Landscape record 15915/3 - Early 20th century Landscape and Garden at Radbroke Hall

<1> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, p.152 (Book). SCH785.

Like most Arts and Crafts Architects, Worthington was much concerned with the relationship between a house and its garden. At Radbroke he laid out terraces, a sunken garden, a summerhouse linked to the Hall by High stone walls, and a bicycle shed disguised as a Dovecote.

<2> Cheshire Gardens Trust, 2011 onwards, Research and Recording Report, Radbroke Hall, 2021 (Report). SCH6655.

Radbroke Hall completed in 1917. Photographs taken around completion suggest an unoccupied building with new hard and soft landscaping.

Aerial photographs on the 1940s (3) shows the Hall with east and west drives, established avenue trees and parkland trees, some that appear to be in lines surviving from former hedgerows. Formal garden enclosures to the east are laid out on an east/west axis, turning to a north south axis. It is unclear whether these gardens are enclosed by hedges or walls. The long north south garden is cultivated in a manner suggesting a kitchen garden. The definition of a rectangular area of grassland around the Hall indicates different management to the rest of the parkland

2021 Research anad recording found that the surviving historic garden is situated east of the hall and comprises a linear space with limited planting near the hall, and the sunken rose garden with listed wall and pavilions. These spaces are enclosed by walls to the north and clipped yew hedges to the south and east. They retain their original layout of paths, walls, changes of level, steps, planting beds and enclosing hedges. Later additions comprise picnic benches, timber seats and litter bins.

Parkland south and west of the hall has been retained with some individual trees and small tree groups, survivors of former hedgerows. The grass is mown and areas laid out for sport, with fenced multi sport games areas and tennis courts south of the rose garden. A lawn west of the Hall is partly enclosed by a clipped hedge while lawn areas south of the hall continue uninterrupted into the parkland

<3> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, SJ7674 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.