Murch 7, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOllTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE OAEUEKEE. 



217 



on both sides of the banks has no doubt arisen from au alluvial 

 deposit, and it now forms some of the best land in the Idug- 

 dom. The scenery, however, is neither bold nor varied, and 

 the traveller in passing through it sees nothing near hand to 

 vary to any considerable extent the lameness of the prospect, 

 as the risiiig ground on each side is too far oft' to be seen to 

 advantage. But if he were able to examine the country more 

 leisurely he would see that there is much to admii-e, and would 

 learn tliat a well-directed industry has been at work in times 

 past as well as at the present. When " Domesday Book " was 

 compiled in the year 1081, this Staffordshire district was justly 

 known as (lestreon, the Anglo-Saxon for production and riches. 

 The district was granted by William the Conqueror to his 

 follower Eobert de Toein, a relative of, if not himself, the 

 Eoyal st.indard-bearer of that name. The King conferred upon 

 him, also, the great barony of Stafford, and Gestreou was a 

 part of its vast domains. ' Probably by marriage and without 

 intermediate possessors it passed to the Mutton family, Eudo 

 de JIutton being Lord of Ingestrie, or Ingestren, as it was 

 then called, in the reign of Henry II. Eudo gave lands in 

 Ingestre to St. Thomas the Martyr Priory, then recently founded 

 at Stafford, became one of its lay brothers, and left the re- 

 mainder of his estates to his son. Sir Ealph do Mutton, whose 

 daughter and sole heiress married to Sir Philip de Chetwynd. 

 In the possession of their descendants it has ever since re- 

 mained. 



lugestiie Hal! is situated on the right bank of the Trent, 

 nearly in the centre of the county, a few miles from the county 

 townof Stafford, but nearer to the railway station Colwick. 

 Its position is near the base of the sloping ground which forms 

 the right bank of the valley, the mansion being somewhat 

 . elevated above the valley, though it is questionable if it would 

 " not have been better still higher up. The ground slopes away 

 from it on the east and north sides, while it rises to the south. 

 The approach is by the east, the offices are attached to the 

 nortli side, and the dressed grounds surround both the others. 

 On the western side is a large Italian garden, and to the south 

 are the pleasure grounds, which rise gently until they bleud in 

 a wood. The kitchen garden is to the north of the offices ; 

 and in the same direction is the church of Ingestrie, which had 

 its origin as far back as the time when most dwellings of im- 

 portance had their chapel. The mansion is built in the Tudor 

 style, a combination of brick and stone, the latter forming the 

 window muUions and di'essings, the other the body of the work. 

 The interior of the house has undergone much akeratiou, but 

 its noble exterior is perfectly in keeping with the ample pro- 

 portions of its principal apartments, and the general comfort 

 that reigns within. It is large and commodious throughout, 

 and although ancient, both the stonework and brick seem to 

 have stood the test of time much better than many more recent 

 buildings. 



The park, also, which surrounds this noble abode is of pro- 

 portionate size, and well studded with noble trees. The 

 rising ground on the southern edge is crowned with timber, but 

 the view in that direction is restricted. Eastward, however, 

 the eye can range over the beautiful valley of the Trent, over- 

 looking Shugborough Hall, which, hidden by the surrounding 

 trees, stands at but a short distance off. The offices, although 

 adjoining the mansion, are, nevertheless, effectually screened 

 by Limes and other trees. The more open lawn to the south 

 of the mansion is dotted with choice Conifers, amongst which 

 are some fine Deodars and one or two excellent Araucarias. 

 We hardly expected to meet with such a fine specimen in the 

 centre of England, as we did here, so many having succumbed 

 to the hard frost of l.S6G-fi7 in the southern counties, but here 

 it was, and in good condition too. There were also other Coni- 

 fers, for which the gently sloping lavra, running up to where it 

 joined the wood, afforded some good sites, whilst here and 

 there a group of Ehododendrons presented themselves, con- 

 sisting of huge bushes 10 and 12 feet high, and in the most 

 luxuriant health. A wirework fence ran between the lawn and 

 the wood to exclude game, but it did not become visible until 

 you were close upon it, and the dressed grounds, therefore, 

 appeared to merge gradually into the wild. Immediately ad- 

 joining the house is the Italian garden. The gardener's house* 

 represents the period in which the mansion was built, and is 

 remarkable f<ir its simplicity and plainness. The beds were 

 mostly straight, and all Box-edged, with gravel paths of ample 

 width between. Each bed was planted with Geraniums, Pe- 



tunias, and Verbenas, all of which were doing well, and thow- 

 ing signs of careful attention. 



We now come to the kitchen garden, which is exceedingly 

 well represented at Ingestrie. It lies to the north of the offices, 

 as well as of the main building and the church. This last is 

 not a stone's throw from the house, and we had only time to 

 glance at it on our way to the garden. The garden is large, 

 nearly level, and subdivided by a number of excellent brick 

 walls, the slips being surrounded with ornamental Yew hedges. 

 The various breadths of Broccoli, Celery, Carrots, and the pre- 

 sence of other crops, attested the wants of a large family. 

 One or two rows of dwarf-trained Pear trees were loaded with 

 fruit in a most unusual manner, considering the adverse season, 

 and a still more pleasing sight was a wall of great height covered 

 with healthy AiJricot trees well laden with fruit. In the glass 



houses, however, a still greater surprise awaited us. Excellent 

 Grapes in bunches as large as is generally seen at most shows, 

 and with good-sized berries, formed the general produce of the 

 Vines. On making some inquiries about them we found the 

 following kinds were very good indeed : — 



Madresfleld Court. — Very fine black Grape, large in bunch 

 and well coloured. 



Alicante. — Some excellent examples, but at the time of our 

 visit (mid-August) not quite ripe. We were told it kept well. 



Barbarossa [Gros Guillaume] . — A noble Grape in very large 

 bunches, but we were told it did not colour well. 



Trebbinno. — Large, white. As this has generally a large 

 bunch, even where such as Alicante are only medium-sized, it 

 might be expected to be good here, and such it was. 



Muscat Hamburgh. — Also good and promising. 



White Tokay. — Not by any means a well-known (irapc, and 

 one we should have passed by w-ithout taking any f special notice, 

 but we were told it was an excellent keeper— a qualification in 

 a white Cirape not by any means to be disregarded. 



Black Hamburgh were good, and present at every corner. 



Of Grapes which had been tried and found wanting were 

 Golden Champion, Eoyal Ascot, and Duchess of Buccleuch. 



These fine Grapes were grown to a great extent in virgin 

 loam, the fine turfy soil of the rich meadow around furnishing 

 nearly all that is used for making Vine borders. Some that 

 was being prepared to remake the Vine border then on har.d 

 showed tlie character of the mould at view. It is an open soil 

 of a dark brown colour, sufficiently charged with sand to pre- 

 vent its holding water, while the roots of the grass and other 

 herbage have united it into so closely-interwoven a mass, that 

 a piece 4 inches or more thick might be beaten some time ere 

 it fell to pieces or yielded any of its finer particles. It would be 

 hopeless to try to imitate such a soil by any artificial mixture. 

 Here Nature has done it, but only after thousands of years. 

 The sandstone rock which bounds the valley has by degrees 

 become disintegi-ated, and the particles mixing with the other 

 sediment of the rivei', have formed a substance which seems all 

 that is required for growing good Grapes. It would be difficult 

 to find better fruit ; and although the soil had, no doubt, much 

 to do with the result, it is at the same time fair to state that 



