LILLINGSTONE HALL

Location/Address

None recorded

Type

Park or garden

Coherent areas of land designed and/or managed for leisure purposes.

Description

Seventeenth century formal gardens visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and recorded in historical documents DR ROBERT PLOTT'S 'NATURAL HISTORY OF OXFORDSHIRE' OF 1705 MENTIONS 'THE FIR TREES AND THE LESSER MOUNTAIN PINES AT THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR PETER WENTWORTH'S, AT LILLINGSTONE LOVELL, WHERE THERE ARE THREE WALKS OF FIRS, MOST OF THEM TWENTY YARDS HIGH.' THESE STATELY TREES HAVE LONG CEASED TO FLOURISH; AND OF LILLINGSTONE HALL AND ITS BEAUTIFUL LAWNS AND PLANTATIONS, SCARECELY ANY TRACES NOW REMAIN. THE RECTOR (REV WILLIAM LLOYD) WRITES [APPROX 1839]:- 'BUT FEW TRACES REMAIN OF THE SEAT AND GROUNDS OF THE WENTWORTHS. THE HOLLOWS LEFT IN THE SOIL POINT OUT THE SITUATION OF THE HOUSE, THE TERRACE- WALK MAY STILL BE TRACED, THE FISH-PONDS REMAIN UNCHANGED, AND HERE AND THERE A STRAGGLING ORNAMENTAL TREE… SOME FRUIT TREES - OLD, DECAYED, AND FRUITLESS - ARE STILL ATTACHED TO WHAT WAS ONCE THE GARDEN WALL, NOW A MEADOW BOUNDARY; AND THE PARK WALL IS STILL KEPT UP, THOUGH THE AREA IS MUCH DIVIDED, AND IN PART BROKEN UP BY THE PLOUGH.' (B1). CENTRE OF MANORIAL SETTLEMENT AT NGR (B4). 1996 APs show earthworks of possible formal 17th century Dutch-style water gardens and terraced walkways. Remains extend into field to west of house (B5).

Map

Statement of Significance

Asset type

Seventeenth century formal gardens visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and recorded in historical documents

Images and Documents

Date Listed

n/a