Chetwynd Park
Encyclopedia
Chetwynd Park is an 18th century landscape garden
with woodland, on the edge of Newport, Shropshire
.
The park can trace its history back to 1388, when it lay southeast of Chetwynd Park estate
. The country house is now lost, but the medieval deer park
survives as an agricultural showground, used for Newport Show
and other events. The deer park was probably established early in the 18th century, and elements of the pleasure grounds in the 1860s. The country house was built on the banks of Chetwynd pool, which is a small lake considered to have formed in the same way as nearby Aqualate Mere
In the 19th century, the park was filled with deciduous trees, including oak
, beech
, wych elm
, horse chestnuts and Spanish chestnuts, and some crab apples. It was stocked with 115 Père David's deer
. Before 1891, there was a great arboretum
at Chetwynd
, which provided cuttings to plant the new church's drive (Leach 1891, 367). J.C.B. Borough also added a strip of land east of the park and north of the Longford
, and created a drive to run around the outer edge of that extension, leading from Chetwynd Park to a new lodge on the Longford. This lay opposite the north end of Park Pool. There were other lodges at the south end of the pool, and at the bottom of the drive to the park. The northern part of the park featured a stone icehouse, probably dating from the mid- to late 18th century.
Animals that live around the pool are shoveler
, wigeon
and occasionally goosander. As well as the wildfowl on the pool other birds of interest include all three species of woodpecker
, nuthatch
, treecreeper
, raven
, and buzzard
.
The park is owned by the Newport Agricultural Show Committee and is only open to the public on show days, two days in July and at Whitsun for the game fair. There is a public footpath along the south edge of the park over a stile
on the right just after the park warden’s cottage. This footpath leads to the B5062 road, which goes up the hill towards Edgmond.
Landscape garden
The term landscape garden is often used to describe the English garden design style characteristic of the eighteenth century, that swept the Continent replacing the formal Renaissance garden and Garden à la française models. The work of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown is particularly influential.The...
with woodland, on the edge of Newport, Shropshire
Newport, Shropshire
Newport is a market town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. It lies some north of Telford and some west of Stafford sitting on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border...
.
The park can trace its history back to 1388, when it lay southeast of Chetwynd Park estate
Chetwynd Park estate
The Chetwynd Park estate lies in the small village of Chetwynd on the outskirts of the town Newport, Shropshire, England.The estate is positioned in a gap north of Newport, where the road having crossed the marshland, clings to a steep slope of the Scaur above the meadowlands of the River Meese,...
. The country house is now lost, but the medieval deer park
Medieval deer park
A medieval deer park was an enclosed area containing deer. It was bounded by a ditch and bank with a wooden park pale on top of the bank. The ditch was typically on the inside, thus allowing deer to enter the park but preventing them from leaving.-History:...
survives as an agricultural showground, used for Newport Show
Newport Show
Newport Show is held at Chetwynd Park show ground at Chetwynd, Shropshire, England, between Newport and Edgmond.-History:The show can trace its roots back to 1890, when a group of local farmers joined to become Newport and District Agricultural Society.Friday, August 8, 1890 was the date of the...
and other events. The deer park was probably established early in the 18th century, and elements of the pleasure grounds in the 1860s. The country house was built on the banks of Chetwynd pool, which is a small lake considered to have formed in the same way as nearby Aqualate Mere
Aqualate Mere
Aqualate Mere is the largest natural lake in the English Midlands and is managed as a National Nature Reserve by Natural England. It is a remnant of the prehistoric Lake Lapworth....
In the 19th century, the park was filled with deciduous trees, including oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, wych elm
Wych Elm
Ulmus glabra, the Wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese in Greece; it is also found in Iran...
, horse chestnuts and Spanish chestnuts, and some crab apples. It was stocked with 115 Père David's deer
Père David's Deer
Père David's Deer, Elaphurus davidianus, also known as the Milu , is a species of deer known only in captivity. It prefers marshland, and is believed to be native to the subtropics of China. It grazes on a mixture of grass and water plants. It is the only extant member of the genus Elaphurus...
. Before 1891, there was a great arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
at Chetwynd
Chetwynd
Chetwynd or Chetwynde may refer to:*Chetwynd, British Columbia**Chetwynd Airport**Chetwynd Secondary School*Chetwynd, Shropshire*Chetwynde School, a private school in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England...
, which provided cuttings to plant the new church's drive (Leach 1891, 367). J.C.B. Borough also added a strip of land east of the park and north of the Longford
Longford
Longford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
, and created a drive to run around the outer edge of that extension, leading from Chetwynd Park to a new lodge on the Longford. This lay opposite the north end of Park Pool. There were other lodges at the south end of the pool, and at the bottom of the drive to the park. The northern part of the park featured a stone icehouse, probably dating from the mid- to late 18th century.
Animals that live around the pool are shoveler
Shoveler
The shovelers, formerly known as shovellers, are four species of dabbling ducks with long, broad spatula-shaped beaks:* Red Shoveler, Anas platalea* Cape Shoveler, Anas smithii* Australasian Shoveler, Anas rhynchotis...
, wigeon
Wigeon
The Eurasian Wigeon, also known as Widgeon or Eurasian Widgeon is one of three species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. It is common and widespread within its range...
and occasionally goosander. As well as the wildfowl on the pool other birds of interest include all three species of woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
, nuthatch
Nuthatch
The nuthatches are a genus, Sitta, of small passerine birds belonging to the family Sittidae. Characterised by large heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet, nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs...
, treecreeper
Treecreeper
The treecreepers are a family, Certhiidae, of small passerine birds, widespread in wooded regions of the Northern Hemisphere and sub-Saharan Africa. The family contains ten species in two genera, Certhia and Salpornis...
, raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
, and buzzard
Buzzard
A buzzard is one of several large birds, but there are a number of meanings as detailed below.-Old World:In the Old World Buzzard can mean:* One of several medium-sized, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings....
.
The park is owned by the Newport Agricultural Show Committee and is only open to the public on show days, two days in July and at Whitsun for the game fair. There is a public footpath along the south edge of the park over a stile
Stile
A stile is a structure which provides people a passage through or over a fence or boundary via steps, ladders, or narrow gaps. Stiles are often built in rural areas or along footpaths to allow access to an adjacent field or area separated by a fence, wall or hedge...
on the right just after the park warden’s cottage. This footpath leads to the B5062 road, which goes up the hill towards Edgmond.
See also
- Chetwynd Park estateChetwynd Park estateThe Chetwynd Park estate lies in the small village of Chetwynd on the outskirts of the town Newport, Shropshire, England.The estate is positioned in a gap north of Newport, where the road having crossed the marshland, clings to a steep slope of the Scaur above the meadowlands of the River Meese,...
- Newport, ShropshireNewport, ShropshireNewport is a market town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. It lies some north of Telford and some west of Stafford sitting on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border...
- Madam PigottMadam PigottMadam Pigott is the local ghost story in the market town of Newport, Shropshire-The Tale:Squire Pigott lived at the Chetwynd Park estate; he took himself a wife. He was a harsh uncaring husband who simply needed an heir to his wealth and estates...
- The spirit that haunted the Park