Information for record number MWA2927:
Stoneleigh Abbey Park

Summary	Stoneleigh Abbey Park is an early 19th century gardens and Park for which Humphry Repton produced a Red Book in 1809, together with a 17th century detached deer park which was also landscaped in the early 19th century.

What Is It?
Type:	Formal Garden, Landscape Park, Glasshouse, Kitchen Garden, Drive, Stable, Lodge, Garden Terrace, Balustrade, Rose Garden, Fountain, Walk, Lake, Animal Cemetery, Cascade, Icehouse
Period:	Modern - Modern (1801 AD - 2050 AD)

Where Is It?
Parish:	Ashow
District:	Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference:	SP 31 71
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)

Level of Protection	National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: ) Registered Park or Garden (Grade: II*) Sites & Monuments Record

Description
Source Number
5 13 Stoneleigh Abbey is situated circa 5.5km north of Royal Leamington Spa and circa 2.5km east of Kenilworth. The A444 road passes from south to north through the site separating the Deer Park from the Abbey and New Park to the west. The circa 365heactre site comprises 7 hectares of gardens and pleasure grounds adjacent to the Abbey, around 213 hectares of Parkland and ornamental plantations, and 145 hectares in the Deer Park to the north-east of the A444 road. The River Avon flows in an S-shaped course from east to south through the New Park, while the River Sowe enters the site from the north, joining the River Avon circa 1.3km north-east of the Abbey. ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES Stoneleigh Abbey is approached from the B4115 road to the west. The entrance is marked by a pair of single-storey, Stone, neo-classical lodges, known as the Grecian lodges. The entrance leads to an avenue of limes which lines a tarmac drive extending 320m south-east across the Park to cross the River Avon on a bridge. Beyond the bridge, the drive continues south-east through an avenue of limes for 350m to approach the Abbey from the north-west. A late 20th century drive leads north parallel to the north range, giving access to Parking areas and garages 50m north of the house. East of the Gatehouse, the drive gives access to the Tudor-gothic stables and riding school 100m north-east of the Abbey. The west approach was developed in the early 19th century, following Repton's advice in 1809. As implemented, the west drive follows a more direct route to the north of the serpentine course advocated by Repton. The drive assumed its final form in 1814 when a public road crossing the Park from north to south c 600m west of the Abbey was diverted to the line of the B4115 road. The east or London drive which formerly approached the Abbey through the Deer Park is now disused. The entrance to the Deer Park is marked by Tantara lodge, also known as Bubbenhall or London lodge. Two further early 19th century lodges mark points of access to the Deer Park. North lodge stands adjacent to an entrance from Coventry road to the north. To the south, Stareton lodge, also known as Park lodge and The Beehive, stands immediately to the west of a gate which today leads into the grounds of the late 20th century business centre, but which formerly led to a footpath. PRINCIPAL BUILDING Stoneleigh Abbey stands on a terrace to the north and east of the River Avon. The mansion incorporates remains of a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1154. gardenS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS The formal terraces and informal pleasure grounds lie principally to the north, west and south of the Abbey. The central court of the Abbey is laid out with a late 20th century knot garden. The north garden was described by Repton as the Bowling Green garden (1809), and corresponds to a walled enclosure shown on plans of 1749 and 1766, the garden occupying the site of the monastic church. To the north-east of the Bowling Green garden a pair of elaborate early 18th century wrought-iron gates surmounted by an overthrow containing a coronet and monogram lead to the drive west of the stables. The gates are supported on rebuilt square brick piers surmounted by 18th century lead urns. A partly Stone-flagged and tarmac terrace and areas of lawn below the west facade extends 30m to the remains of a mid 19th century Stone balustrade which separates the terrace from an area of level mown grass used in the 20th century as a cricket ground. A mid 20th century timber pavilion stands to the south. Repton advised the construction of a terrace below the west front in 1809, but the terrace as constructed in 1814 does not correspond to his proposal. The terrace was developed as a formal garden with geometric parterre beds designed by W A Nesfield in the mid 19th century; these were simplified by Percy Cane in the 1930s and do not visibly survive. The terrace replaced an early 18th century walled Bowling Green which is shown in a view from the south-west (1749), and on surveys of 1749 and 1766. The slope descending from the south facade to the River Avon is terraced to provide a wide lawn and a riverside walk. Stone steps aligned on the axis of the west terrace descend to a gravelled upper walk. At the east and west ends of this walk further steps descend a grass slope to reach the wide central terrace. The riverside walk is retained by a Stone balustrade which breaks forward to east and west in square bastions. A central flight of Stone steps descends to the water. The south terraces were developed by W A Nesfield in the mid 19th century with a scheme comprising geometric beds for seasonal planting and Irish yews which does not survive. To the south-east, a mid 19th century conservatory overlooks a similar lawn. A gravel walk south of the conservatory sweeps south-east below a curved brick wall which screens the service yard, and continues east, parallel to the south wall of the kitchen garden for 80m, to reach the Rose Garden. 