The beginnings of this extraordinary avenue of a hundred lime trees are shrouded in a bit of mystery. The house, Shipton Court, is, as I have already said, a spectacular Jacobean building, built for the Lacey family in about 1603 and there is some hint in the records that the avenue existed, although it would have been embryonic, in 1617.

Come 1773, the trees were so spectacular that Sir John Read, who, by then, owned the place, left an instruction in his will that the avenue should not be cut down. The order seems to have been aimed at his wife who survived him, although why he should have thought she would want to cut it down we don’t know. Of the trees that exist today some are over 250 years old but it’s probable that none of the original trees are here. It’s a bit like the road-sweeper’s broom. “It’s done me proud this broom. Never let me down. I have had it all my working life and it’s only had 15 new heads and 30 new handles.

The wild garden proper with its lakes and waterfalls, was probably laid out in 1860 as a pleasure garden for the residents and visitors to Shipton Court. The spectacular Cedar of Lebanon, probably as much as 300 years old, was certainly a centre piece of the design. It was always added to over the years and we know that just after the great war of 1914-18 more woodland was added to the north of the park.

As recently as 2010 the garden was acquired by a local charity and a huge amount of restoration work was undertaken by local volunteers. The round pond, teaming with very friendly ducks, is actually eliptical. The brilliant designers made it that way so that if you stand on the bridge, it looks round. Gardens of this time were often full of optical illusions. Just above the round pond is the original fish-pond for the estate, now with a hidden feel surrounded with willows.