Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Faden’s map, surveyed in 1794 (S3), does not show a park, but instead a long avenue running north from Stow Bardolph Hall (NHER 2430). There was certainly a garden though, as a gardener was hired in 1692 to maintain courtyards, orchards, the kitchen garden and walks. A wilderness was installed by 1712. It has been suggested that there was a deer park in the 16th and 17th centuries instead of parkland. A 1748 survey of ‘lands in hand’ refers to the park covering 105 acres. There is a small stream running across the north of the park on Faden’s map. By the 1906 Ordnance Survey map (S5) this small stream had been developed into canals. The new Hall was built in 1796, and the park was laid out by a John Kennedy, linked to a nursery garden at Hammersmith. He installed the pleasure grounds, a ha-ha around the Hall, an orangery, glass house, aviary and walled gardens. It is possible that he developed the small stream into canals also. A road running south of the Hall was moved further south in a Road Closure Order of 1797.
In 1811 a survey of the grounds was started by the steward. He records that the park had been improved by the 100 acres of tree planting carried out by Kennedy. Tree planting continuedthroughout the first half of the 19th century.
On the 1840 estate map (S1) the area east of the avenue is more park-like than the area to the west, some of which is under plough. It has been suggested that a previous Hall in the park was built further east of the Hall and its parkland was the land now east of the avenue, hence why it is more park-like. This map shows the Hall surrounded on the north, west and east sides by belts and areas of woodland, and the kitchen garden is directly east of the Hall. There is a small narrow piece of water north of the Hall, before the avenue. Within the park are a few clumps of trees. During the late 19th century the piece of water vanishes and much of the timber surrounding the Hall disappeared. Gardens redesigned 1873 and added to in 20th century. The park has not changed much since 1886. There are fine beech trees. The big difference was that during the 20th century, much more of the park went under plough. The avenue still survives. The east wall of the kitchen garden is 16th or early 17th century. (S1) includes an account of bricks from the pre1790 hall being used to make a Ha Ha.
See (S1), (S3), (S4) and (S5).
E. Rose (NLA) 23 March 1994; 18 August 1994 (gardens visited); 22 August 1994 18 September 2000.
Updated by C. Hurst (UEA), 15 November 2011.

January 1997. Earthworks reported along the south and part of the west side of Church Wood. A double ditch and bank, in part the parish boundary. Various earthworks reported in Spring Wood in south-east of park including large earthworks associated with the parish boundary, also track and further bank and bank and ditch features along north side of wood.
'Evidence of ridge and furrow' reported at TF 6330 0665.
D. Gurney (NLA) 21 January 1997.

1997. Ridge and furrow extended beyond initial reported area at TF 6332 0654 and marked on 10,000 extract in file. Best preserved at north and south ends of area, up to 0.3m high and east-to-west aligned, around 9m strips. No evidence in wood to east.
B. Cushion (NLA) February 1997.

1946 RAF air photograph shows two other areas of ridge and furrow as earthworks within park as on plan in file. Both north-to-south aligned. Now arable.
B. Cushion (NLA), February 1997.

Monument Types

• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Unknown date)
• DITCH (Unknown date)
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Unknown date)
• DEER PARK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PARISH BOUNDARY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• AVENUE (LANDSCAPE FEATURE) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• GARDEN HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• GARDEN WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• GLASSHOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HA HA (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• KITCHEN GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• LANDSCAPE PARK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• ORCHARD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PARK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PARK PALE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PLEASURE GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TUNNEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WALK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WOOD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Runcton Holme (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Stow Bardolph (Parish Summary)