442 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



July 



9, 1898 



Friar Park, Henley-on-Thames. 



The varied and beautiful surroundings of Henley-on-Thames have been 

 so frequently and fully described, especially in connexion with the annual 

 aquatic pageant, and have also been enjoyed by such large numbers of 

 people, that no attempt to detail the charms of wooded hills, limpid 

 water, broad meadows, pretty boat houses, and lovely gardens, extending 



to the water's edge, need here be made. Those who know Henley, whether wonders, are remarkable constructions ; the Pinetum^eeds Si many 

 k vicitnr. hv residence, or bv reputation, will readilv understand that anv of vears to brine it into prominence • th* nu t?~~i:„u ° nl y a course 



fir, Cedrus Deodara, C. atlantica, Abies Douelasi a " 

 and Lawson's and other cypresses, all in good condition f°i annian *. 

 best use of their time. All being well, friar Park wni k? makin K the 

 beautiful in from five to ten years' time, when the tree, F u ? mor * 

 increased in size and produced in a more marked Hear** fi> S 



s have 



effects for which they were planted. From boundary *T k i 10 * tho * 

 part of Friar Park is full of interest, and^^Z^^T^ 

 of sixty acres contains so many attractions. The Rock r^lJ • ment 

 the finest in the British Isles ; the caves and caverns with Z' S ° Be ° f 

 wonders, are remarkable construction q . tv»« p:«^ ' , . eir m *n* 



as visitor, by residence, or by reputation, will readily understand that any 

 establishment at this prettily-situated Oxfordshire market town must, as a 

 matter of course, possess a large amount of beauty and interest by reason 



" \ r : r . : "rrr 1 " - * 5 LUC ^meium needs onlv a ronrd 



of years to bring it into prominence; the Old English Garden ^ with ?t 

 clipped trees is quaint and curious ; the maze is well planned 

 bined herbaceous and rose garden is ample, and contains the bSrf 



matter of course, possess a large amount 01 oeauty ana interest oy reason _ r r . , 1D ^"P^, ana contains the best r 



„ fit s e„v ir „ 7 e„ t Friar Park, He„,e y t he country residence of Frank V^^^^^^S^S^^ 

 Crisp, Esq., has all that one could wish for in the matter of beautiful fleers. »««""-e or cnoice fruits an 



surroundings, and, in addition, the estate has been laid out in a most 

 artistic manner by Mr. H. Milner, and is now fast developing into one 

 of the most enjoyable, interesting, and wonderful of gardens. The 

 entrance to Friar Park is a little over half a mile from Henley railway 

 station, and just inside the entrance gates is the house of Mr. P. O. Knowles, 

 who is both steward and gardener to Mr. Crisp. A broad drive sweeps 

 round and upward to the imposing mansion, which is a handsome build- 

 ing of stone and brick, finely decorated with carved stone. Monks or 

 friars of all ages are represented in stone on many parts of the building ; 



one scans the heavens through a telescope, another, over the kitchen Cave, for over the root clambers a clever representation of 



flowers. 



To a hilly or mountainous country, caves and caverns form a natural 

 accompaniment, and so at f riar Park, the series of subterranean cavern* 

 constructed under a part of the rockery and extending right up to th 

 mansion, form one of the most interesting features. Two entrances to 

 the caverns are from the rock ; one of these is where mountain passes 

 lead you unconsciously to a dark recess, under what is a clever imitation 

 of a natural bridge, with rustic railing. A sliding iron door that is 

 scarcely distinguishable from the rockwork, admits one to what are 

 probably the most wonderful underground chambers that have yet 

 been produced artificially. The first cave is known as the Vine 



1 * 



Faust and Marcueritr. 



Vine Chamber. 



WISHING WELL CAVE AT FRIAR PARK, HENLEY. 



vine worked out, so far as the stem and branches are concerned, 

 some wonderful composition of cement and iron ; the leaves are 



door, is busy provisioning, while a third reminds one of the comfortable 

 Friar ot ( >rders t.rey." The style of the mansion may well be described 



Abroad terrSrand'from^i 1 ^ 2*2?*^ fr ° nt °L th - e T^™ I s Very - trUth ™> 33e the'bunches of frui'tTre presented by clusters of 



K^SSJ^WdS IS SS^SS V uV S ° b ,V a T d r' CXt ! nd ' berrieS made of the bunches varying in colour. Inside each bunch 



Marsh SSaWZ^tt-tt? C . i a °?/ he left ' an r d u° 15 an e,ectric W and when the lights are turned on the effect of the 



iTi«"»n lock iow aown on the right just beyond a pretty sweep of the 1 — 1 ■ -« ■ * * ^ — - ~r<u\\xm 



silvery, winding Thames. Nearer home the course of the river is 



indicated by the sloping banks of trees, into which the lower part of the 

 estate merges in a most natural manner. In the foreground is a lake 

 surrounded by spreading greensward that reaches right up to the formal 

 Dutch garden just below the terrace. Small wonder, with such a garden 

 and charming surround.ngs, that seem part and parcel of the estate, Mr 



f u° Umr . y home > and is ever makin £ such alterations and 

 additions as shall render it ever more interesting and beautiful. 



old rnl r ii ient 15 com P a «'atively a new one, for is but eleven years 



of the drive, and I also the h St rhododendrons seen on either s.de 



chiefly conifers, that are placed fSS n ever ^ ee " , trees . and shru bs, 

 yews, indeed brightlv-colo, ?2 . '"formally at suitable points. Golden 



s.vely grown, SSl owhe re r« mI* a " d Shrubs ° f aU kinds are exten ' 

 tbeir age ; the coloTcJ ^li^ be in better considering 

 canadensis aurea—» B r,^ ' . g • en >' ews > retinosporas, and Juniperus 



cool colours upon the stalactite and stalagmite formations P rodu ^ 

 largely in tufa, is one that is not easily described. Passing along tne 

 passages, under arches and round columns that have the most natural 

 appearance possible, another broad chamber opens out and is supportea 

 by big, irregular masses of tufa put together in such close mutation o 

 what one might expect in some of the Derbyshire caves, that one . 

 bound to appreciate the cleverness of Mr. T. B. Harpham, ol , Ln J"J 

 Street, Edgware Road, who planned, designed, and earned out the »no 

 series of underground chambers for which Friar Park is becoming larnou 



The accompanying illustration represents a part of the wishing 



cave, and is one of the most skilful bits that Mr. Harpham has execu 10* 

 Mirrors set at various angles reflect one's image m a mos ■ alar ™\* 

 manner, and also afford you an opportunity of seeing round tne co 

 without the trouble of going there. These mirrors are so set that : j 

 are deceived at all points, and though the caves are very extensive i 

 extent is apparently quadrupled, and without a guide it would be a 

 difficult matter to find one's way out from either of the large cham*"- & 



the Wishmer WpII u « ..^ „ ^ the face of vour future 



brigh 



and 



is 



nusoana as the case may be, and how Mr. Harpham mgc,. 

 e business it would be scarcely fair to say. The light in 

 provided by electricity-indeed, this is the lighting power througn 



