Monument record 8088/1 - Post Medieval Formal Pleasure Gardens

{5} Parterre on West front first recorded in drawing of stukeley 1706 - only completed in last years of Ralph's life.Late 1720's parterres swept away and statues removed.

{6} Ralph, 1st Duke of Montague (owner of Boughton) was enormously influenced by the gardens of Versailles - the French style of garding with great formal parterres and water features.Gardener - Van der Meulen - a great parterre was created to the west of the house which included four fountains and a lily pond.Formal garden comprised of three parterres (in addition to west front parterre) known as Parterre of Statues, the Parterre of Basins and the Water Parterre.

{7} Early formal layout with parkland; 60ha; developed by Ralph Montagu from 1683 & executed by Van den Meulen; additions including extensive avenue planting by son John from 1715; Charles Bridgeman consulted 1726-31; gardens largely unchanged since mid C18th; extensive water features and parterres now grassed over and square mount c.1725 tow; original Roubiliac lead vases and statuary; central lake; also canal, dam, cascade and star pond restored to pre 1700 state; wilderness and park still have some original planting; avenue of limes planted 1715 one of largest in country; dead elms replaced by limes in 1970s; Dower House and stables c.1704 adjoin house to east.

{8} First Duke was Ambassador to Paris 1669-1672 and 1678-9. French layout of estate. Formal gardens laid out by the Dutch gardener Van de Meulen. Modified and extended from circa 1720 by addition of construction of a pond and network of avenues and rides.

<1> 1971, Country Life (1971), (unchecked) (Journal). SNN59175.

<2> 1975-85, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN100542.

<3> STEANE J.M., 1977, The Development of Tudor and Stuart Garden Design in Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Article). SNN69732.

<4> WILLIS P., 1977, CHARLES BRIDGEMAN, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN34165.

<5> MURDOCH T., 1992, THE ENGLISH VERSAILLES, (unchecked) (Book). SNN44194.

<6> BURT J., NOTE, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN44197.

<7> Gotch J.A., 1939, Squires' Homes and Other Old Buildings of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN39616.

<8> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.112 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<9> Anthony J., 1979, Gardens of Britain, (unchecked) (Series). SNN34164.

Record last edited

Dec 13 2013 3:25PM