within the walls of Chastleton — certainly not in the existing house — for Catesby had sold the estate to Walter Jones for .£4,000 in 1602, and his own house may not have been on the same spot. It is said that he designed the purchase-money for the raising of a troop of horse in aid of Philip of Spain, who contemplated another attack upon England, and it is not at all unlikely that some of the money was expended in furthering the sinister scheme against the King, LorJs, and Commons. The existing house was built by the new possessor, a substantial woollen merchant of Witney, of whom it is related we may see. The builder ha.l two so s, Arthur and Henry. The latter was a gentleman learned in the law, whose bedroom is still called "the Doctor's Chamber," because it was appro- printed to his use. Arthur threw in his lot with the King, and followed the standard of Charles through the varying fortunes of the war, but, after that monarch's execution, lived quietly at Chastleton until 1651. Then o.ice more he took arms in the cause of Charles's son, and appears to have been with him on the fatal field of Worcester. Legends or histories record his home-coming. Mistress Jones, who was daughter of a London merchant, lying awake at night full of fears for her husband, heard the footsteps of a weary horse entering the stable-yard. Hastily dressing, she stole downstairs, and admitted her husband, all breath'ess from his flight, who sank it, to a chair, and, asking for food and wine, told the melancholy tale. Even while he was telling it, the fearful ears of his wife heard the hoofs of other horses approaching. Strangers were coming — Roundheads in pursu'.t of the fugitives — but the weary man, altogether spent, had no strength to fly. He sought refuge therefore in a serret THE ELEPHAM AND HLk YOUNG. that he came from the old line of Jones of Grismont, county Glamorgan, whose pedigree stretches back to legendary Brute, and through the mists of ages even to King Priam, in those times when Zeus from the Heights of Olympus directed the armies of Greeks and Trojans upon the plains of Ilium. The judicious may perhaps refrain from investigating this heroic genealogy, but will discover in the latter chain that he family inter-married with Tudor, Herbert, and many other noble houses, and gave many a son who fo.ight under the Red hragon of Wales. For us the interest of Walter Jones is that he was the builder of the imposing house depicted. He married Eleanor Pope, maid of honour to Queen Elixabeth, whose father was Henry Pope, the Queen's jeweller, and her uncle Sir Thomas Pope of Wroxton. It is believed, upon the faith of tradition, that Mr. Jones was his own architect, and, if that be so, he designed well and built substantially. The In HIM- was begun in 1603, and appears to have been finished about 1614. The estate at the time was not so largj as now, and the new mansion stood at one end have laid them low. In 1694 Walter Jones of Chastleton married Anne, daugl.ter of Richard Whitmore of Slaughter, and their son Henry, an ardent Jacobite, ended by wasting his substance; but Henry's son John, who never married, did a great deal to improve the estate and house. He re-roofed the mansion and carefully repaired its masonry. He appears to have been ai eccentric gentleman, for Miss Whitmore Jones, who has wri ten a brief account of her house, says that, when the workmen had left off, he used to go with his knife and try to pick out ihe mortar from between the stones, and if he succeeded, the work was be^un again. While it was in progress, he covered the courtyard gates with furze to disappoint the undue curiosity of visitors. Neither Mr. John Jones nor his brother Arthur left any heir, but the estate was bequeathed to John Whitmore, then a boy of fourteen, who was the son of a cousin, and in 1828 the new possessor, who had added the name of Jones to his own, and had married a daughter of Colonel Clutton of Pensax Court, removed to Chastleton He use, which again became a centre of life in the country. Mr. Whitmore Jones, who was universally popular, lived the true life of a country gentleman, maintaining and improving his estate, and ever looking after the we fare of hii tenants and neighbours Miss Whit- more Jones, in recounts one fact noted as of particular interest. In 1850 his tenant at Chastleton Hill died, and the farm was thrown on his hands. Having disposed of all his farming sto.k, he thought the season's cultivation of the land w< uld be lost, but neighbouring farmers came to his aid and offered, if he would provide seed corn and bread and cheese and beer, to give him a "love haul." The day was fixed, and Mr. Jjnes rode up the hill to see the men at work. "A wonderful sight met his view. No less than sixty-eight ploughs, ten of them double ones, were at work. The horses were dressed out in ribbons, and the men wore clean smock frocks. Altogether the scene had a most animated appearance, and resembled almost a mighty fair. One hundred acres were ploughed, harrowed, and nearly sown in that one day, and the only regret expressed was that more farmers had not heard of th- propos:il." Mr. Whitmore J';nes lived until 18,3, and all his four sons having died, the estate devolved upon his eldest daughter, the present poss -ssor. The general aspect • f the < 1 1 house has been alluded tt, and the illustrations are all-sufficient as a description. The structure is of grey stone and has not been altered in any way. It is q laJrangular, with the Dairy Court i|) \\} built. Internally the work is very fine, and the hall has a notable oak screen, with two segmental arches between elaborated columns, and with richly carved entabla- tures. The panelling is also old and good, and the furniture mostly of the period. There is also much ancient armour, some of it belonging to the Civil Wars. The Drawing-room, or Great Chamber, is also very characteristic, with enriched panelling, a splendid armorial mantel-piece, and a pla ter ceiling with pendants. The mullioned windows and Chippen- dale furniture complete a charming interior. The White Parlour, another finely panelled chamber, opens from the hall, and the Chestnut Parlour is interesting for its pictures and deep cupboards full of old china. The Catesby Room is also interesting, and there are the Cavalier Chamber, from which the secret room is reached, the State Room, the Library, and, abo.e aM, the very remarkable Long Gallery, with its impres- sive panelling and its waggon-headed ornamental ceiling— all very remarkable apartments. Indeed, Chastleton House will cede to few mansions of its kind in the interest of its interior. The Long Gallery is at the top of the house, and runs the whole length of the front, as was customary. The gardens and grounds have interests of their own, and are appropriate in style to the house they adorn. There is a forecourt entered through a c'~aracteris ic gateway with pinnacles, the approach flanked by flower-beds, and the enclosure formed by a laurel hedge. The princ pal and character- istic feature is the pleasaur.ce of clipped box at the side of t!ie house. Here, enclosed withi.i a circular hedge of yew, are m any curious bushes of box, standing like some fantastic ring of servitors about the central sundial. They are of odd and nam less shapes, toads or elves, perhaps— certain of them resembling somewhat an elephant w.th her young ; some of them formed in rings and ghbes, but all of them curious and interesting. Such a garden would not be formed in these days. A.-tiquity is written upon it, though the precise date of the curious girdenage is unknown to us. Evidently it belongs to an earlier time, when delight was taken in such quaint conceits. There is no lack of floral adornment, but the b)x gar Jen is the great feature. There are ample lawns and borders, and everywhere the tre s are particularly fine. The turf walks and formal flower-beds add to the attraction of the place, and in another part of the groan Js are the tennis lawns, formed on what was originally the bowling green. There is a memorial of the Jacobite times in the three Scotch firs which stand at the end of the garden by the churchyard. Trees of the kind were extensively planted by the friends of the Pretender before the rising of 1745, and Mr. Henry Jones of that time was an ardent Jacobite and a lea.ling spirit in a Jacobite club in Gloucester. The attractive features of the gardens will no', escape tho-.e who examine our pictures, which, indeed, describe the place better than words can, and the surrounding grounds are full of sylvan charm. The old stone dovecote is particularly worth_, of no. ice. I 1 CRANBORNE MANOR HOUSE. DORSET. MARQUESS OF SALISBURY. K.G old market t nvn of Cranborne in Dorsetshire, which ibout ten miles north from Wimbome, and kn iwnture.i or ficton • Ch.isetown" «-t " I<-^ot th • D'Urhervilles." the inn ther.- he in;; spoken of in 111..- novel .is the " Fleur du Lace," derived all its ancient im or t a nee from the nei^hbnir- hood of Cranb;>me Chase. th.it e\te..sive ti.ut ft .indent which included pan- f D rs :. Hants, anJ Wilts. Cr.in1 is no*- more particularly J stin^u.sheJ in the possession of the marvellously beautiful manor hou^e wl.ich we depict. Of all the splenJij house> appearing in these pi^-s, thou;',h s une may be more maje*t;c and ma ',n;ficent. there are very lew that ca i rival, in their sweet Jurm of architec ure and surroondinjs, t is old Dorsetshire dwelling-place The hmi>e stands a little to the wot of the ch.ircli, and tvl-m^-. to tlie Marquess of Salisbury, care it has ; • I. It appears to ! .i b en Kiilt ordinal y in the tutu- of Henry VIII , though there may even be earlier Ir.i^m nt-. in the and it ceitanlv hi tiler embellish • ' by KoVrt Cecil, the ^r t 1 Treasurer in the time ot James I . w'.i • was create.! in if> >j \ unt Cranborne from tl.is 1 >.>r-eishir.- p >ssesMon, and, in the following year, Earl of Saiis'.-my. The Jacobean puches on t e north and so.ith belong to his time, anl have been attributed t<> Ini^o Jones. We \\.ll iver that they were really designed by him. though n is well known tint he worked at Wilton in th • next ^o.mty ; bu', \sluther they were his creati'-n or i ot. u ho shall say thar they are n-t in every way \\orth> ••! Ins In d ? T" the ;!• iv of the early mulli -n-.-J win 'ows, embiflernents, a id pinn A GRASS WALK. 136 GAR DUNS OLD AND Nl-W. t!i.-y bring an element of classic charm, which seems all in harmony, though its architectural character is not the same. The north porch has a singular fascination in its Italian grace and style, its sculptured aJornments of heraldry and strap- work, its ardies, niches, and pilasters, and, indeed, combined with the terracing and the stairway, makes a picture of true domestic beauty, th? garden foreground add.ng the final charm. The delicacy of the constructional work is surpassed in few places, and Cranborne Manor House deserves to stand as an architectural triumph of the time. Over the sou h porch, upon which old horse-shoes hang for luck, may be seen the scales of Justice, and Mercy, a female figure, these having allusion to the former use of the great hall at Cranborne for judicial purposes when the baronial and other courts of Cranborne Chase were held there. At the east end they still point cut the dungeon where the offenders on such occasions were ofte.i c nfined. Thus does the place take us back to the old days of forest law an i b.ironial jurisdiction. In a house with such goodly external features, it is pleasant to find corresponding attractions within, and at taste of successive ages, is very impressive, and it will be seen how well the structure falls into those green surroundings. Its terrace is worthy of Haddon Hall. That feature is great in all the annals of garden ng, the place from which extensive prospects were surveyed, and terraces appear in many forms in the illustrations in these pages. But rarely shall we find anything to surpass, in simple and beautiful character or appropriateness to its surroundings, the te race at Cranborne Manor. The garden below is full of colour and sweetness, and tall hardy flowers margin the de.ightful pathways of turf. The bowling alley, called to new popularity in the revival of that ancient game of skill, brings back the gay cavalier and the gentlemen of the powdered wig and clouded cane, and the laughter of the ladies of long ago. Now there are few more attractive spots in any garden than a well-shaded bowling green, amid its hedges and trees. William Lavvson, "the Isaac Walton of Gardening," who wrote about three centuries back, like all Englishmen of his time, loved the bowling alley, where, in friendly contest, men might pass the evenings of summer. " To have occasion to A BACKGROUND OF YEW. Cranborne Manor House no disappointment awaits those privileged to enter. It was a place fit for kings, and kings have often visited it. James I. was here on August ijth, 1609, and killed several bucks in the chase, and again in August, 1621, dating thence three letters to his " sweete boys," who were then at Madrid on the business of the Spanish maniage. Charles I. was at Cranborne also, but in far different circumstances, on October i4th, 1644, during the Civil War, when Waller had been defeated at Cropredy Bridge and Essex had surrendered in Cornwall, but when the n-conJ battle of Newbury was to darken the Royal fortunes. Cranborne Manor House has still " King James's Room," with an ancient bedstead and tapestry, :md Queen Elizabeth's saddle is among its treasures. Out of the mullioned windows have looked along the garden alleys, and over the fair courts where the old-fashioned flowers grew, men whose names are great in history and fair ladies remembered still for their charms. The picturesque grouping of the buildings, marking the exercise within your orchard," he says, " it shall be a pleasure to have a bowling alley." True, being "more manly and more healthful! " — or so he thought it — he would have preferred "a payre of buttes, to stretch your arms"; but we no longer have butts in our gardens in these days, and those are fortunate who can lay out so sweet a place for their diversion as that good alley in the garden at Cran orne. The ivy-grown entrance lodge, with the arch rising between these two densely vested structures set diagonal-wise, has an individual charm of its own. It d serves to be n >ted as a suggestion among houses of the class. We do not know anything quite like it. Perhaps, if the ivy did not cLthe the arch so closely, the structural features might be a little better seen, but we shall go a long way before we find so pleasant an entrance to so beautiful a place. The opportunities lor originality are many, and the garden-maker, even if he foil >\v the traditional style of his choice, may venture from the beaten track to create some beauty or interest to his mind ; and it is not tj be denied that this entrance to Cianboriie VANOR. 1ST O Z s. x 0 S. 0 x i- 138 G/1RDKNS OLD AN 11 NklV. Manor is a very charming and satisfactory example of the architecture appropriate to a garden and e:tate. The picture brings it before the reader to the very life. There is particular pleasure in publishing th^se pictures. They represent the house under the happiest circumstances, and a study of their features should be a lesson and an expe rience to him \\-ho examines them. He may mark in one of them ihe very footsteps of the artist upon the dewy grass on that early morning of summer when the pictures wer_j taken. There is an inexpressible delght in those floral borders leading up to the exquisite structure of the house. The green lawn creeping up to the wall at the end of the build- ing, where the low, broad tower of tlie church of SS. Mary and Bartholomew, dating from Norman to Per- pendicular times, is seen rising in the background, completes a pic- ture not easily surpassed. Ihe shadowy walks between the tall hedges, the radiant region which lies below the terrace, the glori us prospect of wood and sky, disclosed from the porch ;Mid the windows of the n an.Mon — t h e s e are among some ot the n. any n.eri.s of this delightful house in the We-t Country. The church at C r a ii bo r n e , which has been alluded to, is one of the largest and most dignified in the county, with Norman w a y , Early w o r 1< sevi ral a door- m uch English a n d notable monuments, while ihe p.iri.1-!! ( f u hich it is the mother cl urch is s< me forty miles in c i r c u m - ference. Here, anciently, was a Benedictine Priory, which lost ;-o:ne of its importance when its monks were reduced upon the rebuild- ing of Teu kesbury Priory. There are other ancient features hereabout. I hus, on Castle Hill, rising about a mile south- east, is a great and lofty mound, with a semi-circular rampart andadcrp fosse behind, which is reckoned very remaikable amorg ancient earthworks. History is written broadly on the f.ice of the land. 'I hi re was, of cour>e, in ancient limes a lordly -dwelling- place at Cranborne, v. here resided the lord of th.it great chase THE SOUTH PORCH. or forest which had for its early limits Salisbury, W Iton, Tisbury, Kingsettle near Shaftesbury, BlanJford, Wimbome, Ringwood, Fordingbridge, and L'ownton. 't was a Koya! possess! -n granted out to great nobles. The Earl of Glou. ester had it, but it was in the hands of the Crown in the reign of John. Old Aubrey, gossiping, mwc SIM, of the country and the things he heard in his journeying, says Roger Moi timer owned it, having his castle at Cranborn?, and " if these oakes were vocall as Dodona's, some of the old dotards (old stagge- headed oakes, so-called) could give us an account of the amours and secret whispers between this great Earle and faire Queen Isabell." ~ The chase remained with the Crown from Edward IV. to James I., and the latter monarch granted it to the Earl of Pembroke, fro n whom it pissed through several noble families to Earl Rivers, to who m General Lane- Fox succeeded. It was a green and shadowy region, prized for vert and venison, where often t.ie hunts- m a n would " drive the deer with h >und and h m." '• Mi-rry it is in tin- j; o.l green \-,<»\, \V;;eu tin; mavis and nr He are singing," trolled the old balladist when he heard the huntsman's horn. I rue was his song of those privilege J to be merry in the forest, but a hard law lay upon others within the bounds, whic i caused the fi -rests of the king an. I the great nob'es to be looked upon as the abodes of cruelty. It was a condition of English life long since passed away, and in these days it is hard to realise the important part forest- land played in rural economy in ancient times, when s-j much depended upon the chase. Even in Bede's day, the mighty Andred's Weald stretched for 120 miles from Hampshire to the Medway, while the counties to the west were thickly overgrown, and vast woods covered what are now the Midland counties and stretched away right into the North. It was as much a capital offence to kill a sta-j; as to kill a man, and by lash or fine the unsuccessful hunt-.- man was rewarded. Within the bounds no bows mijit be THE LOGGIA. 140 GARDENS OLD AND CN THE STA'RWAY. curried s:ive by licence, and there might be no dogs except mastiffs, these being " la\ved " by the expeditaton of claws. Jealous, indeed, was the watch of verderers, regarders, and other fcrest officers deputed to keep the forest possessions. There were taxes also for the pannage of swine and the agist- ment of cattle, and there was a " cliiminngium," or tax upon carts used for fuel, charcoal, or bark. In short, the code of forest laws and regulations was regarded by the hn-lishman as a grievous hardship, and it is not difficult to realise the resentment which they raised. Poaching and outrage inevitably resulted, the forests becoming a byword of rpnroach, and some of the conditions which ensued in later times are very curiously illustrated in the history of Cranborne Chase, while many an offender was hauled up for ready justice h the hall of Cranborne Manor. William Chafin, clerk-, who wrote " Anecdotes of Cranborne Chase" in 1818, and who had known the region for upwards of seventy yea s, has many curious things to record concerning the lawless- ness that prevailed, and the pages of Hutchins's "Dorset" tell the same story. Even the men of position in the neighbourhood pursued the evil work of netting game. " From four to twenty would assemble in the evening, dressed in cap and jack, and quarter-staff, with dogs and nets. Having set the watch- word for the night, and agreed whether they should stand or run if they should meet the keepers, they proceeded to the chase, set their nets, let slip their dogs to drive the deer into the nets, a man standing at each end to strangle the deer as soon as they were entangled. Frequent bloody battles took place, and the keepers and sometimes the huntsmen were killed." Chafin says that he believes a very sanguinaiy engagement in the parish of Tarrant Gunville was the earliest of the kind in Cranborne Chase. In his day the scene of the affray was called " Bloody Shard," and the wood within " Bloodway Coppice." Another desperate fight took place on Chettle Common on the night of December ijth. 1780, and even ten ye.irs later the chase was infested with a " villainous set of deer slayers." These were events which still dwell in the memories of THE NORTH-CAST TERRACE. \l »\<»A'. U x: - CO x: U K. UJ 142 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. THE GATE-HOUSE those who live at Cranborne. Lord Shaft :sbury had dis- membered the chase towards the en i of the seventeenth century, but even as late as 1828 it contained some 12,000 deer, and had as miny as six lodges, each with its " walk." Two years afterwards a change came over the p'ace, for it was deforested, and the reproach was removed, but the chase had become a public evil and a haunt of profligates and smugglers. The game of Cranborne Chase had been greatly prized. " The deer of the forest of Groveley," says Aubrey, " were the largest fallow deer in England, but some doe affirm the deer of Cranborne Chase larger than these of Groveley. A gl >ver of Tysbury will give sixpence more for a buckskin of Cranborne Chase than of Groveley, and he saies that he can afford it." The troublous times which dis turbed the peaceable in- habitants of the region have long since passed away, and it has returned to a pastoral state, which makes it afractive amon;'. the beautiful regions of the West. It is a district of farms and dairies, with much pasturage. A great deal of the game- sheltering wood- land has dis- appeared, but Still the region of t!ie old chase is lull of sylvan THE BOW!. ING Al.l.r.Y. charm, though the leafy labyrinths of earlier days are replaced in many parts by cultivated spaces. It was as noted for its attractions in former times as it is in these. To quote Aubrey once more, where he speaks of another part of what once was known as the " King's Chase," " The Arcadia and Daphne is about Fernditch and Wilton, and these romancy plaines and boscages did no doubt conduce to the heightening of Sir Philip Sydney's phansie." Lovely is the country about the Manor House still, and readers of Thomas Hardy have dwelt many a time upon his descriptions of its charms and his vivid pictures of its life and character. It is a land of hill and hollow, wood and meadow, that enframes the beautiful Tudor and Jacobean struc- ture, and forms the foil to the loveliness of its fragrant gardens. ^^^^ They are gardens of simple beauties, their attraction resid- ing principally in the old mossy terrace, the long flower borders, the green alleys and lawns, and the charms of the neighbouring woodland. They are trim and yet not formal, planned with art and yet natural. They are main- tained as all gardens that are loved and valued are k e pt — admirable there- lore for en- j o y m e n t and example. I 1' MERE HALL DROITWICH Coi.OM.I. BEARCROFT THIS very fine and impressive TuJor mansion is a good example of the timbered architecture »f Hngl.m I. In the forest Jays, when timber was in plenty and stone costly or difficult to procure, wood and brick were the materials with which the knight and peasant constructed their picturesque abodes. The skill of the architect and the builder was such that the tough oak beams, well jointed in the framework, pegged and m • together, have withstood the storms of centuries in many a place until to-day. Fragments of such archi ecture m iy he seen all through England, frequently in the level plains, and more seldom when the hills betoken the presence oi M They remain in rustic places, with pleasant gardens about them, but not many are the examples preserved >o well as Mere Hall, or so suitably adorned with gardens such as \\e depict. The timber style of architecture is generally associated with Lancashire and Cheshire. In the oldest houses a low stone wall carries che timber framing, and in the earlier examples, as at Tabley, Baguley, Smithells, ;:nJ Samlesbury, the beams are of enormous size. The framing took a rectangular form, with diagonal struts, as .it Mi-re Hall, and o:ten, as in the upper works and gables there, was enriched by picturesque ad>rnm nt. I he panels were usually filled with a basket-work osier foundation, covered with clay strengthened with straw or reeds, and finished with p: within and without, which soim-tuneo was worked in mate patterns. The gables were enrolled with pinnaJes and elaborate hirge-boards. and th mullions and the window- heads were be.iutifully moulded and sculptured. I he chimney stacks were of brick or stone, and usually lofty and striking features of the mansions. The post ion oi SIK h IVMSI-S was usually capable of deU nee. Sometimes the house was ..n a steep river brow; often, like a Roman station, it lay in the fork of two rivers or streams, or it was entirely dt-l ended by a moat ; and rarely, as at Tabley Old Hall, it sto.nl detached upon an island. To endeavour to delineate the dwellings of our ancestors is a tempting quest, and there is the rarest tasunati n in the attempt to penetrate their recesses, to sit, as it were, in their lofty bays, it may be even discover their hi. ii.ig places, a issue from the hall and the porch, perhaps by a draw Iv into the sweet gardens without. But we must not dwell much longer upon structural m .tiers here. ( >ur purpose is with th.- delightlul Worcestershire house m the salt region of Dr-nt.vich, which demands attention, with its long succession of gables and gablets, its nct.igon turret, and the tall chimn ys all grouped, in that delightful garden, against a beautiful b.i.k- grou:ul of trees. The approach is very charming, for the wax- is al nig a splendid avenue o; ancient elms, s >m<- ot them THE FISi:-IO\L>. 144 GARDENS OLD AND NEI'/. THE OLD GARDEN WALL. THH GREAT ELM AVENUE. f\(F.KF. HALL. 1! . c u. Q x. O U x - - UJ x H 146 GARDENS OLD AND still in their prime, but others giving evidence of their antiquity in their worn and riven crests. Then we reach those splendid wrought-iron gates, with the lofty metal piers, admirable examples, set in a semi-circle of masonry, and so reach the forecourt and the porch, noticing first the exceedingly quaint summer-houses on either side of the gate, which seem to have been added in the time of Queen Anne. Mere Hall is one of the most important houses of the class in Worcestershire, and has a symmetrical character of its own. Its plan is that of the simple manor house, with the "great hall" in the centre, where were the usual -arrangements of mediaeval times more or less developed, high table, canopy, bay, and fireplace, perhaps with the screen and lobby. On the right is the dining-room, where, we may surmise, were the domestic offices in the old time, and on the left the drawing- room, with the library behind. About the year 1828 Mr. Habershon, author of "The Ancient Half-Timbered Houses of England," made considerable alterations and additions here ; but he seems not to have for the more intimate character which should be found in the gardenage of ancient timber architecture, we shall probably arrive at the conclusion that simplicity and richness should distinguis'i it. There may well be, as at Mere Hall, fine hammered iron gates as an approach, and there may be enclosed gardens with yew hedges and quaint garden- houses, as at this attractive Worcest. rshire seat, it will be particularly observed that the lawns sweep up to the base of the structure, and that nothing conceals the design. The grass frontage without terrace seems to be usual in the case of houses of this class, as may be seen in the Lan cashire examples. The situation of Mere Hall is typical of that of most such buildings, being level and grassy. Terracing would, indeed, have been out of place, and the simple effect is perfectly good without it. Flowers in abundance are invited to reveal their charms, and there are many very fine evergreen bushes, which add to the winter beauty of the place. The broad grouping of the antique mansion, with its lawn gardens and trees, as seen from the pond, is admirable. AN OLD GARDEN-HOUSK. changed the main plan, while extending the structure behind the dining-room, where now are the kitchens and offi.x's. His account of it is interesting. The place, as he says, is in Hanbury parish, and it lies about three miles from Droitwich, on the Alcester road, and has been in the possession of the family of its present owner for many generations. The hill behind is lofty and covered with wood, and forms a fine back- ground to the structure, besides shekering the garden. The date 1335 is roughly carved on an upper beam between two bedroom windows, and it has been suggested that this may be a mistake for 1535. The date, however, is plain, and it is known that the house was built by 'I homas Bearcroft of the time, and the edifice has an early simplicity. Our pictures will show how a more modern hand — could it have been that of Mr. Habershon ? — has substituted sashes of "carpenter's gothic" for the od mulliont-d and leaded windows. It will now be asked what kind of garden should lie about such a picturesque house as this. The grand avenue of < Ims woulJ be appropriate to any stately mansion, but if we look Obviously, where houses are built of timber and plaster, th.jre should be some reluctance to allow green things to cling too closely. This rule appears to have been applied at Mere Hall, where o.ily on the chimney-sta ks are climbers suffere 1 to intrude. There is much attraction and beauty in the garden that will please every taste, and the brick garden walls are richly festooned with flowering pl.mts. Such things will be appreciated from our pictures, and further description would be superfluous. One very great charm of the p ace is the broad sweep of the park that surrounds it, gaining greatly in its nob.lity from the truly splendid trees that flourish in that deep soil. The fish-ponJ was a common feature in the old gardens of such houses as this, anJ the large expanse of water which we depict is perhaps the survival of that mere which doubtless gave name to the place. It may be added that the gardens are maintained in that state of perfection which is the final charm of all good gardens. Mere Hall is an attractive addition to our series of garden pictures, standing amid truiy beautiiul surroundings. [ 117 1 PARHAM PARK, SUSSEX . . . THE SEAT OF LORD ZOUCHE OF HARYNGWORTH. SUSSbX is one of those English counties which have a wondrous deal of the national and personal lile of our countrymen. There is scarcely a Sussex village that is not in some measure a landmark of history, and if, sometimes, the solitary hamlet seems cut off from the busy hum of the urgent world, living amid the (olds of the hills an uneventful life of its own, be sure that in its annals there have been stirring events or curious happenings to record. No part of England bears witness to greater changes in the physical aspect of the land than this southern fringe. Richly wooded still, much of it was possessed long ago by the great area of forest and waste which bow the name of the Andred's Weald, and when /£lla and Cissa "beset Anderida, and slew all that were therein, nor was there afterwards one Briton left," the warlike chieftains saw a country OAVU-J mile after mile beyond with dense thickets that have now given place to the wide nu-adou , the cornfield, and the fruitful i.rch.ird. It is .1 > -unity run in passages of sylvan beauty, and dignified in many place*, as at Parham Park, by the possession of old aiuvstral trees of mighty growth and splendid mould. The open heights of the Downs, with their subtle effect of atmosphere and di-t.nuv, their changing hues and individual character, their romantic prospects of land and sea, have a fascination which none who know them can resist. Nestling below tlu-i s-mthern slopes, and sheltered from the chilling blasts, are many quaint and picturesque villages, and near them not a few »f the houses of the great, who have chosen this favoured region as (un- desirable to dwell in. Parham Park, the stately seat of Lord Zouche, is THE GAIb AND THE VISTA. 