90 A BOOK OF ENGLISH GARDENS 



The Barn is enriched with dormer windows and 

 a centre turret ; the front wall has been put back 

 some feet and the old oak posts placed under the 

 beams of the roof, to form a covered way or cloister 

 walk. 



Sir Jeffrey Wyattville finished his uncle's elabo- 

 rate design for the immense house (begun in 

 1808), at the same time making a few improve- 

 ments in the Gardens, such as placing stone vases 

 about the Lawns and the Gothic Cross in the 

 centre of the Monks' Garden. The cross forms 

 a Fountain, and is surrounded by a basin of water, 

 octagonal in shape, with raised pedestals of Gothic 

 design at intervals to support pots of flowers. It 

 has the appearance of having been removed from 

 some roof, and is of painted iron. 



The plan of the Monks' Garden is square, and 

 there is good authority for saying that, if this 

 Garden is not the actual one made by the monks 

 for their herbs and vegetables, it is carried out on 

 similar lines. Imagination, therefore, can repeople 

 it with the grey-clad monks wandering among the 

 gravel walks and Box-edged knots which form this 

 prototype of a mediaeval Garden without fear of 

 disillusion in the garish light of uncompromising 

 fact. Parallel with the old pillars of the Barn (now 

 covered with creepers and Ivy) is a long border in 

 which tall Sunflowers tower above the neighbouring- 

 flowers. Beside this border a gravel path runs 



