Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/231

 ii s. xii. SEPT. is, i9i5.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

223

building of the house. Opposite the rear frontage was an easy ascent, through a pleasant vista, to the River Roding (which was formed into canals), and had near it a curious grotto, constructed by the second Earl Tylney at an expense of 2,OOOZ., in- dependent of its costly materials. The slopes or elevated grounds bordering the River Roding were planted with trees, as well as various other parts which now go to form the present Wanstead Park, which is unique in the variety of its arbori- culture.

In the year 1715, on the south side of Wanstead Park, nearly adjoining the grounds at Aldersbrook, a tessellated pavement was discovered by some labourers who were digging holes to plant an avenue of trees in the gardens. Its extent from north to south was about twenty feet, and from east to west about sixteen. The tesserae were of brick, and of various sizes and colours ; on the outside they were red, forming a border of about one foot in breadth, within which were several ornaments, and in the centre the figure of a man, mounted on some beast. A small brass coin of the Emperor Valens, a silver coin, and several large pieces of Roman brick were found among the relics. Mr. Letheullier, the great local antiquary of the time, supposed it to have been the pavement of a banqueting-room belonging to a Roman villa. About three hundred yards further to the south remains of brick founda- tions were afterwards met with, together with fragments of urns, paterae, Roman coins, and other antiquities. For particulars see Gough's ' Camden ' and Lysons's ' Environs of London.' Me.

I have already forwarded direct to MB. S. P. KENNY a copy of an article of mine on Wanstead House, which appeared in * Bygone Essex ' in 1 892. Amongst t?he literature in my possession referring to Wanstead House and Park I may mention the following :

' A Sketch of Wanstead Park, and of the House which formerly stood there,' by William Tegg (1882).

' Wanstead Manor and Park, Essex.' Article in The Builder, 15 Dec., 1888.

' The Romance of Wanstead House.' Article in The Forest Gate Weekly News, 9 Oct., 1896.

Article on Wanstead Park (No. 13 of a series), with views and plan by Bernard Alfieri, in The Photographic Art Journal, 4 April, 1891.

My best picture of Wanstead House is an engraving, " Drawn from Nature and on

Stone by T. M. Baynes. From a sketch taken in November, 1823. London: Pub- lished by D. Walther, Brydges Street, Covent Garden, December, 1823."

A very good view of the house is inserted in Hughson's ' Circuit of London,' vol. vi. It is entitled ' Tylney House, Wanstead, Essex,' and is dated 3 March, 1810. A large full-page engraving is also contained in Harrison's ' History of London.'

Views of the old house and " bits " in the grounds appeared in The Daily Graphic of 27 Dec., 1893, accompanying a paragraph on the new golf links at Wanstead.

After being closed for a number ol years, Wanstead Park was acquired by the Corpora- tion of the City of London in 1880, and added to Epping Forest. On 1 Aug., 1882, it was opened to the public. It then contained a famous grotto, which was unfortunately burned down in November, 1884. The ruined walls still mark the site.

Anent this grotto I copy the following lines from The London Magazine for March, 1764 :

Inscription for the Grotto in Earl Tilney's Garden

at Wanstead.

When the moon at midnight reigns, And half enchants the shaggy plains, From their dances on the green Hither hies the fairy queen With her knights, and ladies fair, All buxom, blith, and debonair. Then they touch the magic string ; Then the sweet-note minstrels sing Strains, such as raise the sheeted dead ; Philomela in the shade, Suspends her pipe, and listens by Whilst the syrens nine, reply. But, when young Aurora comes, They desert these shining domes, And with swift wing all the host, Flit to the Atlantic coast ; Till from thence descry'd, and then Pale night beholds them here again. March, 1764.

In the old Lake House, which still stands to the south-west of the Wanstead House site, Thomas Hood, the poet, resided from 1832 to 1 835. Here he wrote his novel * Tylney Hall,' and also his poem on ' The Epping Hunt.'

See also 9 S. ii. 489 ; iii. 113.

JOHN T. PAGE. Long Itchington, Warwickshire.

Lord Braybrooke's note on Wanstead Park in Pepys's 'Diary,' quoted by your correspondent, ante, p. 164, " It is now Lord Mornington's in right of his first wife," was written about ninety years ago. To-day Wanstead Park forms part of Epping Forest, and is under the Corporation of London. It