T H E G A R DEN micro-news HISTO R Y S O C I E T Y winter 2011 88a Site of John Evelyn’s Deptford garden under threat The site of the house and garden at Sayes Court — John Evelyn’s London residence by the then Royal Dockyard at Deptford — is currently subject to a planning application from a property developer which would see the site of the garden built over. A small group of concerned locals has mounted a campaign to conserve the site with a view to seeing it re-emerge as a public garden or park, integral to the riverfront residential development envisaged by the developers. At present, the entirety of the Sayes Court estate lies under an apron of concrete, but it is believed that garden archaeology could reveal much of its layout; the cellars of Evelyn’s house survive and have already been subject to some archaeological investigation. The site of Sayes Court takes by a drawbridge. up about one-sixth of the area to be All of this is well developed, now known as Convoys Wharf. delineated in Evelyn’s own The proposal from developers Hutchison- plan of the garden, held by the Whampoa is for 3,514 residential units, 80% British Library and viewable in the online of them one- and two-bedroom flats, in gallery section of its website: www.bl.uk three tall blocks of 32-, 38- and 46- storeys, Charles II visited the garden on several plus a variety of smaller blocks typically occasions, though the most celebrated Wooden model of Sayes Court made by between 8–18 storeys; one of the blocks story was the time when Peter the Great of George Carter in 1988, for the V&A Garden is directly over the site of the principal Russia, who leased the house for a period, exhibition. The (originally) Thames side parterre of the garden. ruined some of Evelyn’s prized holly hedges walk to the right of the model can still be The GHS supports this campaign and is having been pushed around the garden in a detected on aerial photos of the site today. adding its voice to those suggesting that wheelbarrow for fun. Lewisham Council looks favourably on After Evelyn’s death in 1706 Sayes Court local street names and remains very much a the idea of conserving the site of Sayes was used as a poor-house for 125 years. part of the folk memory of Deptford. Sayes Court as part of an overall development By the end of the 19th century both the Court has even been ‘saved’ on one previous plan when the application is considered by house and garden were in disrepair. The old occasion, when a descendant of John Evelyn Lewisham’s planning committee in either dockyard was transformed into the Foreign mounted a campaign in the 1880s with the January or April. A revised plan would Cattle Market, leading to the conversion of help of Octavia Hill (prior to her creation of potentially mean the construction of a great double-arched slipway cover into the National Trust) to turn it into a public approximately half the number of residential cattle sheds. This is now a Grade II listed park. The campaign was successful and Sayes units, with a greater mix of commercial, structure and must remain as part of any Court Park remained a public amenity until community, artistic and other uses at the future development. The house itself was the First World War, when 3/4 of the park site, as well as the integration of green slightly damaged during the Second World was absorbed into the Dockyard and never space on the footprint of the old garden. War by a V1 rocket and was subsequently returned. The remainder of the park was The garden at Sayes Court (see Garden demolished. The local activists suggest that remodelled in the 1950s. History 25:2, Winter 1997) was laid out the great arched structure could be used In 2000 Lewisham Council commissioned a by Evelyn from 1653 and included an oval again as a boatyard for the construction of report on Sayes Court, its significance and the garden, a terrace walk or mount, an orchard historic wooden ships, and to that end they impact of development. Prof Burdett’s report and the grove, which contained more than have teamed up with historic ship experts recommended the reinstatement of the 500 specimens of standard oak, ash, elm, who have submitted their own detailed complete area of John Evelyn’s garden as part service, beech and chestnut. Numerous proposals based on other schemes which of the scheme and highlighted the role of the unusual and exotic spice and citrus plants have been successful, not least as tourist wharf area as a historically important site in were grown here (the proximity of the attractions, in France and the Netherlands. terms of both ship-building and horticulture. docks playing its part) and there was also Today the surrounding local area is taken For more information see: www. a substantial kitchen garden of 38 beds laid up by light-industrial units and low-rise sayescourtgarden.com and out systematically. Other attractions included residential blocks, but John Evelyn and the londonslostgarden.wordpress.com a banqueting house and an island reached garden at Sayes Court is commemorated in See p3 for April 2012 Study Day info. important update We wanted to keep Members informed of important developments following our AGM in July at Keele, and that of the Association of Gardens Trusts at Oxford in September. working together The Working Together Feasibility Study The Study Group has concluded that will see below an advertisement for this Group, comprising GHS, AGT, the Garden uniting our skills and resources will give us post, and an invitation for expressions of Museum and the Parks & Gardens a more effective voice and avoid confusion interest from individuals wishing to be database (P&GUK), continues to discuss as to which body is giving what advice. Conservation Consultants in England. The a possible way forward towards closer Giving County Gardens Trusts’ membership freelance Consultants will be commissioned co-operation between its members. more ability to get involved with direct to deal with specific conservation cases, A prime motive for undertaking this conservation action underpins this thinking. complementing the work of the Principal study, which has strong support from These conclusions have been welcomed by and Deputy Conservation Officers in English Heritage, is the prospect of reduced English Heritage. England. Our current Conservation Government funding for historic parks and Officers may, of course, apply for both the gardens, and particularly the likelihood of a Future GHS Conservation activity advertised roles. reduction in financial support from English During October, following recommendations Planned changes to the Society’s Heritage for our work in 2012–13. from the Conservation Committee, conservation operation include: Facing the prospect of reduced public GHS Council decided to implement a • Moving away from a geographical funding as well as potentially harmful reorganisation of conservation practice structure for responding to consultations. changes in national planning policy, we know within the GHS. • Reinvigorating the Society’s role as a that our current individual resources will not Jonathan Lovie will remain as Principal campaigner for Parks and Gardens. be sufficient to address threats to the parks Conservation Officer and Policy Adviser in • Providing support and training for county and gardens about which we all care. England; Linden Grove’s role as Casework gardens trusts and others to engage As part of the Study, each organisation Manager (England), and the Casework in more conservation work, especially has also undertaken a thorough review Log are unaffected by this reorganisation. where this affects sites on which they are of its activities and the way in which each In Scotland, Alison Allighan remains as the undoubted experts. organisation operates. This has included a Conservation Officer; and a Casework Log, • Ensuring, with the help of the Society’s critical analysis of each others’ operations. similar to that operating in England, will colleagues in the CGTs, that local The conversation has been wide-ranging and also now be created and maintained. As government recognises the importance occasionally challenging, but also stimulating. part of this process, three of our existing of Parks and Gardens when drafting local It is already impossible for the GHS alone Conservation Officers in England will be plan policies. to respond to all planning threats to our redundant from 4 April 2012. The Society also intends to concentrate parks and gardens. Collectively, and by resources on responding to changes in building on our respective strengths and the way forward Government policy affecting Parks and expertise, we stand a much better chance of Under the Principal Conservation Officer, Gardens; and responding to the major cases making our views known to, and understood a new post of Deputy Conservation and generic threats which face Parks and by, national and local government. Officer (England) has been created; you Gardens. NEw CoNSErvatioN work also be involved in developing and updating CoNSERVATION opportuNitiES witH tHE the Society’s generic conservation advice CoNSuLTANtS (ENGLaND) SoCiEty (known as Planning and Conservation We are also looking to appoint a panel of Advice Notes), and will be closely involved appropriately experienced and qualified DEputy CoNSERVATION in training and support for county gardens Consultants upon whom the Society can oFFiCEr (ENGLaND) trusts and other local and national call to deal with specific conservation As part of the reorganisation of the amenity societies who are undertaking cases. Consultants should be members Society’s conservation and planning work, conservation and planning work.