enshurst Place and Penshurst Castle, was as I descended the hill
opposite to it. Its gray walls and turrets, and high-peaked and red roofs
rising in the midst of them; and the new buildings of fresh stone, mingled
with the ancient fabric, presented a very striking and venerable aspect.

It stands in the midst of a wide valley, on a pleasant elevation; its
woods and park stretching away beyond, northward; and the picturesque
church, parsonage, and other houses of the village, grouping in front.
From whichever side you view the house, it strikes you as a fitting abode
of the noble Sidneys. Valleys run out on every side from the main one in
which it stands; and the hills, which are everywhere at some distance,
wind about in a very pleasant and picturesque manner, covered with mingled
woods and fields, and hop-grounds.

The house now presents two principal fronts. The one facing westward,
formerly looked into a court, called the President's Court, because the
greater part of it was built by Sir Henry Sidney, the father of Sir
Philip, and Lord President of the Council established in the Marches of
Wales. The court is now thrown open, and converted into a lawn surrounded
by a sunk fence, and overlooking a quiet valley of perhaps a mile in
length, terminated by woody hills of great rural beauty.

This front, as well as the northern one, is of great length. It is of
several dates and styles of architecture. The facade is of two stories,
and battlemented. The center division, which is of recent erection, has
large windows of triple arches, with armorial shields between the upper
and lower stories. The south end of the facade is of an ancient date, with
smaller mullioned windows; the northern portion with windows of a similar
character to those in the center, but less and plainer. Over this facade
shows itself the tall gable of the ancient banqueting-hall which stands in
the inner court. At each end of this facade projects a wing, with its
various towers of various bulk and height; some square, of stone, others
octagon, of brick, with a great diversity of tall, worked chimneys, which,
with steep roofs, and the mixture of brick-work and stone-work all through
the front, give a mottled, but yet very venerable aspect to it.

The north and principal front, facing up the park, has been restored by
its noble possessor, and presents a battlemented range of stone buildings
of various projections, towers, turrets, and turreted chimneys,