the north side, through an archway leading to the outer court, and thence through another archway 
under the older buildings to the inner court, one side of which is occupied by the newer buildings. On 
the eastern side of the house is a small garden having an octagonal fountain basin in the centre. Along 
the south side the garden is bounded by a series of large yews, cut into the form of huge pyramids. 
From the upper terrace, adjoining the house, a double flight of steps leads to the next terrace, a few 
feet below, at the eastern end of which a few steps lead to the small garden already referred to. 
Descending another stairway, one arrives at the middle terrace walk, which, descending to right and left, 
encompasses the entire garden, a distance of nearly half a mile. In the centre of this terrace is the 
grand stairway leading to the lower garden, from the foot of which a broad grass walk extends for three 
hundred yards, having a slight ascent towards either end. The lower garden occupies an oblong space 
1,000 feet long by 300 wide, which is crossed by diagonal grass walks. Here the parterres have 
small beeches and shrubs instead of flowers. A broad gravel walk leads from the foot of the grand 
stairway, across the garden to a fountain. 
In the centre of the garden is the quaint sundial, consisting of an obelisk supported on a square 
shaft. It was erected in 1630 by the second Earl of Perth and was made by one John Mylne. The dial 
contains five stanzas of rhyme, in which the hours, as sisters, descant on the flight of time. 
GARDEN-HOUSES. 
PLATES 90, 91 and 92. 
JHE Garden-house was the most important of all the accessories of a formal garden, 
from the early Tudor days to the middle of the eighteenth century, when it became 
the fashion to adorn gardens with Greek temples or Chinese pagodas, and the 
substantial and comfortable garden-house gave place to rustic wooden arbours 
overgrown with vegetation, which were far from being comfortable places from 
which to survey the beauty of the surroundings. 
A very favourite position for a garden-house was at the end of a long walk 
enclosing a vista, or overlooking a bowling-green, and many such examples might be noted. At Wilton 
House, terminating a long walk through the Italian garden, is a stone summer-house of two stories, 
dating from the seventeenth century. At Haddon Hall are the remains of a garden-house which over¬ 
looked the bowling-green. This had an outside staircase by which spectators ascended to the flat roof to 
watch the progress of the game or admire the scenery. Such buildings were generally fitted up with 
panelled woodwork round the walls, window seats, and often with a fireplace. At Heslington is a two- 
storey building with an external stone staircase leading to the first floor, whilst below is an open arbour 
overlooking the bowling-green. 
In some cases garden-houses were used as retreats, but instances are not often to be found. The 
one at Severn End, illustrated on Plate 91, was erected in 1661 by Judge Lechmere, and here he was 
wont to retire, perhaps for several days together, for quiet contemplation amongst the fragrant flowers. 
The example from Charlton House, on the same plate, is placed on a grass mound overlooking the road, 
and has a basement opening on to a lower level. For many years it was used as a guard-house and is 
now converted into a museum ; it has a curved roof and is surmounted by a wooden cresting. 
Another favourite position for garden-houses was at the two angles of a court, like those at 
Montacute, shown on Plates 2 and 3, which are of two storeys, and are perhaps the finest of their kind 
