Book I. 



GARDENS OF KENT. 



1069 



Up Parfc, — near Eastboum; Sir H. Peatherstone. A mag- 

 nificent house, and well wooded park ; the timber-trees, in 1743, 

 valued at 19,000/. 



7532. The following &ve first-rate residences : — 



X Arundel Castle, — at Arundel ; Duke of Norfolk. A 

 magnificent castellated structure, partly very old, and partly 

 re-erected on a more sumptuous style. It is founded on a cir- 

 cular knoll, effected partly by nature and partly by art ; the ad- 

 joining grounds flat towards the sea, but the rest of the park 

 varied and well wooded. The kitchen-gardens are good, and 

 noted for their old and prolific standard fig-trees. 



X Goodrvood, — near East Jjavant ; Duke of Richmond. A 

 magnificent house in the Grecian style, chiefly by Wyatt ; the 

 walls built of small flints collected on the South Downs. The 

 stables and oflnces form a handsome quadrangular building 

 near the house, and are inferior to few if any in the kingdom, 

 and the dog-kennel exceeds in magnificence and convenience, 

 even to luxury, every structure of the kind ever raised for such 

 tenants. The park includes 2000 acres ; behind the house is a 

 fine grove of cedars, mentioned by Coilinson ; of the true 

 service, mentioned by Miller ; and everywhere abundance of old 

 timber ; and it contains a beautiful summer-house ; on the 

 pleasure-grounds is a tennis-court ; and on a hill beyond the 

 park, a race-course. 



X Pdworth House, — at Egremont; Earl of Egremont. A 

 magnificent mansion, fronted with freestone, and surrounded 



7534. KENT. A surface of 935,600 acres, considerably diversified by ridges of chalky eminences in 

 some places ; low marshy grounds on the Thames and Medway ; open downs near Dover ; and an inland, 

 flat, and woody part, towards Sussex, called the Weald ; a Saxon word signifying wood, or the woody part 

 of a country. It is one of the oldest cultivated counties in England ; and, from some laws peculiar to it, 

 landed property is much divided, and there are a great many small proprietors who reside on, and 

 cultivate their own estates. Hence the garden-like appearance which prevails in great part of this tract, 

 and particularly about Maidstone, and on the road from London to Canterbury. The cottage and trades- 

 men's gardens on this tract are remarkably neat, perhaps more so than any where in the world, unless in 

 some parts of Holland. It is also very productive in vegetables and fruits for the market, and in seeds of 

 different kinds for seedsmen : it contains some beautiful villas, and one or two fine old mansion-residences, 

 and one public, formei-ly a royal park. Philip Miller appears to have been born in this county, near the 

 metropolis, but where is uncertain. The most celebrated gardens in former times were those of Knowle, 

 and of Dr. Sherrard at Eltham. 



not less than 30,000/., the water collected from 

 small springs in surrounding hills and conducted thither in 

 pipes. The park is 12 miles round It was formerly little 

 better than morass and waste, but )ias lately been drained and 

 well stocked with every variety of British oxen, and also those 

 of the Calmucks and of Astracan ; there is also a breed from 

 the East Indies ; the Scottish bison, and the shawl goat of 

 Thibet. His lordship farms extensively, and has used every 

 exertion to encourage the breeding of "oxen as beasts of labor 

 rather than horses. The gardens and hot-houses are on a scale 

 of design and management suitable to every other part of this 

 truly noble demesne. 



7533. Royal residence. 



X The Pat ilion, or Palace, — at Brighton, is in a mixed style 

 of Chinese, Gothic, and Moresque architecture, in which 

 the former greatly prevails. Exteriorly it forms a singular 

 and beautiful whole; but is badly arranged within, and, 

 excepting the dining-room, the others are low or of dis- 

 agreeable forms and proportions; or, like the music-room, 

 over.labored in attempting to keep u;; the Chinese character. 

 The grounds contain only a few acres, in which are a magni- 

 ficent pile of stables, formed round a circular court, covered 

 by a dome partly glazed. The garden-scenery is tasteless, 

 stocked with the meanest flowers, and shows no exertions for 

 approbation. 



