i 4 6 



GARDENS OLD AND \1-.\V. 



bounding the main flight of nineteen steps that 

 rises to the next level. Piers, surmounted 

 alternately with stone balls and vases, divide 

 the length of the terrace wall into nineteen 

 bays, the great stairway occupying one bay in the 

 middle of the length. A flower-border is at the foot 

 of the wall, which is sufficiently clothed, but not 

 smothered, with climbing plants. 



The next terrace is narrow ; a long bowling 

 green. This, on its upper side, again has a retaining 

 wall, but here with a plain coping, the wall returning 

 on each side to accompany the next flight of steps. 

 At the toot of the wall is a narrow border with flowers 

 and upright Irish yews, which here, as on the level 

 below, accentuate points on the main axis of the 



by further levelled planes with wooded ground above. 

 The lawn is flanked on either side by Irish yews, 

 trimmed to a shape. Whether it is ever desirable to 

 clip Irish yews is very doubtful. They will only clip 

 into one form, and that is not a graceful one, whereas 

 their own shape is a good one, and is already sym- 

 metrical enough. From a grass terrace that passes 

 along the southern end of the house there rises 

 towards the west a great grassy stairway, in several 

 green flights and green landings a beautiful and 

 restful feature, and a desirable one, where there is 

 ample width for good proportion, and where difficulty 

 of mowing is not considered an obstacle. 



The house may be considered a fine type of the 

 better class of manorial dwelling of Tudor days. It 



GRASS WALK WEST LAil.\. 



garden. Above the wall is a mighty hedge of yew, 

 cut in a great arch over the steps. Seen from below, 

 this massive hedge of solid verdure forms a noble 

 frame or setting to the garden picture, and pleasantly 

 tells of winter shelter and comfort. Yet through the 

 arch one sees more steps on higher levels, and obtains 

 glimpses into still further garden spaces. But the 

 hedge is wisely placed, for what it bounds and encloses 

 is quite enough for any one garden picture, and 

 entices upwards on a voyage of discovery to see what 

 manner of country lies beyond. 



To the south, on a lower level than the western 

 garden, there is also a pleasant stretch ot pleasure- 

 ground, of more modern date- a level lawn, backed 



has had various additions, of which the most notable 

 is the remarkably good porch of the time of Charles I. 

 It is of distinguished appearance and treatment, and 

 deserves careful study. It has Doric columns on 

 pedestals, flanked by niches to right and left, which 

 are canted back at an angle of 45 degrees. The 

 columns carry vases, which from their similarity of 

 design with those of the terrace balustrade suggest 

 that the porch and garden were by the same hand. In 

 the porch the entablature breaks round over the 

 columns ; between these a semi-circular arch is carried 

 by imposts. The return of the impost and the 

 sculptured key are stopped by square piers. The 

 pedestals of the columns are continued on the canted 



