Fountain of the Four Rivers, Tudor Garden, Cressing Temple Barns, Cressing, Essex - Fountains on Waymarking.com

This fountain can be found in the walled garden which was originally behind the mansion, this no longer here. This was a Tudor Pleasure Garden and was later used as a kitchen garden. As it was in a derelict condition it proved hard to identify any remains of the original so a new Tudor Garden was created by John Hunter and Martin Wakelin based on an accurate study of gardens of the period, and included no features or plants which would have been introduced after 1600.

A timber viewing platform looks over a knot garden and the brick fountain at the focal point. From here there runs a rill leading to a still pool. To the south of the knot garden is an arbour, covered walkway, covered with climbing plants. The rest of the garden is divided into compartments typical of the period, including a nosegay garden with scented plants, beds with medicinal herbs, a potager or formal vegetable garden, and a flowery mead.

The brick fountain is at the centre of a Star Pool, a form seen in eastern rugs depicting designs for gardens, has four spouts representing the four rivers of paradise, from where the world's waters flow. It is an eastern tradition dating back over 4000 years. The four bronze heads with the spouts depict the Green Man, a vegetation sprite often seen in Medieval carvings, with leaves of hornbeam, field maple, small-leaved lime and oak issuing from ears, nose and mouth. The leaves are those of native trees characteristic of Essex.

More information relating to the garden can be found here. Walled Garden

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