Killerton

Dolbury Hill

In the south west of England, some 8km north east of Exeter, a volcanic extrusion rises dramatically out of the undulating Devonshire countryside. Clothed in ornamental woodland and surrounded by parkland, ‘Dolbury Hill' forms the centerpiece to Killerton Park, a diverse and complex grade II* registered landscape designed during the 18th and 19th centuries by its owners, the Acland family, and renowned nurserymen John Veitch and sons. The site's origins, however, long predate this fruitful collaboration.

In addition to the time-depth readily evidenced by the area's geology, which is nationally designated (SSSI) for its interest, the history of early human occupation at Killerton is similarly palpable and reaches back into prehistory. On top of Dolbury Hill itself sit the remains of a hillfort dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages, its national importance reflected by its designation as a Scheduled Monument.

16th Century

The true story of the development of Killerton, however, begins in the flat valley landscape to the west of the area on the banks of the River Culm, where Sir John Acland is purported to have built himself a mansion in the late 16th century. Known as Columbjohn, the house played a prominent role in British history, serving as the regional headquarters for both the Roundheads and the Cavaliers at different stages of the Civil War, with Cromwell himself known to have been a guest. Now only faint earthworks remain where the house once stood, in a tranquil and forgotten corner of the park with just the lowing cattle to interrupt the dreams of those long-dead partisans.

Columbjohn Mansion

Although Columbjohn Mansion was not to survive, the possession and influence of the Acland family continued unbroken into the 20th century (the estate was donated to the National Trust in 1944). The family relocated from Columbjohn to their dower house at Killerton sometime during the 18th century. Their new home, nestled at the southern foot of Dolbury Hill, was originally built around 1610, although the present house dates to 1779 with later additions.

Park

The park's earliest incarnation lies to the north of Dolbury Hill, where a large expanse of deer park had been created as a discreet entity separate from Columbjohn. Dating back to at least the 18th century, this landscape more likely represents a former medieval hunting ground, its impressive western park pale still an important feature of the park and forming another Scheduled Monument. A number of spectacular trees survive from this early landscape, forming part of the rich collection of veterans and ancients that are such a distinctive feature of Killerton and that support a diverse range of flora and fauna. The earliest mapped evidence of the area dates to 1756 and shows the extent of the park to the north, as well as an avenue linking Columbjohn in the west with Killerton.

The landscape recorded in this survey was to alter dramatically with the arrival to Killerton in 1770 of John Veitch, hired to realise the ambitions of the Acland family. Veitch hailed from Scotland, training as a nurseryman but with hitherto little experience of designing on the grand scale. By the turn of the century, however, new areas of parkland had been created in front of the house to the south and most extensively to the west, stretching over to Columbjohn. In creating the southern parkland, the road was moved east to accommodate the new stable block and entrance drive; to the west, the former avenue was swept away and the hedgerow boundaries removed.

Today no trace of the 18th century avenue remains, although its route was retained within the parkland design and became known as the ‘Processional Way' after 1841, when the family would file across the park for funerals held at Columbjohn chapel - the physical link joining the Acland's new residence to the home of their ancestors may have gone, but the spiritual connection remained strong.

One feature to be retained within the early layout of the western parkland was a folly located on a prominent knoll to the north of the old avenue. It is thought that the folly actually pre-dated the creation of the parkland, although it was relatively short-lived, disappearing sometime in the early 19th century. Now only the brick foundation survives, but the historic existence of this eye-catcher reflects one of Killerton's primary assets - its outstanding views.

Veitch demonstrated his skill at parkland design by capitalising upon the area's dramatic topography to produce numerous awe-inspiring vistas. Far-reaching views to the south were included within the parkland experience by way of a series of terraced paths snaking across the rising ground to the east of the house. Even more impressive is the kinetic sequence of vistas to be obtained from the carriage drive along the eastern edge of the north deer park, which had been newly expanded as part of Veitch's late 18th century alterations.

Here the importance of the surrounding landscape comes fully into play, as the knolls and ridgelines of Devon's distinctive countryside are progressively revealed in theatrical fashion through an ingenious use of topography and tree planting. It is only a small leap to imagine the full effect as experienced from a horse-drawn carriage - today the deer have been replaced with dog-walkers, but the route remains impressive and, in spite of the M5, the landscape in general is devoid of the sort of development that lessens the experience of so many parks throughout the country.

Another important addition to the park at this time was the planting of beech trees on Dolbury Hill, emphasising the drama of the landform and providing a focal feature within the landscape. Today the unintended consequence of Veitch's design is the damage being done to the Scheduled hillfort by the roots of the mature trees. Both are important elements in their own right, and further research is required to inform future management.

19th century

The second major campaign of parkland alteration dates from 1808, when one of the most influential Aclands, the ‘Great Sir Thomas', came of age and returned to the estate. Veitch's services were retained and developments continued apace in both park and garden. A new park pale was built across the north deer park in 1810 to develop the western half as ornamental woodland (Park Wood), with numerous drives directing views west over the River Culm.

The southern parkland was further expanded, with the road moved further from the house in two phases and a new parkland drive created to extend the arrival sequence. A grand chapel was built to the east of the house to a design by C. R. Cockrell, now a grade I listed building which reflects the architect at the height of his powers. The garden was transformed with numerous buildings added, including the Bear's Hut, the icehouse and the orangery (the only one not to survive).Perhaps the most important additions to Killerton during the 19th century in the national context, however, were the ornamental planting schemes introduced by Veitch and sons via their local nursery. The Veitches were introducing new plants to the country through their contacts with the plant-hunters of the day, tested first at Killerton before going on to furnish many other estates throughout the land. Such was its influence, Killerton is considered to be one of the first Arboreta to be established in the country.

