Monument record 1332/2/2 - Gawsworth Old Hall Garden Walls

Garden Walls at Gawsworth Old Hall enclose an area of 8.36ha. Wall survives almost intact, apart from NW corner & is 995m long & on av 2.8m high & retains original coping stones along W side. It encloses a trapezoidal area with a semi-circular addn asymmetrically placed on S side- 'the 'half-moon'. No original openings. Gates in SW & SE are modern, but a door at centre of W side may mark an original doorway to the church. 'Half-moon'is constructed in parts of later brickwork & contains a blocked doorway (1). Walls are C16 with later addns & alts, brick with ashlar dressings. Slightly projecting plinth with ashlar quoins at S corners & ashlar coping sloping towards outer face (2). Wall was prob planned as part of geometrical & allegorical layout of garden, relating to cult of Virgin Queen Elizabeth I. The 'half-moon' was symbol of Diana, one of the personifications of Elizabeth. It lies on a linear axis through the garden which bisects the adapted S range of the house (1).
Gawsworth Hall Gardens are a Scheduled Ancient Monument

<1> Turner R C, 1986, The Gardens at Gawsworth Hall, /2 (Oral Communication). SCH3124.

<2> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 58599 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<3> English Heritage, 2001, Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest (Report). SCH2822.

<4> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 30386 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.