YORKSHIRE GARDENS TRUST NEWSLETTER

Issue 26 New Series 9 Winter 2010 Inside this issue: Funding Appeal for Parcevall Hall Gardens Special Project Since the YGT visit to Par- Like the early days at was undertaken by Par- Chairman’s Letter 2 cevall Hall in 2006 further Harlow Carr, projects at cevall's gardeners and restoration projects have Parcevall are still com- was finally completed in Mulgrave 4 been completed. The pleted on a shoestring 2008. However reinstat- walled up entrance to the ing the lake and waterfall house terrace from the Ca- was beyond even their Ampleforth 7 mellia Walk has been re- amazing skills. As funding opened and the two flights was difficult to find, the Farrer Study Day 7 of stone steps to this top decision was taken to terrace rebuilt in spring last restore the lake but not Sleightholmedale Lodge 10 year. Recently discovered the waterfall. architectural drawings en- sured that this reconstruc- Parcevall Hall Gardens Knaresborough 10 tion was historically accu- Waterfall Project aims to rate. Last August the complete this restoration. New YGT Publication 12 house terrace looked ex- The project is to build a ceptionally beautiful with new waterfall in front of an arch of Eucryphia gluti- the existing structure us- Midsummer Picnic 13 nosa in full flower framing ing local weathered the top of the new steps. Current Cascade stone, together with a Yorkshire’s Parklands 14 Sir William's classic cross- new naturalistic pool at axial feature, so typical of budget. A great depth of the bottom of the fall. It Edwardian Gardens and so rubble was dug out en- will mask the current Cowesby Hall 15 important to the overall tirely by hand by the Par- "brutal" and "austere" design of the terraces can cevall gardeners last utilitarian structure, and YGT Website 17 be enjoyed again after hav- year for the steps project. recreate a waterfall simi- ing been lost for over thirty lar to the original. The years. Tarn Ghyll Wood, near design has been ap- Borthwick 17 the entrance to the gar- proved by the regional The restoration programme dens, suffered total ne- landscape architect at Council Away Day 18 for the gardens was started glect after the death of English Heritage, Andrew over twenty-five years ago Sir William in 1960 and Wimble, and also by the Robin Compton 18 and most of the projects quickly became impene- landscape conservation have been undertaken by trable. The lake started to officer, Janet Swailes, for the gardening staff at Par- leak and the waterfall the Yorkshire Dales Na- Committee round-up 19 cevall without any external below was destroyed. tional Park. The total cost funding, apart from small The huge task of clearing of the project is £13,825. Small Grants Scheme 23 grants from "The Friends of the wood and re- Parcevall Hall Gardens". establishing the footpaths (Continued on page 2)

Helen Lazenby 1948 - 2010 With the death of Helen Lazenby on Monday, 22nd February, the Yorkshire Gardens Trust has lost one of its most loyal and ardent supporters as well as a true friend. Helen was a founder member of the Trust who played a huge part in setting it up. Her talents as a writer and researcher cannot be overstated. She was also responsible for orga- nizing some of the Trusts most memorable occasions and this she did with meticulous detail and planning. But above all Helen was a lovely person who radiated enthusiasm. Her passion for gardens and historic landscapes has been richly woven into the fabric of the Yorkshire Gardens Trust and this will be her legacy. She loved life, and lived it to the full. She attended almost all our events and it was always a pleasure to be in her company. I can see her now at the Summer Picnic enjoying a glass of wine and being with friends of like-minded interests. It is hard and extremely sad to imagine these occasions without her. Our thoughts are with her family.

PAGE 2 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Funding Appeal for Parcevall Hall Gardens Special Project cont.

(Continued from page 1) death this year. place by June in order to draw Sir William played a leading role in down promised grant. If you could the horticultural world in the North of The YGT considers that the recrea- help us achieve this target we could England, becoming the chairman of tion of this waterfall is so important for add the final piece to Sir William's the Yorkshire Branch of the newly the overall enjoyment of the gardens most beautiful Arts & Crafts garden. formed Northern Horticultural Soci- at Parcevall Hall and we have been ety of 1946 and the second Director active in attending meetings, offering To make a donation please com- of Harlow Carr Gardens for the advice, donating monies and spear- plete the enclosed form or contact years 1955-60. Completion of this heading the fund-raising. We are now Anne Tupholme on 01274 563216 restoration project would be a fitting getting near the target but still have to for further information. tribute to its remarkable creator to raise £3,000. This needs to be in Anne Tupholme mark the 50th anniversary of his Chairman’s Letter As we emerge from a winter that RMS leaves England just twice a cally endangered. Green Mountain is many of us will remember as one of year from Portland and spends the a man-made phenomenon and looks the severest in our lifetimes, I am rest of the time in the South Atlantic incongruous set amongst the basalt sure, like me, you are longing to get offering a ferry service between peaks and clinker-strewn plains of into the garden and prepare for Cape Town, Ascension and Na- such a barren Island. spring. With the snow almost gone, mibia. Islanders or ‘Saints’ as they gardeners will be assessing the are called, who have serious health Amazingly this verdant environment damage caused to shrubs and trees problems may have to wait for up to was caused by one of Britain’s most that have snapped under the weight six weeks for the ship to return to influential botanists, Sir Joseph Dal- of heavy snow or perished from ex- take them the six day journey to ton Hooker (1817-1911). His brief visit treme low temperatures. Recent hospital in Cape Town. to the Island was to have a profound advice to both farmers and garden- impact on it. Hooker was concerned ers to grow more Mediterranean After twelve glorious days at sea our for the British garrison stationed on type plants has proved that nature is ship dropped anchor off Ascension, the Mountain so he proposed the unpredictable. Understanding a the remote volcanic Island where planting of trees and shrubs on its plant’s behaviour in alien countries the Americans have their air base. steep inclines in the hope of increas- is something we have not always Those of us who wanted to explore ing rainfall. A gardener was appointed got right and this I saw first hand the Island were taken ashore in little and plants from South America and during a visit to Saint Helena and boats. In 1775 James Cook had South Africa were brought in abun- indeed Ascension Island last Octo- sailed into Georgetown Bay in the dance to create a pleasing lushness. ber. Resolution to collect turtle meat and In 1847 seven hundred packets of you can still see the original holding seeds arrived from Kew and today Our epic sea journey on the RMS ponds today: thankfully the turtles Green Mountain is home to exotic Saint Helena, which included 8 days are now a protected species. The plants from all over the world much to on the Island, took four weeks and ships purser had arranged for me to the chagrin of conservationists like ended at Cape Town. This was a meet the Island’s resident botanist Stedson and Matti who mourn the story in itself travelling with Island- Stedson Stroud, a big hearted man mountains natural habitat. ers returning from England to be who is dedicated to preserving the with their families at Christmas Islands six remaining endemic We took on board some new passen- along with heavy cargo which in- plants. I was fortunate to see all of gers at Ascension including a pris- cluded a fire engine, a present from them including Stedson’s favourite, oner accompanied by a senior police Devon County Council! With over the pretty and neat Euphorbia ori- officer which, as you can imagine, sixty crew and under a hundred ganoides. I also met the newly ar- caused a frisson of excitement on passengers we were well looked rived Kew botanist, Matti Niissalo, a board! As dawn broke two days later after. You may find it hard to believe young Dutch man, who was working we first set eyes on the massive vol- but the Royal Mail Ship is the only in the shade houses on Green canic peaks of St. Helena. It was a way you can get to St Helena; there Mountain. He is specializes in the spectacular sight and I thought of is no airport and plans to have one Island’s four endemic ferns of which Charles Darwin, Captain Cook and built have been put on hold. The Pteris adscensionis is the most criti- (Continued on page 3)

Directory of Craftsmen and Conservation Specialists

With this Newsletter each member will receive the 2009 Directory of Craftsmen and Conservation Specialists thanks to the York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmanship of which we are now members. It illustrates the work of specialist craftsmen dedicated to conservation and restoration. We hope you find it interesting.

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(Continued from page 2) habitat of its rarest plants and trees During our time on St Helena, I was Captain Bligh who had witnessed such as Melanodendron integri- privileged to meet the team of bota- this same approach into Jamestown folium (the Black Cabbage Tree), nists and conservationists who are Bay. As there is no pier, passengers based at the nursery named Scotland are ferried ashore in small groups and see first hand the great work they (cargo takes at least three days to are undertaking. Few people visit the unload and fire engine was some- Island but those who do will rarely thing everyone wanted to see). see any of the endemic flora. Trees Once on the Island crowds of ex- and plants brought from the home- cited ‘Saints’ were straining to catch lands of its inhabitants have colonized sight of their families and friends the country lanes and hillsides; eager to welcome them. We too had though some may find them attractive friends to greet us which made our it is a far cry the virgin Island discov- arrival so much more special. When ered in 1502. the RMS comes home everyone is happy and the Union Jack is kept at I particularly wanted to meet George full mast during her stay. There is Benjamin, the Islands greatest au- even a radio station which plots her thority on its native flora and whom I course. had read about in Quentin Cronk’s The Endemic Flora of Saint Helena. St Helena is situated in the South Now quite old with a sick wife in George Benjamin standing behind Com- Atlantic 1,200 miles off the west midendrum rugosum (Scrubwood) hospital I was particularly grateful coast of South Africa. It is perhaps for the time he gave me. How privi- best known as the place where Na- Commidendrum robustum (the na- leged I was to hear first hand the poleon was exiled and died though tive Gumwood) and Dicksonia ar- story of the ebony plant Trochetiopsis this is only a small part of its fasci- borescens (the lovely tree fern). ebenus which made him, and indeed nating history. The Georgian archi- his brother famous: Thirty years ago tecture of Jamestown and the Is- when Quentin was researching his lands costal fortifications are a vital flora on the Island, he and George part of its unique heritage. Between were out botanising one day amongst 1659 -1836 when the Island was the high peaks. To their astonishment governed by the English East India they discovered two ebony plants Company, St Helena became an growing precariously out of a steep important staging post for ships us- cliff some many metres beneath ing the old trade routes to Africa and them. You can imagine their excite- India. After this period it was run by ment as this was a plant believed to the British Colonial Office and to this have been extinct for a hundred day it remains a British dependency. Trochetiopsis ebenus (Ebony) years. Quentin asked George if he In the second part of the 19th cen- would descend the cliff on a rope to tury St Helena received a flood of take cuttings but George replied ‘Not plants from Kew. This sort of thing for a thousand pounds but maybe my had already gone on under the brother would do it’. So the brother, Company’s rule (Captain Bligh intro- named Charlie was found and all duce 10 breadfruit plants with the three returned to the site. Iron stakes support of Joseph Banks). were hammered into the rocks to lower the rope on which Charlie was Plants for food and cash crops were suspended; had it snapped he would vital to the British Colonies but have fallen hundreds of feet to the many of the introductions were to rocks below. Mercifully such a fate cause catastrophic destruction to was avoided and he was hauled to the Island’s eco system and none safety clutching a handful of precious more so than Phormium tenax (New cuttings; the rest, as they say is his- Zealand Flax). St Helena’s flax in- tory. Today the Ebony grows in desig- dustry took off during the late 1800s nated conservation areas such as the and continued till the 1960s when all Ebony Plains as well as in gardens the flax mills were closed and local including that of Napoleon. people lost their jobs. Flax was used to produce fibre for jute but competi- Me clutching a rare Bellflower seedling! Never in my wildest dreams could I tion in other parts of the world have foreseen my experience two sealed its fate. Today it is a major Eradicating flax it is no easy task for days later when Lourens Malan, a environmental problem which has it is a monster plant which thrives in young South African horticulturist and taken over vast swathes of the Is- this tropical climate. his girlfriend Katrina took me on a land’s precious peaks, once the (Continued on page 4) PAGE 4 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Chairman’s Letter cont.

