Buildings and other structures within Parks
The trend towards landscaped parks in the 18th century led to an increased use of the ha- ha. Probably
French in origin, they were designed to keep livestock from straying into the garden area around
the house, without restricting or blocking the view across the park as a traditional fence would. The
ha-ha occurred in many parks and even some smaller gardens had them. They are known from
Audley End, Weald Park (bulldozed out in the 1950s), St Osyth, Terling Place, Blake Hall and
other Essex Parks. Hylands has had two; one probably by Humphry Repton on the north side of
Hylands House, now filled in, and another created south of the house by Christine Hanbury in the
1920s.
Hylands eventually incorporated a Home Farm. By 1854 tins consisted of a barn, stable, cow
house, cow shed, piggeries, hay house, cart lodge and slaughterhouse. The Home Farm was situated
some distance from the house and stable-block, but still within walking distance. Garden buildings
at this time included a large greenhouse and a walled kitchen garden with peach houses, pineries,
potting sheds and gardeners' cottage; a bothy is also mentioned at a later date.
A plan of Hylands House by Chancellor and Son of Chelmsford made in 1907 shows an extensive
complex of small utilitarian buildings and rooms situated between the main house and the stable
block. The buildings included kennels, wood and coal stores, carpenters shop, laundry, ironing
room, game larder, larder, lamp room, brush room, kitchen, scullery, stores, servants hall and dairy.
Dry rot was discovered extensively in these buildings and they were demolished completely in
1971.
There arc a few building types that arc rare in parks. A medieval (13th century) wooden chapel is
recorded for Littley Park near Leez Priory. It was still extant and used as a barn in 1575. Presumably
the many large houses later incorporated chapels for their owners' spiritual well-being. Churches
also occasionally occur in parks, presumably due to later emparking. Chapman and Andre (1777)
show Gosfield and East Donyland Parks with churches within the confines of the park pale. Braxted
Church is shown on Chapman and Andre 1777 map as being outside the park pale. When Braxted's
wall was constructed 1825 - 31 and the park enlarged to the west and east, it was incorporated into
the park. The long-gone Woodham Walter Hall had an adjacent medieval church moved away
from the house in 1563. Chapman and Andre show a windmill at Mistley Hall within the park pale.
Copped Hall is unique in England in having a miniature rackets court (c.1895) adjacent to the
house. Rolls Park. Chigwell has an orangery.
Many parks had gate lodges. Havering Park (around 1410) had an important entrance in' Southgate'
and a keeper was appointed, presumably residing in a gate-lodge nearby. One is mentioned in the
sales particulars for the park in 1650. Crowgate Cottage, recently investigated and on the perimeter
of Littley Park, south of Leez Priory and adjacent to the Causeway, a bridleway leading to the
priory, was constructed c 1570 - 1590. It is almost certainly a gate-lodge (not the later residence of
the parker, as suggested, since the views of the park would then have been obscured by woodland).
Hylands, according to a sales brochure of 1922, lists four gate lodges, all but Writtle Lodge, now a
private residence, demolished.
Parks that still exist in something like their ancient form and have not been affected by modern
intensive agricultural practises, are often good sites for searching for evidence of human occupation
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Essex Parks: Section 1 - Parks in Essex