City and Suburban

By JOHN BETJEMAN ISUPPOSE there is a preservation order on Cams Hall, which is on the sea near Fareham, and was built in 1771 by J. Leroux. Its north front is of beautiful sharp ashlar, with Ionic columns. The side facing the sea is of brick, with a curious iron balustrade on the centre block. Inside, it is a dream of beauty and highly original, and yet not at all like the Adam style of that date. For instance, there are two oval rooms, one above the other. That on the first floor has a coved ceiling, with great acanthus branches in plaster rising from marble columns. The marble chimney pieces are exquisite. A friend of mine visited it last month and found the ground floor used for storing grain, a pig in the drawing-room, thousands of rats, and pools of water on every floor upstairs. Is the present owner merely waiting to cash in on the chimney pieces? What does a preservation order mean? We know there is a preservation order on The Grange, Fulham, but the owners, the Fulham Borough Council, have deliberately let this historic. Georgian house fall into disrepair, presumably in order to have it pronounced a dangerous structure so that it can be pulled down.

STEMMING THE TIDE

Every week I see signs of the battle for the saving of English scenery turning against the Government departments and big commercial concerns. Last week the East Suffolk Coiinty Plan- ning Committee turned down the proposals of the Eastern Electricity Board to run overhead power lines through the mild and delicate Suffolk landscape near Levington. One member of the Committee, Mr. Wallace Rose, said the beauty of the, countryside was priceless and should be considered, and the

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CITY AND SUBURBAN (continued from page 108) resolution to put the lines underground was carried by seventeen votes to nine. At the same Committee, I learn from the East Anglian Daily Times, Lord Cranbrook said there were buildings of historic and architectural interest later than 1820. Indeed there are, and it is good to learn that as a result of what be said, the County Planning Officer was asked to seek for powers to preserve the handsome country stations on the line from Ipswich to Newmarket, with particular reference to those at Needham Market, Stowmarket, and Bury St. Edmunds.

SCHOOLS QUIZ I do not think anyone will dare to answer the questions in print asked below, except to say that I am a snob and a cad for bringing up so tricky a subject. It would be hypocritical Of you to say it does not interest you.

I. Apart from Harrow and Eton, which are the best public schools?

2. What do you mean by the `best'? Answer this truthfully.

3. Is Rugby above Winchester?

4. Put these schools in their order : Sherborne, Uppingham, Tonbridge, Charterhouse, Wellington, Rugby, Winchester, Clifton, Marlborough, Shrewsbury, Stowe, Haileybury, Gresham's, Lancing, Malvern, Cheltenham, Radley, Repton.

5. Do you equate co-education with specialisation? i.e. Is Bedales as`good as Oundle?

6. Are Gordonstoun and Dartington public schools?

7. Can'a grammar school be a public school?

8. Is a grammar school above a high school?

9. Where do denominational schools stand?

10. Is a day school with some boarders, like Westrriidsier, better than one all day-boys?

11. Apart from preparatory schools, which privately-run board- ing schools are not public schools? Why not?

12. Are Scottish schools above English ones—apart from Harrow and Eton?