Catton Park, Old Catton, Norwich
Encyclopedia
Catton Park is a Grade 2 listed public park located in the village of Old Catton
some 2 miles north of central Norwich
. The park covers 70 acres (28.3 ha) and was landscape gardener Humphry Repton
's first commission. Adjacent, but outside the boundary of the present today park are two open spaces; the War Memorial Deer Park 52.6605°N 1.3031°E at Spixworth Road and the Buttercup Meadow 52.6568°N 1.2999°E at the junction of Oak Lane and Spixworth Road. Both were historically part of Catton Park and together with Catton Hall form part of the Old Catton conservation area.
. Open areas of the park were given over to arable
farming and ploughed up. After the war much of the park was broken up and mostly sold for residential development. Subsequent years of farming left just the 'bare bones' of Repton's original design. However, in 2005 the local community began an ambitious plan for the restoration and regeneration of the park with the aid of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund
. In October, 2007 the park was formally opened to the public by the Duke of Kent
. Today, the park is managed by the Catton Park Trust with support fom Broadland District Council
. In September 2010 the Catton Park Trust announced it had secured permission from English Heritage
to build a new warden's office and education building. The £250,000 single storey structure finished in Sweet chestnut
will be adjacent to the Oak Lane entrance.
.
, cedar and ancient oak
s scattered throughout the park. Mixed woodland containing oak, sweet chestnut
, and yew
make up much of the boundaries. Improvements in the early 21st century include new footpaths, fencing, pedestrian gates and tree planting.
The park is served by the No 10, 16, 18 FirstGroup services
Norwich railway station
Car parking available at the Oak Lane entrance
Pedestrian access at various points
Old Catton
Old Catton is a suburban village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk which lies to the north-east of central Norwich. The parish is bounded by the Norwich International Airport at Hellesdon to the west and Sprowston to the east...
some 2 miles north of central Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. The park covers 70 acres (28.3 ha) and was landscape gardener Humphry Repton
Humphry Repton
Humphry Repton was the last great English landscape designer of the eighteenth century, often regarded as the successor to Capability Brown; he also sowed the seeds of the more intricate and eclectic styles of the 19th century...
's first commission. Adjacent, but outside the boundary of the present today park are two open spaces; the War Memorial Deer Park 52.6605°N 1.3031°E at Spixworth Road and the Buttercup Meadow 52.6568°N 1.2999°E at the junction of Oak Lane and Spixworth Road. Both were historically part of Catton Park and together with Catton Hall form part of the Old Catton conservation area.
History
By the 1770s, land had been purchased and developed as an estate for occasional residence with the building of Catton Hall by Charles Buckle, High Steward of Norwich in c1780. In 1788 the Catton Hall estate passed into the hands of Jeremiah Ives (1754–1820) – twice Mayor of Norwich. Shortly after acquiring the estate, Ives consulted Repton who accepted the commission to landscape the park. Despite further alterations over the next 150 years, it remained a country park until the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Open areas of the park were given over to arable
Agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology,...
farming and ploughed up. After the war much of the park was broken up and mostly sold for residential development. Subsequent years of farming left just the 'bare bones' of Repton's original design. However, in 2005 the local community began an ambitious plan for the restoration and regeneration of the park with the aid of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
. In October, 2007 the park was formally opened to the public by the Duke of Kent
Duke of Kent
Duke of Kent is a title which has been created various times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of George V.-Pre-history:...
. Today, the park is managed by the Catton Park Trust with support fom Broadland District Council
Broadland
Broadland is a local government district in Norfolk, England, named after the Norfolk Broads. Its council is based in Thorpe St Andrew, which is a suburb of the City of Norwich.-History:The district was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of St...
. In September 2010 the Catton Park Trust announced it had secured permission from English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
to build a new warden's office and education building. The £250,000 single storey structure finished in Sweet chestnut
Sweet Chestnut
Castanea sativa is a species of the flowering plant family Fagaceae, the tree and its edible seeds are referred to by several common names such Sweet Chestnut or Marron. Originally native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, it is now widely dispersed throughout Europe and parts of Asia, such as...
will be adjacent to the Oak Lane entrance.
Humphry Repton
Catton was his first commission as a landscape gardener. Jeremiah Ives consulted him when he acquired the estate in 1788 and again in 1790. The main work was probably additional planting and landscaping other proposed alterations included a Ha-ha and a new entrance. Two of Repton's watercolours survive which show his improvements. At this stage he had not developed his 'before and after' technique found in his Red Books. Other work included the removal of trees to the south of the park to provide a view of the spire of Norwich CathedralNorwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral is a cathedral located in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Formerly a Catholic church, it has belonged to the Church of England since the English Reformation....
.
Description
Much of the park is open grassland sown with a mixture of grasses and wildflowers. There are notable specimen wellingtoniaSequoiadendron
Sequoiadendron giganteum is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens and...
, cedar and ancient oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s scattered throughout the park. Mixed woodland containing oak, sweet chestnut
Sweet Chestnut
Castanea sativa is a species of the flowering plant family Fagaceae, the tree and its edible seeds are referred to by several common names such Sweet Chestnut or Marron. Originally native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, it is now widely dispersed throughout Europe and parts of Asia, such as...
, and yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
make up much of the boundaries. Improvements in the early 21st century include new footpaths, fencing, pedestrian gates and tree planting.
Catton Hall
The hall 52.6609°N 1.296199°E is located on higher ground adjacent to the northern boundary was built by Charles Buckle as a country residence in c1780. It remained in private hands until 1948 when owner Desmond Buxton sold the hall and land to Norfolk County Council. The hall was used as a home for the elderly and was later sold and converted into apartments and remains closed to the public.Location
Today, the park is surrounded by housing estates and roads. Spixworth Road and Oak Lane form the eastern boundary, St Faiths Road the west, Church Street to the north while the south of the park is bounded by the A1042 road (Chartwell Road).Public access
- Bus
The park is served by the No 10, 16, 18 FirstGroup services
- Rail
Norwich railway station
Norwich railway station
Norwich is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At one...
Car parking available at the Oak Lane entrance
Pedestrian access at various points