(Continued from page 3) thrill; what a surprise! But that was Island. botanical adventure, one that I shall not all, for growing close by I spied never forget. Lourens is in charge of Pelargonium cotyledonis, the only This will be my last Chairman’s let- the propagation of endemic species pelargonium endemic to the Island ter and I want to take this opportu- and their reintroduction to the wild. and one that I have always been fas- nity to thank both members and My six hour day in the blistering cinated by. Its vernacular name is Old Council for all the support they have heat was finally rewarded when we Man Live Forever but this may not be given me over the past four years, stopped to eat our picnic. Lourans true, for like so many other plants on and especially to wish Liz Simson, had chosen the top of a precarious the Island it is on the brink of extinc- our next Chairman, the happiness peak with just enough space for the tion. and fulfilment that I have enjoyed in three of us to sit on. Then he this role. I have loved every minute handed me his binoculars and told Other highlights included the opportu- and look forward to continuing my me to look straight ahead at the fac- nity to plant gumwoods in the Millen- work with the Yorkshire Gardens ing cliff. To my amazement, growing nium forest and being allowed to pot Trust of which I am so very fond. out of it I could clearly see the two on one of the rarest bellflowers original ebony plants discovered Wahlenbergia linifolia at the nursery. Penelope Dawson-Brown thirty years ago by George Benja- Lourens told me the seed had come min and Quentin Cronk! What a from the last remaining plant on the Notes on the Gardens at Mulgrave Castle, Whitby

A party from the Yorkshire Gardens Introduction near the mansion, they were not di- Trust visited the gardens at Mul- The original principal building of the rectly attached to it. Furthermore, grave Castle on the afternoon of Mulgrave Estate was the old medie- they were to be surrounded by pro- Tuesday 11 August 2009. Our guide val castle, which lies nearly a mile tective plantations, which would pre- was Lady Normanby but we were away to the southwest of the pre- vent them from being seen as fea- also accompanied by Lord Nor- sent mansion. The latter is a much tures in the wider landscape. manby and Jonathan Parkinson later building, which was estab- (Head Gardener). It was a most en- lished sometime between 1706 and The present layout of the Gardens joyable visit, full of interest, and with 1735, but it too, is called Mulgrave and Pleasure Grounds plenty of questions, answers, and Castle. In 1647, following the Civil Immediately on the northern side of general conversation. It finished War, Parliament issued an order for the mansion are the stables, the with tea in the Long Garden. The the old castle to be “slighted and home farm, and the drive to the vil- Trust is extremely grateful to Lord dismantled”. Today, its ruins are lage of Lythe. Together with the man- and Lady Normanby for opening the clearly visible from the lawn at the sion, they form a spine on either side garden to us and for their wonderful back of the mansion where they are of which the gardens and pleasure hospitality. seen as an intended eye-catcher in grounds have developed since the the middle ground of an extensive 1780s. From an historical point of Helen Lazenby asked me if I would wooded landscape. The woodland view, the gardens and pleasure write up an account of the visit. Dur- is the result of a long campaign of grounds can be divided into the ing the course of the afternoon, planning, planting and manage- ‘Eastern Pleasure Grounds’ on the Jonathan Parkinson said that he ment, that appears to have begun eastern and seaward side of the would like to prepare a leaflet about sometime around 1784 and to have spine, in front of the mansion; and the the gardens and their history for involved a ‘home team’ as well as ‘Western Pleasure Grounds’ on the future visitors. Taking up this idea, it contributions from leading profes- western side, at the back of the man- occurred to me that the YGT could sional landscape gardeners such as sion. assist him with this if my report were Thomas White in 1784 and the to take the form of a general intro- more famous Humphry Repton in At the time of Repton’s visit, in 1792, duction to the history of the gardens 1792-3. the main components of the gardens at Mulgrave Castle. I have had a appear to have been two walled gar- long standing interest in the devel- Repton visited Mulgrave Castle in dens. One of these was immediately opment of the Mulgrave and its or- September 1792. In August the fol- on the eastern side of the stables and namental landscape as a whole, but lowing year, he completed his pro- home farm. This was probably the had not got round to focussing prop- posals and submitted them in the earlier of the two and can be referred erly on the gardens as opposed to form of one of his ‘Red Books’. His to as the ‘Eastern Walled Garden’. the woods and parkland. It may, in recommendations were mainly con- The other, was not far to the west of addition, answer some of the histori- cerned with the landscape beyond the stables and home farm, and is the cal questions that came up at the the gardens. Indeed, his plan shows present ‘Walled Garden’. Historically, YGT’s visit. that the gardens were quite modest the three main features around which in extent and although they were (Continued on page 5)

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(Continued from page 4) however, there is a moonlit scene in dener’s House Plantation’, then the the layout of the pleasure grounds his Red Book that shows a view of Walled Garden, and then The has developed are: the mansion, the sea down a broad tree-lined vista Woodland Garden. The Gardener’s which is the main focal point of the and this is very similar in effect to the House, itself, is on the northern whole landscape; the former East- present view down the Quarter Deck edge of the plantation named after ern Walled Garden; and the Walled except that Repton’s sketch does not it. The area between the mansion Garden. have the architectural device of a and the Walled Garden is thought to parapet wall at the end of it. Perhaps have been known, at one time as, The Eastern Pleasure Grounds it is the construction of the parapet ‘Bucks Field’*. From the front of Mulgrave Castle, wall and its accompanying path that is there is a broad vista formed by a the clue to when the Eastern Pleas- Immediately on the northern side of lawn between two blocks of trees. ure Grounds were established. Writ- the Gardener’s House, there is a The lawn is known as ‘The Quarter ing to her husband on 12 July 1806, track that in one direction leads to Deck’. At the far end of it, there is a Lady Mulgrave commented on the the drive to Lythe, and in the other path and a castellated stone para- good effect of the battlements on the to the service yard at the back of the pet wall, which cuts across the vista. wall of the Quarter Deck, as seen Walled Garden. On the northern Looking from the mansion, what one from the Sandsend approach. The side of this track is a belt of trees sees immediately above the parapet implication is perhaps that the battle- that continues round the northern is the North Sea framed by the trees ments, and perhaps the parapet wall sides of the service yard and the on either side with no intervening itself, were then a relatively new addi- Woodland Garden. This belt shel- land. This is a clever optical illusion tion. ters the Walled Garden. because the shoreline is at least half a mile from the parapet and The tree-lined vista and lawn are On the south side of the Walk to the most of the land in between is park- shown on the plan in Repton’s Red Long Garden is what might be re- land bounded by trees. Book but its origin is uncertain at pre- ferred to as the ‘Western Lawn’. At sent. Could it be an early feature, per- one time there were flowerbeds on In the plantation of trees on the haps going back to the building of the the part near the house but in recent northern side of the Quarter Deck new mansion in the early 18th cen- years the whole lawn has been there is a path, ‘The Church Walk’, tury? Was it originally part of a garden managed as a garden meadow. which runs parallel with the edge of layout? the lawn almost as far as the north- On the southern side of the Long ern end of the parapet wall. At this The Western Pleasure Grounds Garden, behind a yew hedge, there point, it branches. The northern The Western Pleasure Grounds is a separate enclosure, which re- branch meanders off through sweep round the southern and west- tains traces of a former water gar- ‘Church Plantation’. The very short ern sides of the mansion taking in the den. On the south side of the Statue southern branch leads to the path Gardener’s House, the Walled Gar- Lawn is part of the shelterbelt that alongside the parapet wall from den, and adjoining areas. The differ- protects the Walled Garden on its which can be seen the parkland that ent components of it lie on either side western side. This belt, known as intervenes between the Quarter of a notional ‘central line’ that runs ‘Sandpits’, stretches northwards Deck and the sea. Continuing in a approximately from east to west. along the western side of the Wood- southerly direction, one meets the Starting at the western side of the land Garden to Low Lane drive from Lythe Bank Lodge and mansion, the central line takes the Mulgrave Woods. The drive leads form of a walk that leads from the At the heart of the Western Pleas- back to the mansion and the circuit mansion to the ‘Long Garden’ (i.e. the ure Grounds is the Walled Garden. walk around the Eastern Pleasure garden on the south side of the This is rectangular in plan and is Grounds is then completed. Walled Garden). The walk is referred located on a gentle slope, which to in these notes as the ‘Walk to the falls to the south. Along the northern The former Eastern Walled Garden Long Garden’. About halfway along, wall is the glasshouse range. Imme- was on the northern side of the the walk alters direction and goes off diately outside the range is part of stretch of the Church Walk nearest at an angle to the Long Garden which the perimeter path that runs all the to the mansion. It may, perhaps, has the central line as its long axis. way around the edge of the garden have been built in the early 18th cen- The central line then passes between and parallel with its walls. In the tury to serve the new mansion. the iron gates at the far end of the centre there is a small circular pool There is now a tennis court in part Long Garden and becomes the axis with a fountain and an accompany- of the area that it occupied. of the Statue Lawn where it termi- ing ‘Fountain Garden’. The main nates at the statue. The latter is an north-south axis and the main east- It is not clear when it was that the allegory of youth and old age*. west axis of the Walled Garden Eastern Pleasure Grounds became cross at this point. The east-west part of the gardens. On his plan pre- Starting on the western side of the axis is represented by a simple pared in1793, Repton does not spe- mansion the main component areas path. The north-south axis is has cifically indicate that this area was of the Western Pleasure Grounds are four gardens along it. Starting at the then pleasure ground or that it was as follows. On the north side of the northern end these are the Winter intended to be so. Interestingly, central line are first of all ‘The Gar- (Continued on page 6) PAGE 6 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Notes on the Gardens at Mulgrave Castle, Whitby cont. (Continued from page 5) ily. The wedding took place on 20 Western Pleasure Grounds included Garden; the Strawberry Steps; the June 1787. His bride was Anne Eliza- two other areas which are shown in Fountain Garden; and the Rose beth, the daughter of Nathaniel a little more detail on the 1853 Ord- Garden. On either side of the Winter Cholmley, M.P. of Howsham and nance Survey; one of these was the Garden and Strawberry Terraces Whitby. Tragically, she died on 22 garden immediately on the south are grown fruit, vegetables, and May 1788, within a year of their mar- side of the mansion; the other was flowers for cutting. On the western riage. The walled garden that the 2nd the eastern part of the Western side of the Rose Garden is the Baron established is the one that fea- Lawn, i.e. the part that is closest to ‘Autumn Garden’, and on the east- tures in Humphry Repton’s Red Book. the mansion. ern side is the ‘Spring Garden’. It was the 2nd Baron that commis- sioned Repton and for whom Repton Sometime in the next half century, The box volutes of the Fountain originally prepared his proposals. the Western Lawn was extended Garden were designed by Oswald, westwards to link up with the area of 4th Marquess of Normanby. The It would appear that Repton’s inten- the former water garden. On the Spring Garden and the Autumn Gar- tion was that the Walled Garden 1913 Edition of the Ordnance Sur- den were laid out for his wife, Gra- should be surrounded and hidden vey (25”scale) the water garden and nia, Marchioness of Normanby*. within a plantation that would extend the Long Garden are shown as be- eastwards as far as the line of the ing one united compartment rather Another component of the Western drive to Lythe and the mansion. How- than being two separate ones. A Pleasure Grounds is the area imme- ever, the 2nd Baron died before the pool is shown in the water garden. diately on the south side of the man- Red Book was delivered and it was sion. To the south and west of this, his brother, Henry (the 3rd Baron and After the Second World War, and at a lower level, is an area of later the 1st Earl, 1755-1831) who re- Oswald, the 4th Marquess and his grass and trees with a long concrete ceived it. Despite the change of own- wife, Grania, brought Mulgrave Cas- pond in its south-western corner. On ership, Repton’s proposal to surround tle and its gardens and grounds the western side of the area with the the Walled Garden by a plantation, back to life. They took a close per- pond, is part of the Western Lawn. appears to have been followed. In so sonal interest and discussed their The southern boundary of each is far as can be judged from the plan in ideas with others. One of these was marked by a track called ‘The Gal- the Red Book, this plantation would Lanning Roper, who was a personal lop’. have been approximately on the land friend of the 4th Marquess. It is now occupied by the Gardener’s sometimes said that the gardens at Thomas White’s plan of proposals House Plantation, the northern shelter Mulgrave Castle were laid out by of 1784 shows all the area that is belt, the Woodland Garden, the Lanning Roper, but this was not the now occupied by the Western Statue Lawn, and the former water case. His contribution was that of a Pleasure Grounds, as being part of garden. Very roughly, its southern friend who, when visiting from time the park. So it would appear that boundary was on the line of the pre- to time, took part in discussions around 1784 there was probably no sent Walk to the Long Garden and about the gardens and their devel- definite intention to establish a the southern edge of the former water opment*. pleasure ground here. White’s plan garden. Repton intended that every- does, however, include a location thing to the south of this line should The 4th Marquess invited (Sir) Geof- for a proposed new walled garden be part of the park, including the area frey Jellicoe to advise him about the but this was much further to the that was later to become the Western area between the Fountain Garden south of the present Walled Garden Lawn. and the glasshouse range. The re- It would seem that this idea was not sult was the ‘Strawberry Steps’, the pursued and instead the present Between the Walled Garden and the levelled ground at the top end of site, which is very much closer to drive to Lythe, and within the planta- them, and the balustrade. Since the mansion, was selected. The de- tion, Repton indicates an open space. 1994, when the present planting cision to do this must have been It is not clear whether or not this scheme was put in place, the lev- made in or fairly soon after 1784, space, or indeed parts of the planta- elled ground has been known as the and work on the new garden would tion were intended by him to be Winter Garden*. The Statue Lawn appear to have been started by pleasure ground. It is not unlikely that and the Woodland Garden were March-July 1787 (MCA XI.2/51, they may have been, but in the Red both made at the same time for the XI.4/38). Book there is no evidence either way. 4th Marquess and his wife. They The estate map of 1814 indicates that were advised by Major Daniell. The year 1787 was a significant one by that date the area suggested by for Constantine John, 2nd Baron Repton had been established as a Essentially, the Western Pleasure Mulgrave (1744-1792), for whom plantation. The 1853 Ordnance Sur- Grounds took on their present lay- White had prepared his plan, be- vey (6”scale) shows that by then part out and form during the time of the cause it was the year in which he of it was a pleasure ground and that 4th Marquess and his wife, but their was married and when his thoughts there was a separate compartment on evolution continues. His son, Con- were likely to have been on the set- the site of the present Long Garden. stantine, 5th Marquess, and his ting up of a home for his future fam- Also, it would seem that by 1814 (Continued on page 7) PAGE 7 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26