143 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. pre-eminently one of these. It is, indeed, one of the most important and stately old mansions in Western Sussex — a charming architectural creation, \v'.th noble gardens and a beautiful park, lying at the foot of tha Downs, an] having behind it a hill commanding a great prospect of land and sea, with the Isle of Wight to close the view. The house has been restored by judicious hands, so that it bears the true aspect of that spacious age in which it was built. It stands where the expansive level of the lower country melts insensibly into the graceful upland curves, and the broad acres smile under their ample share of the sunlight. Before the Conquest, the Abbot of Westminster held Parham Manor, but one Tovi, a freeman, was settled there. The place was numbered among the broad possessions of Earl Roger, and in the centuries that followed passed through the families of St. John and Tregoz, Edward Tregoz having been lord in 1399, after which period Parham seems to have lapsed to the Crown. The Abbots of Westminster continued, however, to hold the manor, and no confirmation of the tradition, but it is worthy of remark that tiie date 1583 and the Queen's arms occur on the wall at the upper end of the h ill. The present flat ceiling is of the same date, and it is suggested that it may not have been originally there. Whether that be the case or not, this construction has enabled the beautiful long gallery to be erected, a feature quite characteristic of the time, though rarely found, perhaps, in the same relative position. The gallery at Parham is lined with portraits of the Bisshopps anJ their connections, including one of Henry Bisshopp, a stout Royalist, who was concealed here from t ic Parliamentary forces, and who is represented with a dog which shared his hiding-place, and on whose silence his fate depended. Entered from this gallery is a small chapel, with a curious Jacobean wooden font. The hall below is lighted by four large windows, 24ft. high, and, according to the custom of the times, has a carved oak screen at the lower end, which is good, and DENOTES THE • TIMB ON BRASS AND BOX. at the Dissolution their possession came to the King. Parham was thereafter sold to Robert Palmer, third son of Thomas Palmer, of Angmering, the sale being effected in 1540, at the price of ^£1,2:5 6s. jd., and a yearly rental of £6 us. 4d. We do not know what manner of house stood on the site at the time, but some parts of a medizeval dwelling-place are emboJied in thi existing structure. Thomas Palmer, the new owner's son, completed the house almost as it stands to-day, and enclosed a park, and Sir Thomas Palmer, Robert's grandson, sold the estate in 1597 to Sir Thomas Bisshopp, Secretary of State under Sir Francis Walsingham. The house is built of chalk from the Downs, faced with stone, and its south and west fronts are excellent work of Elizabethan date. The trace of the modern hand is still upon the structure, but where should we wish t > see better work of its kind than that glorious hall window of many lights, cresteJ by the quaint gables and picturesque chimneys above ? In August, 1591, Queen Elizabeth is said to have visited Sir Thomas Palmer's house, and to have dined in the newly- finished hall, on her \\ ::y to Cowdray. There seems to be in very perfect preservation. The north and east sides of the house belong to the reign of Henry V1I1 , and some parts to a still earlier date. The k.tchen is rem irkable as being identical in plan with that of Christ Church, Oxford, and is a cube of 25ft., with two great fireplaces beneath Gothic arches, I4ft 6in. wide. The house passed, after the death of Sir Thomas Bisshopp, through the hands of many descendants, and has never since been alienated, but has been transmitted through female heirs. Sir Cecil Bisshopp, second bironet, made some changes in the mansion, about 1710, rather pre- judicial to its character, and the port co on the south side seems to have been refaced about that time. The " Topographer " of 1791 figures the house, and remarks that the windows were rendered uniform by new sashes, though some still remained in their original state. " The workmen are now, in the absence of the family, making similar alterations, and adding and refitting several rooms." At the same time, though the old was being destroyed, something of sham antique had been added in the shape of " castellated stables P.4KK. . THH BARON S WINDOW. 150 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. of rough stone work." In Neale's "Views of Seats," published in 1828, ti.e gables are not shown, the projecting bays having then been given segmental tops and plain sash windows. Happily, since that time the ho :se has been well restored, and on the south side fine bay windows have been added in admirable keeping with the old. Sir Cecil Bisshopp, the eighth baronet, who was con- cerned in modernising the house, succeeded in establishing his claim to the ancient barony of Zouche of Haryingworth, in 1815. William de la Zouche, lord of that place, was summoned to Parliament as a Baron, 1308-14, and his honours rested with his descendants, of whom five immediately following bore his name of William. John, the seventh baron, was attainted in 1485, but his attainder was reversed, THE HOUSE AND CHl'RCH. and the barony of Zouche, to which that of St, Maur had been adJed, continued with his descenJants until it became abeyant between his two daughters, and so remained until Sir Cecil Bisshopp, sixth in descent from the elder daughter, Elizabeth, succeeded, as we have said, in establishing his claim to the title. At his death it again became abeyant between two daughters, but a year later the abeyance was terminated in favour of the elder of them, who had married the Hon. Robert Curzon, M P. This lady was succeeded in the title by her son, Robert Curzon, the fourteenth baron, father of the present Lord Zouche, in 1870. The late Lord Zouche was a nobleman of fine taste, who richly stored his house with precious things. He made a great collection of early armour, and the display at Parham was almost unrivalled, while the gold and silver plate and ivory carvings were very beautiful, and the library was rich in ancient manuscripts. Lord Zouche, whose book, " The Monasteries of the Levant," is well known, brought much armour from the East, some of it from the church of St. Irene at Constantinople, which had been worn by the defenders of the Pala;ologi against the Turks in 1452. The collection also includes three complete suits of armour of ufo, 1250, and 1350, and complete suits of Gothic armour, with pointed toes, prior to 1452, as well as many helmets and several cross-hiked swords. Lord Curzon described his collection in the Archaeological Journal, XXII., 1865. Most of the precious manuscripts from the library have 1 veil removed to the British Museum. In the hands of tlu fourteenth baron, the great house at Parham was well cared for, and our illustrations will show that the place is maintained in perfect state and order. We shall leave our pictures to tell the story of the beautiful gardens. They have a simple, natural character, with some quaint features, like the sundial which tells the fleeting hours upon brass, while the pillar casts its shadow upon the well-grown dial of box which surrounds it. There are broad lawns on the south side, between the house and the old church, and the trees are everywhere magnificent. The avenue and the old dovecote make a delightful picture, and the kitchen garden is florally adorned. There are quaint gate- posts and iron gates, and pathways in sun and shade, where it is pleasant to linger, and everywhere is a lavish array of flowers. The park is famous among the many beautiful parks of Sussex, and has interests that are quite its own. Knox, in his "Ornithological Ramble in Sussex," rightly speaks of it as a forest-like park, or rather chase, with its thickets of birch and whitethorn, and its wide-branched elms and oaks, the latter especially grand and picturesque. On every side it is a realm of sylvan beauty, and a background of green hill is seen here and there between the splendid masses of foliage. In the deer park a pond called Wood Mill Pond reflects a charming land- scape, and as we traverse the open expanses remains of a considerable village are found. Adjoining the deer park is a large wood, called the North Park, where the pines and spruce firs are glorious. Knox speaks with enthusiasm of the most interesting heronry there. " Advancing with the utmost caution, the visitor may perhaps invade the colony without disturbing them, and hear the indescribable, half- hissing sound uttered by the \ • : , ••.:•,. :,i !;;. .,. ' "^: 3f being fed. The slightest ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^* noise, however, even the snapping of a stick, will send the parent birds off at once. The herons assemble early in February, and then set about repa ring their nests, but the trees are never entirely deserted during the winter months, a few birds, probably some of the more backward of the preceding season, roosting among their boughs every night." The herons begin laying early in March, and from the time the young birds are hatched until late in the summer the parent birds forage for them day and night. Their food consists of fish, and of reptiles anJ insects, which their lengthened tarsi and acute serrated bills enable them to seize in the shallow waters of the rivers, or in lakes or marshes which are their haunt. The history of the heronry at Parham is curious. The ancestors of the birds were brought originally, it is believed, to Penshurst by the steward of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, from Coity Castle in South Wales, and at Penshurst the herons remained until the beginning of the nineteenth century, when, some of their nesting trees being cut down, they resented the intrusion, and migrated to Michelgrove, some fifty miles south- west of Penshurst, and six or seven south of Parham. The proprietor at Michelgrove having cut some of his trees, the birds migrated again, and established themselves at Parham in 1826. Some of them were alarmed once more by the trees there being pruned, and they then betook themselves to Arundel, about six miles away, but came back after a while, and increased and multiplied, being thereafter disturbed only by the thieving rooks. The heronry adds much inte:est to the ferny deeps and the glorious old oaks, pines, and firs of Parham Park. The house, according to a common custom, stands near the church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, and is interesting and picturesque, and has a curious leaden font dating from 1351. Beyond the sacred edifice the hill breaks suddenly into a declivity, giving a wide prospect over the plain, in a manner quite characteristic of this part of Sussex. The valley of the Arun opens, as it approaches the sea, into wide and level expanses, and thus from all the hills thereabout these great views are disclosed. It is a beautiful and attractive country in which Parham Park lies. P.4RK. 151 X _ - [ 152 ] THE RESIDENCE MAPPERTON . . HOUSE, BEAMINSTER, REV. P. M. COMPTON.4 I M ;ANY fine houses and beautiful gardens are in the Wessex county of Dorset. The land is ricli and fruitful— if not pre-eminently in cornland, yet in the abundant pastures wlrch maintain those splendid herds that make Dorsetshire one of the chief dairying counties in England. In traversing it from north to south the wayfarer passes through scenery that is wonderfully varied and singularly picturesque. He journeys through a great pastoral land, much diversified by hill and hollow, with hawthorn hedges and apple orchards, and many a farmhouse and cottage nestling among the trees, and presently he sees rising before him the edges of the calcareous hills which lie between that lower country and the sea. From the heights there are distant prospects ever the land to the hills which everywhere shut in the view, unless it be where the glistening waters of the Channel, like a burnished shield, make a fair margin to the outlook on the south. In ancient days the country by the rivers was rich in a dense forest, in whose glades the grunting porkers fed on the mast of beech and oak. Can we not hear tluam sti'l when we pass through that village significmtly named of old Latinity Teller Porcorum ? By that way we may go in a wayfaring from the direc- tion of Dorchester by the valley of the Frome to the village of Mapperton, which lies between Toller "of the Pigs " and Beaminster. As the crow flics, Mapperton lies some seven miles from the s=-a at Bridport Harbour and within a short two miles of Beaminster. It is not forgotten that this is a region made known through the Wessex novels of Thomas Hardy. Bridpoit is the " Port Breedy "of " Tess of the D'Urbervilles," near which place she did dairy work in her days of trouble ; while Beaminster is the Emminster of the novel, the "hill-surrounded liltle town, with the Tudor church tower of red stone, and the clump of trees near the vicarage," where the father of Angel Clare was incumbent. Through the district of Mapperton, then, we may follow Tess in some of her weary journeys. It is now time to turn to the mansion we depict, and we shall not err if we extol its true old English domestic THE OLD GARDEN AND GRASS TERRACE. C\l •//•/'/ KJt^X HO 154 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. picturesqueness. There are greater places of more st.ttely aspect, richer in tlieir adorn- ments and grander in their proportions, hut it is difficult to imagine anything more attractive than that front of this Dorsetshire house wlrch lo ks out into the grassy fore- court. The place is said t-> have been erected in the tinu (f Henry VII., and there is little doubt that some parts of it go back as far, though mani estly many details belong to a more recent date, when the Renaissance had carried the classic spirit into the domestic architecture of Eng- land. Many additions were made in the reign of Queen Hlixalxth, and the balustrade is pe:haps of that time, and later than the structure itself. Much older certainly is the wing which looks into the forecourt from the side, with its extremely quaint angle shafts and the singular beauty i.f its mullioned windows, and to a much later d.ite be! ing the very fine and characteristic gate-posts crested by eagles with expanded wings. In the time of Henry I, the manor belonged to a family bearing the name of Bryte, and, after passing through many hands, it came in 1604 by marriage to Richard Broderipp, from whose family it went, again by marriage, t;i that of the present owner, for Catherine Richards, the great-grandd tighter of Richard Broderipp, married in 1780 ,V\r. John Compton of the Manor Hou-e, Minstead, who was tl.e grandfather of the late THE AVENUE AND STABLES. Mr. Henry Compton. In the hands of successive owners the place has undergone various modifications, but there is nothing to mar its extremely beautiful character. It will be observed that great richness characterises the house. Externally, the twisted clrmneys, the finely moulded mullions and transoms, the admirible character of the doorway and porch adornments, and the well-proportioned feature of the balustrade, are exam- ples of what we say. It will be remarked also that the bays of the structure are extremely fine, and that the gateway has a strongly individualised character. Within, the ceiling of the THE HENRY VII. V\ING. HO; • Jraw.ng-room Is an admirable example of plaster-work, with pendant .in. I ileurs.de-lys in the panels, and a In richly \vorki-d with medallions, while the wainscoting of the rooms is extremely nood. In vari< s in the structure the armtiri.ll bearings of the owners are sculptured .mJ emMuoaed characteristically . h.xtemaily, the herald tin- octagonal turrets and spiral pedestals are very good. What shall we say about the gardens of this sweet Dorset -aire house ? They are simple as such gardens should be. The mansion itself is richly vested with ivy and climbing roses, though nowhere to the obscuring of its architectural features. Tall gate-posts crowned with balls open to the •venue between the house and the outbuildings, which last are among the quaintest imaginable. The gardens c.-ver about t'xjr acres, and have a sweet and attractive character, without Jy marked features, though the long grass slopes. t»rmin^ terraces, are quite characteristic and good. The nee of many trees adds very greatly to the charm of the place. They are in much variety, which has been increa-i ,i by the care devoted to judiciou* planting, and (lowering district is given up to dairy farming, and Hardy took hi* pictures of farming life tr<>m what he had seen and observed in tluse Dorsetshire hills and valleys. HeammM.-r is. in fact, the centre of a district fam-ms for the •• Double U-rM-t" or "blue Vinny" cheese, and the hills that surround the town are mostly occupied by the farms, but in the broader valley* the farms are generally larger, and produce immense quantities of butter and cheese. The traveller who has passed over the chalk downs and cornlanJs, where the >un blazes upon the fields, is delighted to look over the lower country devoted to dairy farming, where the lanes are white and the darker network ol the hedges overspreads the paler green of the grass. As Thomas Hardy says of the Vale of Blackmoor, with slight exceptions, the prospect in such places is a broad rich mass of grass and trees mantling minor hills and fair, pastoral J.iles. The forests, as we said, have depart. . I. though some old customs that belonged to them seem still to be retained. The produce ol the Mapperton district is carried for country consumption into Beaminster and other towns. The main lm<- of the South Western Railway is a few miles to the north, but m-arer at hand THE KNTHANCE GATES. .ire one of the principal attracts >ns, though the tall elm and the spreading chestnut seem to predominate. The broad-lraved plane and the nodding birch are of the goodly company, and have their part in the sylvan charms of these Dorset valleys. Mapperton House has tine lawns and ample parterres, and it will be remarked that the j-reen grass space in the forecourt, running quite up to the wa is of the house, is a pleasant relief to the grey stone of the structure. The country about, as has been said, is very picturesque and varied, for the house stands in a fairly elevated situation, but sheltered by the hills and having a conical height called Chart Knoll on the north • west. Nearly the whole of the is the line that runs from Bridport to Maiden Newton, on the : Western Railway from Yf-vil to Dorchester and Weymouth. Bridport is an ancient town, celebrated once for the making of what were kn >wn as " Bridport d.i^ers," being the hempen cords with which malefactors were hung. Enough has been said, however, to show that the district which surrounds the house we illustrate is as interesting as that attractive structure itself, .mJ with this remark we shall leave a place which we .ire very ^lad to include in this series of illustrations of the famous houses .mj gardens of England. 156 G.-1RDE\S OLD AND NEW. MBW3fl25.S * t ifr?- syjw THE SEAT or TMC . DUKE OF 5UCCLEUCH. DRUMLANRIG CASTLE, DUMFRIESSHIRE. -X.- ZjJMv * <' »^_-— ' -^\ M . and a ANY are the honours and high the titles that belong to the DuUeof BuccleiKh and (Jiu-i-nsberry. Us. too. his Grace has many. t<> wit: the famous house of I alktith. near lidmburgh; Drum- lanrig Castle and Langholm Ltxl-e. Dumfriesshire ; Hall, near St. Bos well's; and Bowhill, near Selkirk; „ Norihampton>hire house as wi-ll. Truly, a goodly heritage and a rich, well worthy of a great peer of the realm. It is with the beautiful Dumfriesshire domain of Drumlann,! that we are concerned here— well named from the " drum," or " rig," or ridge, at the end of which it stands, looking down upon the Marr Burn, and commanding a noble prospect e valley of the Nith, with nrghty Criffel, near the borderland, to close the distant view. The branch of the yreat house of Douglas from which the Duke is descended flourished here more than five hundred years ago, when David II. in IJ56 confirmed the barony to William Lord Dou-las— a wide territory stretching trom the Marr Burn, along the western side of the Nith, into Sanquhar Parish, and including >ome lands on tin- other M.le ...lie,l in the present sf.i.ture. \\huli itsell d.it.-s frnin i(>;<>-&>. an.l was built by William, firM Duke ot (,)ueenstviry. DnuHl.ss it uas a ^..,,1 i.istellated mansion that had stood tlu-re he •: \ .;:.!. imposing structure is Duimlaiu.u Castle. f..ut square to the winds of heaven, with a nullity turret, lour-pinn.ul -il. at every an-le, and Ivtween the turrets curtain \\alN, as in s,.me feudal stron-liol.l. the sj..ut walls lull of windows and crested by an attractive balustrade. The details are :. and a rvautit'ul segmeiital double stairway on the m.rh front is particularly line. Below are the ten aces and garden-, and a long flight of broad steps, lorming the ^reat as.ent. is the approach »n one side. A vast work w.u d"iu- l>v Duke William in raising the ponderous pile, laying out the -ardens, and thickening the woods by new plantations. He seems to THE AMERICAN GAkUBN. 158 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. have regretted the expense, however, and would have buried the memory of it. Tradition, at any rate, asserts that he tied up the papers containing the accounts of his outlay and placed upon the packet the inscription, " The Deil pike out his een wha looks herein." But the Duke built well, and all around are evidences of his taste and discrimination. Dr. C. T. Ramage, who has written an account of the place, says it is recorded that, when the castle was building, "Sir Robert Grierson of Lag gifted to Queensberry eleven score of tall stately oaks out of Craignee Wood for joists to the said house, and could spare a good cut off the thick end of them." Of course since that time many changes have passed over the structure, and its surroundings grievously suffered at the hands of "Old Q." ; but it has been judiciously restored to a state far better than the old, though the trees that Queensberry ruthlessly cut down will be long in growing again. Spacious and noble is the interior, and in its many a large gravel walk down betwixt them from the south parterre' to the cascade." The cascade no longer exists, but it appears that the present generation had knowledge of it, for its remains were there, plashing out by the leaden figure of a man, well known as "Jock o' the Horn." It is a charming spot where the peasantry say the elves still dance in the moonlight. Mr. Rae's description admirably pictures the character of the did gardens, which in great part still survives. They were laid out in terraces ; they were divided into formal parterres ; and they were natural only where Nature compelled them to wildness. Pennant also describes the old gardens as he found them in 1772 on his journey through Scotland. He says that he saw there a bird cherry of a great size, " not less than 7ft. Sin. in girth, and among several silver firs one i3jft. in diameter." The bird cherry is no longer there, and no fine silver firs remain, but an excellent specimen of the common Scotch fir, A AURBLE VASE. rooms hang a large number of portraits of the Douglases and their kin. We may now enter the magnificent terraced gardens, which deserve to rank with the best gardens of Scotland. Fortunately an early ik'scription of them has been preserved. It is in a manuscript history of Durisdeer (in which parish Drumlanrig lies) by the Rev. Peter Rae (1700-40), quoted by Dr. Ramage : " The gardens of Drumlanrig are very beautiful, and the rather because of their beauty. The regular gardens, with one designed to be made on the back of the plumbery, the outer court before the house, and the house itself, make nine square plots of ground, whereof the kitchen garden, the court before the house, and the garden designed make three; my lady Duchess's garden, the house, and the last parterre and the flower garden make other three, that is nine in all, and the castle is in the centre. Only as to the last three, the westernmost is always more than a story above the rest. As to those called irregular gardens, because the course of the Parkburn would not allow them to be square, they are very pretty and wdl suited to one another. They call one part thereof Virginia, the other Barbados ; there goes close to the old cascade, measures nearly lift, in girth at the base. Pennant also described the gardens as "most expensively cut out of a rock," doubtless referring to the magnificent terrac- ing and the stairways. Not much rock-cutting appears, however, to have been required ; th^ natural slope of the ground gave the advantage which the garden architect and designer have taken full advantage of. The great and stately ascent, broad and massive, leads up to a magnificent terrace, skirting the south front below a grass slope, and at the west end is a fine formal parterre, laid out gaily and ch. racteristically. Ivy -climbs up the terrace wall, from which there is a glorious outlook. The High White Garden, with its gleaming pathways, is a purely formal parterre in the grand style, and has a semi- circular garden at its termination below the wood. The American garden is analogous, and a like character is found elsewhere. 