I took a completely different walking route from normal, yesterday. This one has wide grass verges on either side of a very quiet country lane. There used to be a very large and grand old country house, complete with enormous walled kitchen garden and ponds, along there. The big ponds and the huge walls of the old garden remain, but the house was demolished decades ago.
The house may have gone and yet this stretch of the lane is so different from others in the area that it is easy to imagine horse-drawn coaches filled with smartly dressed people arriving for grand balls, or hunting/shooting/fishing parties.
Lost in my daydreams, my ears detected the sound of horses hooves - a daydream with sound?
No, this high-stepping and very beautiful pair were out for a training run.
They made my walk very special.
They trotted off along the road, past the old walled garden and then turned off to go through 'Wild Garlic Woods', before heading home.
Here is part of the the old walled garden, a massive one, those walls are about ten foot tall. It faces south and gets a lot of sun and heat on that back wall, which I imagine was filled with espaliered fruit trees and other delights. Goodness knows how many gardeners and under-gardeners must have worked there. I love walking past, trying to imagine how it must have been in the old days.
Over the wall, to either side, are large ponds, so water would have been readily available.
This photograph shows what remains of a two-storey house, built into the north-east corner of the garden which fronts onto the lane - it is there, covered in ivy.
The walk was filled with other small delights - dancing damsel flies, the occasional enormous dragon fly, wonderful wildflowers among the grass and the air was filled with birdsong. I turned into the driveway to the house, to look across the water and was thrilled to see two muntjac deer ambling along on the other side. They didn't see or smell me, or the dog, so I spent several minutes watching them.
It was a shame to have to leave, but I had to return this little chap to his home - Bill, remember him? The little terrier who swallowed a rat - whole? No rats yesterday.
lovely land!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is that!
DeleteWhat is it about a walled garden that is so special, dare I say magical? Your walk Elaine sounded lovely, you carry us with you giving such an endearing snapshot of your life. A gentle start to my day... thank you.
ReplyDeleteLX
I have just read that it had not one, but two vegetable gardens, as well as an orchard. It must have been quite wonderful, oh to have a little glimpse through time, just a peep at how it looked back then.
DeleteCould not thing of anything worse than eating a rat, hope he killed it first. PS I do have a small bench anvil, the blacksmiths one I too to his sons house years ago when friend & I could manage to move it
ReplyDeleteHe snapped it back, then had it three-quarters down his gullet before I could do anything, all in one smooth motion. It was both fascinating and horrifying, then I spent a couple of days worrying lest he be taken ill.
DeleteGood to know that you have his small anvil.
What a lovely walk. Nothing blooming in that old garden I guess. Do you know who owns the land there now? I never read the story of the terrier who swallowed a rat whole.
ReplyDeleteIt belongs to a large farming estate, one thread of their business is organised shoots during the season, game birds are reared around the place. The walled garden occasionally has sheep put in to graze it, other years it cut down by farm machinery. See my reply above, regarding Bill and the rat!
DeleteThe walled garden seems vast. I wonder what was grown, in addition to fruit trees. A kitchen garden for the house? Oats or hay for the stock? Incredible, isn't it, how fast the vegetation takes over.
ReplyDeleteThey grew all the fruit and vegetables which were required by a very large country house which was much given to hosting very large parties. Those old gardeners were amazing for the wide ranging variety of things they grew so expertly. That huge garden provided employment for quite a number of men.
DeleteSo sad that that house, is gone. And that the whole place, has gone back to nature. Well, going back to nature isn't sad, in itself. But..... Yes, delightful to ponder what it was all like, many, many years ago.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful horses. :-)
Nope, don't remember, he-who-swallowed-a-rat-whole!!!
There are echoes of the grandeur of days gone by. I have now found my book which gives a few details of the old place, will do a post about it soon. Those horses are truly beautiful, quite made my day, especially as I had my camera phone to hand, which makes a nice change. See reply to Bill Nicholls, re Bill the dog and the rat. I sincerely hope he never repeats that little trick while in my care.
DeleteGosh nature is really taking that building back. Lovely to see the horses.
ReplyDeleteAren't they beautiful! I bet they grew some really wonderful produce in that garden, Sol. How is your garden coming along?
Delete