Patshull Hall, Wolverhampton, England

Late 17th-century formal gardens and pleasure grounds - described by both Fiennes and Plot - were extensively reworked in the second half of the 18th century, and again in the mid-19th century.  Today, pleasure grounds and pools remain, and though overgrown, nonetheless contain a good collection of conifers, probably planted in the mid-19th century.  The extensive walled kitchen garden and glasshouses to the north-west of the hall survive in a ruinous condition. Most of the park is now under arable cultivation, or used as a golf course. The woodland is used for outdoor activities such as paintball games.

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

Late 17th-century formal gardens and pleasure grounds, extensively reworked in the mid- and late 18th century, and again in the mid-19th century, forming the setting of a country house and surrounded by a park of 550 hectares.

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

The Patshull estate lies on the county boundary between Staffordshire and Shropshire, the greater part of the estate, including Patshull Hall, being in Staffordshire. The Hall (I) occupies an elevated site enjoying views particularly to the east and south.

REFERENCES Used by English Heritage

R Plot, The Natural History of Staffs (1686), pp 338-39, 359, 381, 387, plate facing p 390

W Pitt, General view of agriculture of ...Stafford (1796), p 96

J Nightingale, Topographical. . .description of Staffs (1810), p 856

Gardening World, v.7 (1890), p 42

Gardeners' Chronicle, i 1891, pp 701-02; i 1895, p 273

C Fiennes, Journeys (1949), pp 228-30

D Stroud, Capability Brown (1975), pp 235-36

Victoria County History, pp 165-67

Maps

Yates' map of Staffordshire, around 1771