as focal point of forest and hill. Views of the Kennet
Valley and North Hampshire extend for miles. Lancelot
'Capability' Brown designed the splendid park in the 18th
century. The 'Secret Garden' is neat, with a gateway my
mother would have loved as her favorite book of the
same name enthralled us as children.
Ancillary buildings and decorative structures on the estate
possess a visual allure. But unlike similar decorative
structures, the great bridge and column at Blenheim for
instance, those at Highclere appear to exist in a realm
different from that of the house. They are architectural and
emotional achievements of interest, quite independent
of the house in space and time.
HYLAND
