Information for record number MWA8620:
Upton House Park, Upton, Ratley

Summary An 18th century landscaped park developed with the advice of Sanderson Miller, in which formal gardens are located.
What Is It?  
Type: Landscape Park, Drive, Lake, Cascade, Kitchen Garden
Period: Modern - Modern (1732 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Ratley and Upton
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 37 45
(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 Parkland surrounding Upton House containing features from the 17th to the 20th century, including: pleasure grounds with avenue drive, lawns, terraces, ponds, woodland, kitchen garden, Temple Pool and chain of smaller Pools, pavilion (probably a late 17th century banqueting house). terraces south of House are probably 17th century, remodelled c. 1925 by Morley Horder. 20th century planting by Kitty Lloyd Jones. Temple Pool and Temple possibly by Sanderson Miller (1745).
2
8 on House 92 hectare site comprises 12 hectares of formal and informal gardens and pleasure grounds and 80 hectares of Parkland, lakes and woodland ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES Upton House is approached from the A422 road to the north. A pair of tall stone piers surmounted by square caps support elaborate wrought-iron panels and overthrow and are flanked by concave panels of spear-headed iron railings set on low stone walls. The railings terminate in the returns of stone wing walls which extend 40m east and west of the entrance, in which are set a pair of wrought-iron gates in carved stone architraves. lawns east and west of the entrance are retained by low, convex stone walls which extend north from the gate piers. This entrance leads to a level tarmac drive which is aligned to the south on the entrance facade of the House. An avenue of pines set on mown grass, originally planted in three rows to east and west of the drive, but today largely reduced to a double avenue, extends 130m south from the entrance. The drive continues for 210m south to reach the forecourt on the north side of the House. The forecourt is enclosed to the north, east and west by a tall yew hedge and low stone and brick walls. A flight of stone steps ascends to the front door, and is flanked to east and west by a pair of stone mounting blocks. Rusticated stone piers flank an entrance at the south-east corner of the forecourt leading to the service court to the east, and a similar pair of stone piers to the south-west leads to an early 20th century monumental flight of stone steps which descends to the west service drive. To the north-east of the forecourt a pair of early 20th century rusticated stone piers flank a further entrance to the service court. A similar pair of stone piers to the north-west leads to a service drive which zig-zags north and south below a monumental, buttressed drystone wall retaining the drive, to reach early 20th century estate cottages 50m north-west of the House, and Upton Farm 210m west of the House. The service drive continues 320m west to reach Sugarswell Lane, while another drive extends south from Upton Farm for 270m to reach the Park south of the House. To the north-east of the forecourt a further service drive runs 160m south-east to reach the late 19th century stables. From the stables the drive turns north-north-east and extends 270m to the A422 road. Park The Park at Upton comprises a series of pasture enclosures on the slopes to the south and the valley to the east of the House. On the north-facing slope of the enclosure 400m south of the House, an avenue of mature sweet chestnuts frames the extensive vista south towards Shenlow Hill; an outer avenue has been planted in the late 20th century. To the south-east of the gardens, 250m south-east of the House, water flows from the garden fishpond into a semicircular stone trough. A depression with a concrete dam to the south-east marks the site of a narrow rectangular Pool. A stream flows south-east from the site of the Pool down the valley to a rectangular Pool to the north-west of the Temple Pool, 960m south-east of the House. The Temple Pool is rectangular, with an apsidal north-west end, and is enclosed to the west by a plantation, and to the east by a single row of trees. To the north-east a steep-sided valley contains slight remains of a chain of four Pools linked by cascades. To the south-east the lake is retained by a high earth dam which is planted with trees, while in the middle of the dam stands a single-storey, late 18th century stone Temple. kitchen garden The kitchen garden lies on the south-facing slope 110m south of the House and below the formal terraced gardens. To the north its boundary is formed by the drystone retaining wall of the fourth and lowest of the formal terraces. The garden is divided by a central grass walk which crosses from east to west, with further perimeter grass walks lying to the south, south-east and south-west. The beds occupy the south-facing slope, with vegetables being concentrated to the north of the central walk, and soft fruit to the south. The kitchen garden remains in full cultivation. A further area of productive and flower garden lies 130m north-east of the House and immediately to the north-west of the stables. Enclosed by privet hedges to the south, east and west, there is a range of glasshouses, including a late 19th or early 20th century timber and brick House constructed against a south-facing brick wall to the north of the garden. A range of stores and sheds remains behind the wall. This garden also remains in cultivation. To the east of the House and to the north-east of the gardens is an orchard, planted with standard apple trees. The orchard is overlooked by a single-storey loggia supported on stone columns, which is built against the east wall of staff cottages to the west of the orchard. OTHER LAND Three areas of woodland are included in the area here registered. Blackwell wood, to the west of the formal gardens and 190m south-west of the House, is an area of deciduous woodland, roughly rectangular on plan, which includes land acquired by Sir Rushout Cullen in the late 17th century. Heath wood lying 1km south-east of the House extends 1km south-west from the A422 road, and is planted on the west- and north-west-facing slopes of the valley to the east of Temple Pool. Some 400m north-north-west of the House a belt of mixed planting adjacent to the wall adjoining the A422 road and extending west 450m from the drive to Upton Farm as far as the junction of the A422.
