Landscape record 523/2/6 - Gardens at Lymm Hall

<1> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, p.252 (Book). SCH785.

In the garden is an ice-house and two cockpits. Edward Kemp designed the rose garden, now overgrown

<2> Oxford Archaeology North, 2013, Lymm Hall, Lymm, Cheshire: Historic Environment Assessment Report, R3529 July 2013 (Client Report). SCH7238.

Desk Based assessment and walkover survey in 2013 identified surviving garden and landscape features including a boundary wall and possible ha-ha.

The earliest map showing Lymm Hall, its gardens and the surrounding town and fields is the Tithe Apportionments map of 1837 It showed Lymm Hall as being a large building with the two wings on the north side and two bay windows on the south side. Partially enclosing the Hall was the western arm of the moat bending round on the north side where it was truncated and crossed by the access road. To the east of the access road was one long rectangular and one L-shaped building, one to the south of the other and both aligned north/south.

East of the Hall itself was probably a further section of moat, later formed into a pond, and two small buildings. The Hall, moat, ice-house and ancillary buildings were located in a large plot and accessed by a track. The map shows the plot as having some trees with a more dense arrangement, in a rectangular area, at the south-east corner, perhaps an orchard. There was no indication of formal gardens. A dashed line may have indicated a path or boundary enclosing the trees or orchard to the south of the Hall and circling around the western side of the moat meeting the access track on the northern side of the Hall.

James Barrett’s acquisition of the lands, c 1846-9, seems to have occasioned the consideration of the gardens and grounds in front of the south elevation. His employment of Edward Kemp, for the design of the flower garden, was one of the earliest private commissions undertaken by Kemp, who later became a leading designer of parks and gardens in the second half of the nineteenth century.

(See full report for more detail of the gardens history, development and surviving features)

<3> Cheshire Gardens Trust, 2011 onwards, Research and Recording Report, Lymm Hall 14/10/2013 (Report). SCH6655.

Research and recording report in 2013 included history of the site, surviving features and maps and photographs.

….The hall stands within the remains of a moat (now dry). The grounds are mostly grass with many trees and shrubs and some mixed flower beds, and do not appear to have changed greatly since their original construction.

A part of the grounds was landscaped by Edward Kemp in 1849. This is recorded as a “flower garden”. Although the original garden is long gone, there is evidence of the gravel paths remaining below the turf. A report by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, dated 27 February 1992 states: “He (Edward Kemp) may well have been responsible for the laying out of the entire garden, including the ice house and the entire landscaped setting of the hall, shown clearly on the second edition OS mapping of 1898 as a block of land bounded on the W by Rectory Lane and on the E by Longbutt Lane and on the S by a continuous boundary with a public footpath beside it. Within the area thus defined stands of trees suggest a parkland setting for the hall with screens of trees along its limits."

<4> Architectural History Practice, 2016, Heritage Statement - Lymm Hall, Paddock Residential Development (Client Report). SCH8229.

The setting of Lymm Hall includes the historic pleasure grounds, with the former moat, mature trees and shrubs, lawns, the drive and entrance from the west, footpaths to the north and south, the south tree belt with raised footway, boundary walls and the remains of the former kitchen garden and orchard to the south-east. This setting is a good example of a Cheshire garden laid out in the 19th century around an earlier house.

<5> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 253/21837 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Plot name "House, Buildings, Pleasure Ground, Yard & Pigeon Meadow"

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<7> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Watson, M. 24/11/2021 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Area of garden shown on the 1st edition OS map used to create the GIS polygon depicting the extent of the gardens and landscape surrounding the Hall at this time.