Information for record number MWA5738:
18th century Park surrounding Arbury Hall

Summary	An early and mid 18th century gardens and pleasure grounds, partly developed with advice from Sanderson Miller, together with parkland of 17th century origin. During the Second World War the site was used as a Prisoner of War Camp.

What Is It?
Type:	Kitchen Garden, Landscape Park, Drive, Pool, Cascade, Formal Garden, Walled Garden, Rose Garden, Lake
Period:	Imperial - Modern (1751 AD - 2050 AD)

Where Is It?
Parish:	Astley
District:	North Warwickshire, Warwickshire
Grid Reference:	SP 33 89
(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

Picture(s) attached
Description
Source Number
1 4 Arbury Hall's 180 heactre site comprises 10 heactres of gardens and pleasure grounds, and 170 heactres of parkland, plantations and lakes. The site occupies a shallow valley which runs from north-west to south-east and which contains a stream which has been dammed to form a chain of pools to the south and west of the Hall. A further stream flows from north to south on the eastern boundary of the site; this is dammed to form a series of canals and to provide power for a water mill at Arbury mill Farm. ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES Arbury Hall is approached from the B4102 road to the north. The entrance is marked by North Lodge a late 18th century structure. The tarmac drive follows a straight course south for 1km through a mixed avenue. Some 270m south of North Lodge the avenue widens to form a circular plantation which may correspond to the terminal feature of the north avenue shown on an estate plan by Thomas Ellis (1664). Some 240m south of this circular plantation the drive passes immediately to the east of a mid or late 18th century bath house. Approximately 1km south of North Lodge the drive sweeps south-west; the drive continues south-west for 400m, running parallel and to the south-east of a canalised stream which forms the outflow of Seeswood pool 1.3km north-west of the Hall. Sweeping south and south-east, the drive crosses the stream on a small mid or late 18th century stone bridge and continues for 300m south-east, to the south-west of the stream. At a junction 240m north-west of the Hall the principal drive sweeps east, passing to the north of the kitchen garden before turning south to approach the carriage court and porte-cochère on the north side of the Hall. Some 240m north-west of the Hall a secondary drive turns south-south-west for 130m, to reach a late 18th or early 19th century stone gatehouse 130m north-west of the Hall. Beyond the gatehouse the drive continues for 50m east to the late 17th century stables. To the south the stables overlook a courtyard which is laid out with wide gravelled perimeter drives enclosing four panels of lawn divided by cruciform walks which intersect at a circular stone-kerbed pond. The courtyard is enclosed to the west by the late 17th century brick coach house and associated walls, while to the south it is enclosed by a 17th century brick wall which was altered in the mid or late 18th century to provide a stone crenellated parapet; 16th century architectural fragments and re-sited Jacobean balustrades are incorporated into the south wall. At the south-east corner of the courtyard a mid 18th century gatehouse leads to the gardens south of the Hall. To the east the courtyard is enclosed by late 17th or early 18th century brick and stone coped walls, at the north end of which a pair of elaborate early 18th century wrought-iron gates and overthrow are supported by a pair of stone piers surmounted by pineapple finials. This gateway leads east to the carriage court and porte-cochère on the north side of the Hall. From the gatehouse west of the stables a drive leads 430m south-south-west, crossing the dam between Garners pool and Hall pool to reach a junction 430m south-west of the Hall. Here the drive divides, one branch leading 1.75km west and north-west along the south-west boundary of the park and through adjacent agricultural land to reach Astley Lodge, a mid or late 18th century stone Lodge. A further drive leads south-east from the junction 430m south-west of the Hall. This drive follows a serpentine course for 1km south-east through the park to reach a mid or late 18th century single-arched rusticated stone bridge. Beyond the bridge the drive continues for 700m through a plantation, Coventry wood, to reach the late 18th century Griff Lodges on a minor road 2km south-east of the Hall. PRINCIPAL BUILDING Arbury Hall stands towards the centre of the site. gardenS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS The informal pleasure grounds lie to the north, east and south of the Hall, with an area of walled formal garden to the north-east. To the west of the Hall and stable court an area of informal lawns planted with specimen trees and shrubs is bounded to the west by a canalised stream which feeds Hall pool 20m south-west of the Hall. A walk extends along the north bank of Hall pool to reach further lawns which fall away to the south and south-east of the Hall. Hall pool is retained to the east by an earth dam, below which is a rectangular pool. To the north, 30m south of the Hall, a rocky cascade descends to a further informal lake. To the east and north the east lake connects