3 An estate plan of 1774 survives; this shows a number of features which had probably survived from the 1688 formal layout by Sir Rushout Cullen, including terraces, the remains of an avenue, a formal kitchen garden and rectangular fishponds. One of the ponds Houses the present bog garden, and late 17th/ early 18th walls and other structures still survive - the brick gardener's House was probably a late 17th century garden banqueting house. By 1774 landscaping work had taken place elsewhere in the Park, notably the creation of the northern avenue, and of the Temple Pool and Tuscan Temple (probably by Sanderson Miller): the Temple originally stood at the north end of the Pool, and was flanked by chains of smaller Pools. The estate was neglected in the 19th century and photographs show the gardens in an overgrown condition. The early 20th century creation of formal gardens took place within the framework of the earlier gardens, though some new terraces were created. The plant specialist Kitty Lloyd Jones was responsible for much of the detailed work in the gardens in the 1930s, including the creation of the bog garden. Upton is the only example of a garden designed and planted by Kitty Lloyd Jones which is in the care of the National Trust, and is one of an important group of Warwickshire sites at which Percy Morley Horder worked.
5 There are few changes visible on the OS 1:10560 1928 Sheet Warks 52SW. The overall extent of the Park is not clearly marked.
7 A watching brief carried to the north of the main House carried out in May 2001 revealed no features associated with the Medieval settlement of Upton or any garden features associated with the country house now present. The majority of the finds from the site dated from the 19th and 20th centuries as fragments of pottery and glass vessels. These probably represent rubbish from the greenhouses and outbuildings to the east.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
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: 2
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: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Warwickshire Register Review Report & Recommendations
Author/originator: Lovie, Jonathan
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Statuatory List
Title: National Heritage List for England
Author/originator: Historic England
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Map
Title: 52SW 1:10560 1886
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1886
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 52SW
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Map
Title: 52SW 1:10560 1928
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1928
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 52SW
   
Source No: 6
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: 7
Source Type: Observation Report
Title: Archaeological Observation at Upton House, Ratley and Upton
Author/originator: Coutts, C
Date: 2001
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Report No 0135
   
Images:  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Registered Park or Garden Parks and gardens that are considered to be of historic importance are placed on a register. The register comprises a variety of town gardens, public parks and country estates. The main purpose of the register is to help ensure that the features and qualities that make the parks and gardens special are safeguarded if changes are being considered which could affect them.

The gardens on the register are divided into three grades in order to give some guidance about their significance, in a similar way to Listed Buildings. The majority of parks and gardens on the Register are of sufficient interest as to be designated as grade II. Some, however, are recognised as being of exceptional historic interest and are awarded a star giving them grade II* status. A small number are of international importance, and are classified as grade I.