7535. Public garden. 



Greenmich Park, — near Greenwich, originally belonging 

 to Greenwich Palace, but that being formed into an Hos- 

 pital in the reign of William III., it is now disjoined. It 

 contains 188 acres, walled round by James I., and planted 

 -with elms and Spanish chestnuts in intersecting rows and 

 avenues by Le Notre, in Charles II's time. The coup d'ceil of 

 the Metropolis, from this park, is as interesting a thing of the 

 kind as exists. 



7536. Commercial gardens. 



Farmers' and Market Gardens, — abound along the Thames, 

 for the supply of the shipping. Immense quantities of green 

 peas are grown round Dartford, both in farm market-gardens 

 and in common farmed lands for the London market. At 

 Sittingboume, and in the Isle of Shepey, peas and beans are 

 grown ; and at Greenwich and Deptford great quantities of 

 asparagus, sea-kale, onions, cauliflowers, &c. Edmonds at 

 Deptford is the greatest grower of asparagus, and sometimes 

 has 70 or 80 acres under this crop. 



Orchards. — These are chiefly about Lewisham, Maidstone, 

 and along the banks of the Medway ; the principal fruits of the 

 county are the cherry and the filbert, but most of the others 

 are also grown, from the walnut to the strawberry. The latter 

 fruit is brought to great perfection at Fordwick, a village near 

 Canterbury, belonging to Earl Cowper. 



Seed-Gardens Great quantities of seeds are grown for the 



seedsmen ; canary, radish, kidneybeans, and formerly turnip 

 in the Isle of Thanet; toker or Sandwich beans at Sandwich, 

 and also kidneybeans. Various seeds are also grown round 

 Maidstone, and much canary -seed in the hundred of Heme. 

 The Kentish perennial rye-grass is collected through the 

 county, and shipped for the seedsmen at Feversham. About 

 twenty acres in the parish of Deptford are generally devoted to 

 the growth of onions for seed, the Deptford variety being in 

 great repute. 



Of Florists' Market-Gardens — there are two at Greenwich; 

 and there are also some Florists' Gardens there. 



Nurseries — sre not unfrequent, though the county is al- 

 ready fully planted, and most of the orchardists raise their 

 own trees. The principal is that of John Willmott and Co. 

 of Lewisham. It was founded by Mr. John Russel, about the 

 middle of the 18th century, who raised himself by his skill 

 and industry to a state of affluence rare among nurserymen ; 

 and, after keeping his carriage, and living many years like a 

 gentleman, died in 1794, aged 63, leaving property to the 

 amount of 20,000/. The nursery is now carried on by his son- 

 in-law with increased sjiirit ; the grounds contain 150 acres ; 

 70 hands are employed, and about 3000/. a-year paid for 

 labor. 



7537. Cottage and villa gardens. 



Cottage-Gardens. — Besides being neater, as already men- 

 tioned, these gardens are stocked with finer kinds of vegetables, 

 as kidneybeans, early potatoes, lettuces, &c. than in most 

 counties ; and they abound more in flowers. 



Private Gardens of Farmers — are also superior to those in 

 most counties; fruit is here a necessary of life, everywhere 

 cultivated; and all that is not consumed at home finds a 

 ready market at Maidstone or London, or is purchased by 

 the fruit-hawkers and the agents who travel through the 

 county. 



Suburban Villas — A few of these line the roads near the 

 Thames, and especially about Deptford and Greenwich, and 

 there are a number round Blackheath, among villas of a 

 larger description. A few also exist round every town in the 

 county, and all are highly kept. 



Terrace-Garden at Dover Castle The governor, pro temp. 



Four gradations or terraces cut in the shelving chalk and flint 

 rock. On the barren walls vines and figs are trained ; the 



latter ripen in October, while in the low part of the town they 

 seldom ripen at all. The whole in a state of neglect. 