50m south-east of the orangery, a flight of Stone steps ascends from the walk to a pair of ornate 18th century wrought-iron gates with an armorial overthrow which are supported by a pair of square-section Stone piers set in the kitchen garden wall. A further pair of gates and piers is set in the garden wall 80m south-east of the orangery, at the north-west corner of the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden comprises a level rectangular terrace which is laid to lawn and planted with mid 20th century specimen conifers. At the centre of the lawn an elaborate, early 19th century, four-tier Coade Stone fountain is supported on a pedestal cast to resemble entwined branches. The fountain stands in a circular pool, the raised edge of which is also constructed in Coade Stone cast to resemble rocks with planting pockets and images of a variety of animals. The Rose Garden is enclosed to the north and east by brick kitchen garden walls, near the angle of which stands an early 19th century circular, thatched rustic summerhouse supported by tree trunks. From the Rose Garden a walk descends south-east through an area of informal shrubbery for 30m to reach a timber footbridge with lattice balustrades which crosses a Stone-lined water channel to reach an early 19th century timber summerhouse. The River Avon was widened in 1809 as part of Repton's improvements by laying together the river and an adjacent mill stream. Repton's lake was retained by a Stone weir 300m south-east of the house; this dam was raised during the 19th century to obscure silting and was breached by floods in the mid 20th century. The lake to the south of the Abbey was partially reinstated in 1999-2000. The early 19th century sunken garden and dogs' cemetery terminate the pleasure grounds to the south-east; a gate 30m east of the dogs' cemetery leads to the Park, while a walk returns north-west to the Rose Garden. The pleasure grounds are separated from the Cunnery to the north by a mixed hedge and timber fence. A walk leads south-west from the south terraces through an area of shrubbery and mature trees. 80m south-west of the house a 19th century water engine is housed in an early 19th century, single-storey, Tudor-gothic Stone pavilion attributed to C S Smith (Parklands 1997). The walk continues 50m south-west to a two-arched Stone bridge dated 1704 (datestone) which crosses a cascade. The cascade is associated with the site of a medieval mill which was demolished in 1812 as part of Repton's improvements. An early 19th century Stone weir in the Park allows water to flow into the lower river, while the former mill race is retained at a higher level by the mill island to the south. Repton used the mill cascade as a feature at the west end of the lake created to the south of the house in 1809. Park The Park comprises two distinct areas: the New Park to the west and south of the Abbey, and the Deer Park to the north-east of the A444 road. The New Park remains pasture with scattered mature trees and significant areas of woodland on the north-facing slope to the south of the River Avon. The river and the watercourses associated with the medieval mill and the early 19th century lake to the south of the Abbey flow in an S-shaped course from north-west to south-east through the New Park. In 1809 Repton proposed a bridge on a site to the east of the present footbridge, but the scheme was not implemented and the footbridge was built after 1813 to replace an earlier bridge serving a road to Ashow. Some 10m north-west of the bridge a culvert conveying water from the mill race discharges from a rusticated Stone arch in a small cascade; these features formed part of Repton's early 19th century alterations to the watercourses. An early 19th century icehouse of domed brick construction is built into the steep, north-facing hillside 20m south of the bridge. Some 80m north of the bridge, two pools and a water channel to the east separate a triangular area of meadow from the Park to the north. Known as Home Grange Green, this was the site of a medieval monastic Grange and a fulling mill which ceased to operate in the early 17thy century. A further area of the New Park lies to the north-east of the National Agricultural Centre 1km north-east of the Abbey. kitchen garden Three walled gardens and orchards are situated to the east of the Abbey beyond a service drive which leads south from the stables to the kitchens south-east of the Abbey. The gardens are enclosed by early 18th century brick walls c 3.5m high and surmounted by Stone copings. The west garden is entered from the west by a simple timber door, and is today laid to lawn separated from mixed perimeter borders by wide gravel walks. At the south-west corner tall Stone piers support a pair of ornamental early 18th century wrought-iron gates leading to the pleasure grounds. Some 15m east of the gates, an arched Stone structure incorporated into the south wall is of uncertain origin, but in the late 19th century was used as an aviary. At the north-west corner an 18th century single-storey brick gardener's cottage has been extended. A pair of tall rusticated Stone piers surmounted by ball finials is set in the east wall aligned with the west door. At the south-west corner of the east garden Stone piers support a further pair of early 18th century wrought-iron gates with an armorial overthrow which lead to the Rose Garden. 