Site record MDR6111 - Gardens and pleasure grounds, Hardwick Hall, Ault Hucknall
Type and Period (4)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
Early formal garden enclosures c.1591-7. Late formal layout c.1870 and post 1959. Entrance forecourt with shaped wall, gateway, lodges and garden houses. Lawns and beds post 1918 replacing early 19th century pasture with ES monogram traceable in turf. Formerly paved or cobbled. Main garden divided in 4 by Hornbeam alley crossing Yew alley. Lead statues. 18th century ha-ha; vista to park. (1-6)
The gardens at Hardwick consist of walled enclosures on each side of the Hall, entered from a walled enclosure on the west side of the Hall known as the West Court. The West Court has a stone-flagged path flanked by lawns, which runs between the gatehouse and the entrance to the Hall, and pavilions in the angles of the forecourt walls. A gateway leads into the walled South Orchard, the present gardens of which were laid out in 1862, when the 18th century statues were placed there. This has a corner pavilion, similar in design to those in the West Court, at the south-east corner. Probably originally the site of the kitchen garden, it is referred to as an orchard in 1686, and a painting of 1828 shows it as pasture. The East Court, the walled court to the east of the Hall, has gateways in the north and south walls, probably erected in 1686. The garden is grassed and there is a central basin constructed in 1913 to provide a reservoir for fire-fighting. A ha-ha of 1930 runs along the east side of the court. The gateway in the north wall leads into a sub-rectangular enclosure marked North Orchard on the 1610 map, which is now grassed and used as a car park. A pavilion in the east wall balances that at the south-east corner of the South Orchard. The gardens and pavilions are shown on the 1610 Senior map, together with additional small structures around the perimeter walls, including a building aligned with the east front of the Hall of which no trace appears to survive. Estate records suggest that there was alteration and embellishment of the garden in 1686 but this did not alter the basic layout shown on the 1610 map which survives largely intact (1998). (7)
The group of six lead statues to the south of the hall are grade II listed. There are two statues at the end of the walk and four around a junction of two walks. They are 18th century in date, made from lead with moulded ashlar plinths and stepped square bases, and were brought to Hardwick from Chatsworth in 1868. The statues are of various male and female antique figures, said to be Salome, Bacchus and the four Muses. (8)
For SMRs on Hardwick Hall, see:
Hardwick Old Hall, Ault Hucknall, (SMR 214)
Hardwick Hall, Ault Hucknall, (SMR 216)
Hardwick Park, Hardwick Hall, Ault Hucknall, (SMR 207)
Conduit House, Hardwick Hall, Ault Hucknall, (SMR 215)
Gardens and pleasure grounds, Hardwick Hall, Ault Hucknall, (SMR 217)
Courtyard and wall, Hardwick Hall, Ault Hucknall, (SMR 264)
Sources/Archives (8)
- --- SDR24587 Unpublished document: Lodoen, A (ARS Ltd). 2018. Archaeological Watching Brief at Hardwick Hall Estate.
- <1> SDR977 Bibliographic reference: Anthony, J. 1979. The Gardens of Britain 6: The East Midlands.
- <2> SDR4203 Article in serial: Country Life. 1928. Country Life, December 8th, 1928.
- <4> SDR15298 Bibliographic reference: Thomas, G. S. 1979. Gardens of the National Trust.
- <5> SDR6977 Bibliographic reference: Girouard, M. 1983. Robert Smythson and the Elizabethan Country House.
- <6> SDR6976 Bibliographic reference: Girouard, M. 1976. Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire: A History and Guide.
- <7> SDR19932 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 1999. Hardwick Hall. Registered Parks and Gardens description.. GD1418. PG1418.
- <8> SDR19551 Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. List entry number 1051625.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 46266 63698 (197m by 398m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | AULT HUCKNALL, BOLSOVER, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR3697
- EDR5044
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 21 2024 10:27PM