th (Continued from page 6) den have been replanted to designs *personal communication from 5 by Arabella Lennox-Boyd (1994). In Marquess of Normanby wife, Nicola, have for example ex- the Long Garden, the main border tended the Western Lawn southwards has been replanted to a design by Peter Goodchild and are taking in the area with the Penelope Hobhouse (1999). concrete pond. In the Walled Garden, the Winter Garden and the Rose Gar- The Apple Orchards at Ampleforth Abbey - 10th September 2009 Yorkshire was basking in glorious the differences between fruit buds sunshine with not a rain cloud to be In answer to a question we learned and growth buds, how to deal with seen in the sky on the afternoon we why Golden Delicious would not canker, why knowing whether your visited the apple orchards of Ample- grow as well in the North of England tree is a tip bearer or a spur bearer forth Abbey. These commercial or- as it does in France. We were also is only important if you are growing chards were planted at the beginning told about the two different methods them as espaliers or cordons. We of the 20th century and extend over of training. Training apple trees as looked at the old variety Orleans about five acres. From the gateway spindle bush trees as they do in Rainette that has a huge eye and is there were trees planted in rows as commercial orchards seemed so therefore prone to rot. This means it far as the eye could see. The wind- utterly sensible I wondered why is not commercially viable. break of leylandii on the north side most of the reference books for was the tallest I have ever seen. home gardeners that I have read There still seemed so much more to Someone said it was fifty to eighty recommend keeping an open centre talk about and so much more of the feet high and I could quite believe it. to the trees. Possibly weighting the orchard to see when we had to branches down at the end of the break off to walk back to the Abbey The orchards have changed in char- first season to make them grow tearooms for tea and the promised acter over the years. One member of horizontally may be more challeng- cider apple cake, which was as deli- the party remembered when the ing in practice than in theory. I think cious as it sounded. We had the ground under the trees was bare and I need to do some more research opportunity to examine The North- weed-free. Now there were nettles before I grub out our trees and re- ern Pomona at this time. It is a su- and grass growing right up to the place them with maidens that I can perb book with lots of recipes and roots of the trees. Father Rainer, who train as spindle bush trees but I do some wonderful illustrations of va- was to have shown us round, was like the idea of an apple tree that is rieties of apples. It was a very en- unfortunately unavailable. However only seven to eight feet tall. joyable afternoon with a fascinating the day was saved by Peter Black- insight into the world of commercial burne-Maze, an expert in the cultiva- Peter answered people's questions apple growing. tion of fruit and one of the authors of about their trees clearly and infor- the Northern Pomona who stepped in matively. We learned why you prune Kit Wherrett and gave an interesting, amusing and at certain times of year, how you informative talk. deter coddling moth, when to thin, Reginald Farrer at Ingleborough Hall, Clapham, North Yorkshire Study Day, 19th August 2009 rea and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) between this Yorkshire landscape is also a 1902 and 1907; later, 1914-1920, memorial to the achievements of This event clearly demonstrated the he famously explored remote, Reginald Farrer. advantages of a study day that dis- mountainous areas of China, Tibet seminated the work of one of the and Upper Burma returning with Moira Fulton introduced the day with YGT’s research projects. As a result many new species of rhododen- an outline of the Farrer family’s pres- of their explorations in the Dales, drons, shrubs and alpines. ence in Clapham, as well as a care- Helen Lazenby and Moira Fulton fully elucidated survey of Farrer’s bib- organised a stimulating day which Tragically, he died at the premature liography which was illustrated by the additionally benefited from a ful- age of forty from diphtheria con- numerous books she had brought some information pack, benign tracted during his expedition to Up- with her from various libraries: some weather and the scrumptious home- per Burma. The study day not only authored by him, others written about made cakes and biscuits of the ca- presented us with an overview of his him. The Farrers were settled in Clap- terers at Ingleborough Hall. extraordinary career, but also re- ham by 1716, but their focus gradu- vealed the extent of his surviving ally shifted to London where the fam- Through his plant collecting and imprint in the garden of his child- ily’s legal firm, Farrer & Co., had prolific writing, Reginald Farrer hood home, Ingleborough Hall, and evolved by 1770; the firm prospered (1880-1920) became renowned as in the limestone dale above where and continues to this day. ‘the Patron Saint of Alpine Garden- he planted a ‘Chinese Garden’ in ing’. He had dedicated his life to between plant collecting expedi- From 1780 the Farrers began to ac- plant study, travelling in Japan, Ko- tions. It also became apparent that (Continued on page 8) PAGE 8 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 ReginaldReginald FarrerFarrer atat Ingleborough Ingleborough Hal Hall,l, Clapham, Clapham, North North Yorkshire Yorkshire cont.

(Continued from page 7) quire the land in the village of Clap- Both talks set the scene for our Although born in London, Farrer had ham and on the surrounding fells guided tours, which again indicated grown up at Ingleborough Hall where that now comprises the Inglebor- the diligent preparation of the organ- he was educated. He was spared the ough Estate. Between 1807-1833 isers; for example, the day was well trauma of boarding at public school the pre-existing house was enlarged timed because the head gardener, due to a speech defect consequent into Ingleborough Hall, which be- John Eaton, was retiring at the end upon his hair lip and cleft palate. At came the centre of the London- of the week. John took us round the Ingleborough he not only learnt to based Farrers’ shooting estate. The Victorian gardens, the icehouse and speak fluently but also embarked on lake was also floated by construc- the derelict stables as well as the his lifelong fascination with plants. tion of the monumental dam above three tunnels constructed when the The condition of the wooden memo- the village and the grounds trans- Hall had been completed in 1841. rial belies its age. It is probably a rep- formed into a sublime landscape These ensured that the family was lica of the original erected by Bessie garden whose concluding feature not disturbed by the delivery of pro- before her death in 1937. Neverthe- was the epic Grotto, situated to visions to the service end of the less it was in situ before the land was command views of the imposing building. Other high points were the bought by the current owners. It was limestone cliffs that bound the far Peckham Rye garden fountain that courtesy of Irina Bowes that we were side of Clapdale. Farrer had fulminated against as able to access her property to see the ‘beastly’, and the memorial garden rock garden, which she has exca- The organisers pulled off a coup by created by his grieving mother, vated and now cherishes as an icon inviting Annie Farrer to speak. It Bessie, in 1928. The centrepiece is of Farrer’s achievements. Through was her career as a freelance bo- an inscribed column topped by a her dedication, the rock garden and tanical illustrator that stimulated her winged figure (now absent). Moira memorial survive to encapsulate the interest in the ‘black sheep of the Fulton had surmised that this statue beginning and end of Farrer’s career. family’. Farrer, after all, had pursued was a type of ‘Winged Victory’ so his adventurous love of plants rather readily available at the time due to It is salutary to note that Ingleborough than settle to the life of a metropoli- the profusion of memorials erected Hall is one of the many country tan solicitor – much to the chagrin of in the wake of the First World War. houses saved after the Second World his father. Annie Farrer brought her War through purchase by a local au- relative’s character of to life by read- The inscription reads: thority. It continues to serve as an ing extracts from his writings, par- outward bound centre for schools and ticularly from the plant collecting In Loving Memory of Reginald John is run by Education Bradford. It was expeditions. She pointed out that he Farrer also in 1947 that the estate sold off had collected as a horticulturalist, Born Feb 17 1880 Died Oct 17 1920 part of the gardens as building land. preferring to hunt for garden plants In Up[per] Burma While the walled garden is now the suited to the English climate, rather Author, Traveller, Botanist and public car park of the Yorkshire Dales than as a botanist whose priority Flower Painter National Park, we are fortunate that would have been to catalogue the Eldest Son of James Anson and the Bowes were subsequently in- plants of a region. Elizabeth Farrer spired to buy their property because Of Ingleboro of the presence of Farrer’s rock gar- Comparing then and now, she also He Loved God’s Works & Blessed den. However scant evidence sur- pointed out that the botanical survey The World - vives of the Craven Nursery that he has become the favoured approach By Many Glorious Flowers Named had established in the village as a in order to catalogue the plants of After Him mail order business and which had the world before many are rendered also achieved success at the Chelsea extinct. Annie emphasised that Far- Nearby stands another memorial, Flower Show. rer had travelled in regions noted for this one resembling a wayside brigands and revolutionaries, and shrine. Beginning ‘In Loving Mem- The landscape garden in Clapdale regretted that the Upper Burma of ory Of …’ it elaborates on Farrer’s was retained by the estate and it was his final expedition is now impene- resting place, ‘Died at Nyitadi … there that we were led by Helen and trable due to the minefields laid in Buried at Kaunglanghpi’, and con- Moira after lunch. The rockwork that the region’s struggle against the cludes with the text of the plaque dams the lake is monumental and Burmese military dictatorship. She that Bessie had arranged in 1932 to transforms the functional structure also cast a professional eye over his be placed on his Burmese grave: ‘… into a mountain cascade. The walk ability as a botanical artist, noting He died for love and duty in search beside the lake is redolent of Farrer his skill at the problematic task of on of rare plants’. This memorial is situ- mythology; notably, and perhaps -the-spot recording through drawing ated above the substantial vestiges apocryphally, that he had rowed and watercolour painting – and illus- of the rock garden he had designed across the lake to pepper the crevices trated her talk with examples of his at the age of fourteen in 1894 and of the limestone cliff with seeds fired paintings as well as photographs of which had been constructed by es- from his shotgun. It seems that his Farrer in the Himalayas. tate workmen. (Continued on page 9) PAGE 9 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26

(Continued from page 8) a tribute to Farrer’s canny eye; situated astride the Craven Fault, his bamboo and rhodendron plants benefited from the acidic soil. However it is likely that the ‘garden’ would have been over- whelmed by wanton overgrowth had it not been for the heroic la- bours of Charles Graham during the 1970s and 1980s. Fortu- nately Graham was prepared to abseil into the gorge to clear the overgrowth and to replant the seedlings he had rescued and nurtured at home in Skipton. His tribute is that the estate’s recent removal of the problematic Rho- dodendron ponticum has con- firmed that Farrer’s ‘Chinese Garden’ remains intact. Despite the persistence of overgrowth, we were able to gaze into the gorge to ‘eye spy’ his plantings. father would only tolerate his exotic Grotto overlooking Clapdale, with viewing platform above (recently Farrer memorial beside his 1914 The path leads up the dale to the restored) rock garden, now in Irina Bowes' Grotto, which is as monumental as cannot fail to conclude that its sus- garden the dam and has benefited from re- tainability is questionable. It appears cent consolidation. Alas though, the that the vacant post of head gar- prospects across Clapdale to Thwaite gardening in remote parts of the dener at Ingleborough Hall is not to Scars that the Grotto was built to en- estate. be filled, and the future of Farrer’s joy have vanished behind leafy cur- ‘Chinese garden’ depends on tains, as also have those of the cliffs Thus it is that his ‘Chinese Garden’ whether the Ingleborough Estate across the lake lower down the dale. was planted in the deep, rocky de- has the resolve to maintain it. Nev- All these views would benefit from re- file above the lake gouged out by ertheless, although Farrer’s Craven opening in the spirit of the vision of the fast flowing Clapham Beck. Nursey is long gone, his youthful the Farrers who created this sublime Nonetheless this ‘garden’ is equally rock garden and wooden memorial landscape garden in the early are safe for the time being in the nineteenth century. Even though care of Irina Bowes. the path continues to Ingleborough

Cave – and onwards through Trow Patrick Eyres Gill up across the spectacular lime- New Arcadian Press stone terrain that rises to the 723 metre summit of Ingleborough, one of the majestic Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Pennines – we peaked at the Grotto and were lured back to the Hall by the prospect of tea and more of those homemade cakes and biscuits.

