Information for record number MWA8503:
18th-19th century landscaped Alscot Park, Preston Lane, Alderminster

Summary	Alscot Park is a mid 18th century rococo landscape attributed to Sanderson Miller, together with a mid 19th century formal terraced gardens designed by William Davidson.

What Is It?
Type:	Landscape Park, Formal Garden, Kitchen Garden, Drive, Dam, Balustrade, Garden Terrace, Balustrade
Period:	Modern - Modern (1750 AD - 2050 AD)

Where Is It?
Parish:	Alderminster
District:	Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference:	SP 20 50
(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
1 The Medieval Alscot Park was enlarged in the period 1742-47. In the early 18th century it was described in Atkyns Gloucestershire as delightful. In 1747 it was described as small but well-planted. As enlarged the Park covers 83 ha and is separated from the road on the NE and SE sides by a long wall. Part of it was under plough in 1964. 3 16 Alscot Park is a 100 heactre site and comprises 8 heactres of formal terraces, pleasure grounds, walled gardens and ponds around the house, and 92 heactres of Parkland. The River Stour flows from south to north through the site immediately to the north-west of the house, and the ground to the north-west and west of the river rises steeply to a level plateau occupied by Parkland. Alscot Park is approached from the A3400 road to the east. A pair of single-storey, early 19th century gothic lodges flank the entrance which is closed by 19th century wrought-iron gates. The tarmac drive, extends 240m west-south-west through the Park, before sweeping south-south-west to cross the dam retaining Lion's pond 130m north-east of the house and which separates it from a lower pond. The dam has a mid 19th century stone balustraded parapet to east and west giving the impression of a bridge, while to the west there is a high stone retaining wall. Immediately south of the bridge a service drive leads 50m south-east to the mid 18th century brick stables. The principal drive continues 80m south-west to reach the gravelled carriage turn below the south facade of the house; the drive encircles a central circular panel of lawn. PRINCIPAL BUILDING Alscot Park house is roughly T-shaped on plan, with a lower north wing comprising three storeys running north to the river from the principal or south wing. GARDENS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS Formal terraced gardens lie to the west and north-west of the house, with areas of informal pleasure grounds to the south and east of the house. The terraced gardens comprise a smaller, upper terrace below the west facade of the south wing of the house, and two parallel lower terraces to the west of the north wing. The terraces are bounded to the south, west and north by mid 19th century low stone balustrades with ogee-shaped moulded openings. Circular bastions project at the south-west, north-west and north-east corners of the terraces. A stone-flagged terrace extending the full width of the west facade of the south wing descends in a broad flight of stone steps to the upper terrace. Flights of stone steps descend from the north-west and north-east corners of the upper terrace to the north terraces which comprise two rectangular terraces separated by a bank and each laid out with a pair of square panels. The panels are divided by gravel walks, and linked by flights of stone steps aligned on those descending from the upper terrace. A further flight of steps aligned with the eastern walk descends to the river, while a gravel walk extends from west to east to the north of the terraced gardens, parallel to the river. To the east, this walk is terminated by a bastion, while a landing stage north-east of the house gave access to a private ferry to the north bank of the river. The pleasure grounds south and east of the house comprise lawns, and are separated from the Park to the west by low mid 19th century stone balustrades and 19th century metal fences. To the north, the pleasure grounds adjoin Lion's pond and a smaller rectangular pool to the west. Informal curvilinear walks lead through the shrubbery, passing a 19th century summerhouse or shelter 120m south-east of the house. This single-storey gabled brick structure has ornamental bargeboards and an area for standing out potted plants to the south-east. Some 10m south-east of the summerhouse an outcrop of Pulhamite rocks is arranged against the north wall of the Orangery. These artificial rocks survive from the internal arrangement of a fernery which was constructed in 1870; the remainder of the fernery is now demolished. The Orangery, a mid 18th cetntury brick structure lit by five tall sash windows and a late 20th century glass roof stands 140m south-east of the house overlooking a mid 20th century rectangular GARDEN. The GARDEN is laid out with herbaceous borders parallel to the east and west boundaries, with a rectangular, stone-edged swimming pool set in a central lawn. To the south of the swimming pool lies a 19th century stone circular fountain basin. Park Surrounding the house on all sides, the Park remains predominantly pasture, with areas in arable cultivation to the south and west. The River Stour flows in an S-shaped course from south to north through the Park, and is raised and widened by a stone weir 160m north of the house; there are further weirs controlling the level of the river flowing through the Park to the east of the village of Preston on Stour. The Park to the north-east of the house is bounded to the west by the artificially widened River Stour, and is separated from the pleasure grounds to the south by a chain of three ponds. The central, larger pond, Lion's pond, is approximately triangular on plan with a small island towards its wider, west end. The ponds to east and west of Lion's pond are approximately rectangular on plan. The ponds are of 17th century origin or earlier. To the east of Lion's pond the remnants of an avenue extend 240m east across the Park to the road; to the west this avenue is aligned on the drive leading to the south front of the house. The remnant of a similar avenue extends through the Park to the south of the house from a point 350m south-south-east of the house, crossing Preston Lane, and thence for 320m south-south-east through land in arable cultivation, to reach woodland on a south-facing slope which drops sharply to the level of the river 930m south-east of the house. The Park to the east and south of the house corresponds to the early deer park, and is marked as an enclosure with a pale