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Summary

Largely 20th century gardens with much earlier elements

Monument Types

• ORNAMENTAL GARDEN (Post Medieval to Twentieth Century - 1501 AD to 2000 AD)
• PARK (Post Medieval to Twentieth Century - 1501 AD to 2000 AD)

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 159599: REMAINS OF BENINGTON CASTLE (IN GROUNDS OF THE LORDSHIP 15 METRES TO SOUTH EAST OF HOUSE)
• Listed Building (II*) 159598: BENINGTON LORDSHIP
• Registered Park or Garden 11: Benington Lordship
• Listed Building (II) 159600: SUMMERHOUSE AND CURTAIN WALL AT BENINGTON LORDSHIP (30 METRES TO SOUTH EAST OF HOUSE)
• Listed Building (II)

Full description

Early 20th century gardens of c.3 ha., redeveloped post-1979, with adjacent parkland of 18 ha. 12th century remains of Benington castle with dry moat and church of St Peter [4353] form visual elements in the scheme. Major features include two ponds (possibly fishponds), open parkland and agricultural land with scattered mature trees and woodland. Other smaller features from 1906 onwards include a sunken garden, a pond system, a rockery and a walled kitchen garden <1>. Between the house and the castle is a stone and flint gatehouse that is a neo-Norman folly added in 1832 <2> (see [12012]).
A small mound or other feature appears on the 1884 6 inch map <3> in the centre of a field at TL 29800 23722; it is hard to say what it is, as it is not shown on 25 inch maps. It may have disappeared when the Bott family made a new driveway after they bought the house in the late 19th century (destroying part of the castle earthworks in the process) <4>. West of the castle is a deep valley in which are two ponds and traces of a dam, suggesting that on this side the medieval earthworks may have been converted into a lake. Other elements in the landscape include traces of ridge and furrow, predating the park; a hollow way to the west; a fine avenue of oak trees leading westwards from the castle; and the remains of the former approach to the house. This drive cuts through the remains of a small post-medieval property SW of the church; buildings are shown in this area on a late 17th century estate map <5>. There are also documentary references to a medieval hunting park <5>, but this was at Benington Place; see [6468].

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20367 (Photograph). SHT16584.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20370 (Photograph). SHT16587.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20371 (Photograph). SHT16588.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20372 (Photograph). SHT16589.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20373 (Photograph). SHT16590.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20374 (Photograph). SHT16591.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20375 (Photograph). SHT16592.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20376 (Photograph). SHT16593.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20377 (Photograph). SHT16594.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20378 (Photograph). SHT16595.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Benington Lordship, PNO 20379 (Photograph). SHT16596.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Gatefouse folly, Benington Lordship, PNO 20368 (Photograph). SHT16585.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Gatehouse folly, Benington Lordship, PNO 20365 (Photograph). SHT16582.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Gatehouse folly, Benington Lordship, PNO 20366 (Photograph). SHT16583.

HCC (General/Archaeology), 1998, Gatehouse folly, Benington Lordship, PNO 20369 (Photograph). SHT16586.

<1> English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, G1108 (Unpublished document). SHT3281.

<2> House & Garden, March 1998 (Serial). SHT4873.

<3> OS 6" map, 1st edition (1868-84), 1884 (Cartographic material). SHT8054.

<4> Information from Anne Rowe, Information from Sarah Bott (Verbal communication). SHT4974.

<5> National Monuments Record, NMR Monument Report (Hertfordshire), RNO 2347 p117, 136 (Unpublished document). SHT9440.

<6> HCC Planning Dept, 1979-82, Historic parklands and gardens in Hertfordshire; record sheets & supplementary material (Unpublished document). SHT8294.

<7> Centre for the Conservation of Historic Parks and Gardens, Survey and inventory form 1: site recommendations, 1985 (Unpublished document). SHT7200.

<8> English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens (revised), GD1904 (Unpublished document). SHT3285.

Sources and further reading

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