It is abundantly clear that this Far- rer exposition has created a model for future study days based on YGT re- search projects. Farrer memorial garden with inscribed col- As for Farrer’s Ingleborough Hall, with 'beastly' Peckham Rye garden umn, Ingleborough Hall Yorkshire land- fountain in foreground scape, one PAGE 10 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Visit to Sleightholmedale Lodge Gardens 21 July 2009 Gathering clouds threatened as we border of repeating blue (lavender, Eryngium all glowed with health in drove down the aptly name Green Clematis jaquemontii and ‘Perle d’A- the damp evening air. The combina- Lane. However a tantalising glimpse zur’ - a particular favourite), silver tion of lemons, blues and silvers sit of tumbling roses, Rosa gentiliana (Senecio now Brachyglottis so well with the gritstone and even (previously Rosa Polyantha var. ‘Sunshine’) and golden punctuation of the vegetable beds which now oc- grandiflora) cheered us and we ar- an unnamed Kniphofia provided a cupy the two top quarters of the gar- rived at the entrance of this silvery perfect foreground to the conifer for- den display the robust health that gritstone house built for Lord Fever- est on the opposite slope of the steep we lesser gardeners can only dream sham in 1889. We were invited gorge. Mrs James had advised us to of. through the house by Mrs James to take a circular route around the site the farmhouse kitchen where she moving down the slope to take in the The roses are the thing at this time explained that the property had Lily pond, Mediterranean bank and of year and have enjoyed the early been given to her grandmother Ul- Woodland garden before rising up to summer heat, tumbling over the trel- rica Duncombe on her marriage to ‘The Garden’, warning us to take care lis,s which transects the garden. Everard Baring in 1904. The one on the slippery paths. In the banks of Here is ‘Gardiner’s Pink’, whilst acre walled garden that lies on the the lower terrace starburst flowers of ‘Hiawatha’ and ‘Minnehaha’ are re- slope above the house, is ‘The Gar- Astrantia major are naturalised in the united as they race back towards den’ of the house and was com- long grass and mixed orange poppies the house. At the top of the slope pleted in 1907. Since that time the tumble over the lichen-covered we admired the ‘liquorice all-sort’ site has been gardened by three stones of the lily pond terracing. coloured hollyhock border in com- generations of women gardeners pany with discretely staked Mac- passing from Ulrica to her daughter Blue sky was appearing as we moved leaya and Gallega. Finally, as the Helen in 1935 and then on to along the Viburnum opulus lined path rain took hold we took the drive Rosanna, our hostess. below the tennis court and up to a route back to the south terrace to meadow slope of knapweed, harebell enjoy a glass of wine. We were all Mrs James told us that the garden and wild alchemilla. At this point hun- charmed by the lovely plant combi- has been a member of the National dreds of spent Tulipa sprengeri with nations and tumbling ebullience, Garden Scheme for 63 years. The their sculptural seed heads reminded which evidence a discrete mainte- original Paradise Rose Garden was us to call back next Spring. As a con- nance culture. Rosanna James’ inspired by Everard’s time as Mili- fused cockerel heralded the dawn we methods and choices reflect con- tary Secretary to the Viceroy of In- stood beneath the magical ‘singing’ temporary approaches to compan- dia and much of the symbolic layout lime tree alive with the drone of intoxi- ion planting and naturalistic group- is owed to him. Terracing of the cated bees, their siblings happily ex- ings. A willingness to try new combi- steep site was masterminded by piring in the grass beneath. nations and varieties has resulted in Rosanna James’ mother and Mrs a garden that goes on developing James herself is experimenting with On entering ‘The Garden’ via the cen- and inspiring while keeping faith new methods of planting perennials tral axis, one is presented with vari- with the history of the garden. in established grassland, and allow- ous options. Either side of the path, ing controlled self seeding of desir- which rises up to the summerhouse, For additional material see Nigel able species. are brick paved Octagons where in Dunnett in The Garden, Volume alternate octants Dierama drips with 127, Part 9, September 2002, p678 As we moved out onto the south- flower. Around the edge and through- and Stephen Lacey in The Tele- facing terrace the variety of this gar- out the borders an abundance of graph, 7 June 2008 den with something for all seasons Clematis, Verbascum bombyciferum, and tastes became apparent. The and lovely lemon Digitalis grandiflora, Trish Leach skies began to clear and the lovely soft Salvia sclarea, and spiky A Walk Around The Historic Town Of Knaresborough ment by people with visual impair- ceded and flooding resulted in the ‘The invisible vision is the art of see- ment. It is an unusual sensory garden formation of the three-mile long ing’ - this phrase is set into the involving the use of textures, shapes, gorge. In 5000 B.C. Iron Age man ground of the gateway to Henshaws scents and sounds, combining the settled in the Bilton area, the mag- Arts and Crafts Centre. We were artwork of Henshaws students and nesium caves were useful to medie- met by David Rhodes and Ray Blyth the work of artists such as Colin Wel- val man. Knaresborough was affili- who took us around the sensory bourn whose carved tree trunks im- ated with Alborough in Roman garden. This project was set up 10 pressed us all. times; the market town developed years ago, with funding from Harro- later with country estates around it. gate Borough Council and Lottery After lunch David Rhodes gave us a The mill here on the Nidd produced grants, to restore and use the brief talk about the Nidd Gorge, which good quantities of linen and cotton walled garden for use and enjoy- was formed when the Ice Age re- (Continued on page 11) PAGE 11 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26

(Continued from page 10) of rock high above us is probably the help of volunteers this neglected goods. After the Enclosures Act and where Turner sat to sketch Knares- part of Knaresborough is now a in the 18th century Harrogate pleasant garden with a rockery grew in importance and in the of water-washed limestone, re- post-war era Knaresborough turfing and planting affording and Ripon faded into historic play and sitting areas for visi- towns second to the fashion- tors. Renamed Bebra after able spa town. Knaresborough’s twin town in Germany, this garden has From Henshaws our walk took been here since 1931. Future us to a viewpoint overlooking plans include the planting of Conyngham Hall (previously flowerbeds, restoration of known as Coghill Park). It was paths and the building of a bought in 1796 by Countess paved viewing area and the Conyngham and built in the repair of the children’s pad- style of John Carr. Basil T. dling pool. Jenni Howard Woodd added the portico and thanked Andrew and pre- extended the house in 1856 aiming sented him with the membership of Viaduct View for the grandeur of Scriven Hall, the YGT. home of the Slingsby family. Sir borough in 1826. Walking back Henry Slingsby married Mary Aisla- along the riverside we then climbed We then continued up the path bie in 1729 and was probably round the old castle moat, past influenced by the Aislabie gar- the sallyport exit which is the dens at Studley Royal and the end of a tunnel right into the layout at Hackfall. He formal- castle itself. Here David gave ised the Long Walk in about us the history of the Castle 1739 planting what have be- from Henry I spending £11 on come impressive beech trees repairs, the monks of Foun- of great height in their shel- tains Abbey being given food tered position along the south and shelter, the involvement of side of the river. The famous the knights of the castle in the Petrifying Well and Mother murder of Thomas a Beckett Shipton’s cave are on the and the carving out of the ditch beech avenue, the earliest to prevent invasion. We were known tourist attraction where shown the barbican and told water has been sampled since there used to be twelve towers 1638. Here the river is crossed all round and we were shown by the railway viaduct (described by Chapel in the Crag where the link across the moat Nicholas Pevsner as the worst intru- would have been with the draw- sion into the landscape) and there up the steep steps to the Castle, bridge and portcullis. The sallyport are pleasant views across the river this is the route the flax mill workers tunnel comes out in the centre of of chequerboard houses and inter- would have used to get into the the castle’s grassy lawn, one of pos- esting gardens, Knaresbor- sibly three sallyports in the ough Castle, the old flax mill castle. The medieval layout of and the weir. the old castle has been re- stored using cobbling and At the end of the Long Walk stone flags to mark the primary there is the Museum, which gateways and original walls. It has a display of the petrified is 800 years next year since objects from Mother Shipton’s King John gave the first well (it takes three months to Maundy Thursday money here turn an object into stone). We in Knaresborough Castle. then crossed the bridge and were shown the quarry that On to the Market Place and produced the stone for the the statue and story of Blind building of Knaresborough and Jack the famous Knaresbor- the fascinating House in the ough road builder. The market Rock. Four stories high, one room in Bebra Gardens has been held here since the 12th depth, built originally by a weaver Century and it is now much im- for his family. Nearby there is also town. Here we visited the old moat proved with a pedestrian precinct. the Chapel in the Crag, which with gardens where Councilor Andrew On down Kirkgate to the station St. Robert’s cave is now owned by Willoughby told us about the resto- where the end of the viaduct comes Ampleforth Abbey. The peninsular ration over the last five years. With between Georgian houses, the rail- way line then goes into a tunnel un- (Continued on page 12) PAGE 12 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 A Walk Around The Historic Town Of Knaresborough cont.

(Continued from page 11) the Rev. John Collins. This lovely ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for work in der the town. We paused to admire house built in the style of John Carr is the gardens during 2009. At the the viewing platform and garden now the offices of Knaresborough award presentation on 12th Febru- area created by the George Moore Town Council and the walled garden ary the work of the volunteers was Foundation and then walked into the is now a residential home. highly praised and photographs of churchyard surrounding the 12th the garden past and present were Century Parish Church. The church- Thank you to David Rhodes, Ray shown. Althea Farmer presented yard was landscaped in the 1970’s Blyth and all who organised the fasci- Andrew Willoughby with the certifi- by Dame Sylvia Crowe (perhaps nating walk around this lovely old cate.The statue of Blind Jack in in- best known for her design for the town. formal pose sitting on a bench by Scottish Widows root garden in Ed- the Market Cross also received a inburgh). Ray Blyth told us about Bridget Dawson Civic Achievement Award from her ideas of naturalistic planting, Knaresborough Civic Society on the easy maintenance and use of rela- Award for Friends of Bebra Gardens 12th Feb 2010. tively unskilled labour. Finally we crossed the park back to Henshaws Knaresborough Civic Society recently viewing the Rectory built in 1768 by awarded their prestigious CIVIC With abundance and variety: Yorkshire Gardens and Gardeners across Five Centuries The title of the Trust’s first book long and short dashes. Editors can Drafts pass back and forward be- comes from the Yorkshire gardener choose to follow conventions laid tween editors and authors until every William Lawson’s A New Orchard down by a number of bodies; we used last question mark in the margin has and Garden. Not only does the quo- the Modern Humanities Research As- been addressed and then the papers tation summarise the diversity of the sociation’s Style Guide – 80 pages of go off to the designer. The typescript contents, but it also links to the ‘dos and don’ts’ that must be rigor- sheets are then turned into the ele- Trust’s logo, which is also taken gant layouts seen in the finished from Lawson. A New Orchard book. Colour printing adds heav- and Garden ran into many edi- ily to costs so there is much jug- tions after it first appeared in gling of words and images to al- 1618. Let us hope that With low the most cost-efficient use of abundance and variety sees colour images. Final errors are similar success. amended (how can two people Publishing a book to this stan- read a paper at least 20 times dard is not a quick or easy proc- and still miss the occasional ess. It has taken almost two howler?) and at last the text years from Susan Kellerman’s reaches the printer. initial idea until the books were It’s a tense wait until the finished ready and offered to members. publication arrives and we can The first task was to find papers relax. Yes, the cover does work of a suitably high standard. This as well we hoped, the production proved quite simple – Yorkshire quality is superb and if there are abounds in fascinating unpub- any tiny errors we are certainly lished research – and there are not going to point them out to already authors asking when vol- anyone. ume two goes into preparation. Actually, that wasn’t the first task. Now Susan can put her feet up That was when Susan convinced and her dreams are no longer full me I wanted to dedicate months of hyphens, ellipses and paren- to the project as her not-very- theses. I have mothballed my glamorous assistant. assistant editor’s hat and have Getting the papers into a uniform been promoted to Marketing Di- format ready for the designer is rector. And on that note, please by far the most time-consuming step. ously applied. Then there is the oner- buy the book! Many readers are probably unaware ous task of checking that references to Karen Lynch of the work that Susan put into mak- pictures are in the right place, that publications@ ing sure that quotation marks were cross-references are correct and that yorkshiregardenstrust.org.uk used correctly, that dates were in the the whole paper is grammatically cor- necessary form or that the correct rect, factually correct, free from spell- www.yorkshiregardenstrust.org.uk/ distinction had been made between ing errors and readable. publications.html PAGE 13 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Midsummer Picnic, 23rd June 2009 — Skipwith Hall

