Monument Type(s):

• DEER PARK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)
• GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)
• PARK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)
• ARMY CAMP? (Second World War - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Summary

The site of a post medieval park, deer park and garden, associated with Mawley Hall (PRN 10813).

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA8642 - 2018 DBA of Mawley Hall by BSA Heritage (Ref: 18/03264/FUL)
• ESA8702 - 2018 Heritage impact assessment, Fountain Garden, Mawley Hall by Justin Ayton (Ref: 18/03913/FUL)
• ESA8703 - 2018 Trial trenching, Fountain Garden, Mawley Hall, Shropshire by Foundations Archaeology (Ref: 18/03913/FUL)
• ESA9265 - 2020 Heritage assessment of area of potting shed at Mawley Hall by Justin Ayton (Ref: 20/01471/FUL)
• ESA10269 - 2020 Heritage assessment of the landscape park at Mawley Hall by Kim Auston (Ref: 20/01607/FUL)
• ESA10270 - 2020 DBA of Main House and Terraces at Mawley Hall by BSA Heritage (Ref: 20/01607/FUL)
• ESA10271 - 2020 Landscape statement for Mawley Hall by Colson Stone Practice (Ref: 20/01607/FUL)
• ESA10272 - 2020 DBA for ground source heat pump system at Mawley Hall by BSA Heritage (Ref: 20/02585/FUL)

Description

A deer park of 92 acres at Mawley Hall (SA 10813) enclosed mostly by a stone wall. Extant prior to 1552 when the park pale was removed <1a><1b>

Mawley Hall, home of the Blounts, was at one time attributed to Thomas White but is now thought to have been built c.1730 by Francis Smith of Warwick (1672-1738) for Sir Edward Blount d. 1757). In 1771, when it was owned by his grandson Sir Walter Blount, it was clearly a lavishly and expensively furnished house; 'every room is carved in the most expensive taste …. Lady Blount …. Seems to have everything very clever, and a thousand knick-knacks from abroad, as one generally sees in these Catholic families'. A group of architectural drawings in private hands suggests that in the mid to late 18th century the Blounts were contemplating (the degree of implementation is unknown) improvements to the surrounds of the Hall. Drawings include a landscaping scheme (by a Mr Bond, n.d.); a lodge and gateway (J. Davenport, n.d. [John Davenport, landscape gardener and architect, of Burlton Grove, Wem: inf. From Mr. Howard Colvin]); a lodge and gateway (J. Davenport, n.d.); 'a greenhouse made from the library bookcase' (?Walter Blount himself, 1783; with note stating that in 1784 the library bookcase had in fact been used to build a seat in Sturt wood); an orangery (J. Davenport, n.d); a hothouse (J. Davenport, n.d.); an ice-house and railing (?Walter Blount, 1768); ha-has ([?Richard] Woods, n.d.); Lemp Brook bridge (James Rose, n.d.); fencing to sheep lawn ([?Richard] Woods, n.d.); gates, fences, etc. (Messrs. Bond, Woods, etc., n.d.). The collection of architectural drawings was offered to the Shropshire Record Office in 1990, and paragraphs 1 and 2 are taken from details supplied by the dealer. S.R.O. declined to purchase them. Other sources for Mawley Hall include Archaeological Journal 113 (1956), 194-5; Country Life 28 (1910), 18). In the early 19th century the park, at least in its broad outlines, was much as it was in 1883 (R. Baugh, Map of Shropshire (1808); C. and J. Greenwood, Map of Shropshire (1827); O.S. 1, LV.NE (1833); O.S. 6, L.NE [?1883]), although the north lodge apparently post-dates 1833. In the mid and later 19th century the park contained deer; the herd comprised c.100 fallow deer (J. Whitaker, A Descriptive List of the Deer Parks of England (1892), 127-8; F.C. Childe, A Sketch of the Parish of Cleobury Mortimer (1874), 8). About 1964 Mawley Hall was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Galliers-Pratt, who proceeded to redesign the gardens. Elements included a parterre garden to the west front; a temple (1967); an octagonal folly (1973); and a rhododendron avenue leading from the east front to an obelisk (1977) (Country Life, 5 March 1987, 108-11) <2>

Photographed during aerial survey in 2008. <6><7>

A heritage assessment was prepared for land at Mawley Hall, near Cleobury Mortimer in March 2018, in association with restoration of the hall that may include proposals which could disturb the ground surface close to the hall and more widely within the surrounding parkland. ->

-> This analyses the evidence for the development of the park. It cites the VCH entry (<1a>) which suggests that the park pale was renewed as opposed to being removed, in 1552. Shropshire Archives holds a copy of an undated pamphlet produced by the Galliers-Pratts, presumably to inform open days once they owned the Hall. A Country Life article of 1987 confirms that the Galliers-Pratts took ownership from 1961 and gradually restored the main house and made their own mark on the grounds. As well as the garden additions mentioned in <2>, a garden north east of the coach house was created where there had been yews. However, it is not clear from this source material that the obelisk was associated with a rhododendron avenue or if this lay elsewhere. The folly’s windows were salvaged from the chapel, which was presumably demolished at this time. ->

-> Newspaper articles held in Shropshire Archives suggest that the wall was requisitioned in 1940 and derequisitioned in 1951, with a number of departments having had responsibility for it in the intervening period. Companies of US Army troops were stationed at Mawley Hall between December 1943 and July 1944 supporting the build up to D-Day. Both engineers and signals troops were billeted at the hall, with the former involved with constructing temporary camps in the area. However, the hundred or so men likely to have formed each unit could probably have been housed within the existing buildings and the stay was short enough that additional structures other than tents were unlikely to have been erected on site. One newspaper article mentioned above makes passing comment to US troops having broken into the chapel during their sojourn. <8><8a>

A statement of significance and impact assessment was undertaken of the Fountain Garden, to the S of Mawley Hall, and forming part of the designed landscape around the hall (PRN 07740). This report includes an outline overview of the gardens' development. This notes that in the dry summer of 2018, parchmarks emerged to the S of the house probably indicating the layout of an enclosed formal garden, aligned on the S façade, of possibly 18th century in date. The Fountain Garden is described as typical of garden development of the early-19th century. <9>

Subsequent to <9>, an archaeological evaluation, consisting of five targeted trenches, was undertaken of the Fountain Garden in advance of proposed restoration of garden features. Due to heavy vegetation one of the trenches could not be excavated. The evaluation located features in the five excavated trenches, which included pathways, steps and walls as well as a possible structure and planting bed within the formal garden. However, Post-medieval pottery, CBM and glass was recovered from topsoil deposits associated with the majority of the features. The lower stone flags at the southern end of the steps and associated retaining wall were in relatively good condition along with relatively well-preserved gravel paths and the driveway which could be clearly identified upon excavation. By contrast, the remains of the circular garden structure and the possible rectangular planting bed were more ephemeral. Evidence of previous phases of repair or rebuilding were identified at the formal garden steps. <10>

Sources

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