In the very foremost rank among the large houses still remaining that
were built in Tudor times is the Warwickshire home of the Marquess of
Northampton. The walls are of brick, wide-jointed after the old custom,
with quoins, doorways, and window-frames of freestone, wrought into rich
and beautiful detail in the heads of the bays and the grand old doorway,
whose upper ornament is a large panel bearing the sculptured arms of
King Henry VIII.
Formerly the house was entirely surrounded by a moat, which approached
it closely on all sides but one, where a small garden was inclosed. Now,
on the three sides next the building, grass lawns take its place. On all
sides but one, hilly ground rises almost immediately; in steep slopes
for the most part, beautifully wooded with grand elms.
To the north is the small garden still inclosed by the moat. Straight
along it is a broad grass walk with flower borders on both sides,
leading to a thatched summer-house that looks out upon the moat. Lesser
paths lead across and around among vegetables and old fruit-trees. At
one corner is a venerable Mulberry.
The space within the quadrangle of the building is turfed and has
cross-paths paved with stone flags. Bushes of hardy Fuchsia mark their
outer angles of intersection. At the foot of the walls hardy Ferns are
in luxuriance, and nothing could better suit the place. There are a few
climbing Roses, but they are not overdone; the beautiful building is
sufficiently graced, but not smothered, by vegetation. So it is
throughout the place both within and without; house and garden show a
loving
[Illustration: COMPTON WYNYATES