Record Details

NHER Number:30503
Type of record:Monument
Name:Great Hockham Park

Summary

The history of Great Hockham Park before 1794 is unknown. It was expanded following removal of the roads through the park in 1801. Further trees, woodland walks and a lake were added between 1830 and 1850. Part of a late 18th century kitchen garden survives, as does a 19th century formal garden, shrubbery and a venison house.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 948 919
Map Sheet:TL99SW
Parish:HOCKHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

The earliest map of the park is Faden’s map (S4) surveyed in 1794 which shows a rectangular area of c.30 hectares, lying across the centre of the later park. There are west and north drives leading to the Hall. At that time, the park does not include the Holy Trinity Church (NHER 9047) which is positioned north-east of the park. However a Road Closure Order of 1790 indicates that the park was going to be extended eastwards. The road ran south from Great Hockham village to Little Hockham, east of Great Hockham Hall (NHER 21180) and the church. The new road was positioned a quarter of a mile further east of the Hall, allowing it to become more isolated and creating more of a park. This new road is on Faden’s map.
An estate map of c.1801 (S1) shows that much expansion occurred after Faden’s map. The park now covered an area of c.70 hectares as it had expanded in all directions. A tree belt was planted along the north, west and southern boundaries of the park, and many small tree clumps are dotted about the park. A major tree belt runs across the park, south-west to north-east, to the north of the Hall. It follows the earlier north-west boundary of the park. By 1812 it extends to enclose the church. Two drives lead to the Hall, one from the south-east, and the other from the north-west. The kitchen garden lies immediately north of the Hall, enclosed by a circular tree belt. Between 1815 and 1820, a plantation was planted west of the park, which is shown on the c.1817 Draught Ordnance Survey map (S1). In 1818 the tree belt in the south-west corner was thickened.
The 1830 estate map (S1) shows a huge park expansion to the south, adding extra c.25 hectares to the park, labelled as ‘Hall Meadow’ and planted with a number of standing trees. There was a small tree belt planted in the south-west corner of this land. On this map, the land immediately surrounding the Hall is labelled as ‘The Park’ and ‘High Meadow’, and to the east ‘Upper Park’. It is likely that this land was the aesthetic parkland and the surrounding land of ‘Home Pasture’ to the north-east and ‘Hermitage Place’ north-west, was not. The map shows a new driveway running south from the village to the Hall; this drive is still in use today. After 1830 an eastern tree belt was planted. ‘Hall Meadow’ is shown on an undated c.1850 estate map as parkland and the tree belt north of it is thinned and partly removed, and there is a newly inserted lake in place.
The 1907 Ordnance Survey map (S5) shows the estate is c.55 hectares. The square plantation to the west is now fully planted up as a block of woodland. The ‘Hall Meadow’ is no longer a part of the park. The Fish Pond south of the Hall has a Boat House.
Within the estate there is a wide variety of trees including an exotic Wellingtonia.
Late 18th century kitchen garden part remains, as does a 19th century formal garden and shrubbery, and what the inventory calls a 'version house' presumably meaning a venison house.
See (S1), (S4) and (S5).
E. Rose (NLA), 17 March 1994.
Updated by C.Hurst (UEA) 8 November 2011.

13 May 1994. NLA air photography.
Bounds of park and game larder clearly defined on series of photos of Hockham Hall.
S. Massey (NLA), 6 February 2001.

July 2009.
Application for permission to change use of land to recreational lake received.
See (S3) for further details
H. White, (NLA), 11 August 2009

Monument Types

  • BOAT HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FISHPOND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • GAME LARDER (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • KITCHEN GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ORNAMENTAL LAKE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PARK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PLANTATION (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TREE BELT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TREE CLUMP (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TL 9491 A-D, TL 9492 J.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Norfolk County Council. [unknown]. Inventory of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Norfolk..
<S2>Designation: English Heritage. Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England..
<S3>Unpublished Document: 2011. Planning Application.
<S4>Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797.
<S5>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1906 to 1907. Ordnance Survey 2nd edition 6 inch map.

Related records

9047Parent of: Holy Trinity Church, Great Hockham (Building)
21180Part of: Great Hockham Hall (Building)

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