Holwood-hill, at present the seat of the right hon. William Pitt, is a
most beautiful eminence, commanding (without the view of water) one of
the most agreeable prospects in this country, or perhaps in this
kingdom.
The house is a very small, old, plastered brick building; but being on
the edge of a celebrated fox-hunting country, it was formerly the
residence of various gentlemen who hunted with the old duke of Grafton.
It afterwards came into the hands of the late Mr. Calcraft, the agent;
and, small as it is, was used as a house of rendezvous by the heads of
the great party at that time, where they privately formed their schemes
of parliamentary manœuvre, and partook of Mr. Calcraft and Mrs.
Bellamy’s elegant entertainment.
From Mr. Calcraft it came into the hands of the Burrell family: by them
it was sold to captain Ross, and was purchased of him by ---- Burrow,
Esq., (nephew of the late sir James Burrow,) who stuccoed the house,
added greatly to the grounds by various purchases, grubbed and converted
considerable woods into beautiful pasture and pieces of water, and
planted those ornamental shrubberies, which have rendered it so
delightful and so justly admired a spot.
---- Randall, Esq., an eminent shipbuilder, purchased it of Mr. Burrow,
and he has since sold it to the right hon. William Pitt, a native of
(Hayes) the adjoining parish.
Holwood is fourteen miles distant from London, in the parish of Keston,
Kent; which parish evidently, either by Latin or Saxon derivation, takes
its name from the camp, commonly called Julius Cæsar’s Camp; on the
south entrenchment of which Mr. Pitt’s house stands, and some part of
the pleasure-ground is within the same.
This celebrated camp, till within these twenty years, was tolerably
perfect: it consisted of a circular double, and in some places treble
entrenchment, enclosing about twenty-nine acres of land; into which
there appeared to have been no original entrance but by the opening to
the north-west, which descends to the spring called “Cæsar’s Spring.”
This spring has long been converted into a most useful public cold bath;
a dressing-house is built on the brink of it; it is ornamented with
beautiful trees, and from its romantic situation, forms a most pleasing
scene.
However antiquarians (from the variety of fragments, coins, &c.
discovered ploughed up in the neighbourhood) may have been induced to
differ in conjecture as to the person who framed it, they all agree
that this camp was originally a strong and considerable Roman station,
though not of the larger sort; but rather from its commanding situation,
and short distance from the Thames, a camp of observation, or castra
æstiva. At the same time, there is great reason to suppose it to have
been since possessed by other invaders.
The beautiful common of Keston to the south-west of the camp, from its
charming turf, shade, and views, has long been the promenade of the
neighbouring company; and parties of gentry from even so far as
Greenwich, have long been accustomed to retire with music and provision
to spend in this delightful spot the sultry summer’s day, drinking at
Cæsar’s Fountain, and making the stupendous Roman bulwarks resound with
the strains of instruments and the voice of social glee.
The above is some account of the country-seat of Mr. Pitt; but as an
inhabitant of the capital may be desirous of knowing what works of
taste, or of neighbouring utility, may have engaged the retirement of
our illustrious prime minister, the following are the few improvements
Holwood has yet undergone.
Whether from a natural antipathy to the animal, or from too much of
“Fox” in other places, certain it is, the first order that was issued,
was for the utter destruction of the “fox earth,” being a lodgement in
one side of the bulwarks, which the sagacious Reynards are supposed to
have been in quiet possession of ever since the Roman abdication.
The house standing on a high hill, the gentlemen who have hitherto lived
in it, judging “not much good was to be had from the _North_,” had
defended it on that quarter by large plantations of evergreens; but the
present possessor has cut down these plantations, and seems determined
“to be open to every thing that comes from that delightful region.”
The house itself has undergone no other alteration than the addition of
a small eating-room covered with pantiles, and a curious new-invented
variegated stucco, with which the whole has been done over: this stucco
has now stood several winters, and only requires to be a little more
known to be universally adopted.[461]
* * * * *
While Holwood was in the occupation of Mr. Pitt he there seemed to enjoy
the short cessations he could obtain from official duty. His chief
delight in these spare hours was planting; which, as he pursued it only
as opportunity enabled him, was without system of purchase or order of
arrangement, and consequently very expensive. After his death Holwood
successively devolved into different hands, and the residence and
grounds were variously altered. At length the estate was purchased by
John Ward, Esq. a merchant of London, who pulled down the house, and
erected the present edifice from a design by Mr. Burton, under whose
direction the work was completed in the spring of 1827. Its exterior is
chaste, and the interior commodious and elegantly laid out. It stands on
the summit of a noble ascent, well defended from adverse winds by
full-grown trees and young plantations. From the back front, a fine
sweep of lawn descends into a wide spreading valley; and the high and
distant woodlands of Knole, Seven Oaks, Tunbridge, and the hills of
Sussex, form an extensive amphitheatre of forest scenery and downs, as
far as the eye can reach. The home grounds are so disposed, that the
domain seems to include the whole of the rich and beautiful country
around.
In the rear of Holwood Mr. Ward is forming a vineyard, which, if
conducted with the judgment and circumspection that mark the
commencement, may prove that the climate of England is suited to the
open culture of the grape. Mr. Ward has imported ten sorts of vines,
five black and five white, from different parts of the Rhine and
Burgundy. They are planted on a slope towards the S.S.E. Difficulties
and partial failures are to be expected in the outset of the experiment,
and are to be overcome, in its progress, by enlarged experience and
information respecting the treatment of the plants in foreign countries.
That the vine flourished here several centuries ago can be proved
historically. There is likewise evidence of it in the old names of
places still existing. For instance, in London, there is
“Vineyard-gardens,” Clerkenwell; and in Kent, there is a field near
Rochester cathedral, which has been immemorially called “the Vines.”
Many examples of this nature might be adduced. But far stronger than
presumptive testimony is the fact, that, in some parts of the weald of
Kent, the vine grows wild in the hedges; a friend assures me of this
from his own knowledge, he having often assisted when a boy in rooting
up the wild vine on his father’s land.
Mr. Ward’s alterations at Holwood are decisive and extensive. Besides
the erection of a new and spacious residence, instead of the old one,
which was small and inconvenient, and ill suited to the commanding
character and extent of the grounds, he has greatly improved them; and
perfected a stately approach to the mansion. Immediately within the
great entrance gates, from Keston Common, is the elegant lodge
represented by the engraving. For the purpose of making the drawing, we
obtained seats just within the gates. While W. sketched it the silence
was unbroken, save by the gentle rustle of the leaves in the warm
afternoon air of summer, and the notes of the small birds preparing for
their vesper song; the rabbits were scudding from their burrows across
the avenue, and the sun poured glowing beams from between the branches
of the magnificent trees, and dressed the varied foliage in a thousand
beauteous liveries----
* * * * *
Circumstances prevent this article from concluding, as had been
purposed, with notices of Holwood-hill as a Roman encampment, and of
“Cæsar’s Spring,” in the declivity, beneath the gates of Holwood on
Keston Common. An engraving of that ancient bourne, which Julius Cæsar
is said to have himself discovered nearly two thousand years ago, and
thither directed his legions to slake their thirst, will precede the
remaining particulars in another sheet.
*
[461] European Magazine, Dec. 1792.
* * * * *