1 he contrast relieves the formal character of the grounds, and the woodland that enf-ames them enhances the effect of both, and the park is full of charm, while the landscape surveyed from the height is truly superb. Taken altogether, the scene is very characteristic and eminently pleasing. CASTLb. U z Q •3 — H- 5 X •J — X 160 GARDENS OLD THE HALF-CIRCLE. As in all old Scotcli parks, the trees are noteworthy at Drumlanrig. Two Scotch firs in Auchenaight Wood are remarkable, and some of the yew trees are still larger. An oak tree, which grew on the edge of what is known as Gallows Flat, is probably the oldest tree in the park. The woods of Drumlanrig were glorious in the eighteenth century, but before its close their knell had been sounded. They perished at the bidding of iniquitous "Old Q.," fourth Duke of Queensberry, whose memory remains as the type of an old roue — " That polish'd, sin-worn fragment of the court." It is said that he denuded his grounds at Drumlanrig, and round Niedpath Castle, near Peebles, about 1798, in order to furnish a dowry for Maria Fagniani on her marriage to the Earl of Yarmouth. He believed the lady to be his daughter, and a like idea of paternity also induced George Selwyn to bestow upon her a large fortune, though malicious tongues averred that both of them were deceived. Thus did Wordsworth pour indignation on the Duke of Queensberry's wicked old head : " Degenerate Douglas; oh, the unworthy I,ord! Whom mere despite of heart could so far please, And love of havoc (for with such disease l;ame taxes him), that he could send forth word To level with the dust a noble horde, A brotherhood of venerable trees, Leaving an ancient dome and towers like these Beggared and outraged ! Many hearts deplored The fate of these old trees; and oft with pain The traveller, at this day, will stop and gax.e On wrongs which Nature scarcely seems to heed; For sheltered places, bosoms, nooks, and bogs, And the pure mountains, and the gentle Tweed, And the silent pastures, yet remain." And Burns denounced the degenerate Duke also, in verses, wherein he describes the waving woods as fancy painted them, and demanded of his interlocutor whence came the destruction. " Old Q." died before his work was done, but he had cut down the wood on one side of the Yeochan ; on the other side it still remains. Many stories are told of the destruction. One is to the effect that the Earl of Dalkeith, who inherited the estate from the destroyer, hearing what was going on, bought back some of the trees from the company which had purchased them. The gentry round endeavoured to ?ave them, and Sir Charles Mentieth used to say that he bought back the oak tree near the castle. The despoiled estate came into the hands of Henry Duke of Buccleuch in 1810, and he at once undertook the work of replanting and of restoring what had perished, with excellent effect, for Nature, ever kindly, has, as Wordsworth long since suggested, forgotten " Old Q.," and the woods and gardens are rich and admirably kept. A fine avenue of lime trees runs down from the castle, and tradition says that Charles Duke of Queensberry, who formed it, was having the ground levelled with the intention of carrying the avenue forward for upwards of a mile, when he heard that his son Henry had met with an untimely end, whereupon in his sorrow he desisted, and not until a century later was his idea carried into execution. The finest oak in the park is a grand patrician tree, st.mding apart from all its kind, more than 83ft. high, with a girth, at 4ft. from the ground, of I4ft. 6in., and a spread of branches of cjoft. Another fine oak is at the foot of the hill close to the castle. There are magnificent beeches also, and grand sycamores and limes, which were spared the work of the destroyer's hand. Formerly a herd of wild cattle roamed the park, described by Pennant in 1770 as retaining primeval savageness and ferocity combined with timidity — descendants of the old Unas sylvestris, it is supposed. How the herd died out is not known. In every way a grand, characteristic, and beautiful domain is that of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry at Drumlanrig. WICttHAM §) . . COURT, I KENT. THE SEAT . . . or ... SIR HENRY LENNARD. Dart. T HE county of Kent is richer than most shires in ecclesi- astical and domestic architecture. It is famous also for many other things — for luxuriant woods and pastures, and beautiful hop gardens which emulate the vineyards of France, while, as one writer has t houses challenge comparison with the historic ie Loire. Some portions of the county, like that THE TERRACE STAIRWAY. in which Sir Henry l.enn.trd's house stands, w hile pttseulng all the charms o( hill and «">d s.cnri • within • reach of the met: >^>l -.. I lirou^h theiounty ran thegre.it whkh was the a \enue <>f commmic.iti n with the Continent, and important men in eveiy century c.ime and went that w The history o| Kent is theti-tore in a in inner the histn: the Country at lar;;e. The Itomans lu\e lelt t"eir tr at Kichborough, Keculver, Dover, Lympne. and many other places. Tin- rnvil pal.ue .it tltham. the stately hou-e (.t ' 'Mum. the tanious in.insi.nis of IVnshurst and knole. the old minor house ot Ighlham. the historic walls »\ II >ver and Leeds, the quaint dwelling of (iro.mi- bridge, and many other like places, distinguish it -le.itlv West Wic.kli.im is known \» I rij .tu-rs .is l\ in^ in the vicmitv of the commons of Hayes and ki-*t"ii. and tlu '..ined Country thereabout. It will ever be r. - mernbered that t!.is was .1 region beloved by the t.nn nis Pitt, who lived at HolWUOd H 'U-e. two miles south o| HIM--. "When a I I Lord Bathurst to the piK-t Rogers, " Pitt used t" a-l'irdnesting in the wi>..J> ••( HnlwiMid, and it was alwavs. he t >ld me, hi* wish to call it his own." In Holwo.kJ Park, just on the descent into the vale of kf»ton, at the !•• 't of an old oak , Pitt and Wilberforce dis- cussed and Si-ttlcd the Slavery Ab.htion Bi.l in 1788, and there Wiltvti i-d I-. -i\e notice of it in the House of Commons. J Imson. in his life of (iilbert West the translator of Pindar, aimtner celebrity • f this district, .s that there was at Wickham a walk made by Pitt, and "what is oi far more importance, at Wickham Lvtu-lton received that iviction which produced his • I » ^sfitation on the Conversion and Apostleship of St. Paul.'" Helton and Pitt, the great le\i.o_-raplvr tells us, were ac- ,1 to visit West at Wick- ham. wiien they were weary of factions and debates, and to find there books and quiet, a decent table, and literary con- versation. 162 GARDENS OLD AND NFW. c >< 0 3} 'J o x. 2. s at s- •^ 5 •x. It] 'J 164 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. The ancestors of Sir Henry Lennard are of old standing in this part of Kent. In the time of Edward II., the manor of Wickham was the property of the Huntingfields, of whom Sir Walter, for his advantage, procured the grant of a weekly market for the place, long since disused, in 1318. The manor passed thereafter through several families, and at length came to the hands of Sir Henry Heydon, who, about the time of Henry VII., built the quadrangular house of brick, with the characteristic angle turrets, which still remains, after having undergone changes about a century ago. It received consider- able additions in the time of the late baronet. John Lennard, o Knole and Chevening, who was Gustos Brevium in the reign of Elizabeth, purchased the manor from Sir William Heydon. His eldest son married the Baroness Dacre, in her own right, while his youngest son was knighted, and was the father of Sir Stephen Lennard, created a baronet in 1642. This baronetage became extinct in 1727, in the person of Sir Samuel Lennard of Wickham Court, M.P., and the estate then passed tli rough female heirs. Another grown and embattled angle turrets will impress all students of domestic architecture. The material is brick, with stone dressings, and there is great character in the mullioneJ windows and good chimneys. The walls are richly clothed with ivy, but not to the concealment of architectural features. Quaintness characterises the house everywhere, and its picturesqueness is most attractive. In the immediate neighbourhood of the mansion are excellent examples of brick terrace walling, and lofty piers flanking the approach from the forecourt. The two yews cut into cubes, with triple circles above, and birds on the top, are notable examples of the topiary art, and their quaintness is undeniable. Such works fall admirably into such a picture. Evidently the hand of the tree pruner is constantly at work here, with excellent result. The dense hedges cut to a gable shape at the top, which flank that beautiful grass walk leading from the house, are as good as can be found anywhere. Otherwise there is little formality in the place. Banks of rhododendrons and az.ileas are a feature and in the enclosed THE EAST FRONTAGE. baronetage was created, however, in iS8o, in favour of the late Sir J >hn Farnaby Lennard, who in 1861 had taken the name of Lennard in lieu of his own patronymic of Cator, under the testamentary injunction of Sir Charles Farnaby, Bart., of Wickham and Kippington. Sir John Farnaby had married the daughter and heiress of Sir Samuel Lem.ard before mentioned, and their daughter married General Sir William Cator, K.C B., a veteran of the Peninsula, father of Sir John Farnaby Lennard, first baronet of the new creation. The second wife of this gentleman was the only daughter of Henry Hallam, the historian, who lived in the same neighbourhood, and whose portrait hangs at Wickham Court with many other interesting pictures, including one of Sir Walter' Raleigh and his son by Zucchero. 'I he present baronet, who is lord of the manor of West Wickham, and of Baston and Keston, derives his name of Henry Arthur Hallam Farnaby Lennard from the descents which have been recited above. His house is a truly excellent example of the mi Jdle period of English domestic architecture, and the quaintness of its ivy- garden, where Canterbury bells are predominant, the hardy flowers, backed by the ye.v hedges, make delightful colour pictures from early spring until the latter days of windy autumn. The turf is excellent, and the trees are of great magnificence. The long occupation of the place by descendants of the builder h.is given it many possessors who have valued it and have delighted to adorn it. A fine old garden figure, a recumbent " nymph of the grot" with her water urn, remains to indicate what were the adornments of the garden in an earlier time. It will be seen that Wickham Court, though it lies within a few miles of St. Paul's, still retains, and we may hope long will continue to do so, all the excellent features of an old country mansion, dignified by its antiquity, and valued and adorned in existing t mes. H; reabout the luxuriant woods, the breezy com- mons, and the rich pastures, all present the character of country life, and it is a thing not to be under-valued that such an ancient house as Wickham Court should, from Tudor times to tnese days, have been preserved so near to the fringe of London town. • EASTON . . . HALL, GRANTHAM. THAT might he said of Lincolnshire which ( .i-su .. of a nc it-ii t (Jaul. "Hst omnis divisa in p.irtes tres." There is the division of Holland, con- most entirely of fertile fenland. with few --rain crops, but possessing .1 wealth of magnificent churches tl. dotted through the land. Then- is also the large .in I \ division of Lindsey. with its fen. its wolds, and its sandy coasts and dunes. On the whole, the division ..i K lit ,-n, in which the subject of this article lie-, is the prettiest and most attractive part of this broad acred shin-. Here we have the wooded, undulating scenery which is characteristic of middle England, with a marked feature in the "Cliff" range, which presents a curiously steep western declivity between An. aster and Lincoln. Grantham and Stamford have summit lin. attractive as most towns in England, and Stoke Rochiord. which is the close neighbour of Easton Hall, is a village of sweet rural characteristics, while the grand churches of Grantham, Heckington, and Sleaford add distinction to the region. It is not surprising to find that this part of Lincoln- shire, and the portions of the neighboring shires which adjoin it, are rich in country seats, and Easton Hall, which lies near to the Leicestershire and Rutland borders, is. in fact, one of a THE SEAT or SIR HUGH A. H. CHOLMELEY. Bart. eM ite*. which lIKludes t:u- park- of Helton. Svs'.oii. Belvor. and Stoke Rochford. I he last named ••! th< illustrated and described in these p.igev •!i is a township in the palish ol Stoke Rochford, Iving to the e.ist <>f the (ire.it North Ro.id, .nul Sir Hugh Cholrnelrv is the sole landowner. Anciently the j belonged to the Tvbtofts and the Skr«ip«-s. to whom in the Course i'f time other owners siuceeded. -iiul 111 I he s e.u \(**> it parsed b\ sale to Sir Henry Cholmeley. Kt.. drscen.le.l from the ancient Cheshire t.imily, who died in 1 6 JO. Through the est.ilr tlnvs the gentle river Witham, coming southward from Helton and (irantham, and the house of Sir Henry stood upon the h I! above, commanding a view of the beautifully wooJe.) valley. Times ch.iMged. and thro.igh tin- changing taste <•( generations the in.iiisi,.n has almost passed away. Mr. Montague Cholme'ey t >ok do\\n the west wing, which was reputed to be the oldest part of the house, about a century since, and in the year i.So? he w.is rebuilding it. .is well as the centre. I his gentleman was descended rom the purchaser of the est.ite. and was H.^li Slu-nll ol the Bounty in iSj;. be in -4 created a Kimnet in the followi..g year. H r some years he represented (jranth.im in Parliament, as did his successor The present b.ironet is the younger and only THE BRIDGE. 166 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. surviving son of Sir Montague John Cholmeley, his mother having been Lady Georgiana, fifth daughter of William, eighth Duke of St. Albans. The architectural features of Easton Hall, as it now stands on the hill, belong to a much earlier form than that of the building of 1805, but the bulk of the structure is much more recent, and embodies all the best features of the domestic Tudor style. There could, we are apt to think, be nothing better. The large and lofty windows, with their many-storied panes, the perforated cresting of the house, and its picturesque gables and chimneys, are, indeed, the features of a fine archi- tectural conception, and in its spacious and dignified character Easton Hall is very attractive and impressive. Within it is extremely beautiful, and it has a very fine collection of mediaeval arms and armour. There is a good approach, and a characteristic gate-house, with turrets and cupolas and an oriel window over its arch, leading into the gravel forecourt, with the raised portions of the gardens on the left and a fine ascent to the upper grounds. On the more level land, near the house, there is space for fine lawns, with an abundance of flowers, and the hedges are of the best. The situation is, indeed, all that could be wished, for the eminence is well wooded, and, by a somewhat steep declivity, the land descends thence to the river Witham, with a charming outlook beyond. The park has much foliage, and FROM THE WITHAM. is very fair to behold, though at Stoke Rochford Park, on the other side of the Great North Road, the woodland attraction may perhaps even be greater. The problem that lay before the garden-maker was com- paratively simple at Easton, but in simple matters great triumphs may be achieved. At the same time there were dangers to be avoided. On the garden side of the house are grand architectural conservatories, and on the terraces there is much excellent tub and other gardening. The blue African lily is a feature here, with many handsome evergreen, bushes. Pleasant regions are on the upper slopes, and the yew hedges are very fine. One admirable hedge of great length lines the edges of the descent to the river, to which we may now turn. There is and was abundance of wood upon the crest and slope, and contrast in the gardenage is afforded by the numerous grass terraces, which form an easy and downward way to a broad lawn diversified with beautiful flower-beds near the water. It deserves to be noted that the plan of placing grass terraces in this situation has a very excellent effect, though some might have chosen to give greater variety to the descents. The grass, however, is admirable, and if masonry terraces had been adopted the arrangement would have had to be entirely different. At least, it may be said that a long series of architectural terraces on this great slope might have dwarfed ths house itself. These are matters in which the nicest discrimination requires to be exercised. Otherwise there may be great outlay, with results not altogether satisfactory. The stairway by which we go down is admirable, and thegarden stonework through out leaves nothing to be desired. Sentinel yews mark the way to where that beautiful bridge spans the still water. This, indeed, is a fine Achieve- ment in stone, and the double arching of its construction, the stairways of ascent, the perforated parapet, and the globular terminals, make an admirable picture reflected in the placid mirror belo^v. By the water-side are walks in which it is pleasant to linger in the evenings of summer when the shadows lengthen, for gay and fragrant beds of flowers are there, and beyond is another ascent to an avenue of trees. The river is canalised, and its silver surface brings a " little patch of sky " into that enchanting valley. The whole garden area is surveyed from the upper terrace by the house, the broad reaches of the park closing a delightful prospect. It will be noticed that the composition is symmetrical. Through the midst of the pleasaunce runs the long pathway from the descent, over the bridge, and between the wall-like hedges to the avenue beyond, and on either hand are all the beauties that can enrich a modern garden, while picturesque garden- houses are there, from which new charms may be enjoyed. HALL. if,: UJ U 0. 0. _ UJ I t- C Ci U. UJ 168 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. THE RAISED WALK. Indeed, it is a new region of beauty that lies beyond the river. These dense and magnificent hedges, which would be hard to excel, form an avenue of approach to a gateway, and are the dividing feature of an enclosed tract of garden. The enclosure is by walls and hedges, and the space is subdivided. Here are fruit trees and useful parts of the garden, and the pleasant and decorative form of the pleasaunce is truly admirable. The garden-houses are simple, but quaint and attractive, and all the details are good. It may be said of such a situation as this, that it possesses tho e element* which the Italian garden-maker loved. Here, at least, is the varied ground of hill and hollow which gave him the opportunity for his terraces and his flights of steps leading from level to level. He would have accentuated by hedges or balustred walls some features which at Easton Hall are left unadorned, but there is something of the distinction of national character in the different manners in which the same essentials are developed. This is as it should ba. Mr. Sieveking, in that fascinating volume " The Praise of Gardens," remark:, that much ridicule has been levelled at Italian pleasaunces for THE LCNG TERRACE. BASTON HALL. 01 O JJ r x: JLI O ai X: H 170 GARDENS OLD AND NFW. THE HOUSE FROM TUB RIVER. being only a means of walking up and down stairs in the open air, the suggestion bring, one suppose-, that the Italians have deliberately chosen t<- t-rm their gardens on steep declivities. The choice is not always deliberate, but those are unfortunate who have no well- accentuated slopes for their gardenage. A witiy writer, Mr. Sieveking tells us, replied to the critic, that the Italian could find but little pleasure in the melancholy monotony if an Hngl sh park, and least of all in a large extent of level lawn ; and that if you told him he was to contemplate Nature tiit'sst\f, be would probably answer that he saw in it only Nature shared. Now at haston Hall Nature is certainly THE UPPER TLRRACE. not over-dressed ; neither is it shaved ; there is a happy combination of effects such as we cannot but admire, and the house and the garden are as one. On the south side lies a lovely expanse of turf, and there also, as part of the architectural creation, lying between the two bays of the structure, is the great conservatory. Then the Temple Walk leads through a very pleasant region of the garden, and the long terrace, with its hedges and slopes and its fine statuary, forms another attractive feature. Particularly worth}' of note are fine flower vases, elegantly sculptured and adorned, which are upon the upj'er stairway, by the bridge, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ and in other parts of the grounds. They add interest to the place, and, from the same point of view, the noble garden seat on the raised walk- may be mentioned But in short wherever we go in such a garden as this, lying so advantageously in regard to situation, designed with so much skill, and kept in sucii a state of perfection, we cannot fail to discover m my charms and mai.y beauties of the garden world. It has been said in these page.; that the character of the house should be borne out in its surround- ings, and we see that this is eminently the case at Easton Hall. The outlook from the terrace over the valley has nearly all the elements to be sought in the best English gardening — the varied slope, the abundance < f flowers, tha water, the noble b.idge, and the many features of interest bey on I. i 171 \ LONGLEAT, SEAT or TMK .... WARMINSTER. MARQUESS OF BATH -'.>.- ~V • • b4i FEW people, having regard to the date and character of the house, will be disposed to diffi r fr»m old John Aubrey in his opinion of the famous I ongleat. He said t> at it was the most august house in l-.nj.ind. We do not compare it with such pl.uv^ .is Blenheim Of Chiitsworth, but we look upon it as pr h.ihly tin- tinest example of that particular and charming style in \vii vh tin •••r features of the Renaissance were grafted upon tin- sturdy old English character. l."n^K.it is -aiJ tu have been designed by the famous John of Padua, \vljmn s.niu- luve sought to identify with Sir John Thynne. the actual h.iilder, but there can be no certainty in rejard to that, for. though the accounts of the building are complete, no architect is mentioned. What were the special features of the earliest gardens at Longleat we do not absolutely know, but there is record of those which were laid out by the first Yi-count Weymouth. ancestor of the Marquess of Bath. wh<> died in 1714. Kip, in his "Britannia Illustrata," has k-ft a birdVe\e v;ew, show ing, with much clearness, what those gardens were. There were groves, enclosures, long alleys with vistas, and the mounds derived from the garJens o| an earlier time. The "leat," or stream, from which the place is supposed t«> have derived its name, had been widened out at intervals into fishponds, which were all rigorously angular, and were bordered by chequered 38? flower-beds and geometrical patterns. From the door of the house a lung rais. d terrace, on a level with the highest step. was carried forward to the entrance gates, ;(nd thus dr. the garden into two main porti-ns. The gardens of the first Lord Weymouth no lunger exist at Longl-.-at. The third lord. w!m sucn-i drd his latlu-r in '7SI. appears to have found them lallen into s,. disorder. They were, mou-.i\ei, out oi tashm i, t r every- where tluoughout Hngland the s»ii,,,i| . t Kent lud g.nne.t favour, and the hand of "Capability" Hro\\n u.is tnis. Lord Wes mouth called the latter in, and \ -i the «l I quaintiu-ss vanished, ;ind, in ph.c of th sequestered all<\ and the trim parterre, an attempt was made t A li.it was regarded as a natural garden. The hills and \ illi . that beautiful country were rich in woodland, b it it would appear that plantations w.-re formed, and that the groups nt trees were shaped to the ideal n: Brown. That garden »lesigner \\.is rather famous for his treatim nt of water, ind. though he found many difficulties at Longle.it, he \s.is su^c-sstui m creating a lake, which was undoubtedly a valuable addition, to c ntrast with the great masses of wood and the lo.ty eminences in the extensive range, ot the park. Ili- was to produce the effect of a large river o: serpentine lake amid umbrageous surroundings. An examination of our pictures will sho-.\ that, though the OAKDEN PLANNING. 172 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. f- z O a: u_ Oi O z XI I 17.1 z - o X, O z £ M r 171 GARDENS OLD AND NH.IV. m work of Broun still remains, much has been done since his time to alter the character of the grounds. The water paviliun and the umbra- geous clumps of trees are in his style, but near che house are things he would scarcely have approved There is an excellent pattern garden in quaintbeds edged with box, lull of summer flowers; there are yews and other bushes standing in f o r m a 1 lines ; there is regul.ir plan, ing in the garden, with excellent well-kept hedges. Roses il.uirisli abundantly, and the arched rose bower is delightful. The special features, however, are few, and we shall leave the pictures to tell the whole tale of the richness and beauty of the Longleat gardens. Upon their face may be noted the influence of the changing ideas which have inspired the garden designer. The terrace on the east front is noteworthy, but otherwise the architect has had little to do with the gardens. Longleat House, which is one of the greatest places in the West, lies some four miles from Warminster in Wiltshire, and it will give some idea of the extent of the magnificent domain if •Aesay that the entrance is about two and a-half miles from the mansion. Upon the site of the house stood anciently a priory of black canons of St. Augustine, founded about the year 1270 by Sir John Vernon, of which the church was dedicated to THE WATER PAVILION. bt. Radegund, a Queen of France. The church h a d several altars, but the priory w as a small establishm ent, and in i 5 29, having fallen into decay, it was dissolved, and its revenues transferred to the abbey of Cha r terhouse Hento:i, twelve miles a w a y , wl'.ijh itself was dissolved ten years later, after which the place was sold by the Crown to Sir John Horse)'. This new pos- sessor alienated it almost immediately to A'.r. John Thynne of Shropshire, after -.yards knighted, a. nephew of William Thynne, who had published one of the earliest folios of Chaucer. Sir John Thynne thus became possessed of the old mansion-house and offices of the priory, with an orchard and garden, covering perhaps 100 acres, but he bought neigh- bouring land, and before 1550 had formed the greater part of the estate. His wealth grew rapid'y, and he married the only daughter of Sir Richard Gresham, the well-known prince merchant of the time. He appears to have called in his architect in 1568, and the building of Longleat went on for many years, the expenditure being at the rate of about £1,000 a year, which would have to be multiplied many times to indicate its value in money of our time. While the work was in progress, in it,?*,, Queen Elizabeth visited him at HROM I HE NORlh-hAST. /.».\ .