Monument record 0420802082 - Nelson's Seat, North Lawn, Stowe Landscape Gardens

Summary

Site of Nelson's Seat, an eighteenth century open fronted pavilion recorded in field survey, later demolished and statue erected on site

Protected Status/Designation

SHINE: Stowe medieval to post medieval landscape garden, medieval deserted villages of Lamport & Boycott, shrunken village of Daford, also moats, manors and fishponds, ridge and furrow earthworks & cropmarks, and areas of ancient semi natural woodland

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Type and Period (1)

PAVILION (18th Century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)

Description

Mentioned as a lost garden feature (B7).
The National Trust Survey of Stowe undertaken in 1989 lists this location for the former site of of Nelson's Seat (named after a gardener). The structure was an open fronted pavillion, probably designed by Vanburgh and built in 1719. It was demolished in 1790 and a mound built over the top. The statue of George II from the King's Pillar was placed on top of the mound in the mid 1800s (B18).
The English Heritage survey of Stowe undertaken in 2001 notes a large mound 32m long x 25m wide and 1,5m high, planted with beech trees. This the site of Nelson's Seat. The mound is shown on an engraving of 1769. Some damage has been done by vehicles on the northern side. A smaller mound, 8m long x 5m wide and 0.5m high, lies to the NE with a copper beech planted on top (B19).
Article on Nelson's Walk and Seat, possibly tongue-in-cheek? (B27).

Sources (16)

---SBC17422 Aerial Photograph: 04/09/76. BCM A2/11/20-22. SP\674376. Yes.
---SBC19950 Aerial Photograph: Northamptonshire County Council. 1990. Stowe House and Landscaped Gardens. SP674375. Yes.
<2>SBC14098 Bibliographic reference: SEELEY B 1766 STOWE, A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAGNIFICENT HOUSE & GARDENS (WITH ILLUS) (ARE VARIOUS ED.
<3>SBC16278 Bibliographic reference: VERTUE G ET AL; ENGRAVINGS IN SOC OF ANTIQUARIES RED PORTFOLIO P24.
<4>SBC7809 Bibliographic reference: LIPSCOMB 3 PP84-108 (FULL DESCRIPTION & ILLUS OF MANSION, APARTMENTS, CONTENTS & GARDENS).
<7>SBC11706 Bibliographic reference: Nikolaus Pevsner. 1960. The Buildings of England: Buckinghamshire. p257.
<9>SBC16531 Bibliographic reference: WHISTLER L, GIBBON M & CLARKE G 1974 STOWE, A GUIDE TO THE GARDENS (HAS A FULL BIBLIOGRAPHY ON PP37-.
<10>SBC2990 Bibliographic reference: CLARKE G 1976 (JULY) SLIDES OF AIR PHOTOS TAKEN JULY 1976 FROM A BALLOON SHOWING FORMER GARDEN FEATU.
<13>SBC16362 Bibliographic reference: WAINWRIGHT A 1989 NATIONAL TRUST ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY: STOWE (COPY, FILED).
<14>SBC3681 Bibliographic reference: DoE. 1983. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
<15>SBC9897 Bibliographic reference: NATTES C 1805-9 COLLECTION OF 105 SKETCHES & DRAWINGS OF STOWE (AT BCM).
<17>SBC4634 Bibliographic reference: English Heritage. 1994. REGISTER OF PARKS & GARDENS OF SPECIAL HISTORIC INTEREST IN ENGLAND: BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. Part 4.
<18>SBC19992 Unpublished document: Angus Wainwright. 1989. The National Trust Archaeological Survey: Stowe. pp52.
<19>SBC20024 Unpublished document: Hazel Riley. 2001. Stowe Park, Stowe, Buckinghamshire: An Archaeological Survey by English Heritage (Site Gazetteer). AI/21/2001.
<21>SBC20023 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2001. Stowe Park, Stowe, Buckinghamshire: An Archaeological Survey by English Heritage (Survey Report).
<27>SBC22411 Article in serial: 'Pomponius Ego'. 2005. Stowe Gardens - Nelson's Walk & Seat, in The Bucks Gardener Issue 21. Issue 21.

Location

Grid reference	SP 6729 3754 (point)
Civil Parish	STOWE, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire