INTRODUCTION | HISTORY | THE FRONT GARDEN | THE ITALIANATE PLEASURE GARDEN |
THE OLD KITCHEN GARDEN | THE FOOT PATH
In front of the house there
is the large area of mown grass, known as the front
lawn. This is open to the park as well as the deer,
hares, badgers and other wild life that live here including
the magnificent Red Kites, Buzzards, pheasants and other
birds.
Until the 1760s the area on the slope
was surrounded by a brick wall and therein was the first
medieval garden mentioned in the 15th century archives.
Its remnants are buried under the lawn.
From the front of the house the visitor
has wonderful views of the hill opposite with its mature
beeches and ash trees - to the south west the view down
the valley reaches what was part of the medieval park.
In March and April the southern bank of the lawn has
a wonderful mixed display of daffodils and narcissi.
To the east are standing stones which formed a pagan
site of worship on which the Chapel was built. The south-east
corner of the Chapel incorporates, very visibly, one
of these stones - symbolic of Christianity adopting
this previous site of worship. |
