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Summary

Small park created in the post-enclosure period to form a setting for Alconbury House.

Monument Type(s):

• PARK (19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• SERPENTINE WALK (19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• LANDSCAPE PARK (19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• (Former Type) AVENUE (LANDSCAPE FEATURE) (19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• DRIVE (19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• WALLED GARDEN (19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• FORMAL GARDEN (19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• PAVILION (19th century - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status:

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of ridge and furrow, Alconbury Park

Full description

1. Small park created in 1850 to form a setting for Alconbury House. Sometimes confused with Weybridge Park.

2. Small park created in the post-enclosure period to form a setting for Alconbury House. This park (no.3) has been confused in some sources with parks numbers 1 (Weybridge Park) and 2 (Alconbury Weston).

3. The park at Alconbury House appears to have been created in the post enclosure period to provide a setting for the house. The park has at times been confused with the 17th century Weybridge Park. Alconbury House was built in the early part of the 19th century, originally in the hands of the Rust family. The house is shown on the 1791 enclosure map but no accompanying park. Subsequent to enclosure, it was surrounded with a well-timbered park, through which previous field divisions can still faintly be seen. Winding serpentine walks and a drive link the house to the road on the western side whilst an avenue once led to an exit on Ermine Street, south of the house. Examination of aerial photography suggests the park still exists although some area has been lost to road-building.

4. The associated park and gardens of Alconbury House were created in 1850, when the house was enlarged by Hodson and Vesey. The house is situated on a commanding site east of the village from where there are commanding views to the south and west through heavily wooded parkland, now reduced to 50 acres. Many elms have recently been lost but a fine yew that predates the house still stands. There is a short double avenue from the west with a drive through shrubberies to the house. From there a path leads to a walled garden with chamfered corners and a small pavilion along the southern wall. To the north was an avenue to Ermine Street, now developed into a lorry park which led to stables and other ancillary buildings.

<1> Way, T., 1998, Cambridgeshire Parks & Gardens Survey (Unpublished document). SCB15975.

<2> Way, T., 1997, A Study of the Impact of Imparkment on the Social Landscape of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire from c1080 to 1760, p243, park 3 (Bibliographic reference). SCB18038.

<3> Way, T., 1999, Historic Parks and Gardens in Cambridgeshire, 14 (Unpublished document). SCB21125.

<4> Cambridgeshire Garden Trust, 2000, The Gardens of Cambridgeshire: A Gazetteer, 139-140 (Bibliographic reference). SCB21348.

Sources and further reading

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