Dunorlan Park, Tunbridge Wells, England

There is a group of wellingtonias and two monkey puzzle trees. The 1987 storm has not destroyed the essence of this fine parkland. The oaks appear to have fared the worst. Whilst only one tree has fallen, a large number have lost limbs. However, all surgery work appears to have been prudently carried out, and the future of the damaged trees appears assured. In recent years, there has been considerable replanting of species appropriate to the area.

The lake at the base of the grassy slopes is used for boating and canoeing, and supports ornamental waterfowl. Its irregular outline supplies an interesting perimeter walk and the islands for the nesting birds provide additional interest. A small cafe near the upper car park provides simple fare during the day-time.

On the eastern side of the lake is a shrubbery/rock garden with small pond and stream and associated walkways. A complete contrast to this informality has been created with a fine avenue of alternate deodars and douglas firs (15 metres wide and 236 metres long). At the bottom end of the avenue is an ornamental pool with a central, elaborate fountain (now in disrepair). At the other end, and at the top of the hill, is a temple housing a marble statue ‘The Dancing Girl'.

The old kitchen gardens and formal gardens associated with the mansion have all been swept away. The upper part of the park is now privately owned and contains some modern housing.

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

Mid-19th-century pleasure grounds and park laid out by Robert Marnock, with water features by James Pulham.

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Dunorlan Park is situated on the east side of Tunbridge Wells. The roughly 27 hectare site is located about 0.75 kilometres from the town centre, on the eastern edge of the built-up area, with residential areas to the north and west and the village of Hawkenbury to the south. The area here registered is bounded by Pembury Road (A264) to the north, private houses to the north-west and north-east, the grounds of Beechwood School to the east, Hall's Hole Road to the south-east, and Bayhall Road to the south-west. The pleasure grounds and park are laid out on sloping ground which falls from the ridge along the north end of the site down to the south-east, before rising again to the south-west. There are panoramic views from the north end of the site to the south and south-east. The boundaries are marked by a mixture of fencing types, with hedges along the south-east and south-west boundaries.

REFERENCES Used by English Heritage

Gardeners' Chronicle, ii (1881), pp 526-7, 532-3

Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener 54, (1875), pp 364-6

Dunorlan Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells: Restoration Management Plan, (Scott Wilson 1999)

Marnock's Planting style and Dunorlan Park: Outline report, (Landscape Ecology 2001)

Maps [all reproduced in Scott Wilson 1999]

Plan of the Calverley Estate, around 1829

T Stidolph, A Map of Tunbridge Wells, 1838

Plan of the Dunorlan Estate, Tunbridge Wells, 1871 (Sale plan)

OS 6" to 1 mile: 1930 edition

OS 25" to 1 mile: 1st edition published 1872
 

Description written: February 2002

Amended: April 2002

Edited: November 2002