HAM HOUSE 189 



By these walls, coloured so exquisitely by time, are 

 planted clipped Bay trees. 



Immediately facing the chief entrance is a wide 

 Terrace paved with stone, and edged with ever- 

 greens ; it is reached by two flights of well-pro- 

 portioned steps, which lead into the arcading on 

 either side of the doorway. 



A colossal statue of Father Thames in stone 

 coloured terra-cotta stands facing the river in the 

 centre of the grass Lawn, in the middle of the 

 Forecourt. Nothing is known of the statue, but on 

 a small shield are to be found the arms of the City 

 of London. Still in existence is "an old book, tall 

 and narrow, bound in calf skin, which contains a 

 minute inventory of everything inside and outside 

 of the house," bearing witness to the Duchess of 

 Lauderdale having been as good a chatelaine as 

 she was an intriguant in politics. 



The river front in this book is called "the Fore- 

 court and Cloisters " certainly a prettier name. 

 The old wooden seats (mentioned in this exhaustive 

 list) are still to be seen to-day the " Longe Benche 

 of Deale painted, which is in the melancholy walk." 



On the south side of the House runs a long gravel 

 Terrace 530 feet long and 238 feet wide, with shallow 

 flights of steps at either end leading to a gravel 

 path that encircles the splendid Bowling Green, or 

 Great Lawn, as it is now usually called, which 

 covers nearly two and a half acres. 



