26 
broad gravel paths. In the centre was a fountain, and at the end a little summer-house overlooking 
the churchyard. To the west were kitchen gardens, plantations, poultry yard, stables and brew-house. 
The house was approached on its west side through a court past the offices to the outer court. 
In 1754 Belton passed into the hands of Sir John Cust, Speaker of the House of Commons, and 
he was succeeded by Sir Brownlow Cust, who was created Lord Brownlow shortly after his father’s 
death. He employed James Wyatt to alter and improve the house, and alterations were made in the 
gardens. In the year 1777 they were entirely demolished and re-laid in the prevailing taste, and a 
“ natural ” treatment of the land replaced the trim yew hedges, straight alleys, and bosquets. The present 
Earl Brownlow partly restored them to their original shape in 1880, and Plate 40 shows the plan of the 
gardens as existing at the present time, from which it will be seen that the entrance courtyard now 
occupies the site of the former outer court, the original entrance being rarely used. The parterre on the 
north side of the house has been restored to something like its original form, though much curtailed in 
extent. Plate 42 is a view over this part of the garden, showing in the distance the figure of Father Time 
supporting a sundial (which is given on Plate 116), and Plate 43 is a view of the garden in front of the 
conservatory. The circular part of this garden is sunk about two feet and a half, and has a central pond 
with a fountain, charmingly arranged within a rose walk. In the lime avenue, east of the house, are 
marble statues representing the four seasons, the work of the sculptor C. G. Cibber, and there are some 
fine examples of wrought-iron work in the railings and screens to the courtyard, also at the end of the 
lime avenue on the west side of the house, which leads to the Gothic ruins, cascade, and wilderness, 
through which the River Witham pursues its course. 
TRENTHAM HALL, STAFFORDSHIRE. 
PLATE 44. 
present classic pile of buildings, which Sir Charles Barry designed for the 
second Duke of Sutherland, occupies the site of an old hall built by Sir Richard 
Leveson in 1633. This building, surrounded by its formal courtyards, flower 
II gardens and trim yew hedges, must have been a charming old place. Two en¬ 
gravings, published in 1636, 1 show the house and garden as they existed then, 
with a forecourt surrounded by a balustrade of open letters, similar to that at 
Castle Ashby in Northamptonshire. 
The front of the old house faced west, as does the present building, and the principal gardens looked 
down the valley of the Trent towards the south, partly occupying the site of the Italian garden shown 
on the plate; but the great lake which is seen in the distance had not then been formed. The house 
remained until the end of the eighteenth century, when it was pulled down and replaced by a plain 
Georgian structure, which was surrounded by gardens in accordance with the taste of that day. In 
1833 Sir Charles Barry laid out the gardens as we see them to-day. The situation is one of great 
beauty, overlooking a large lake, and the River Trent, which formerly flowed through the lake, has been 
diverted in recent years, and now runs through the grounds on the east side. Trentham Hall is purely 
classic in design, and the garden surroundings, both in size and style, are well in keeping with the 
building. 
Plot’s “Natural History of Staffordshire,’’ 1636. 