// X. _ x, O - 176 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. THE EAST WALK. his house. He died in 1580, leaving the larger portion of the structure finished, and from the hall to the chapel court inside, but no part of the west side was completed in his lifetime. There is mention, however, of a garden, an orchard, and a hopyard. His son, another Sir John, succeeded, and added the oak screen and wainscot. Sir James, the fourth ( wner, employed Sir Christopher Wren to carry on the work, and by that eminent architect the great staircase was designed. The knight died childless in 1670, and the estate passed to his nephew, known as "Tom of Ten Thousand," because of the presumed value. of his estate. The new owner laid out the road to Frome, carried on extensive work in plantation, and finished the dining-room of the house. He was a personal friend of the Duke of Monmouth, who was at Longleat in 1680. A strange fate befel Mr. Thynne. Having married the richest heiress in the country, the youthful widow of Lord Ogle, he encountered .he envy and jealousy of Count Konigs- mark, who, with the aid of three confederates, broughtaboui his assassination The four villains were had up, and the three agents were executed , while the arch- villa i n was liberated, to be Killed four years later at the siege of Argos, while the lady married Charles Seymour, seventh Duke of Somerset. When Mr. T h y n n e was dead his second cousin, Thomas 1 h y n ne of Kempsford, SOUTH WALK IN THE WI.sTER GARDEN. succeeded him, and was created Baron Thyn:ie and Viscount Weymouth. This was the nobleman who laid out the gardens, as has been mentioned, and in his time his house became the refuge for many years of the deprived Bishop Ken. The third Viscovnt did much to the estate, and he it was who remodelled th> grounds He was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in 1765, and in 1789, in which year he received the King, Queen, and Princesses in great state, he was created Marquess of Bath. The first Marquess of Bath died in 179^, and was succeeded by a nobleman widely known for his charitable disposition a:-.d public spirit. The second Marquess, about the year 1808, employed Wyatt — afterwards Sir Jeffrey Wyatt- ville — to make some alterations in the house, and he worked upon the grand staircase and galleries. Many hands have indeed been employed upon the structure of Longleat. It is preserved in admirable state, and, as the pictures will show, the grounds and gardens are full of charm. The orangery is one of the notable features, and there is great beauty in the arboretum. Thsre are spots of surpa^ing beauty in the park, and from ''Heaven's Gate" the out- look is superb. The scenery is varied and beau- tiful in its rich landscape character, and in its green expanses, swell- i n g heights embosomed in foliage, its valley and its lake, it is scarcely surpassed any- where. LONCU UJ C < u LLJ X H [ 178 ] DRAIiELOWE HALL, BURTON-ON-TRENT, SIR ROBERT GRESLEY, Bart. RAKELOWE HALL, the home of Sir Robert Gresley, is one of those seats of ancient eminence which win the regard of all English- men, for, if not here, at least hereabout, have dwelt the family of the present possessor from almost the earliest times of our Norman history. The hall stands in the rich meadow and woodland country which borders the River Trent, some three miles from Burton. A broad bend of the river fringes the park, and opposite lies Staffordshire and the ancient way of the Icknield Street passing on from Derby to Lichfield. Gresley, some five miles from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and about four miles from Drakelowe, a busy centre of industry in these times, is the place from which the Drakelowe family took their name, and some part still stands of the conventual church of Gresley Priory, for Austin Canon, which William de Gresley founded in the time of Henry I. In that church is a monument of Sir Thomas Gresley, 1699, which gives the very elaborate heraldry of his progenitors. It was already a long line indeed. Ralph de Toeni, the standard-bearer of the Conqueror, who bore the banner on the field of Has' ings, is said by the chroniclers to have been descended in the female line from Malahulcius, uncle of Rol'.o, first Duke of Normandy. This Ralph was a man of fame in his day. Ordericus says of him that he gained great glory in the wars, and was reckoned among the first of the Norman nobles for honours, wealth, and long service. O.ie of his descendants, named Nigel, held D .akclowe and oth?r manors and lordships in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, and was the ancestor of the Gres'.eys. It was Nigel's sin Will am w!io founded the Au'justinian priory at THE NEW TtRRAC.NQ AT DI< KKLOVVE HALL. QRAKEUOWt mil. CRhhPfcKS AND CLj.ABhkS AT 1Mb (.AI'luN «,Alb. 18f> GARDENS OLD AND JVE.'f. Cresley. The estate, it Is curious to know, was held in cjpite by the singular tenure of rendering periodically one bow \\ithout a string, one quiver of a material described as " Tutesbir," and twelve arrows fledged and one unfledged. Camden says that Gresley Castle, where the Gre-leys lived in those days, was a mere ruin in his time. To Williim de Gresley succeeded Robert, ancestor of the Gresleys, summoned to Parliament as barons of the realm by Edward 11. Seated at Drakelowe were in succession William, son of Robert, S;r Geoffrey, Sir William, another Geoffrey, a Peter, and still another Geoffrey. The eldest son of the latter was High Sheriff of Staffordshire in the time of Edward III., but the present family is descended from a younger son, Sir Nicholas, who married the rich heiress of the Wa^teneys. In direct succession followed Sir Thomas and two Sir Johns, all of them men of note in the shire, which they represented in Parliament in the reigns of Henry IV. and his successors, and the grandson of the last- named was Sir George Gresley, created a Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of Anne Holeyn. Sir William and Sir Thomas suc- ceeded, of whom the latter was at various times High Sheriff, both of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The Gresleys were very prominent in county business, and Sir George was one of the committee to arrange the details and the collection of the Commonwealth monthly assessment in 1644. This prominent country gentleman, of whom Glover says that he was distinguished for learning, was the first baronet of the family, being raised to the dignity on Jure 291)1, 161 1, and his successor in the title was Sir Thomas Gresley, his grandson, who died in 1699. It is from lhi< gentleman that Sir Robert G-esley is de- scended, and he is the eleventh baronet of the line, being the only son of the ti nth baronet, who died in 1868, when his successor was but two years old. Sir Robert married in 1893 Lady Frances, eldest daughter of the eighth Duke of Marlborough, and is a Deputy- 1 ieu'.enant and J.P. for his county. Drakelowe is approached by a magnificent avenue of old trees one mile in length. The judicious hand of the planter has done much for the place, and the foliage is everywhere rich and beauti ul. The hall bears the aspect of Tudor or Jacobean times, and its embattled walls, its twisted chimneys and pinnacles, its noble oriels and bays, with their mullioned windows and tracerk-s, art- extremely beautiful. Ivy luxuriantly dothes the walls, especially on the jouth front. The painted dining-room in the house deserves to be mentioned. It was a singular tancy that made men wish, while in their own houses, .MODERN LEAD WORK. to seem to be out of d:ors. H3re, in a recess, we look out, as it we:'e, through a garden archway, with a railing, to a lake and mountains, while ov;r-arching trses rise to Hi: ceiling, and on the oth?r hand the lake extends and mountains r:se, while the firei lace is like the mouth of some rugged cave, over which a classic mask has been sculptured. The room is quite characteristic, and, as a survival of an extinct taste, is interesting. The gardens at Drakelowe are equally rich and beautiful, and the chief charm of the place. They are specially note- worthy as being a pleasaunce which has lately undergone partial transformation. Under the skilful direction of the eminent garden architect, Mr. Inigo Thomas, the ground on the west side of the house has been excavated, and instead of the tame features of a lawn and carriage drive there are now fine balustered terraces, with double stairwiys, leading down to the water, on whose placid surface the ancient structure, with this ad- mirable and appropriate foreground character, is reflected. One of our pictures will show how admirably successful is the result. Turf walks are a notable feature of the garden. There is a sense of enclosure by banks of trees and hedges which is grati- fying. The circle garden is very fine, and beautiful; yet its elements are simple. In the midst is a circular stone - edged basin, with a mermaid in lead throwing up water from a shell, and a fringe of verdure encircles the water. There is then a circular gravel path, and an outer ring of turf, broken up by flower- beds, full of gay and fragrant blooms throughout the year. Outside, again, is another gravel path, and then there are hedges and glorious masses of trees. The flower - bearing vases and characteristic seats are part of an admirable arrangement, which is particularly satisfying to the eye. The same arrangement is carried out where a smaller stone basin occupies the centre of a beautiful garden, from which four gra*s walks diverge. Here the hedges and the turf, with the great masses of trees, have a most admirable effect. It will be seen from our illustrations that the new terraces, the broad turf walks, straight gravel paths, and a magnificent environment of trees are the features of the place. The long b.ix garden is a delightful resort, and has that characteristic sense of enclosure which is essenti il in a good garden. The Drakelowe garden is altogether charming and satisfactory, and it is pleasant to add that it is kept in perfect condition, and throughout the year is characterised by many successive beauties of the season. /JA'XAV /<>/ the Crown, and was Canted. \vtli the minor of Minchin Barrow and the rectory and advowstm. to Wi.li.un Clarke, I whose son Christopher sold it, late in Eluabeth's reign, to Francis James, 1.1 1 ). If the grey did stones of the mansion could speak they would as-e-. ei.ite, as In their a^peit they J«, that in those times they were m» tly reared. The j-oisJIy house of J >hn ^ h.id fallen int > excellent hands, and upon the remains of *he old priory rose a noble Tudor and J.ic Ivan m.i .-i >n. Later pos , ;'u-r feature<, and th venerable \\ alls emb »dy an unwritten history of men. The s m of I Jr. Francis Jinie-i sold the place in the time »i (lh.nl s I. to Sir Francis 1) klmyton, but Sir Francis s<'U it a^.un to William (iore, Hsq., in \(>V). Alter many ch ni^es it thus came to the hands of those who set st'iu- up >i\ their beaut 1 il pissrss|,>n, and who for yeneiatiois i mtinuril !•> dwell therein, leaving many of their monuments in the cluirJi closi- hy. In Collinson's "History of Somersetshire," published in i;>>i, is a view of the house, dedicated to Mr. John and Mr. Hduard '. . ••. hich depicts it st.indinj; with its many Cabled tio-it, THE KITCHEN GARDEN ENTRANCE. 184 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. closely adja- cent to the church, in the r.i i d s t o f a spacious park, with belts of majestic trees on either hand, and ornamentr. 1 groups stand- ing by the water-side. The Gores of Barrow Court passed away also, and the misfortune of neglect crept over the perfec- tions of their house. Some- what sad was the state into which it had fallen when Mr. Gibbs began the work of regeneration, and now we may see by the pictures what it has become in his hands. Let it be noted fin-t that its neighbour is the church, and that misfortune had overtaken thi church as well as the hou he gainsaiJ. Look again at the court of the sunJial, with the lofty ball-crowned piers, flanking the segmental stairway to the balu>traded terrace walk, and an ideal garden se:it. Then, once nv re, how sweet and radiant is the iris pond, a veritaMe world of water gardening, with the picturesque dovecote beyond. The kitchen garden entrance is as excellent as the rest. " God gives the increase" is its THE HAST COUNT. motto and adornment. All is good and beautiful — a place where the green turf is the friendly neighbour of the radiant flower-bed, and where tree and shrub are chosen for some specific end and aim. There are lessons in such a place, of course, which will suggest themselves to the re der— the charm of enclosure, the beauty of appropriatene.>s, the excellence of detail, and the loving care of which the garden gives testimony. It is a garden wherein design has ruled the ere ition and attained the success, with a woodland neighbourh od for its framework. Such sur- roundings are often found in the case of Somerset gardens, lor the shire was a woodland region of old, and is still rich in its greenwood. Lovely coun:ry lies about Barrow Court. The beauty of Brockley Lombe was dear to Coleridge, who in one of his wanderings through this country wrote some delightful lines which describe the charms of the region well, and deserve to be quoted : "With many a pause and of:-reverted eye I climb tile comb's ascent: sv/eet songsters near Warble in shade their wild-wood melo ly : Far off the unvarying cuckoo soo lies my car : Up scour the startled stragglers of the flock That on green plots or precipices browse: From the deep fissures of the iiak-cl rock The yew tree bursts ! lienealh its dark green bOUffUl ('Mid which the .May-thorn bl.-nds its blossoms white;. Where broadaiuoo.il stonesjut out in mossy seats, I rest — and now have ga'ued the topmost site. All ! what a luxury of landscape meets My ga/e! Proud towers, and cots more dear to me, Blui-sbadowed fields, and pros- pect-bounding sea: Deep sighs my lonely heart: I drop a tear ; Kntiancing spoil Oh, were my Snra here I " I »-: 1 STOKE ROCHKORD, GRANTHAM. . . rURNOR. MR. N the seauh for tv.iutilul houses — tlu- home- of _ gentle- men, and rot less" the fruits cJ the jjenius and ta»; .lav •>— .inJ ..( -lately, radiant, and - nted gardens, the county of Lin.oln is found t.> he richer th.in some mi^ht ^upr»se. They lie broadcast through the shire, and now ••;ected to grace these pages, which pictu: many pLur> fiir to behold. It is .1 very noble example <>t domestic architect ire and garden adornment The village -f Stoke Rochford lies in a favoured situation in the vail. the Witham, near to the Leicester and Rutland borders, and in the vicinity of the Great North Road, a rustic pla.e "t rural charm, with the beautiful park of Stoke Rochford Hall <-n one side and the not less attractive domain of H.iMon Hall, Sir Hugh Clvlmeley's place, on the other. The latter •'.so illustrated and described in these \ ages. The village has its distinctive appellation from an ancient family which came from Essex. th~ Roch'ords. of whom the earliest pisx.-ssor seems to have become si ne of the manors early in the fifteenth century, and who conferred the ;r patronymic npm it. Thw were two churches at the i Combined, and within tlie interesting edifice, which h.i- .1 .N oi man arcade with m.i>> Piers and sculpture, I capital-. i menvrraN »f t'ut family remain. I'nder the eastern arches, on h-.'h -i !r-. are Perpendicular tombs 1 1 ceitain ot its im-mbeis. tl»e one on the south beinn under a canopy. The bia-s of Henry Rochfurd IN a very no >d es.imple <>'. inonuinent.il art. 'I here K aNo in the church a lar^e monument t' v Edmund Turnor, who died in 1707. and who»t- tamilv Invi- lon^ been resident at this i harming place. Clir».top!ii-r Turnor, of Milton Erneys in Bedfordshire. I. ad f-ir his elde-t son Sir Christopher Turnor, a well-known loyalist jud^e and one of the Barons of the hxcheqtier in the Civil War. and Sir h'dmund Tuiivir, knighted in i<*>*, th • ; ^:ok<• Rochford, was the latter's broth r. The ancient house in which the R .cht«>rds had dwelt has lon^; since perished, and Bi-hop Sanderson (1661) said that part of the »ate-house there >f had been lati-:\ -tandin^, while near by, taken out "t the ruir.s ,.t tho other part, mi^ht N- seen a utcheon with the Roch:>':.ls' am - and At a little distance to the westward, from the M.le ..f THE lERPACt GAfl AN ALIUMN .MORNING. 188 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. the hill, win- ning the ad- miration of the divine, flowed a goodly spring of clear water, then used for the turning of an ancient mill. The seve > teenth cen- tury, notwi'h- standing that it was a ti i e of civil war, was a pros- perous age, and o ii t of its prosperity flowed a wave of a r c h i - tectural fer- vour, \\ hich covered the land w i t h noble domes- tic structures. It was in 1665 that Sir EJmund Turner set about erecting a new house where the old one at Stoke R chford had stood, and in the next year two wings were added, which brought the building into the term of a letter H. The good knight also fitted up the old ch.ipel "in a very elegant style." Stables were built in 1676, and were so contrived as to form ihe west end of the garden. We can realise wlv.it such a house would be. There would remain in its structure those evidences of the taste of a former time, which lasted with viguir into the seventeenth century, and linked with them woulJ be something of a classic aspect, giving the special character that seems to THE SOUT1 have belonged to the age in which it was built. There we^e formal gardens, laid out by the skill and care of the old gardener, with the tall, well - clipped hedges which enclosed the parterres, and terraces to adorn the slope of the hill. These gardens re- mained until c o m p a r a - tively recent times in some form, a n d have very noble and END. stately suc- c e s s o r s , f jrmed in accordance with the character of the land. On the wooded slope of the opposite hill was a summer-house, "which corresponded with the centre of the stables," while the declivities on both sides afforded ample scope for an arrange- ment, " in the Dutch taste," of terraces and flights of steps, which then were general in gardens of importance. The successive members of the house of Tumor who possessed Stoke Rochford doubtless adorned it, each to his taste, under the changing influences of the times ; and still there are visible evidences of love for tli2 old gardening in those fine hedges and conventional arrangements of the terrace THII SUN;< CKOQUET LAWN. ./ 1- ' z 2. _ X uu - / - _ g 2 _ JL o Q JJ Z 190 GARDENS OLD AND NFW. garden. The form may have changed to some extent, but the spirit lemains, and the style is wholly appropriate in its terraced symmetry and simple grace. Mr. Edmund Tumor of Stoke Rochford, who died in 1829, \vas a well-known antiquary, and author of " Collections for the History of the Town and Soke of Grantham," which is an interesting survey of the antiquities and annals of many interesting places, and contains "authentic memorials" of Sir Isaac Newton, the great astronomer, who was born at Woolslhorpe close by. The existing house of Stoke Rochford is modern, and a very noble example of the best Jacobean style, with some elements of an earlier character. The older manor house stood somewhat nearer the bridge over the ornamental water. The character of the hall is seen well in the pictures, and is unquestionably imposing and picturesque, with a good deal of richness and gaiety in its composition. The noble conservatory built by the architect as a part of the structure, and therefore perfectly harmonious, will be observed at the south end. It is The house is surrounded by a beautiful park, rich in its variety of surface, and distinguished by the presence of fine patrician trees, some thorns being especially noteworthy. A spring rises near the bridge and forms a sparkling cascade, issuing from the limestone, and herons may often be seen haunting the borders of the brook, and seeking food for their young. The situation lent itself to the hand of the gardener, for there were level expanses for his regular ornamental efforts, and the slope gave scope for excellent terracing. The pattern gardening, with box edging, is very good. The grass descents, by which many pleasant garden resorts are reached, give character to the place, and the foliage is very beautiful wherever we look. Note how the sunk croquet ground is embowered by imposing masses of dark green, and you will see how the true character of the old enclosure by tall yew hedges, extremely fine and as good as may be found in most places, is retained. The effect is most admirable in this typical example of good gardenage. '1 here is colour, both rich and varied, and stroiv A bTATL'E IN SHADOW. crested by ornamental stonewoik ai.d characteristic urns, and its roof is thus concealed. There have been many arguments as to the merits of architectural conservatories. They may not always gratify every aspiration of the flower-grower, but there are situations in which th y are wholly Miccessful, and SU ke Rochford seems to be one of them. None, at least, can gainsay the high architectural merits of the con.-i-rvat ries there. The enclosed fore-court on the west front is true to the spirit of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and in the lofty gables and bold chimney stacks the;e is much that is attractive, while a bold (lay of light and shade has been obtained by a skillul grouping of the structural masses. The character of the house is, indeed, both animated and staU-ly. The forecourt is enclosed by a most beautiful clairvoyee, and the entrance gate is an admirable piece of work, while the enriched flanking piers, crested by splendid sculptured urns, are in excellent charactef. Better garden architecture could scarcely be. character imparted in a most successful way. These glorious dark hedges and superb belts of trees offer a pleasing contrast to the sunny outlook over the green lawns ; but, indeed, the whole place is rich in its variety of attraction. The sculpture. which is never intrusive, fills a right place in this well- arranged pleasaunce, and the carved urns and vases are particularly noteworthy. They are of the finest art character, with the elegance of old Greece, and are in more c'elicate style than is commonly found in garden sculpture. In this matter, as in many others, Stoke Rochford may serve as an example. No garden that is not purely natural can ever dispense with distinctive features, be they of a topiary character, or sundials or temples. Long usage has sanctioned the introduction of the urn, \\hch is endeared in memory by associations of literature and emotion, and the artistic successes attained in its adornment — as is exemplified at Stoke Rochford — are proof enough that the practice is sound. Here are distinctions found in very many good gardens. T ftENTWELL . . . HALL, SUFFOLK. . Till: RESIDENCE . . I • } Of MR. H. TURTON NORTON. . , KENTWKI.L HALL, at Long Melford, in Suffolk, is just such a house as we should expect to find in the lev;-l land "t i lij. There are many such antique mansions of red brick, with mullmnol windows, buttresses, turrets, and cupolas, in that region, much enriched in their character, and fine t\ p< the old English dwelling-place. Some are illustrated in Kentwell Hall r- tains far more of its original character than most other Tudor houses, and it has be n little altered since it was built, though in iH.>6 a fire occurred in which the dining-room was burnt, and devastation e.\ tended through to the g.irden side. Originally it was one of those places made defensive by art, though built at a time when tin- need of defence had mostly gone, and its ir.oat remains complete and perfect, access to the house being gained at two points by quaint brick t The approach is through a notable lime •venue, planted by Mr. Thomas R -binson in the year 1678, all the trees in which appear to have been pollarded, and no Stranger who comes to Kentwell on a summer's day. when the long avenue, now forming a natural arch of foliage, is flecked with light and shade, can withhold aJmiration when he emerges to discover the manifold beauties of Kentwell H»'l. I "r our immediate purpose, looking for the garden atf.u lions of tlu- pl.Ke. (vrlups the chief interest lies In the nio.it. the tine tree-, and the level lawns. | he preseme of water is alw : " . and when it is found in an anck-nt mo.it it appeals to the irnagir dl .is to the ense, while it recalls the day when t' e warder would hold parley wrh the stranger across tin- wah-r-diich. Its ; surface h.is ;i singular value in its immediate neighbourhood t" the house and the garden, for it imports .1 p.iuh "t sky. .is it were, into the fore^mund, and reflects the picturesque gables and the line trees and garden things that grow therein'. A moat might doubtless he treatt-.l in many ways. It might be margined by a terrace ; or it might be bordered by flowery mea.ls ; or, aga'ii, as at Kentwell. its edges might be grass slopes and picturesque walls of buttressed brick. This Suffolk moat f ivours the growth of water-loving plants and trees, and the walls that flank it are delicious in h.ie and character. Hu- lk h ns cli-a\ e to them, giving them patches ..( k ool and glowing ir, and ivy and climbing plants 1 them. Th • bribes are simple, but beautiful, with their quaint art. lies doubled by the silver surface. Valuable, there'un -. in tin- garden is the ancient moat Within it lies a well-kept ^p i THE SOUTH-WtSl ASl'tCJ. 192 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. o K. o z UJ I E- J Z LU •.nnn _ • 2. St. SO z UJ •— • UJ 01 r t- UJ t o UJ x ca O _j O UJ 194 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. floral beauty, and beyond it are level lawns and radiant beds of flowers. The trees also, with- out being of great size, are beautiful in form and disposition. Ivy has taken kind'y to the structure itself, perhaps even with too tena- cious a grasp. But the pictures are a sufficient recognition o f the fine garden character that springs from the features alluded to — the ancient moat, the sylvan beauty, and the place. We may now turn to the history of this stately Suffolk abode. The Saxon thane who had been in possession before the Conquest gave place to the followers of William, and Sir William de Valence, who doubtless belonged to the family of the great Earls of Pembroke, owned it. He was killed in France in 1296, and is buried in Westminster Abbey. Other possessors followed, and at length, by the marriage of Dame Catherine Mylde with Sir Thomas Clopton, Kentwell came to a family whose members held it long, and to whom the erection of the present house is due. The Cloptons had been settled in Suffolk long before they acquired Kentwell, and their memorials may be seen in many churches thereabout. It would appear that during the troublous times of the Wars of the Roses, the family residence was at a place called THE EAST FRONT level lawns that are spread about ths the Pond Wood, lying about three-quarters of a mile from the present edifice. At a later date a dwelling-house was built upon the present site, of which some part appears to remain in the existing edifice, which dates from the middle of the sixteenth cen- tury . It is referred to in a will, dated 1560, by Dame Eliza- beth Clopton, as " my new man- sion house of Kentwell Hall." The descendants of Sir Thomas Clopton continued to live at Kentwell until the death of Sir William of that name, who, by his wife Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Barnardiston, left a daughter and heiress, Anne, who married the famous Sir Simonds D'Hwes, the antiquary, whose autobiography gives such a striking picture of his times. The heiress was at that time of the mature age of fourteen, and the marriage took place at Blackfriars Church in October, 1626, in which year D'Evves was knighted. He always maintained a romantic affection for his wife, and his later years appear to have been lonely. He threw in his lot with the Parliame t in the Civil War, and died at his father's house, Stow Langtoft Hall, Suffolk, in 1650. Sir Simonds appears to have made little use of Kentwell, and it passed with his only surviving child, Cecilia, to Sir Thomas Darcy, Bart., who married her. Subsequently it was sold to Sir John Robinson, Prothonotary of the Common Pleas in the THE WEST END OF THE MOAT. A7-V7 II T//. Hill. 196 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. THE SOUTH WALL OF THE MOAT. time of Charles II. Earlv in the eighteenth century it was again sold, to John Moor, Esq. and afterwards to Robert Hart Logan, Esq., High Sheriff of the County in 1828, and M.P. for the Western Division. About the year 1838 the estate passed once more by sale to the family of Starkie Bence, and it is now the property of E. Starkie Bence, Esq., J.P., D.L. S nee its erection, more than three centuries ago, Time, far from detracting from its beauties, has only added thereto, by imparting to it the present lovely and mellow tones and shades of colour, and rendering more venerable the fine trees about it. The general features are well preserved. The plan is that of the letter E, which was usual at the time, the great hall being in the centre, and one of the two wings being devoted to the offices. There is fine painted glass in the library, including the arms of the Cloptons, Howards, Waldegraves, De Veres, Tt ndrings, Myldes, and other families which have been con- nected with the house. Ex- ternally the mansion is almost in as fine a condition as when it was built, and the frontage presents the peculiarities and beauties of the Elizabethan style. A descrip- tion of the place in 1676 is of interest. It de- scribes Kentwell as "a very fair brick house, with c w e I v e wr.inscot rooms, the park stored with above 150 deer, a double GABLES AND TURRETS. dove-house, fish-ponds, and other conveniences, besides timber in the ground and \voo.ls considerable." The old timber and " bricknogged '' brew-house and offices, the bases of which are washed by the moat, are as picturesque as well could be. Kentwell Hall is in every way a place well worthy of being enshrined in the affections of East Anglians. It is a style that has been perpetuated in many modern buildings, •ind which has the merits of dignity in character and of beauty in detail. Places so constructed should naturally have about them fine and spacious gardens. There is in their neighbourhood ample scope and opportunity for gardening in many styles. In the old times, doubtless, there would have been walled or well -hedged enclosures, with pk ached alleys and bowling greens ; but the pictures of Kentwell will make it clear that another form may be given to the surroundings of such houses, and certainly the house rises charmingly from its foreground of well-kept grass, moat, and ivied garden walls, and groups ad- mirably with the beautiful trees that are its neighbours. An abundance of flowers adds the final charm, and it is not sur- prising that those who live there have come to love the old place, the very brickwork, and the weeds and lichens which have clung to it. [ 107 1 MOYNS PARK M IV1 3- |OYNS PARK is a fine house of true East Anglian iharacser, lying adjacent to the little town »t Meeple Bumstead, sometimes known as Bumstead Turrim, and so named from an ancient tower which once stood in that northern part of the county of Essex, not far from the borders of Cambridge and Suffolk. The house belongs to a large class of mm>i<>ns distinguishing that rtgion, which, as most people know, has added no little to the charms of our domestic architecture. It is a superb creation, fashioned in the familiar brick of that part of tngland. with sweet and graceful gardens about it, and it Mands high among the architectural gems even of a county which possesses, in Layer Marney Tower, an example of old brickwork that has no superior in the land Moyns Park is a brother house to such places as Kentwell and MelforJ. in Essex, and to Helmingham, and a dozen more like houses in the neighbouring shires The East Anglians were manifestly men of substance and discernment in the period in which English houses were being built in large numbers, during that new burst of prosperity which marked the Tudor lirm-v Me. ce it is that to Essex, Suffolk, Cambridge, and Norfolk we look for some of the finest examples of old hn-lish architecture in that style, which, although it well accords with stone construction, was perhaps best expressed in brick. I he estate of Moyns takes its somewhat curious name from a family which anciently possessed it. Shortly alter the Conquest, men of the name .it l.e Mo\ ne. »r I.e Moign, "the Monk," were settled there, their name sometimes being written Mohun. A certain Robert Fit/Gilbert le Moign, who possessed the estate in the time of Edward II., seems t> have been descended from the original tenant of the 1 )omev! iy survey, and his tarniiy had estates in other places in the \icinity. In the reign ot Henry VII., by the marriage of Joan le .\\o\n \» William Gent, the estate passed \.i the family -it the latter. The dents had been settle, I at Birdhrook and other pi a es in the neighbourhood, and had had an estate at Wimbish as early as n-'X. The new possessors became people of consid ration there about, and Thomas ( ient, who was a person of note, learned in the law, and described as the ornament of his family, was the builder of the noble west front of Moyns Park. He was educate.! at Cambridge, and entered at the Middle Temple, being called to the Bar, and he acted as Lent Header there in 1571 and 1574. He held the lucrative oltice of steward of all the courts of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. He entered Parliament in 1571 as Member tor Maiden, became a sergeant- .it-law in 1584, and was appointed a Bar >n ot tin- l-.\ hequer in u;S > in whkh year he was knighted by Queen Eli/abeth, who THE SOUTH GARDEN. 