In 1849 William Paget of Loughborough built a house called 'The Cliffs' which was later to become known as St. Annes Manor (see Whites Directory 1864). The house was not built until after the Midland Counties railway which opened on 5th May 1840. Footbridges over the railway were erected connecting the grounds of St. Annes Manor to both the Hall and St. Annes Church. The O.S. map of 1884 (see Fig. 8) shows the house and associated outbuildings together with what appears to be a sunken croquet lawn. There are conifers and broad leaved trees shown in a belt alongside the cutting and in clumps elsewhere forming the parkland around the house. The lodge on Hungary Lane would appear to be contemporary with the house. The walled kitchen garden, however, was obviously not built until after the publication of the map. A reference to the purchase of the associated glasshouses names Major Tenant as the owner at the time. He was indeed the owner when at Christmas 1908 the house was partly destroyed by fire requiring the frontage to be completely rebuilt. The ownership of the house at some point passed to Lady Beatrix Stanley, the mother of the present owner. She is known to have developed the gardens with the introduction of many new and rare plants during the 1920's. Many of these were brought from her home at Sibbertoft Manor in Northamptonshire, The gardens were developed further by Sir Charles Buchanan, Lady Buchcanan's husband, who was also an avid plant collector. (2)

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 Notts Historic Gardens Trust, 1995-1997, Notts Historic Parks and Gardens Files (Unpublished document).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

<2> Biggadyke J, 1995, St Anne's Manor, Sutton Bonington - Register Review Report (Unpublished document). SNT4612.