Those of us, many of us, driving to rearward extension too. During the wall of the house, a splendid broom, Skipwith from the west, sallied forth course of all this work and up- Cytisus battandieri, wafted the scent in depressing drizzle. But by the of pineapple over those time we left our motorcars, the who approached for a sky had cleared and a lovely closer inspection. Across day lay ahead for our Midsum- the lawn, a magnificent mer Picnic outing. From the car Liriodendron led us on to park field we were treated to an further delights: its distinc- expanding view of the fine tive leaves are easy to ap- Queen Anne house, its front preciate, but I’ve never un- lawn outlined by the sort of Eng- derstood why its flowers (it lish borders that combine a sat- was in full fig at the time of isfying blend of colour, shape our visit) are likened to tu- and form that is ‘right’ just as it lips? is, yet makes one want to move in and observe each finely Beyond the Tulip Tree, a grown plant in its own right. gate in a boundary of warm Centred on an ancient White and ancient brick drew us Mulberry (Morus alba) the bor- into what for many was, I’m ders were a happy blend of the fa- sure, the piéce de resistance — miliar (Alchemilla molis, Geranium Penelope introducing the event the Walled Garden. Centred on in variety, luscious peonies), with a gentle, but eye-catching, even more interesting tall white Iris heaval, evidence of an even earlier fountain, a circular maze spread out sibirica, Libertia formosa and ac- house was revealed; possibly Tudor to still more luscious borders along cents of skilfully paced bamboos or older with estate maps showing the walls, drawn up into architec- and lollipop Bays. the mediæval three field system tural plantings filling the spandrels in pattern of agriculture (indeed Skip- each corner; fennels and artichokes So much to see, so much to savour, with was one the last parishes to be and standard roses caught my eye. no hurry to move round the house enclosed). The design of the maze itself was a for welcoming coffee and too- cause of much wonder: a thought- yummy biscuits. But, as the hum of Charlie & Ros took over in 2002; provoking mix of flowering plants conversation rose so more and Charlie focussed on ‘hard projects’ (roses, veronicas, delphiniums), more of the around sixty strong whilst freely deferring to Ros in mat- herbs (mints, sages) and vegetables party formed and re-formed into ters of garden planting. And what (potatoes, leeks, and stately run-to- clusters catching up on news of seed onions ranking round summer doings so far and the outer circle), kept in plans for the months to come place by low hedgings of until all were assembled for box. But the source of the Penelope’s introduction to the most exclamation was the day and to our kind hosts Char- pathways — you’ll rarely lie & Ros Forbes Adam. see it, let alone hear it, in a garden, but there’s nothing Charlie Forbes Adam sketched quite so evocative of child- in the history starting across hood summers as the the estate at Escrick Park, crunch of seashells under- once the family home and now foot, brought by the ton Queen Margaret’s School. His from distant shores! grandparents purchased Skip- with Hall to extend the estate, Those of us that could tear then moved across from the ourselves away from this Park when Queen Margaret’s mazey treat, went on to were released from exile explore the Italian Garden. (evacuation actually!) up at Castle Walled Garden Very much Work In Progress Howard and took over in 1949. The but the bones are there even Hall had fallen on hard times but his planting! The major borders were re now: a walled enclosure, banks parents set to and lovingly brought it -done; ‘back’ in 2002, ‘front’ four waiting to be brought to life with back to life. But, more than restora- years later. An intriguing collection more colourful planting, the central tion, Nigel & Malise Forbes Adam of Acer was inherited and awaits area still a blank canvas but with added wings both north and south comprehensive identification and corners already emphasised by ma- to create the handsome, balanced, cataloguing even though it is still ture Weeping Silver Pears (Pyrus façade we see today, and added a being added to. Against the south (Continued on page 14) PAGE 14 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Midsummer Picnic, 23rd June 2009 — Skipwith Hall cont.

(Continued from page 13) What an outing! The Al- salicifolia pendula) and views out mighty provided the weather, into the park through exquisite gates but Charlie & Ros provided of patinated ironwork. the setting for a most enjoy- able Midsummer Picnic. Rumbling tums nudged us back into Penelope expressed our the fold of the main south lawn deep-felt thanks on the day where shamianas (tents without itself, but this article echoes sides) stood ready to provide shelter those sentiments from all of from either sun or rain whilst we us lucky enough to have chattered some more, tucked into been there and taken part. picnics, drank our rosé, and in- dulged in that Old English delight of Malcolm Hand summer — strawberries and cream.

Gates of Walled Garden 2009: A Busy Year helping Yorkshire’s Historic Parklands

Late in 2009 I was able to review all lenges. On the basis of recommenda- into HLS early in 2010, specifically the of the engagement Natural Eng- tion in the Plan we have funded resto- to help us understand and manage land has had with Historic Parks ration of grassland across most of the the important Jacobean and later and Gardens in Yorkshire over park. In 2010 we will be working with parkland remains. Archaeological 2009; this confirmed what a busy the tenant to open up footpaths which survey work there will start in early and exciting year it had been. So will allow visitors to walk around the summer. much so that I felt it important to parkland for the first time. A pro- share news with fellow Yorkshire gramme of extensive tree works will At Wentworth Castle (Grade I) we Gardens Trust members. assist the better management of ex- have paid for several arable fields to isting plantings whilst also funding be reverted to grassland. This win- Along with a wide variety of other some appropriate replacement trees. ter we are funding sections of ha-ha work Natural England delivers Envi- Archaeological work will also help us restoration whilst in 2010 we will ronmental Stewardship grants to better understand the earlier house begin to consider whether we can land owners across the region. This and gardens on the site. help with plans to help restore the is an agri-environment scheme that serpentine lakes there. provides funding to farmers and At Temple Grounds in Richmond we other land managers in England have funded an appraisal of restora- Countryside Stewardship who deliver effective environmental tion options for the Green Walk, a key Scheme: management on their land. Protec- element of this Grade II parkland. Several major parks across the re- tion and better management of the This work reported late in 2009 and gion remain in the older Countryside Historic Environment, including his- we have now agreed to fund the ac- Stewardship Scheme. Several of toric parkland, is one of the 5 key tual restorations. This work is begin- these are beginning the process of objectives of the scheme. During ning early in 2010. migrating over to the new HLS sys- 2009 we were able to help several tem. In advance of this we are help- major parks across the region under At Dalton Park (Grade II*) in East ing with urgent or preparatory works the Higher Level Agri-Environment Yorkshire we are funding the first where we can. (HLS) scheme launched in 2006. Parkland Management Plan and also Additionally we were also able to aim to support restoration of the The Castle Howard (Grade I) park- support new works within parks still walled kitchen garden there. At Bur- land was placed on English Heri- in the earlier Countryside Steward- ton Constable Hall (Grade II) near tage’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ list in June ship Scheme (CSS). Beverly we are funding an update of 2009, largely because of the declin- the Management Plan originally put ing condition of many major built Higher Level Scheme: together under an earlier Countryside features across the park. As the site Beningbrough Hall (Grade II) came Stewardship Agreement. We are also is in CSS we were invited to con- into HLS early in 2009. Working funding archaeological survey to in- sider what help we might be able to closely with the National Trust and vestigate and properly record the me- offer. As a result we are funding a their farm tenants we funded a new dieval village and Elizabethan garden major restoration project on the Management Plan for the parkland, remains known to lie close to the Stray Walls – Grade I listed ruined this reviewed our knowledge of the main house. walls which form a key landscape history of the site whilst also provid- element of the original park design. ing a comprehensive account of Risby Hall (Grade II and Scheduled management issues and chal- Monument) near Hall is also coming (Continued on page 15) PAGE 15 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 (Continued from page 14) pond restoration project when the site busy with several new projects al- Bretton Hall (Grade II), encapsu- comes into HLS later in 2010.This will ready under consideration. For fur- lated within the Yorkshire Sculpture improve flow across the internation- ther information on environment Park, was also placed on the ‘at ally significant water gardens and stewardship please see the Natural risk’ register; again we were able to may allow some original cascades to England website at: http:// respond by funding a Management be re-instated. To help plan with we www.naturalengland.org.uk/ Plan which will provide the basis for are funding some small scale restora- ourwork/farming/funding/es/ future management of the site under tion works and archaeological survey default.aspx HLS when it enters the scheme later under the existing CSS scheme. Dr. Margaret Nieke in 2010. The funding this plan has Historic Environment Adviser already allowed English Heritage to The above is a quick summary of key Natural England confirm that the site will not stay on projects. Overall several million their 2010 list. pounds are already committed to con- servation and better management of At Bramham Hall (Grade I) plans historic parks across the region. 2010 are afoot for us to fund a major promises to be just a exciting and Cowesby Hall

On a typically unsettled evening in on the 3-year project to rebuild the My first impression was of the won- June 2009, YGT members met at garden at Cowesby. It was designed derful use of colour. I loved the Cowesby Hall, near Thirsk for a tour by Mike and the Adairs with the aim ‘yellow’ garden with its combinations of the restored 5-acre gardens. to sit in the landscape and to feel of Ligularia and Achillea, Euphorbia seamless when walking from one griffithii ‘Fire Glow’, Alstroemeria Approached by a long avenue of area to another. Local companies and honeysuckles (Lonicera); the lime trees, Cowesby Hall nestles on were employed, plus a master dry- drifts of pinks and purples on the the western slopes of the Hamble- stone waller (Keith Ledger). He built terraces; and the vibrancy of the ton Hills, with stunning open views the walls within the terraces, using blue garden, created in another to the south and west. existing stone from old dry-stone walled garden in front of some old walls in the wood at the back of the greenhouses. The elegant, Tudor-style stone man- garden. sion house was built in 1832 after I love walled gardens so was par- the design of Anthony Salvin, on the As the Adairs enjoyed entertaining, ticularly interested in the Victorian site of an older house. It was sold in holding regular weekend shooting walled kitchen garden: the twelve 1947 to the Camerons, the Hartle- and house parties, the creation of a raised beds of strawberries pro- pool brewing family, who lived here productive garden was a priority. tected with ‘enviromesh’ (a stiff ma- until 2000 when the Hall was pur- Renovations started on the Victorian terial so it doesn’t blow away); the chased by Robert and Lucy Adair. kitchen garden, which had been full of fruit trees dating from the Camer- The Adairs set about renovating the Christmas trees, to provide fruit and ons’ time, which had come from Hall, and the gardens, which had vegetables, as well as cut flowers and Rogers at Pickering and are all been neglected for some 20 years. houseplants, for the Hall. identified. I just felt sad that it looked rather neglected (and having Mike I’Anson joined them as their Our visit coincided with a transitional missed Mike’s introduction didn’t full time gardener in Jan 2001, an- period in the history of the garden. understand why this was until later swering a two-line advertisement in Sadly, the Adairs had split up 18 that evening when he was showing a local free magazine. Mike told me months prior to our visit, and so the me the garden plans, and some of how it was a complete career demand for fresh produce for the Hall the historic documents and pictures change for him. He’d always had a was no longer there. After a wonder- of the garden prior to restoration.) general interest in gardens and ful three years, with two full-time and studied for the RHS General Certifi- two part-time seasonal gardening I love the strong fragrance of old cate while still with the North York- staff, Mike’s challenge now is to build English roses, and there were many shire Police, where he worked for a garden that can be managed by to be enjoyed here, all supplied by 25 years. He had commenced an reduced staffing levels, presently David Austen Roses. The pink HND at Askham Bryan College and Mike plus one student (Mark). roses at the back of the house with had been involved with the building their exquisite flowers were particu- of a wildlife garden in Thirsk, when The gardens we saw were a complete larly beautiful and included: the me- he saw the advertisement for his transformation from the pictures Mike dieval rose, Eglantyne; 19th-century job. And, as they say ‘the rest is showed me in the Garden Office. Louise Odier, Gertrude Jekyll, and history’. They had been redesigned, and re- Brother Cadfael. stored, retaining remnants of the Initially Mike was working alone, but original Victorian features It was lovely to see the traditional he built up a team of four full-time orchard and I was interested to see and two part-time gardeners to work (Continued on page 16) PAGE 16 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Cowesby Hall cont. (Continued from page 15)

