Hadspen house and garden
Encyclopedia
Hadspen house and garden is an estate between Pitcombe
and Ansford
, Somerset
.
Hadspen House was purchased before 1747 by Vickris Dickinson, and then sold in 1767 to Charles Medows
and subsequently to John Ford who in 1785 sold it to Henry Hobhouse. His son Arthur
was born there and it has remained in the family ever since.
s and stone chimney stacks. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a grade II* listed building.
Within the grounds are a coachhouse, cottage, granary, southwest lodge, stables and summerhouse. There are also plans to build a number of modern follies in the grounds.
The clock house was an old barn converted into a modern five-bedroom dwelling in 2000.
Within and around the 3000 square metre (0.741315489045828 acre) old walled vegetable garden a twentieth century Arts and Crafts garden
was created by Penelope Hobhouse
, with later development by Nori and Sandra Pope. It was opened to visitors in 1970. Hellebores and hosta
s were bred here. During 2007 the garden was the subject of an open design competition, which was widely advertised in national print and broadcast media, but which also attracted some controversy about the appropriateness of the competition, including the bulldozing of the old garden . There was also subsequently a lack of publicity surrounding selection of any succeeding design. The garden has not re-opened to the public and its current state is perhaps most succinctly described as a concept in development.
Pitcombe
Pitcombe is a village and civil parish south-west of Bruton and from Wincanton in Somerset, England. It has a population of 549. The parish includes the hamlets of Cole and Godminster....
and Ansford
Ansford
Ansford is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on the northern edge of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,048....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.
Hadspen House was purchased before 1747 by Vickris Dickinson, and then sold in 1767 to Charles Medows
Charles Pierrepont, 1st Earl Manvers
Charles Pierrepont, 1st Earl Manvers was an English nobleman and naval officer, born Charles Medows, the second son of Philip Medows, deputy ranger of Richmond Park, and Lady Frances, daughter of Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull.Educated at Oxford, he became a midshipman in the...
and subsequently to John Ford who in 1785 sold it to Henry Hobhouse. His son Arthur
Arthur Hobhouse
Sir Arthur Lawrence Hobhouse was a long-serving English local government Liberal politician, who is best remembered as the architect of the system of National parks of England and Wales....
was born there and it has remained in the family ever since.
House
The house was built for William Player in the late 17th century, but has undergone several major restorations. It is built of Cary stone ashlar, with a hipped Welsh slate roof behind parapetParapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
s and stone chimney stacks. It has been designated by 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...
as a grade II* listed building.
Within the grounds are a coachhouse, cottage, granary, southwest lodge, stables and summerhouse. There are also plans to build a number of modern follies in the grounds.
The clock house was an old barn converted into a modern five-bedroom dwelling in 2000.
Garden
William Player created formal gardens and courts around the house within a private park of 300 acres (1.2 km²) with two fountains, and planted avenues on three axes. The plantations behind the house were cut in the mid 18th century by vistas and ornamented with an artificial mount and a seat. The terraces and formal gardens were created in the 20th century around the house and on Pen Hill, including a large walled area later associated with a commercial nursery.Within and around the 3000 square metre (0.741315489045828 acre) old walled vegetable garden a twentieth century Arts and Crafts garden
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
was created by Penelope Hobhouse
Penelope Hobhouse
Penelope Hobhouse is a garden writer, designer, lecturer and television presenter.-Background:...
, with later development by Nori and Sandra Pope. It was opened to visitors in 1970. Hellebores and hosta
Hosta
Hosta is a genus of about 23–45 species of lily-like plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae, native to northeast Asia. They have been placed in their own family, Hostaceae ; like many 'lilioid monocots', they were once classified in the Liliaceae...
s were bred here. During 2007 the garden was the subject of an open design competition, which was widely advertised in national print and broadcast media, but which also attracted some controversy about the appropriateness of the competition, including the bulldozing of the old garden . There was also subsequently a lack of publicity surrounding selection of any succeeding design. The garden has not re-opened to the public and its current state is perhaps most succinctly described as a concept in development.