23 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



hereabout, 

 anJ partly 

 ruined them- 

 seives in the 

 Parliament's 

 cause. From 

 the in the 

 estate de- 

 volved twice 

 through fe- 

 in ale ii e i r s 

 upon repre- 

 sentatives i/f 

 ntlier laini- 

 lies, and in 

 1876 Sir 

 Charles 

 Henry Rouse- 

 Brougliton ( 

 Bart., sold the 

 estate to the 

 Rev.W.K.W. 

 Cliafy, who 

 was already 

 the owner of 

 Sheriff's 



CO/HI i 



THE SOUTH 

 Lench, and 



thus united the Lenciies mostly under one head, a condition 

 they had not held since the days of William de Beauchamp, 

 soon after the Conquest. 



Owing to the steepness of the slope the gardens possess 

 a very quaint character, being formed in ten terraces, with 

 mossy flights of steps, beautiful terrace walls, and wonderful 

 yew hedges as we ascend, enclosing delightful gardens anJ 

 lawns. The yew arbour in the lower pleasaunce has a charm 

 that is almost unique, and the pleacher and cutter of yew 

 has never dune more satisfactory work than that we see 

 as we look up the long flights that lead up through the 

 " tunnel " and between the hedges to the top of the hill, 



where the 

 kitchen gar- 

 dens are 

 nei 'j,ii bun red 

 by a lofty 

 tower. It is a 

 pure delight 

 to linger upon 

 these lovely 

 terraces, 

 where the 

 very spirit of 

 old time 

 seems en- 

 shrined. We 

 are in a frame 

 of mind to 

 agree with old 

 Nash that the 

 true glory of 

 this place is, 

 indeed, in its 

 ancient gar- 

 den . The 

 many forms 

 of yew seem 

 endless as we 



proceed. In addition to the central ascent we have alluded to, 

 there are gloiious "aisles" of yew climbing the hill both on the 

 north and the south. The yew walk beside the house has grown 

 into a stately avenue, now widened, lengthened, and duly cared 

 for, and it has scarcely a peer in England, though we do not 

 forget the famous example at Haddon. It is said to have been 

 planted about the year 1480. The long vistas between the 

 solemn yews, shadowed deeply, but flecked with light where 

 the sun penetrates the gloom, are lovely in their sequestered 

 calm. Here we feel the absolute appropriateness of the 

 character, the subtle and satisfying influence of the right 

 surroundings. But we see also that there is no necessary 



'AISLE.' 



' Cc-ttntry Life." 



I. I'D III. ill. 



I HI: NOIUH "AISLB. 



" CVUH ry Lijt 