Members admiring roses Terraced Garden a new orchard, which had been plants, probably shrubs, and a very planted in 2002/3. An experiment to Although our visit started in sun- limited amount of vegetables will be create a wildflower meadow, by leav- shine, and we had a lovely walk grown in some raised beds by the ing the grass to grow and cutting it around the enchanting garden, a fruit cage, just enough for Mr Adair’s once a year, had not been successful heavy rainstorm drove us into the own use. The two greenhouses in as unfortunately the grass was the swimming pool complex where the blue garden have been pulled particularly aggressive Perennial Rye- some welcome refreshments were down and will be replaced with grass (Lolium perenne) which is used waiting. shrubbery. We can only hope that to produce hard-wearing sports Mike’s inspired work will not have pitches and play lawns. I was We were so lucky in the timing of been in vain. pleased to learn that numerous new our visit to Cowesby Hall gardens hedgerows and trees had been as, sadly, Mike I’Anson is no longer Mike plans to extend his teaching planted on the 500-acre Estate under there. Having spent the Summer of and has the opportunity of working the Countryside Stewardship 2009 cutting grass, which is not with Askham Bryan College in Scheme. what he wanted to do, he resigned, Thirsk and Bedale. Northallerton and left in December. After losing Adult Education has also asked him As I’m passionate about ancient trees the summer staff, the gardens had to present some classes. He hopes and enjoy seeing specimen trees that continued to decline and in Septem- that his, together with some individ- have been allowed to grow unre- ber Robert Adair confirmed that he ual garden coaching, landscape stricted, I was delighted to see the wished to see the gardens reduced, design and specialist pruning, will evergreen Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), with the request to no longer pro- keep him busy enough. (I am sure the Persian Ironwood (Parrotia per- duce vegetables or cut flowers for we all wish Mike every success.) sica), the Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus the hall. The vegetable area is to be libani), and the Japanese Maple (Acer planted up with low maintenance Denise Carter palmatum).

Yellow Garden before restoration Yellow Garden PAGE 17 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 New areas on the YGT website

If you now log into the Members’ section is particularly for non-YGT @yorkshiregardenstrust.org.uk or Area you will see a new format, garden visits and openings, talks 01977 663471 which includes a Members’ Forum. and events This is designed to allow you to • YGT Events and Visits – this is I hope that you find this of use and communicate with your fellow York- self-explanatory as it will list up- would welcome any feedback on it! shire Gardens Trust members. coming events but it will also be used to update information such We also have a new Publications There are four areas: as an event being full page that initially will advertise our • Getting started – this tells you new book ‘With Abundance and Va- about the forum and how to use As the system for log-in works on a riety’. It will also feature book re- it surname and membership number, views on gardens and gardening. If • General – this is for queries you you may initially have a problem if you would like to submit a review may have that other members there is another member with the then please send to me at the can help you with or other gen- same surname. If that is the case or above email address. eral information you wish to dis- indeed you have any queries please seminate do not hesitate to contact me at Louise Wickham • Gardens and gardening – this webmaster Visit to Borthwick Institute for Archives – 4 December

December is not the best month for ing, arrangement and cataloguing earliest records on display, starting visiting gardens. It is, however, a (with a published catalogue) of this half way through the 18th century good time for both retrospection and important material. with the first records of the Society’s planning ahead; the long dark days annual shows, now conserved and provide plenty of time and space for The Russell Archive formed a large sympathetically rebound by recently- reflection and contemplation. With part of the display that was prepared retired Borthwick conservator Trevor this firmly in mind, 30 Trust mem- especially for the Trust’s visit; Rus- Cooper, again work funded by YGT. bers organized by Penelope Daw- sell’s detailed planting scheme for son-Brown, visited the Borthwick Ray Wood at Castle Howard in the The evening also included a tour of Institute for Archives on 4 Decem- mid-1950s had pride of place, but the Borthwick’s normally hidden fa- ber, hosted by Chris Webb, Keeper more modest and less well-known cilities, as it were the potting shed of of Archives, and Alex Mould, Archive schemes for private houses were also archival work. Members visited the Assistant. The Borthwick is the on display, illustrating the wide variety modern strongrooms (equipped with home of the Trust’s own seedling of schemes worked on by Russell in a computer controlled mobile shelving) archive, and provides increasingly very creative lifetime. designed to keep the records at sta- fertile ground for other garden ar- ble temperature and humidity. From chives, largely because of the The Trust’s recent project to record the strongrooms we visited the staff preparation and planting work of the garden of Philippa Rakussen at areas (with rooms for confidential Trust members. Ling Beeches, in the form of contem- consultation) and the large and spa- porary slides, coupled with Rakus- cious conservation workshop. The The Borthwick’s first garden archive sen’s own invoices that document the evening concluded with wine and acquisition was the nationally impor- formation of the garden over several nibbles in the Borthwick’s exhibition tant archive of the garden designer decades, formed another set of mate- area, where recently-acquired mate- James Russell. Not only did Trust rial. Chris Webb explained the inten- rial on display included photographs members help to influence the tion to make the slides widely avail- of the gardens at Heslington Hall in choice of the Borthwick as a home able, after digital imaging, via the the years around the First World for the Russell Archive, but they Internet. War. were instrumental in raising enough The records of the oldest floricultural money to pay for the appraisal, sort- society in the world – The Ancient Chris Webb Society of York Florists – were the

Romancing the Stones Just over one mile south from my study window a rounded wooded hilltop hides Druid’s Temple, a mock pre-historic monument almost dismissed by writers as a kind of job creation scheme by a benevolent landowner. The facts of just why it was built are stranger than fiction. What interests me is the period two hundred years ago when the Grand Tour had been unavailable and Britain’s sublime picturesque scenery admired, painted and enhanced. For some time now I have been researching and recording sites in Yorkshire landscapes and gardens where rocks have been used to form decorative features. Druid’s Temple is an example but there are hundreds of small sites that are of interest. If you know of such a site or would like to be involved in researching and recording stones used in the Romantic period, do please get in touch. Ray Blyth 01765 689289 or email: [email protected] PAGE 18 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 The Council of Management Away day, Summer 2009

Although I know that I see more of my future reference. bers present, this was taken as a sug- colleagues who sit on the YGT Coun- gestion for the next quarterly meeting. cil of Management than some of my These ranged from the Business own family, it is rare that we have a Plan for the YGT, through fulfilling Regretfully, here once again, a very chance for a leisurely conversation or our aims in respect of the Charity full agenda with the publication of the to talk about matters incidental to the Commission; thence to expecta- book to discuss, the AGM to finalise immediate business of the council at tions of the membership both in and reports from the seven sub- our quarterly meetings. the short and long-term; promotion committees meant that time was of the YGT; communications both again extremely tight, so that the These meetings are so full, usually with members and the Association meeting decided against such a divi- brim-full and overflowing - with news, of Gardens Trusts; our role in edu- sion. views and questions, that we often cation; possible tourism links; and end up finishing in a most hurried, onto resolving the problems of The future of the Yorkshire Gardens and a less satisfactory way than we over-booking at events and the Trust is important. It is an organisa- would desire. need to have helping hands for a tion which can voice concern for our continued successful events pro- historic gardens and landscapes, it It was to try to relieve the sheer gramme across the whole of the can contribute to the quality of resto- amount of business in these quarterly county. ration work, encourage interest in hor- meetings that an “Away day” was pro- ticulture (great and small) and posed. It was envisaged that it could There was little of this which we through the efforts of our members be a relaxing day, with time for a walk could resolve in one afternoon, but seek out and share some wonderful in the fresh air, a chance to walk and there were points which it was felt gems which enhance all our of lives talk amongst some new sights, a lei- we should address and some and hopefully saves these for the surely lunch, then a discussion re- which it was good to air and share wider public enjoyment and the enjoy- garding the future direction of the at this time. There was a general ment of future generations. Trust, a “Strategic Discussion”. consensus amongst those present that this initiative should be taken The many different skills needed and A suitable venue was sought - acces- forward, perhaps as an annual the generosity of our members re- sible, with ample parking, yet interest- event, to discuss the future direc- quires strategic planning to ensure ing and meeting all the above criteria. tion and size of the organisation these successes continue long into This was provided at the Horticulture and it’s strategic goals. the future, maybe revising some of and Conservation Department, Hors- our roles, maybe changing some as- forth Campus, Leeds City College. The day was briefly interrupted in pects temporarily, but this ‘ strategy’ Sited off the Leeds Ring Road and the nicest possible way, when the needs to address how we can best offering most of the needs on our list! LCC student, Sally Clough, was set our efforts to achieving this. presented with the YGT Trophy for Everyone managed to find the place, Outstanding Horticultural Achieve- We have come through our first dec- although it was not without incident ment 2009, in recognition of her ade with some notable achievements for some, and after coffee and pas- completing the Foundation Degree and I would like to think that the YGT tries, a tour of the site took us out into with brilliant marks and for her can go from strength to strength and the fresh air. Although we only cov- dedicated efforts in helping her that all its members can enjoy the ered a small part of the whole site we team achieve a Gold Award at the discoveries, the challenges and the still managed to walk and talk for Harrogate Spring Flower Show. successes. longer than perhaps we ought to have Penelope presented the trophy done. along with an honorary year’s Hopefully we shall hold another Away membership to the Trust, outside day in 2010, perhaps with a more So it was with the adroit chairmanship in the gardens. Sally was de- structured and limited agenda, but still of Martin Page that we re-convened lighted and thanked everyone for a gathering where all the council and in our base room, laid an agenda for the tribute. some invited ‘ specialists’ can share the meeting and realised we could their enthusiasm and ideas. only achieve this by condensing lunch Returning indoors to the meeting into a working lunch session with a was difficult and again we came Liz Simson meeting combined. up against the clock, running out Secretary to the YGT Council of of time before we had made much Management The assembled members, Penelope headway. Martin Page, in his Dawson-Brown, Martin Walker, Martin chairing role suggested that per- Page, Val Hepworth, Ray Blyth, haps the ‘Strategic’ issues could Helen Lazenby, Nicola Harrison, be taken individually to a quarterly Jenni Howard, and myself all had meeting, with a split timetabling for burning issues which we felt would be the general business and strategy useful to review, discuss, or note for - however without all council mem- PAGE 19 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Robert Compton VMH 1922 - 2009

