Norman Court, (also known as Norman Court Preparatory School), Salisbury, England

Northaw School moved to Norman Court in 1952, the 48 acres reduced to 28 acres now occupied by Norman Court Preparatory School. The historical line of the main approach and drive remains, with the view to the east façade recently opened up again. The north forecourt is the main entrance with some not very elegant buildings. These include a 20th-century squash court, Blake Hall and some recent temporary cabins sited nearby. Playing fields, tennis courts, parking and a modern Pre-Preparatory building have been built in the north parkland area, screened by a few trees and hedges. A small, new commemorative bed has been created on the school side of the hedges.

A listed Game Larder about 1800, overshadowed by a yew tree, sits uncomfortably between the temporary cabins and Blake Hall. Mentioned for the first time in the Sales Particulars of 1906, it was possibly imported from another property. The overall shape of much of the north parkland appears unchanged, but its southern quarter has been lost due to expansion of the school.

Much of the west woodland, planted around 180 years ago, remains though badly overgrown with laurel. The ‘romantic' walks are no longer defined. To the south, some old features remain, including a terrace and walls, though only a small part of the south parkland is in the school hands. The eastern terrace is balustraded (in reasonable condition) and has two gravel beds. Steps lead down to what in the early-19th-century was the main entrance court and later became the main flower garden surrounded by a brick wall, probably also dating back to the same period. Later it contained a tennis court as well as the first swimming pool. It now has a football pitch and is well used as a play area.

There are various specimen trees, including an Araucaria (in not very good shape) between the east garden and the approach drive. The estate had a reputation for horticultural excellence rather than for historical design in the 19th century. However, there are surviving historic features of significance and value. In a Landscape Appraisal, 1998, Sybil Wade suggested that there was scope for creative new design. By 2006 some areas had been tidied but such new design is still to be implemented.