The Park Estate


The Park Estate is a private residential housing estate to the west of Nottingham city centre, England, noted for its Victorian architecture, although many of the houses have been altered, extended or converted into flats. The estate uses gas street lighting; believed to be one of the largest networks in Europe.

History

The Park Estate started life as a forested deer park situated immediately to the west of Nottingham Castle. The castle was, from its construction in 1087 until 1663, a royal castle, and the adjoining park a royal park. As well as deer, the park containing fish ponds and a rabbit warren, whilst King Henry II, who was reported to be 'addicted to hunting beyond measure', added a falconry. The park would have provided both food and sport for castle residents. After the capture of the castle by parliamentary forces during the English Civil War, the park's trees were felled to provide fuel and supplies to the garrison, and in 1651 the castle was slighted.
In 1663, the ruined castle and park was bought by William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle. He initially re-stocked the park with deer, but by the 1720s the area had been given over for cattle grazing. In 1800, whilst Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle was still a minor, his mother considered disposing of the park. Her agents advised against such a sale as they thought it would depress land values in Nottingham, and they recommended instead a gradual sale of small plots on the periphery of the park. The first domestic building in the park was built in 1809. Built opposite the castle gatehouse, the building served as the vicarage to St. Mary's Church.
With the industrialisation of Nottingham in the 19th century, the Park became a valuable open space for local people. Notwithstanding this, and despite much opposition from locals who regarded the area as public land, major development began in 1822 under the 4th Duke. Initially he engaged the architect John Jephson, but in 1825 Jephson was replaced by Peter Frederick Robinson, who published a plan for the park in 1827. The first houses appeared on Park Terrace around 1829 and by 1832 some 40-50 had been completed. Despite this development, in 1849 The Stranger's Guide noted that the park was 'open to the public and is used as a promenade by all classes of society, and a most healthy appendage it is to a populous and closely built town'.
Development continued under the 5th Duke, who appointed architect Thomas Chambers Hine in 1854 to design many of the houses and by 1859 houses were complete on Castle Grove, Lenton Road, Newcastle Drive and Clinton Terrace. Hine remained as the architect to the estate, even after the death of the 5th Duke in 1864, when the estate was managed by a trust. Many of the large villas were built for local wealthy industrialists and businessmen, who employed their own architects. The designs for all houses still had to be approved by Hine until he retired in 1891. Hine was also responsible for the construction of the Park Tunnel, intended to provide access for horse-drawn carriages to Derby Road.
By 1918 the estate was largely completed with 355 houses. By the mid 1930s the larger houses were proving difficult to sell. Many of the remaining leases were very short. St Heliers, the former home of Jesse Boot, 1st Baron Trent, which had been unoccupied for 10 years, and was reported as being in good condition, was sold by auction by Walker, Walton and Hanson on 15 June 1932. Originally costing some £6,000, Herbert Weightman of Wilford, a jobbing builder, bought the property for £7 . The ground rent payable to the Newcastle Estate Office was £116 per year . There were understood to be covenants in place preventing its demolition, but it was pulled down in 1936.
In 1938, the 8th Duke sold The Park to the Nuffield Trust who then sold it to Oxford University. Between 1940 and 1986 Oxford University sold the freeholds to the owners. The Park was designated a conservation area in 1969. In 1986 negotiations between The Park Residents Association and Oxford University Chest resulted in the ownership of the Estate being transferred to the newly formed Company: The Nottingham Park Estate Limited.
By 2007, all but about a dozen of the 355 original pre-1918 houses still existed, many without any significant external alterations.

