Hawkstone Park
Encyclopedia
Market Drayton
Market Drayton is a small market town in north Shropshire, England. It is on the River Tern, between Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent, and was formerly known as "Drayton in Hales" and earlier simply as "Drayton" ....
, in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK, one mile (1.6 km) east of the A49 road
A49 road
The A49 is a major road in western England, which traverses the Welsh Marches region. It runs north from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire via Hereford, Leominster, Ludlow, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch, then continues through central Cheshire to Warrington and Wigan before terminating at its junction with...
.
Today the park consists of 100 acres (40.5 ha) of follies
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
and landscaped park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
land grounds and rocky outcrops, based around the authentic Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of Red Castle.
The Hawkstone house was established by Richard Hill of Hawkstone
Richard Hill of Hawkstone
The Rev. the Hon. Sir Richard Hill of Hawkstone Hall, Shropshire, was baptised at Hodnet, Shropshire, 23 March 1655 and died unmarried at Richmond, Surrey, 11 June 1727, aged 73...
(1655–1727), also known as 'The Great Hill', circa 1707, whilst the follies, estate and reputation were mainly established by his nephew and heir Sir Rowland Hill, 1st Baronet Hill of Hawkstone
Viscount Hill
Viscount Hill, of Hawkstone and of Hardwicke in the County of Salop, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1842 for the soldier Rowland Hill, 1st Baron Hill, with remainder to the heirs male of his elder brother John Hill...
(1705–1783) and Sir Richard Hill, 2nd Baronet
Sir Richard Hill, 2nd Baronet
Sir Richard Hill, 2nd Baronet of Hawkstone, was a prominent religious revivalist and Tory member of Parliament for Shropshire 1780-1806.He was the eldest son of Sir Rowland Hill, 1st baronet, who was also a first cousin of Thomas Hill, of Tern, . His mother was Jane, dau. of Sir Brian Broughton,...
(1733–1808) in the 18th century.
The park then fell foul of a century of neglect and decay until an ongoing programme of restoration was started in 1990, enabling it to be re-opened in 1993. It is now scheduled as Grade-1 listed on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
In England, the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by English Heritage under the provisions of the National...
. It takes a 2.5 hour hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
tour to completely see each folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
and their landscapes (a reasonable level of physical fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
and mobility is required and there are many steps, ascents and descents). At some times of the year, not all site trails are accessible.
Attractions include a red brick tower, once lime washed and still called the White Tower, the Monument standing over 100 ft high commemorating Sir Rowland Hill who was the first Protestant Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, the Cleft which is spanned by the Swiss Bridge, the Grotto which may have originated as a 5th century copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mine and the Arch atop of Grotto Hill, plus various caves, tunnels through the rock, walkways, viewpoints and trails winding through Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
plantations.
The Park was used to represent parts of Narnia in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's TV adaptation of C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
's books for the battlegrounds in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
in 1988 and Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia is a novel for children by C. S. Lewis, written in late 1949 and first published in 1951. It is the second-published book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, although in the overall chronological sequence it comes fourth.-Plot summary:While standing on a...
a year later.
Hawkstone is currently combined with an adjacent hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
(formerly a lodge of the hall) marketed in association with the Principal Hayley Group
Principal Hayley Group
Principal Hayley Group is a Harrogate, North Yorkshire based hotel and conference venue operator.Formed from a management buyout of a basic 6 hotel group in 2006, backed by Private Equity firm Permira, the company presently operates 25 locations, mainly in the UK...
, golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, and motocross
Hawkstone Park Motocross Circuit
Hawkstone Park Motocross Circuit, typically referred to as Hawkstone Park or Hawkstone, is a motocross circuit situated near Market Drayton, north Shropshire, England...
track. Hawkstone Hall
Hawkstone Hall
Hawkstone Hall is a large early 18th century country mansion near Hodnet, Shropshire which is occupied as the pastoral centre of a religious organisation. It is a Grade I listed building....
, nearby, is a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
retreat (spiritual), open to the public in August, courtesy of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
roof repair funds.