Robin, as we always thought of him, and landscape had developed and toria Medal of Honour and in 1996 was a member of the Yorkshire Gar- the family’s plans for the future. the Harlow Carr medal when he be- dens Trust from its earliest begin- In 1949 Robin joined the botanical came a Vice-president of the RHS. nings. A consummate plantsman, garden committee of the Northern The gardens at Newby remain a the gardens at Newby Hall, North Horticultural Society (NHS) and so testament to his horticultural flair Yorkshire are a horticultural para- formed links with other NHS luminar- and to the family’s determination dise that he developed and embel- ies such as Hon Robert James of St that their Spirit should be that of a lished for over thirty years. In 2002 Nicholas and Sir William Milner of much-loved private garden, rather at our AGM at Newby, Robin held Parcevall Hall. He later became than one that is simply open to the an audience of about ninety mem- President of the NHS and the Harro- public however beautiful. bers spellbound with his enthusiasm gate Flower Show. More recently as he explained how the gardens (1993) he was awarded the RHS Vic- Val Hepworth

Committee Round-up Wentworth Castle report been repaired. submit a much more developed and costed idea for what we hope will be We are really proud to tell you that English Heritage have very gener- HLF’s final go ahead to the restora- Restoration at Wentworth continues, ously provided us with another grant tion of this unique iron building with helped by a very generous set of for this fabulous Grade II* building in its ground breaking electric lighting. grants from English Heritage and order to allow us to restore its roof, The Conservatory is particularly Natural England. The two organisa- with match funding coming from popular with our volunteers and a tions have initiated a programme of EPIP. Recent archive research has dedicated team has already raised grant aid for the restoration of his- established that the Rotunda origi- some £35,000 towards the match- toric structures within parklands nally had an occulus providing day funding target, which is a fantastic which have already qualified for light to the interior and a black and achievement by all concerned. Higher Level Stewardship funding white marble floor with plaster walls. from DEFRA. This far sighted ar- The present grant will restore the Jane Furse rangement has meant that we have roof, its occulus and we hope the been able to attract funding for the floor, thereby ensuring that the build- Research & Recording restoration of our northern ha ha ing becomes wind and water tight fifty wall which abuts the pleasure gar- or so years after the roof was dam- As we mentioned in the previous dens despite the valuable presence aged during the 2nd World War. We Newsletter, we decided to wind up of a badger set close by. are extremely grateful for E H’s con- the Vicarage Garden project. De- tinue support for our monuments in spite undertaking research mainly at Rebuilding work on the ha ha has these difficult times. the Borthwick and the North York- been carefully timed to avoid distur- shire County Record Office, we bance to the badgers’ breeding sea- Archive research on this fascinating found that although there was plenty son and has involved detailed liai- site is coming on a pace and as some of information on parsonage houses son work between our ecologists, of you will have already seen in the and vicarages, there was very little landscapers and conservation vol- press, the Wentworth Castle Trust is recorded about their gardens. Also, unteers. Daily monitoring and a hosting a conference on the 6th – 8th in many cases, gardens shown on gradual exclusion of the animals on August 2010 entitled early O.S. maps have either been a temporary basis from the immedi- Jacobites and Tories, Whigs and built on or have been completely ate vicinity of the wall has allowed True Whigs: Political Gardening in redeveloped by recent owners and us to clear, document and photo- Britain c.1700 – c.1760 so have left few traces of their origi- graph the gradual restoration of the nal layouts. However, members wall and its original stone gateway Places are filling up fast so if you may be interested to know that between the garden and field. Sev- think you might like to join us, I urge Shandy Hall, the Grade I listed eral curved metal fencing strainers you to book soon. home of Laurence Sterne, was the have already come to light, dating northern winner of the Country Life probably from the Victorian era cor- Exciting news has also been received magazine competition to find Eng- roborating planting evidence which from HLF who have passed our initial land’s finest parsonage (the overall suggests that at least part of the bid for the restoration of the Conser- winner was The Old Rectory, Farn- adjacent walk was redesigned at vatory as our Phase II project and on borough, Berkshire). A short report this period. Several individual crafts- which Steve Blackbourn spent so on the gardens of Shandy Hall will men have banded together as a much of his valuable time over the appear in the next issue of this stonewalling team in order to speed winter of 2008/9. This is the green newsletter. Helen Lazenby and up the completion of this work in light we needed for the working up of Moira Fulton joined The Rectory time for the new visitor season detailed costings for the scheme. We Society and accompanied their visit when the Rotunda will also have expect to then be in a position to re- (Continued on page 20) PAGE 20 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Committee Round-up cont.

(Continued from page 19) three new schools into YGT for from their local history of fruit- to three Yorkshire rectories: Shandy Schools membership - East Norton C growing, to bee-pollination, tasting Hall, The Old Rectory, Settrington of E School, near Keighley, as well as apple recipes, understanding the and The Old Rectory, Foston, the Great Ouseburn County Primary importance of local produce and former home of Sydney Smith. School and Marton-cum-Grafton CE finally, planting and for caring trees VA Primary School, both near York. in their own school grounds. We have now decided to research and record in depth one site a year The Trust has already been able to Nicola Harrison in preparation for a visit or study day support Marton-cum-Grafton school [email protected] by members. We began in August with a YGT for Schools Grounds De- 2009 at Clapham, where we had a velopment Award. This is a £200 Conservation and Planning study day based on the gardens of cash award, intended to help schools ‘Vista, Enclosure and Variety’ Reginald Farrer (see report by Pat- enhance the landscape and natural rick Eyres in this Newsletter). The environment; creating new, outdoor The name Ptolemy conjures up his- preliminary research for the day, not learning experiences for the children tory in the guise of the Egyptian sci- only involved visits to the Farrer through the introduction of new fea- entist and astronomer working in family at Clapham but also to the tures and wildlife habitats into the Alexandria during the 2nd century Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, school grounds. In this case it is go- AD. However the 21st century where much of the Reginald Farrer ing towards a tree-planting scheme, Ptolemy I quote here is the young archive has been deposited. Helen which will not only enhance the land- architect Ptolemy Dean who was and Moira hoped to examine the scape around some new school build- the historic buildings advisor on the entire archive in one day but were ings, but also provide much-needed BBC 2 programme ‘Restoration’, rather alarmed when the librarian shade, wind-shelter and a sustainable and whose architectural writing in kept arriving with more and more nature area for the children. It is Country Life is accompanied by ex- boxes, many containing exquisite planned that each tree will be quisite ink and watercolour watercolours of Alpine flowers. For- adopted by a different class who will sketches. I hope that you’ve seen tunately, although we had to leave be responsible for its care. them. He has also written in the re- many of Reginald Farrer’s long let- cent English Heritage Conservation ters to his mother from Burma un- Members might also be interested to Bulletin (Issue 62 Autumn 2009) read, Helen was able to make cop- hear that the Trust supported a suc- that focuses on Conservation Areas ies of the fascinating photographic cessful bid by The Wildflower Ark (a and here his Celebrating special archive. charity concerned with conserving the areas hit a chord with me: ‘And yet flora of the Lower Tees Valley) for a our towns and villages are com- It is hoped to undertake research on study of the heritage orchards of the posed not of these lone architectural another site shortly. Anyone who area. The project will research the statements, but of a remarkably rich would like to become involved in location, condition and ecology of re- and unfolding sequence of external this project please do contact me. maining heritage orchards and fruit spaces that are shaped by build- Yorkshire is full of gardens waiting trees in the Lower Tees Valley; as ings, often quite ordinary. Indeed, for our attentions. well as the local history of fruit grow- we barely notice the individual build- ing and uses. In conjunction with the ings themselves as they merge into Moira Fulton Northern Fruit Group, workshops will something transfixing: areas where [email protected] be held on such topics as grafting, the sum of the whole is far greater pruning, harvesting and storing fruit. than the individual parts. Whether Education we understand it or not, our pleas- The results of this exciting project will ure in towns and villages appear to Since the last YGT Newsletter, be shared with community groups a large degree to be shaped by the thanks to the efforts of Lucy Porritt, and taken into local primary schools; (Continued on page 21) we have been delighted to welcome engaging children in aspects ranging

Anne Dennier, A Lasting Legacy: The Story of Whitby’s Pannett Park, (Published by Whitby Literary & Phi- losophical Society, 2009), 48pages, £4.95, ISBN 978-0-90207-19-4

Pannett Park may not be Yorkshire’s best-known green space and perhaps unexplored by visitors to the premier resort of Whitby, but readers of this little book will be eager to explore it. To describe this publication as little does not do it justice. Yorkshire Gardens Trust member, Anne Denier, gives so much information in a style that is enjoy- able to read and the numerous illustrations help to tell the story of the park from its conception as a People’s Park, to the recent restoration thanks to the Friends of Pannett Park and the ‘Parks for People’ scheme. My only regret is that the spine is not quite wide enough for a title, so that I can see it alongside Middlesbrough’s Albert Park and A Walk in the Park: Darlington, but a worthy addition to our bookshelves. Ray Blyth PAGE 21 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26

(Continued from page 20) m: customers@english- 2,900 projects in our region and we physical sensations of vista, enclo- heritage.org.uk heard about many examples; from sure and variety.’ Leeds West Indian Carnival to Also on the national scene the AGT Hackfall, from Remembering Butlins It seems to me that these sentiments commented on the draft Planning at Filey, to the Black Dyke Band, encompass very much our heritage of Policy Statement (PPS) Planning and the Borthwick Institute. small parks, gardens and green for the Historic Environment spaces in towns and cities and indeed which is to replace PPG’s 15 and Natural England, The National of vista, enclosure and variety in the 16, together with English Heri- Trust, South Lakeland Orchard design of our grander and larger land- tage’s Guidance Document, His- Group and The Northern Fruit scapes. Think of our suburban villas toric Environment Planning Prac- Group are spearheading a project to and their gardens, which have been tice Guide. (These are available at create The Local Apple Register prey to wilful recent developments respectively and The Pear Register. The Local and equally our world-class designed www.communities.gov.uk and Apple Register will locate, record landscapes such as Studley Royal or www.english-heritage.org.uk) Just and preserve living specimens of Duncombe Park. Vista, enclosure to remind you: The statutory status local apple varieties for posterity. and variety are qualities that we need of registered parks remains un- Local varieties are part of many to sustain. changed. The approach promoted in communities cultural heritage and the PPS is about making informed are often closely adapted to ex- In another piece, Jenifer White, Eng- decision based on an understanding treme environments. By adding lish Heritage’s Senior Landscape Ad- of significance, and emphasis is them to already recorded varieties visor writes of Protecting landscapes given to research and records. Non the gene pool available for breeding through conservation areas and the -designated heritage assets are to will be substantially enhanced with a argument that has rumbled on for be considered at the same level as greater chance of breeding varieties many years that conservation area designated assets and there is able to cope with climate change. designation is not appropriate for strong support for pre-application Do you know of a locally esteemed parks and gardens. Yet the character discussion. apple not nationally known? It may of many conservation areas is shaped be a candidate for The Local Apple by open spaces and trees. Some There are policies to encourages Register. Please contact Simon councils, like those in Norfolk, have local risk registers as well as the Clark tel. 0113 2663235, e mail si- used conservation areas for all regis- national Heritage at Risk pro- [email protected] for details tered landscapes, urban or rural and gramme, and the requirement for of the scheme and how to get in- in so doing have offered valuable planning authorities to obtain advice volved. controls to help preserve or enhance from national and local amenity so- features such as garden structures cieties as well as organisations such Pears, such a magnificent but ne- and trees, and stop inappropriate new English Heritage. This provides an glected component of our traditional development, and tree works. opportunity for county gardens orchards are currently a closed trusts like us, along with the Garden book as to what varieties oc- The eighth annual report on the his- History Society, the statutory con- cur. Identification is a fascinating toric environment Heritage Counts sultee on Grade II registered parks challenge as many turn out to be 2009 was published in October. It and gardens, to collaborate more 18th or 19th C Belgian or French launches new research, which con- and ensure that comprehensive and varieties. Pears can live for 300-400 cludes that living in historic areas, well-informed advice is given. years, so it is likely that varieties and perhaps more importantly, partici- Rachael Sturgeon - now Rachael from as early as the mid 17th century pation and interest in the historic envi- Stamper after her marriage in Octo- are still in existence. If you can help ronment, has a positive and signifi- ber to Paul - continues working as please contact Simon Clark (above) cant impact on how people feel, think the Project Manager for the Parks & or Philip Rainford tel 01772 7129; e and identify with where they live. The Gardens Database. Her email mail; [email protected] . report also shows that funding for the address is: historic environment, particularly in [email protected] and The conservation sub-committee the private and voluntary sector has her telephone number is 01904 has continued to be involved with not escaped the impact of the reces- 433965. parks and gardens throughout York- sion. Heritage Counts 2009 for York- shire. In Sheffield we are delighted shire and the Humber is available to November was something of a red- to hear that Joan Sewell has been download from the Heritage Counts letter month for me as I was invited commissioned by Sheffield City website: www.heritagecounts.org.uk by English Heritage to the lunch and Council to write a management plan where there is much detailed informa- presentation for the Landscape for Whinfell Quarry Garden. The tion on historic environment indica- Institute Awards and then to repre- lack of a proper plan was a concern tors. If you would like a hard copy of sent the YGT at the Heritage Lot- when giving the YGT grant. Joan is Heritage Counts 2009 England (there tery Fund 15th Anniversary Con- searching for Backhouse informa- are no hard copies of the regional ference: Impact and Sustainabil- tion. When the Backhouse Nursery reports) then please contact Cus- ity in York. The HLF has invested in York closed some archive mate- tomer Services tel: 0870 333 1181 e- an amazing £358m in more than (Continued on page 22) PAGE 22 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26 Committee Round-Up cont.

