Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Torry Hill Park.

Monument Types

• KITCHEN GARDEN (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
• LOGGIA (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
• PARK (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
• POOL (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
• ROSE GARDEN (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)
• SUMMERHOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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DESCRIPTION
The rose garden was made in the 1920s. It has been restored but remains practically identical to the original. The loggia built in 1930 also remains. In 1978 Waterers were commissioned to re-design and plant the walled garden area.

The walled courtyard directly to the south of the new house (where previously part of the Victorian mansion stood) was built and linked to the rose garden beyond (to the south) by a series of original steps. This forms a really good, fairly plain, foil to the house.

Beyond the rose garden, the first Victorian flower garden has been converted into an attractive walled garden. This consists of herbaceous borders surrounding a large lawn, with a formal pool. Along the north wall is a pergola and a ‘herb' terrace. The walls are a mixture of ages but mostly Victorian. These are four metres high, therefore the garden is well-sheltered. The original Victorian walled vegetable garden remains intact and in use.

The smaller walled garden beyond now houses a swimming pool and summer house. The house has a fine outlook to the north over its parkland. In clear weather, one can see beyond the Thames to Essex. A fine lime avenue was planted around 1970 to the south-east and was 10 metres high in the early-1990s. It has not suffered from storm damage, but there has been considerable loss in the park, with 120 major trees lost plus general woodland devastation.

This very large estate has been somewhat reduced in extent from former times, but the actual area of garden and formal grounds has remained unchanged since the time of their creation in the 1850s.

Principal building:
House Created 1958
In 1958, when the house was derelict, the next generation of the family demolished the ruin and recreated a copy of the original Georgian structure.

HISTORY
The original largely Georgian house was demolished in 1850 and replaced by a Victorian building. Also at about this time, the 120 hectares of parkland were defined and planted with a mixture of tree species, mostly in clumps. Rhododendron and Corsican pine banks were planted to the west of the house. The drive was laid out and the walled kitchen gardens were created. An engine house, yard, stables and coach house were built. Also, an ingenious rainwater tank system was devised and installed under the lawn to the north of the house.

However, in 1937 the house was vacated and partly demolished, and after World War 2, during which the house was used by the army, the site was abandoned. In 1958, when the house was derelict, the next generation of the family demolished the ruin and recreated a copy of the original Georgian structure. However, the other Victorian features, including the built structures remain, forming an interesting layout.

Site timeline
1850: The original largely Georgian house was demolished in 1850 and replaced by a Victorian building.
1920 to 1929: Rose garden laid out
1937: In 1937 the house was vacated and partly demolished.
1939 to 1945: The site was used by the army.
1958: In 1958, when the house was derelict, the next generation of the family demolished the ruin and recreated a copy of the original Georgian structure.
1978: In 1978 Waterers were commissioned to re-design and plant the walled garden area.
1987: The storm caused considerable loss in the park, with 120 major trees lost plus general woodland devastation.

Features
garden terrace
Herb terrace.

pool

kitchen garden
Feature created: 1850
The walled kitchen gardens were created in 1850. The original Victorian walled vegetable garden remains intact and in use.

summerhouse

drive
Feature created: 1850

lawn

tree feature
Feature created: 1850
Rhododendron and Corsican pine banks were planted to the west of the house.

pergola
Along the north wall is a pergola.

garden building
Feature created: 1850
Engine house.

garden building
Feature created: 1850
Coach house.

rose garden
Feature created: 1920 to 1929
The rose garden has been restored but remains practically identical to the original.

structure
Feature created: 1850
An ingenious rainwater tank system was devised and installed under the lawn to the north of the house.

tree avenue
Feature created: 1970
A fine lime avenue was planted around 1970 to the south-east and was 10 metres high in the early-1990s.

herbaceous border

stable block
Feature created: 1850

loggia
Feature created: 1930
(1-2)

<1> Kent County Council, 1996, The historic parks and gardens of Kent (Kent Gardens Compendium) (Unpublished document). SKE12972.

<2> Parks and Gardens Data Services Limited (PGDS), 2005, Parks and Gardens UK (www.parksandgardens.org) (Website). SKE16061.

Sources and further reading