5 6 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



lend such dignity to the scene, and by their natural 

 yet stately growth break, yet harmonise with, the 

 formalism of the terraces, steps and topiary work. 

 Through the fine gateways must have passed 

 Samuel Richardson, the novelist, for it is stated that 

 a great part of his " Sir Charles Grandison " was 

 written during his frequent visits to Canons Ashby. 

 At an earlier period a much more distinguished author 

 the poet Spenser was a frequent visitor there, for 

 we are told in Aubrey's " Lives of Eminent Men " 

 that the poet Spenser was a frequenter of Canons 

 Ashby, and that there was a room there called " Mr. 

 Spenser's Chamber," and it is probable that portions 

 of the " Kafiry Queen " were composed during these 

 visits. A room in the house is still called " Spenser's 

 Room." Probably the poet John Dryden also paid 

 many visits there, although no reference is made to 

 them in his letters ; but we read that he courted his 

 cousin, Honor Dryden, the eldest daughter of the 

 then baronet. 



There are still a few remains to be seen of the 

 old monastic days on the land which had belonged 

 to the church : a buttress of the old water-mill, a 

 portion of the masonry of the gatehouse, and the 

 monks' well, which even now supplies the present 

 mansion with water. The grant for the enclosure of 

 this well, called the Nor- Well, is dated 1253, and the 

 stone structure over the spring is probably of that 

 date. The kitchen garden, known as the " Vineyard 

 Garden," was the garden of the monastery, where the 

 pious brethren would have varied their religious 

 offices by manual labour, in cultivating the supplies 

 for the refectory. Hard by is the monks' orchard, 

 having on two sides the " Canons' Walk," a raised 



path where the canons could take their daily exercise 

 in preference to pacing the muddy roads of the 

 surrounding country. 



The church, which stands close by the mansion, 

 is but a fragment of the original structure, consisting 

 of the western portion of the monastic church. The 

 fine doorway and the very beautiful Early English 

 arcading on either side date from about 1250 ; while 

 the tower, with its arcading, is perhaps a century 

 later. 



To the artist and antiquarian there is much of 

 interest to be found in the remains of clustered 

 shafts, rich mouldings and carved stonework, which 

 have been dug up, telling of the art and loving care 

 bestowed by the monks on the building of their 

 church ; encaustic tiles have been found over which 

 sandalled feet must have passed at the bidding of 

 the vesper bell, all telling of the sad and wanton 

 destruction which must have taken place on the 

 dissolution of the monastery. In 1644 the church 

 itself was the scene of severe fighting. A 

 party of Parliamentarian soldiers, hearing of the 

 approach of Royalist troops, took refuge in the 

 church, and for two hours defended themselves 

 against the opposing force ; eventually they were 

 overpowered, taken prisoners, and carried captive to 

 the neighbouring town of Banbury. 



So little has been changed in the house and 

 surroundings during the last two centuries, that any- 

 one entering through the low archway into the court 

 might think he had indeed stepped back into past 

 ages, and would hardly be surprised if Sir Roger de 

 Coverley or Will W r imble greeted him on the 

 doorstep. 



THh DkER I>AKK GATE. 



