Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Husheath Manor 20th century formal gardens within woodland and meadow.

Monument Types

• AMPHITHEATRE (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• FORMAL GARDEN (FORMAL GARDEN, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• FORMAL GARDEN (FORMAL GARDEN, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• FORMAL GARDEN (FORMAL GARDEN, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• FORMAL GARDEN (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• FOUNTAIN (FOUNTAIN, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• FOUNTAIN (FOUNTAIN, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• GAZEBO (GAZEBO, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• ITALIAN GARDEN (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• ORCHARD (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• ORNAMENTAL POND (ORNAMENTAL POND, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• POND (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• TERRACE (Ornamental Terrace, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• YEW WALK (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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DESCRIPTION
The site has a Tudor, timber-framed house and gatehouse gazebo (possibly a 20th century fake). The Italian-style garden was created in the l930s by Mr Bower. The garden covers about 1.5 hectares, comprising a series of small gardens, divided by terracing, walks, hedges, topiary, avenues and walls.

The focal feature of the garden is the ornate clipped cypress amphitheatre, decorated with statuary and urns. Leading from this is an avenue of tall Irish yews, bound into a conical shape with twine. At the far end of this grass walk is a statue (a replacement for an exquisite white marble ‘Rebecca', which is now in the house). Another walk runs parallel to this, with stone pillars and old roses, culminating in wrought-iron gates.

A wild wooded valley falls away below this walk, with naturalised camellias, bluebells and primroses.

To the south of the house, there is a charming sunken lawn, with an old apple trees and silver beds. There is also a bog garden or dell in the south-east corner of the garden, planted with architectural species. To the south of the main garden is a well-maintained and attractive kitchen garden, softened with shrub and climbing rose wigwam posts.

Exceptionally fine planting detail in the best English tradition enhances the fine atmosphere created by the strong Italian framework of the garden. To the west of the kitchen garden is an old barn with a tennis court and plans for a swimming pool. In 1980 a new addition was built. This consists of a raised brick-structured circular herb garden with a fountain, to the north face of the house. This was designed by A de Gard Pasley.

Site designation(s)
English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England Grade II Reference GD1932

Principal building:
House Created After 1503
The site has a Tudor, timber-framed house and gatehouse gazebo.

HISTORY
Site timeline
1900 to 1999: The house and gardens were restored, the gardens possibly following a previous formal layout.
1980: A raised brick structured circular herb garden with fountain was constructed. This lies to the north face of the house, and was designed by A de Gard Pasley.

People associated with this site
Designer: Anthony du Gard Pasley (Known to have been active 1967 to )

Features
amphitheatre
The focal feature of the garden is the ornate clipped cypress amphitheatre, decorated with statuary and urns.

orchard
An extensive commercial apple orchard, growing Cox's Orange Pippin, Bramley Seedling and Egremont Russet. The apples are grown naturally, using traditional growing techniques. The orchards are also home to wild flowers, so as to attract natural predators to protect the crops from pests.
Hush Heath Apple Juice was a gold medal winner at the National Fruit Show Competition in 2006.

terraced lawn

tree avenue
Tall Irish yews.

walk
There are several grass walks.

lawn
To the south of the house, there is a charming sunken lawn.

planting
Creator: Anthony du Gard Pasley (Known to have been active 1967 to )
There is a raised brick-structured circular herb garden with a fountain, to the north face of the house.

statue
There are statues in the Italian area of the gardens

pond
A Japanese-style pond
(1-2)

Description from record TQ 74 SE 16:
C20 formal garden of 1 1/2ha, within further 3ha of woodland and meadow. Gardens laid out late 1920s, re-developed post 1954 and again mid-1970s onwards. To front (i.e north) of house, circular brick and paved area with central fountain, mid-1970s. To east of house, slightly sunken area of lawn, with surrounding hedges and bedding, and steps up to further garden areas. [Full topographical description]LISTED GRADE II. Additional references, not consulted. (a)(b) (1)

<1> English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest, Part 24 Kent(May 1987) (OS Card Reference). SKE41619.

<1> Parks and Gardens Data Services Limited (PGDS), 2005, Parks and Gardens UK (www.parksandgardens.org) (Website). SKE16061.

<2> Country Life (16 Jul 1964) 154-156 (OS Card Reference). SKE39331.

<2> Kent County Council, 1996, The historic parks and gardens of Kent (Kent Gardens Compendium) (Unpublished document). SKE12972.

<3> Wright T(1978)Gardens of Britain 4. 66-68 (OS Card Reference). SKE51410.

Sources and further reading

Related records