198 GARDENS OLD AND Nl-.lf. THE PfcRGOLA AND GRASS WALK. \l-iYNS P.lkK. a: < a. O z 0 _ 2C O X H 200 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. held Sir Thomns Gent in high esteem for his learning and virtues, and, as a special mark of her favour, granted him a licence to be Judge of Assize in his o \v n county. He is celebrated by Thomas Newton in his ' ' E n- comia " for his religion, virtue, piety, modesty, and truth. The knight married an heiress in the person of the daughter of Sir John Swallow of Bocking, and had seven sons and six daughters. The name of Baron Gent deserves to be remembered in East Anglia as the builder of the main frontage of Moyns Park. Behind it remain portions of the older house, and the dairy is said to be of the fourteenth century. The place was moated, like most other great houses on the level ground, as a measure of pio'ection, and one portion of the moat still remains, spanned by a modern bridge. The west front, which is the finest architectural feature, is symmetrical. There are four gables, the inner ones being smaller and stilted, and in each inter-space is a magnificent semi-hexagonal bay. That in the centre forms a porch, and has the arms over the door, while above is a noble window. Each window in these splendid bays has eighteen lights, formed by finely moulded mullions and transoms, and all the other windows are THE BOWLING GREEN. of the same character. The chimneys rise in very bold stack's, and add much to the dis- tinction of the outline. The older features behind have a picturesqueness that is quite their ovv.i, and it is delightful, from the west front, to traverse the south walk along the grass beneath the pergola, and to pass back- wards as it were from Elizabethan times to still earlier days. The \v h o le appearance of the place is most picturesque from every point of view, and the varied colour assumed by the old brick adds a great deal to the charm of the pictures it presents. Ivy loves to vest such structures, and it is needful to be watchful lest it cling too closely. The growth at Moyns Park, where the vigorous climber shows a tendency to become rampant, is at least 3ft. thick on the walls. It completely vests the great gate-posts topped by the eag'es, and conceals their architectural character. The extent to which ivy should be allowed to grow must, of course, rest with those who possess the places to which it clings. Its further growth is checked at Moyns Park, but it might be pleasant to discover the architectural merits of those tall gate-posts. Within, the house is spacious and dignified, and is well plenished and adorned in accordance with its style. LUPINES AND POPHES. tMOYKS P.4KK. 201 f- - C 01 I 202 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. QUAINTLY-CUT SHRUBS. The son of th? builder of Moyns Park was Henry Gent, High Sheriff of the County in 1632. He died in 1639, his eldest son, Thomas, of Lincoln's Inn, having passed away in the previous year, leaving an only daughter, Frances, heiress to a considerable estate, which she conveyed to her husband, Sir Edmund Alleyn, of Hatfield Peverell, in the same county. Once more an heiress succeeded — Arabella Alleyn, who was twice marred. The estate of Moyns Park had, however, been excepted from the female descent, and passed to George, the second sen of Henry Gent, mentioned above, upon whom the estate had been settled by his father. Successive possessors bore the name of George, and one of them died in 1748 at the age of ninety-four. Upon the death of his son the place passed to a collateral branch, and through various hands to those of THE FISH-FOND. the late Major-General Cecil Robert St. John Ives, who at one time commanded the Royal Horse Guards (Blue), and died in 1896, having mairied the daughter of Lord Talbot de Malahide. The gardens of Moyns Park do not demand extended notice. Their character is simple and beautiful. There are ample spjces of lawn, excellent grass paths, and an admirable long bowling green, flanked by a dense yew hedge kept in rounded form. Some other quaint features, in the shape of yews cut in table-like shape, are in the gardens, but generally speaking there is an absence of formality. Roses grow rampantly upon the garden walls, and there are long herba.'e >us borders full of lupines, proud poppies and paeonies, and phloxes, and having r,ay colonies of other flowers that fill them with raJiance. From the pergola under the old gables on the south side the rose garden may be en ered, and is full of colour and fragrance. The ornamental trees aie numerous and of fine character, and there are evergreens which have a we come effect in the winter-time. The value of trees and bushes re- taining their leaves when many have fallen is everywhere recognised, and there should be n • ornamental garden devoid of this beauty in the months of winter. Moyns Park is well fur- nished in this respect. In one place is a fish-pond, with sloping grass margins. It may be mentioned, too, that from the gate-posts excellent li il::ijs extend to enclose the forecourt of the house. The park covers about 200 acres, and is well wno.lrd with a profusion of fine timber. The ground is level, and does not, there- fore, present many advantages ; but excellent planting bears its fruit, and the ancient place lies am:d very pleasant surroundings. I *» 1 EATON HALL, CHESTER. TML SEAT OF TMf DUttE OF WESTMINSTER w 'HEN the Duke of West- minster came into his own, he succeeded to a goodly heritage indeed. His ance^ors were mighty men in ancient days, strong in counsel as in war, and perhaps above all things else great huntsmen, and official Nimrods in their time ; bearing now a name of famous meaning, to which they have added many honours. For more than THE GATES OF THE Ml CHEN GAhDEN. a hundred years the st ihles of tlu-ir descendant! have sheltered many a winner on the turf, and the association of the Grosvenors with the sports and occupations of outdoor life in the field is appropriate to tho^e in whose wins flows the blood of the great Hugh Lupus. The late I hike did an excellent thing when he commissioned Mr. (i. F. Watts, R.A., to adorn the grounds of Katon Hall with the tine equestrian statue of that historic huntsman, which, in its might and majesty, may well compare n with the most tainous equestrian figures of the Italian Renaissance. baton Hall is a great and imposing structure, possessing the aspt-it ot st.itely mag- nificence. There is nothing merely picturesque in the grouping or outline of the structure. The ; had a somewhat singular architn- tural history. In the eighteenth century there stood upon the site an old brick house of plain character, which had been built by Sir Thomas Grosvenor about the reign of William III. It Con- sisted ot a central block, with two advancing wings, and in front of the house was a forecourt, enclosed by raili -g> of iron, and with a fountain in the midst for its adornme t. Such a structure might content the age in which it was bu It, hut when the romantic spu.t passed through the land, and men learned to look with admiration upon the art of their medisrval forefathers, it fallowed almost necessarily that a new mansion should replace the old. In the \ear iXoj, therefore, Earl < ir svenor undertook the work of rebuilding the house upon the early foundations. A ie tain Mr. PorJen was his architect, and it is declared that this gentleman's object was " to adapt the rich variety of our ancient ecclesi- astical architecture to modern domestic convenience." The methods employed were 204 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. undoubtedly singular. Details were drawn from York Minster and from many other ecclesiastical edifices in the land. Rich tracery filled the windows, but it was of cast iron, and many a storied pane cast its glow of colour upon the richly-carpeted floor. The ingenuity and resource of Mr. Porden were extra- ordinary, but he laboured undoubtedly under a difficulty in his effort to breathe new life intothe dead bones of thegreat medieval style. His efforts were high y appreciated, nevertheless, and some were moved to rapture by the wonders they saw at Eaton Hall. The structure had been built at a cost of about £1,000,000, but the late Duke was naturally not contented with all that had been done. In his day Gothic architecture was better understood than in the early years of the century, and he therefore employed that eminent architect, Mr. Water- house of Manchester, to revise, if the term may be used, the work of Mr. Porden, and to bring it into conformity with the truer spirit of mediaeval art. It was this vv.iy that Eaton and at once realise the spaciousness of its chararter. Here- about the land is mostly level, but where the hand of culiure has worked, beautifying what it touches with the richness of foliage, in variety of charm, all sense of monotony disappears. Indeed, at Eaton Hall, as at most other great places in England which have remained in the good hands of possessors wruhav.2 treasured them, many lessons may be learned, and none mora valuable than t uit of the supreme importance of foliage boldly used to impart the great masses which give dignity and reprise on the one hand, and the brighter aspects of sylvan cruru:ter on the other. Washington Irving was used to remark that it was the character of an English gentleman to love his woods and trees. To "build like Bathurst" and t> "plant li-e Boyle" was indeed, long before his time, the honourable ambition of the patrician Englishman, and how well that ambition has bten realised we may see at Eaton Hall. Entering, the.i, by the Grosvenor Lodge, we pause a THE SOUTH OR ITALIAN GARDEN. Hall assumed the fine and imposing character which it now possesses. There have always been many visitors to delight in the attractive scenes that abound in the neighbourhood, to survey the beauties of the house and its gardens, and to learn the interests of its stables. When Syntax journeyed that way — and how he- did so may be seen in Rowlandson's illustrations — it was his good fortune to meet, as many may now, with a trusty guide, albeit in these days the guide may not be such an important civic dignitary as he seemed to be in those. For the guide of Syntax accosted him in this wise : " In this famM town I office bear; Nay, I'm of some importance here — An alderman, perhaps a mayor; And I shall find it, sir, a pride Through ev'ry part to be your guide." Those who approach Eaton Hall will generally do so by the principal entrance from Chester. They could, indeed, do no better tlrm thus to reach the great domain by the Grosvenor Lodge. They are brought to the threshold of a noble place, moment to reflect that its picturesqueness arises from the fact that it is a structure inspired by St. Augustine's Gateway at Canterbury. Then for three miles there is an enchanting drive through the park, diversified by many a belt of noble trees, and affording to the visitor glorious prospects of the widespread " Vale Royal of England." This approach brings him to the grand entrance, which is a lofty vaulted portico on the western side. It would be pleasant to survey the beauties of art that are within. What deserves to be noticed is that the greatest richness of handicraft prevails through nit the structure. The masonry work, like the statuary in the garden, and the wood-carving and inlaying are exceedingly g^od. The most capable artists have been engaged on the creation, and the interior is a triumph of skill. Here is an art collection which ranks among the best in the land. Here is a library famous for its riches, and how gloriously those riches are housed ! Here we have a multitude of choice and rare objects brought from many lands. We shall not be tempted, however, to enter the hall or to survey its treasures. Our business is with the exterior F.A70H HAll " X C r— t z 0 u. - o - UJ I 206 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. attractions of the place, and we have already made acquaint- ance with the glorious trees of ancient growth, the groups and individual trees which are the attraction of the park, with the younger plantations, skilfully disposed. Great and beautiful are the gardens, as the illustrations will show. Their earlier predecessors are known to have been of a quainter aspect, with the well-known features of dense yew hedges and clipped trees, and one old visitor when these had been swept away remarked that an excellent metamorphosis had been wrought by the removal of leaden gods and goddesses, of lions, peacocks, and temples, all shaped out of yew, and " all in rank and file according to the military rules and regulations of the days of Marlborough and his royal mistress Anne." Lancelot Brown — the famous or notorious " Capability " — wrought the change. He declined to accede to the wish of George II. that he should " improve " the gardens at Hampton Court, " out of respect to himself and his profession," but we have the assurance of Chatham, in a letter to Lady Stanhope, that he was an esquire ingly attractive. Here, as everywhere else at Eaton, the sculpture is exceedingly good, for eminent hands have been employed in adorning the grounds with suitable figures and groups, which are not surpassed in Enghu.d. The vases and stonework are of the bast, but we may regret the absence of the leaden gods and god Jesses whom Brown seems to have removed. The glorious banks of foliage which enframe this charming place complete a superbly attractive garden picture, but it will be observed that the view is not restricted, and that an opening is left in the belt of tree? to admit a wide outlook through the park. Another remarkably beautiful garden is on the south side. This is somewhat Italian in character, although it may be remarked that the distinction between the national styles of gardening is not very clearly drawn. The enclosing yew hedges are as good as can anywhere be found, and within the chosen space the sculptor Ins exercised his skill. Here is the Dragon Fountains with appropriateness in the figure, for those THE BROAD WALK. en litre d'offke, shared the private hours of the King, dined familiarly with the Duke of Northumberland, and sat down at the tables of all the House of Lords. " Banls yet unborn Shall pay to Drown that tribute fitliest paid, In strains the b.-auty of his scenes inspire." The effect of his skill in landscape gardening may be seen in the grounds at Eaton Hall, but many other workers in the same field more eminent than he have modified his work, and given to the gardens the particular character they possess. The principal pleasaunce is on the east, overlooked by the great facade. There is here a superb outlook from the upper terrace, and then by broaJ descents we go down to the glorious parterre. It is a feast of colour in rich and rare variety, and the contrasts afforded by the spaces of green turf, and by the dark hue of yews and Portugal laurels, are exceed- who have studied early mythology know that the fabulous beast, after having inflicted- upon m.m unt)ld woe, by ste.iling from him the fountains of water, and afflicting him with famine and disease, became later the guardian and possess >r of those life-giving streams which, in the earlier mythologies, he had stolen for his own. The mention of the fine sculpture will have suggested to the reader that there has been no stint in the embellishment < f the grounds with the best works that art could supply. This will again be seen in the magnificent ironwork. The splendid grille at the entrance to the avenue is a noble example of the ironworker's skill ; and there are other rich and elaborate gates also, splendid examples of the skill of the craftsmen in metals. These add much to the attraction of the gardens ; but, indeed, wherever we go something will be found to delight or charm in the glorious gardens of baton Hall. The skill of Mr. Lut/ens was employed by the late Duke in further adornment. HALL. 807 208 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. UJ CQ 03 in CQ UJ Z UJ Q oi •( O UJ CO UJ (- NEWBATTLE . . . ABBEY, MIDLOTHIAN. Till: i • v, - vjuess oi i.othia i near Dalkeith stands on tlu- site .inJ embodies in itself the touiula- tionsof the Cistercian Ahh.-y if NYwbattle, <>r v bottle, founded in the year 1140 or 1141, .u\ordin<: various!) t ..,; arters .inJ chronicles, by King Uav id I., who also established Holyrood and many other eccleM.istic.il es in Scotland. The situation i-. sue i as the Cistei. loved, and one that lias favoured the efforts of the garden- maker's hand. It u.is not for the « ins to settle in the busy hai'nts of men ; they had chosen rather the seclusion ot the wood and the \vilJ. While the Franciscans worked in the to»\n, and the Benedictines loved the hills, t f f..||..\vers of St. Bernard of Cl.nrvaux sought the valleys by the streams. At Newbattle, th.j South F.sk. escaped trom the green hills ,,t Temple and the woody ravines of Dalhousie — ever to he associated with the famous " l.aird o' Cockpen " — widens into a valley, niv "Z place ti> .1 1 -n^ r.inm- -if im-.idows or level "hau^hs." B.-hmd. to ihe north, are the remains ,.| monastic villa^-, where once dwelt tin- hinds and shepherds, separated from the Abbey gardens by massive st,>n w ilK, a-cri!*ed to William the Lion. These an '---it walls st:l| form the boundary <>t the park on th.it side. Beyond the si: the bank uses somewhat abruptly, and is broken int" ravines, much wooded, which, upon investigation, are ' und to be th- rem.iins of ancient coal-workings. The monks nt Newbattle were probably the first to develop the coal industry in Scotland, but the method of winning the mineral in those times was mme like quarrying than the i.i.il-ininini; ot these days. The Abbey was not placed in a positi n to corn e\tensj\e views. Sunk in the hollow In the midst <.f the woods, where ancient beeches and venerable sycamores flourished, the situation calls to mind siuh seclusion as St. Bernard had sought at Citeaux. It may b<- worth while since the Cistercians accomptis|,t-d a vast work in developing the agriculture o| this country, to recall the fact that Oairvaux was the daughter house of Citeaux, and that trom it sprang the twin foundations ot Fountains and Kievaulx. It was Ailred ot Kievaulx who went forth with a party ot brethren to found the first Cistercian Abbey in Scotland th.- historic house ot Mel rose — and from Meltose went out the Ivethren who established themselves at Newbattl •. Thus a perfect chain brings u* tr.Jin C^itei ix to the banks of the South l:sk. Tlv.- THE SOtTH TEKI^ACt. 210 GARDENS OLD AND THE TERRACE BY THE RIVER. •ituation of all the British Cistercian houses is similar — they lie among the woods by the streams. The architectural character of Newbattle is mostly unknown, though, in recent 'irnes, the foundations have been largely excavated. The situation in the Midlothian vale is very beautiful and the climate propitious to the things that grow. In tin Statistical Account of Scot'and it is remarked that the air by the river is exceedingly milJ, while at ihe Roman camp — on the neighbouring hill — it is very keen. The Abbey of New- battle flourished until the Dissolution, when its revenues were returned at ,£1,413 in money and divers payments in kind. After the Dissolution it was held by Lord Mark Kerr, " the richt vener- able," wlio was commen- dator of the Abbey, and who con- tinued t hroughout his life to take a promi- nent part in ihe civil ard ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland. A fine head of him, by Sir Antonio More, 1551, hangs at Newbatile Abbey. He was s uc- ceedt-d by his son Marie, who, in 1587, obtained from James VI. a patent erect- ing the lands THE EAST FRONT. into a barony, and in 1606 was created Earl of Lothian. The property has since remained in that family, from which the Marquess of Lothian is descended. The existing structure dates from about a century ago, but has since been enlarged considerably. The older portion of the mansion, much overgrown with ivy, has notable picturesqueness, and in the form of its windows and its twisted gables and gablets it possesses a character that seems to spring from the soil. It has been made more imposing by the addition of modem castellated buildings, which are commodious and attractive. Although outwardly the hou?e is modern, it occupies a portion of the site of the ancient monastery, of — which the foundations are partly hidden, and the old work is still visible in parts, and hereand there antique mould! ngs peep out. I he interior is extremely interesting. The pictures are of great note. There areportraitsof Henry VIII., Margaret Tudor, and Sir Thomas More by Holbein. The works of Albert Diirer in h: n g I a n d are few, but 211 N • | f N e > a \ir-m a n d Child. Tin I ' !' u-l, and man including i . like Sir Joshua Reynolds, and por t r .1 i t s of Hawkins, Drake, and Cavendish are adorned with wreaths can by G r i n I i n ^ Gibbons. The boo k s and manuscripts are of g eat value, and some of the latter belonged to th? old Abbey of New battle. We may now survey the enchanting scenes which are found in the gard.-ns and park by the course of the South Esk River. For something iike two m:les does th.s beautiful stream wind its way through the valley and park. Th,- woodland scenery is superb, and some of the trees are of great antiquity. They are mostly oak, ash, elm, beech, anJ plane, with various tirs. Many are of remarkable size anJ beauty, and the planes and elms are very majestic. Tlu greatest of the patricians is a mighty beech, said to b-> the largest in Scotland. It is lOD't. Ivgh. w th a vast spread of IHE NORIH SUNDIAL. . having •' ciuuiir i depending boughs ha\ e I them- selves in the si nl. I here are a I s , • h u g e v\ (..nivres and i \pn-sse-. The pl.intati >ns are ;IN \e .111,1 are well Kept, being u I a r I y thinned .in-! prune,!. l'he n>Mr approach of these ^ r e .1 1 t.. t IR- IS une of tlie most en- chanting features of the place. It ir the charms of the landscape, with u:i.it nc!. ' . haracter. into close juxtaposition with the fi.rmal gardening, and the effect is very beautiful. The opportunities of the garden de-igner were certainly very many in this lovely place. The green lawn in the valley b'rderin^ the river, with the gre.it wool-, fringing the bank-, w.is an ideal place for his work. The woods nearly meeting in either direction form the lawn into a kind »i amphitheatre and the garden is the gem set in the glorious surroundings. The arrangement is parely formal, but complete!) THt EAST SI STMAL. 212 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. The enclosure is formed by an admirable yew hedge, dense and close as a wall ; but this boundary does not completely surround the garden, whi:h on one side is margined by the river and the wood. Straight pathways divide the space into formal parterres, and there are stone-fringed flower-beds as attractive features. One part of the area is devoted to pattern gardening, and affords a very beautiful example of that style of work. The pictures will show in what admirable state the gardens are kept, and will also illustrate how the friendly neigh- bourhood of the woods makes pleasant this form of gardening. Along one side of this pleasaunce the South Esk flows, and the steep wooded bank beyond is superb in its sylvan beauty. Near the stream, embayed in the yew hedge, stands a magnificent sundial, and another is not far away. " What an antique air,': said Charles Lamb of the dials of the Temple, '•had the now almost effaced sundials, with their moral inscriptions, seeming coevals with that time which they Along the bank of the river, and between the house and the wood, runs the south terrace, which is one of the most attractive regions of these enchanting gardens. Behind us are the verdant and flower-gemmed places, and before us the pellucid stream and the woodland haunt of the squirrel and the murmuring wood-pigeon. Every variety of water plant appears to be cultivated along the margin of the South Esk, and the richness of the scene is extremely attractive. It is a combination of garden, wood, and river not surpassed in many places. Again, as a contrast on another side, are level la-.\ns as an attractive foreground to the enlarged structure, being the place where, in ancient times, monastic buildings stood. The splendid character of the Newbattle trees is found also in those which form the great avenue in the approach from the south, of which the length is over five hundred yards. They are very majestic, and the whole character is one of much magnificence. The great double gate-house, dating from the THE MAIDEN BRIDGE. neasured, and to take their revelations of its flight immediately rom heaven, holding correspondence with the fountain of ,iuht ! How would the dark line steal imperceptibly on, watched by the eye of childhood, eager to detect its movement, never catched, nice as an evanescent cloud, or the first arrests of sleep!" Scotland is famous for its very picturesque and attractive garden sundials, and excellent examples are at Balcarres, Pitmedden, Woodhouselee, Duthie Parkin Aberdeen, Stobhall in Perthshire, and other places, all offering a marked c ntrast in style to such English dials as we have at Wrest in Bedfordshire, at Wilton, and at Kew. The Newbattle dials, perhaps, surpass any others. They rise from octagonal bases, resting upon flights of steps, and with grotesque creatures supporting the upper parts, upon which are the several gnomons, while a pinnacle crowns the whole. The effect is rather font-like, but the dials are singularly beautiful and quaint, and are very richly worked. early part of the eighteenth century, is truly noble in its broad and simple character. Two great gate-posts, wi.h pilasters on every face, support magnificent urns, fluted, and adorned with wreaths, and on either side of the posts are short colonnades turning outwards, to unite the gateway with the gate-houses, which are picturesque buildings of native stone, with dressed angle-pieces. Each of these houses is crested with a fine balustrade, crowned with pinnacles and urns, and there are other architectural adornments well befitting so noble a place, while the dense woods behind form a fine background to the admirable architectural composition. Among the great houses of Scotland, this beautiful seat of the Marquess of Lothian holds a deservedly high place. It is not stately like s >me, but it has attractions in its woodland landscape that are not possessed by many. Its gardens, too, are radiantly beautiful, and arc a very fine example of the gardener's art THE RESIDENCE, . . or ADELINE. DUCHESS OF BEDFORD WOODSIDE, . RICttMANSWORTH. Aintt •: ' irden is that .it Win.dside, Chenies, IH-.U Rickmansworih, in Hertfordshire, lying just beyond the village, near the foot of a somew hat strep hill there, because it is so beautiful and otiaint and yet quite modern. An intense love for natural beauty has inspired th* creation, and it will be sivn that tlu- work his been conducted in a truly arti-tic spirit, and with fine imagMi.itive talent. This, indeed, we should have expected, ! "lav-out " were the work of Mr. l.utyens. the eminent architect, who is so well versed in garden lore and The ---ted the terraced character, and it is notable that the garden embodies the character both of the slope and the terrace, of the natural and the formal, the green lawns leading downward being the framework Iurth.it delightful • descent. Turf, one of the most beautiful things to be found in thes. latitudes, is not wanting. I) sceiidin,.', then, by sloping paths and stairways between the lawns, and by a delightful sundial, yo-a reach the Pond Court, which is theceiitr.il teature of the garden most admirably conceived. You have passed, as you approached it, by gay flower-beds and rich green yew hedges, and find something very quaint in the wooden paveme t and the stone edgings i.f the ' .!•> in the court itself. Above the pon.!, the pillars, \\huh |u\r .1 tine l.u "bean c i-t. Iv.ir heavy beams, and upon them climbing IOM-S h.ive vast their ten 'rils. Here is the ch MIC of the old Hnglish garden— its simplicity. Tin- w • the court IN entrained by yew hedges, and .it Us . r« delightlul st-.it-~. \"thing could surpass the sjvi i.il channof the stirroun.i On one hand you pass by an opening in the hed^e ID!" a beaut it III rectangular enc'osed garden, \vhele oth I tine hedges enfrair.e rich tl i\\er-!x\K and green grass edgings, and at the other end is a most tasteful seat, where it is pVasant t" sit and look at what has been left Ivhind. Here, vu-eiu-J "tt, is a retired and sheltered plac •, such as Chauc'.-i might have loved, and wheie many lovely blossoms flourish . The tic -s 1-vyoiul this garden are singularlv beautiful, and lend richness to this part of the grounds. Then, on the other side "t the I'oiul Omit is the rock garden, where ins s a.,,1 other water-lo\in^ plants find a congenial home. Here is a delightful conti.ist nt Character. From the semi-formality of the enclosed garden Courts, you have passed, before rea> lung the t" >t <•] the ^l"p •, into a tract of the garden where Nature is tempted to manifest, aiii":ig rocky surroundings, some special ch inns. MEK OKACE'S 214 C.4KDENS OLD AND NEW. From t !i e paths near the house all the beautiful things which we have described may be surveyed. Water pervades the place, for from the Pond Court and the rock garden it is but a few paces to the river, which flows at the foot of the slope, with an old flour mill on the left. Most tempting are the walks laid out by the stream. Here great firs, sycamores, and elms over- shadow the way, as well as daffodils light up THE SUNDIAL. many ornamental trees, while nodding the grass and irises border the stream. The water is crossed by a bridge which is very tasteful, and beyond it is another region of delight in the rose garden, divided into square spaces, und neighboured by a delightful croquet lawn. The details of the garden have been carefully thought out, and no point of harmony or contrast has been overlooked. The shrubs and trees in the upper part of the garden have a most happy effect from below, and the vistas opened through the grounds in ev.ry direction, and particularly from the neigh- bourhood of the Pond Court, are extremely delightful. Truly, before the gardener began his work, Nature had done very much to prepare for the exercise of I. is skill. There was a green slope, and there was a flowing river in two branches at the foot, and the whole of the area was graced by beautiful trees. There was nothing ex- cept i o n a 1 in these conditions. They may be f o u n d almost a n y \v here in sunny England; but not every- where has such a sympathetic, discerning, and artistic hand been found to plan and work- out such a crea- tion. And yet it is astonishing how few and simple, and how easily obtain- able are the main essentials of a good garden, and strange therefore how rarely these essentials are well employed. The garden of Adeline Duchess of Bedford is a very successful example, and a very suggestive one, as to how, where magnificence is not sought — and where, indeed, it may not be desirable — the talent of a skilled hand may proJuce what magnificence could not achieve. In this garden all the work is particularly good, and the masonry is everywhere as excellent as could be desired. Note, for example, the character of the edgings to the flower-beds in the Pond Court, and the wholly satisfactory character of the rose- twined pillars and the panelled masonry. Then, again, it was an admirable idea tnus to create in the Pond Court a centre from which the various features of the garden might open out, and the excellent result is conspicuous in our pictures. MDOKING FROM THE COURT. WOODS 21ft THE TtRHACE. 