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Summary

The earliest park is believed to have been laid out circa 1680. A fine 18th century park with a lake survives which has been attributed to Capability Brown.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Cropmarks of possible prehistoric or Roman settlement, ditches of water meadow system, section of former leat to Talaton Mill and Escot Park, an C18 historic parkland
• SHINE: Cropmarks of possible prehistoric or Roman settlement, ditches of water meadow system, section of former leat to Talaton Mill and Escot Park, an C18 historic parkland

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09NE/16/8
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PARK (XVII to XIX - 1601 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Escot Park' shown. Map object based on this source.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 484 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Gallant, L., 1986, Deer Parks and Paddocks of England (Un-published). SDV656.

In 18th century the park lay behind the house. A fairly small park with house shown on Donn's map of 1765.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 356 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Longstaffe-Gowan, T., 1991, Report on the History of the Grounds of Escot House (Report - Survey). SDV355564.

The two successive escot houses lie within an extensive park. The earliest park is believed to have been laid out circa 1680, and successive modifications are envisaged. Although extensive documentation of the house and park is summarised, no plan showing the exact extent of the parkland is provided in the report.

Gray, T., 1995, The Garden History of Devon: An Illustrated Guide to Sources, 98-101 (Monograph). SDV671.

Sale particulars of 1794 noted that it briefly comprised "pleasure ground, shrubbery, gardens, fish ponds, park". Fine parkland survives which has been attributed to Capability Brown but John Veitch also gave advice on the grounds.

Devon Gardens Trust, 1999, Devon Local Register, 48 (Un-published). SDV170167.

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

Clark, J. + Richardson, D., 2013, Escot (Un-published). SDV356812.

Escot House was built in 1837 by Henry Roberts for Sir John Kennaway replacing an earlier house built in 1680 which was destroyed by fire in 1808. The present building is a plain three storeyed block of yellow brick in an uninspired neo-Grecian style with a raised terrace to the south and west of the piano nobile. A fine C18 park with a lake survives which has been attributed to Capability Brown. John Veitch also gave advice on the grounds and the philosopher John Locke is reputed to have planted some of the beeches.
‘Perhaps there are no plantations in Devonshire so strong and luxuriant as those at Escot’, said Polwhele in the 1790’s.
Sale particulars of 1794 noted ’the pleasure grounds, shrubbery and flower garden, laid out in serpentine gravel walks and grass plots, and planted with a great variety of healthy trees, flowering shrubs and plants’ as well as ’a kitchen garden, orchard and melon ground, a hot-house, peachery and greenhouse’. ‘ Parks, pleasure grounds, groves, plantations, fish ponds and meadows, most beautifully formed by nature, tastefully ornamented with stately oak, beech and other trees, and commanding delightful prospects of the surrounding rich country, to a great extent, and refreshed by a constant stream running through the grounds.’ The Great Park comprised 161 acres and the Front Park 26 acres.
White (1850) noted it as ‘a handsome seat…… Escot House stands on a well-wooded demense of 500 acres, remarkable for the luxuriant growth of its firs and forest trees.’

Greener, C., 2013, Garden Women in Devon, 9 (Article in Serial). SDV358469.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Map object based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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