The Influence of the Norman Invasion on Anglo-Saxon Garden Design
The Influence of the Norman Invasion on Anglo-Saxon Garden Design The arrival of the Normans in the second half of the eleventh century irreparably transformed The Anglo-Saxon lifestyle. At the time of the conquest, the Normans surpassed the Anglo-Saxons in building design and cultivation. But the Normans had to pacify the overall territory before they could focus on home life, domestic architecture, and decoration. Monasteries and castles served different purposes, so while monasteries were large stone structures assembled in only the most fruitful, wide dales, castles were set upon blustery knolls where the residents focused on learning offensive and defensive tactics. The calm method of gardening was unlikely in these bleak bastions. Berkeley Castle, potentially the most pristine model of the early Anglo-Norman style of architecture, still exists today. The keep is thought to date from the time of William the Conqueror. As a technique of deterring assailants from tunneling beneath the walls, an immense terrace encompasses the building. A picturesque bowling green, enveloped in grass and enclosed by battlements clipped out of an ancient yew hedge, creates one of the terraces.Water Garden Fountains Found in Historical Documents
Water Garden Fountains Found in Historical Documents Towns and communities depended on functional water fountains to channel water for cooking, washing, and cleaning from local sources like ponds, channels, or creeks. To generate water flow through a fountain until the end of the 1800’s, and generate a jet of water, required the force of gravity and a water source such as a creek or reservoir, positioned higher than the fountain. Fountains throughout history have been created as monuments, impressing local citizens and travelers alike. If you saw the first fountains, you probably would not recognize them as fountains. Designed for drinking water and ceremonial reasons, the initial fountains were very simple carved stone basins. Rock basins are theorized to have been first used around the year 2000 BC. Early fountains used in ancient civilizations relied on gravity to control the movement of water through the fountain.