November 27, 1873. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTDRH AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



421 



object was the boy "in Coventry," b>it unlike him "of that 

 ilk," as the Scotch wonld say, we were not friendless there, 

 for we remembered the skilful gardener at Combe Abbey ; and 

 his many achievements in the exhibition tent fully justified 

 the remark. If you want to see good gardening " Go to Co- 

 ventry." Instead, however, of Roing to Coventrj' we went to 

 Brandon, a small station on the North -Western, nearer London 

 and nearer Combe, but less convenient in point of time. Ou 

 through the village, on through a long ride, and Combe Abbey 

 is sighted from afar. It is yet a long way to the gardens, 

 and whilst journeying thither we wUl endeavour to call upon 

 our historical recollections. 



Combe Abbey — that is, " The VaUey Abbey," as it was named 

 by the Cistercian Monks, for whom it was founded and given to 

 them by Richard de CauviUe, was erected in the reign of liing 

 Stephen, in the first haU of the twelfth century. It was sup- 



pressed in the reign of Henry VIII., aud in the following reign 

 was granted to .John Earl of Warwick, after whose attainder 

 it was leased to Robert Keylway, Surveyor of the Court of 

 Wards and Liveries, and by tho marriage of his daughter it 

 passed to Lord Harrington. Their daughter (Coixntess of Bed- 

 ford) eventually inherited it ; but her ruinous extravagance 

 compelled its sale, and it was purchased by au aucestor of the 

 Earl of Craven, its present possessor. That ancestor was Sir 

 William Craven, Lord Mayor of London in IGIO, and he gave 

 £20,000 to his son William to be employed in purchasing a 

 lauded estate to be entailed. This money was invested in the 

 purchase of Combe Abbey. His son was created Earl of Craven 

 in the reign of Charles I. 



The chief part of the mansion as it now exists was built by 

 Lord Harrington on the ruins of the Abbey. 



The park is about a thousand acres in extent, aud though 



L'olilliE Al;l;t.v. 



flat, is well wooded. The situation, however, is elevated, 

 being a table land on what is termed the backbone of England, 

 and Cdventry is some .330 feet above the level of the sea. 

 Chestnuts, Oaks, Elms, and Scotch Firs are represented by 

 stately trees, and the rides, especially that called " Twelve- 

 o'clock Ride," some two miles long, are, no doubt, in summer 

 of great beauty, and oven in winter they have a striking effect. 

 The mansion, of which wo give a representation of the west 

 front, is not placed in a commanding position, for it lies 

 somewhat in a hollow as compared to the general surface 

 of the surrounding park. In front of it, as seen in the 

 engraving, is a lake of great extent and fine outline, pre- 

 senting a beautiful expanse of smooth water, and between 

 it and the mansion there is nothing intervening save the two 

 quadrants of close-shaven velvety turf sloping down to the 

 water. The water also passes along the south front, where 

 it is crossed by a bridge ; here, however, it has far from an 

 ornamental character, save where Mr. Miller has improvised 

 a broken waterfall with stones from the old Abbey, planting 

 the sides with Pampas Grass, Furze, Ac. There is here an 

 excellent view across the park from a terrace on the east front 

 of the house, which portion, it may be remarked, is of recent 

 erection. Forming part of the mansion on this side is a 

 conserratory, but it is not well adapted for plant-keeping, 

 like many other conservatories into the construction of which 

 stone enters largely, and it is contemplated to turn it to other 



purposes. At present it is principally filled with Orange trees 

 and CameUias, with a noble pair of Dracffina australis ; but 

 for plants requiring much light it is not suitable, and being, 

 moreover, very inconvenient of access for attending to, re- 

 moving, and replacing plants, it is intended to convert it to 

 other purposes. Near the house the naturally flat surface has 

 been diversified by the formation of banks aud mounds with 

 the soil thrown out from the lake, and these are appropriately 

 planted with clumps of Rhododendrons aud other evergreens. 

 On one of these elevations are several fine specimens of Wel- 

 lingtonia gigantea beautifully feathered to the ground ; these 

 were planted in nothing but clay which had been well exposed 

 to the weather; and Cupressus Lawsouiana is everywhere 

 plentiful and thriving, Mr. Miller having raised a large number 

 of seedlings, some of which exhibit a considerable diversity of 

 character. It is used also as a hedge-plant,, and is found to 

 bear the shears well. There is a broad avenue on grass extend- 

 ing nearly east and west for about '250 yards, partly planted 

 with Araucarias.now 1.5 to 18 feet high, and for tho remainder 

 of the distance with Spruce Firs probably sixty years old. 

 These had been deprived of their leaders when quite young, 

 and have consequently thrown out a dense mass of brauches 

 all the way up, presenting the appearance of truncated cones, 

 with the lowest branches spreading in a wide circle at tho base. 

 There is no flower garden in immediate connection with tho 

 house, but on the east side of the Welliugtonia bank before 