(Continued from page 21) importantly the Currers at Kildwick Hall were related through mar- riage with the Ferrands of St Ives. Anne Currer, daughter of the owner Hugh Currer (1608-1690), married Robert Fer- rand and lived at Harden Grange (as St Part of the walled garden at St Ives where there is to Ives was named be a new design and shows the hideous container then), until her which has now reappeared near Coppice Pond death in 1712. Detailed plant lists and plans for the Yorkshire gar- March we had a splendid guided den of the Rev. Walter Stone- tour of the outer landscape at Hare- Inside the back of the old conservatory adja- house at the Darfield Rectory wood with PhD student Tim Ta- cent to walled garden at St Ives in 1640, published in the Gar- tioglu. Tim is currently working for deners' Chronicle in 1920 the West Yorkshire Archaeology rial was deposited with their insurer should also prove useful, particu- Advisory Service in Wakefield and General Accident now taken over by larly as all the varieties of the fruit Anne has been able to help him with Norwich Union and part of Aviva. trees planted were itemized. We information on the gardens at Cliffe She found three documents relating await the new design. One of the Castle in Keighley, which is now to Backhouse: a register of members; difficulties in landscaping this gar- also a Bradford MDC park. Brad- a register of transfers; and a list of den was the wish to retain a huge, ford's parks department have been subscribers. Joan says that she will hideous container that was posi- considering for some time restoring let us know if anything more comes to tioned adjacent to the south- light. There has been a revised plan- east wall. It was finally agreed ning application for Tapton Halls, to remove it, but unfortunately Sheffield which is an improvement the container has recently re- on the previous scheme but Joan still appeared in the designed land- has concerns. scape near Coppice Pond at St Ives, spoiling the view. Jane Furse and Anne Tupholme at- tended two meetings last autumn at In December Anne attended a the St Ives Estate, Bingley (a Brad- meeting to discuss more car ford MDC park), to offer advice on the parking provision at St Ives design for a new garden within the nearer the café. It is difficult to walls of the only remaining small envisage how this can be walled garden for the seventeenth achieved without a further det- century part of the Mansion. Peter rimental impact on the de- Brears excellent book, 'The Complete signed landscape. Plans are Housekeeper: A household in Queen being drawn up. However on a Anne times' was recommended as a happier note, Anne was able to particularly relevant reference book answer a request from Bob as it describes in detail the domestic Thorp, (Trees and Woodland life at Kildwick Hall for the years 1700 Manager, Bradford MDC) for -1714. This was written through the information about the trees on chance discovery of a housekeeper's the estate, through her re- account book, but it also includes ac- search in the extensive counts relating to the garden. Kild- Ferrand Archives. Rebuilt entrance to the top terrace from the Camel- lia Walk at Parcevall Hall Gardens wick Hall is just 7 miles northwest of St Ives in the Aire valley but more Some of you will remember that last (Continued on page 23) PAGE 23 NEWSLETTER ISSUE 26

(Continued from page 22) den area and the vital setting for the tographic record is being made as the grounds through a HLF funded two Grade II listed buildings and a volunteers carefully remove the project. Henry Isaac Butterfield spent very clear splitting up of that garden/ weeds, rubble and soil. Kiplin is well lavishly after he inherited the house in setting. known for drifts of snowdrops and 1874, transforming the earlier George aconites in February so Mike hopes Webster designed house in the Eliza- At Kiplin Hall we have been devel- to include a walk with special culti- bethan style (Cliffe Hall) into a oping ideas and suggestions for the vars of snowdrops in the plans for 'modernised Tudor Castle'. Today gardens and landscape in a paper this area. Cliffe Castle Museum is surrounded for the trustees. They agreed that by a forty-acre park, which has re- we should draft a brief for tendering In the summer we were notified of a tained much of the structure of the to consultants to write a manage- proposal to put a private caravan Butterfield gardens, though sadly the ment plan drawing together and site in the north park of Forcett Hall splendid large Winter Garden built by building on all the work that has (Richmondshire). The gardens and Messengers in 1878 no longer exists. been done over the years. Mean- park may have been designed by The rockery and grotto, built near the while the trustees have agreed to Thomas Wright, ‘The Durham Wiz- main entrance is similar in style to the fund a part-time gardener – if you ard’ in about 1740 and they most most amazing rock garden in the win- know of someone with good horti- interestingly incorporate part of an ter garden at Oakworth House that cultural and historic garden skills Iron Age oppidum and a snail mount covered half an acre. The latter was who can work with volunteers then with a huge rustic tripartite grotto on built by a 'band of Frenchmen' and it please let us know. Last autumn we its south eastern side. It was good seems extremely likely that the same also helped with bulb ordering and to meet the owners Mr and Mrs workers were responsible for the then planting with volunteers. Kiplin Heathcote, and their agent Guy Cliffe Castle rockwork. Oakworth has never had any spring show of Cograve, to discuss the proposal House burnt down in 1909 but the bulbs and we tried to choose those and to bring in Andy Wimble of Eng- rockwork still exists and can be seen with some historic provenence. At lish Heritage and Dr Margaret Nieke in Oakworth Park (Bradford MDC). the workshop that we held last sum- of Natural England. Since then the mer we noted an area where a new Heathcote’s with Guy Goggrave Our support for Parcevall Hall contin- sitting/planted area might be devel- have decided that a private caravan ues with Anne driving the efforts to oped. YGT member Mike Heagney site is not the way that they want to secure the funding for the reconstruc- of Gardens Revitalised is looking at take Forcett. Forcett Hall is an tion of the waterfall. See our appeal. ideas with us for this small area pro- amazing hidden gem with a fine visionally called the ‘orangery/ house, imposing entrance screen Further north and east Malcolm Bar- conservatory walk’. This is along- and lodges all by Daniel Garrett, but nett and myself have been involved side the path into the peninsular which despite the owners’ best ef- with three sites. We were alerted by woodland and backs onto the brick forts, needs serious funds to con- YGT member Sarah Smith that the wall of the walled garden. The old serve and secure it for the future. developer had applied again – twice - Ordnance Survey maps and re- We are more hopeful now that with to develop the garden at Weavers mains in the ground (including a help, this will happen. Cottage, Settle. YGT objected to stone-lined cistern) and on the wall excessive development in 2005/6. indicate that there was a green- Val Hepworth The new plans are better but there house/conservatory against the wall would still be a clear erosion of a gar- facing the eastern parkland. A pho- Small Grants Scheme: From Nelson to Shelters

We have had seven applications for I’m sure that many of you will have nately time has taken its toll on all our current grant scheme. It is grati- visited Duncombe Park. YGT has three structures and they are now fying that calls on our small pot of arranged at least two visits over the on the ‘Buildings at Risk Register’. money cover a wide range of pro- past ten years to this very important After discussions with Jake Dun- jects and different parts of the early eighteenth century designed combe and Beth Davies of the North county but difficult sometimes to landscape. The beautiful curving ter- York Moors National Park we have decide which to support. This year race overlooking the river Rye is ter- decided to help with a grant towards has been no exception. After much minated by the Ionic rotunda (1714- a condition survey of the Nelson deliberation and site visits we have 24) attributed to Vanbrugh whilst Sir Gates and historical research on the decided to help Duncombe Park, Thomas Robinson of Rokeby de- structure, setting and related drive. the Shuttleworth Gardens at Scar- signed the enclosed Doric or Tuscan borough and Parcevall Hall. We temple (c.1730) at the southern end. About three years ago we were de- hope to help the other applicants in About a hundred years later the Nel- lighted to help Scarborough & Dis- the future but we felt that at this son Gates, a stone triumphal arch trict Civic Society with the improve- stage we needed further discussion, and iron gates (1806), were erected ments to the little garden on Valley clarification of their projects and to for all travellers to enjoy as they jour- Road, Scarborough, below the Art help them with advice. neyed to Duncombe Park and Gallery. They are now working on Helmsley from the west. Unfortu- (Continued on page 24) STOP PRESS...forthcoming events

Saturday 6 March Bretton Hall, Wakefield: A heritage tour of the landscape setting

Saturday 20 March YGT AGM, The Spa Hotel, Ripon Registered Charity No. 1060697 Sunday 11 April YORKSHIRE GARDENS TRUST Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough Louise Wickham YGT Newsletter Editor Wednesday 19 May Visit to Goddards, York Tel: 01977 663471 Thursday 27 May Email: Visit to the Romantic Landscape at Plumpton Rocks [email protected] Note: Tulip Show is on May 8th and 9th at Primrose Hall, Horbury, not as advised in events mailing (Continued from page 23) the Shuttleworth Gardens on South Cliff, another registered historic gar- den that everyone can enjoy. Red

Court Garden (now Shut- (Walsingham College), we have tleworth Gardens) was a allocated £1,000 towards this private garden until 1917 project. when the owner, Alfred Shuttleworth gave it to the From the 2008-9 scheme we town. The oak shelter have now given £800 to the was mentioned in the Friends of Cannon Hall, Barns- newspaper account of the ley for the three restored stone gift and now needs some balls, part of a combination of six restoration work, so we plinths topped with stone balls, have granted £1,000. It’s on the south terrace. The whole always a pleasure to help scheme cost £1,900 with the like-minded groups like larger share being raised by the the Civic Society and the Friends. Well done to them and Shuttleworth Gardens are for all that they’re achieving at a peaceful haven. For Cannon Hall. We have also those of us with children – given £148 to Cantley Commu- or who never grew up – nity Centre, Doncaster for tools, they include the most magi- Cannon Hall south terrace with restored stone balls on plinths and await the official unveiling of the cal miniature garden too. plaque celebrating the Ancient Soci- delightful historic garden in the Arts ety of York Florists on the wall at 24 You will have read elsewhere of our and Crafts style and the only regis- Colliergate, York where the Society determination to see a more appropri- tered park and garden in the York- held their first show in 1768. ate and sensitive waterfall built in shire Dales National Park. Having Tarn Ghyll Wood at Parcevall Hall, a had an application from the gardens Val Hepworth

Jacobites and Tories, Whigs and True Whigs: Political Gardening in Britain, c.1700 – c.1760

Conference, 6th-8th August 2010, Wentworth Castle, Barnsley, South Yorkshire Wentworth Castle Heritage Trust and the Garden History Society

Within the mansion’s Georgian splendour we shall be fed and watered, and enjoy the 11 speakers discussing the ways that country estate symbolism distinguished between the warring factions of British politics. We shall also ex- plore the Jacobite features of the mansion, gardens and park through site tours. The conference marks the on-going restoration of the architectural and landscape fabric of the 500 acre estate that was created by the Tory-Jacobite Earl of Strafford between 1708 and 1739, assisted by the Jacobite architect James Gibbs. Residential and non-residential options are available.

For further information, email Dr. Patrick Eyres at [email protected] or download from either www.gardenhistorysociety.org\events or www.wentworthcastle.org\events\politicalgardeningconference