Landscape record 0200205015 - Gardens S of South Pavilion at Wotton House

A desk-based assessment of the gardens south of the South Pavilion at Wotton House used cartographic evidence to build up a picture of their development in advance of proposed changes. The gardens are divided into 4 in this part, with a central walled garden (Area 1), and Area 2 on the east and Area 3 on the west. Area 4 is a larger plot to the south of the other three areas. The earliest map showing the garden dates from 1757-60. It shows that the South Pavilion and the gardens were already in place by this time (although not shown on the 1649 map). An outbuilding is shown in Area 2. Area 4 is labelled as the Duke of Buckingham's garden. The 1789 map shows 2 buildings in Area 2 and the south end of this area being used as a kitchen garden, as was Area 4. Area 1 had a different planting arrangement to before. Area 3 was a shrubbery. There were 5 oval ponds in Area 4 running north-south along the middle, flanked by trees. Two other parallel rows of trees ran at right angles to the first, east-west along the middle of the garden. There was also a pond in the east wall of Area 4 and a building at the south-east corner with plots along the walls on either side. The 1847 map showed a square bed in Area 2 and the parterre in Area 1 was overgrown. There was a path along the northern edge of Area 3. In Area 4 a building had been built at the northern edge and there was a circular central bed. In 1878 the area was surveyed for the 1st Edition OS map and there were more buildings in the southern part of Area 2 and the northern part of Area 4 and the lodge in the south-east of Area 4. There was a new circular bed in the centre of Area 1. Paths are shown in a grid in Area 4 and along the north and east of Area 3. The 1890 map shows a similar arrangement but with a new outbuilding in Area 4. The 25 inch OS 1898 map shows 5 buildings in the south of Area 1, including 3 glasshouses. There were fewer paths in Area 4. On the 1919 map a new outbuilding was built in the north-east corner of Area 4, which no longer had any paths (B12).
Evaluation trial trenching carried out by John Moore Heritage Services in September and November 2007 in Area 4 (kitchen garden) revealed evidence for medieval occupation, post-medieval landscaping works and garden features. A N-S row of 5 18th to 19th century ponds running across the gardens were investigated and it is suggested that they post-date Brown's landscaping scheme. See reports for detail (B13-14).
Ponds could date from Brown's involvement although no other parallels known from his work elsewhere. 18th century strings of ponds known at Redlynch and at Bramshill, both probably ornamental although they would have been used as dipping ponds and possibly as fish stews. The design of the walled kitchen garden at Wotton was not elaborate and it appears to have been of low status within the garden complex (B15).
Salvage recording carried out in August 2008 by John Moore following groundworks for new tennis court identified layers similar to those seen during earlier evaluation. See notes (B17).
A small excavation and watching brief was carried out at South Pavilion during 2011, as part of the construction of a sport pavilion including a swimming pool in the gardens of the house. Medieval house remains and associated pits were investigated. Previous work indicated the presence of part of the medieval village of Wotton Underwood under the present house and gardens. Subsequently, the works for the pool-construction revealed pits with a date range from the mid/late 11th to 14th centuries, which accorded with the date range of features identified during the previous evaluation. The earliest feature, dating from mid to late 11th century was a large pit extending beyond the south edge of excavation. Six pits dated from the late 11th to early 13th centuries, one of which was cut by the northeast/southwest-oriented gully of an enclosure. There were four pits associated with this phase dating from the early to mid 13th century. Deposits dating from the mid 13th to 14th centuries onwards were present beneath a stone cill representing part of a building. A small quantity of residual Roman pottery was recovered from the medieval features. To the north of the medieval activity was a low wall, parallel with the garden wall of the walled garden. The whole was sealed by dumps of clay associated with the creation of the formal lake, west of the walled garden, within the grounds of Wotton House, undertaken by Capability Brown in the mid 18th century. The footings of a 19th century glasshouse were also investigated (B18).
Evaluation trial trenching in May 2023 by John Moore Heritage Services in advance of proposed extension to Lodge Farm revealed the remains of two brick footings interpreted as the retaining wall for an 18th century pond, backfilled in the 20th century with a mix of soil and domestic rubbish. See report for detail (B22).