DESCRIPTION OF AN OLD INN 107 



ground floor, and the second overhanging the first. 

 Fine carved timbers skirted the gables. In the 

 centre was a large gateway, the floor above supported 

 by great fluted posts, with heavy hanging oak gates, 

 which could be closed when required. This con- 

 fronted a spacious yard, one half of which was 

 bounded by an open covered gallery, into which the 

 bedroom doors opened. This gallery was supported 

 on strong oak pillars ; a broad covered staircase 

 rose from near the entrance into the gallery, and 

 formed the main approach to the principal sitting and 

 bedrooms. There were large rooms on either side 

 of the entrance, and adjoining was the business 

 portion of the inn. A spacious kitchen filled one 

 end of the yard, extensive cellarage occupying the 

 underground of the front. At the back of the build- 

 ings were large gardens, with a beautiful ornamental 

 ' bowling green ' of full size, but seldom seen nowa- 

 days ; on each side were gigantic elms, at least three 

 centuries old, with dense shrubberies, and flowering 

 shrubs, laburnums, lilacs, mountain ash, acacias, 

 and red chestnuts. Along the bottom of the green 

 was a row of ancient walnut trees, arbours with 

 shady nooks, and seats pervaded a shrubbery 

 charming to behold. Below this pleasaunce was an 

 orchard with fine apple and pear trees, amongst the 

 former being codlins, golden and ribston pippins, 

 Blenheim orange, russets, and early juneatings, the 

 latter had Gansell's bergamot, several of the beurres, 

 and a large tree of the real old bergamot pear. 

 But the chief pride of the place were three very 



