HeritageGateway - Home
Site Map
Text size: A A A
You are here: Home > > > > Devon & Dartmoor HER Result
Devon & Dartmoor HERPrintable version | About Devon & Dartmoor HER | Visit Devon & Dartmoor HER online...

See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.


HER Number:MDV32500
Name:Castle Hill Park, Filleigh

Summary

Early 18th century landscape park and woodland, altered and restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. While varied and extensive 20th century planting of trees and shrubs has taken place in the grounds the essential layout of the parkland remains as it was in the late 18th century, with pools, copses, avenues and a series of garden temples. Across the centre of the park is a formal axis from a sham castle on top of the hill to the north, through the mansion to a triumphal arch on the opposite hillside.

Location

Grid Reference:SS 671 289
Map Sheet:SS62NE
Admin AreaDevon
Civil ParishChittlehampton
Civil ParishEast and West Buckland
Civil ParishFilleigh
Civil ParishSouth Molton
Civil ParishSwimbridge
DistrictNorth Devon
Ecclesiastical ParishCHITTLEHAMPTON
Ecclesiastical ParishEAST BUCKLAND
Ecclesiastical ParishFILLEIGH
Ecclesiastical ParishSOUTH MOLTON
Ecclesiastical ParishSWIMBRIDGE
Ecclesiastical ParishWEST BUCKLAND

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses

  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SS62NE/4/14
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SS62NE/99
  • Old Registered Parks and Gardens Ref (I)
  • SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • LANDSCAPE PARK (XVIII - 1701 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, 1934, Untitled Source, 272-277 (Article in Serial). SDV62540.

Unknown, 1934, Untitled Source, 300-305 (Article in Serial). SDV321631.

Unknown, 1938, Untitled Source, 426-430 (Article in Serial). SDV321632.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 67-68 (Monograph). SDV336196.

Fortescue, Earl, 1956, Address by the President. Some notes on the family of Fortescue (Article in Serial). SDV76556.

The present grounds were laid out by Hugh Fortescue in the 18th century.

Synge, P. M., 1977 - 1997, The Gardens of Britain, 31-33 (Monograph). SDV35790.

Harris, J., 1979, The Artist and the Country House, 180-181, 230 (Monograph). SDV62542.

Unknown, 1979, Untitled Source, 18-21 (Article in Serial). SDV321633.

Unknown, 1985, Untitled Source, 102-125 (Article in Serial). SDV62541.

English Heritage, 1987, Castle Hill Park, Devon (Register of Parks and Gardens in England). SDV321630.

Early 18th century landscape park and woodland, c 250ha, including much agricultural land. Extensive woodland. Landscape and garden activity at Castle Hill notable from c 1729 onwards, when lord clinton had an extensive formal and axial system of terraces laid out to south of the house, with a cruiciform canal 1/4km beyond. Modification of this scheme came in 1760 onwards. The cruiciform canal was filled in and transformed into a thin winding series of connected 'lakes' from spa wood. Numerous lesser garden buildings were planned, some built and now destroyed, some not executed. Balustrades, urns, statuary and sphinxes on principal terrace to south of house are mainly 18th century, altered and restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. While varied and extensive 20th century planting of trees and shrubs has taken place in the grounds the essential layout of the parkland remains as it was in the late 18th century.

Swete, J. (ed. Gray T. + Rowe, M.), 1997, Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete. Vol. 1, 45 (Monograph). SDV341166.

Revd Swete rode through the grounds of Castle Hill in 1792. He records the kennels, an ancient wood with many 'capital oaks', the Spa from which there is a view of the castle folly, 'highly ornamental' tree avenues and the triumphant arch with its direct line of sight through the house to the castle. He also mentions a Temple, a 'handsome' edifice dedicated to the memory of Earl Clinton in 1772 and a two storey building intended to be set up as a tea room.

Devon Gardens Trust, 1999, Devon Local Register (Un-published). SDV170167.

Listed under 'Contemporary Gardens'.

Colvin & Moggridge, 2000, Castle Hill Park Restoration Management Plan: Interim Report (Final), 15-18, 23, Fig. 4 (Report - non-specific). SDV62545.

