Monument record 3471 - Horton Hall Park

Landscape park and formal gardens to Horton Hall. Formal gardens at Horton Hall had been laid out by 1622 and were altered during the 1720s by Thomas Wright for George Montagu, Earl of Halifax. A painting of 1721 shows the main parterre garden which was created circa 1700. The park was created during the 1720s and include lakes which date to the mid 18th century. The second Earl, George Montagu Dunk commissioned Daniel Garrett to encase the Hall and construct the New Temple and The Arches on the north side and the Temple of Venus Cloacina on the southern side. The Hall was demolished in 1936 and a number of new houses occupy the site. The park is now used principally for pasture. Horton Hall Park is a Grade II registered park and garden.

{1} The post medieval landscape park of Horton Hall. In 1622 the hall was surrounded by typical late C16th-C17th gardens. The estate map of this date shows the hall surrounded by formal gardens.

{2} Lord Hinchinbroke and 2nd edition 1791.

{3} "Keeper's Residence" No.5; "House" No.8; "Menagerie" No.16; "Archway" No.24; "Pheasantry" No.29; drawings not found in Vol.17.

{4} Design for a new façade and menagerie for the 1st Earl of Halifax. 1. Elevation of south front. 2. Elevation of menagerie by Daniel Garnett, succeeded as Lord Burlington as clerk of works and draughtsman.

{5} Walpole's description of Horton Park.

{6} Request of Duke of Montegue for plans of cascade.

{7} Circumferential rides or enfilades around the estate.

{8} In 1781 the estate was sold by the trustees of Lord Hinchinbroke to Sir Rober Gunning, an eminent diplomat.

{11} Landscaping of the park took place in the early C18th; it was underway by 1728.

{20} At Horton there are other remains worth noting. There, the formal gardens were swept away in the 1740s by the second Earl of Halifax less than 20 years after they had been enlarged by his father. The Earl laid out an informal landscaped park, along the edges of which lay a number of architectural features including a triumphal arch, a classical temple and a building used as a menagerie. All this survives today and appears to be exactly as intended. Yet ground examination has shown that, for example, in front of The Triumphal Arch and The Menagerie are curving ditches and banks, enclosing a number of holes where trees formerly stood. Elsewhere are circular ditches also enclosing tree holes. It thus seems that the park was intended to look different from its present appearance. The Triumphal Arch was apparently not meant to be seen standing before a backdrop of trees, but almost surrounded by trees and only just visible. Plate 27.

{21} Inclosed parish of 8 or 9 families. The Earl of Halifax had a "very good seat and gardens". Henry VII manor had 10 mess, 100a arable, 200a meadow, 200a pasture, 200a wood. Family name Montague. Charles 1st Earl of Halifax.

{22} Horton Hall park and garden remains centred SP 821539. Early gardens typical of the late 16th or early 17th century are shown on a map of 1622. They include a formal garden, cherry yard, orchard and fishponds around the hall [SP 85 SW 19], none of which now survive. George Montague (Earl of Halifax from 1715) initiated substantial landscaping, shown partially complete on a map of 1728. New elements included an extended formal garden, and avenues of trees laid out to the north and south of the hall with a simpler avenue approaching the hall from the west. Rectangular lakes within a small fenced park were created southeast of the hall. Around 1740 the second Earl of Halifax carried out the more informal landscaping which partly survives today.

Earthwork remains include mounds [SP 85 SW 20] a formal pond [SP 85 SW 21] tree circles [SP 85 SW 22,23] and an ice house mound [SP 85 SW 24] along with ditches cutting across earlier ridge and furrow. Decorative buildings, for example the Menagerie [SP 85 SW 25] and Temple Farm also survive as part of the landscape design [RCHM plan and plates].

Several circular or semi-circular ditched enclosures, ranged around the perimeter of the park (eg SP 825534 and 818535). These are usually some 50 m. in diam., bounded by shallow ditches up to 0.5 m. deep. One of them on the N edge of the park (SP 823545) is circular and cuts through earlier ridge and furrow, it has a series of mounds around its perimeter, perhaps the positions of former trees, with another larger mound in the centre.

