High Court 
ANOTHER VIEW 
Roman, both in model 
and in make. 
An old Byzantine 
fountain, said to be of 
granite, is placed by 
the entrance. A colon¬ 
nade runs about the 
three sides of the court 
supported by pillars, 
the whole grapevine 
grown. Beneath this, 
to] the right of the 
entrance is the impro¬ 
vised family breakfast 
room. The table is a 
beautiful marble slab 
supported by consoles. 
A charming plaster 
copy of a Della Robbia 
drinking fountain is set 
in the wall behind the table. 1 he court is 
of course grassy, and furnished with the 
handsome carved stone seats brought from 
Italy by the Hapgoods. 
Through the court one may wander out 
on to the terraces, down the steps and along 
the white gravelled paths to the final square 
furnished with seats, which overlooks the 
whole of the superb view, including the river 
and the mountain with the shapely clouds 
which love to lie about its crest. I he land¬ 
scape gardening was done by Mr. Platt and 
well repays bis care in placing the trees and 
shrubs. One large Eombaidy poplar in 
particular, helps amazingly in forming the 
beautiful picture from the south front. 
Inside, the house has been consistently 
furnished with antiques of the type known 
as “Villano.” The most interesting feature 
of the interior is the pair of gold door frames 
made in the seventeenth century and brought 
by Mrs. Hapgood from a church ten miles 
out of Bologna. These are set in the hall, 
and through them one passes into the recep¬ 
tion-room on the light. In color, the hall 
is old gobelin blue and white; the reception- 
room lavender, and the drawing-room gold. 
I he stairs to the left of the entrance lead 
to the upper rooms, most of which open off 
a gallery which runs about the four sides. 
I hese are elaborately furnished with most 
beautiful old furniture brought from Italy. 
Much of it is inlaid or carved. Even the 
bed-spreads are wonderful embroideries on 
satin or tapestries, while the curtains are 
exquisite laces made by the Italian peasants. 
Each room has its balcony or loggia with 
long casement windows and a matchless 
view, varying according to location. 
Mr. Hapgood plans to improve the house 
by the addition of two wings making another 
court on the north front, whose ends are to 
be joined by a colonnade with fountain and 
flowers in the centre. 
The tennis court is the one stiictly modern 
feature of the place and bears an enviable 
reputation about the country for its smooth, 
level, earth courts well screened with shrubs 
and trees. Whatever breeze there may be 
is felt at this elevation and the trees fend the 
afternoon sun, while in the pauses of contest 
Ascutney again looms magnificent in the 
background, an ever-dominating influence in 
^ CD 
the High Court garden. 