216 GARDENS OLD AND U x; a: < OQ f- LU U < Qi Qi LU H LU ^ O LU X t 217 ] A'" BARNCLUITH, THE SEAT or . . HAMILTON. LORD RUTHVEN. THE romantic hillside Scottish gaiden »t Lord Ruthv.-n lies in a glorious p.irt of the Middle Ward of Lanark, a res-ion full of history, where tlu- stern walls of many a fortalice still rise on tin- m mntain crest, or frown mi the brink of the chasm— ivy-mantl d ruins, •.;» from the days <>i Imimclog and B >thwell Brig, and long Beautiful gardens they are, lying like a gem in a : country <>f p^at-stained burns, which linger in dark po I- beneath umbrageous w«MKll.inds. ;inJ break then into yellow torrents over rocky ledges in t!i.-:r haste it join the bn-.i !i-r w a ters of Avon and Clyde. A luxuriance characterise! this district which is not t'Hind every where in Scotland, and N.iture has dealt kindly with t h e i. It is true that the higher hills are often waste, and xiven up to tlie swelling moorland, but along the river course- the sylvan scenery is of the most enchanting beauty. It is the country -ibed by Scott in "Old Mortality," and he speaks of the grand woodland character of the landscape along the Clyde valley, where the lorest breaks i n to level ground and gentk- slope- near the river, forming cul- tivated fields, inters pi wi.h hedge- «^L EbN MAk r> ws, tre -, and c..p-e-, " the ri'.il.'-nri-- - i-nriv.1 .is it w '-rr to ': BVC 1> en cleared out o| the torc-t wi.uh surround- thi-.n. and which occupies, in unbroken masses, the -teeper declivities and moredistant hanks." From the peat on the moors the -tream- take tlieir colour, "a ilear and sparkling blown, like the luieof the cairngorm pebbles," and go rushing through this romantic region in bold s wet- ps an. I curves, paitly *een and partly ..'i::. i-aled by the trees wh \li clothe their banks. Such is the tomai.tu setting of Lord Ruthven's remark. ible teir.uv.l gardens, masterfullv formed upon t!ie rocky steep above the \\"'.\. The visitor approac hin^ troin (ilas- gow to Hamil- ton will pa-- by Kuthet- glen and by H o t h w e I I Caslle, on the lotty bank ot the Clyde, one o| the most imposing baronial rum- in Scotland. At Both well Bi idge w as toUgllt, III !'>;•). the lamous b.iitl • KlAi-en the Royalist t-o 'p- under M o n mou t h an.l tb.e I of the rex oiled Covenanters, wherein the Covenanters, who had been victorious at D r u m c I o g, were a 1 1 » • gether over- thrown. \ graphically is the fight described in "Old tality." Hamilton, .1 chc-erful and prosperous town, was once distltl- •,l .1- a .1 1 resi- dence, and a f t e r w .1 r d s was the chief 218 GARDENS OLD AND NFIV. I-rtOM THE THIRD TtRRACE, LOOKING SOUTH. v.sv.v/vr//. • u z se. < CO - U LL! O. o. UJ X 220 GARDENS OLD AND NHU/. burgh of the Duchy of Hamilton. Here is the stately palace of the Duke, standing close to the town — the place where Mary collected her adherents in 1598. At this place the Avon, rising near the bnrder of Ayr, flows into the Clyde. It has passed in its lovely course through the vale to which it has given its name, anJ has entered Hamilton Parish at Millheugh Bridge, a little below which it flows through a m •gnificent defile, bounded on each side by majestic rocks of romantic aspect, rising 2Ooft. or 3Ooft., and richly clothed, in some cases almost to the summits, with stately and venerable oaks. Nearly in the centre of tiie defile are the remains of Cadzow Castle, celebrated in Sir Walter Scott's ballad, seated o i a rock which ascends perpendicularly to a height of 20oft. above the bed of the stream, and on the opposite bank is the banqueting-house of the Duke of Hamil'on, a charming creation, modelled upon the design of Chatelherault, from the dukedom of that name which his Grace holds in the peerage of France. It is a region of natural loveliness, the tra- ditions an. I characteristics of which appeal very powerfully to the national sentiment of Scotland, and the course of the Clyde and its tributary the Avon are both memorable in history. The first of these is grand and spacious, the latcer more touched with the beauties of wildness and remoteness. In its romantic gorge are the house and the gardens of Lord Ruthven, illustrated here, rising in terraces on the western bank of the riser, which, after forcing its way along th • rocky channel below, flows through the fertile valley and falls into the Clyde, as we have said, near Hamilton Bridge. Very considerable antiquity is assigned to the quaint old gardens in the D..tch taste at Barncluith, and one authority says that they were laid out in or about the year 1583. The terraces formed on the rocky steep are of later date, and the whole garden, in the course of generations, has undergone many changes. The fall of the ground being natural gave many advantages to the garden-maker, but, on the other hand, there were great difficulties, and it was not without the exercise of high skill that the gardens were formed as we see them. Hven now th^y are scarcely finished, some of the balustrades mi the edge of the terraces being wanting. Terrace-making is an art tint has exercised the ingenuity of many Scottish gardeners and architects. John Reid, in his "Scots Gurd'ner" (1683), gives instructions to those who would make terraces upon the natural declivity of the land. " As to terrass walks, if the brow on which you make them be not too steep, the work will be the more easy. If you build them up with walls be careful to found deep enough according to the level ; and if the middle of the terrass be on the central line of the house, or of any walk, make the stair to part at a plot on the head, going down on both sides. So much of the staircase may be within as that the outer edge thereof may be in a line with the border of the wall ; by this it mars not the walk ; the rest may be at the ends. Plant the borders at the upper side of the walk with wall trees; the under side, being but an ell high, with laurels, etc. But if your terrass consists only of walk's and si >ping banks you may have tlie border at the head and foot of each bank, on either sid.j of the walks, planted with standard cherries, etc., and the banks of violets, strawberries, or grass." There are more stately terraces in Scotland, but, go where we may, we shall find none so full of the ravishing sweetness, or so happily embodying the features of the architectural anJ na.ural styles as those here depicted. Reid's principles rather than his details are exemplified" at Barncluith, the character of the ground having enforced the disposition of the stairways. There are four terraces or walks most picturesquely and beautifully planned and constructed. 'I he bed of the Avon is some joft. below the level of he I '.west cit them, and the declivity is very steep. This lowest walk is a grass terrace, deeply shaded by trees, and at one end is a quaint old garden-house, with a twisted double stairway leading to its upper storey, while at the other end is a charming circular basin, from which rises a low fluted column, with a vase-like top filled with tl >wers, throwing up a sparkling jet of water. The balustrade at the edge of the declivity is very charming, and the nature of the slope causes the wall to curve near the fountain. A beautiful acacia grows upon the terrace, and its lovely enduring green and beautiful flowers add much to the charm of the place. At the end of the terrace near the fountain are two rustic arches under the upper wall, and a rustic stairway leads up to the higher levels. The retaining wall of the second terrace walk is covered with ivy and climbing plants, and crested with characterise vases. Abjve. upon the 1-vel which it bounds, is a gravel walk, with a border of flowers, giving access at one end to a second garden-house. Roses border the way, and there is a stone bank supporting the next higher level, overgrown with wallflowers, ferns, etc. Still mounting the steep, therefore, we reach the third terrace, which is a beautiful grass walk, bordered by a long flower-bed, and commanding a charming outlook over the sylvan gorge. The retaining wall of the fourth level is agai i clustered with climbing plants, and there are several yew trees along the upper border. Very quaintly are these cut, and they possess a curious attraction, in contrast with the gay flower-beds which neighbour them. A baiustraded wall, with vases, is behind the terrace, and there are many pleasant places to explore, the f recourt of the house being on that side. The pictures will show how very delightful is the effect of this terracing upon the declivity above the Avon. The masonry is exceedingly good, and there is a happy union of classic formality with something of rustic charm. There were oppor- tunities which do not fall to every garden-maker's hand, but not every designer would have used them so well. The illustrations will complete the description of this delightful hillside garden. It is a place full of suggestion for tho^e whose houses may lie adjacent to woodland gor.es, which present opportunities that are not always realised, and such places need not always be left in native wildness. The formation at Barncluith is rock, and much excavating must have been required, but the soil is deep enough to give rootage to the splendid trees, while the sunny slop,' is conducive to a luxuriant growth of flowers. The place is as beautiful in winter as in summer, for the green yews are fiere, and the other trees lilt their varied tracery against the sky, while below the rushing sound of the Avon is heard. It is a fine river, full of salmon, trout, perch, lampreys, and silver eel. Allusion has been made to the splendid growth of trees in this region. Hamilton Wood, on the Avon and the Barncluith Bum, is a great woodland tract, which, with its g-iarled and venerable trunks, represents practically all that remains of the ancient Caledonian Forest. The storms of centuries have blown over some of the oaks, which thrive extremely well, many being venerable trees of great size, some even measuring 36ft. in girth. Larch and Scotch fir are numerous, and the river banks are crowned with luxuriant foliage. Silver and spruce fir succeed, and the cedar of Lebanon has attained considerable size. Here may be seen the only herd left in Scotland of the old white Caledonian wild cattls. The Barn- cluith Burn joins the Avon about half a mile from the town of Hamilton, after flowing down through the wood, and leaping over five or six declivities in brawling picturesqueness, adding greatly to the beauties and attractions of the scenery. " In one impetuous torrent, down the steep It thundering shoots, and shakes the country round, At first, an a/.ure sheet, it rushes broad; Then whitening by degrees as prone it falls, And from the loud resounding rocks bslow Dashed in a cloud of foam it sends alofc A hoary mist, and forms a ceaseless shower." These lines have been used of one of the neighbouring Falls of Clyde, and they may be applied, with modification, to the lesser falls on the Barncluith Burn. The whole of the vala of the Avon, with the gorges of its tributary burns, is markedly beautiful, and has all the charm that is found in Scottish river courses, with a richness that does not invest them all. The gardens of Barncluith have also, as we have seen, a marked and attractive character, and the succession of terraces has probably in its kind no rival in Scotland. There is picturesqueness in their character, arising from varied treatment, too rare in formal gardens, which may serve to show that formal gardening is no bar to the introduction of a sweet naturalness, but rather that it lends itself to such a character. It is a lesson for the garden-maker which the pictures in this volume will not fail stro.igly to enforce. t Ml ] :.. AGECROFT . . . HALL, LANCASHIRE. Ar. RO5ER1 DAUNTESEY. • Al( K-'r-T HAl.l. is one of those strongly in.li- vidualisi-J inanviins <>i ancient date in which the county palatine «>i Lancaster is M'ij;ul.irly rich \Vh it th.it district of Hn<*l:iiKl n .iy lack in the Denial climate that \i-ts tlu- hrick dwelling-places "I Southern hn^lanJ with those lichens which, in tlv ir hues of trance, yellow, ^r«en. and yrey. l"fm so inu inpar.ible a vesture, it lias nunpi nsatmn for in those "magpie" m structures, impressive in time-worn oak, rich in beautiful c.imi.n. picturesque in their many »ables and their prey slate , \\hich \\- mellow under rain and Min. When such h-uise- .ire \.i:-.ie.l and preserved like the old mansion house of '<>tt, and others illustrated in this volume, and are made beautiful with gardens and pleasure grounds, they do most certainly desi-rve to hold a hi^h place amon^ the quaint and beautiful mansions nj the shires. \^,-v.roft is both fortunate and unfortunate — fortunate in the lov.n^ care which adds IHAV .ty ti> its antiquity, unfortunate in ihe fact that the country thereabout U much ^iven over to the busy whirl of modern things. Yet ndvantajies mnv be won even where discouragement miyht prevail, and thus J,.M- !•• -\_i-.mit Hal: l.-ke, formed bv the sinUinj of the ^r und. n\vm^ \« io.il HIMU-N below, and Constituting a veiy pleasing feature amid the t o\c-r-hun^ by flowering bushes in the garden. The !rwelll1o\\s ntar by ; in truth, somewhat lower down, .1 M\^ian str.-aii). bearing in waters no longer pellucid the waste products ni many manufacUii \ stln l--ss, the course of the river in this part of the valley has considt-raHe elements uf beauty, and the winding stream, with overhanging WIHK!S, is n.it without attractions. A^ecroft Ha I stands upon a low tongue "I land which heie stretches dow n from Pendlebury into the \alley, and the louse is ptdha|i|y, as the crow flies, not more than four miles imm Manchester Cathedral. These .UK ient halls man le-t a predile, • lion on the part of tlie'r build-.-is for the neighbourhood of rivers. It was coiuenieiit to h.ui- water near, and very open the stream possessed sonr.- advantages in the matter of defence. tt is inteiestiiin to ob erve that near these aiu lent oaken structures we rarely find much in the way »' formal ^.udenin-, and, save tor a bridge or a garden seat, the aid; tect seems THE SIDE PASSAGE IN THE QUADRANGLE. GARDENS OLD AND rarely to have played a large part. Simplicity characterises the surround- ings, and there is nothing to delay the pen in a description of the great charm of the lawns, flower-beds, and hedges. These are all-sufficient in their relation- ship to such houses, and none can deny that the pictures pre- sented of house and garden are singularly sweet and attractive. The views of Agecroft Hall will show how, without great effort and without ambitious design, eminently satisfactory results are attained. Fortunately for this ancient place, it has fine trees in its neighbourhood, wherein rooks have built thc'ir nests, adding something of an air of dignity and antiquity by the presence of their busy colonies in the boughs. And now, in regard to ihe character of this great class of Lancashire houses— and let it be said that Cheshire possesses them also — it might be useful to refer to several of the venerable confraternity, such as Sr/eke Hall, near Liverpool, Smithells Hall— which has a place in thesj pages— Samlesbury, Ordsall, THE EAST FROM. Crumpsall Old Hall, Haugh Hall, Barton Old Hall, Urmston Old Hall, Kersal Cell — a very pretty example of timber archi- tecture, quite near to Agecroft — a n d many others. The old halls, mansions, a n d in a n o r houses of Lanca- shire are a mixed company. Many have fallen upon evil days, and are half ruined or divided into cottages ; others have been swept away, leaving some fragment for memory ; and comparatively few are those preserved. In the northern part of the ccunty the dwellings are more castle-like, but the typical Lancashire house is of timber, and belongs to the time of the Tudors or of James, and, especially in South Lancashire and Cheshire, possesses the general characteristics of the example we depict. They have bars, vertical and horizontal, angles and curves, oriel windows, and many gables to break the skyline. Inside are chambers and corridors, many and varied, and antique stairways leading to the upper storey. Everywhere is oak panelling, with fine carvings, and in the more dainty FROM THE STABI.E-YAPD. • Hill '• 1Mb ANUb.M tM.'ANCI. •J-24 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. parts the wainscot is divided by fluted pilasters. A prodigious amount of oak has been employed in building a quadrangular house like Agecroft. It would almost suggest to us that a grove of oaks must have bowed beneath the woodman's axe ere that structure was raised, and the operation must have somewhat resembled the building of a great ship, for here, too, the seasoned timber was jointed and pegged to withstand the storms. Agecroft occupies a somewhat peculiar position. On the west side is the edge of a steep cliff, and there are evidences that the three remaining sides of tl*e quadrangle were protected by the moat. The square is complete, and measures about looft. externally, and the main gate, which has a beautiful Tudor arch, with a lovely oriel window over it, is on the east side. It would appear that a large part of the house was built in the reign of Henry VII. or his successor, and the beautiful carving of (i:ie Perpendicular character, in the corbelling of the windows on the east front, is very noteworthy. Owing to the effect of It is, however, time, having described the house itself, that we should say something about those who have lived therein. In 1327 John de Langley and Joan his wife paid a fine to William de Langley, Rector of Middleton, for the manor of Pendlebury and other lands, and here the knightly family of Langley of Langley established itself. To this family is said to have belonged Robert Langley, Bishop of Durham, Lord Chan- cellor of England, and a Cardinal. He was supervisor of the will of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and, by his will, left a number of books to the College of Manchester, in the founda- tion of which he had been concerned. It is interesting to know that in the windows of Agecroft Hall are portions of ancient glass, zealously protected by wire frames externally, in which are the bearings of the Langleys and of John of Gaunt. The house and estate came in 1560, on the death of Sir Robert Langley, to his daughter and heiress Anne, who married Thomas Dauntesey, and thus Agecroft passed to the family which long continued to reside there. It was afterwards occupied by the THE EAST FRONT IN QUADRANGLE. weather the south face of the building has called for pardal renewal, and not much of tiie ancient plaster-work remains, but the east facade is quite original. Passing through the arch we reach the interior of tile- courtyard, which is picturesquely attractive. Opposite to us is the long window of the great hall, with magnificent decorative timber-work over it, the kitchen and offices and the servants' quarters to the right, and the family apartments on the le't hand, with the chapel, now converted to the dining-room. Mr. H. Taylor, in his" Old H.ill* in Lancashire and Cheshire," says that originally Agecroft had open galleries as corridors in one portion of the quadrangle, similar to those which may still be seen in many old hostelries ; but, with the exception of one short length, th -se are now enclosed. The interior has been a good deal modernised, and the great hall is now used as a billiard-room. It was doubtless inevitable that some changes should be introduced, but it is satisfactory to find the placs so greatly valued and so well preserved. Rev. Richard Buck, and there have been other occupants, but Mr. Robert Dauntesey is in possession, and the house is in good hands. Enough has been said to indicate the character and history of Agecroft Hall. It m.iy be interesting to mention that at the bottom of the hill the Irwell is crossed by Agecroft Bridge, which leads to Kersal Moor. The river was once pure and well stocked with fish, but much more than a century ago pollution had set in. A Certain Mr. Rasbotham, writing in 1786, said: "The river hath trout, shoulders, chubbs, dace, gudgeons, and eels. Salmon came to it before the establishment of the fishery at Warrington, higher than this township; but there is no such thing experienced at present." Those who know the Irwell will wonder that salmon should ever have visited its waters. That day is long past, but we may hope that the ever-growing bustle of modern things may yet for centuries spare the ancient beauties of Agecroft Hall. M )/ 7 H.4LI AND JOINThU h.NULISH OAK. •226 GARDENS OLD Ah'D NF.W. < Q_ Q O o LLJ £ LIJ I x Oi -T O LLJ I h- Q UJ O I jjj ! — O LU X H • J WESTWOOD PARK, DROITWICH THE SEAT OF MK. EDWARD PARTINGTON WHI IHI.R we regard Westvvoud Park Irom the il. the personal, tlu- .ncliitfitiir.il, or tlu dening point of view, we shall tind that it is unusually intc rating pl.Ke. It has chaiac- teristics that are not di-c.i\ered ID many great J it has been associated with not a tew men of eminence in the State and S«>ciet> . I'lu- house lit-?, something less than twomiles to the west ot l)ioit\vich. in Woicestershire. n a very fine situation, upon an eminence commanding very beautiful pn^jvctN, and it» park K«M-I> aN-ut j«.- .vuh a fine lake in \ :<-\\ .it the man*ion «n tin- <-a>t sidi-. llu- ptfk K laid i>ut in " ra\ s of planting." aN ^hall pi.Mrntly he described. Here, in ancient times, \\.i-. a small prmiy ..| Benrdiciine nuns, subject to the Ablvy <•( Fontevr.iud, tin- site of which appeals to ha\i- Ivi-n upon the Nl"pt- ,.i the bank above the present li-h-ponds. Alt r tiie hi.ssulution, the place xvas granted by Henry Mil. t.. Sir J(.hn Pakin$>t"ii. .1 sergeant- at-lau. \\lio was yiven many judicial ..ffices, chielly in Wales. When the knight died he possessed some thirty manors, and the greater part c,| his estatr passed to his nephew . Thorn. is Pakinutun, the son ,.i |u> brother Kolvrt, v\ ho had murdered in London in i;?;. I he new i A. is knighted hy Queen Mar\ m i>5^. and died in 1571. It does nut appeal to tv knoui. with an> certamts that .1 mansion house e.Msied at Wistwood at the tune, and th. central blo».k "t the existing structure dates trom the pi.s-,.Ssion ol Sir J"hn Pakin^ton. wh- ucceed. d on tlie death «.t his lather. Sir Thomas When Queen HIi/aNth \ isited Woro-siei • shire in August. IS/S. she seems to ha\e been attracted by the u it and the handsome person of the sqmie, not yet Sir John, who had reen educated at Chnsuhurch. Oxford, and had studied the law at Lnuoln's Inn. The Queen united him to Coiut, where he was u\e;\id with ^ie.n favour, and plunged into the \ "Hi \ nt the fashionable life oi his time. Pakinuton \\.is knight d in 1^87, but he appeal s to have outrun Ins means and to have been enmeshed in financial difficulti< His j< v, erne was then at Hampton l."vett, but he seems t'i lia\e com eived the ulea of building a kind ot banqueting- house or pl.ue oi tesoit .u Westw.»>J. To him the central portion ot the house is due. but it did not K-come the residence THE ANCIENT GAlt-HOLSE. GARDENS OLD AND KEW. s. v 03 O O Q Z f- z O ai uu H C/3 m UJ X H /;<{. >o/j z at, •230 OLD AND of the family until after the Civil War. It stood in the miJst of a fine woodland, and Pakington constructed a lake, probably represented by the present sheet of water. His lake, however, encroached upon the highway, and his right to divert the road being questioned, lie very impetuously ordered his embankments to be cut through, and his waters were dispersed through the valley, probably to the dismay of those who had opposed him. Sir John had married the daughter of Humphrey Smith, the Queen's si kman, widow of Benedict Barnham, and she had brought him a considerable estate, which enabled him to retrieve his fortunes. The knight was succeeded by his son John, who was created a baronet in 1620, and was M.P. for Aylesbury, in CENTRE OF ROSE GARDEN. which district the family had estates. He died as a young man, and was succeeded by Sir John Pakington, the second baronet, who suffered much in the Royal cause in the Civil War, and to whom the present character of Westwood Park- must be ascribed. The house at Hampton Lovett had suffered heavily in the Civil War, and the cavalier baronet transferred his residence to Westwocd. The King came to his assistance, and a grant »f ,£4,000 was made to him under the name of " Edward Gregory," as the King explained, lest the example should be prejudicial. It \\as at this time that Westwood received the four diagonal wings, which were built out from the original structure, giving it a form that appears to be unique. The 1Mb bXIT KKOM THE ROSE GARDEN. noble bay windows rising to the third storey, the quaint gables, and the striking character of the diagonal wings all mark- out Westwood Park as an extremely fine example of the architecture of that time. What is specially worthy of note is that Westwood Park does not stand alone. 'I here is the grand and characteristic gate-house, which may go bade to the time of the first builder, with its admirably picturesque gables, its arch, and the delight- fully fantastic character of the lofty structure which supports the cupola roof in the midst. At a little distance from each wing, and lying in the diagonal direction from each corner of the house, stood most picturesque garden-houses or banqueting-rooms, of which two still remain, and are fine examples of garden architecture, their old brick walls, mullioned windows, quaintly corbelled chimneys, and picturesque tiled roofs giving them a most attractive appearance. The site of the house upon an eminence in a wooded country doubt- less suggested the distribution of the grounds, which are admirably illus- trated in a bird's-eye view by Dr. Nash. The private garden seems to have been on the north-west, and to have been divided by paths crossing both ways, bordered by formal trees, into four portions, though not of equai si/e Opposite to each angle of the house, and again opposite to each front, a way was cut through the wood, so that in each of these direc- tions there was a vista and an avenue. A large circular space was cleared of timber round the house, and at some little distance further away a circular road intersected the avenues, so that the wood was cut up into segments of sylvan rings. It is true that the arrangement was noi carried to completion on one side of the house, where the ground declined to the lake, and in this direction was a broader outlook, which gave variety. This symmetrical plan of the garden at Westwood deserves to be specially noted. With its garden-houses and avenues the place had features that may be said to have brought it into relation with the school \vhich we associate with Le Notre. Sir John Pakington, the cavalier baronet, died in 1680, and was succeeded by another Sir John, who spent a retired life at We-hvood, and was reputed to be one of the fintst Anglo-Saxon scholars of his time. He represented his county in Parliament from 1685 to 1687 Dean Hickes was his intimate trie'nd, and appears to have written some of his learned works at Westwood. His " Grammatica Anglo- Saxonica" is dedicated to Sir John Pakington, and the beauties of West- wood and its gardens and park at the time are set forth The student baronet was succeeded by a worths- gentleman, another Sir John Pakington, who lived until 1728, and is supposed to have been the original of the famous Sir Roger de Coverley. It is true that Addison disclaims having had any originals for his characters, but, although Sir Roger does not altogether answer to Sir John in the circumstances of his life, there are undoubtedly resemblances in tin- two personalities, and again in Coverley Hall and its surroundings, as resembling Westwood Park, with a ruined abbey near it, and its pleasant walks "struck out of a wood in the midst of which the house stands." Addison 's baronet was a bachelor, but moon /'..- ..» THE PORCH. Sir John Pakington was twice married. Two of his sons pr»- deceased him, but his third son. Sir Herbert Perrot Pakington. succeeded at Westwood Park as fifth baronet, and, like many of his ancestors, represented his county in Parliament. Sir Herbert's two sons — Sir John and Sir Herbert — followed him in succession, and the baronetcy became extinct on the death of Sir John, the eighth baronet, in 1830. The eldest daughter <>f the seventh baronet had married Mr. William Russell, of Powick Court, and thei- son, Mr. John Somerset Russell, who, on the • of the last baronet of the orijjin.il creation, had taken the name of Pakington in lieu 'A Russell, was him-dt created a baronet in 1846. This gentleman was .1 well-known politician, and ' nial Secretary. twi< •• I ir-t l.