296 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



Cifj right. 



THE GREAT TERRACE. 



ornamental features of the high plateau on the hills. Trad. lion 

 says that the plans which ended in the Gunpowder Treason 

 were discussed in the library of Lypiatt, a story perhaps due 

 to the connection of its former owners, the Throgmortons, 

 with the plotters. 



In the Civil Wars, Lypiatt was held for a time by the 

 Parliament. The p< st was important from a strategic point 

 of view. It commanded the road from Stroud in the valley 

 of the Severn to Cirencester in tlii valley of the Thames. 

 From Cirencester to Oxford was a short journey and an 

 easy road. The desire to gain the same advantage urged the 

 Cavaliers to make great efforts to take the Gloucestershire 

 garrisons, and chief among them the town of Gloucester itself, 

 which \sas bitterly hostile and Roundhead, as was the 



THE ROSERY. 



greater part of the county, the Yeomanry being " r.vist 

 1or\vard and seditious, and, b.-ing wealthy, able to redeem 

 the'.r delinquency at a high price." Gloucester was the 

 "only strong garrison the rebels held between Bristol and 

 Lancashire in the north part of England, and if it could 

 be recovered His Majesty would have the men of Severn 

 entirely within his command, whereby his garrisons of 

 Worcestershire, Shrewsbury, and all in those parts might lu 

 supplied from Bristol." Lypiatt was attacked in force, and 

 the RounJheaJ garrison driven out with the loss of fifty 

 men. But the main business of gaining command of the 

 Severn did not prosper. The men of Gloucester sent back', in 

 answer to the King's summons, "two citizens from the town 

 with lean, pale, sharp, and bald visages ; indee.l, faces so strange 



and unusual, and in such a gait 

 and posture, that at once 

 made the most severe coun- 

 tenances (among the King's 

 troops) merry, and the most 

 cheerful hearts sad; for it was 

 impossible such ambassadors 

 could bring anything less than 

 a defiance. The men," co:i- 

 t i n u e s the indignant 

 Clarendon, "without any 

 circumstances of duty, or go~d 

 manners, in a pert, shrill, un- 

 dismayed accent, said 'they 

 had brought an answer fror.i 

 the godly city of Gloucester 

 to the King.'' The answer 

 was in keeping with tliL 1 

 appearance of tie messengers, 

 and Gloucester was held fcr 

 Parliament till E-sex raised the 

 sL'i'e, wht-n they had only 

 one barrel of powder L-ft. 



The peculiarity of the 

 gardens at Lypiatt is their 

 adaptation to the flat plateau 

 on the hill crest. The ancient 

 facidi of the house and tlu 



Country Life." 