Belvidere, — near Plumsted ; Lord Eardley. A spacious 

 bnck edifice on an elevation, rapidly declining towards the 

 north, with fine views over the Thames into Essex; the 

 grounds, though small, agreeably diversified, and well 

 wooded. 



X Blend on Hall, — near Eexley ; J. Smith, Esq. A good 

 house, and the grounds agreeable, with some natural oak- 

 woods and a piece of artificial water. The present owner has 

 greatly improved them, from the designs of H. Repton. 



Charlton House, — near Charlton ; Lady Wilson. A good 

 specimen of the style of James I. ; the grounds occupy 70 acres, 

 include some beautiful scenery, and fine old trees, especially 

 cypresses. 



Danson Hill, — near Bexley; J.Johnstone, Esq. A hand- 

 some mansion, by Sir Robert Taylor : and grounds con- 

 taining fine woods, and a spacious sheet of water, laid out by 

 Brown. 



Eden Farm, — near Beckenham ; Lord Auckland. An 

 elevated healthy situation, surrounded by fine beech-trees. 



East-Clijf Lodge, — near Ramsgate ; Lord Keith. The house 

 a good specimen of modem Gothic ; the grounds, which contain 

 thirteen acres, remarkable for a curious subterreineous passage 

 500 yards in length. 



Godmersham Place, — near Canterbury ; Knight, Esq. 



A handsome mansion, backed by extensive woods. 



Hayes Place, — near Beckingham ; F. Dehaney, Esq. The 

 mansion erected by the late Earl of Chatham; who, as 

 G. Mason informs us, took much delight in improving the 

 grounds. 



Heatltfield, — near Ashford; Earl Thanet. A square edifice 

 of Portland stone ; the grounds skirted by the Stour, and much 

 improved by the present Earl, who dedicates great part of his 

 time to agricultural pursuits. 



Hill Park, — near Westerham ; J. H. Barrow, Esq. The 

 grounds beautifully varied by nature, tastefully planted, and 

 containing a curious artificial cascade m front of the house. 



Holrvood House,— near Beckenham ; the favorite retreat of the 

 late prime minister Pitt. A small house, but the grounds ex- 

 tensive and beautifully laid out by H. Repton. 



Lee, _ near Ickham ; T. B. Bridges, Esq. A Gothic 

 mansion by James Wyatt, Esq ; praised by Lord Walpole: 

 the park displaying some fine thriving trees . . • 



Hill,— I 



undulating 



Tunbridge; J. Burton, Esq. an eminent 



(Juarryl , „ , . . 



London builder. A castellated mansion by the roadside, built 

 of the stone and flints of the country, with an extensive park, 

 abounding in undulations and wood. 



Wouton Court, — near Dover ; Rev. E. T. Brydges. A white 

 house on a bold hill, nobly crOwned with woods ; the grounds 

 much varied with hill and valley. 



Woodlands, — near Blackheath ; J. J. Angerstein, Esq. An 

 elegant mansion of Portland stone, in a commanding situation ; 

 the grounds agieeably varied, and the gardens remarkable for 

 the quantity of glass they contain. There is a very large con- 

 servatory and numerous vineries, the invention and execution 

 of Mr. D.Stewart, when this gentleman's gEirdener; also an 

 excellent collection of exotics. 



7538. Demesne and first-rate residences. 



X Chevening, — near Seven Oaks ; Earl Stanhope. A good 

 mansion by Inigo Jones, with grounds flat and rich, but not 

 much varied by plantation. The present earl is much attached 

 both to horticulture and agriculture. 



Cohham Hall, — near Cobham ; Earl Damley. A house in 

 the form of a Roman H, the centre partly by Inigo Jones ; the 

 park of 1800 acres, nearly seven miles in circumference, beauti- 

 fully diversified, abundantly wooded; with remarkably fine 

 oaks, and a noble avenue of lime-frees. On an elevated site 

 is a large magnificent mausoleum, which cost 9000/. 



Footscray IHace, — near Footscray ; Harris, Esq. The 



mansi<m of freestone, copied from a design by Palladio, 



