EARLY TUDOR GARDENS 71 



at Wressel Castle, where Leland saw the cut trees. In the 

 thirteenth century there were made in some of the monasteries 

 " mounds " of earth against the garden- walls, to enable the 

 inmates to peer over them into the outer world. During the 

 following centuries, " mounds " or " mounts," of simple con- 

 struction, were frequently to be found in gardens, but in 

 Tudor times the " mount " became a much more important 

 accessory than formerly. They were usually made of earth 

 covered with fruit or other trees. Mounts were generally 

 thrown up in " divers corners " of the orchard, and were 

 ascended by " stairs of precious workmanship," or a spiral path 

 planted on either side with shrubs, cut in quaint shapes, or with 

 sweet-smelling herbs and flowers. At Rockingham there re- 

 mains a specimen of one form of mount. A great terraced 

 mound of earth, covered with turf and a few trees, is raised 

 against a part of the high wall which surrounds the garden, and 

 behind which the keep formerly stood. From the top of this 

 the eye ranges across the garden with quaintly cut yew-trees, 

 over a magnificent view of the open country beyond ; thus the 

 mount served in early times as a lookout or watch-tower. If 

 the garden or orchard happened to be situated in a park, and 

 herds of deer browsed close to its walls, the mount then became 

 useful as a point from which one " myghte shoot a bucke."^ 

 The top of the mount was often surmounted by an arbour, 

 either of trellis-work and creepers, or a more substantial build- 

 ing. Probably the finest specimen of this kind of ornament 

 was the " mount " at Hampton Court, and from various sources 

 a very good idea of what it was like can be formed. It was 

 situated at the southern end of the " King's New Garden," 

 which was made in 1533, at which time a gardener named 

 Edward Gryffyn superintended the work. The mount was 

 raised on a brick foundation, as there were payments made to 

 " John Dallen of London, bricklayer," for " laying of 256,000 

 of brick upon the walls about the new garden, betwixt the 

 King's lodgings and Thames, and the foundations of the mount 

 standing by Thames, taking for every 1,000 I4d., by con- 

 vention £14. i8s. 8d." The earth was then piled up and planted 

 with quicksets. The sum of 54s. 8d. was paid to Lawrence 

 ^ Lawson, New Orchard. 



