Mamhead, (also known as Mamhead Park), Teignbridge, England

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

18th century parkland partly attributed to Lancelot Brown, with mid 18th century landscape structures, around an early 19th century mansion with formal terraced gardens.  

DESCRIPTION

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Mamhead Park is situated about 5 kilometres north-west of Dawlish and about 4.5 kilometres west of the village of Starcross and the Exe estuary, to the south of the former B3381 road which leads west from Starcross to Little Haldon. The site occupies about 166 hectares, and comprises some 7 hectares of gardens and pleasure grounds around the House and Orangery, about 90 hectares of parkland, and about 69 hectares of plantations. To the north the site is bounded by the former B3381 road, while to the east it is enclosed by minor roads, domestic properties and farmland. To the south and south-west the boundaries are formed by further minor roads and agricultural land, while to the west the site adjoins woodland. The site occupies an east-facing hillside which rises to a ridge of high ground about 500 metres west of the House. From the House the park falls gradually to the south-east boundary of the site. The site has wide views east towards Powderham Castle and the Exe estuary, and towards the sea to the south-east. To the north of the former B3381 road the site adjoins the wooded grounds of Oxton House. Some 3 kilometres south-south-west of the House and outside the site here registered, Ashcombe Tower (Listed Grade II) is an early 19th century folly, possibly designed by Salvin, which was intended as an eyecatcher; the building was converted into a country house by Brian O'Rorke in 1933-1936.

REFERENCES

R Polwhele, The History of Devonshire II, (1793-1806), pp 154-156

J P Neale, Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen ... I, (1818)

Gardener's Magazine 11, (1835), pp 127-132; 18, (1842), pp 491-494, 531-532

J B Burke, Visitation of Seats II, (1853), p 175

The Cottage Gardener and Country Gentleman 21, (1858), pp 115-117

F O Morris, A Series of Picturesque Views of Seats of Noblemen 3, (1880), p 7

D Stroud, Capability Brown (rev edn 1957), pp 98, 163-164, 220

Country Life, 117 (26 May 1955), pp 1366-1369; (2 June 1955), pp 1428-1431

C Hussey, English Country Houses: Late Georgian (1958), p 193

B Jones, Follies and Grottoes (1974), p 313

M Binney and A Hills, Elysian Gardens (1979), p 21

M Girouard, The Victorian Country House (rev edn 1979), pp 33, 44, 62, 94, 123, 173, 441

B Cherry and N Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Devon (1989), pp 557-559

R Desmond, Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists (1994), p 441

T Gray, The Garden History of Devon An Illustrated Guide to Sources (1995), pp 145-149

Maps

Tithe map for Mamhead parish, 1839 (Devon Record Office)

OS 6" to 1 mile: 1st edition surveyed 1888, published 1890

OS 25" to 1 mile: 1st edition surveyed 1888, published 1890

2nd edition revised 1904, published 1905

Illustrations

View of Old Mamhead from the east, c 1780 (reproduced in Country Life 26 May 1955)

Rev J Swete, watercolour views of Mamhead, 1792-1799 (564M, F2, 17, 23; F8, 51, 55, 57, 66; F9, 37, 49, 57; F13, 47; F15, 85), (Devon Record Office)

Archival items

Balle family papers (484M), (Devon Record Office)

Newman family papers including garden works 1846-1850 (867B), (Devon Record Office)

Lisburne family papers with items relating to Mamhead to 1827 (National Library of Wales, Dept Manuscripts and Records)

Adam plans for Mamhead, RIBA (catalogue vol S, 14)

Description written: June 1999

Amended: July 1999

Edited: July 2000