with a system of mid and late 18th century canals which formerly connected with the Coventry canal 2km east of the Hall. The east canal sweeps north-west enclosing an area of informal lawns and specimen trees together with an early 19th century cottage, Swanland; 150m north-east of the Hall the east canal joins the north canal which extends 150m north and north-east in a cutting from the east lake. This canal and cutting form the east boundary of lawns and shrubberies to the east of the Hall. To the south, the east lawn drops steeply to the south lawn and east lake, while an artificial mound 75m east-south-east of the Hall is planted with ornamental trees and shrubs. A further mound 70m east of the Hall contains a late 18th or early 19th century brick-lined icehouse. Informal walks border the lawns to the south, east and north, while a late 18th century ornamental stone footbridge 100m south-east of the Hall crosses the north canal and leads 150m east to Swanland. To the north of the Hall a level rectangular lawn is enclosed by the carriage turn. A group of four early or mid 18th century stone terms surmounted by white marble busts of Roman emperors is arranged against the north facade of the service court immediately west of the Hall. Beyond the carriage turn a further rectangular area of lawn tapering to the north is bounded to east and west by drives. Some 45m north-east of the Hall a formal garden is enclosed by early 18th century brick walls 3m high. Approximately rectangular on plan, the garden is laid out as a rose garden with rectangular beds divided by a central stone-kerbed gravel walk which extends from a gateway in the south wall north to a rondpoint which contains a circular fountain pool. To the north of the rondpoint stone steps ascend to a further walk which leads north to the site of the late 18th century orangery against the inner face of the north wall. Tall brick piers support lead urns, while the site of the orangery forms a terrace ornamented with classical fragments. Some 400m north-east of the Hall, a further artificial, informal lake is retained to the north-east by earth dams, on which stands a mid 18th century Tea House. To the north a late 18th or early 19th century rendered brick cottage is attached to the summerhouse. park The park lies to the north, south, west and north-west of the Hall and is in mixed agricultural use. To the south of the Hall mixed plantations adjoin the east drive, while to the west and north the park is characterised by scattered individual and small groups of trees. A drive 450m south of the Hall which leads from the south-east drive to South Farm on the southern boundary of the park follows the line of the south avenue. A chain of four pools extends west from Hall pool to the south-west of the Hall. Each pool is approximately triangular on plan, and is retained to the east by an earth dam. kitchen garden The kitchen garden lies 60m north-west of the Hall and immediately to the north of the stables. Approximately rectangular on plan, the garden is enclosed by late 17th or early 18th century brick walls 3m high, while to the south-west a screen comprising wrought-iron railings supported by stone piers surmounted by ball finials separates a slip garden from the west drive. The kitchen garden is entered from the east through a late 17th or early 18th century gateway comprising a pair of stone piers surmounted by pineapple finials which support wrought-iron gates and side panels. The south-west slip garden is entered by gates set at the centre of the screen which are supported by similar stone piers with pineapple finials. A further gate immediately west of the stables gives access to a service yard north of the stables. A further area of former kitchen garden lies to the west of the stable court, and is enclosed to the west and south by late 17th or early 18th century brick walls with stone coping 3m high. This garden is approximately L-shaped on plan and is divided into two compartments by a transverse wall. The garden is no longer in cultivation as a kitchen garden. 2 3 parkland with plantations and lakes; pleasure grounds and formal gardens around house; kitchen garden. Considerable work in gardens in 1740s. 5 Known as Camp 196. This was a base camp that held German prisoners. It could have been in use up until 1948. The camp has since been removed and the site restored to parkland.
Sources
Source No: 1 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: 5 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Premises, Sites etc. within 30 miles of Harrington Museum used for Military Purposes. Author/originator: John Brace Date: Before 2017. Page Number: Volume/Sheet:     Source No: 2 Source Type: Bibliographic reference Title: Warwickshire Register Review Data Tables (North Warwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Rugby) Author/originator: Lovie, Jonathan Date: 1997 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: 4 Source Type: Statuatory List Title: National Heritage List for England Author/originator: Historic England Date: Page Number: Volume/Sheet:

Images:
	A view of the landscape park surrounding Arbury Hall, Nuneaton Copyright: Warwickshire County Council Date: 1900s
Click here for larger image

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