I40 THE FORMAL GARDEN IN ENGLAND vi 



Knole in Britannia Illustrata no bowling-green 

 is shown ; but in Badeslade's view,^ made about 

 twenty years later, a beautiful bowling-green is 

 shown on the south side of the house. This 

 was oval in plan, about 70 paces by 40, sur- 

 rounded by a high clipped hedge with arbours 

 on the east and west sides, and openings on the 

 north and south. It was reached by a double 

 flight of steps from the lower parterres in front 

 of the house. From the fact that this is not 

 shown in Kip, it is probable that it was made 

 early in the eighteenth century. At Radley Col- 

 lege, near Oxford, there is a long bowling-alley, 

 probably of the same date as the original house — 

 about the middle of the eighteenth century. At 

 Stratford-on-Avon there exists a square bowling- 

 green in excellent order, where, on the long 

 summer evenings, the game is still played with 

 much gravity and science. The object of a 

 bowling-green as a playing-ground was never 

 lost sight of in England. London and Wise 

 mention that a custom had been introduced of 

 planting tall trees round public bowling-greens 

 " rather to pleasure their customers than for 

 any advantage to their greens " ; but the green 

 itself was always kept open. From England 

 bowling-greens were introduced into France, 

 probably by Le Notre. The French called 

 them boulingi'ins, and quite lost sight of 



^ Badeslade's Vie'ws of Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Seats in the County of 

 Kent. 