History
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
at Hawkstone Park was built in 1227 by Henry de Audley
Baron Audley
The title Baron Audley was first created on 8 January 1313 by writ in the Peerage of England for Nicholas Audley of Heighley Castle a member of the Audley family of Staffordshire.....
, Lord of the Welsh Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
, Constable of Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, and Constable of Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. It is split into Low Town and High Town, named on account of their elevations relative to the River Severn, which separates the upper town on the right bank from the lower on the left...
. The subsequent generations of Audley's were known as the Lords of Red Castle.
John Tuchet, 4th Baron Audley
Baron Audley
The title Baron Audley was first created on 8 January 1313 by writ in the Peerage of England for Nicholas Audley of Heighley Castle a member of the Audley family of Staffordshire.....
(1371–1408) inherited the title via his sister, then survived the uprising of Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
and the Battle of Shrewsbury
Battle of Shrewsbury
The Battle of Shrewsbury was a battle fought on 21 July 1403, waged between an army led by the Lancastrian King, Henry IV, and a rebel army led by Henry "Hotspur" Percy from Northumberland....
in 1403, where he fought against Henry "Hotspur" Percy. His son James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley
James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley
James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley, 2nd Baron Tuchet was an English peer.James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley, son of John Tuchet, 4th Baron Audley and his wife Elizabeth, was a distinguished veteran of the Hundred Years' War...
(1398–1459) was killed by Sir Roger Kynaston
Sir Roger Kynaston
Sir Roger Kynaston Kt. of Myddle and Hordleyc.1433 - 1495, was a Knight of the Realm and English nobleman. He was a member of the Kynaston family, of North Shropshire and the Welsh Marches-Early Life:...
, whilst leading the House of Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
at the Battle of Blore Heath
Battle of Blore Heath
The Battle of Blore Heath was the first major battle in the English Wars of the Roses. It was fought on 23 September 1459, at Blore Heath in Staffordshire, two miles east of the town of Market Drayton in Shropshire, England.- Background :...
in 1459.
The Audleys forfeited the title when James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley
Baron Audley
The title Baron Audley was first created on 8 January 1313 by writ in the Peerage of England for Nicholas Audley of Heighley Castle a member of the Audley family of Staffordshire.....
(c. 1463–1497) led a rebellion against King Henry VII of England in 1497 and was executed. The castle fell into ruin, but the title was restored to John Tuchet, 8th Baron Audley
Baron Audley
The title Baron Audley was first created on 8 January 1313 by writ in the Peerage of England for Nicholas Audley of Heighley Castle a member of the Audley family of Staffordshire.....
in 1512.
Eventually the lands passed via Sir Andrew Corbet of Moreton Corbet
Moreton Corbet
Moreton Corbet is a small village in Shropshire, England, in the civil parish of Moreton Corbet and Lee Brockhurst. Its name refers to the Corbet Baronets, the local landowners....
to Sir Rowland Hill, 1st Baronet Hill of Hawkstone
Viscount Hill
Viscount Hill, of Hawkstone and of Hardwicke in the County of Salop, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1842 for the soldier Rowland Hill, 1st Baron Hill, with remainder to the heirs male of his elder brother John Hill...
(1705–1783), who lived nearby at Shelvock Manor
Shelvock Manor
Shelvock Manor is a house and grounds in a township of the same name near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. It was once a place of local importance, and was for more than two centuries the seat of the Thornes, a leading family in Shropshire. The first recorded spelling of Shelvock was Shelfhoc , and...
. He was the great, great, great, grandson of Sir Rowland Hill
Rowland Hill (MP)
Sir Rowland Hill, of Soulton was the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London. He was a merchant, statesman and philanthropist.-Early Life:...
, the first Protestant Lord Mayor of the City of London and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
in 1533, and who had owend Hawkstone and nearby Soulton.
Richard Hill, ‘The Great Hill’, traveller and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, had made a fortune by ‘lucrative arithmetick’(sic), raised the family into the aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
and rebuilt Hawkstone Hall as the family seat.