fence on Beighton's Map of Kington Hundred (1730). A further area of Park remaining as pasture, lies to the west and north of the River Stour. The area to the north of the house and river is relatively level, while the ground to the west rises sharply from the level of the river. A 19th century plantation stands on the east-facing slope above the river 270m west of the house, while 430m west-south-west of the house a rounded mound overlooks the house, river and south Park from the crest of the slope above the river. Some 80m south-east of the mound, and linked to it by a levelled terrace, a declivity containing a spring descends from the crest of the slope to the river. These features survive from a rococo pleasure ground created by James West circa 1749. The mound was the site of a rotunda, while a Chinese pavilion stood in an area of shrubbery; both of these features are shown in elevation on the plan, but do not survive today.The pleasure ground was approached by crossing the river on the ferry to the north of the house, and thence by a walk which led through the Park north and west of the river. A further walk led through shrubbery on the southern boundary of the west Park, skirting Park Farm, to reach a lodge 700m south-west of the house. The lodge, which survives, gives access to a wide track which leads to the parish church in Preston on Stour. KITCHEN GARDEN The KITCHEN GARDEN, lies 160m south-east of the house and is screened from view by 18th and 19th century shrubbery and specimen trees. The GARDEN is rectangular on plan and is enclosed by mid 18th century brick walls 3m high. Today the GARDEN remains in cultivation as a productive and ornamental garden, with a late 20th century layout following the pattern recorded on the late 19th century OS maps with eight roughly rectangular beds arranged in two parallel groups each comprising four beds. 4 James West bought the estate circa 1744, and redeveloped it, with the 18th century garden buildings being erected in the early 1750s. As well as those noted in the existing Register, they included: a root house, a Chinese bench and a summer house. Designs for a rusticated ice house, a cascade and a Chinese temple also survive in the family papers, but it is unclear whether these were actually built. In the mid 19th century changes were made, including the construction of parterre terraces. 20th century garden features include a swimming pool GARDEN in a yew enclosure and a lavender parterre. 5 - 8 OS 1:10560 1884 Sht Warks 50NW etc marks Alscot Park as a deer park and clearly shows avenues, ponds and other features. 9 - 10 OS 1:10560 1924 Sht Warks 50NW etc shows Park shaded. 15 Landscape park and GARDENs to Alscot Park. The Park was originally a deer park, landscaped during the 18th century when tree belts were planted along the eastern boundary and woodland established in the southeast corner. Tree avenues were also planted. GARDENs were also planted during the 18th century, developed in the 19th century to include terraces and parterres. Hedges and lawns were planted in the mid 1960s and 1970. Landscape park to Alscot Park house covering an area of 100 hectares. The Park was improved in 1750-52 by Sanderson Miller. The formal terraced gardens were designed by William Davidson during the mid 19th century. In 1870 James Pulham II (1820-1898) and James Pulham III (1845-1920) were commissioned to install interior and exterior temperate ferneries within the GARDENs. Pulhamite stone rockwork identified to the southeast of the house arranged against the north wall of the Orangery, is thought to be the remains of one of the ferneries. The site has been included in the national Pulham database (ID number 120) and subsequently published in the gazetteer.
Sources
Source No: 3 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: 1 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Victoria County History, vol 8, Gloucestershire Author/originator: Pugh R B (ed) Date: 1968 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 8     Source No: 4 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Warwickshire Register Review Report & Recommendations Author/originator: Lovie, Jonathan Date: 1997 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 11 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Warwickshire Register Review Data Tables (Stratford on Avon) Author/originator: Lovie, Jonathan Date: 1997 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 15 Source Type: Digital Data Title: National Record for the Historic Environment (NRHE) also known as AMIE, formerly known as NMR Author/originator: Historic England Date: 2014-2016 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 16 Source Type: Statuatory List Title: National Heritage List for England Author/originator: Historic England Date: Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 5 Source Type: Map Title: 50NW 1:10560 1884 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1884 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 50NW     Source No: 6 Source Type: Map Title: 44SW 1:10560 1887 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1887 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 44SW     Source No: 7 Source Type: Map Title: 44SE 1:10560 1887 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1887 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 44SE     Source No: 8 Source Type: Map Title: 50NE 1:10560 1884 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1884 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 50NE     Source No: 9 Source Type: Map Title: 50NE 1:10560 1924 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1924 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 50NE     Source No: 10 Source Type: Map Title: 50NW 1:10560 1924 Author/originator: Ordnance Survey Date: 1924 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: 50NW     Source No: 13 Source Type: Map Title: Historic Landscape Assessment Maps Author/originator: Hooke D Date: 1999 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 14 Source Type: Map Title: Greenwood's Map of the County of Warwick 1822 Author/originator: Greenwood C & J Date: 1822 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 2 Source Type: Unpublished document Title: SMR Card Author/originator: SMW Date: 1979 Page Number: Volume/Sheet: PRN 790     Source No: 12 Source Type: Unpublished document Title: Historic Landscape Assessment Author/originator: Hooke D Date: 1999 Page Number: Volume/Sheet:

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