Grounds of Bois House
Location/Address
None recorded
Type
Description
Remains of eighteenth to nineteenth century parkland and gardens of Chesham Bois manor house.
MANSION AND PARK GONE SITE NOW OCCUPIED BY BOIS HOUSE NO TRACES FOUND (B1).
FIELD THROUGH WHICH CARRIAGEWAY TO HOUSE PASSED KNOWN UNTIL LATE 19TH CENTURY AS 'COACH MEADOW' (B2).
1716 map shows house with extensive formal gardens, 4 walled gardens and some woodland. A bit of the woodland survives and there is a possibilty that some of the formal garden survives in some of the houses or the church. The original house was demolished and Bois House was built around the late 18th century. The land was subsequently split up to form more plots for houses, some of the remaining woodland is now owned by the Woodland Trust. The first edition 6-inch OS map shows semi-formal gardens, an orchard or separate garden, possible parkland with trees and a terrace (B8).
Geophysical survey carried out by CVAHS in June and July 2004 around the existing building identified a number of anomalies interpreted as remains of associated formal gardens including features shown on the 1735 estate map, as well as later garden features and buildings. See reports for details (B5,B9).
Subsequent trial trenching by CVAHS in May 2005 identified a probable 19th century pebble and gravel garden path 1m wide beneath the south lawn (Trench 1) and a clay-lined oval pit, infilled with rubble in the 19th century beneath the east lawn (Trench 2). Building rubble also served as a foundation for the path and it was suggested that both rubble deposits were derived from the demolition of the old house. See report for detail (B10).
An early C19 villa garden including the remains of gardens and park for an extensive later C17 house for Charles Cheyne on a site occupied since the C13, which has been further laid out with gardens since the 1960s. The C17 bowling green site remains, with the site of former parterres and other garden areas, but the site of the canal and the extensive rides and allees which formerly offered views over the Chess Valley to Latimer House and vistas through the woods have gone. Elements of the wider former park and woodland setting survive fragmented between C20 development. See report for detail (B11).
Statement of Significance
Asset type
Remains of eighteenth to nineteenth century parkland and gardens of Chesham Bois manor house.
Date Listed
n/a