There is a house
at Stourhead, a fine early-18th-century stone mansion filled with Chippendale
furniture, fine paintings, and interesting items such as a collection of
intricately made curio cabinets, made of various types of colored stone.
There is also a 180-foot tower, built in honor of King Alfred, giving magnificent
views over the enormous Stourhead estate.
However, fine as it is, the house is entirely overshadowed by the splendid
garden. Designed between 1740 and 1780, the garden showcases vistas
rather than plants, although there were some fabulous old tree-sized rhododendrons
in full bloom when we visited. As you walk along the curving paths,
different views unfold: you glimpse what looks like a castle through
the trees, then a little later see a classical temple reflected in the
lake, or a picturesque Gothic cottage nestled against a bank. There
are grottoes, tunnels, a waterfall, high roads and low roads circling the
lake. Everything in the design is artificial, planned and manipulated
for a precise visual effect. We spent several hours there and still
missed some of the attractions of this estate.
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