Sir Rowland Hill, 1st Baronet (1705–1783), landscaped the Red Castle and extended the estate, with walks over the four natural hills and a wide range of follies that included a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
to dispense wisdom to visitors.
Sir Richard Hill, 2nd Baronet]] (1733–1808) took over on his father’s death in 1783, published a guide for visitors and built the 'Hawkstone Inn' to accommodate them. He engaged landscape gardener William Emes
William Emes
-Biography:Details of his early life are not known but in 1756 he was appointed head gardener to Sir Nathaniel Curzon at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. He left this post in 1760 when Robert Adam was given responsibility for the entire management of the grounds. During his time at Kedleston he had...
to build a vast manmade lake, the Hawk River and his follies included a ‘ruined’ Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
on Grotto Hill, the urn, a tribute to an English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
ancestor, the Swiss Bridge, and the 100 feet (30.5 m) obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
with an internal staircase, topped by a statue of the original Sir Rowland Hill. Hawkstone Park had become one of Britain’s top attractions by the time he died in 1809. It maintained this status under his brother Sir John Hill, 3rd Baronet (1740–1824).
Sir Rowland Hill, 4th Baronet Hill of Hawkstone, 2nd Viscount Hill
Viscount Hill
Viscount Hill, of Hawkstone and of Hardwicke in the County of Salop, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1842 for the soldier Rowland Hill, 1st Baron Hill, with remainder to the heirs male of his elder brother John Hill...
(1800–1875) inherited, spent and lost a large fortune. He created two new drives, one at vast expense through a rock cutting, and even considered completely relocating the hall across the park. In 1824-5 he built a dower house known as The Citadel in Gothic Revival style. His extravagance and bad management caused a descent into a mess that was inherited by his son in 1875.
Rowland Clegg Clegg-Hill, the 3rd Viscount Hill
Viscount Hill
Viscount Hill, of Hawkstone and of Hardwicke in the County of Salop, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1842 for the soldier Rowland Hill, 1st Baron Hill, with remainder to the heirs male of his elder brother John Hill...
(1833–1895) was bankrupt by the time of his death in 1895, forcing the sale of the contents of the hall and then the split up of the estate by 1906.
The hall was purchased by George Whitely,later Baron Marchamley of Hawkstone
Baron Marchamley
Baron Marchamley, of Hawkstone in the County of Shropshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1908 for the Liberal politician George Whiteley, who had previously represented Stockport and Pudsey in the House of Commons...
, Liberal Whip. He had extensive restoration and reconstruction done by Wm. Tomkinson and Sons of Liverpool, managed by H.P. Dallow, which included shortening in length and reducing in elevation, the wings of the house. The chapel wing was reconstructed as a games room with a dance floor, and the other wing was converted to servants accommodation.
The hall and lake became a religious retreat in the 1920s, while the hotel and a large part of the park later became a golf course. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, parts of the park were used as a prisoner of war camp.
Hawkstone Park is now being restored and is protected as a Grade I historic park, as rated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
Dr. Johnson visited and wrote of...
- "its prospects, the awfulness of its shades, the horrors of its precipices, the verdure of its hollows and the loftiness of its rocks ... above is inaccessible altitude, below is horrible profundity." (1774).
Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King. One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave trade abolitionist,inventor and poet...
also visited, and notes the outcrops of copper-bearing rocks...
- "at Hawkstone in Shropshire, the seat of Sir Richard Hill, there is an elevated rock of siliceous sand which is coloured green with copper in many places high in the air." (1783).
Golf course
Hawkstone Park has two 18-hole golf courseGolf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s, set in and around the parkland. Sandy Lyle
Sandy Lyle
Alexander Walter Barr "Sandy" Lyle, MBE is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s...
was tutored in golf by his father Alex, who was the resident golf professional at Hawkstone.
Motocross Circuit
The Hawkstone Park Motocross CircuitHawkstone Park Motocross Circuit
Hawkstone Park Motocross Circuit, typically referred to as Hawkstone Park or Hawkstone, is a motocross circuit situated near Market Drayton, north Shropshire, England...
stages a number of high profile national and international race meetings.
