Croxdale Hall, County Durham: An Assessment of the Walled Garden
Author(s): Clare Howard
The three-walled garden and associated lakes at Croxdale Hall, located approximately 2 miles south of the city of Durham, were laid out in the mid-18th century. The result was not just a fruit and flower garden, but also a pleasure ground within which the owners, the Salvins, could demonstrate their wealth, status and intellect through the exotic and unusual plants they were able to procure and grow. The Salvins bought much of their produce from the very successful and well-respected nurserymen of the time, Lewis Kennedy (1721-82) and James Lee (1715-95) of Hammersmith in London. An even closer association was formed when Lewis Kennedy arranged for the appointment of his brother John (1719-90) as gardener at Croxdale Hall in 1748. The Kennedys were part of a long line of important gardeners and landscape designers and may have had a direct influence on the design and arrangement of the gardens at Croxdale, particularly the hot walls and hot houses. To understand its significance and to inform the future repair and management of this important garden, the Historic England Assessment Team (North) undertook a photographic record and an analytical assessment of the fabric of the walled garden at Croxdale Hall in the spring of 2016. Documentary research relating to the gardens has also helped to clarify both the Kennedy family tree and the broader significance of the Kennedys as gardeners and horticulturalists during the 18th century.
- Report Number:
- 37/2016
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 61
- Keywords:
- Formal Garden / Landscape Park Building Investigation Assessment Walled Garden Hot Walls Hot House Pavilion
