234 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 20, 18G4. 



question. Circumstances quartered me in the quaint old 

 town of Marlborough in Wiltshire. Rambles about the 

 downs, and long walks amongst the splendid scenery of 

 Savernake Forest, soon worked health-giving wonders upon 

 me. I would advise persons so afflicted, or indeed in any 

 way afflicted, to take the train to Marlborough, to try a few 

 days there ; and if the country should have the same effect 

 upon them as it had upon me, why I am compensated for 

 penning this, and doubtless they would feel grateful for the 

 recommendation. 



Savernake House, the seat of the Marquis of Ailesbury, 

 is about four miles distant from Marlborough. To enjoy a 

 rich treat in woodland I would recommend the pedestrian 

 to leave Marlborough by the Salisbury road, to branch off 

 by the turnpike-gate up into the forest, where by observing 

 the most beaten track between varying avenues, open dells, 

 spreading Oaks and Beech, and Ferns and Mosses many, 

 one is lured on and on till the "King" and "Queen" Oaks 

 of the forest are reached. The former has a diameter of 

 rotten trunk measuring 8 feet according to my walking- 

 stick, and the monarch is otherwise shorn of his strength 

 and beauty, having only one arm left, poised in mid air, 

 and, as a notice beneath it specifies, "dangerous." Her 

 majesty reigns in the vicinity hale and hearty, and looking 

 as if she might reign for a thousand years or more. Under 

 the shadow of her branches is a favourite resort for gipsy 

 parties — in fact, there was a small one ensconced there at 

 the time of my visit, which prevented me from taking any 

 measurements. Nevertheless, did any of my readers after 

 some miles of walking on a sultry day, and feeling very 

 thirsty, ever come suddenly near good people with tempting 

 viands spread out and bottles not drawn dry regaling them- 

 selves ? Torments of Tantalus ! I left, and they made no 

 sign. 



Midway between these royal Oaks the late Marquis of 

 Ailesbury caused a large thatched shed to be erected. I 

 believe they call it the Chinese Umbrella, from its being a 

 copy of an erection of the sort his lordship saw in the 

 "Flowery Land," for the accommodation of parties in the 

 event of a storm. It will shelter a large number of people. 

 "It is about to be new thatched," said an old man whose 

 life's work is nearly done, and who is employed by the Mar- 

 quis to hobble about with barrow and broom to sweep up 

 the leaves and other debris resulting from gatherings of 

 convivial people. I expressed to him that it was very kind 

 of the Marquis of Ailesbury to allow people to range about 

 and to enjoy themselves uninterruptedly upon his property, 

 and for him to anticipate their wants so considerately. The 

 old man said, " My lordship is a good gentleman, and likes 

 people to come and view his property ;" and from what I 

 learnt from numerous sources and in many ways his lord- 

 ship is a " good gentleman." 



Now, proceeding- onwards from the Queen Oak, some 

 fifteen minutes walking would introduce one to the monu- 

 ment, erected by one marquis in gratitude to another; as 

 also to commemorate a thanksgiving for the recovery of 

 King George III. from an affliction well known to history. 

 From the monument a delightful though long walk would 

 introduce one to the mansion, which can be seen in the 

 distance ; but necessity, not choice, would only incline me, 

 a forest-loving pedestrian, to proceed farther that way ; so, 

 looking forward to the pleasure of viewing the gardens by 

 another route another day, I returned into the bosom of the 

 forest, and gave myself up entirely to the admiration of its 

 beauties, meanwhile taking care to give the pic-nickers a 

 wide berth. 



