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surrounds the mansion and gardens of Lord Llangattock. Through 

 this park the carriage drive winds for a distance of two miles in 

 the midst of delightfully picturesque country, until suddenly, on 

 turning a bend, the mansion and gardens are seen nestling in a 

 valley from which on all hands the ground rises, sometimes 

 sharply, at others gradually, until it passes into mountainous 

 ranges in the far distance. Throughout the whole of this two 

 miles one's attention is continually claimed by some fresh object ; 

 in one place a group of Conifers with Douglas firs, and a fine 

 example of Abies nob His var. glauca, in another venerable old 

 yews, extensive open glades sacred to deer and rabbits, with fine 

 views over the surrounding country. 



The natural timber about the park is principally oak, some of 

 the trees being of great age and large dimensions. The tree of 

 largest girth which I measured was 28£ feet in circumference at 

 3 feet above the ground. Within a short distance of this some yews 

 were growing, not remarkable for height but of great girth. One, 

 measured at three feet from the ground, was 18i feet in circum- 

 ference. In the garden the most striking trees were TUia 

 petiolaris, TUia platyphyllos var. asplenifolia, 35 feet high ; Ao r 

 Pseud oplatanus var. foliis albo-variegatis, 40 feet high ; Sequoia 

 semper vir ens, 90 feet high, with a girth of 12 feet ; Pinus excelsa, 

 90 feet high, and Abies Nordmannicma, 95 feet high and 

 9 feet 5 inches in girth. Scattered about the formal part of the 

 garden are a number of golden yews cut into various fantastic 

 shapes, and these at the time of my visit were very highly 

 coloured. The Hendre has long been famous for its fruit, and at 

 the time of my visit numerous houses were filled with excep- 

 tionally well-grown grapes, peaches, pines, &c. 



Returning from Monmouth to Newport the journey can be 

 made by the Wye valley route, by which the best of the famous 

 Wye valley scenery can be seen, as the railway runs parallel witn 

 the river for a considerable distance. 



Cardiff Castle, which is the South Wales residence of the 

 Marquis of Bute, is situated in the city within five minutes vvalk 

 of the Great Western railway station. To the antiquary and 

 historian it is of deep interest, for it formed one of the Koman 

 strongholds, and portions of old Roman walls still exi*. ine 

 castle was originally surrounded by high battlemented a «»>"£ : » 

 moat, both of which were partially ruined by Cromwel \N mn 

 recent years the moat has been cleared, and ^S^SSX 

 of the walls have been rebuilt on the old Jffi**^ ™ 

 accordance as nearly as possible with the origin* des fe n. a 

 later date the estate was held by a religious i body, am In re- 

 places dwarf walls have been built on the original f ounda ons 

 mark out the positions of the chapel and var "™°f*l\%™ZJ 

 to the abbey. At the present time the gardens are m a J^" 

 condition, for the old* kitchen garden is required for ^ J 



Purposes and a new one with modern gl assh ^ fe q e r V of considerable 

 over half a mile away. The pleasure grounds are of cona. ^ 

 extent, and consist of fine sweeps of lawn _* n i i 



Plantations of trees. The vineyards ^^Jf** 

 fp long been famous are situated several node* .away, 

 time was limited I was unable to pay them a visit. 



