LITTLECOTE, 



Mr. F. W. LEYBORNE- 



POPHAM. 



WILTSHIRE, . . . 15^3.*=!^ 



THI-. famous house <if l.ittk-CoU the anCHDt home "I 

 and tlu- I'.iph mis st.uuls svitlnn the 

 Wiltshire h rder. hut .tt a dist.nue "I some three >r 

 lour iiiik-s from Hungerford in Berkshire, l.eland 

 rilvs its grounds .IN "a n-ht lain- and Luge 

 h.mgynge uptn th.- ciylfe of a highe hille welle wo.ldyd 

 ' and tlu- description is trif to-J.iy.fi>r tlu- Kennel 

 still flows through the p.irk, and tlu- wo, .is --till an- me -n. 

 UK- situation is |.i\v. .1 d the land hv the house level, hut 

 higher to the south, so that as the visitor ne.irs it, ap 

 I y the ol.l .ivei.ue. he sees the revl br ck vvaIN and tlu- 

 hich there are som- forty, and the chimn^y-st-uks 

 above tlie hedges and garden aJornments. Truly a house 

 t marvellous charm is this, in a grouping of o'd-.v <i\ I 

 ri.turesqiiL'ness, a feast of colour also, when s Cl -n in tin- 

 M-tting sun, with the dark green fort-ground and the sky 

 behind, and countless panes i:i its inullioned windows to n-ikvt 

 the evening glow. I he alterations nude nearly a centur> agi- 

 by CJeiH-ral Kduard Leyb^rne-Popham. who had married th. 

 heiress of the Pophms and taken the name, do not in any 

 way break the .mtique spell. 



What kind of gardi-n should we desire to adorn such a 

 house ? We might have chosen a low terrace, perhaps, for our 



. but. in any case, < should 

 \ . simplicity is tlu- .! mini nit i h.u.ulci istic nt \' 

 llu-ic 1.1 er.closuie l\v iv.illmg an I hi-il^--s. an.l . >!l is 



usi-d a^ the support lor tiuit tn-t-s .,r climNnfl ilo\\<-i- I In- 

 K< niu-t Irn.ls a hr.uuli \ Us stu-am o -i tlie irnth sul.- t ! nn a 

 trout \\ati-l M the :Mulr s aiul in. a.lo\v s, .nul tlu -re .in- well- 

 kept U'-'ss walks "II either si !e. (linked In glolious borders ol 

 helbaceous (liwers. Heie st.i eU Iliies, g .nit ImlMi 

 (hloxes, glorious p ippies. an.l tall to\-|i\e^, snapdragons, and 

 laikspurs ll.>uii-li, with many a humbler gem at their Uet. an I 

 the unrivalled back;:rounJ ot .1 dark, dense hedge. <;r .1 mosss . 

 well-cl ithedwall. Th re are N -aulilul aw Us, and a bow ling green 

 covered with perfect turf, and a quaint "IhiUi garden" 

 tho.iuh why t:iat lair t. I sil.l not he i-.ngli-.h no man k .in 



say. t I iwer-lvds and garden se.it> are there also. I'hen the 

 south Court is appioa.'hed by a sup.-ib noil gateway, leading 

 to the gra-s p| .t. the dial, and the pouh, and we think ol the 

 generations ot |)arells and I'ophams who have entered that 

 wi\. hver\ where are line tiers n-,in^ i.aturally in IIMSM-S 

 and affording cool sh de and the aspect ot r. pose. I he paik. 

 which is some tour mile- in cncum: reiue, i^ va ied in ch.nacter 

 and cont >ur, ar.d picturesque, . . i:h a certain w ildness in its 

 aspect that is charmuvj and beautiful. On one s;de ris s i 



THU SOUTHERN COURT. 



