| Bentigh and Temple Plantations
Written by Myretta
(1/24/2010 12:30 p.m.)
in consequence of the missive, Godmersham, penned by Myretta
Jane writes about Bentigh and Temple Plantations in this letter. Here is what Lord Brabourne has to say about these:
"Bentigh" was once a ploughed field, but when my grandfather first came to Godmersham he planted it with underwood, and made gravel walks through it, planted an avenue of trees on each side of the principal walk, and added it to the shrubberies. The family always walked through it on their way to church, leaving the shrubberies by a little door in the wall, at the end of the private grounds, which brought them out just opposite the church
The same improving hand planted also a great deal on the other (east) side of the river, where was a pretty sort of summer-house called "The Temple," built by one of the preceding owners of the place. The road at that time ran nearer to the house than the present turnpike road; it formerly divided the river from the park, and the hill called "the Canterbury Hill" was also planted by my grandfather, and is the plantation to which reference is here made.
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