The Main Lawn is an amphitheatre, with its axis running roughly south-west from the Terrace to the Bandstand. This acts as a sun trap and the higher ground behind cuts off the cold northerly winds, so the Lawn is a popular spot for sunbathing and picnics in fine weather. The grass gets favoured treatment to keep the turf in the fine springy condition which makes it such a pleasure to walk on and a joy to behold from the Terrace.

Here and there on the lawn and at its edges are ornamental trees. The mature copper beech has been an outstanding feature of the gardens for longer than anyone can remember, and is accompanied by many other fine specimens. A special feature on the main lawn is the Analematic Sundial, not fixed on a stand, but laid out on a level area of ground. By standing on the stone strip at a position corresponding to the month of the year you may tell the time of day by the direction of your shadow.