Hill Court, South Gloucestershire

In the early 18th century the Gloucestershire MP Sir Robert Atkyns (1647-1711) commissioned the Dutch engraver Johannes Kip (1652-1722) to illustrate his book The Ancient & Present State of Glostershire, first published in 1712. Included as one of the 64 detailed prints was Hill Court, then a medieval hall witin a 90 acre park, the country seat of the High Sheriff of Gloucestereshire, Sir Edward Fust.

The house depicted by Kip, in time fell into ruin and was largely demolished, with exisiting principal building dating from 1863, bar a demolished wing (1879 25″ Ordnance Survey map – check out the excellent Know Your Place map database).

The gated cattle grid pictured below, leading to the Poplar lined avenue is illustrated on Kips engraving with a horse drawn carriage, followed by riders. The central tree lined alley is now open parkland featuring magnificant Giant Redwoods (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and Scarlet Oaks (Quercus coccinea). The listed monumental gatepiers, currently partially obscured behind clipped Yew towers, open out onto this parkland landscape. The now circular formal lawn (pictured by Kip as square divided by a central alley approaching the house) features a listed central sundial. The terrace overlooking this formal lawn still features the urns commemorating Fust family marriages. A carriage pond, now half the size of Kips illustration leads to the walled garden, where us gardeners spend a lot of time tending the cut flower beds, trained fruit and orchard trees.

Myself & Matt were original brought in to carry out some rose pruning jobs, but now we team up with the other regular gardener to look after all aspects of the garden and grounds maintenance and restoration. Not least looking after the gardens fruit trees and cut-flowers.

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