Record Details
| NHER Number: | 30497 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Buckenham Tofts Park |
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Summary
A late 17th century park and formal gardens surrounding Buckenham Tofts Hall, shown in detail on an estate map of about 1700. The 17th century formal gardens and park were fairly extensive and included an ornamental canal. Some fragments of 17th century garden walls survive on the site. By the late 18th century the area of the park has expanded , and was planted with belts and small plantations. These alterations have been attributed to Samuel Lapidge, and Repton also worked here in 1789. The park continued to expand throughout the 19th century. The earthworks of a late 19th century Italianate garden with terraces and fountain bases survive on the site. The Hall was demolished in 1955 and the site is now used as a training centre by the Ministry of Defence.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TL 836 953 |
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| Map Sheet: | TL89NW |
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| Parish: | HILBOROUGH, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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| ICKBURGH, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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| STANFORD, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Buckenham Tofts hall (NHER 5151) was demolished in 1955 as it lay within the Battle Training Area. However the park is still visible in the landscape. A remarkable map of 1700 (See (S1)) survives which details the gardens and to some extent the wider park features. The main features of which included a walled forecourt, a parterre, a formal canal and possibly a kitchen garden. In the wider landscape a walnut ground, areas of meadow, screening belts and a formal avenue are illustrated.
By (S6) the park had been vastly extended and covered an area of just under 2.5 square kilometres. There were belts along the southern and north-eastern sides and a scatter of clumps, plantations and a small river running through the centre of the park. There were five principal entrances, of which one in the north-east had a lodge. Unfortunately no other comprehensive maps of the eighteenth century park survive. Although it is known that Repton worked at the park in 1789, little is known of his activities. It is possible that the design of the park also incorporates ideas by Samuel Lapidge.
By (S7), the park had expanded slightly in the west and now extended over an area of 2.5 square kilometres. According to (S8) and (S9) there was again further expansion of the park to the west.
Few traces remain of the extensive 17th century formal gardens (see NHER 5151 and NHER 5146). The existing earthworks relate to a late nineteenth century Italianate garden with terraces and fountains. Some of the steps and fountain bases still survive, and there are various exotic trees still visible.
E. Rose (NLA) 16 March 1994, 30 August 1996.
See (S1) for more information. Also see (S2), (S3), (S4), (S5), (S6), (S7), (S8) and (S9) for more details.
Updated by E.Nicholl (UEA), 8 November 2011
See Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Survey on (S5) for a brick structure like a lock in the stream at about TL 8500 9485, just below the spring. This stream fed into the main stream that became the lake. The park did not extend this far until the 18th century. Was this some sort of fish breeding pond, or else simply to control the flow?
E. Rose (NLA) 7 August 1998.
Monument Types
- FORMAL GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- GARDEN WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- ITALIAN GARDEN (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)
- LOCK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- ORNAMENTAL CANAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- PARTERRE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- TREE AVENUE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- WEIR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Monograph: Williamson, T.. 1998. Archaeology of the Landscape Park: Garden Design in Norfolk, England, c. 1680-1840.. BAR (British Series). Vol 268. pp 30, 115-116. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <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: Ordnance Survey. 1824-1836. Ordnance Survey First Edition 1 inch.. |
| <S4> | Unpublished Document: Norfolk County Council. 1996?. Buckenham Tofts Park Historical Data. |
| <S5> | Fiche: Exists. |
| <S6> | Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797. |
| <S7> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1824-1836. Ordnance Survey First Edition 1 inch.. |
| <S8> | Map: Ordnance Survey, First Edition, 6 Inch. 1879-1886. Ordnance Survey 1st Edition 6 inch map.. |
| <S9> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1905. Ordnance Survey 25". |
| <S10> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1906 to 1907. Ordnance Survey 2nd edition 6 inch map. |
Related records
| 29182 | Parent of: The Mount (Building) |
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