Hadspen house and garden

Infobox Historic building


caption=
name=Hadspen House
location_town=Pitcombe
location_country=England
map_type=Somerset
latitude= 51.0915
longitude= -2.4908
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engineer=
construction_start_date=
completion_date=18th century
date_demolished=
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Hadspen house and garden is an estate between Pitcombe and Ansford, Somerset.

Hadspen House was bought before 1747 by Vickris Dickinson, and then sold in 1767 to Charles Medows and subsequently to John Ford who in 1785 sold it to Henry Hobhouse. [cite book |last=Burke |first=John |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=KikAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA360&lpg=PA360&dq=hadspen+house&source=web&ots=OTrvZzn6A2&sig=pyZQ6R4K7-6Fq0U2Cn2F3JozyBc |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year=1838 |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=360 |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= ] His son Arthur was born there and it has remained in the family ever since.cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18735 |title=Pitcombe |accessdate=2007-11-24 |format= |work=British History Online ]

House

The house was built for William Player in the late 17th century, but has undergone several major restorations. It is built of Cary stone ashlar, with a hipped Welsh slate roof behind parapets and stone chimney stacks. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building. [cite web | title=Hadspen House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=434632 | accessdate=2007-11-24]

Within the grounds are a Coach House, [cite web | title=Coach House, 30 metres West North West of Hadspen House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=434637 | accessdate=2007-11-24] cottage, [cite web | title=Cottage, 25 metres North of Hadspen House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=434639 | accessdate=2007-11-24] granary, [cite web | title=Granary, 40 metres North West of Hadspen House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=434635 | accessdate=2007-11-24] south west lodge, [cite web | title=South West Lodge to Hadspen House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=434634 | accessdate=2007-11-24] stables [cite web | title=Stables and Byre adjoining, about 40 metres West of Hadspen House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=434644 | accessdate=2007-11-24] and summerhouse. [cite web | title=Summerhouse, about 70 metres East of Hadspen House | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=434646 | accessdate=2007-11-24] There are also plans to built a number of modern follies in the grounds. [cite news |first=Jonathan |last=Glancey |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Noble Folly|url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/feature/0,1169,773348,00.html |work=The Guardian |publisher= |date= 2002-08-12 |accessdate=2007-11-24 ]

The clock house was an old barn converted into a modern five-bedroom dwelling in 2000. [cite web |url=http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-16232893.rsp/svr/1020;jsessionid=CD99BF876004F521ADE51E31B14BCE98?pa_n=1&tr_t=rent |title=Clock House |accessdate=2007-11-24 |format= |work=Rightmove ]

Garden

William Player created formal gardens and courts around the house within a private park of convert|300|acre|ha|0|lk=on| with two fountains, and planted avenues on three axes. The plantations behind the house were cut in the mid 18th century by vistas and ornamented with an artificial mount and a seat. [cite web |url=http://www.thehadspenparabola.com/a-new-walled-garden-at-hadspen/ |title=A New Walled Garden at Hadspen |accessdate=2007-11-24 |format= |work=Hadspen Parabola ] The terraces and formal gardens were created in the 20th century around the house and on Pen Hill, including a large walled area later associated with a commercial nursery.

Within and around the convert|3000|sqm|acre|0|lk=on old walled vegetable garden a twentieth century Arts and Crafts garden has been created by Penelope Hobhouse, followed by Nori and Sandra Pope. It has been open to visitors since 1970. Hellebores and hostas were bred here. During 2007 the garden has been the subject of a design competition, [cite web |url=http://www.thehadspenparabola.com/ |title=Hadspen Parabola |accessdate=2007-11-24 |format= |work=Hadspen Parabola ] which attracted some controversy about the appropriateness of the competition, including the bulldozing of the old garden and the selection of the architects. [cite news |first=Alice |last=Rawsthorn |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Controversy over changes at Hadspen Garden |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/20/arts/design23.php |work=International Herald Tribune |publisher= |date= 2007-07-20|accessdate=2007-11-24 ] [cite web |url=http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=429&storycode=3092752&c=2&encCode=000000000136b234 |title=Hadspen’s scorched earth |accessdate=2007-11-24 |format= |work=BD The architects web site ]

References