Houghton-le-Spring, Rectory Park, north wall

HER Number:
15901

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Houghton-le-Spring, Rectory Park, north wall

Place:
Houghton-le-Spring

Map Sheet:
NZ34NW

Class:
Gardens Parks and Urban Spaces

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Garden Wall

General Period:
Unknown

Specific Period:

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
Sandstone rubble wall with brick coping inserted doorways through it. There are a series of enigmatic features in the wall - semi-circular hollows or niches. Some have been in-filled. Paul Lanagan suggests that they were for growing wall flowers. Date and function of the features is presently unknown. Sandstone rubble wall with brick coping inserted doorways through it. There are a series of enigmatic features in the wall - semi-circular hollows or niches. Some have been in-filled. Paul Lanagan suggests that they were for growing wall flowers. Date and function of the features is presently unknown {1}. Little is known about the form and layout of the earlier Rectory (HER 264) grounds and gardens. Documentary evidence suggests that Rector Kelyng was the first to enclose the grounds with a stone wall during the fortification of the site in the 15th century, but it is not clear whether this corresponds with the line of the current boundary (rebuilt by Davenport in the 17th century). Until the 18th century the boundary wall stood 12ft high. Over the intervening period parts have ben demolished to become the piecemeal mix of wall we see today. Only parts of the northern boundary, and the south-west corner suvrive as evidence of a pre-19th century structure. The remains of the earlier wall is distinct from the later interventions, constructed of coursed rubble blocks of local limestone and sandstone, much of which is un-worked and poor in quality. Built into a section of the northern wall are series of small identical niches each formed by a single carved semi-circular sandstone arch head, At least five survive in a row - four equally spaced to the SE entrnace with Vine Place and one to the north of the car park. These may have been bee-boles for housing skeps (wicker baskets for housing bees).

Easting:
3400

Northing:
4991

Grid Reference:
NZ34004991

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Paul Lanagan, Houghton-le-Spring Heritage Society, 2013, Houghton-le-Spring Rectory - A Walk Around the Grounds (www.houghtonlespring.org.uk); Northern Archaeological Associates Ltd. 2014, Rectory Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Archaeological Assessment and Building Recording