{26} New development lines: The Drive; the hall was demolished in 1936 and a number of houses and bungalows now occupy its site. The park boundaries were probably established in the mid C18th as part of the 2nd Earl of Halifax's landscaping. It was formerly owned by the Parr family and in the mid 1620s passed to Sir Henry Montagu who was created Earl of Manchester in 1626. It remained in the Montagu family until the C18th. George Montagu was created Earl of Halifax in 1715. He seems to have been responsible for alterations to the gardens around the hall and in the 1720s landscaping of the park. The latter involved removal of part of the village. The site is rich in earthworks of the medieval village and ridge and furrow cultivation. Extensive further improvements to the park were continued under 2nd Earl George Montagu Dunk. Remains of a ha ha dividing the park from the gardens to the east of the house. An early C17th parterre has kept its form through the early C18th though its length was reduced and a ha ha was built closer to the hall. Modern development has obliterated any traces of the early C17th orchard and fishponds which were retained in form into the early C18th, but became a plain lawn by the mid C20th. This lay to the west of the house. To the north of the hall is a wooded strip called The Shrubbery. This developed from a triple avenue to a less formal wooded pleasure ground through which ran a serpentine drive. A second treble avenue was planted near the hall and then reduced to a double row; it led south and framed the southern façade to the house. It was still prominent in the early C20th but is no longer extant. There are many earthworks associated with the landscaping of the park and creation of the pool and park buildings in particular. Few of the original parkland trees survive and much of the south part of park is now under the plough. A number of mounds surviving around the perimeter may mark the position of raised plantations and several circular or semi-circular ditched enclosures also around perimeter may also mark former plantings.

<1> 1622, Map of Horton Lordship (Gunning Collection), (unchecked) (Map). SNN44682.

<2> Eyre T. (Revised by Jefferys T.), 1779, Map of the County of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN1852.

<3> Clarke G., 1850, Pencil Sketches, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45701.

<4> 1973, Royal Institute of British Architects Catalogue, p.13 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN42676.

<5> Colvin, Untitled Source, p.150-6 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN42671.

<6> Steane J., The Deer Parks of Northamptonshire, p.404 (unchecked) (Article). SNN42675.

<7> Jacques D., Georgian Gardens, (unchecked) (Book). SNN42524.

<8> Burt J., Note, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN42674.

<9> Saxton, 1576, Map of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire & Rutland, (unchecked) (Map). SNN42112.

<10> Speed J., 1610, Map of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN559.

<11> 1728, Map of Horton Manor (Gunning Collection), (unchecked) (Map). SNN59363.

<12> Rhodes M., 1760, Horton Park?, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN58748.

<13> 1789, Horton Manor (Gunning Collection), (unchecked) (Map). SNN106529.

<14> Neale J.P., 1820, Views of Seats (1), (unchecked) (Series). SNN54894.

<15> Walpole H., 1928, Journals of Visits to Country Seats, p.52 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN58745.

<16> Harris J. (editor), 1970, The Country Seat: Studies in The History of The British Country House, (unchecked) (Book). SNN54892.

<17> Jones B., 1974, Follies and Grottoes, p.139-140 (unchecked) (Book). SNN56966.

<18> Wright T., 1979, Arbours and Grottoes, (unchecked) (Book). SNN59362.

<19> Harris E., 1979, Thomas Wright, (unchecked) (Book). SNN58747.

<20> Taylor C., 1983, The Archaeology of Gardens, p.62-3 (checked) (Series). SNN41440.

<22> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, P. 69 (Series). SNN77380.

<23> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<24> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.201 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<25> Evans J., 1813, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), p.111 (unchecked) (Book). SNN44614.

<26> English Heritage, 1994, Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England (1994, Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Report). SNN1324.

<27> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<28> Walshe, T., 2002, Corner Field, Horton, (unchecked) (Report). SNN106447.

<29> Shipley W., 1754 (circa), Views of Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Seats, Parks etc., (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN109385.

<30> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 3013-4, 5014-5) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<31> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 890003 (Archive). SNN112900.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 2:38PM