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Summary

The Cecils' 17th century gardens and landscaped park

Monument Types

• LANDSCAPE PARK (Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1900 AD)
• ORNAMENTAL GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events

• Geophysical survey of grounds at Hatfield House, 1995

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 158394: GATES,SCREEN AND 4 GATEPOSTS TO HATFIELD PARK
• Listed Building (II) 158411: WALL AND GATEPIERS AT THE LODGE HOUSE,HOME PARK
• Listed Building (II*) 158361: GATEHOUSE TO HATFIELD HOUSE WITH PORTER'S LODGE AND THE 2 ADJOINING COTTAGES ON THE SOUTH
• Listed Building (II) 158406: GARDEN WALLS AND GATES ON THE WEST SIDE OF HATFIELD HOUSE,JOINING THE PALACE
• Listed Building (II) 158367: ST ETHELREDA'S CHURCHYARD WALLS AND GATES ON EAST SIDE OF CECIL FAMILY BURIAL GROUND
• Listed Building (II) 158410: THE LODGE HOUSE HOME PARK,INCLUDING THE DEER LARDER
• Listed Building (II) 158412: WALLS AND PAVILIONS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE VINEYARD INCLUDING VINEYARD COTTAGES,HOME PARK
• Listed Building (II) 158395: STATUE OF THIRD MARQUESS OF SALISBURY
• Listed Building (II) 158404: GATES, WALLS AND PAVILIONS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HATFIELD HOUSE
• Listed Building (II) 158414: PAVILION IN THE VINEYARD,HOME PARK
• Listed Building (I) 158407: THE PALACE
• Listed Building (I)
• Listed Building (I) 158402: HATFIELD HOUSE
• Area of Archaeological Significance
• Registered Park or Garden (I) 32: Hatfield
• Listed Building (II) 158405: WALLS AND GATES ON THE NORTH AND WEST SIDES OF HATFIELD HOUSE
• Listed Building (II) 158415: ORCHARD HOUSE
• Listed Building (II) 158403: GARDEN WALLS ON EAST SIDE OF HATFIELD HOUSE
• Listed Building (II) 158413: WALLS BOUNDING NORTH SIDES OF THE VINEYARD IN HOME PARK

Full description

17th century gardens, redeveloped in the 19th and 20th centuries, 20 ha. within park and woodland of 212 ha. Plans drawn up by Mountain Jennings in 1609 and developed in 1610 by Thomas Chandler. Salomon de Caus designed waterworks from 1611. The east garden has upper terrace, formal garden, lower garden and lake with islands. Rare plants and seeds were imported and planted. The gardens were restored and developed in the 19th century and these designs have been largely retained in the late 20th century gardens. Recent development includes a sunken knot garden (1980-81) <1>. Geophysics recorded borders and planting beds, previous episodes of planting under grassed-over areas. See [2027] for Hatfield House, and [6473] for the medieval deer park.
The evidence for the gardens created by Robert Cecil at Hatfield House in the early 17th century, including contemporary plans and drawings, and building accounts, is examined in detail by <3>. By the end of the 18th century, when the estate was owned by the Earls of Salisbury, the park covered over a thousand acres <4>.
<7> has a late 18th century drawing showing a garden temple, where there is now a circular depression in the grass.
<8> gives documentation for a terrace and balustrade along the north front of the house. The balustrade was put up in 1650 using stone from the demolished palace at Theobalds [89], but was removed in the 18th century. The North Court was about half its later size, with a gate leading out into the park.

Barton, P R, 1979, Woodland management in the late seventeenth century; Herts Archaeology 7, 181-200` (Article in serial). SHT5982.

Prince, Hugh, 2010, Land use and landownership: a recent history of parks in Hertfordshire; Landscape History 31/1, 53-72, - p67 (Article in serial). SHT4000.

Rouse, Calli, 2011, North Car Park, Hatfield House, Hatfield, Herts (note on excavation of fountain base) (Unpublished document). SHT1246.

<1> English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, G1115 (Unpublished document). SHT3281.

<2> Holmes, Mark, & Dix, Brian, 1995, Resistivity survey at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, RNO 65 (Report). SHT7854.

<3> Henderson, Paula, 2002, A shared passion: the Cecils and their gardens; IN Pauline Croft (ed.), Patronage, culture & power: the early Cecils 1558-1612, p99-120 (Article in monograph). SHT4424.

<4> Spooner, Sarah, 2009, 'A prospect two fields' distance': rural landscapes and urban mentalities in the eighteenth century; Landscapes 10/1, 101-22, - p109 (Article in serial). SHT9881.

<5> HCC Planning Dept, 1979-82, Historic parklands and gardens in Hertfordshire; record sheets & supplementary material (Unpublished document). SHT8294.

<6> English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens (revised), GD1289 (Unpublished document). SHT3285.

<7> Brushe, John, 1977, The Charnock drawings; Hertfordshire Archaeology 5, 194-6, Pl XVI (Article in serial). SHT9709.

<8> Harcourt Williams, Robin, 2010, Heritage statement: Hatfield Park - proposed car parks (Unpublished document). SHT3858.

Sources and further reading

Related records

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