in the North-Eastern Counties. 195 



intersected by a considerable brook. The inhabitants of Ches- 

 ter le Street have their gardens tastefully laid out on the sloping 

 banks of this brook, which are called " Bishop's waste ; " and 

 are let for the small acknowledgment of a sixpence or a shilling 

 yearly. I have often been delighted, in the summer evenings, 

 to observe industrious mechanics and their families amusing 

 themselves in their little gardens : some engaged in rearing 

 those wholesome vegetables so necessary for the comfort of their 

 families | others trying to excel in the cultivation of auriculas, 

 polyanthuses, stocks, rockets, hollyhocks, &c. I have seldom 

 seen better vegetables, fruits, and flowers grown than in these 

 small gardens ; and the only reason I can assign for this is, the 

 desire which each has to surpass the others. The principal 

 objects in the view from White Hill house, which is situated on 

 an eminence, are, the towering steeple of Chester le Street church, 

 and Lambton and Lumley castles. The appearance of the 

 latter is peculiarly grand. The pleasure-ground is suitable to 

 the house, and is well embellished with clumps of various dimen- 

 sions. The south front and west side are partly covered with 

 a metal trelliswork entwined with China roses, having other 

 kinds budded on them; and a very large arbutus projects from 

 a wall that connects the house and conservatory. A splendid 

 specimen of ArauccLria excelsa, which is planted in the middle of 

 the conservatory, is an object of great attraction to visiters. 

 The principal approach js on the north front, near to the mar- 

 gin of a very deep valley, with Chester le Street brook rolling 

 along its pebbly bed. After the eye has glanced from this valley, 

 a, rich agricultural country opens to view, with the township of 

 Pelton in the distance. The kitchen-garden is a parallelogram, 

 enclosing two acres, and having one on the outside. There is 

 a very neat green-house, with a good collection of pelargo- 

 niums ; having 60 ft. of vinery at one end, and 120 ft. of vinery 

 and peach-house at the other. A movable peach-house, 30 ft. 

 in length and 6 ft. in breadth, is placed against one of the best 

 peach and nectarine walls in the north of England. This wall 

 has a metal coping, projecting several inches, which answers 

 very well as a protection to the trees. In an east slip there is 

 a flued pit for melons, surrounded by a yew hedge 4 ft. high and 

 2 ft. thick in front ; the ends sloping to the back, which is 7 ft. 

 high: this hedge is universally admired, owing to the neat man- 

 ner in which k is kept. Mr. Crossling has been upwards of 

 twenty years head gardener ; and, in all the departments of his 

 profession, can seldom be equalled. He is a very successful 

 grape and peach grower, having had them ripe in March. The 

 garden, pleasure-ground, and, indeed, every part of these grounds, 

 be it ever so obscure, are always in the highest order and keep- 

 ing. The cause of this is, Mr. Crossling's systematic method of 



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