Landscape record TR 24 SE 181 - Kearnsey Court, Dover

Summary

The house and gardens at Kearsney Court both date from the late-19th century. The gardens were designed by Thomas Mawson. The gardens and grounds are maintained as a public park and feature a serpentine ornamental lake.

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 2852 4381 (451m by 324m)
Map sheet TR24SE
County KENT
District DOVER, KENT
Civil Parish DOVER, DOVER, KENT

Map

Type and Period (4)

Full Description

Today most of the grounds are maintained as a popular public park. The main structural features remain, including the long ornamental pond with its associated red brick buildings and framework, although the lily pond has been converted to a sunken garden and the croquet lawn is now part of the tennis courts area. The sweeps of lawns are generously interspersed with tree specimens and the character of the steep, terraced terrain provides further interest.

The raised semi-circular terraces directly behind the house are privately owned. The original terraces and linking staircases remain, although some wooden balustrading has been lost. Of special interest is the box ‘lawn' along one terrace. There is also a semi-circular golden yew hedge around a small circular pool, whose original fountain is still in working order.

There is a beautiful area of lakes and walks beyond the formal gardens to the west, and a higher terrace above the lakes which reveals a cedar group and daisy-studded lawns. There are yellow butterflies on the woodland edge. The site is peaceful, pretty and natural, apart from sounds from nearby road. This area is much less frequented than the Abbey Park, across the road. There are views across the valley to countryside of green slopes and wooded hills beyond, with pine trees in the foreground.

Kearnsey Abbey Park lies across the road and is a pleasant public park with lake, swans, fine trees on the lawns and some remains of the original abbey. A Gothic revival house of 1822 used to stand beside the lake, and now just the conservatory remains as a café. It is very plain outside, but a treasure trove within. There is wood panelling, most pleasing stained glass and griffons with shields supporting a vaulted roof.

The building of the house was started in 1898 by Mr. Leney, a brewer. When he became ill he sold the unfinished house to Mr. Barlow, who completed it and engaged Thomas Mawson to lay out the gardens. The red brick house is heavily gabled and has a circular turret at the corner adjacent to the entrance drive. On Barlow's death in 1914 the house and grounds belonged to a Mr Johnson, until 1929 when it was bought by a London-based concern as a home for alcoholics.

Kearnsey Court is of considerable importance in the more recent garden history, since it is one of the few gardens surviving in Kent designed by the garden architect Thomas Mawson. Mawson is now seen as an important contributor to the garden design period 1900-1920.A copy of the original plans of the garden came to light during the study by R. Jackson of Wye College. These we understand are held by Mr R Harding, one of the residents of the main house. He has initiated research into the history of these gardens. A reduced copy is included in R. Jackson's study at Wye College.

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Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: Kearsney Parks: Conservation Plan, 2015 (EKE20522)

Record last edited

Mar 18 2021 11:34AM