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period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument COUNTRY HOUSE * The rural residence of a country gentleman. back
monument POOL * A small body of water, either natural or artificial. back
monument BOG GARDEN * A soft, marshy garden, often peat-based where water- and peat-loving plants are grown. back
monument TERRACED GARDEN * A garden with one or more platforms with walks, often on different levels, usually close to the house. back
monument HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument FISHPOND * A pond used for the rearing, breeding, sorting and storing of fish. back
monument KITCHEN GARDEN * A private garden established primarily for growing vegetables and herbs for domestic consumption. back
monument SETTLEMENT * A small concentration of dwellings. back
monument CARVED STONE * A stone (including standing stones, natural boulders and rock outcrops) decorated with carved motifs. back
monument LAKE * A large body of water surrounded by land. back
monument TROUGH * A narrow, open container, usually where food or water for animals is put. Use specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument FORMAL GARDEN * A garden of regular, linear or geometrical design, often associated with the traditional Italian, French and Dutch styles. back
monument PARK * An enclosed piece of land, generally large in area, used for hunting, the cultivation of trees, for grazing sheep and cattle or visual enjoyment. Use more specific type where known. back
monument BOUNDARY * The limit to an area as defined on a map or by a marker of some form, eg. BOUNDARY WALL. Use specific type where known. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument GARDEN FEATURE * Unspecified landscape feature. Use more specific type where known. back
monument POND * A body of still water often artificially formed for a specific purpose. Use specifc type where known. back
monument GLASSHOUSE * A building made chiefly of glass, used to grow plants and fruit in. Use more specific type where possible. back
monument FACADE * Use wider site type where known. Only use term where no other part of original building survives. back
monument DRIVE * A road/carriage way giving access from the main road to the house, stables. back
monument FORECOURT * The court or enclosed space at the front of a building or structure. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument WALK * A place or path for walking in a park or garden. Use more specific type where possible. back
monument PASTURE * A field covered with herbage for the grazing of livestock. back
monument PAVILION * A light, sometimes ornamental structure in a garden, park or place of recreation, used for entertainment or shelter. Use specific type where known. back
monument FLOWER GARDEN * A garden in which flower beds are the primary focal point. back
monument PIER * A structure of iron or wood, open below, running out into the sea and used as a promenade and landing stage. back
monument CASCADE * An artificial fall of water often taking the form of a water staircase. back
monument OUTBUILDING * A detached subordinate building. Use specific type where known, eg. DAIRY. back
monument ENCLOSURE * An area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or other similar barrier. Use specific type where known. back
monument WOOD * A tract of land with trees, sometimes acting as a boundary or barrier, usually smaller and less wild than a forest. back
monument RAILINGS * A fence or barrier made of metal or wooden rails. back
monument MOUNTING BLOCK * A block for mounting a horse. back
monument SQUARE * An open space or area, usually square in plan, in a town or city, enclosed by residential and/or commercial buildings, frequently containing a garden or laid out with trees. back
monument COLUMN * Use for free standing column. back
monument LOGGIA * A covered arcade, often attached to a building, open on one or more sides. back
monument GARDEN * An enclosed piece of ground devoted to the cultivation of flowers, fruit or vegetables and/or recreational purposes. Use more specific type where known. back
monument LANDSCAPE PARK * Grounds, usually associated with a country house, laid out so as to produce the effect of natural scenery back
monument SHED * A slight structure built for shelter or storage, or for use as a workshop, either attached as a lean-to to a permanent building or separate. Use more specific type where known. back
monument STRUCTURE * A construction of unknown function, either extant or implied by archaeological evidence. If known, use more specific type. back
monument HEDGE * Usually a row of bushes or small trees planted closely together to form a boundary between pieces of land or at the sides of a road. back
monument STABLE * A building in which horses are accommodated. back
monument ORCHARD * An enclosure used for the cultivation of fruit trees. back
monument PLANTATION * A group of planted trees or shrubs, generally of uniform age and of a single species. back
monument ROW * A row of buildings built during different periods, as opposed to a TERRACE. back
monument CROSS * A free-standing structure, in the form of a cross (+), symbolizing the structure on which Jesus Christ was crucified and sacred to the Christian faith. Use specific type where known. back
monument GATE PIER * A pier of brick, masonry, etc, to which the hinges of a gate are attached. back
monument GATE * A movable stucture which enables or prevents entrance to be gained. Usually situated in a wall or similar barrier and supported by gate posts. back
monument LAWN * A flat, and usually level area of mown and cultivated grass, attached to a house. back
monument STEPS * A series of flat-topped structures, usually made of stone or wood, used to facilitate a person's movement from one level to another. back
monument STREAM * A natural flow or current of water issuing from a source. back
monument FARM * A tract of land, often including a farmhouse and ancillary buildings, used for the purpose of cultivation and the rearing of livestock, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument TEMPLE * Use for places of worship. For later landscape features use, eg. GARDEN TEMPLE. back
monument ESTATE COTTAGE * A cottage for workers on a country house estate. back
monument RETAINING WALL * A wall constructed for the purpose of confining or supporting a mass of earth or water. back
monument DAM * A barrier of concrete or earth, etc, built across a river to create a reservoir of water for domestic and/or industrial usage. back
monument TERRACE * A row of houses attached to and adjoining one another and planned and built as one unit. back
monument BANQUETING HOUSE * A hall, apartment or large room, designed or used primarily for festive or state functions. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record