58 ROYAL GARDENS 



preceding year, the Broad Walk in front of the east facade of 

 the palace was made. To construct this walk, some of the 

 limes at each end of the great semicircle, for a distance of 

 about fifty yards from the front line of the palace, had to be 

 removed. They were replanted in double rows at right 

 angles to their former positions and parallel with Wren's 

 new building. It is just possible that to this transplanting 

 Defoe refers in the passage previously quoted. The Broad 

 Walk is entered from the Kingston road by the famous 

 " Flower-pot " gateway, and runs due south towards the 

 river, till it joins the Great Terrace at the site of the old 

 Water-gallery. This latter beautiful and interesting old 

 building was unfortunately taken down in order to make 

 room for the new terraces. It is probably to the Water- 

 gallery that Evelyn refers when he speaks of a " banquetting 

 house set over a cave or cellar," for the gallery was a kind of 

 boathouse, partly built above the river, and had a large open 

 cellar (much as modern boathouses have) below its main 

 floor. The maze, or labyrinth, which has been a source of 

 great delight to numberless children, was planted in 1700 ; and 

 at the same time many ornamental features were added to the 

 fountain or east garden. At about this period, too, Bushey 

 Park was laid out and planted with those splendid avenues of 

 limes and chestnuts, which have since achieved a world-wide 

 fame. William kept up his interest in Hampton Court to 

 the end. But he was now in a very feeble state of bodily 

 health. As is well known, he broke his collar-bone while 

 riding in the park at Hampton Court in February 1702. 

 After the bone was set, he insisted on being taken to London 

 the same day. The jolting on the rough roads of that period 

 caused a second fracture ; his strength was not enough to 

 withstand the double shock, and he died at Kensington Palace 

 a fortnight afterwards. 



Very little alteration has been made in parks or gardens 

 at Hampton Court since William's death, though Anne con- 

 tinued and brought to a finish the work begun by him. Even 

 " Capability " Brown, who has been blamed, sometimes with- 



