This peaceful 18th century house set in wooded parkland is one of the National Trust's most desirable buildings.
The welcoming atmosphere and charming garden are rather surprising because West Green House is associated with General Henry Hawley. The General was known as 'Hangman Hawley' because of his brutality to the Scots after the Battle of Culloden. It is strange that the hardened and viscous soldier should have left such a serene and delightful memorial.
The mellow red brick house was built in the early-18th century. It is roughly square in shape and has sash windows and a hipped roof with pedimented dormers. Stone vases crown the corners of the roofline above a wooden cornice.
The polygonal bay and battlements on the entrance front were added in the middle of the 18th century. The highlight of the house is the garden front. Here the first-floor windows are replaced by a row of five niches with busts. Bacchus and a tablet showing the motto of the Monks of Medmenham provide a welcome above the doorway.
The interior has retained its early-18th century panelling and, apart from the stone staircase with its iron balustrade dating from about 1770, is much as it originally was.
The dominant feature of the house is the two-storey saloon which takes up almost a quarter of the building. The room has a coved ceiling, pedimented doorcases and a Palladian mantelpiece.
A doorway from the saloon leads out onto the grassy terraces of the garden. These rise up towards the park with a row of clipped hornbeams on the highest level.
The slope to the left of the terraces has a walled kitchen garden. Here there is a mix of vegetables, fruit and flowers and the old apple trees act as supports for the clematis and roses. The edible plants are set out in an ornamental pattern between box-edged paths. These radiate out from the decorative fruit cages at the top of the garden.
Along the north side is a herbacious border with interesting foliage and pale-coloured flowers. In the west wall a gate and steps lead to the wild garden. A field to the south is now being transformed into an 18th century style pleasure ground around a small lake. The garden and park are now linked by newly planted avenues of chestnut and limes.
In the park rare breeds of sheep and cattle graze under the trees.
At the highest part of the garden is an exotic 'trompe-l'oeil' by Quinlan Terry called 'Nymphaeum'. Other garden buildings include an orangery and delightful 18th century monkey house. There is also is a touching, late-18th century stone building commemorating General Hawley's favourite spaniel, 'Monkey'.
2008: Only Gardens can be visited. 14 May-10 Aug:11:00-16:30 Wed-Thu, Sat & Sun. Open Bank Hol Mon. Last entry 30mins before close.
Tel: 01252 844611 West Green House Website
