200 History of the Parish of Stockton, Wilts. 



mentioned, which may have been taken out of the old porch when 

 the drawing-room windows were lowered. The house stands in a 

 small paddock well sheltered by trees, of which some ancient 

 walnut trees and elms are some of the "old hereditary' trees" of 

 the Topps. The younger trees and shrubs near the house, were 

 planted by Harry Biggs, Esq. {otcner when this paper was written. Ed.) 

 When he succeeded his father in 1800, the house and grounds were 

 much in the same state as the}' were left by the Topps. The house 

 stood within a walled inclosure. To the west was an entrance then 

 a court ; the gateway opposite the porch having handsome stone 

 piers, on each of which was a lion holding a shield, bearing the 

 arms of Topp impaling Grray. A paved walk led from the gate to 

 the porch. To the south was the bowling green, to the east was 

 the garden. Within the wall was a raised terrace, extending 

 along the whole length of the south side of the inclosure, and 

 along the west side from the south wall to the gatewa)'. The 

 ascent to the terrace was by stone steps, and it had a parapet on 

 which were placed busts of the twelve Csesars, and handsome vases. 

 Several of the vases are still preserved, and two of the busts are 

 on a bridge in the garden at Bathampton house, and the remainder 

 are at P^'tt house. Under the terrace on the west side, was the 

 cellar, with a handsome entrance at the north end, over which was 

 a figure of Bacchus astride on a cask, with a glass in his hand, 

 and a garland of grapes and leaves on his head. The mutilated 

 trunk of this image, and other remains of the stone work of the 

 terraces were in existence a few years ago. The exact situation of 

 the terraces may be traced on the grass in hot weather, and a 

 group of beeches on a mound marks the south-east corner of the 

 inclosure, which extended westward to a point opposite the gateway 

 of the stable yard. These ornamental appendages to the house 

 were in good condition forty years ago, when they were removed 

 to make room for a carriage approach and other conveniences 

 necessary for comfort in modern times. A part of the materials 

 of the terraces were used, I believe, in building the new stables. 

 It is supposed that the embellishment of the court and terraces, 

 was the work of Edward Topp, who died in 1740, as his arms were 



