Landscape record 0200402000 - BRADENHAM MANOR GARDENS (GD3259)

Registered Park/Garden grade II. Late C17 or early C18 terraced garden, and park (B13).
GARDENS S & SE OF HOUSE LAID OUT IN LATE C17/EARLY C18. E HALF WAS A WILDERNESS OF TREES, HEDGES, VISTAS, WINDING PATHS. W HALF INCLUDED A PARTERRE. (DESCRIPTIONS OF WALLED GARDENS, TERRACES ETC. INCLUDES A SMALL HA-HA ON SE SIDE & A BLOCKED BEE BOLE (B7).
Geophysical survey and trench excavation by National Trust reveals details of earlier 16th century house &c (B8).
The gardens around the manor were the subject of a detailed topographical survey in 1997. The present arrangement of terraced lawns and yew avenues probably reflects the configuration of a Jacobean garden contemporary with the construction of the 17th century house. Using the survey results, proposals are to be put forward for the restoration of the gardens (B9).
Further trial trenching in 2000 on the east front and in the kitchen garden resulted in the discovery of ?19th century brick paths (B10).
A watching brief carried out during repairs to the ha-ha wall SE of the house recorded constructional details of the wall and suggested an 18th or early 19th century date. The relationship between the ha-ha wall and adjacent terrace earthworks suggests that the terrace is an earlier feature which was blocked when the wall was erected (B11).
A trench for an electrical cable laid across the east front of the house and continuing across the Kitchen Garden was monitored in 2000. This resulted in the discovery of several ?19th century brick and cobbled paths outside the east front. No evidence was found for medieval occupation, or evidence of earlier buildings pre-dating the existing 17th century house (B16).
Machine excavations in 2005 to identify the outlines of late Victorian flowerbeds on the lowèr lawns revealed the outlines of grey soils containing charcoal. These had evidently been laid into cuts into the underlying natural clay with flint (B15).
Recording and analysis carried out in March 2009 by Northamptonshire Archaeology on both the ruined and standing horticultural glasshouses which formerly served Bradenham Manor. Historic maps show that the lean-to and gardener's shed date from 1885-98, and the main greenhouses and boiler room between 1900 and 1921. A threshold stone, dated 1908, may denote this second construction phase (B17).