17th century deer park and garden, Quendon Park (EHER 7375)

Deer park and gardens to Quendon Hall covering an area of 60 hectares. In the late 17th century the gardens were remodelled and tree planting took place in the park. The park was enlarged after 1741. The gardens were updated during the early 20th century and by 1980.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Deer Park (NAT). <1> Extent of park shown on estate map of 1702 but not on map of 1645. <2> Deer park at Quendon Hall, emparked by 1702 with formal gardens probably 17th century in origin. The park contains areas of woodland with open parkland to the south of the house. It is thought the gardens are late 17th century and include an ornamental moat or canal and a lime avenue. A dry moat was added in the 1980s. Deer park and gardens to Quendon Hall covering an area of 60 hectares. In the late 17th century the gardens were remodelled and tree planting took place in the park. The park was enlarged after 1741. The gardens were updated during the early 20th century and by 1980. <3> - <5> February 1975. Field survey. No trace of park pale found on ground, though park still stocked with deer and enclosed by modern fence. <6> 2000. Heritage assessment. Quendon Hall lies about 8km north of Bishops Stortford, on the northern edge of Quendon village and to the west of the B1383 Saffron Walden to Bishops Stortford Road. The approximately 60ha site occupies a rural location, bounded to the north-east and west by farmland and to the south and south-east by the village of Quendon. The M11, built in the 1970s cuts across the eastern edge of the estate (just beyond the boundary of the site here registered). The ground at Quendon falls gently from the west and south towards the source of the River Cam, 1km east of the Hall. The hall is approached from the village to the south, through wrought iron gates hung on red brick gate piers. The drive runs north-north-west for 300m to Parkgate or South Lodge (listed Grade II), a mid 18th century cottage with later picturesque details. Up until the early 20th century, the drive continued north along a straight oak lined avenue to a hexagonal courtyard below the south front of the Hall, but now (2000) turns west at the Lodge and then north to run along the outside of the western boundary before re-entering the park 250m south-west of the Hall. The drive passes the early 20th century thatched cricket pavilion and runs north-east, past the Cowman’s Cottage (listed Grade II), to arrive at the west entrance front, which was created in the early 20th century by Sir William Foot Mitchell. A second drive enters the park midway along the eastern boundary, beside a pair of early 20th century lodge cottages which are reached from the B1380 to the south by an estate track running along the eastern boundary of the park. From the lodges the drive runs west, then north-west to skirt the northern edge of the walled garden before turning south to arrive at the west front. This entrance, known as Newport Drive, has also changed during the 20th century. Access to the lodges was altered following the construction of the M11 which runs parallel and close to the eastern boundary, while the route of the drive once inside the park was changed from its original 19th century route which ran due west to join the south drive 50m south of the Hall. The gardens at Quendon lie to the south, east and north of the Hall. Below the south front is a gravel terrace edged with box hedging which looks onto a hexagonal courtyard laid to lawn and enclosed to the east and west by 17th century red brick walls with stone dressings (listed Grade II*), each with an arched alcove with gabled pediment and a set of gates hung on gate piers surmounted by ball finials. In the centre of the lawn, which is bounded to the south by a late 20th century ha-ha and low stone balustrade, is a circular stone fountain pool. This area was the main entrance forecourt up until the early 20th century. The gate in the east wall of the south garden leads to the east garden, which is laid to grass between the Hall and a small canal 40m east of the Hall. The canal is all that survives of the moat of the 17th century house, and was, until the mid 20th century, spanned by a small footbridge. Beyond the canal is a further lawn, planted with shrub borders and enclosed to the north, south and east by red brick walls. In the centre of the north wall is an ornamental glasshouse with a central gable and brick corner niches, facing south on to the lawn (shown in this position on the 1876 OS 6” map). The outline of the east garden is little changed from that shown on the 1702 survey although the detail of its layout has altered. Beyond a small enclosed, box hedged terrace on the north-east corner of the Hall is the north lawn, planted with a variety of trees and shrubs. It is divided from the drive and service buildings to the west by a high red brick wall and to the north by a low terrace wall with shallow steps leading to an upper lawn. This lawn is bounded by a lower red brick wall 100m north of the Hall, with central wrought iron rails and gates aligned on the north avenue. A paved cross terrace at the base of the shallow steps runs east from an early 20th century brick and tile summer house in front if the west wall, along a pleached lime avenue for 150m to a further walled enclosure containing a swimming pool and tennis court (see Kitchen Garden below). Quendon Park is enclosed by perimeter woodlands to the north, east and south, with the Hall occupying a position towards the centre of the western boundary. The north park is a mixture of arable land and woodland, within which the north avenue, shown on the 1702 survey, still survives, extending from the Newport drive for 750m as far as Northcroft Spring Wood. In 1702 it extended further north and farmed a view of Newport church, although this view has now been lost. To the east and south of the Hall, the gently undulating ground in the park has been retained under pasture and is scattered with mature trees including oak and horse chestnut. Running south from the Hall are the remains of an oak avenue, planted in the 17th century to line the south drive. The kitchen garden, walled on three sides, lies 100m to the north-east of the Hall. It is now (2000) laid to grass and contains a swimming pool with brick surround and a hard tennis court. A row of brick workshops is attached to the north wall. The 1702 survey shows this area, and the lawn to the south, laid out as a bowling green, with the kitchen garden south of this, in what became part of the park in the mid 20th century. Since the late 18th century different parts of the enclosures to the north and south of the ornamental glasshouse have been cultivated, but by 1923 (OS) the area to the south had been laid to lawn and that to the north planted as an orchard. <7> Area = 512