Charlton House, Sir Thomas M. Wilson, Bart., is a noble mansion in the Elizabethan style, or rather perhaps in that of James I., as it contains more of the Roman or Italian than the earlier Elizabethan, which partakes more of the domestic Gothic. The house is undergoing some changes, which we hope will not be carried so far as to influence the exterior appearance of the general mass. Some additional ground has lately been acquired on the entrance front, and this having given an opportunity of making a new approach, the great mistake was committed of forming it in the modern style, thus counteracting, as far as possible, the first impression made by one of the finest old houses in England. The garden front was formerly thickly embosomed in yew trees, which have been headed down, but they would be much better entirely removed. We have seldom seen a place with the grounds in a worse state from neglect, but they contain at the same time the elements of every thing desirable for such a situation. Would that we had the rearrangement of them, with a carte-blanche as to moving ground, and forming an approach and terraced gardens.
