Gosforth Park

HER Number:
167

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Gosforth Park

Place:
Gosforth

Map Sheet:
NZ27SW NZ27SE

Class:
Gardens Parks and Urban Spaces

Site Type: Broad:
Park

Site Type: Specific:
Landscape Park

General Period:
Post Medieval

Specific Period:
C18-C20

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
In 1566 Sir Robert Brandling acquired North Gosforth, and in 1760 Charles Brandling moved the family seat there from Felling, and employed James Payne to design Gosforth House. About half the township was then turned into a park as a setting for the house. This entailed taking the land out of agriculture, probably removing the hedges which had enclosed the open fields, and possibly even clearing a farm, or the village of North Gosforth. Then, over quite a long period, there was a lot of planting of trees, in large and small plots, and - as well as the house - the building of a park wall with gates and lodges, stables, walled gardens, a steward's house and an ice-house. The extensive eastern plantations and the lake, with a boathouse, may date from the time of Charles John Brandling (1802-26). In 1852 the Rev. R.H. Brandling sold the property to Thomas Smith, and in 1880 it was resold to be turned into a racecourse. LOCAL LIST

Easting:
24902

Northing:
71178

Grid Reference:
NZ2490271178

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 167 >> W. Hutchinson, 1776, A View of Northumberland, II, pp. 323-325 E. Mackenzie, 1825, View of the County of Northumberland, II, p. 471 M.H. Dodds, 1930, North Gosforth Township, Northumberland County History, XIII, pp. 352-55 Seymour-Bell, 19th century Gosforth 11/nos. 9-13 -Newcastle Library Local Studies Northumberland Records Office - 1852 - 380 Aerial Photograph, RCHME RAF 1958 - 0376, 0377, F 21 Aerial Photograph, Newcastle Planning Dept. Fairey Surveys Ltd. 1974, Tyne and Wear County, 18: 7 112, 115, 116; 19: 193-197; 20: 469-474 L. Allason-Jones &A. Osler, 1986, The Gosforth (Tyne and Wear) Boat Northern Archaeology, Vol. 7, part 2, pp. 17-29 F. Green, 1995, A Guide to the Historic Parks and Gardens of Tyne and Wear p 20 F. Green, 1995, Historic Parks & Gardens in Tyne & Wear, Stage 2 Research; Archaeological Services Durham University, 2013, Newcastle Race Course at High Gosforth Park, North Gosforth, Tyne and Wear - archaeological desk based assessment; AJT Environmental Consultants, 2000, Environment Statement - archaeological assessment by The Archaeological Practice; R Welford, 1975 edition, A history of the Parish of Gosforth; Durham Record Office, 1881-2, Records of the High Gosforth Park Co., D/X/674/273; AAG Archaeology, 2016, Gosforth Park Walled Gardens - Building Recording