The picture shows the walled and balustraded entrance, probably 

 contemporary with the classical fa9ade, wrought of the local Ham Hill 

 stone ; a capital freestone for the working of architectural enrichment. 

 It is of a warm yellowish-brown colour ; but grey and yellow lichens 

 and brown mosses have painted the surface after their own wayward but 

 always beautiful manner. A light cloud of Clematis Flammula peeps 

 over the bushes through the balusters. Stonework so good as this can 

 just bear such a degree of clothing with graceful flowery growth ; no 

 doubt it is watched and not allowed to hide too much with an excess of 

 overgrowth. Where garden architecture is beautiful in proportion and 

 detail it is not treating it fairly to smother it with vegetation. How 

 many beautiful old buildings are buried in Ivy or desecrated by the 

 unchecked invasion of Veitch's Virginia Creeper ! 



38 



