According to the National Trust, Stowe Landscape Gardens offer "picture-perfect views, winding paths, lakeside walks and temples create a timeless landscape, reflecting the changing seasons. Full of hidden meaning, the gardens were created as an earthly paradise and still cast their spell today". Today, it is owned by the National Trust and is open to the public.
The Palladian Bridge is a copy of the bridge at Wilton House. The main difference is that the Stowe version is designed to be used by horse-drawn carriages so is set lower with shallow ramps instead of steps on the approach. It was completed in 1738.
According to Evans, in the 1940's two house matrons from Stowe School were taking an evening walk when there attention was drawn to the Palladian Bridge. They both claimed to feel a sensation of alarm and saw two figures running towards the bridge. Both were dressed in 18th century period clothing. Once the figures reached the bridge, they vanished. Some claim that this relates to a fatal coach accident from the 1800's, when a carriage struck the bridge killing the coachman.
Pictured left is the Palladian Bridge courtesy of Peter Dean.
Stowe,
Buckingham,
Buckinghamshire,
MK18 5EQ.
For further information, please read Ghosts: Mysterious Tales from the National Trust by Sian Evans.