Record Details
| NHER Number: | 29604 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Wolterton Park |
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Summary
An early 18th century landscape park designed as a collaboration between Thomas Ripley, Charles Bridgman, Horatio Walpole and others, surrounding an early 18th century Palladian mansion, NHER 6711, and mid 19th century formal gardens laid out by William Sawrey Gilpin. Metal detecting in the park has not recovered any finds.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 16222 31723 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG13SE |
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| Parish: | ERPINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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| ITTERINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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| WICKMERE, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Grade II park on (S1).
Begun by Charles Bridgeman in the 1720s as formal layout of which only the woodland and ha-ha's survive. W. S. Gilpin worked on grounds in 1820s.
Late 19th century formal bedding to south of hall grassed over in 1940s leaving only terrace walk, rose garden and rotunda.
B. Cushion (NLA) notes that ha-ha bounds lake meadow on east (as still shown on Ordanance Survey) up to 10m wide and 1m deep with brick wall along west side, except at southern end within wood where it becomes 0.5m deep with earth banks and no wall.
E. Rose (NLA), 11 May 1993.
However [1] has found a letter to Walpole dated 1722 which refers to stocking the 'new pond' with tench 'some years since' suggesting work on the park started before 1720.
This is confirmed by (S2) which states work on the park began 1715 in irregular egometric plan with lake.
Expanded 18th and 19th centuries (road closed 1838) with vistas and avenues.
Kitchen garden in place by 1732 and has never been abandoned even 1859 to 1905 when hall was uninhabited.
One greenhouse was once part of the conservatory at Mannington.
E. Rose (NLA), 15 March 1994.
(The section of the park centered on TG 1678 3200 was detected by Discovery Tours in February 1999 but nothing was found.
Report in file.
For finds from other areas of park, see separate county numbers.
E. Rose (NLA), 10 March 1999.
27 February 1999. Metal detecting.
'Blank' field.
D. Gurney (NLA), 26 July 2000.
13 July 1993. NLA air photography.
A small section of ha ha is visible.
S. Massey (NLA), 12 February 2001.
The Egyptian Fayum arrowhead found on the old drive of Wolterton Hall in the 1980s is now recorded under NHER 25879.
E. McDonald (HES), 16 September 2020.
Monument Types
- GLASSHOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- HA HA (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- LANDSCAPE PARK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- PARK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
- Registered Park or Garden
- SHINE
Sources and further reading
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. [Article on the removal of Second World War bombs from the grounds of Woterton Hall]. 3 October. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1993. TG 1631AB, AC. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1994. TG 1631AD - AF. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. TG 1631AG - AS. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Designation: English Heritage. Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.. |
| <S2> | Unpublished Document: Norfolk County Council. [unknown]. Inventory of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Norfolk.. |
| <S3> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Historic Landscape Management. 1996. Wolterton Park Estate. Heritage Landscape Management Plan. Volume 1. Manangement Plan. Historic Landscape Management. |
| <S4> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Williamson, T. 1995. Wolterton Park Estate. Heritage Landscape Management Plan. Volume 2. History. University of East Anglia. |
Related records
| 34945 | Related to: Multi-period finds (Find Spot) |
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