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MENTMORE TOWERS Bucks MENTMORE TOWERS Bucks DESIGNED LANDSCAPE APPRAISAL Volume 2 of 3 HISTORIC CHARACTER AREAS Aviary with Joseph Mercy & family 1904 (Mentmore Society) Commissioned by AYLESBURY VALE DISTRICT COUNCIL AND HISTORIC ENGLAND From SR Historic Environment Ltd November 2018 0 Mentmore Towers Designed Landscape Appraisal, vol. 2 of 3, Historic Character Areas, SRHEL November 2018 CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Executive Summary (from Volume 1) ..................................................................................................... 5 Significance of Key Features to historic landscape design ...................................................................... 7 Summary of Character Area Significances to Mentmore Towers Designed Landscape & Key Historic Features .................................................................................................................................................. 9 CHARACTER AREA ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................. 16 CORE OF THE LANDSCAPE ..................................................................................................................... 16 1 Terraces and Parterres .................................................................................................................. 16 2 Main Drive and Forecourt ............................................................................................................. 18 3 East Pleasure Ground including The Gardens and South Lawn .................................................... 20 4 West Pleasure Ground: Big Wood ................................................................................................ 23 5 North Wood .................................................................................................................................. 24 6 Cheddington Drive ........................................................................................................................ 26 7 Glasshouse Yard and Manor House .............................................................................................. 28 8 Kitchen Garden and Orchards ....................................................................................................... 30 WIDER DESIGNED LANDSCAPE .............................................................................................................. 33 9 South Park ..................................................................................................................................... 33 10 West Park .................................................................................................................................. 35 11 East Park .................................................................................................................................... 37 12 North Park ................................................................................................................................. 39 13 Cheddington (Grand) Avenue ................................................................................................... 41 14 List of Issues in Each Character Area ........................................................................................ 43 See also Volume 1 Designed Landscape Analysis Volume 3 Historic Maps & Images Figure 1 Character Areas Map, Wider Designed Landscape Figure 2 Character Areas Map, Core of Designed Landscape 1 Mentmore Towers Designed Landscape Appraisal, vol. 2 of 3, Historic Character Areas, SRHEL November 2018 INTRODUCTION This is Volume 2 of 3 in the Mentmore Towers Designed Landscape Appraisal. Volume 1: Designed Landscape Analysis, Statement of Significance and Appendices Volume 2 (this volume): Historic Character Areas Both are informed by Volume 3 Historic Maps & Images. Using the historical and thematic information presented in Volume 1, together with significances, this volume presents key information about historic and current aspects of the character areas. Initially it summarises the significance and key features of each character area, and then presents detailed information for each area based on a group of headings repeated in each area. This has not included the village as this is covered in more detail in the accompanying Conservation Area Appraisal. Finally the main issues for each area are presented in the final section, grouped together from the previous area sections. For the core of the site (Areas 1‐6) further detailed information is available in Elizabeth Banks Associates, ‘Mentmore Towers Landscape Conservation Plan’ (2001, copy at BCC HER). While this is now 17 years old, it is believed that the situation has not greatly changed and that the Conservation Tasks itemised would form a useful basis for a conservation programme, if reviewed and updated with the current conditions and circumstances. The information in that document has in places contributed towards the relevant Character Area survey and sections. Levels of Historic Significance The significance of each Character Area is based on its value within the Mentmore landscape design. The following levels are defined: A Exceptional significance: Fundamental to the design concept, historic fabric or to historic interest. B Considerable significance: Essential elements specific to the vocabulary of the design or fabric. C Some significance: of historic interest; contributes to design/fabric complexity. D Little or neutral significance. E Intrusive or harmful: Harms the historic character or fabric. NB Regardless of the level of historic significance, when considering significant change the impact on adjacent areas of similar or higher significance must always be taken into account. 2 Mentmore Towers Designed Landscape Appraisal, vol. 2 of 3, Historic Character Areas, SRHEL November 2018 12. North Park Wing road avenue 10. West Park 8. Kitchen Areas 1‐7 Garden & orchard 9. South 11. East Park 6. Cheddington Park Drive (within South Park) 10. West Park 13. Grand Avenue Figure 1 Character Areas Map, Wider Designed Landscape (study area boundary in black). © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 Ordnance Survey ?? Key to Significance Levels Denoted by Box Colours: Red: A Exceptional Orange: B Considerable Green: C Some 3 Mentmore Towers Designed Landscape Appraisal, vol. 2 of 3, Historic Character Areas, SRHEL November 2018 12. North Park 10. West Park 5. North Wood 2. Main Drive & Forecourt 3. The 1. Terraces Gardens 7. Manor House & Parterres Glasshouse Yard 3. South Lawn 4. Big Wood 3. The Gardens 9. South Park 6. Cheddington Drive (within South Park) Figure 2 Character Areas Map, Core of Designed Landscape. © Crown copyright and database rights 2018 Ordnance Survey ?? Key to Significance Levels Denoted by Box Colours: Red: A Exceptional Orange: B Considerable Green: C Some 4 Mentmore Towers Designed Landscape Appraisal, vol. 2 of 3, Historic Character Areas, SRHEL November 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (FROM VOLUME 1) SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE The designed landscape as a whole, begun c.1850 and completed by c.1920, is of exceptional national historic interest. It forms part of an outstanding ensemble at the heart of a newly created country estate of architecture and planting as the setting for a mid‐late C19 connoisseur’s art collection (now gone), family home and venue for great political and social events. This was all developed on a huge new site to display the extent of the owners’ taste, wealth, power and philanthropy, forming the earliest and probably most influential of the group of seven great Rothschild family country estates in the Vale of Aylesbury, setting the highest standards of artistry for succeeding family members. It represented one of the most important High Victorian ensembles of this type in the country, and although the artefacts in the collection have gone the combination of architecture and landscape as a set piece is outstanding. This was one of Joseph Paxton’s most important commissions, combining architecture and landscape design in a single magnificent phase. The exceptional significance of the designed landscape is recognised by Historic England’s designation at Grade II* on the Register of Parks and Gardens (one of 39 Registered sites in Bucks, and c.1670 Registered sites nationwide) placing it among only 440 registered parks and gardens of ‘more than special interest’ in England. 1 The integral and contemporary village, although not the most extensive, is one of the best preserved of Rothschild estate villages. The wider setting in the rural Vale of Aylesbury is of the highest significance, particularly views relating to the Wing and Ascott scarp to the north and the 15 mile long Chiltern scarp to the south. SIGNIFICANCE OF INDIVIDUAL AREAS AND FEATURES While the landscape design should be considered as a whole as far as possible, the various levels of significance of areas within it to the design can be identified as follows. Within this design the most important areas, which are of exceptional significance to it (category A), are those with the highest design level and the strongest design relationship to the mansion. They include immediately around the mansion the terraces and parterres (Area 1), and the Main Drive and Forecourt (Area 2), and further away the Cheddington Drive (Area 6), South Park (Area 9), and Cheddington (Grand Avenue) (Area 13) as part of
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