Animals in the Landscape at Thorndon Park
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T H E L I V I N G L A N D S C A P E _ referencing GPS co-ordinates with co-ordinates E S S E X G A R D E N S T R U S T plotted and generated using GIS. Methodology Regressive mapping started with modern OS maps to Animals in the locate the site and identify the 10km British National Grid (BNG) reference for (South) Thorndon Park Landscape at TQ68, TQ69; these were divided into 1km BNG references for visual studies in GIS. 1km references Thorndon Park. identified the required OS 1st ed. 25” maps (1868), allowing data collection of detailed mapping to Robert Adams continue visual analysis for assessing structures Introduction associated with ‘Animals in the Landscape. This During the 16th-19th centuries in England there was process identified a list of features for further a fascination for exotic animals among the higher investigation, established a time line and developed a echelons of society, some for ornamental strategy, which supported the other lines of enquiry characteristics and others for possible domestication, employed during this study. Essex County Council but all were symbolic of elite family status.1 The (ECC), kindly supplied digitalised estate maps, which eighteenth century ideals popularised by Bridgeman allowed the temporal analysis to extend back to 1598, and many others, used the ha-ha to ‘Call in the showing the key stages of landscape change and Country’ allowed domesticated animals to become development since its purchase by the Petre family in part of the landscapes ‘Picturesque’ appeal, a living the 1570’s. These estate maps were processed and re- landscape feature.2 Menageries on country estates scaled to make them compatible with modern OS varied in construction, but were often façade or mapping data using GIS. This process required pavilions containing screened animal pens, usually literary documentation (to interpret features), containing birds only and often with only semior non- archaeological reports, maps and photographic permanent structures.3 In addition aviaries, game evidence, which created site specific mapping to guide stores, kennels, stables and other animal related the surveying, correlated layers of data and supplied buildings were common on large estates. Thorndon additional data for a second survey. The second Hall, Essex, one of two principle residences acquired survey was required to identify feature, which could by the Petre family in the 1570’s,4 is a large site with not be located accurately during the first, allowing a historical longevity and high potential for containing detailed survey focused on two features, rather than archaeological evidence to investigate structures all structures associated with animals. The surveys associated with animals. Thorndon remained in the were carried out a week apart, this allowed time for Petre family for four hundred years, it has a long reviewing the mapping and adding data collected from association with animals inside its park and manorial the first survey to refine search areas. Additional parish. Hatch Farm was built as a ‘Model Farm’ for survey work investigated the menagerie and old stable the Thorndon Estate, specifically for rearing of deer block, to pin down locations while assessing their and cattle on the Thorndon estate.5 Thorndon was relationships with other feature in the landscape. GIS chosen for site specific analysis, because documentary allowed the generation of mapping for visual research evidence for this estates in Essex has been studied and provided data for cross-referencing on the ground thoroughly by A.C. Edwards and Nancy Briggs, using GPS coordinates to find earthwork remains of demonstrating large amounts of information, which demolished, neglected or forgotten features at survived over four centuries. The techniques used for Thorndon. investigating structures associated with animals on Regressive Mapping and Site Survey Thorndon’s estate included literary and archival The starting point for the mapping was the 25inch to documentation, maps, aerial photography, site survey the mile Ordnance Survey (OS) map of 1868; the and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) features identified on the map included menagerie technology. Historical archaeology theory states that, plantation, Hatch Farm, pigeon mount, the old hall ‘…archaeological interpretations gain strength by stables site, and surviving relict buildings and moving back and forth between multiple lines of earthworks. Other references on the maps included evidence, a process referred to…as ‘tracking’…this lost structures such as a deer cote and an eagle’s cage, approach allows…multiple interpretations of the with further references through place names to a historical past.’6 This investigation utilises this rookery, paddocks and pastures. The map also show method of interpretation to examine the animal related two deer parks associated with the old and new halls, structures and draw conclusions on their construction, in