Essex days; Hylands House and Park

Holidaying in Essex we visited this lovely house. It was closed to visitors as there was a wedding in progress. But the exterior and park were lovely too.

Hylands House is a beautiful house built approx. 1730. At this time there was a craze for anything Grecian or Roman known as neo-classicism. If you look at the photo of the house you will see the Grecian columns at the front. It was originally a red brick house in Queen Anne style but has been changed and added to by several owners.
Chelmsford Council purchased the house when the owner died in 1966 and it was in a dilapidated condition. It was restored and is now back to its former glories. I couldn't see inside as there was a wedding taking place; what a lovely location for a wedding.

The park around it was beautiful and was influenced by landscape gardener Humphry Repton.

Hylands House

There was a passion for symmetry in houses around this time and this is a fine example.

My passion for having a day out saw me walking around this beautiful parkland with my family.

Hylands Park

The stables

The old stables have remained red brick .

stables are red brick

Humphry Repton

landscape gardener

The notable garden designer of the day was Capablity Brown and many fashionable people at that time had their gardens designed by him. When he died in 1783 Humphry Repton took the opportunity to replace him. Repton used his artistic skills to design gardens. He had a limited knowledge of horticulture but had excellent design skills.

Repton would visit places and make detailed drawings with overlays using before and after techniques. These were impressive and gained him a great following. He coined the term "landscape gardening" for his work.

Cornelius Kortright who owned Hylands from 1797 to 1815 employed Repton to redesign his garden and many of Repton's plans were used and are still evident.

NB the love of symmetry at this time extended to gardens too.

Gardens

a beautiful arched avenue

gardens

The world garden

The totem pole !

The park

The park is extensive and was being set up for a pop festival with singer Justin Bieber as the main event later this month. We ignored that and had a lovely walk through the park, just about two miles all together.

Swan pond with no swans !

a massive park for walking

The Serpentine

Everyone thinks of The Serpentine as being in London, which it is. But Hylands Park has The Serpentine too. I prefer this one to London's of course.

Another lovely day out for me.

Updated: 12/14/2016, Veronica

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Veronica on 04/18/2017

DERDRIU
The stables are Georgian so 18th C as is the house. Yes they are wearing well and I was delighted to have Morning Coffee (tea for me ) in the old stable block café.

I don't know if the hedges have a particular meaning. I love an arched avenue to walk beneath.

A day out is one of my favourite things to do. Gardens make them all the more special; you are right.

DerdriuMarriner on 04/18/2017

Veronica, My ideal grand tour is following the trail of gardens and parks anywhere and everywhere. This is such a lovely tour that is complete on its own although it's always nice to see the houseplants and house interiors.
Are the stables from the same time as the house? If so, they're wearing their age wonderfully well.
Do you know if the topiary is supposed to call up something particular or if it's just the sun-friendliness of the lines that counts here?

Veronica on 08/11/2016

Yes Repton was clever in that he saw a niche after Capability Brown's death and filled it.

It is a lovely place to visit.

frankbeswick on 08/11/2016

What you say of Repton's limited knowledge of horticulture is not uncommon among garden designers, some of whom are artists and landscape architects rather than growers.They design and then leave the cultivation to others.

Veronica on 08/11/2016

Indeed, it is the furniture that I love to see and also the paintings.
I like to see the carpenter's skill in carving beautiful furniture with the precision of his eye and basic equipment.

I visit my son at least once a year so hopefully we will get inside the house one day.

TY.