259 



spaciousness in the arrangement of the hanging woods and the slopes of the 

 hills. From the second lodge (built about 1836) the house and pleasure grounds 

 are approached by a gentle descent, with an open view to the right, though it 

 is contracted by too many scattered trees on the left-hand side (planted in 1821). 



The third entrance, the North, or Kingstone Entrance, has only become 

 worthy of the name within the last 22 years, when it was laid out by Mr. 

 Archer Clive in 1848, and the avenue of Scotch firs planted. The trees are 

 growing well, and the entrance is now becoming handsome — albeit a wood that 

 skirts it on the approach to the house, gives it a contracted effect. These firs 

 may be said, therefore, to be 27 years old. The tape thrown round a dozen 

 of the boles gave these results :— 2ft. lOin. ; 3ft. ; 3ft. lOin. ; 3ft. 2in. ; 3ft. ; 

 2ft. 9in. ; 2ft. llin. ; 2ft. lOin. ; 2ft. llin. ; 2ft. lOin. ; 3ft. Sin. ; and 3ft. lin., 

 at five feet from the ground. The lodge was built in 1857. 



There are those who say that the mansion of TVliitfield is not in the right 

 place, that it should be situated on the higher ground above the garden, where 

 the views commanded are so much more beautiful and extensive. This opinion 

 may be regarded simply as a compliment to the fine growth of the timber 

 trees there. Without this protection, and with it indeed to a gi-eat extent, a 

 house in that situation would be exposed to all the violence of the western gales, 

 which sweep round the Black Mountains with great force, and borrow a peculiar 

 chilliness from the snow whenever it Hes there. The house in reality is very 

 well placed. It is on the slope of the hill below ; it has a southern aspect, and 

 the ground falls from it on three sides. Though relatively low, it has indeed 

 a very considerable elevation. This has been taken very accurately by E. J. 

 IsbeU, Esq., with the instruments of the Club, specially for this paper. The 

 terrace in front of the house is 245 feet above the level of Hereford, and since 

 this is 184 feet above the level of the sea, it follows that the mansion stands on 

 ground 429 feet above sea level, a height that justifies amply enough the 

 protection sought from the adjoining hills. 



The home view of the valley the mansion commands is peculiarly rich, 

 and no one can study it without seeing that considerable thought has been 

 given, and great taste displayed to make the most of it. Kent may have been 

 consulted, for the house a century ago stood in a plain lawn. Here certainly 

 are the "clumps" of "Capability Brown" and his hanging woods, and both are 

 here seen to an advantage they do not always present. It was possibly Brown 

 who marked out "the wood walk," which though nearly two mUes in length 

 was made so as to wind round the valley as never to lose sight of the house, a 

 peculiarity it has happily long since lost from the better taste of the late Jlrs. 

 E. B. Clive who planted out this walk, and by planting up to Brown's Clumps, 

 did much to retain the best features of both, whilst their formality was de- 

 stroyed. Mrs. CHve was a good amateur artist, and the ornamental trees 

 about the house and lawn were planted chiefly by her. 



Sir Uvedale Price, of Foxley, at a later period visited much at "WTiit- 

 field and aided in its improvement. Sir Uvedale's pleasure in life was land- 



