Newhall, Carlops

Another day brought another garden visit. The open garden scheme reaches it's busiest time around July and August when the gardens up here in Scotland are looking their best. Newhall is very close to home, only about 10 minutes away. We have visited before but it has been quite some time since our last visit and specially the walled garden is looking much fuller and more delightful. I was very much taken by the plaque on the wall that reads: Soul, Life, Love, Soil, or in any other order if you prefer.

This is an sundial in the walled garden, a round early 18th century table dial placed on top of what is probably a late 17th Century pedestal of four figures representing the four seasons which has been attributed to James Gifford of West Linton.

There were many flowers that attracted my attention (as always!) and here are some of the favourites.

 The pond too made for a beautiful centrepiece in the walled area.

The highlight of the visit however was the walk we did through the Glen of the North Esk river. These walks were set out in the early 1800s and I imagined walking in the footsteps of past inhabitants of the Newhall estate. Fortunately I had suitable footwear today, wearing my sturdy walking boots instead of the crocs in which I somehow managed yesterday's climbs!

Newhall might be called new but the new hall was probably erected in the 13th Century and it has been assumed by tradition that a monastic house was there before that time. Allan Ramsay, the poet father of Allan the portrait painter used to visit during the 18th Century and  quotations from his work The Gentle Shepherd can be found on plaques in the estate such as the one above.

Although the afternoon started with drizzle the sun soon appeared and produced the most beautiful light effect especially around Peggy's Pool, which is the highlight of this romantic landscape, as seen above.

Then to make things even more perfect as far as I'm concerned there is also a cemetery set in amongst the trees in a very peaceful glade. However the tale is a tragic one as can be discovered from the text on the gravestone which reads:

This sacred stone marks

the Remains of

Thomas Dunmore Brown

an uncommonly fine child who was

born on 5th April 1807 and after an

illness of only eight hours

died in New Hall House

on 19th September 1808

R.B.

R.B. being Robert Brown who acquired the estate in 1783, it having been bought for him by his grandfather Thomas Dunmore. This must be the grave of Robert's son. 

 The carving is of a very high quality indeed.

 And on the back of the stone there is very sad poem that reads as follows:

ALAS young tenant of the Tomb

In vain to thee, shall Spring return

Though all her sweets around the bloom

They cannot cheer thy clay cold urn.

Where now's the blush that on thy cheek

Vied with the rose's vermeil dye?

The tongue how mute! that prattled sweet

How dark the brightly beaming eye!

Deep is thy slumber. Lovely shade!

No plaint of woe can reach they ear.

In earth's cold bosom lowly laid

Thou cans't not see soft pity's tear.

Carlops 1808 I.F.

On the side of the tomb Father Time is watching over the little inhabitant. At least I assume that's who this is.