Monument record 3433 - Little Houghton House Park

There was a garden here in the 17th century. In 1720, Bridges noted there was 'a good house and garden'. Early 19th-century maps show elements of a designed landscape and in 1843, Robert Marnock created proposals for alterations to the garden and wider grounds.

{8} The presence of the late 17th-century summerhouse indicates that there was a garden attached to the house at this date and in 1720, Bridges {5} noted that '‘Mr Ward Esq hath also a good house and garden'. The 1829 draft enclosure map {9} may show the line of the Ha-Ha, without the semi-circular bastion, and the lake is present, although without the island.

In 1843, Robert Marnock drew up a scheme of proposals for alterations to the garden and wider grounds. There are a series of different schemes, one appears to show the addition of the semi-circular bastion to the Ha-Ha. It is not known to what extent other designs were undertaken.

By 1884, an island had been carved out of the western side of the lake and a boathouse is indicated. The area to the south of the area is bisected by serpentine paths.

<1> CLARKE G., 1850, Pencil Sketches, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45721.

<2> , 1950, Ordnance Survey 2.5 Inch Series, SP85 (unchecked) (Map). SNN59673.

<3> Bryant A., 1827, Map of The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Map). SNN2733.

<4> Eyre T. (Revised by Jefferys T.), 1779, Map of the County of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN1852.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<7> 1932, Fieldnames Overlays (general-needs sorting out into OS quarter sheets), (unchecked) (Map). SNN10076.

<8> Prentice, J, 2018, A Heritage Asset Survey of Little Houghton House, Little Houghton, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN112390.

<9> 1829, Draft Enclosure Map of Little Houghton (Map). SNN112391.

Record last edited

Mar 9 2021 11:55AM