208 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



imaginings embodied in immemorial yew, defying 

 description, though often resembling a cottage loaf or 

 a pile of muffins, and seen well in the pictures. We 

 certainly, as a type, prefer the more shapely and 

 dignified set at Keevil or at Bradfield, but, as an 

 exception and a surprise, these Treworgey examples 

 are most entertaining and original. Their evolution 

 from some definite shape when they were well in 

 hand to their present condition of semi-emancipation 

 from the scheme of their designer and the discipline 

 of the shears, is interesting as showing the determina- 

 tion of Nature, by long and patient effort, to free 

 itself from the trammels of human artifice. In 

 addition to those in the forecourt, there are others on 

 the rising ground to the left, where are terrace walks 

 on the upper level, backed by several ragged old fir 



houses were not unusual in the walled gardens of the 

 early years of the eighteenth century, and there is one 

 at Mr. Frank Millet's house at Broadway ; but this 

 example, with its three receding sections and slight 

 pagoda shape, reminds us that this was the "Chinese" 

 period, both as regar Is Chippendale's furniture and 

 also in garden ornament. 



The house and its garden will not further detain 

 us. Their features are disclosed admirably in the 

 pictures. Let us now look a little into the descent 

 of the place how it came to the hands that possess 

 it. In this West Country and its parish of St. 

 Cleer arrived one Cannock, or Connock, in the 

 time of Henry VIII., being, it is stated, a 

 successful Wiltshire tanner who established himself 

 pleasurably in Cornwall. He it was who is believed 



THE UPPEK GARDEN. 



trees. There is no lack of flower growth, and the 

 terrace walk is margined at intervals by vases full 

 of the gayest denizens of gardens. The Roman 

 soldiers, with helm, breastplate, buskins and spear, 

 have a beautiful outlook over their domain of the 

 forecourt, and beyond it they gaze upon the terraced 

 ridges and the trees. Outside the iron railing runs a 

 pathway leading to stairs which ascend the height on 

 the left, and are all enriched with greenery. Thereby 

 stands the curious old tower, with its clock, its 

 weither-vane and its dial, which, like the garden 

 monitor it is, tells those who read its message that 

 " Every hour shortens life " a saying that is true 

 indeed, but is not always thought of, until some 

 " horologe of the garden world," as Lamb calls the 

 dial, holds out its warning. These towered summer- 



to have built the original house, and it remained with 

 his descendants, who married into the families of 

 Burgoyne, Courteney and Heale, and grew to con- 

 sequence in the shire. John Cannock was Receiver 

 of the Duchy of Cornwall in 1532, which may well 

 have been an office of profit, and he represented 

 Liskeard in Parliament in 1554 and again in 1570. 

 His family possessed considerable property, and 

 exercised much local influence. Another John 

 Cannock also represented Liskeard in three Parlia- 

 ments, those of 1660, 1679 and. 1685. A century 

 passed, and Nicholas Cannock, who died in 1757, 

 being the last of his name, and very likely the trans- 

 former of th , house into its present aspect, bequeathed 

 the estate to his widow, who built almshouses on 

 St. Cleer Common, and, surviving her husband more 



