NHER 30487 (Designed Landscape record) - Sennowe Park

Historic Parkland Grade II.
The Hall (NHER 30487) was built in 1774 and was surrounded by a park which by the late eighteenth century covered an area of 130 hectares. The parish map of Guist from 1785 (S1) shows that the woodland in the park was concentrated in a single block along the north-eastern edge. It also indicates that parts of the south of the park were under plough. By the 1845 parish of Great Ryburgh map (see (S1) for details) the kitchen garden is shown in more or less the form in which it exists today. By (S3) a number of areas of woodland have appeared to the west of the house.
Between 1852 and 1854 a cast iron bridge was built across the river by J.M. Turner of Norwich (NHER 16314). William Barron was commissioned to work at Sennowe between 1851 and 1862. He was possibly involved in the laying out of gardens, but was definitely involved in planting the wider landscape. Based on (S4) there were no major changes in the size or outline of the park, but the park was now over half planted with trees. (S4) also shows that formal gardens lay on the south and west sides of the hall.
The north-east drive, implemented by Skipper between 1906 and 1908, provided a new entrance to the park and was accompanied by the addition of impressive lodge. A sizeable lake was also created in 1910 by diverting and damming the river Wensum, and a rustic boat house added, which was originally thatched. Skipper was also responsible for building a number of stone bridges over the river. Skipper’s most impressive alterations were those associated with the gardens which were enlarged and remodelled into a highly Italianate Garden, with balustrades and decorative urns. A water garden was built with a series of cascades fed from a fountain. Also built at this time were an imposing water tower (NHER 47230), and a winter garden. There was also built a series of greenhouses in the area of the kitchen garden.
During the 20th century according to (S5) the area of park under woodland was extended again. (S1) mentions the lion statue on Dunham Hill to the south but this area of the park is not included within the designated area, presumably because of the 1970s gravel extraction here. Only the avenue into North Elmham parish is included.
Information from (S1) and (S2). See (S3-5) for more details.
E. Rose (NLA),15 March 1994 and 30 July 2001.
Updated by E. Nicholl (UEA), 14 November 2011.