EARLY TUDOR GARDENS 
7* 
at Wressel Castle, where Leland saw the cut trees. In the 
thirteenth century there were made in some of the monasteries 
“ mounds ” of earth against the garden-walls, to enable the 
inmates to peer over them into the outer world. During the 
following centuries, “ mounds ” or “ mounts,” of simple con¬ 
struction, were frequently to be found in gardens, but in 
Tudor times the “ mount ” became a much more important 
accessory than formerly. They were usually made of earth 
covered with fruit or other trees. Mounts were generally 
thrown up in “ divers corners ” of the orchard, and were 
ascended by “ stairs of precious workmanship,” or a spiral path 
planted on either side with shrubs, cut in quaint shapes, or with 
sweet-smelling herbs and flowers. At Rockingham there re¬ 
mains a specimen of one form of mount. A great terraced 
mound of earth, covered with turf and a few trees, is raised 
against a part of the high wall which surrounds the garden, and 
behind which the keep formerly stood. From the top of this 
the eye ranges across the garden with quaintly cut yew-trees, 
over a magnificent view of the open country beyond ; thus the 
mount served in early times as a lookout or watch-tower. If 
the garden or orchard happened to be situated in a park, and 
herds of deer browsed close to its walls, the mount then became 
useful as a point from which one “ myghte shoot a bucke.” 1 
The top of the mount was often surmounted by an arbour, 
either of trellis-work and creepers, or a more substantial build¬ 
ing. Probably the finest specimen of this kind of ornament 
was the “ mount ” at Hampton Court, and from various sources 
a very good idea of what it was like can be formed. It was 
situated at the southern end of the “ King’s New Garden,” 
which was made in 1533, at which time a gardener named 
Edward Gryffvn superintended the work. The mount was 
raised on a brick foundation, as there were payments made to 
“ John Dallen of London, bricklayer,” for “ laying of 256,000 
of brick upon the walls about the new garden, betwixt the 
King’s lodgings and Thames, and the foundations of the mount 
standing by Thames, taking for every 1,000 iqd., by con¬ 
vention £14.18s. 8d.” The earth was then piled up and planted 
with quicksets. The sum of 54s. 8d. was paid to Lawrence 
1 Lawson, New Orchard. 
