Record Details
| NHER Number: | 30526 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Thornham Park |
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Summary
A late 18th century landscape park laid out around Thornham Hall (NHER 11308). The kitchen garden dates to 1778, and many of the trees in the park date from the original layout. The northern edge of the park was sold as building land in the 20th century.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 735 430 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF74SW |
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| Parish: | THORNHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Historic Parkland on (S1), but not included in (S2).The estate was acquired in the late seventeenth century by Thomas Archdale. The Hall (NHER 11308) was built within the ownership of George Hogge. Prior to the building of the house (S3) shows that this area was farmed. (S3) also shows that plantations had already taken place probably at the same time as the building of the house. The kitchen garden was also probably built at the same time as the house as it is shown on (S3). A road removal order was created in 1778 but the park was not laid out until 1797 to 1814.
Between (S3) and the estate map of 1814 (See (S1) for details) the landscape had been transformed. The eastern boundary had been planted with a belt of trees as had the area to the south of the house. Scattered plantations can be seen elsewhere, including a circular clump beside the south east entrance drive which sheltered the ice house (NHER 1342). Driveways approached the house from both the south and the north east.
There has been little change since the initial formation of the park; although an estate map drawn up in 1882 (See (S1) for details) shows that the parkland had been expanded to the north west.
The south eastern approach drive has gone out of use but the park remains unploughed and is used for grazing.
The majority of the trees are of uniform date as they appear to be from the original planting. In the 20th century the north edge of the park was sold for building plots - part of park wall remains but this area is not included in NHER designation.
E. Rose (NLA) March 1994.
Updated by E. Nicholl (UEA), 15 November 2011.
Monument Types
- GARDEN WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- ICEHOUSE (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)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
- Higher Level Stewardship
- Higher Level Stewardship
- SHINE
Sources and further reading
| <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> | Map: NRO. 1797. Thornham Enclosure Map. |
Related records
| 1342 | Parent of: Icehouse, Thornham Hall (Monument) |
| 38319 | Parent of: Medieval to post-medieval earthworks in Thornham Park (Monument) |
| 11308 | Part of: Thornham Hall (Building) |
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