Earl Clinton's Park, covering Oxford Down, Deep Meadow Park, Church Meadow Park, The Avenue and Meadow Park, was landscaped between 1719-1751. Earl Clinton set his new mansion in a new park. He moved the church to its present position and diverted the old turnpike to the south side of the valley. A formal axis exists at the centre of the park from a sham castle on top of the hill to the north, through the mansion to a triumphal arch on the opposite hillside. A symmetrical paddock was enclosed with formal avenues on embankments with a cruciform shaped pool at its centre. Oxford down was ornamented with copses, avenues, bodies of water and a series of gothic and palladian structures.

English Heritage, 2003, Castle Hill Park, Devon (Register of Parks and Gardens in England). SDV321628.

Upgraded to grade I in 2001.

Devon Gardens Trust, 2013, Devon Gazetteer of Parks and Gardens of Local Interest (Reg/Local list of Historic Parks and Gdns). SDV354335.

Greener, C., 2013, Garden Women in Devon, 10 (Article in Serial). SDV358469.

Castle Hill has a long history of employing women gardeners. In the 18th century the garden staff consisted of six women and four men.

Garrett, C., 2013, The Victorian Glasshouse and the Work of Messenger and Co. in Devon, 37 (Article in Serial). SDV358462.

At least 87 glasshouses by Messenger and Co. were supplied to clients in Devon from the 1860s to the 1920s, including a vinery, three peach houses, three greenhouses, a begonia house and a carnation house for the walled gardens at Castle Hill.

Walls, S. + Wapshott, E. + Balmond, F., 2018, Land Adjacent to Filleigh Village Hall, Filleigh, North Devon, Devon. Results of a Historical Visual Impact Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV362928.

An historical visual impact assessment was undertaken on land adjacent to Filleigh Village Hall in advance of a planning application for a proposed residential development.
The site, a sub oval shaped area that forming part of a field to the south of Barton Close and Paynes Cottages, is within the grounds of Castle Hill, a Grade I Registered Park and Garden. The park contains a number of designated and undesignated garden structures with the Grade II* Palladian mansion at the centre.
The park is mainly 18th century in design, laid out by Earl Clinton (1719-1751. Beneath is a ‘lost’ c. 16th century landscape. The church and mansion were built at this time and the turnpike road moved to its present location. The ‘new’ park had a central formal axis running from a fake castle on top of the hill through a new viewing platform in front of the house, across a pool, the new road and up to the arch. Other features included ornamental tree clumps and avenues, walled gardens, ponds and buildings and structures such as Sybil’s Cave, Rustic Bridge and Satyr’s Temple. The older deer park to the east remained largely unchanged. Additional neo-classical temples were built in the late 18th and early 19th century.
The proposed site lies away from the main visual axis of the estate and out of the key designed views of the primary design of the park and gardens. Most of the designated heritage assets are located at such a distance as to minimise the impact of the proposed development upon them. And, although the landscape context of many of the individual monuments and buildings is important with regards to their value and significance, most are partly or completely insulated from the proposed development by the topography and/or local blocking. Although the development will impinge in some way on some heritage assets, this is assessed as slight-neutral. Two 18th century features, a temple and a folly, which may have been visible were demolished in the 19th century and the views are now screened by later tree plantings. Generally it is not considered that the proposed development will significantly alter the character and significance of the historic parkland and the overall impact is, therefore, assessed as slight.
The buried archaeological potential of the site, however, is largely unknown as little is known of the pre-18th century landscape. A geophysical survey is, therefore, recommended to determine the presence and significance of any buried heritage assets. Depending on the results, it may be necessary for a field investigation to determine the nature of any anomalies recorded.

Historic England, 2024, National Heritage List for England, 1000120 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365835.

Castle Hill. An early C18 formal landscape with structures and water features laid out by Earl Clinton around a mansion designed by Lord Burlington, altered to a more natural form and extended in the mid C18 by Matthew, Lord Fortescue. Further C19 developments include early C19 structures and pleasure grounds around the house and extensive late C19 ornamental planting across the estate.
See listing description for full details.
Date first registered as a park and garden: 12th August 1987

