SKSSION 1897-98. xxvii 



Bvi; MicKTiNci, SOtu AntiL, 1898. 

 NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON. 



The members first inspected objects illustrative of British Natural 

 History, and niimiory, albinism, melanism, etc., in the Entrance 

 Hall, especially the recent additions, and then proceeded to the 

 Geological (ialleries, where Dr. Henry Woodward, F.R.S., Keeper 

 of Geology, kindly sliowed and explained some additions recently 

 made to the geological collections, subsequently taking the party 

 to the new room, not then opened to the public, in which whales 

 and other Cetaceans ai"e being set up, and explaining the most 

 interesting features connected with them. 



Field Meeting, 7th May, 1898. 

 ASHRIDGE PARK AND GARDENS. 



A numerous party assembled in fi'ont of Ashridge House at half- 

 past o to visit the gardens, by the kind permission of Earl 

 Brownlow. Much the larger number were cjclists, a few drove, 

 and others arrived on foot. Mr. Edward Mawley acted as 

 Director, and the head -gardener, Mr. Lowe, accompanied the 

 party through the gardens. The conservatories, greenhouses, 

 etc., were also visited. 



Ashridge House is one of the finest old mansions in the county, 

 and stands in a beautiful park, one of the few in which are kept 

 both red and fallow deer. On its site was once the palace of 

 Kdmund Plantagenet, son of Henry the Third, who founded in 

 the year 1283 a Monastery here for the order of "Bonhommes." 

 Queen Elizabeth received a grant of the confiscated Monastery in 

 1552, and resided here as a Princess. In her reign the Collegiate 

 Church was destroyed, but the great hall and cloisters survived 

 until 1800, when they were replaced by the mansion erected by 

 AVyatt for the Earl of Bridge water, nothing now remaining of the 

 old building but the crypt. 



The gardens are tastefully laid out and adorned with fine old 

 trees, those of most interest being pointed out by Mr. Mawley. 

 Trained to the battlements of the mansion are magnificent ever- 

 green magnolias which flower profusely during the summer ; the 

 boles of several measure a yard in circumference. The wide- 

 spreading yew-trees close by have no doubt stood for centuries. 

 On the eastern side of the mansion, near the Italian garden, is 

 a row of beautiful old lime-trees, growing to a great height and 

 having their branches trained to form a double avenue ; and on the 

 western side is a row of elms which have suffered much from the 

 storms of recent years, but some. of the older trees which remain 

 have trunks 20 feet in circumference 6 feet from the ground. 

 There are some handsome evergreen oaks, and near them, in the 

 centre of the lawn, is a splendid oak planted by Queen Victoria 

 when 4 years of age (in 1823). 



Hear the winter garden, which is planted with many choice 

 evergreens and other shrubs, are fine examples of Pinus nobilis, 



