They were located on lower ground at the back of the West Wing of the house, and now, as she walked down the hill toward them, Daphne thought how tranquil this part of the parkland was. Halfway down the small hill, she came to the platform which had been built by an earlier countess long ago. A large chunk of the hill had been dug out like a cave, granite slabstones laid, and a resting spot created. There was a stone bench on the flagstones, and Daphne sat down for a moment, staring at the lovely scene below. Manicured lawns stretched across the valley floor. In the center, straight ahead, there was a large ornamental pond, and from this pond four canals branched out like spokes in a wheel. The wheel effect was emphasized by a circular canal that surrounded the long canals and the central pond. And farther down were flowering bushes and another ornamental pond with a fountain, shooting water into the sky this afternoon. Even as a child she had loved to come here, and had likened the main water garden to a giant wheel set in the middle of the green lawns.