--r.l »t the Admiralty, .ind >ecret.iry "f St.He f»r W:ir. He was in.iJe a G.C.B. in 1859. and in March, 1874. wa* the peerage as Baron Hampt-inof Hampton l.ovett and of Westwood. Worcestershire. Westwood Park is illustrative of much that K notable in the history of the country. Its present rmnei is Mr. ifdward Partington, whose son -in -la A, Mr. R. B. Ward, resides there. 232 G.-1RnF.\S OLD AND A7-W. •7. O g LLj f- c/) i JI33 ] LEIGHTON . . . HALL, WELSHPOOL, MRS NAYLOR THH judicious guide who instructs the visitor ,;s to how • to sci- the notable p aces in the upper \ all the Severn, in that romantic p.itt of it which lies adjacent to Welshpool and below Montgomery, will often tell him to drive from the former place to I'ouis Castle, where hemav survey its ancient glories, and then. . ing the Severn by the hr dge, to visit the splendid mo lern domain v Na\ lor at l.eighton Hall, rich in u-cent impiovernents, in farms, mills, and sawing establishments, an.l s,, beneath the shadow of I.eigliton Church to return to WeNhpo.il. Some- thing like this has been done in these pages, to- the rea.hr has looked with delight upon the pictures oi antique I'owisand the glory of the terrace* on the ste.-p, and now has before him the picturesque and noble mansion ,,f Li-ighton Hall, and the loveliness «'. ts well-kept gardens and grounds, tmm which • Mle is itseli a prominent object in a be uitilul landscape. famous for its grand hills and \\ oded steeps, and the meadows by the river Severn, here but a \ outhful stream that may In- passed at Leighton ford. I! il are fine prospects of tin- Vale of Severn, and from the heights on- may look upon Moel-y< iolfa an.l the Breiddin Hills, and, il tl;e d even Plinlimmon. ( ;.ide. Kins. ":|(ltt j,,n> t|u. ,\, Areiii^;-. are w ithin the \ u I.eigliton is .1 small parish in the hundred ' < \\ontgomeiyshue. about t\vo miles tinm WeKhpool, .ind th< Hall l;es in the valley, nearly at the loot o| the I ..n- Mountain, which form- .1 r.m^e i unning north-east K-iween Ilus pomt am! the Breiddin Hills. It is a region lull of history and rich in romantic traditions and a- », and her<- u.is fought the last Contested battle tor \\VUh inde|x-ndence in i-i>4. when the Welsh were commanded b\ Mad"^, I.N -Aelyn's brother. It i- not surprising that such a district should have attra.'ted the wealthy, and the re-ion is M.n.ewhat laiiMMs t. r th- be., se.iis that distin. uish it. In the neighbourhood ot I.eigliton Hall are (i.irth, Nantiiibba, ( ila; M-\fin, \ md other tine places. l» Mi. .1 >hn Naylor, .1.1'.. h.l... at one timi Sheritt of Montgomery, the architectural beau1 ,t s ..t I.eigliton and the perfection «\ its surroundings are mainly due. In the work ot erection, and of adornment within and without, there was scope for much wise planning, and for t'-e exercise of fine KKOM THE SOl/TH-tASr. 234 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. artistic taste. How well all was done the pictures will disclose. In bringing to per- fection such a place as Leigh- ton Hall, de- veloping its i n d i v i d u a 1 character, and surrounding it uithgardenslike these, many qualities were called for, but the chiefest of them was love tor the higher forms of art, and the resolve to givesplenduur to the dwelling. A re hitec- turally, i.eighton Hall is imposing and stately. It is well and substantially built of stone, in a tasteful adaptation of the mediaeval style of the fourteenth century, with tall gables and mullioned windows, and covers an ample space of ground. There rises from it a lofty octagonal buttressed tower, \\ iih an embattlement, somewhat ecclesiastical perhaps in its character, and having a turret and a gallery for the outlook. There is much to survey in this romantic val.j, and the tower promise-; to those who climb a truly glorious prospect. Within, of course, the house is choice and beautiful in design and plenishings, and is somewhat famous for its pictures and THE EAST TBRRACE FROA\ THE SOUTH-EAST. other art treasures. With- out are the arti stically at- tractive gardens, \v h i c h a r e mainly our sub- j ect. Such a house demanded beautiful grounds for its comple- ment, and it is deserving of note thatthe harmony between the mansion and its surroundings is such as we should desire. The opportuni- ties were many, and they have been well used. An undulating space at the loot of the hills suggested special treatment, . the park, wi ere the foliage is magr.i 'cent. I he belts of tre.s that enframe the garden are a fine and reposeful feature, and are of varied hue and foliage. At the other end of the principal garden the ground ialls, and there the landscape character will delight those who love natural gardenage. In ihis quarter is a small lake or pool — tlv same into which the son of Da'dalus p u:i,es in his h adlong tall — bordered by grass slopes, and reflecting th > umbrageous lanJsc ipe. Here are great masses of water-lilies and other water- loving pi nits, and on the banks the rhodo- dendrons a r e glorious in the summer, wh.le the trees are of beautiful orna- mental varieties. It will have been noticed that the lormal and landscape fea- tures are closely juxtaposed, and, indeed, each is the foil and com- l'i< in Hi "i tlir other. So far we have noted noth- ing of the really *ZK. old school of H HI f _! _1 < o x _4 o £ 238 G.4KDENS OLn AMD NEW. gardening, but this is found in the walled library garden, which lies near to the east : nd of the principal garden. This is a most beautiful and sequestered resort, seemingly set apart for studious reflection or pleasant converse. The wall that encloses it ha-- an excellent coping, and ihe low buttresses are of the s.'.me period a> the house, i he area is grass. \viih flower- beds framed in ti'.e turf, the garden being divided into spaces by gravel paths, and where the g r - u n d rises a 1 o w terrace has been tormed, with a grass slope and a tli_iht of steps ascending, beyond whi;h is a \ista through a green archway to the •_! i r d e n b e y o n d . Hulking the stairway and the path are de- I gl.tful liUle amorini of individual merit, all in hronxe, like the rich fl >wer vases which are i:i the area, and up:>n their st lie pedestals these I. ne tne top ol the gras-i si >;-e that has been alkul d to. The walls of this library plei- sau>-ce are themselves gardens, and have a esture of loveliness in the flowering climbers that clothe them . Here rose- flourish abur.danlly, and the fine sylvan background he most certainly exclu completes a truly beautiful garden picture, broader view, he might Though there is at Leighton a most charming dwelling- Ch inning indeed is the house, with ait1 active plea-ure grounds, and a considerable Hall, though some puri: estate, the character of t'.ie whole is shnple, and there is little e.xc.uJe it on the ground to delay the pe n. What we obsci ve is a happy union of various styles of gardenage — the broad a n d e f t e c t i v e character : f the principal garden, wiih its toiin- tain and admir- able statuary, the excellent and original terraces at the east end, w h e r e t h e ground rises to the >y!v.m p.n k, tlu- ( harming lar.dsc.ipe fea- tures on the other hand, \\ ith the I a k e a s lll<-' -l'm of SOUIH L.N1J OF Tllii tAST CARD; N. ICARUS. » _ the whole, and the radi mt ">ace of the retired library garden within its walls. Various periods and features of gardening are thus represented, a n d a n a d m i r a b le setting is provided for the architectural s pi e n d our of t h e mansion. Reserve is another distinguishing character of the gardens. There is no lack of richness, as the visitor realises wdeii he traverse-, these enchanting places. It was no small th i n g, f o r example, to br ing together so many excellent work's of sculpture, and to dispose t em well. They import into the garden something of a spirit that is alien to that of the architectural period to which the house belongs, but the result is undeni- ably pleasing and attractive. There is a partial breaking and intermingling of styles w ich adds a fresh- ness to t h e o I d e r forms. Here, perhaps a lesson may be cuggested. Let not the garden planner set up too rigid a method in his work, else will .le some Iliings wlvch, w.th a ave welcomed to his satisfaction, sculpture in the garden at Leight >n vts might have been willing to of its being the out.'ome of the classic and naturalistic school. There are many beauti- ful gardens in this part of Walesa d those of Leighton Ha'l deserve to be accorded a high p I a c e a m o n g them. They are ra.l ant, beauti- ful, varied, and architecturally interesting, therefore both admirable and attractive. The tall spire of the modem Harly Hnglish church, erected by Mrs. Naylor, adds to the attractions of the Ian.Xc.ipe. ST. PAGAN'S . . CASTLE, CARDIFF. THE SEAT or LORD WINDSOR. 1~^Hh picturesque Welsh village ot St. Farm's. hi;ig up.'i the river hlv. not far I .>rn .1: I.landaff. takes it- name from the s.iint to whom the. quaint Norman and heorated church t! ited. Tradti.inallfjjesth.it the goo I man arrived in mahout the yeir 180, and that he founded a church in the r which the existing structure i- the -iu\e— T. The : M. I .lean's, with its many quaint, old-fa-hioned lutch-ro.fed cottages, it- Tud -r gabled mansion, and its interesiini: church, almost hidden among spreading trees, i- one of the most charming and plea-ing in tluit pirt of the Principality. Its principal attraction lies in Lord Windsor'- beautiful -eat, the (.astie ot St I a-an, \\hich. though not ..( impo-ing grandeur, indeed possesses m 11- houy wa Is and marr. , its ancient feature-, and its Tudor e:nlvlli«h- ments. a character which we love to find in the old h >u-e- • t the land. The oldest portion of the remains probably dates from the thiiteeiith century. mdLatmj; the exi^ti-iu, :i^|y fnrtiticd ilwt-llini;- place, commanding the neck of tin \alley. 'Ihis casilc ha- K t irature- of n.triest in our garden pictures, and of value in the garden plan. M. I.I,MH'- un Yrwent reconstruction later on. and K \' to it. ii H7-S, .1- ,>iu- el the ca-tlf- IK- .r tlu- "frontiers of the moutit.u ties." It- IPAIKT at tin- time ua- one John ( labon, a dot-t..r of the law, and it seem- prohaHe that the manor l.ou-e \\.i-i l-uilt about that date. It | n— 1»,-(- the Cables, mullioncd \\ind.m-, and ihimneys winch we a—opiate with Tudor '.i\-. and is a bold and impre—ivi- hou-e. standn^ on the cre-t ot the hill, and looking, trom it- many « indow- and ancient emb.itt'.ed walls, over the garden- which lie up. n the s|,i[e :ii,d in ihe valley to the land-c ipe I eyond. 1 he position is very ads anta-. ..us, and lias l.-nt it-ill extremely well to the furm.itio.i of the gardens. Before describing them, let us note the tact that the t ei;jlibourho...l w.i- the -ceiv of a very sanguinary TJIF I HAD TANK IN IK.: 240 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. in the Civil War. The Royalists had arranged a plan by which the entrance of the Scots into England was to be a signal for a simultaneous rising in every quarter of the kingdom, but the zealoftheWelsh- m e n d i d n o t brook delay, and a force of 8,000 men quickly gathered. C hep- stow was sur- prised, Carnar- von besieged, and Colonel Fleming defeated, but success led on the Welsh to towards Pemb.oke A SUNNY CORNER. tluir ruin. Lauahern was hastening (in May 8th, when, at St. Pagan's, lie encountered the Parliamentary forces under Colonel Morton, who had been sent by i romwell to enforce disbandment. A hard-fought engagement took place, in which the Welsh werj defeated with great slaughter and the loss of many prisoners. Of St. Pagan's parish alone sixty-five inhabitants were sl.'in, and it was impossible to reap the next harvest for want of men. The Parliamen- tary tide flowed on to P e in- broke, where a siege ensued, which detained Cromwell's forces for six weeks before the place s u r - rendered. In the seven- teenth centurv St. Pagan's C is le, or manor house, passed into the hands of the family of Lewis of the Van, and by the marriage of Miss Lewis with the tnira Earl of Ply- mouth, who died in 1732, it came to a family new to the district. The Earls of Plymouth did not reside much at St. Figan's, and the castle appears to have fallen into disrepair. Part of it was, in fact, u ed as the village school, but t.ie late Bironess Windsor give it as a residence to her son, the Hon. Robert Windsor-Ciive, after his m Triage with Lady Mary Bridgeman. '1 his gentleman largely restored the old house, and furnished it with excellent taste, col.ecting the old ok and fine tapestry and china which it now co.. tains. A great MARBLE VASES ON THE TERRACE. SI. _ £ UJ o t- 242 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 1HH BAITLEMENI WALK. deal was done at this period, and many imp.ovements and alterations in the grounds were suggested by the rough old wallfd garden and the picturesque contours of the ground. It remained, however, for Lady Mary Windsor-dive to carry on the work after the death of her husband, who had designed and completed the terraces and fish-ponds, which are such an attractive feature in the place. The present Lady Windsor has added much to the beauty of the gardens, and work is still going on, so that the charming house and surroundings of i>t. Pagan's maybe expected to grow in their attractions. Entering the grounds by the gate on the north side, very beautiful is the picture discovered. A broad drive, flanked by trees, and by green and spacious lawns, lea Is to an archway through the ancient castle wall, behind which rise the lofty gables of the Tudor structure. The grey walls of the ancient place gave rare attraction to the scene, and a dovecote raised upon a pillar is a feature of int.rest in the garden. The archway through which we reach the forecourt is rich'y clothed with ivy and flowering plants \\ i'hin and with- out, and in the centre of the area stands upon two steps a superb and very r e - markable leaden cistern, s ur- J'JNH^kS l.\ rounded by grass, which we illustrate. Such an object is very unusual in our gardens, and is perhaps unique, but the history of it seems not t:> be known. It is a glorious example of craftsmanship in lead. The date is 1620, and the tank bears the Royal arms. Grouped about it are features of exceptional interest — on ona side the rugged walls of the mediaeval castle, on the 'ther the many-windowed structure, luxuriantly vested with roses and climbing plants. The principal garden front of the house, however, is on the other side, where the embattled wall, after partially enclo ing the forecourt, extends towards the crest of the hill, which it lines with most admirable and picturesque effect, giving a glorious outlook over the terraced gardens to the south. There are gardens, however, on the north side of the wall, lying on the right of the approach to the house, of which something may be said before \ve pass to those on the slope. Here is the moated rose garden, which has the unusual feature of a narrow stone- margined water channel sur- rounding its central part. Roses flourish abundantly, and group with admirable effect against the grey stone walls of the AUiUMN MIST. °1J building, s : J OJ X 244 GARDENS OLD AND NF.ll' ROSES AND TRELLIS-WORK. for on this side the remains of the ancient castle are many The garden of annual flowers, enclosed within walls, is a delightful example of gay and successful gardening, and the walls are floral also. Near by is the characteristic and fanciful trellised garden, a triumph in its way, and the rose garden proper is also on this side. The rosery has been formed by the present Lady Windsor, and is a perfect dream df loveliness, and an ideal home for the queen of flowers. Here are bowers, screens, and pergolas with delightful green turf paths, and beds of the best varieties in yreat masses, the borders of hardy flowers arranged in a free and natural manner. There is also an orchard, in which are well-grown old trees, rich in blossom and heavy with fruit in the season. This is a happy place also for the cultivation of bulbs, and a. succession of crocuses, narcissus, tulips, and other spr ng flowers mikes this part of the gardens a place of enchanting beauty in the early months of the year. We are tempted to recall the thoughts of Ruskin in this garden — to think that the THE STONE WALK IN THE NORTH OAF DEN. 57. PAGAN'S. M i 246 GARDENS OLD AND NPW. flowers rightly flourish here for those who love them. "I know you would like to think that true," he says ; "you would tnink it a pleasant magic if you could flush your flowers into brighter bloom by a kind look upon them ; nay, more, if your look had the p -\ver, not only to cheer, but to guard!" Something like this seems the influence at St. Pagan's. The long embattled wall which crests the hill there, separate^ the delightful garden region on the elevated land from the romantic beauty of the terraced garden on the- southern slope. The wall is the most important portion of the old castle still remain- ing. It overlooks the Ely Ri ver ; and the "wall walk," which commands the prospect, is well preserved, and terminates in a small turret, being a pic- turesque part of tl-.e mo.k'rn offices built in the middle of the last century. From this exalted position in the castle gardens there is a great deal to survey, and the q ;a:nt turret is the place for the outlook in its realm of flower-land. The terraces are in close proximity to the mansion, and there is a most lovely view over them from the battle- ments, terminating b.bw in the fish-ponds, whLli reflect TH.1 HIGHER POND. a magnificent growth of trees, partly enclosing them on the further side, over whose topmost branches, from our lofty position on the hill, we look out to the lovely landscape beyond, rich in the sylvan beauty and green spaces of the country. There are five successive terraces, edged with stone or grass, and some of them having grass slopes, while the descent from the house is by a fine tl ght of steps, flanked on either side THE LOWER PONU. by • I t is stl| ID iv U lurin tlu-ir jjai ID such . tormality has it"t ught, il is n.i! • .! tint tlio architectural feat .it tin- tin- work is extremely and us niry is handsome, .mj tails n^'itly into the garden picture. An abundance of tl ve leature. .in.) r<>s a and pelargoniums, iul multitude* "I line timers .ire tllUS culli\ated in perfection. AH along the terrace wall- ed in ciil ivating tx.Miitili.il tilings. II re ire exq • :ders, full of adnmabL* plants. anJ th.- walls are rich in (lowering climbers. It is a garden "t subtle and abundant charm, nd ten led with unfailing skill and care. Tlu- . , into the surrounJinj I ID'S m.i . i irdeil also. It has that . t to find in "iir rural I .e »)iiaint , , inutile in their i- regularity, an- em: n ir.igr.int shrubs jnd •. the.r parities nay with s«i-,-t-snielling hm: jasmine, and iimhrng t . their I nothing to break the rural chirm, and St. I I] 't deal t<> the artist. \\holin!s n the i|iiaint ^ anck-nt walls of the caMle main sublets i.ir hi* p The chinch is a teature in the landslip., .ml • Character an.l many memorials make it mU th • anlu|uar\ . I neighbourly: c ui.tiy ad K the n-ht and charm. Tin re are undulating pastures, wide ^, dales, v.. ,0s, .UK) rippling stu-amlets. .ill , ,n t' m.,M able coimtrs . We leiik-mrv; that it was here the lam 'tis i and \\.>n, in whi.h. in s ..-i • m.-asure, was divided the HA>I t M) O? Hit this side, and when at K-ngth, ^"in.- d nva by the va: nts, we arrive at the border of the ponds, where tlie water-lilies grow, we find ourselves in a natural land- — a transition most delightful. In the silvery surfaces of the ponds the surrounding trees are reflected, an.) when we J to the other side, linking back w reflected, with all its terraces and gardens— truly an enchanting picture. The two ponds, though cl >-e together, a:e K\ arated by a walk gi\ing access to the park beyond. On ti-.e youthern slope, where the terraces are, all things prosper, and the U-rrace borders are triumphs in successful garden ng, the place being beautiful and Iragrant b-cause of the admirable selection «\ \n, from early spring until the last winds of autum i have blown. The trees are magnificent, though n >t ot ^ eat si/e, and include fine pla lovely birches, branching naks. and stately and imp ismg conifers, whic!) last are green all the winter thrnigh. Indi- vidually and in masses the tree- aJ'>rn b .th the foreground and the distance with admirable effect, and the mitl the garden, with *'ie rushing streamlet and \\aterfalls, and the |H-rt n beaut\ . .p in the m.nd the idea of some southern laad. t a kingdom an I a commonwealth, but we may say with Byron : "T * «till i» IK i ^ l.-i'l. \r - '.i I Inr. \ i:nr • -l.itli no: .1 <•.'• We must add that to the p:e-ui: l.-,rd and l..i Ij U N r, who are true : all that mai.es the country and country hou-es beautiful, are due the preservation and the enrichment • ie s\-lvan a. id rural beauty "f St. Pagan's. The r ver l:!\ tl iwing through the valley enhances the charm of the landscape. Few \.o.jld suspect that within a few miles lies the bus Cardiff, where the ship> ever t an.l g-i, and tlie town is busy with tiie hum of men. I hill at St. Hasan's, or down by the fish-ponds and the woods, we d i not think of such things. We are content to I -,k up in the K-autiful terrace I ja .1 -:is, ti linger in th-- rosi-ry. or amo g the annual tlo.\eis, an I to .r t>i ;race out the plan of the old castle which stood Much of tl.e beauty of these is an Is )s .Ule !•• the i.ire and judgment, and the love o; natural things, ot those who. like Lord and l.adv Windvir. devote thein-ii\,is t> l\-a jt.fyin^ aJ^nniij; with new atlra>.tions UK: pi.u.es in which they dwell. •JH OLD AND LITTLECOTE, Mr. F. W. LEYBORNE- POPHAM. WILTSHIRE, . . . 15^3.*=!^ THI-. famous house r lour iiiik-s from Hungerford in Berkshire, l.eland rilvs its grounds .IN "a n-ht lain- and Luge •• h.mgynge uptn th.- ciylfe of a highe hille welle wo.ldyd ' and tlu- description is trif to-J.iy.fi>r tlu- Kennel still flows through the p.irk, and tlu- wo, .is --till an- me -n. UK- situation is |.i\v. .1 d the land hv the house level, hut higher to the south, so that as the visitor ne.irs it, ap I y the ol.l .ivei.ue. he sees the revl br ck vvaIN and tlu- hich there are som- forty, and the chimn^y-st-uks above tlie hedges and garden aJornments. Truly a house • •t marvellous charm is this, in a grouping of o'd-.v agi- by CJeiH-ral Kduard Leyb^rne-Popham. who had married th. heiress of the Poph»ms and taken the name, do not in any way break the .mtique spell. What kind of gardi-n should we desire to adorn such a house ? We might have chosen a low terrace, perhaps, for our . but. in any case, «<• should \ . simplicity is tlu- .! mini nit i h.u.ulci istic nt \' llu-ic 1.1 er.closuie l\v iv.illmg an I hi-il^--s. an.l . >!l is usi-d a^ the support lor tiuit tn-t-s .,r climNnfl ilo\\<-i- I In- K< niu-t Irn.ls a hr.uuli »\ Us stu-am o -i tlie irnth sul.- t«» !• nn a trout \\ati-l M the :Mulr s aiul in. a.lo\v s, .nul tlu -re .in- well- kept U'-'ss walks "II either si !e. (linked In glolious borders ol helbaceous (liwers. Heie st.i eU Iliies, g .nit ImlMi (hloxes, glorious p ippies. an.l tall to\-|i\e^, snapdragons, and laikspurs ll.>uii-li, with many a humbler gem at their Uet. an I the unrivalled back;:rounJ ot .1 dark, dense hedge. <;r .1 mosss . well-cl ithedwall. Th re are N -aulilul aw Us, and a bow ling green covered with perfect turf, and a quaint "IhiUi garden" tho.iuh why t:iat lair t. I sil.l not he i-.ngli-.h no man k.in say. t I iwer-lvds and garden se.it> are there also. I'hen the south Court is appioa.'hed by a sup.-ib noil gateway, leading to the gra-s p| .t. the dial, and the pouh, and we think ol the generations ot |)arells and I'ophams who have entered that wi\. hver\ where are line tiers n-,in^ i.aturally in IIMSM-S and affording cool sh de and the aspect ot r. pose. I he paik. which is some tour mile- in cncum: reiue, i^ va ied in ch.nacter and cont >ur, ar.d picturesque, . . i:h a certain w ildness in its aspect that is charmuvj and beautiful. On one s;de ris s i THU SOUTHERN COURT. 250 G.4KHENS OLD AND Ni-lV. THE COAT OF AR,MS OVliR THE DOORWAY. THE NORTH hkONT AND BOWLING GkEEN. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. lofty hill, crowned with wood, and form- ing a fine con- trast with tha luxuriant and level meadows extending along the banks of the Kennet. Radiance, sweet- ness, and natural attraction are everywhere to ha found. Littlecote was long the seat of the Uarells,and here lived, in tha six- teenth century, William Darell, t'.ie last of the line of its builders, whose stormy career is still recounted by the neighbouring peasants, when they tell the tale of "Wild Dareli." The story gees that one dark and st >rmy night a hasty messenger arrived on horseback at the cottage of a Berkshire midwife, demanding her services for a lady. Plenteous was the reward, but he strange condition was that the woman should be blindfolded, and be carried on the horseman's pillion to her duties. Her scruples were overcome, and the pair rode on until they reached a lonely mansion, where the midwi.e, still blindfolded, v.as conducted to an upper room. She performed her duties to a lady, whom tradition avers to have been masked, but scarcely had the new-born infant been thus strangely ushered into the great world, when a man of ferocious aspect entered, and brutally extinguished its new-budded life by flinging it on the back of a great fire which roared on the hearth, amid the shrieks of the mother and the cries of the woman. THE NORTH LAWN. Then the midwife, again blindfolded, was mounted on the pillion, and, hurriedly riding in the breaking c'ay with her silent c o in - panion, was put within her own doors ; but the strangeness of the summons had aroused her curiosity, and, en reaching the house, she had counted the steps and had cut a piece out of the lady's bed-curtain. Thus ultimately was the horrid deed brought home to its cruel author, and palpable was the proof of his guilt. Yet Darell escaped the penalty of his crime. Old Aubrey avers that a dark transaction wrought his freedom. " The knight was brought to his tryall; and, to be short, this judge had his noble house, parke, and mannor, and (1 thinke) more, for a bribe to save his life." The judge in question was Sir John Popham, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, a sound lawyer, but a severe man, who presided at the trials of Sir Walter Raleigh and Guy Fawkes. The story, it must be confessed, seems improbable, though it is not to be denied that Darell lived, and that Popham possessed his estate, but it would appear that Darell sold the reversion to him in 1586, and that he entered into possession when the murderer died in 1589. The manner of his death is stated by tradition to have been consonant With his desperate and passionate life. He had always been a. wild THE WESTERN COURT. A n-A\iiv i:ow>iR BY HIE ikorr mm mm* *""" THE C WANGERY. 254 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. THE ASCENT TO THE BOWLING GREbN. horseman, and they s.iy, dashing in frenxL-d career across the park, his steed fell in the headlong course, an I was killed with his rider on a spot still known as " Darell's L cap." Such is tl-e story told with bated breath at Littlecote, lending a strange interest to the old house and the grounds in which these scenes were enacted. The place, in all appropriateness, has its haunted room, and the curious will like to know that it is the chamber with the open window in our picture of the north front and bow ing green. With the Pophams the house long remained, and happily it is still in their possession. The judge's only son was Sir Fr.ir.cis Po p h a m , a soldier and poli- tician of l.t;gio'.;s temperament, who died in 1644. His son John had tlied before him, and was buried with great pomp at Littlecnte in 1638. Alex- ander, the second son, succeeded at Little cote, and, after siding with Parliament in the Civil War, entertained Charles II. at his house in 1663. The buff jerkins of the day still harg in the hall. The third son of T"K SOUIHEkN Sir Francis was Sir Edward Popham, a distinguished admiral and general, \vho was buried in Westminster Abbey in 1651. It is unnecessary, however, to follow the generations of the Pophams of Littlecote. The present owner is descended in the female line from Alexander Popham, just mentioned. Macaulay records that William of Orange, after his con- ference with the Commissioners of James at Hungerford, December 8th, 1638, retired to Littlecote, where a great assemblage met him. He occupied the rooms of which the windows, shown in the picture of the north-west corner of the garden, look out along that lovely grass walk. The precent owner is Mr. Francis William Ley- bjrne - Popham, eldest son of the late Mr. Francis Leyborne - Pop- ham, D.L., J. P., of Littlecote, who died in 1880. Mr. Leyborne - Pop- ham married, in 1890, Maud Isabel, daughter of the late Mr. Henry Howard, of Greystoke Castle, Cum- berland. For some years Littlecote has been let, and Mr. Leopold Hirsch is the present tenant. FORECOURT. SMITHILLS . . HALL, LANCASHIRE RICHARD H. AINSWORTH WITHIN some three miles or the busy l.ancash re town of Bolton-le-Moors, noisy with the luiin "t the spind'e and the rattl- of the shuttle in the loom, stands ancient Smilhills Hall. :ipart in its .lens, .ind preserving its old-time splendour undimmed. In these ; eral ol the black and white— or "nv . -metimes called - ti nlvr-work ! Lancashire have been depicted. We might dwell upon the charmsof that old Hnghsh style, which h.iste\v finer rxempl.it s than the house ol Smittiill*, but it is perhaps unnecessary to reter again to the general chiricter of such places. What is specially gratifying in regard to this antique hous- is tint, though it lies so near to a manufacturing town, it is maintained mething even greater than its pr stine charm. Such additions as have been male to tit it for a modern habit.ition are in admirable list.