Late C17 and C18 landscape park, at most extensive c.250ha, now considerably reduced by agricultural and forestry development, containing early and late C19 formal gardens, c.2ha. Present house 1864-71 by Salvin. Earlier buildings 500m to south - first, C17, remodelled 1683-87, destroyed by fire in 1745; second 1767-71 by John Carr, demolished 1868. Extensive late C17 formal plan of park and gardens, seen in estate map of 1680, and painting by Knyff c.1705. By 1725 Thoresby Lake (1.5km long) had been formed to west of house by damming the river Meden, which flows west-east across the estate. Water from this lake fed a 'perpetual cascade', possibly designed by C G Cibber, in the formal gardens of the house. Three ice-houses, one in woodland 450m to south of (site of) old Hall, a second c.70m east of same site and a third on the dam at the east end of Thoresby Lake. More naturaI landscaping undertaken in 1780s, probably by F Richardson. Capability Brown possibly consulted. Repton called in, Red Book 1791, and re-designed the cascade to make it appear wholly natural, importing rugged-looking rocks from Creswell, Derbyshire, and further developing the serpentine eastward channel of the river, which has several weirs along a 2.5km stretch. When the present house was built in 1864-71, a large walled rectangular kitchen garden was constructed 350m to the east. W A Nesfield consulted for main garden plans 1863, but final design attributed to Salvin: formal and symmetrical terrace with parterre, sundial and fountain to south of house. Stone-edged beds, and twin gazebos to left and right. C19 woodland garden to west,woodland 10ha to north-west and north of house. (2)
See M17809 for first Thoresby Hall, M17810 for second Hall and M4546 for third Hall.
See M5534 for Deer Park.

<1> Notts Historic Gardens Trust, 1995-1997, Notts Historic Parks and Gardens Files (Unpublished document). SNT4553.

<2> English Heritage, 1985, Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England - part 33, Notts (Published document). SNT4554.

<3> Anthony J, 1979, The Gardens of Britain (Monograph). SNT418.

<4> Campbell C, 1725, Vitruvius Britannicus, pp 81-2 (Published document). SNT4574.

<5> Carter G, Goode P and Laurie K, 1982, Humphry Repton (Published document). SNT4556.

<6> Harris J, 1979, The Artist and the Country House (Published document). SNT4575.

<7> Holme C, 1908, Gardens of England in the Midland and Eastern Counties (Published document). SNT4558.

<8> Pevsner N, 1979, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire 2nd ed. (Monograph). SNT4.

<9> Stroud D, 1962, Humphry Repton (Published document). SNT4555.

<10> Thoroton Society, 1967, TTS, pp 72-89 (Published document). SNT380.

<11> Throsby J, 1796, Thoroton's History of Notts Vol 3, pp 344-5 (Published document). SNT1347.

ill

<12> Baddeley V, 1994, Some North Notts Parks and Gardens (Unpublished document). SNT1972.