1 "Stoneleigh Park" first appears on a map from 1787, but is shown as the area of the Deer Park - (WA 2865) - not the area around the Abbey. On a map from 1822 the Deer Park is known as "Leigh Park", the Park around the Abbey is called "Stoneleigh Abbey Park". This Park was quite extensive and also included "the Grove" on the opposite side of the river from the Abbey as well as Glasshouse wood. 3 The 1886 O.S. map shows "Stoneleigh Park" reduced to the area which is now almost entirely covered by the National Agricultural Centre. 7 A watching brief was undertaken on test-pits dug to monitor contamination by a burst oil pipeline. Dumped deposits associated with the 19th century terracing of the gardens, presumably by Repton, were extensively recorded. A deposit of BUILDING material, probably associated with the 18th century house, was also recorded. 8 9 Lovie comments on extensive formal gardens around house and along river Avon with terraces. Parkland round house with woodland, drive, bridge. He comments that future of site uncertain but Parkland and gardens near house subject of a recent (at time of his report 1996/7) Heritage Lottery award; Deer Park a golf course. 10 Summary of results of watching briefs carried out at the Abbey during 2000. Inside the conservatory on the south side of the house, originally constructed in 1851 to the design of William Burns, the modern concrete floor was removed, exposing the original lines of the brick edging to two symmetrical planting areas. These both had circular brick-edged planters at their corners, c.0.60m across, which would originally have held large Stone urns; remnants of one such urn were found on one of the planters. At the centres of the northern edges of the two planting areas were semi-circular water features, still being fed with water from lead pipes from a source to the north. To the south-east of the house, in an area where new garages have been erected groundworks revealed a series of former yard surfaces and low-lying brick flooring with associated Stone walls. Brick walls were also noted. These features most likely relate to 18th/19th century lean-to sheds against the high garden wall. 11 Summary of results of watching briefs carried out at the Abbey during 2001. Reduction of the ground level to the south of the stables revealed the foundations of two substantial greenhouses with quarry tile and brick flooring and evidence for below-floor heating. The greenhouses are two of a group of four which are shown on the Ordnance Survey maps of 1887 and 1905. To the west of these, attached to the south-east of the stable clock complex, the floor and foundations of another structure with a quarry tile floor was uncovered. The bricks that made up the walls of the structure were stamped ‘LORD LEIGH’. 12 Summary of results of watching briefs carried out at the Abbey during 1998. Evidence was recorded of the 18th century gardens and landscaping shown on contemporary plans in the form of terracing, garden walls and gateposts to the north of the house and garden walls to the west.
Sources
Source No: 8 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Warwickshire Register Review Data Tables (Warwick) Author/originator: Lovie, Jonathan Date: 1997 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 9 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Warwickshire Register Review Report & Recommendations Author/originator: Lovie, Jonathan Date: 1997 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 5 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England Author/originator: English Heritage Date: 1994 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 13 Source Type: Statuatory List Title: National Heritage List for England Author/originator: Historic England Date: Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 6 Source Type: Map Title: SMR Card Author/originator: Pehrson B Date: 1983 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: PRN 2927     Source No: 4 Source Type: Map Title: 36NE 1973 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1973 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 36NE     Source No: 3 Source Type: Map Title: 26SE 1:10560 1886 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1886 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 26SE     Source No: 1 Source Type: Map Title: Map of Warwick Author/originator: Yates Date: 1878 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 2 Source Type: Map Title: Map of Warwick Author/originator: Greenwood Date: 1822 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 7 Source Type: Observation Report Title: Archaeological Watching Brief of Test Trenches at Stoneleigh Abbey, Stoneleigh Author/originator: P Cope-Faulkner and G Taylor Date: 2007 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 10 Source Type: Serial Title: WMA (West Midlands Archaeology) vol 43 Author/originator: CBA West Midlands Date: 2000 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 12 Source Type: Serial Title: WMA vol 41 (1998) Author/originator: Mould, C (ed) Date: 1999 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 41     Source No: 11 Source Type: Unpublished document Title: Warwickshire Archaeology in 2001 - Summary Reports Author/originator: Warwickshire Museum Field Archaeology Projects Group Date: 2002 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:

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