37 
was given by Sir Hans Soane to the Earl of Burlington. Early in the nineteenth century the gardens 
were greatly extended on this side, and a large conservatory, 300 feet long, was constructed, with a 
semicircular Italian garden in front, and groves with grass walks, all still existing. 
The gardens were divided by a large lake and an artificial river which were fed by a small stream 
flowing eventually into the Thames. This stream, which is shown on Kip's view, was originally quite 
small, and when it was enlarged and the lake formed, a long terrace was made with the ground excavated. 
The river was crossed by a bridge, from whence avenues diverged in three directions, and the grounds on 
this side were laid out with woods and groves, intersected by grass walks, and here and there an open 
space. 
Since the time of Rocque's plan many alterations have been made to both house and grounds. In 
1788 James Wyatt added two wings to the Palladian villa, which had been previously described by the 
wits of the day as a place “ too small to inhabit and too large to hang on one’s watch chain." There are 
still some fine garden ornaments in stone and lead, including the large lead group of “ Cain and Abel ” by 
Sheemaker, a replica of that at Drayton ; also a pair of leaden sphinxes beautifully modelled, and many 
vases, two of which are given on Plate 109. The orange-tree garden too, still exists, with its semicircular 
terraces and circular pool. 
HAMPTON COURT, HEREFORDSHIRE. 
PLATE 62. 
HIS plan is taken from “Vitruvius Britannicus,” and is an interesting type of an 
early eighteenth century garden. There is also an engraving of the garden made 
at a rather earlier date, by Kip, in the “Britannia Illustrata,” which shows it in a 
very similar condition. At the time this was made the house was in the possession 
of the Earl of Coningsby, the first and last to hold that title. He took a great 
interest in the estate, on which he spent much of his fortune. 
An interesting account of the gardens as they appeared at this date has been left 
by Dr. Stukely, the author of “ Iter Curiosum,” who says: “The gardens are very pleasant (the finest 
greens I ever saw), terminated by vast woods covering all the side of the hill. . . . Here is a great 
command of water on all sides of the house for fountains, basons, canals. . . . There are lawns, groves, 
canals, hills, and plains; There is a pool three-quarters of a mile long, very broad, included between 
the two great woods. The dam that forms it across a valley cost ^800, and was made in a fortnight by 
200 hands. There is a new river cut quite through the park, the channel of which for a long way 
together is hewn out of a rock. . . . Here are new gardens and canals laid out and new plantations, and 
timber in proper places to complete its pastures.” From the plan it will be seen that an avenue 200 
yards long, bordered on either side by grass verges, led direct to the forecourt, an arrangement differing 
from the earlier type, when it was customary to traverse at least one court on foot before arriving 
at the front door. The buildings, which were anterior to the garden, surrounded an inner courtyard. 
The parterre, bowling-green and flower gardens were on the opposite side of the house, and beyond these 
the great water-piece, extending the total width of the garden (rather more than 400 feet), was fed by 
a brook, which flowed into the River Lugg. 
Bounding the garden on one side was a long, straight canal about 30 feet wide, terminating in a 
square fish-pond, overlooked by a small lodge. A bridge crossed the canal opposite the house, and from 
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