Visi'i to Hampton Court, Herefordshire. 415 



Such fantastic forms of architecture, with the varied mixture of 

 the animal, plant, and mineral kingdom, which decorated their 

 walls, evinced but little taste and imagination; but we must not 

 reckon these absurd grottoes and sliellworks here spoken of, 

 with the works in mosaic, as they are far inferior to the latter, 

 and, therefore, ought not to find a place in the modern style of 

 of gardening. 



( To he continued. ) 



Art. IV. Notice of a Visit to Hampton Court, in Herefordshire. 



By J.B.W. 



Four or five miles south of Leominster, near the village of 

 Hope-under-Dinmore, stands Hampton Court, formerly the 

 principal residence of the Coningsby family, but now the pro- 

 perty of J. Arkwright, Esq. Shortly after that gentleman 

 purchased the estate, the fine old baronial house was in a great 

 measure pulled down, and a magnificent building is now springing 

 up on its site. Unfortunately, however, both for its appearance 

 as a building, and its salubrity as a residence, the situation is 

 low and damp ; the river Lugg, which flows past the front, 

 rising in high floods to within a few yards of the house; and 

 this selection is the more to be regretted, because there is said 

 to be an excellent site about half a mile further north, on a h\<A\ 

 brow, which, besides its superior healthfulness, commands a 

 much wider prospect, the view from the present mansion being 

 confined to one direction by Dinmore Hill, which runs parallel 

 to the front. It has been considered advisable to retain the 

 north front of the old building, through which a lofty archway 

 leads to a court-yard, where there is a private entrance. The 

 principal entrance is under the archway, from which corridors 

 conduct the visitor to the living-rooms. 



All the stone used in the building is raised on the estate, and con^ 

 veyed on a tram-road to the river side, where Mr. Arkwright has 

 erected extensive saw-mills, and all other mechanical apparatus 

 necessary for converting the stone, wood, and even iron, required 

 in the building, to its proper uses. This apparatus is most in- 

 geniously contrived ; and, although very costly in its first con- 

 struction, it has saved an immensity of labour. 



The present gardens do not at all correspond in extent with 

 the mansion ; but, probably, when the latter is completed, the 

 whole of the grounds will be remodeled in a style worthy of the 

 building. The soil of the kitchen-garden is very good, and, 

 although low and near the river, it is comparatively dry, owing 

 to the subsoil being gravel. There are two vineries, one of 

 which is heated by hot water in a copper apparatus. Most of 

 the walks are formed of flagstones, which, where available, cannot 



18il. — Vlir. 3cl Ser. ee 