20th century

In 1911, the 140-year-old relationship between the Acland and Veitch families culminated in the development of a national diploma in horticulture, as Arthur Acland (13th Bart) and Sir Harry Veitch were both members of the RHS horticultural education committee.Alongside these features of national significance, much of the appeal of the park lies in the personal story of the Acland family that is firmly embedded in the landscape, from the imposing Acland Cross to the more modest memorial marking the tragic bicycling accident of 11-year- old Ellen Acland at the front gate. The liberal persuasions of the family are reflected in features such as Mount Peel, renamed in support of Sir Robert Peel's free trade policy, and the front terrace where Lloyd George addressed a gathered crowd in 1926, inspiring the moniker ‘the Castle of Beautiful Liberalism'. Nearly 300 years on from the Civil War, politics still featured large at Killerton.

As with most parks throughout the country, 20th century ploughing, planting and benign neglect has obscured some of the design intent at Killerton. A recently completed Parkland Plan (2012) serves to address this and identifies the best approach for management to restore and conserve the park over a 10-year period, bringing alive the many fascinating stories associated with this rich and diverse landscape.

Text taken from Cookson, Will and Tickner, Matthew 'Acland and Veitch: A Long and Productive Association - Uncovering the fascinating stories behind the development of Killerton Park, Devon'; contributed by the National Trust.

The following is from the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. For the most up-to-date Register entry, please visit The National Heritage List for England (NHLE):

Historic Development

A house was built on the site in the mid 16th century by a lawyer, Edward Drewe, who acquired the property through marriage. In the early 17th century it was sold to John Acland, whose principal residence was Columbjohn, 1.5 kilometres west-south-west of Killerton. Sir Hugh Acland (1637-1713) abandoned Culmbjohn in favour of Killerton in about 1680. Estate maps for Columbjohn and Killerton (1756) provide evidence for the early 18th century landscape: rectangular enclosures to the east and west of Killerton House appear to represent formal gardens, and a formal avenue running through enclosed agricultural land linked Killerton and Columbjohn to the west.

To the north, north-west and east of the House an area of 135 acres (about 56 hectares) on Dolbury Hill is shown as enclosed park. This park is shown on Benjamin Donn's Map of Devon (1765), where a small tower west of the park pale probably corresponds to an octagonal brick and stone structure which stood on a knoll 930 metres west of the House. This structure, now demolished, figured in a painting of the Killerton landscape by William Tomkins (1730-1792) which now (1998) hangs in the House.

Sir Thomas Acland (1723-1785) employed John Veitch (1752-1839) in 1770 to lay out a landscape park which was intended to form the setting for a new mansion. Veitch's park enclosed about 500 acres (about 208 hectares) around Dolbury Hill, the summit of which, Killerton Clump, was planted with beech to emphasise its height. The main Exeter to Cullompton road to the south-east of the House was moved east as part of the park improvement. John Johnson was commissioned to remodel the existing house as a temporary residence in mid 1778. The stables about 260 metres east of the House were built by Johnson in 1779-1780, and the walled garden 50 metres north east was constructed in about 1782.

The 1801 Ordnance Survey Drawing shows parkland flowing round the House, together with significant areas of woodland planting on Dolbury Hill, including Mount Pleasant (later Mount Peel). The octagonal folly in Cross Parks to the west of the House survived in 1801, and this area appears to have been developed as parkland by the early 19th century. Veitch developed pleasure grounds from 1808 to the west and north-east of the House for Sir Thomas Acland and his wife, Lydia Hoare, on land enclosed from the late 18th century park. Features included gravel walks, shrubberies and a grove of tulip trees near the House.

A further area, known as Lady Acland's Shrubbery, was planted to the north-east of the House, which became the site for the Chapel designed by C R Cockerell in 1840-1841. Plans attributed to William Sawrey Gilpin (1762-1843) for a new drive from Killerton to Columbjohn (1820) were not implemented. An orangery was built north-west of the House in 1808, and the appearance of the pleasure grounds and park was recorded in a series of pencil sketches, 'Fragments of Killerton' by John Gendall (1831-1832).

Under the direction of John Veitch's son, James, the pleasure grounds and areas of the park including the Plain, about 650 metres north-north-east of the House, were planted with trees and shrubs newly introduced to cultivation by Veitch's expanded nursery which had relocated from Budlake to Exeter in 1832. Plant-hunting was continued in the early 20th century by Sir Francis Acland, who sponsored expeditions by F Kingdon-Ward.

Sir Charles Acland who succeeded in 1898 remodelled the House, and in 1900 commissioned William Robinson to advise on its immediate setting. Overgrown shrubbery was cleared and the 100 metre terrace south and south-west of the House was built, while the head gardener, John Coutts, developed an old quarry 200 metres north-west of the House as a rock garden in about 1900. Sir Francis, fourteenth Baronet made minor changes in the pleasure grounds which included the construction of a ha-ha between the early 20th century carriage court and the south park, and the demolition of the early 19th century orangery in 1937.

The Killerton estate was given to the National Trust by his son, Sir Richard Acland, in 1943. Programmes of replanting in the park, particularly since the construction of the M5 motorway to the east in about 1970, and the introduction of new planting schemes by Graham Stuart Thomas and John Sales on the terrace have been undertaken by the Trust.

Type

Estate

Purpose

Ornamental

Principal Building

Domestic / Residential

Survival

Extant

Hectares

100

Open to the public

Yes

Civil Parish

Broad Clyst