HOUSE AND GARDEN 
November, 1910 
less. For years it had been used as a 
laborers’ cottage, then it sank to a 
stable; finally its only inhabitants were 
a few antiquated hens and an old sow 
with her litter! The Norman walls 
were still sound, in spite of rain and 
snow, except at the east end. Two 
bays of the oak ceiling were intact, 
though the thatched roof above had 
fallen. The north wall of the dining¬ 
room was past repair, and had to be 
rebuilt from the ground, while the roof 
over this portion of the building had 
sunk on one side. The south wing was 
also badly damaged. 
Above the south door of the 
church the twelfth century wall had 
sunk and been rebuilt in the fourteenth 
century; but as it was nearly eight 
inches out of the perpendicular an iron 
tie was run through under the library 
floor and buttresses added on each 
side of the Norman doorway. The 
little north or “devil's” door remains 
sealed up. At the southeast corner 
the line of the wall was carried up by 
a long oak window looking out to a 
low line of wooded hills, and the mid¬ 
day sun makes the library comfortably warm and cheerful. 
This portion of the building presented a further problem. 
The medieval builders had carried their floor across the chancel 
arch. But the lower room, even when a new window had been 
opened in the south wall, was too dark, and it was decided to 
open the arch. So the last bay of the music-room ceiling was 
raised, a wooden cove was made, and bosses of oak at the inter¬ 
section of the ribs were carved and gilded. On the upper floor 
this bay forms a small study, raised above the library by four 
Mr. Ashbee designed the 
steps. The ceilings in all the old rooms are formed of solid oak 
beams and joists, left exposed, and all the fittings are of oak— 
windows, doors, paneling, etc.—left in its natural color. For the 
most part the architect was fortunate in finding old wood, dark 
and well seasoned. 
The question of light and sun led to the construction of an 
oak bay in the south portion of the dining-room, leading out 
upon the terrace. The kitchen, offices, bedrooms and heating 
chambers are in the new wing, which was kept as simple as 
possible, so as not to compete in any 
way with the old building. The roof 
is covered with stone slates from a 
local quarry, which take a beautiful 
color, and are laid in the traditional 
manner; that is, graduated from eaves 
to ridge. The present owner has a 
splendid collection of tapestries and 
embroideries; and also many of the 
Kelmscott Press books, printed by 
William Morris, and the Essex House 
Press books, printed by Mr. Ashbee. 
For these the house makes an ideal 
setting, and some beautiful Cingalese 
metal-work has also been used. 
The house is surrounded by an or¬ 
chard, which has been left practically 
untouched, and in spring it is a mass 
of blossoms. To the west is the kitchen 
garden, bounded by a high stone wall, 
and from it, descending in terraces 
round the south of the orchard, are 
reached the tennis-court, rose garden, 
rock garden; and finally, where a 
stream runs through the property, a 
little water garden has been formed. 
Some day it is hoped to construct here 
a swimming-pool, but the making of a 
garden takes time, and in the Cotswolds 
there is no such word as “hustle.” 
In the main bedroom, situated over the dining-room in the 14th century wing, the old framing 
of the roof timbers has been carefully preserved 
The ell-shaped dining-room, looking into the 14th century wing. 
furniture also, which is of English oak 
