GARDENS OLD AND 



rarely to have 

 played a large 

 part. Simplicity 

 characterises 

 the surround- 

 ings, and there 

 is nothing to 

 delay the pen in 

 a description of 

 the great charm 

 of the lawns, 

 flower-beds, and 

 hedges. These 

 are all-sufficient 

 in their relation- 

 ship to such 

 houses, and none 

 can deny that 

 the pictures pre- 

 sented of house 

 and garden are 

 singularly sweet 

 and attractive. 

 The views of Agecroft Hall will show how, without great effort 

 and without ambitious design, eminently satisfactory results are 

 attained. Fortunately for this ancient place, it has fine trees in 

 its neighbourhood, wherein rooks have built thc'ir nests, adding 

 something of an air of dignity and antiquity by the presence of 

 their busy colonies in the boughs. 



And now, in regard to ihe character of this great class of 

 Lancashire houses and let it be said that Cheshire possesses 

 them also it might be useful to refer to several of the venerable 

 confraternity, such as Sr/eke Hall, near Liverpool, Smithells 

 Hall which has a place in thesj pages Samlesbury, Ordsall, 



THE EAST FROM. 



Crumpsall Old 

 Hall, Haugh 

 Hall, Barton Old 

 Hall, Urmston 

 Old Hall, Kersal 

 Cell a very 

 pretty example 

 of timber archi- 

 tecture, quite 

 near to Agecroft 

 a n d many 

 others. The old 

 halls, mansions, 

 a n d in a n o r 

 houses of Lanca- 

 shire are a 

 mixed company. 

 Many have 

 fallen upon evil 

 days, and are 

 half ruined or 

 divided into 

 cottages ; others 



have been swept away, leaving some fragment for memory ; and 

 comparatively few are those preserved. In the northern part of 

 the ccunty the dwellings are more castle-like, but the typical 

 Lancashire house is of timber, and belongs to the time of the 

 Tudors or of James, and, especially in South Lancashire and 

 Cheshire, possesses the general characteristics of the example 

 we depict. They have bars, vertical and horizontal, angles and 

 curves, oriel windows, and many gables to break the skyline. 

 Inside are chambers and corridors, many and varied, and 

 antique stairways leading to the upper storey. Everywhere 

 is oak panelling, with fine carvings, and in the more dainty 



FROM THE STABI.E-YAPD. 



