Pulhamite Rockery, Dunorlan Park

Reasons for Designation

The Pulhamite rockery, Dunorlan Park is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * This Pulhamite rockery, constructed between 1854 and 1864 survives in good condition and is of similar scale to other Pulhamite structures recommended for listing and of earlier date than some. * It is one of a series of substantial remaining garden structures by the firm of James Pulham within Dunorlan Park (a Grade II Registered park). * It is situated within Dunorlan Park, Grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens.

Details

872/1/10050 PEMBURY ROAD 05-MAR-09 Pulhamite rockery, Dunorlan Park

GV II Garden rockery. Constructed circa 1854-64 by the firm of James Pulham for Henry Reed at Dunorlan Park.

MATERIALS: Sandstone and Pulhamite artificial rock.

DESCRIPTION: Sited immediately to the north of a meandering path to the south east of the terrace to Dunorlan it is a naturalistic composition about 40ft long and 4ft high. At the eastern end is an island section with a top planting compartment.

HISTORY: In 1823, John Ward, who was a partner of Decimus Burton in the development of the villas in Calverley Park, bought Calverley Farm, which included the site of a chalybeate spring. He constructed a lake on the farm for recreational purposes. In 1854 the farm was sold to Henry Reed, who had made his fortune in Tasmania. He demolished the farmhouse and built a new house, Dunorlan, in Italianate style. The grounds were laid out by the Scottish landscape gardener Robert Martock (1811-1890) and James Pulham was commissioned to provide Pulhamite rockwork, a Pulhamite cascade, a Pulhamite and terracotta fountain and probably extended and re-shaped the lake. The firm completed the scheme in 1864 and the rockery appears to be shown on the 1867 Ordnance Survey map. In 1874 Henry Reed sold Dunorlan to the Collins family, in whose ownership it remained until 1945 when Tunbridge Wells Borough Council purchased the site. The main house, Dunorlan, was badly damaged by a fire in 1946 and demolished in 1958. In 2003-4 a major restoration of Dunorlan Park took place, following a Heritage Lottery Fund award of £2.1m.

Pulhamite rockwork was developed by James Pulham (c.1820-98), the son of one of the pioneers of Portland cement manufacture. In the 1840s be began to use this cement as an ingredient in the construction of ornamental artificial rockwork. Masses of clinker and scrap brickwork were assembled, cement was poured over them, and they were moulded into boulder-like formations. Various surface finishes produced highly convincing and varied artificial rock types. As well as naturalistic rockeries, ornaments such as classically styled fountain basins were also produced by the firm of Pulham in moulded terracotta. Pulham¿s creations became a major feature of many mid and late Victorian garden designs.

SOURCES 'Durability guaranteed. Pulhamite Rockwork - its conservation and repair.' English Heritage 2008.P24.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: * This Pulhamite rockery, constructed between 1854 and 1964 survives in good condition and is of similar scale to other Pulhamite rockeries listed Grade II and of earlier date than some. * It is one of a series of substantial remaining garden structures by the firm of James Pulham within Dunorlan Park. * It is situated within Dunorlan Park, Grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

505771

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
English Heritage, , Durability Guaranteed Pulhamite rockwork - its conservation and repair, (2008), 24

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