56 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



History of Staffordshire" was published in 1686, has mucn 

 to say upon this matter. We could wish he had given some 

 direct account of the gardens existing in his time at Hoar 

 Cross, but his allusions to some features which he noticed in 

 the county are interesting. He remarks that the people there 

 seemed to take great delight in topiary work, in which he 

 doubtless included fine hedges, and he says there were 

 examples at Mear, Aspley Moreton, and Willbrighton ; also at 

 Brewood Hall, the seat of Mr. Ferrers Fowk, where he saw 

 a great whitethorn hedge between the gardens and the court, 

 as well as animals, castles, et:., formed arte top: aria. The 

 "wren's nest," in the " hort-yard," seemed to him a neat 

 piece of work, cut in that form out of a whitethorn, and 

 capacious enough to receive a man to sit on a seat made 

 within it for that purpose. A yew tree was in the garden 

 there, and divers branches issuing out of it formed a spacious 

 arbour of a square figure, of which each side measured about 



Evidently the old skill remains in the county. What 

 could we wish better than the straight yew walk at Hoar 

 Cross with the arch of greenery, or the more open walk to the 

 great outlook, or, again, than the long western avenue, with 

 the loop-holes, or than the noble and finely-cut approach to 

 the church ? There are some architectural adornments in the 

 gardens, like the terrace balustrades, with the monogram of 

 the Meynell Ingrams, and the urns and vases, which here anJ 

 there are features of distinction, lifting up glorious masses of 

 flowers against some dark background of trees. The old 

 Italian cistern, or well-head, is one of th)se interesting features 

 which are found in English gardens, though perhaps nowhere 

 so attractively as at Kingston Lacy, Dorsetshire, which was 

 illustrated in the first series of " Gardens Old and New." 



Enough has been said to show that at Hoar Cross, m >re 

 than at many places, a certain catholicity of taste lias 

 enabled the charms of various styles and different lands to 



THE PLEACHED WALK. 



5yds., but within not exceeding ioft., and "cut on the top 

 with a loop and crest, like the battlement of a tower, adorned 

 at each corner by a pinnacle, over which is wrought a 

 canopy out of the middle branches about ayds. diameter, 

 which is carried up again first to a lesser gradation, and then 

 terminates at the top in a small pinnacle." Other fair 

 plantations of trees and walks in Staffordshire does worthy 

 Dr. Plot describe, and especially in the garden of Mr. Scot 

 at Great Barr, Lord Massareene's garden at Fisherwick, 

 and Sir Francis Lawlry's at Cannal, as well as young ores 

 of silver fir at Mr. Chetwynd's at Ingestre, but none of them 

 equalling the successes of Sir Richard Astley at Patshull, 

 where the walks were from uyds. to I4yds. broad, and 

 I48yds. to ijoyds. long, curiously planted on each side 

 with double rows of elms. The Staffordshire men were 

 also accustomed to cut vistas through the trees for the 

 advantages of the prospect, and to lay out pleasant lawns. 



be brought together. What is particularly satisfactory is to 

 find the garden so well and carefully tended. Nothing is 

 wanting for its completeness and perfection, and the estate 

 may serve as a model. The gate-house is a picturesque 

 feature, and there are many other things upon which we 

 might have dwelt. 



The Church of the Holy Angels, which has been alluded 

 to, adds by its presence distinction and character to the 

 grounds, and it is in itself a fine cruciform building of 

 red stone, in the Decorative style of the fourteenth century, 

 erected from the design of Mr. G. F. Bodley, A.R.A. The 

 nave and aisles are of two bays, and there are north and 

 south transepts and porches, while the great central tower 

 is about noft. high, and has a peal of six bells. Mrs. 

 Meynell Ingram has also founded an orphanage for boys 

 called the Home of the Good Shepherd, which is maintained 

 by her. 



