Ashby de la Zouch Castle, Leicestershire: A Multi-Disciplinary Investigation of the Castle Garden
Author(s): Sarah Newsome, Matt Canti, Jim Leary, Louise Martin, Paul Pattison
In 2006, English Heritage undertook a multidisciplinary research project to examine the garden at Ashby de la Zouch Castle. The aim was to gain a better understanding of the nature, date and context of the garden in order to enhance visitor experience through the production of a new guidebook and on-site interpretation. The research involved analytical earthwork survey, coring, geophysical survey and excavation, supported by a programme of documentary research. This report draws together the various strands of research and aims to provide the reader with a single report from which they can gain a synthetic overview of the results. All technical results and methodologies are incorporated as appendices, including the specialist finds reports. The research has demonstrated that the garden was once part of a wider designed landscape that probably had its origins in the later medieval period. While it is possible that the garden buildings were constructed by the 1st Earl of Huntingdon in the mid-1500s as a way of displaying his wealth and status, the surviving garden earthworks are likely to be the product of several redesigns, particularly in the late 16th or early 17th century when there are a number of possible historical contexts for their creation. The research has shown that the sunken areas of the gardens were not ponds, though geometric water gardens were constructed to the west of the castle. Excavations also revealed the foundations of a probably third garden building and evidence of the castle's Civil War defences. The castle and garden are an English Heritage guardianship site.
- Report Number:
- 52/2008
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 162
- Keywords:
- Earth Resistance Excavation Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces Geoarchaeology Magnetometer Post Medieval Survey
