Rampart Terraces, Lawn Hill, Petworth Park

Record ID:  301001 / MNA177995
Record type:  Monument
Protected Status: None Recorded
NT Property:  Petworth House and Park; London and South East
Civil Parish:  None Recorded
Grid Reference:  SU 9738 2206
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Summary

The rampart terraces (or 'rampires') which formed the south face of Lawn Hill as part of the formal gardens of the 17th and 18th century at Petworth. Visible as cropmarks and as slight earthworks running across the slope during field survey.

Identification Images (0)

Monument Types

  • TERRACED WALK (Mid 17th C to Mid 18th C - 1635 AD to 1753 AD)

Description

The rampart terraces, or 'rampires' which formed the south face of Lawn Hill. The features were observed during field survey and are visible in LiDAR data as four parallel ditches (1). They are first described in 1635 as '2 Files of Walkes which are hewen and made out of the rocke, of 600. foote in Length (ascending each other in the middst, of the same Stone) to the Wildernes' and continuing into the Wilderness (now the Pleasure Grounds) (2, p. 37). The terraces are shown on the 1706 survey of Home Park (3), by which time a third terrace had been built - the three terraces are described as the higher, middle and lower terraces with a central flight of steps between the three. The ramparts were removed as part of Capability Brown's first contract under item 4: 'To reduce the Terraces and Shorten them so as to give the Ground on which they stand a natural Form' (4, p. 34).

The terraces are also shown in the Tillemans painting of the West front of the House - at this time they appear to have completely encircled Lawn Hill (5).

References

  • SNA65424 - Report: Rutherford, S.. 2007. Petworth Pleasure Ground Historic Landscape Conservation Statement.

  • SNA65433 - Book: Royal Historical Society. 1635. Relation of a short survey of the western counties. Royal Historical Society.

  • SNA65446 - Illustration: Tillemans, Pieter. 1730. Proud Duke's Avenue to Tillington.

  • SNA65450 - Cartographic materials: Hutchinson. 1706. Petworth Grand Avenue.

  • SNA65461 - Digital Image: Environment Agency. 2010. LiDAR 2m. 2m Resolution.

Designations

None Recorded

Other Statuses and References

None Recorded

Associated Events

  • ENA6979 - Heritage Assessment, Petworth Park Community Archaeology Project
  • ENA7057 - Field Survey, PETWORTH PARK ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT, FIELD WALKING SURVEY

Associated Finds

None Recorded

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