EARLY TUDOR GARDENS. 79 



work, "opus topiarum," that is to say, quaintly cut trees and 

 shrubs. This art, although new in England, was of very ancient 

 origin, having been known to the Romans. But it is not until 

 this date that it is mentioned as being practised in England. 

 The new idea found great favour in this country, and much time 

 and trouble were expended in producing these monsters in 

 trees, and the taste remained in fashion for more than two 

 centuries. Leland, in his Itinerary, in the early years of the 

 sixteenth century, mentions a place where striking specimens 

 of the work might be seen ; " at Uskelle village, about a mile 

 from Tewton, is a goodly orchard with walks opere topiario ;" 

 and at " Wresehill Castle " he also describes an orchard with 

 " mounts opere topiario writhen about in degrees hke turnings 

 of cokilshells to come to the top without payne." This leads 

 me to speak of yet another peculiarity which was much developed 

 about this time, the "mount," like this one at Wressel Castle, 

 where Leland saw the cut trees. In the thirteenth century there 

 were made in some of the monasteries "mounds" of earth 

 against the garden-walls, to enable the inmates to peer over 

 them into the outer world. During the following centuries, 

 " mounds " or " mounts," of simple construction, were frequently 

 to be found in gardens, but in Tudor times, the " mount " 

 became a much more important accessory than formerly. 

 They were usually made of earth covered with fruit or other 

 trees. Mounts were generally thrown up in " divers corners " 

 of the orchard, and were ascended by "stairs of precious 

 workmanship," or a spiral path planted on either side with 

 shrubs, cut in quaint shapes, or with sweet-smelling herbs and 

 flowers. At Rockingham, there remains a specimen of one form 

 of mount. A great terraced-mound of earth, covered with turf 

 and a few trees, is raised against a part of the high wall which 

 surrounds the garden and behind which the keep formerly stood. 

 From the top of this the eye ranges across the garden with 

 quaintly cut yew-trees, over a magnificent view of the open 

 country beyond ; thus the mount served in early times as 

 a " look out " or watch tower. If the garden or orchard 

 happened to be situated in a park, and herds of deer browsed 

 ■close to its walls, the mount then became useful as a point 



