CAMPSEY ASHE 



In Eastern Suffolk, within a few miles of the sea, is this, the country 

 home of the Hon. William Lowther. 



The house, replacing an older one that occupied the same site, is of 

 brick and stone, built in the earlier part of the nineteenth century. A 

 moat, inclosing an unusually large area, and formerly entirely encompassing 

 the house and garden, is now partly filled up ; but one long arm remains, 

 running the greater part of the length of the house and garden ; a 

 shorter length bounding the inclosed garden on the opposite side. The 

 longer length of moat approaches the house closely on its eastern face, 

 and then forms the boundary of a large and beautifully-kept square lawn, 

 with fine old cedars and other trees. Following this southward is a 

 double walled garden, with the main paths, especially those of the nearer 

 division, bordered with flowers. Beyond these again is the portion of the 

 garden that forms the subject of the picture — a small parterre of box- 

 edged beds with a row of old clipped yews beyond. This leads westward 

 to a grove of trees, with a statue also girt with trees standing in an oval 

 in the midmost space. 



The garden has beautiful incidents in abundance, but is somewhat 

 bewildering. Traces of the older gardening constantly appear ; but their 

 original cohesion has been lost. The moat, always an important feature, 

 ends suddenly at four points. Garden-houses and gazebos, that usually 

 come at salient points with determinate effect, seem to have strayed into 

 their places. Sections of the park seem to have broken loose and lost 

 themselves in the garden. The garden is not the less charming in detail, 

 but is impossible to gather together or hold in a clear mental grasp, from 

 the absence of general plan. 



67 