In some parts of the forest the Holly trees are very fine, 

 and many of them have a remarkable propensity for the 

 Oaks, springing, as they do, with their bases literally grow- 

 ing out of each other, and again, above, leaning and weaving 

 themselves into each other's arms in a most affectionate 

 manner. One of these decorations of our Christmastide I 

 computed to be quite 60 feet high, with a clear stem S feet 

 high, 3 feet in diameter, and having a spread of branches 

 18 yards across. I also noticed another very fine Oak tree, 

 though not of the same variety as the King and Queen 

 Oaks — nor can I say exactly to what species of Quercus it 

 does belong — but it tempted me to bring it to book. Com- 

 puting by my walking-stick, I give its trunk at nearly 8 feet 

 in diameter, branching off at 12 feet from the ground into 



three fine trees. My step gave it a spread of branches at 

 right angles of 37 yards one way by 38 the other, and it 

 has a tolerably regular receding top, I should imagine quite 

 100 feet high to its apex. I took a special walk to admire 

 this fine specimen of Nature's handiwork. I ought also to 

 mention that the lower branches have been cared for by 

 some other lover of fine trees, by being propped up with 

 stout forked posts, giving a Banyan appearance to it in 

 the distance. These supports are unfortunately necessary, 

 as symptoms of splitting are recognisable in the lower 

 branches ■ and, to whomsoever the remark may apply, let 

 me advise their speedy renewal, as the present supports are 

 fast becoming rotten and useless. In a great measure the 

 Oak and Beech trees are gracefully lightened up with a good 

 complement of Birch, and a sprmkling of Sweet Chestnut. 

 Many ancient Hawthorns, too, felicitously introduce them- 

 selves; and, when in blossom in the spring must appear 

 like unto the driven snow laden with sweet incense. 



For those who would like to enjoy good bracing constitu- 

 tionals about the downs, it is a good plan to start by the 

 Wootton Bassett road, past the new cemetery, over the 

 common, and on to Rockley House, the grounds around 

 which, and extensive clumps about the downs, were planted 

 by the late Hon. General St. John, to whom, some years 

 ago, this property belonged ; the plantations, however, are 

 past their best, from want of timely thinning. From 

 Bockley strike on to the turf for any number of miles that 

 one's legs can carry one; or, instead of the Wootton Bassett 

 road, on arriving at the common take the Swindon road to 

 the right, and, after a mile or two's walk, a fine, open, mild, 

 though breezy country will be reached. 



I now come to recommend a drive after the morning's 

 walking, and host Carter's pony carriage became an admir- 

 able means to that end. We started by the London road ; 

 a mile's ride introduced us to the forest by the iron gate, 

 and here an avenue of Beech opened to us not soon to be 

 forgotten.- I believe it extends three miles in length, and 

 it is magnificent. The ground undulates in some parts 

 of its length, which serves to animate the effect, as in 

 rising and descending the trees seem literally to recede with 

 a strange weird-like rolling movement, or gather themselves 

 up, according to the line of vision in which the beholder views 

 them. The clean pillar-like boles of the trees, and the gothie 

 arch formed by the branches give an immense cathedral- 

 nave-like aspect, whilst the light graceful foliage, to which 

 the play of the air and light give animation, was a living 

 picture of Nature worth coming many miles to see. At a 

 break in its continuity at a spot called the Eight-walk Avenue, 

 where drives branch off in so many directions through the 

 forest from a pivot formed in a new plantation of Firs, we 

 turned off, passing as we drove along the ruins of Savernake 

 Lodge, which was unfortunately burnt down a few years since. 

 The forest becomes more park-like now as we wend our way 

 to the farmstead, steam-saw mills, and workshops, in order 

 to hunt-up the clerk of the new district church of St. 

 Katharine, and that accomplished the beautiful new struc- 

 ture soon became introduced to us. Truly a pleasant spot. 

 A ha-ha with wall protects the churchyard, which is entered 

 by handsome wrought-iron gates supported upon flint and 

 stone pillars, of which materials the church is built in the 

 shape of a cross. On entering the porch a superscription 

 over the door leading into the church informs the reader, 

 that " The Church of St. Katharine, Dedicated to the Honour 

 and Glory of God, was erected by Mary Caroline Herbert, 

 Wife of George William Frederick, Marquis of Ailesbury, 

 a.d., 1861, in Memory of Her Mother, Katharine Woron- 

 zow, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery, through whose 

 Liberality she was Enabled to Build it." The style of the 

 building is gothie, but to give a just, technical, architectural 

 description of the structure with its details would be beyond 

 my acquirements, and hardly appropriate even if I could do 

 so for this Journal. Tet we stayed so long at the church 

 that it was questioned whether it would be quite right to 

 intrude on Mr. Johnson after six o'clock to visit the gardens ; 

 but I had formerly exhibited productions at our show at 

 Woodstock side by side with him, therefore I claimed a 

 sort of acquaintanceship, and from what I knew of him I 

 felt sure we should meet with a kind reception be it late or 

 early j therefore, a pleasant drive of a few minutes intro- 

 duced us to his wood-embowered cottage, but unfortunately 



