Monument Type(s):

• NURSERY GARDEN (Late 18th century - 1760 AD to 1799 AD)
• WALLED GARDEN (Late 18th century - 1760 AD to 1799 AD)

Summary

This site represents: a nursery garden of 18th century date, a walled garden of 18th century date.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA6300 - 2009 evaluation at Apley Castle by Nick Tavener Archaeological Contractor

Description

A new walled garden and nursery was built to the west of the old Apley Castle [PRN 00696] at the end of the 18th century and was probably contemporary with the new house built by Bromfield [PRN 12881]. The previous walled garden to the north east [PRN 08469] had been turned over to farm use by the early 19th century <1>

A conservatory and formal flower garden was built to the west of the castle at the same time as the conversion of the stable block. This was at the same time that the western arm of the moat was altered to form a pool <2>

Two evaluation trenches were dug in the western half of the early 19th century walled kitchen garden. Shallow trenches were identified, cut into the subsoil or the lower soil profile of both trenches; one found in Trench 1, and four identified in Trench 2. These all ran east west, with one yielding a clay tobaco pipe stem (Trench 1) and another yielding a piece of clay 18th century staffordshire pottery (Trench2). These trenches are likely to be garden features of early 19th century date associated with the use of the walled garden. A single sherd of medieval pottery was recovered from Trench 2. The soil matrix indicates that high-grade soils probably eminently suitable for horticulture have been present on the site throughout history. <3>

<01> Morriss Richard K, 1990, Apley Castle, Wellington, Shropshire: the Walled Garden & Farm: a Preliminary Survey (Field survey report). SSA20819.

<02> Horton Mark C, 1995, Apley Castle Park: Archaeological Evaluation of Development Site (Archaeological fieldwork report). SSA2728.

<03> Tavener Nick, 2009, The walled garden, Apley Castle, Wellington, Shropshire: report on an archaeological evaluation (Excavation report). SSA23325.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.