Monument record 5349 - Apethorpe Hall Park

Landscape park, gardens and pleasure gardens to Apethorpe Hall. It is conjectured that earliest gardens at Apethorpe were walled court gardens of the second half of the 15th century, which later became service courts. The "pleasance" gardens were redesigned and expanded during the 16th and 17th century but much of the current layout dates to the early 20th century when Sir Reginald Blomfield remodelled the grounds for Lord Brassey, incorporating many of the earlier features. Blomfield was also responsible for the landscaping of the park, few features of which survive except for the lake.

{2} Apethorpe Park was created in 1543 & enlarged in 1620; it was used by James I; by C18th was used as grazing & arable land

{3}James I & Charles I visited Apethorpe on several occasions to hunt; Red Deer Park was enlarged in February 1620 taking in 14 acres from Royal Forest; further 300 acres were impaled on word of King James; in 1634 Mary Countess Dowager of Westmorland petitioned to impark this land officially

{5}Apethorpe Hall formerly residence of Earl of Westmorland & now that of Mr Leonard Brassey stands south of village in park of about 44 acres; in 1543 manor sold to King by Charles Lord Mountjoy & manor & park were granted in early part of next reign to Lady Elizabeth (King's sister); grant was soon withdrawn & in 1550 park & manor were granted to Sir Walter Mildmay

{6}Large deer park was created in C16th & C17th which incorporated much of area of Hale; first mentioned in 1543 when stocked with fallow deer; freehay in south of parish where owner had hunting rights on site of village of Hale had become united with Apethorpe deer park by 1575; main occupation during James I visits to Apethorpe from 1605-1619 was hunting; in 1620 Francis Fane received by exchange from King 14 acres in Morehay which had already been taken into Apethorpe Red Deer Park; was abouth this time that park was enlarged by addition of 300 acres of royal forest as earlier park was considered too small for James' enjoyment of hunt; both deer & cattle grazed park in 1679 & survey of 1715 probably preceded conversion of park to agricultural use; this was enclosed for farming in late C17th [conflicts with early C18th date also quoted] & thus hall never had extensive landscaped garden; C19th copy of early C18th plan of garden layout shows rectangular "moat" with small circular island; moat with island has now vanished; no attempt was made to create landscaped park or garden until Blomfield worked on Apethorpe in 1908; in 1790 John Byng noted "open cornfields opposite without tree planted & river running through rushy morass & ruinous mill

{15}Seat of Earl of Westmorland stands in middle of small park of under 200 acres to south of village

{16} View across parkland from river-wier looking westwards towards house

{19}Map; owned by Earl of Westmorland, no enclosed park shown.

{20}At James 1's wish Earl imparked 300 acres including the site of Hale. This, the new park was formally licensed 1642. A little park also lay to the east of Fotheringhay,

{21}In the reign of Charles 1, Mary Countess of Westmorland claimed the park of Apethorpe with the deer and liberties.,

{23}Views.

{27}Crown gave "manor and park of Apethorpe" (with adjoining lands) to Sir William Mildmay in 1551 - in exchange for some land in Wiltshire.

{29} It is evident that the area surrounding Apethorpe Hall and its parkland retains many features of historical significance and there is good evidence for a complex multi-period pattern of medieval settlement and land use. The earliest fragments of this include the site of a substantial Roman villa and hints of an attendant field system.

{30} Evidence indicates the mediaeval north gate tower remained the principal entrance to Apethorpe Hall from first construction to the late 18th/early 19th century. At this time the entrance was moved to the east front where it remained until the Hall was sold in 1949. Only when the Hall ceased to be a private home did the entrance revert to the north because the historic approach was severed from the Hall and its surroundings.

{31} A whole chapter of the 2006 English Heritage report on Apethorpe is devoted to an analysis of the development of the gardens. It is conjectured that the earliest gardens at Apethorpe Hall may have been walled court gardens dating to the 2nd half of the 15th century. These were probably abandoned as the walled gardens became service courts in the 1530s-1540s.

{32} The gardens and landscapes of the Hall and village at Apethorpe, Northamptonshire as created in the early 20th century for Leonard Brassey are the product of a complex relationship between the client and his professional advisers. While Reginald Blomfield's work has been confirmed to the entrance approach, the east Fore Court and the gardens to the south of the house, for the rest of the gardens and park it is clear that the owner and his directly employed professional were the creative, critical and executant forces.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1950s, Ordnance Survey 2.5 Inch Series (General), TL09 (unchecked) (Map). SNN54933.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.1 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN40683.

<3> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.58 (checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<4> PRO IND/6746, PRO IND/6746 (unchecked) (Document). SNN54345.

<5> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.543 (checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.1 (checked) (Series). SNN77384.

<7> 1635, CAL.S.P.DOM., 421 (unchecked) (Document). SNN56352.

<8> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, I.XII/14 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<9> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, XVI/5 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<10> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, 7.XV (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<11> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, 4.VIII/3 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<12> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, 2.XIII/4 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<13> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, 6.VI/2 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<14> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, Misc.Vol.5 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<15> 1895, APETHORPE, 495 (unchecked) (Article). SNN42234.

<16> 1960, Untitled Source, (unchecked) (Photographs). SNN41809.

<17> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<18> Bryant A., 1827, Map of The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Map). SNN2733.

<19> Eyre T. (Revised by Jefferys T.), 1779, Map of the County of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN1852.

<20> Pettit P.A.J., 1968, The Royal Forests of Northamptonshire: A Study in Their Economy 1558-1714, (unchecked) (Series). SNN42130.

<21> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.423 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<22> GOTCH J.A., 1940, Manor Houses of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN58776.

<23> NEALE J.P., 1826, Seats of The Nobility and Gentry, (unchecked) (Series). SNN42585.

<24> 1895, APETHORPE, 495 (Article). SNN56419.

<25> JEKYLL G., GARDEN ORNAMENT, 190;214 (Uncertain). SNN56420.

<26> MILDMAY FANE COLLECTION, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN54768.

<27> WEIGALL R., 1906, APETHORPE AND ITS OWNERS, 942.0066 MIL/WEI (Book). SNN42586.

<28> Binney M.; Hills A., 1979, Elysian Gardens, 20 (Article). SNN42578.

<29> McOmish, D, Barber, M, & Grady, D, 2005, Landscape Assessment at Apethorpe Hall, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN113427.

<30> James Edgar, 2004, Approaching Apethorpe Hall, Apethorpe, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN116146.

<31> Cattell, J. (Ed.), 2007, Apethorpe Hall: Survey, Research and Analysis, p. 95-112 (Report). SNN106269.

<32> James Edgar, 2005, Brassey at Apethorpe (Report). SNN116147.

<33> Historic England, Undated, Apethorpe Hall, Apethorpe, Northamptonshire, VF000049 (Archive). SNN113376.

<34> Historic England, Undated, A view along the avenue towards the south elevation of Apethorpe Hall in the distance, BL18101C (Archive). SNN116148.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:45PM