-, and the stone enlargements .ire in exc.llent harmony with the whole structure. urul gardens and a good park are the setting "f the place. Their .ha-acter i^ broad and simple, an.l without el.iKiration, as \\ill be seen from the pictures, and the elicit is eminently s.itis'.u tory. In the ancient courts ard there is a pleasant arran^em.-nt of tl-iwer-heds. The Ion.: lawns \vhuh are upon the south front form a raised terrace-, and there is nothing to detract Ir 'in the architectural prop.itmns ..r the harmony of the structure. At the miter ed^e »t tins terrace runs a low wall without any balustrade, and tlu re are three simple descents, with stonework mar.-nis and the n!d adonr cit stone balls. I he stairways lead down to a long walk, with .1 line flower b > dcr under the wall, and .1 i;rass m.n^ui 0:1 the other hand, beyond wliich is another low stone wail with ^i.is> lying helow. I he garden m.isniry is e\.er\. \heiv e\crlie-it, as may be noticed in the illustration of the .i^cnt l> the mount. That mount is a feature in the -ard n, and it has been conjectured that it was the mound or h.i'e of a fortified tower, which it is believed anciently stood up- • THE UOMbSTIC CHAPtl AND GUSPbL HALL. •256 GARDENS OLD AND THE GARDEN IN THE COURTYARD. THE ASCbNT TO THE MOUNT. SMI7HII.LS HALL. spit. Tlir t- t Smithills .in- line : e • Uld .iJJ the- pictures. Ill so:i;e pi. i i\ y > tlw structure, as well HIS llowerm;: pl.uit>. t , rally Uinj; it t :nat the •d, s i in p 1 1- , .1 n J appropriate. In this, of cou: there is a i It that much may he achieved without either it labour or u; nse; and in this matter Smithills might well he an i-\ unple. The site of the Hall pre.-ents many analogies to those of other Lancashire house-;, and it is reasonable to think that it was selected because ot the facilities it presented for defence. In this matter it is like A^ecrott, Little Bolton Hall, and the well-known " Hall i' th* Wood" in the same neighbour!) • .J. Smithiils stand^ on the ed-e »f a steep cliff, at the bottom of which ll-.ws .1 tributary oi the river Ton^e, while on the other side-, in former times, there was the p otection of a moat. The \i\i-n which results from the steep declivity adds picturesqueness to the place, and a rocky bridge and overil >w have a i agreeable touch of wildness, and £\ve to the park a gre..t deal of natural charm. The water of the nU-n comes d-iwn from the hills above, forms a basin or lake, and runs into a rivine of rock towards Bolton and the busy places which lie at the foot of the hill. The arrangement of the TMK OOSPhL HALL, EAST SIDE. ^r shall pri- vy be des- cribed, but, while we are speaking Of It- Mtll.itl "II, it may be interesting t" s.iy tint the old te-houne M-cins to have Iven at tin- south-west Col h' i ol t e quadrangle, .IS IS 111. bv an aveiuii- oi limes \\hich I .uls that wa\ . I hi- quadia: is not eiiilost-.l, .is i 11 so in e hoiisi-s nt class, hut is open on the south side, and the more modern t-recti >ns have be -n a.ld-d in an CVU-IIM m westward. In very ancient tim.sthe place Ivlon^-d to the yreat lioust- it Lacy, and it passt\| to the Stanleys oi L.ithom, and then to the K.ulclilfes, who ueie seated at Smithills m the rei^n of ird ML, and were a branch of the Ka.lcliftes of Had htle Tower. Joanna, the daughter and heiress ot Sir Ralph Kadcliffe, conveyed Smithills to her husband, Ralph Barton tprint it is, was burnt at Chester in Mary's time. It appears that, after being examined at Smithills, Marsh wa> taken before the Earl of Derby at Lathom, and was burnt outside the walls of Chester on April 24th, 1555. Sir Thomas Barton of Smithills died in 1659, and the estate passed, with his daughter Grace, as sole heiress, to Henry Belasyse, M.P., eldest son of Thomas, first Viscount Fauconberg, whose descendant, the third barl, sold the manor in 1721. It afterwards passed to the Byroms of Manchester, and was sold for .£21,000 to Mr. Richard Ainsworth of Helli- well, who died in 1833. It thus reached good hands, and, through the care of that gentleman and his present successor in the estate, has been brought to a new state of perfection. Mr. Henry Taylor, who has written a very interesting book, entitled "Old Halls in Lancashire and Cheshire," says that the architectural history of Smithills is more beset with entanglements than that of almost any other old house he has dealt with, in consequence of the great number of a teiations and rebuildings in medieval and subsequent times. The diiltculty of unravelling the confusion is increased by the unusually large number of rooms and the great size of the house. From the architectural point of view, the main interest is on the eastern side of the quadrangle, from which the domestic part has gone westward, where the more modern portions lie in an added wing. The courtyard, which, as we have said, is open on the south side, is about 6oft. square. On the north is the great hall, with the pantry and buttery, and acro-o the western end of the large apartment are screens, with an ancient passage through the building from north to south. At the east end stood the high table, with a canopy over it, but at the close of the eighteenth century the great hall was converted into a brew-house, the side walls raised, and a false roof of flatter pitch added, and a new floor. The walls have been all more or less rebuilt, the first rebuilding being from wood to stone in Tudor times. There is now an open timber roof of very great beauty, and from it the date of the earlier building may be taken. Hntered by a door at the back of the high table was the smaller hall, or lord's chamber, now divided into rooms, and further east was a charming withdrawing-room or banqueting- room. The dom stic chapel is on that side also, and may be seen in the pictures, with a cross upon the generally interesting. On the western side of the quadrangle are apartments with massive oak timber roofs, built originally without the corridor, which is now seen. This was added in the Jacobean period to provide means for entering the upp?r rooms independently, and is supported by an arcade of oak columns, forming a verandah to the lower rooms, where is the splendid old oak carving, with the ancient linen pattern, the rebus of the bar and ton, the oak leaves and acorn, and quant legends, most of the oak having been taken from the old withdrawing-room on the other side of the quadrangle. Such, then, is the ancient Lancashire house at Smithills. In its surroundings, though we might wish the busy hum of the urgent world somewhat further away, there is very much that in our garden survey we have been able to admire. Those broad expanses of grass, that simple treatment of the tei racing upon the gentle sh.-pe, the presence of those old trees, and the encouragement of those gorgeous colonies of radiant flowers, seem to present together all that we should wish to find in the surroundings of such a house. Long may Smithills Hall remain as the exemplar of good things coming down from ancient times, and well preserved in modem days. GROOMBRIDGE THE SEAT . . . . PLACE, or KENT. MISSES SAINT. GROOMBRIDGE PI \< »-, near Tunbridge Wells, separated from the neighbouring county of Sus-e\ by a stream of the Medway. is celebrated among ail the great houses of Kent. Its historical and personal interests and associations are many, and its present attractions conspicuous and even famous, while the neighbourhood is as beautiful as any in that part of England. In its moated and terraced gardens there is a great de.il t > admire — so much, indeed, that too many have sought the privilege, and now, it appears, the place is not shown. The more welcome, therefore, should be the pictures of it presented here. Groombridge is a hamlet and manor in the Kentish pa'ish of Speldhurst, which in the time of Edward I. passed to a younger branch of the powerful family of Cobham of Cobham. Its owner, at that time, was Henry de Cobham. who was commonly known as " le Uncle," in order to distinguish him from another of the same name. He obtain -d a charter for a weekly market there, which was a notable source of revenue, but presently alienated the place to the Clint" s, .md Sir .Mm ol that family possessed it in the davs of Richard II. His descendant in the leign of Henry IV. did homage, and became Lord Clinton and Say, the hitter title coming through his wife's inheritance. J-'rom this nobleman 1 . rnbridge passed by sale to Thomas Waller of I. amber- hurst, to whom succeeded John Waller of ( Iroomhridge. Tin- Wallers were a great family in Kent and Sussex, and. although Groomhridge Place is later, some of the buttressed w.ils probably belong to their time. It was a place well moat., I and made defensible bv art. The son of John Waller of ( iroombridge was Sir Richard Waller, a valiant soldier, who did gallant service at Agincourt. His name does not occur in the roll of those who were there, but the -ame is the case with some others, including the famous hivid Gamme, or squint-eyed havid, who was knighted on the field, and whom Sir Walter Raleigh extolled as a modirn Hannib-il. Let us not wonder, therefore, at the omission from the proud list of the name of the knight ot Groombridge. Sir Richard Waller would have merited the THE NORTH TERRACE. 260 GARDENS OLD AND KEW. eulogy, for he it was, as we most credibly hold, who took the Duke of Orleans on the field. The shocking massacre of the fight is well known, and although the circumstances are somewhat obscure, it is on record that Waller laid hands on the Duke, who, for his welfare, was discovered alive under a heap of the slain. It has, indeed, been asserted that Sir John Cornwall was the actual captor, but the statement can scarcely be correct, for, though Cornwall afterwards had charge of the Duke, there can be no doubt that the noble captive was confided to the custody of Sir Richard Waller, as was his due, who held him captive at Groombridge. It would appear that the seizure of this important prisoner was profitable to the Kentish knight, for he rebuilt the house on the old foundations, and was a benefactor to Speldhurst Church. The Duke was afterwards confided to Sir Thomas Chamberworth, and then to Sir John Cornwall. Waller is said to have had, as an addition to his achievement, the arms of France on an Lord Dorset in France in I O o 262 GARDENS OLD AND WW. i, A1' ><>\/< /'/ /'/. O U _ i •261 GARDENS OLD 4\,-,«,i in »\ any famil .' until Helen Lytton, ^randJau^hter nt Sir Robert Lytt-m of Knebvvorth, brought it to l-.dward Bacon, third son of Sir Nicholas, the l.orvl Keeper. It remained in the Bacon family air yc:u rations following ihe liist nu.u-r oi ihe name. \\a» sMiJ. .iiti-r th- death of the K. \ . VJi-lax Bacon in 17.1;. t.i N\r. William Mi.Klleton of Crowlield, who was creaU-J a Bironet in 1X04. an. I assiinirj, by si^n-tnanual in l8i?, the nun- ' I wle, in aJJition to and before that of MicKllet n. Sir William was a native »i S"'ith (Carolina. ; nJ a yiaiuUon of a foimer (ioveinor <>t that colony. The e-tati1, alter the- death ot his Mm. Sir William Kou le Mi Mleton. passed t nephew, Admiral Sir (n-'r^e Bmke-Middli t n, aiul after his death to his ni-.ve, the present l.a.ly de Saumare/, dauuhti r of the late Captain Charles Acton Broke. Sir Philip Broke, who commanded the Shannon in the famous action against the Chesapeake, married a daughter of Sir William TMt LH'tK TtMHLt. •270 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. Middleton. His fourth son took the name of Middleton from his mother's family. The hero of the Shannon was thus the ancestor of the lady who now owns Shrubland, and is married to the descendant of another of the most famous of English Naval heroes. The site of Shrubland is the finest of any house in Suffolk, except those on the Orwell River. The valley of the river Gipping, a small deep navigable stream, which runs down from Stowmarket to Ipswich, forms in front of the place, a typical alluvial valley, of the kind which Constable delighted to paint. The side of this valley, on which the house stands, is one of the last pieces of chalk in East Suffolk, with light sandy loam above it. The contour is far steeper than that of the ordinary heavy loams of the county, which lie for miles behind the park. Consequently, it forms a long elevated ridge, all covered with park and woods from foot to crest, where the Italian house and stately garden architecture of Sir Charles Barry had full scope for display. The gardens and pleasure grounds are exceptionally large, even as those of the great houses go ; and the gardens and "kept" grounds cover sixty-five acres. There are greater houses in England than Shrubland Park, but probably not another possesses such a very stately example of the ijjrand style of gardening, as the creation of comparatively recent times, and in a situation where a great and truly magnificent descent from level to level could be formed upon so attrnctive a steep. To survey these gardens is, indeed, something of a liberal education in the splendid aspects of the art of gardening. Through the centre runs a magnificent green drive bordered with arbor-vita^ and yew. Green drives are als > cut and kept mown through the parks and woods as additions to the garden views Sir William MidJleton has long joined the majority; but his memory is still kept green, especially among the people on the estate. He held Shrubland during the years when A WALK BY THH GREAT STAIRWAY. The splendour of the gardens must appeal to ;ill. They are set in a large wild park, full of deer, and planted with trees both new and old. The latter belong probably to the era of the old Hall, the former to that of the present house, which was rebuilt for Sir William Fowle Middleton by Sir Charles Barry in 1830. Sir Charles also designed the elaborate and immensely, costly garden architecture and "lay out," assisted largely by Lady Anne Middleton (a sister of Earl Brownlow) in improving the great additions — not the first instance in which a lady has exercised an important influence in the highest developments of garden design. The "Brownlow Terrace" still recalls the memory of her fY.m.ly. The ancient chestnuts, which probably formed the avenue to the old house, were spared where possible. Thirteen still remain, probably among the largest and oldest in England. The measurement of the finest tree is, at the present time, 37ft. in circumference at the base. At 3ft. from the ground it measures 22ft. gin., and it is 88ft. 6in. high. What was formerly the largest tree, but now sadly broken by storms, is 4/ft. round on the ground line, and 3oft. at 3ft. from the ground. agriculture was in its most flourishing condition and the fine estate was yielding its maximum return, and this, with his other revenues, he spent mainly in keeping up his demesne as well as a place of the kind could be maintained. In the history of the great country houses a prime factor is the revenue spent upon the wages of those who>e hands are busy from year's end to year's end in the upkeep of all this beauty and stateliness. Few persons, except the owners, know what the maintenance of a great place means, or the number of men employed. The "lay-out" of the gardens may be gathered largely from the illustrations. The ground lent itself to terracii g, and terraced it was, with the utmost splendour of material, design, and decoration. Two tiers, the first decorated with a Palladia;! archway, adjoin the south front. Below this is the first terrace garden. This is probably as fine as anything of its kind in EnglanJ. What is called the Upper Temple is a splendid piece of garden architecture. It is really a gate-house, through which further flights of steps lead to the lower gardens and the Lower Temple, a less satisfactory piece of work, in which, though the architect /fvn PARK. 271 JiJ not desert purely I tali. in ni . i d c I x . t h f ell.--! .1 t .1 d i s t a n c i- is -lightly Sara- I -'nun the yrand st.nrway. rig south, is .IN fine .1 p formal • n arr.li ment as i.m be elsewhere in England. The whole i r»M/> ,/'<»•// !•> complete. Successive A.I\S and h .1 1 u N t r a J e d platforms drop d o \v n through cedars and pines to the lower gardens. the circular fountain basin being immediately at the foot <>t the stairway, and an immense lower terraced garden, with perfectly formal bedding, and a semi-circular sweep on either side of balustrading, and another terraced slope, lead to the parks and woodlands below. Beyond is the wooded valley, and the timbered line of hills far beyond it, a representative English landscape, in which, on the principle that all good things go together, the splendid and extensive Italian ns take their place as foreground with admirable effect. The vast amount of building, the hundreds of THE LOWER TEMPLE. t h » u s a n d S oi viiNc yards ..i earth re- moved, and the extent walling and terracing, account in part for the staff of in i- us and brick in .1 U' kept on the estate, doing almost entirely ornaiiK-nt.il, or at any rate non • remunera- live, work. There are no odd corners at Slmiblaiul ; e v e ' y side was iared for equally. The east terr for instance, h.is its gushing fountain. (Jose by is a stone terrace set with vases ;md st itiu-s down to the tern gat' -s. made in a design admirably suited to the classical setting of which they are an ornament. It will be seen that at a greater distance from the house, and lower d.iwn the slope, the garden architecture assumes a lighter character. Pierced parapets take the place of the heavier balustrades. The garden-houses have Anglo-Italian liniaN and decoration and ll.it p-erced work, and children and cupids replace adult gods and goddesses and classic busts. This is seen in the view of the panel garden THE EAST TERRACE. GARDENS OLD AND NEW. C/5 O O o _J Q" z CO a: I O u_ H < _1 Q_ Q LU Q an Q Z < ttj < (- (fi f- < UJ a: O LU •x. - x < t- Z _ O u. UJ 274 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. ON THE LOWER TERRACE. and the lower terrace. From the sides of these subordinate gardens vistas like the famous green walk run out into the pleasure grounds. But perhaps the most striking use of turf terracing is that of the crossing lines of sward, such as that which runs for a great distance right through the grounds at the foot of the stone terraces, passing the lower pleasaunce, with its upright yews, its pavilions and cedars. Modern taste has mitigated the severe classicisms of the Shrubland gardens by covering the balustrades with roses and letting climbing plants drape the terrace walls. But they still remain one of the finest examples of the Italian style of garden embellishment as British architects under- stood it. When Sir William Fowle Middleton died the estate was vested in a trust, now terminated, but of a kind containing rather unusual provisions. The upkeep of the gardens was specially provided for by an endowment of £2,000 a year to be spent in their maintenance. It probably was not at all too much for the task. There are serpents of golden yew lying on green cushions of turf, gardens hanging looft. above other gardens, and along the great transverse walk is a whole series of gardens each in a different style. You take your choice of anything you fancy, or can imagine yourself in Japan at one moment, or at Hampton Court the next. Going to the right from the panel garden the visitor sees the fountain garden, a blaze of colour ; next is a Chinese garden ; then a box garden follows, devoted to the treatment of that staple of the topiary art ; a verbena garden follows, and then a maze. The poplar garden is greatly in place in Suffolk, where that tree forms in its wild state the most striking feature in the landscape. There are also a rose garden, a tent garden, and detached groups of flowers stretching away to lake and wood. The looking-glass garden sends two brilliant borders up to an open summer- house, whence the coup d'ceil can be surveyed at leisure. THE FERN GATES. PARK. : a z Of X 01 -u _ 0. •27G GARDENS OLD .-INO AVr/r, GARDKNS FROGMORE WINDSOR INCH the thru- when William the Conqueror laid the foundation of Windsor Castle each English Sovereign in succession has added to it an expression of his or her individuality, and th.it of the longest lived of them all lingers there still. We scarcely know what great and inspiring memories may not he evoked by the prosrvct of these enchanting scenes. Here the long line of our Sovereig is has lived. Hither have come the Ministers of State, the great soldiers and seamen, hen*-. <>l e\ery sort, the highest personages in «-ur literary and art nnnals. How many grea: men have looked upon these historic scenes, which many are now privileged to survey ! Frogmore especially represents thr tastes and character of •en Victoria, just as Sandringham. the place which has so to speak, grown up under his ownership, represents those of King l-.dward VII., while Windsor is the g-eat i-xemplar ot Ro\ al taste and kingly majesty. Ah the places are being ch.inged and modified. Throughout her whole life, hut especially towards the end, Queen Vkturia had the affection of a -trong nature for what was old and ende.it. .1 by long association, so that she \\.is averse t . the removal ot ancient landmaiks. And \\hat .1 great deal Windsor and Frogmore must have been to her! Here was let -t.itely and historic home during lite, and tor long years ,,t widowhood she Contemplated sleeping in death side by side with her beloved husband under the maus >leurn she had erected to his memory at Fro. more. Set there in stillness, amid sombre green trees, it suggests d...:he's Tub GARDEN. 278 GARDENS OLD AND •n X _ •— •J I H o 'J 280 GARDENS OLD AND NEW. solemn line, "Stars silent over us, graves under us silent." Within a hundred yards is the tomb of her mother, the Duchess of Kent. There remains the simple tea-house where so mujh of her time was spent, and close to it two very fine old evergreen oaks, holm or holly oaks, as they are sometimes called. Between them and under the shade cast by the dark foliage of their gnarled limbs she used to receive endless visitors who came about affairs — Cabinet Ministers, diplomat! ts, and the others who have business with Royalty. Queen Victoria ever delighted in trees, and there are few parts about Frogmore that are not distinguished by noble specimens. There is the beautiful lime avenue, one of the finest extant, in which the upper parts of the trees are thick with bunches of mistletoe ; we kn nv of no other place in England where it grows more profusely. Not far from the Duche.-s of Kent's tomb there are three remarkable trees. One is a maidenhair, Salisburia adiantifolia, sniJ to be the finest of its kind in Europe ; another is a towering deciduous cypress ; and the third a Californian Thuja giguntea, planted by the Princess Hohenlohe in 1857. Cf a curious historical interest is the well known Lirlier beech. Its history is written in the tablet placed at its root. " This tree was raised from the beech tree near Altenstem, in the Duchy of Saxe- to be attempted. Pint ai.d box edging and yew hedge are to all appearances left as she found them. But the rose garden at the further end has, of course, received the magnificent roses developed by scientific nineteenth century horticulture. In all the grounds there is nothing more eloquent of the late Queen's tastes than this exquisite, tasteful, and admirable private garden. Fragrance, floral beauty, the reposeful aspect of the hedges and borders, and the general air of quiet and calm, are the note of character in this pleasaunce. Time and long usage have imparted to it a sweetness of their own, and it is easy to believe that in this seclusion the widowed Queen found solace and refreshment. This quiet feeling is very appropriate at Frogmore. The house itself is elegant rathrr than grand, and was long the residence of the Duchess of Kent. The estate is an ancient demesne of the Crown, although during the Civil Wars it was sold by Charles I., but was returned to its original owners during the reign of his son Charles II. The house was built by Queen Charlotte, who at her death bequeathed it to the Princess Augusta, who resided there till 1840. The approach is by a semi circular drive, pi mted with shrubs, and there are many art treasures within. A very fine and pleasing building, LEAD VASES, AND I HE CASILE TERRACE. Meiningen, called Luther's Beech, under which Dr. Martin Luther was arrested and conducted from thence to Wartburg in 1521. The little offshoot was brought to England from Meiningen by King William IV. in 1825, and planted by Queen Adelaide near the house at Bushey Park. Her Majesty bequeathed it in her last will to His Royal Highness Prince Albert, with the request that it might be trans- planted into the enclosure at Adelaide Cottage." This was successfully done in 1856. Queen Adelaide's Cottage was originally a keeper's lodge, but was greatly enlarged and improved. Very pretty and attnctive it looked, with its surrounding borders of simple spring flowers — primroses, wallflowers, forget-me-nots, and the like. In the late Queen's favourite and private garden the spectator breathes a wry old-world air. It is surrounded with thick yew hedges, which themselves testify to the clipping and care of i-everal generations — how m.my or how long it would be difficult to say. Then you come first to tiny flower-plots laid out in the formal, simple style of the early ( f.rgian, or an earlier period. Each has its tiny box edging, and the general effect is one of being carried back for at least two hundred years. Here Queen Vicioria followed her tine conservative instincts, and would allow no modernisation it was, as will be remembered, given by the late Queen as a residence to the Prince and Princess Louis of Battenberg. The gardens comprise about thirteen acres, and an artificial lake, which we believe was dug out simply for the purpose of finding employment for the labourers in a spell of depression, enhances the beauty of the surroundings. Our picture gives a gooJ idea of the formal plots and trim shrubs and neat walks of the terrace, with its fine lead vases, all in keeping with the strong, stern lines of the castle, which completely dominate every other feature of the landscape. There is something severe in the arrangement, but, as the gardens are surveyed, new and attractive beauties are disclosed. We should scarcely expect to find these gardens like others. The Windsor gardens are, indeed, great, distinguished, and Royal. In themselves splendid, they disclose from their terraces prospects that England can scarcely surpass. The park is noble and truly Royal also, with the magnificent avenue of the Long Walk, three miles in length, flanked by its double lines of glorious elms, and terminating at Snow Hill, where is Westmacott's statue of George III. Other avenues are here, like Queen Anne's Ride, and there is the famous Rhododendron Walk, where one may stroll for a mile among the radiant flowers. 181 A MARBLE URN ON THE TERRACE AT WINhSOR. 282 GARDENS OLD AND O (/) Q < I H < u O < Qi o: LIJ H m I f »>. HADSOR, . . DROITWICH. THE RESIDENCE or LADY HINDLIP. THE pleasant county of Worcester is famous for its many fine houses, great churches, and picturesque vil! It is a county of orchards, gardens, and cornfields — though there are now fewer of these than of yore — where the rustic cottages are garlanded with flowers, and the great houses stand bravely in the midst of great domains. Its rural fame of rare productiveness is of ancient . for William of Malmesbury describes it thus: "A hind rich in corn, productive of fruits in some parts by the sole favour of Nature, in others by the art of cultivation, enticing even the lazy to industry by the prospect of a hundredfold return ; you may see the highway clothed with trees that produce apples, not by the grafter's hand, but by the nature of the ground itself, for the earth of its own account rears them up to fruit in excellence of flavour and appearance, many of which wither not under a year, nor before the new crops are produced to supply their place." Robert of Gloucester, too, referred to the rich fruitage of Worcestershire where he describes the character of various places in England. Here stands the fine house of impising aspect which we depict, plain in its classic severity, but expressive both of domestic comfort and of cultured leisure. It is a place of some antiquity, altered and modernised by its present owner, Major Hubert George Howard Gallon, R.A., or his predecessor. The Amphletts wore former owners here ; and of them several monuments may be seen in the village church, which is a fine Decorated structure possessing some ancient glass. Here, also, is a memorial brass <>f the late J»\r\ Howard Gallon <>( Hadsor Hall. The churJi stands near the house, as was the custom in olden times, wh-n it was otten but a stone's throw from the cradle of the child to the pl.uo where his aged bones should lie. Mr. Gallon did a gte.it d;-al to beautify Hadsor, and his fine taste may Iv se.-n in many parts of the structure and its surroundings. Within is a line and valuable collection of pictures, including admirable portraits by Reynolds ot the sixth Duke of Hamilton and Irs wile, one of " tlu- beautiful Miss Gunnings." There are examples at Hadsor also of Vandyck, Rembrandt, Velasque/, M\ tens, Cuyp, Berghem, Morland.and many more; as well as sculpture by Ihorwaldsen and Canova. These, and the rich plenishings of the stately rooms, are beautiful featuies at Hadsor ; but they are rivalled by the attractions without, where the gaiden is a most successful example of harmonious grouping, very charming and reposeful in character. There were old gardens and pleasure grounds here, but the late Mr. Gallon remodelled them entirely, and they were laid out with the assistance of eminent gardeners. The situation was favourable for good garden IN 1)1 1 mi (tu- IJM d.iir NI.IIIIIX il |K-|I>V>. LD tl-100»l.'4«(BM»«U)4T«