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History of the Parish of Stockton, Wilts. 



mentioned, which may have been taken out of the old porch when J 

 the drawing-room windows were lowered. The house stands in $1 

 small paddock well sheltered by trees, of which some ancient f| 

 walnut trees and elms are some of the "old hereditary trees" ofj 

 the Topps. The younger trees and shrubs near the house, werei 

 planted by Harry Biggs, Esq. (owner when this paper was written. Ed.) 

 When he succeeded his father in 1800, the house and grounds were 1 , 

 much in the same state as they were left by the Topps. The house 

 stood within a walled inclosure. To the west was an entrance then 

 a court; the gateway opposite the porch having handsome stone ! 

 piers, on each of which was a lion holding a shield, bearing the ! 

 arms of Topp impaling Gray. A paved walk led from the gate to ! 

 the porch. To the south was the bowling green, to the east was 

 the garden. Within the wall was a raised terrace, extending 

 along the whole length of the south side of the inclosure, and 

 along the west side from the south wall to the gateway. The 

 ascent to the terrace was by stone steps, and it had a parapet on 

 which were placed busts of the twelve Csesars, and handsome vases. 

 Several of the vases are still preserved, and two of the busts are 

 on a bridge in the garden at Bathampton house, and the remainder 

 are at Pytt house. Under the terrace on the west side, was the 

 cellar, with a handsome entrance at the north end, over which was 

 a figure of Bacchus astride on a cask, with a glass in his hand, 

 and a garland of grapes and leaves on his head. The mutilated 

 trunk of this image, and other remains of the stone work of the 

 terraces were in existence a few years ago. The exact situation of 

 the terraces may be traced on the grass in hot weather, and a 

 group of beeches on a mound marks the south-east corner of the 

 inclosure, w T hich extended westward to a point opposite the gateway 

 of the stable yard. These ornamental appendages to the house 

 were in good condition forty years ago, when they were removed 

 to make room for a carriage approach and other conveniences 

 necessary for comfort in modern times. A part of the materials 

 of the terraces were used, I believe, in building the new stables. 

 It is supposed that the embellishment of the court and terraces, 

 was the work of Edward Topp, who died in 1740, as his arms were 



