Introduction
Waystrode Manor is a 15th-century estate which has only a few remaining original features. The re-designed garden dates from the 1960s, although the 16th-century hammer ponds remain and are now used for bog planting. The garden is mainly planted in a cottage style.
Behind the house is a courtyard area planted mostly with herbs. Extending from this is a stone path flanked with abundant herbaceous borders of a ‘cottage style', and enclosed by yew hedges trained into arches and one bird topiary. At the end of this walk is a white garden with a view to the fields beyond through a pillared gate.
A half-timbered building in the style of an oast house lies to the east of the main house. This building replaces the original oast house destroyed by a German bomb in the 1940s, and is used as a party room or, when the garden is open to the public, a tea room.
The heated swimming pool and attractive patio is well-screened from the rest of the garden by a rockery, trees and a raised ‘yellow' herbaceous border. The hard tennis court is flanked by climbing and bush roses on one side and a Laburnum pergola on the other, whilst a semi-circular patio surrounded by H T roses and lavender has been constructed as a viewing area. New features (as of 1988) are a wisteria (dark blue species) pergola walk with patterned stone paving, and a waterfall/rockery area. Several ornaments and statues provide further interest, and planned in the near future is a white Wisteria feature around a large stone urn brought back from Cyprus.
The lawns are dotted with mixed specimen trees, mostly young. Sixty-three trees were lost in the 1987 storm, but these have been replaced and surgery carried out on the damaged trees in a manner to preserve a pleasing outline shape. This is a ‘plantsperson's' garden containing many unusual and interesting plants. New trees, plants and shrubs have been added over the years to give a wider variety.
- Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts
Directions
The site is 0.5 miles west of the village of Cowden, 7 miles west of the centre of Tunbridge Wells.
- History
Although the house dates from the 15th century, there was no significant garden until the present ownership. The garden was created from fields. Several 16th-century hammer ponds have provided very attractive bog planting, and one has recently been extended to provide a waterfall feature amidst a rockery area.
- Features & Designations
Style
Cottage Garden
Features
- Pond
- Description: 16th century hammer ponds now used for bog planting
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- House (featured building)
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- Waterfall
- Rockery
- Walk
- Description: Alongside the entrance drive, edged with horse chestnut species, is a rhododendron/camellia woodland walk around a pond.
- Stable Block
- Specimen Tree
- Description: Liriodendron tulipifera flowering for the first time in 1988.
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- Orchard
- Description: To the west of the house an old orchard has recently been planted with many new fruit trees on dwarfing rootstocks.
- Kitchen Garden
- Description: The small kitchen garden areas contain a large vegetable tunnel.
- Garden Building
- Description: A half-timbered building in the style of an oast house lies to the east of the main house.
- Herbaceous Border
- Description: There is and a raised `yellow? herbaceous border.
- Pergola
- Description: Laburnum pergola
- Walk
- Description: There is a wisteria (dark blue species) pergola walk.
- Statue
- Description: There are several ornaments and statues.
- Key Information
Type
Garden
Purpose
Ornamental
Principal Building
Domestic / Residential
Survival
Extant
Open to the public
Yes
Civil Parish
Cowden
- References
References
- Kent County Council Planning Department {The Kent Gardens Compendium} (Canterbury: Kent County Council, 1996)160 The Kent Gardens Compendium
- Newman, J. {The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald} (London: Yale University Press, 1976) The Buildings of England: West Kent and The Weald
Contributors
Kent Gardens Trust