Sources / Further Reading

SDV170167Un-published: Devon Gardens Trust. 1999. Devon Local Register. Devon Local Register of Parks and Gardens of Local Historic Interest. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV321628Register of Parks and Gardens in England: English Heritage. 2003. Castle Hill Park, Devon. Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.
SDV321630Register of Parks and Gardens in England: English Heritage. 1987. Castle Hill Park, Devon. Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. A4 Unbound.
SDV321631Article in Serial: Unknown. 1934. Country Life. 300-305.
SDV321632Article in Serial: Unknown. 1938. Country Life. 426-430.
SDV321633Article in Serial: Unknown. 1979. Country Life. Unknown. 18-21.
SDV336196Monograph: Pevsner, N.. 1952. The Buildings of England: North Devon. The Buildings of England: North Devon. Paperback Volume. 67-68.
SDV341166Monograph: Swete, J. (ed. Gray T. + Rowe, M.). 1997. Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete. Vol. 1. Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Sw. 1. Hardback Volume. 45.
SDV354335Reg/Local list of Historic Parks and Gdns: Devon Gardens Trust. 2013. Devon Gazetteer of Parks and Gardens of Local Interest. Historic Parks and Gardens - Register and Local List. Digital.
SDV35790Monograph: Synge, P. M.. 1977 - 1997. The Gardens of Britain. The Gardens of Britain. 1. Unknown. 31-33.
SDV358462Article in Serial: Garrett, C.. 2013. The Victorian Glasshouse and the Work of Messenger and Co. in Devon. The Devon Gardens Trust Journal. 3. A4 Paperback + Digital. 37.
SDV358469Article in Serial: Greener, C.. 2013. Garden Women in Devon. The Devon Gardens Trust Journal. 3. A4 Paperback + Digital. 10.
SDV362928Report - Assessment: Walls, S. + Wapshott, E. + Balmond, F.. 2018. Land Adjacent to Filleigh Village Hall, Filleigh, North Devon, Devon. Results of a Historical Visual Impact Assessment. South West Archaeology. 180712. Digital.
SDV365835National Heritage List for England: Historic England. 2024. National Heritage List for England. Website. 1000120. [Mapped feature: #87484 ]
SDV62540Article in Serial: Unknown. 1934. Country Life. Unknown. Unknown. 272-277.
SDV62541Article in Serial: Unknown. 1985. Garden History. 8.2. Unknown. 102-125.
SDV62542Monograph: Harris, J.. 1979. The Artist and the Country House. The Artist and the Country House. Unknown. 180-181, 230.
SDV62545Report - non-specific: Colvin & Moggridge. 2000. Castle Hill Park Restoration Management Plan: Interim Report (Final). Unknown. 15-18, 23, Fig. 4.
SDV76556Article in Serial: Fortescue, Earl. 1956. Address by the President. Some notes on the family of Fortescue. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 88. A5 Hardback.

Associated Monuments

MDV983Parent of: Castle Hill Cross, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV79536Parent of: Dog Kennels to west of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV31948Parent of: Front railings to Castle Hill grounds along Filleigh Road, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV31947Parent of: Gate piers, railings and gates at Meadow Park Lodge, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV37704Parent of: Holwell Temple approximately 2000m south of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV33785Parent of: Kennels 150m north-west of Darklane Lodge, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV31946Parent of: Meadow Park Lodge, Castle Hill Park (Building)
MDV31934Parent of: Satyr's Temple approximately 230m north-west of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Building)
MDV31935Parent of: Sham castle ruin to north of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV31930Parent of: Sunrise Temple approximately 30 metres north-east of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV31936Parent of: Sunset Temple approximately 230m north of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV31937Parent of: Triumphal Arch approximately 1060m south-east of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV31959Related to: 1 and 2 Paynes Cottages, Filleigh (Building)
MDV12024Related to: Castle Hill Deer Park, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV982Related to: Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Building)
MDV20701Related to: Castle Hill Icehouse (Monument)
MDV33786Related to: Fishpond in Lower Beer Wood (Monument)
MDV31929Related to: Garden structures in front of Castle Hill House, Filleigh (Monument)
MDV17732Related to: Menagerie Cottage, Filleigh (Building)
MDV125610Related to: The Smithy, Filleigh (Building)

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV8181 - Historic Building Recording: The Smithy, Filleigh Village, North Devon (Ref: 190606)
  • EDV9142 - Historical visual impact assessment of a proposed development on land adjacent to Filleigh Village Hall, Filleigh

Date Last Edited:Nov 13 2024 11:48AM