Old Warden Park, (also known as Shuttleworth Park), Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England

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

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

The Ongley family bought the Old Warden estate in the late 17th century. Robert, second Lord Ongley, inherited the estate in 1785 and seems to have been responsible for initially laying out the park in about 1800-1805 (Quarter Sessions Map 1802; OS Drawing 1804-5), during which time the road which ran close to the house was diverted away to the north, creating the current road from Old Warden to Biggleswade on the north boundary. In 1814 Robert, third Lord Ongley (1803-1877) inherited the estate, creating the Swiss Garden during the 1820s and 1830s. He is thought to have been inspired by J B Papworth's Hints on Ornamental Gardening (1823), and P F Robinson's Village Architecture (1830), Robinson being employed to construct the Swiss Chalet in about 1825. The garden was much commented upon during the rest of the century (Batey and Lambert 1990).

In 1872 Lord Ongley sold the estate to Joseph Shuttleworth (1819-1883) who added features to the Swiss Garden and wider estate, employing Henry Clutton to rebuild the main house 1875-1878. The estate was transferred to the Shuttleworth Trust during World War II and since 1976 the Swiss Garden has been leased to and administered by Bedfordshire County Council, being extensively restored since 1977. The house is now in commercial use.