The northwest corner of the garden between the greenhouse and the rectangular pond
The main feature in this area is the brick boundary wall which separates the garden from Festival Walk. The wall is of soft red brick and probably dates from the 18th century although the western end of it is a later rebuild or alteration. The main part is capped with a line of knobbly flints which are fixed with Portland cement onto a line of coarse red bricks set on edge. This must be a later addition as Portland cement was probably invented in about 1840 but it is not likely to have been used in this sort of context before the end of the 19th century so the flint is a later addition.
The history of the plant bed between the wall and the path around the lawn is poorly understood. It is not visible on an air-photo taken in 1921. Another, of about 1950 shows a wide plant bed to the south of the greenhouse. This continues around the western end of the greenhouse. The photo shows the southern end of two plant beds to the west of the greenhouse but the northern ends of them are lost in shade, so the overall layout is unclear. The west edge of the western bed was probably located in an archaeological investigation in 2010. There was no sign of burr-brick edging. The area must have been crossed by a path to give access to the small summer house which stood at the north end of the rectangular pond.
A bed stone and two edge runners from the Grove Snuff Mill are displayed next to the lawn perimeter path.
A bed stone and two edge runners from the Grove Snuff Mill are displayed next to the lawn perimeter path.
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