482 Notices of some Gardens and Country Seats 



rich, exhibiting some fine trees, and, among others, an Oriental 

 plane, the only tree of this species which we have noticed between 

 London and Plymouth ; though that more tender and much 

 less beautiful tree, the Occidental plane, is frequent wherever 

 we have been. 



On both sides of the Swindon station, the country is flat and 

 apparently uninteresting; but the station itself is the handsomest 

 we have yet seen. At this station, which is considered half-way 

 between London and Taunton, there are four large refreshment 

 rooms, two on each side of the road, of noble proportions, and 

 finished in the most exquisite style; with the walls paneled, 

 Sylvester's fireplaces, and beautifully painted ceilings. Such 

 rooms cannot fail greatly to improve the taste of every one who 

 enters them ; and, in this respect alone, the proprietors of the 

 rail-road are entitled to the best thanks of the country. All the 

 station-houses are more or less elegant and original in design. 

 Some are remarkable for far-projecting veranda roofs, unsup- 

 ported either by columns or brackets ; nor is there any essential 

 reason why they should have such supports, since horizontal 

 beams built into the walls, or merely the flooring joists extend- 

 ing through the whole structure, are sufficient to support the 

 roof. They also afford more room for passengers below, and 

 they cost less. The rail-road buildings on this, and indeed on 

 every line, afford fine examples of beauty arising from no other 

 consideration than that of fitness for the end in view. 



We arrived at Bridgewater at 2 o'clock, and found a Mine- 

 head coach waiting for passengers, by which we proceeded to 

 Williton, where we arrived at 5 o'clock. The road is hilly, 

 but we passed through some curious old villages, and observed 

 several villas, one or two of which still retain clipped yew 

 hedges, and other vestiges of the geometric style. The road, 

 nevertheless, is conducted without either skill or taste, though 

 it might be led on one uniform slope down the declivities and 

 across the combes (valleys), so as to render it easy either for as- 

 cent or descent. We arrived at Nettlecombe Court at 6 o'clock. 



Aug. 29. to Sept. 5. — Nettlecombe Court. The road to this 

 place from Williton is up the bottom of a winding combe, or 

 valley, consisting of water meadows, woods, white cottages and 

 their gardens, and some quarries, a fine brook, and hedge-row 

 trees. Llere is a water-mill, supplied with water by means of 

 a course the sides and bottom of which are of stone laid in 

 the Aberthaw lime, which has the property of setting under 

 water, and being in that and other respects equal to Roman 

 cement. The rock which produces this lime extends across 

 from Wales, and proves of immense value both to builders 

 and farmers. We passed the remains of a fine old alder; 

 the shattered remains of a large old walnut tree, on the bark 



