Introduction
The site has a Georgian house designed by Sir Robert Smirke. A few parkland trees exist, with views across open farmland to the river Itchen. Land was sold in the 1950s and the buildings, since 1999, have housed Prince's Mead School.
A description at the time of Sir Charles Ogle reads ‘Below the south front of the mansion winds the river Itchin, on the opposite banks of which rise beautiful eminences, partly covered with wood, beyond which are the more romantic downs.' The house is today still very visible in this way when walking in The Worthys.
A house has been built in the old ornamental walled garden and one within the old walled kitchen garden, thereby destroying the original layout and designs of the gardens. The old walls remain, as well as some specimen trees such as oaks, chestnuts, yews, and a magnificent Holm Oak, in the parkland and woods.
- Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts
Telephone
01962 888000Other Websites
- History
18th Century
The early history of Worthy Park is fragmentary, but there is said to have been a house on the site since Saxon times. William Evelyn, cousin of the diarist Sir John Evelyn, built a mansion in 1722, built on an L-plan. The fourth Lord Kingston lived there for nine years until his death in 1761.
19th Century
The house was inherited in 1816 by Sir Charles Ogle. The west wing was pulled down and a new house of Southampton brick and Portland stone was designed by Sir Robert Smirke and built over the foundations. It consisted of the main centre building with two wings in corresponding style, surmounted by a balustrade with an elegant main entrance portico, dating from around 1828. The house remains largely unchanged in 2003. William Cobbett mentions the house in his Rural Rides.
Members of the Wall family lived there in the mid-18th-century, followed by tenants.
The first edition Ordnance Survey map, 1870, taken from the surveyors' drawing of 1859, shows an icehouse in the wood. This had disappeared by the third edition map of 1909.
20th Century
The last family to own the house was Lt Colonel James Butchart, the grandson of Captain Fryer who had married George Ellis Wall. During World War 2, Worthy Park was taken over by the army and after it had been relinquished by the military it became Curry's staff training centre. By the 1980s the land had been sold to a Mr Grey and the buildings were owned by National Express.
The buildings were bought by Princes Mead School in 1999.
- Associated People
- Features & Designations
Designations
Conservation Area
The National Heritage List for England: Listed Building
- Reference: Worthy Park House
- Grade: II*
Features
- Garden Wall
- Description: A house has been built in the old ornamental walled garden.
- Earliest Date:
- Kitchen Garden
- Description: A house has been built in the old walled kitchen garden.
- Earliest Date:
- Icehouse
- Description: The first edition Ordnance Survey map, 1870, taken from the surveyors? drawing of 1859, shows an icehouse in the wood. This had disappeared by the third edition map of 1909.
- Latest Date:
- Mansion House (featured building)
- Description: After 1816, the west wing of the 1722 house was pulled down. A new house of Southampton brick and Portland stone was designed by Sir Robert Smirke and built over the foundations. It consisted of the main centre building with two wings in corresponding style, surmounted by a balustrade with an elegant main entrance portico, dating from around 1828. The house remains largely unchanged in 2003.
- Earliest Date:
- Latest Date:
- Specimen Tree
- Description: Some specimen trees remain, such as oaks, chestnuts, yews, and a magnificent Holm Oak, in the parkland and woods.
- Key Information
Type
Park
Purpose
Ornamental
Principal Building
Domestic / Residential
Survival
Part: standing remains
Open to the public
Yes
Civil Parish
Itchen Valley
- References