The basement-story contains an arcade with eight arches, divided externally by pilasters, whereof the upper parts are fluted, and the lower parts enriched with Elizabethan arabesques. The lower pilasters are Doric, the upper Ionic. The wings are massive and comparatively plain, supported at each corner by square turrets, seventy feet high to the gilded vanes: the space between, comprising three stories, is relieved by a fine oriel window of two stories. The centre tower, over the grand entrance, is also seventy feet high; it has three stories with coupled columns at the corners, the whole having an agreeable pyramidal effect. The third story of the tower contains a clock, and also the armorial bearings of the founder, with the date 1611, in which year the present house was finished. The length of the southern front is 300 feet, the centre being 140 feet, and each wing 80 feet wide, with a projection from the centre of 100 feet. The northern front is plain—a severe simplicity, nearly allied to grandeur, being its chief characteristic; the centre compartment, with its entrance-doorway below and noble clock-tower above, being the only elaboration it contains. The south front contains the principal entrance, and, from its symmetry and ornate character, is, architecturally at least, the principal one. The east front has, however, certain advantages, which go far towards making it the most interesting, as it certainly is the most picturesque. The view in that direction, whether from the house or of it, is by far the most pleasing, as the founder well knew when he caused the principal apartments to be placed on this side. The scene from these rooms is of remarkable interest and variety; first there is a noble terrace-walk, with enriched parapet, over which the eye wanders at will among the clustering flowers of the Elizabethan garden, and from thence to the maze, beyond which is the park, with its fine sheet of water surrounded by noble old trees. Entering the mansion the visitor is admitted into a spacious HALL which leads to the GALLERY, in which are preserved many interesting relics of former days. Among these are the saddle-cloth on which “good Queen Bess” sat on her white charger at Tilbury Fort, and another saddle-cloth used by the first Earl of Salisbury, the celebrated Sir Robert Cecil; a large collection of arms, many of which were taken from the “invincible Armada” of the Spaniards; and a number of models and other interesting objects. It contains also several effigies of men in armour, one of which is given in our initial letter.