Whickham Hermitage, garden

HER Number:
6900

District:
Gateshead

Site Name:
Whickham Hermitage, garden

Place:
Whickham

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Gardens Parks and Urban Spaces

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Garden

General Period:
Post Medieval

Specific Period:
C18

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
Within the landscaped estate of Whickham Hermitage was a two storey brick lookout tower, tennis court and boating pond. The pond was 20 x 20 yards square, 5 feet deep and brick-lined with a coating of pitch. There was a Chinese-style bridge, pagoda, boathouse and roofed gate. The gardens have fallen into disrepair - the lake is dried up and only the foundations of the buildings survive - but in 2004 a local group of volunteers started restoring the garden. The lake will be reinstalled as a wildlife pond. The watchtower will be rebuilt as a wildlife hide and tool store. A restored boathouse will double as an office, greenhouse and storage area. A new pagoda will serve as a picture gallery. Gateshead Council have offered the Garden Committee a ten year tenancy. LOCAL LIST

Easting:
2042

Northing:
6116

Grid Reference:
NZ20426116

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 6900 >> A Thomson, 1968, Its your heritage - Whickham's "Willow Pattern"; Hermitage Garden website (http://www.whickhamhermitagegarden.org.uk/pasthistory.html); Gateshead Local List X20/LLG/09; Nicholson Nairn Architects, 2012, Photographic Building Recording for The Hermitage, Whickham;