addition to place names like, ‘Old Thorndon placement and use. This investigation is divided into Pasture’ within or adjacent to the estate boundaries. three phases; the first used regressive mapping to Pastures indicate grazing by animals like cattle and investigate changes in the estate layout and plotted sheep, whereas paddocks would be associated with any noted association to animals, the second examines horses and deer.7 Both the new and old halls had literary and archival evidence for animals in the ponds, presumable for providing fish to the kitchens, landscape, and the final stage used map and literary water for grazing animals, and ornamentation to the evidence to locate and interpret earthworks by cross- landscaped grounds. Home farm was outside Thorndon (West Horndon) on the East Horndon Estate, with the farmland of these two manors (1733) showed planned changes proposed by Robert amounting to1,448 acres (most of this was rough James Petre these retained the deer park, the pigeon pasture or parkland and partly leased to outlying mount (possible dovecote) was recorded by 1669 and farms). Thorndon was completely remodelled from the menagerie appeared in the newly designed 1763 when the old hall was demolished and Lancelot landscape of 1733. The next detailed survey was Brown redesigned the park 1766-72, (although many carried out by Spires (1778) after the estate had been of the landscape features now survive as re-arranged by Robert Edward Petre (1763) and archaeological remains). The Spires map (1778) Lancelot Brown (1766-72) the old deer park and shows this rearrangement of the landscape including menagerie were retained. The park was rotated the menagerie (Figure 11). This period also saw the through 180° and the new hall had a new deer park demolition of the old hall, stable, outbuildings and St and pond installed. The Spire map also showed Hatch Nicholas church.8 The 1733 alignment faced north, farm inside the park boundaries, this specialist deer but after 1772 the new hall faced south with a new and cattle rearing farm also reflects the elite status of deer park to the west, some features were retained its surrounding landscape, rookery wood originates from the Bourginion layout, including the old deer from the tree nursery, probably after Robert James’s park, menagerie, a serpentine lake feature and the mill death in 1742.14 The Claton map (1805) shows the pond (Figure 10). Hatch farm and Rookery wood (was menagerie, Hatch farm, old pond and extensive the former locations of the nursery) appeared on parkland, but provides little additional detail. The 1st Spires map (1778),9 with additional references to a edition OS (1868) identified a deer cote, north of the northern Eagle’s cage (TQ58, TQ59) and a southern old pond and a eagles cage, west of the new hall, these Deer cote (TQ68, TQ69) found on the OS 1:2500 suggest continuity of use and status. maps (1868). The Pigeon mount was also retained although the structure on this feature disappeared, and speculation suggests it may have fallen into disrepair, becoming another outbuilding, demolished with the old hall and its surrounding complex.10 The Bourginion plan (1733) for the formal gardens (only parts of which were undertaken) included the esplanade…new Ingrave church, pleasure gardens adjacent to the old hall, the menagerie, nurseries, ponds, the enlargement of the old mill pond and the construction of a ‘zigurat’ between the northern arms, octagon, kitchen gardens and lawns. The stable block is to the east of the old hall with gate houses to the east and west of the old hall (Figure 1).11 The Menagerie was a feature of Robert James Petre vision for Thorndon in the eighteenth century. It was approximately 180m square, with a central pond an island, animal sheds in the north east corner. The pigeon mount does not appear on the Walker map of 1598, but is on the 1669 map by Duke Cosmo of Tuscany, and its interpretation suggests either a dove cote or a pergola.12 The Walker’s map (1598) includes a pond situated east of the old hall, approximately 200m long by 90m wide, aligned north-south, which was most likely an integral part of a water management system which fed the moat. In addition, it was a mill and fishpond; the northern arms were created while the main body had its capacity increased. The Walker map (1598) also showed the Figure 1 Features Associated with Animals at stable block associated with the old hall and to the Thorndon Park (Author’s Image) south-east, large scatterings of Tudor brick, tiles and pottery were found around ruin wood.13 Conclusions from Map Analysis: Results from the map analysis provided an insight into how a major, manorial estate connected with its animals for economic reasons, in addition to social ideals, which used livestock as ornamental feature to reflect family status. The Walker map (1598) demonstrates the Petre family’s dominance over the surrounding landscape (Figure 2) and annotations like ‘Stable Mead’ and ‘The Ovlde Parke’ suggest high status animals like horses and deer.