Architecture

The following table lists the significant properties within the park estate.
NameStreet and numberPhotographDateArchitectNotes and refs.
Castle Boulevard, 621895Watson FothergillGrade II listed
Castle Boulevard, 641895Watson FothergillGrade II listed
Hine HouseCastle Grove, 11856Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Castle Grove, 21856Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Castle Grove, 31856Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Barbican HouseCastle Grove, 41856Thomas Chambers Hine
Castle Grove, 51856Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Castle Grove, 6See Lenton Road, 1
Castle Grove, 71856Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Hardwick HouseCavendish Crescent North
Carisbrooke HouseCavendish Crescent North, 11870-75
Cavendish LodgeCavendish Crescent North, 31870-75
Cavendish Crescent North, 51882
Jardine HouseCavendish Crescent North, 71880-82
Peverel TowerCavendish Crescent North, 91875Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Cavendish Crescent North, 10c.1880-1890
GleadthorpeCavendish Crescent North, 111890-95
Cavendish Crescent North, 12c.1885
Park HouseCavendish Crescent North, 141896Watson FothergillGrade II listed
Cavendish Crescent North, 151885Semi with 17
Cavendish Crescent North, 16c.1885
Cavendish Crescent North, 171885Semi with 15
Cavendish Crescent North, 18c.1885
Cavendish Crescent North, 191882
Cavendish Crescent North, 20c.1885
Cavendish Crescent North, 21
Cavendish Crescent North, 22c.1885
Cavendish Crescent North, 23
Cavendish Crescent North, 24c.1885
Gladstone CourtCavendish Crescent South, 11877Thomas Chambers Hine
Kirkstall LodgeCavendish Crescent South, 3c1875Thomas Chambers Hine?
Cavendish Crescent South, 5c1875
Cavendish Crescent South, 7c1875
Cavendish Crescent South, 9c1875
Cavendish Crescent South, 11c1875Robert Evans JP
William HouseCavendish Crescent South, 13See South Road, 1
Cavendish Crescent South, 151861Thomas Chambers HineAlterations by Evans, Cartwright and Woollatt in 1960
Cavendish Crescent South, 17c1870
Amelia HouseCavendish Crescent South, 191861Thomas Chambers HineBuilt for Anthony Mundella
Albert VillaCavendish Crescent South, 211861Thomas Chambers HineLived in by Richard Allen until his death in 1884
Holyrood HouseCavendish Crescent South, 231876
Sutherland HouseCavendish Crescent South, 25c1876Fothergill Watson
Kingston HouseCavendish Crescent East, 23c1890-95Thomas Chambers Hine?
Cavendish CourtCavendish Road East, 251884-85Thomas Chambers Hine
Cavendish CottageCavendish Road East, 25cArts and Crafts
Bishop's HouseCavendish Road East, 271883From 1932, the home of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham.
GartreeCavendish Road East, 291884
Cavendish Road East, 311884
RedcliffeCavendish Road East, 331897-98Stockdale HarrisonFor Frank Woodward, Lace Manufacturer
Cavendish HouseCavendish Road East, 371881Thomas Chambers Hine
OverdaleCavendish Road East, 391883Thomas Chambers Hine
ElmhurstCavendish Road East, 411883Thomas Chambers Hine
Ashley HouseCavendish Road East, 451877Samuel Dutton Walker
Clare Valley, 1c1890
Clare Valley, 2c1890
Clare Valley, 3c1890
Clare Valley, 4c1890
Clare Valley, 5c1890
Terrace HouseClifton Terrace1855Thomas Chambers Hine
Clifton Terrace, 11851Thomas Chambers Hine
Clifton Terrace, 3
Iveston HouseClifton Terrace, 4
1880s
Clumber Crescent North, 3
Clumber Crescent North, 5
Clumber Crescent North, 7See North Road, 7
Clumber HouseClumber Crescent North
Clumber Crescent South, 5
Clumber Crescent South, 7
WestwoodClumber Road East, 31910Ernest A SudburyPreviously called Cuylerholme.
HillsideClumber Road East, 51904E.M. Lacey.Now Northwood and Southwood
Adam HouseClumber Road East, 71885Arthur George MarshallOriginally named Brightlands Built for Samuel Bourne.
Edale HouseClumber Road East, 91883Thomas Chambers Hine
Penrhyn HouseClumber Road East, 111879Thomas Chambers Hine
Stowe HouseClumber Road West, 6
Holly LodgeClumber Road West
Linden HouseClumber Road West1875Thomas Chambers Hine
Duke William Mount, 11875Thomas Chambers HineFor Horace Arthur Fisher, Lace Manufacturer
SelsoeDuke William Mount, 21887Thomas Chambers Hine
Duke William Mount, 31887Thomas Chambers Hine
Fishpond Drive, 4c1888-90
Fishpond Drive, 6c1888-90
Fishpond Drive, 30
Fishpond Drive, 32
Hamilton Drive, 1c1886-90
Hamilton Drive, 2c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 3c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 4c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 5c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 6c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 7c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 8c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 9c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 10c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 11c1886-88
Hamilton Drive, 24c1890
Holles Crescent, 1c1865-70Thomas Chambers Hine?
Holles Crescent, 3c1865-70Thomas Chambers Hine?
Holles Crescent, 5c1865-70Thomas Chambers Hine?
Hope Drive, 11880sThomas Chambers HineCoach House
Hope Drive, 21888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 41888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 51888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 61888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 71888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 81888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 91888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 111888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 12c1888-90
Hope Drive, 131888-89Watson Fothergill
Hope Drive, 14c1888-90
Hope Drive, 16c1888-90
Hope Drive, 18c1888-90
Hope Drive, 20c1888-90
Hope Drive, 22c1888-90
Hope Drive, 24c1888-90
Hope Drive, 26c1888-90
Barton HouseHuntingdon Drive, 1c1908Lawrence Bright
Huntingdon Drive, 2c1908Lawrence Bright
Huntingdon Drive, 31889Watson FothergillGrade II listed
Huntingdon Drive, 41889Watson FothergillGrade II listed
Huntingdon Drive, 5c1906-8Lawrence Bright
Huntingdon Drive, 6c1906-8Lawrence Bright
Huntingdon Drive, 7c1906-8Lawrence Bright
Huntingdon Drive, 8c1906-8Lawrence Bright
Huntingdon Drive, 9c1906-8Lawrence Bright
Huntingdon Drive, 10c1906-8Lawrence Bright
IvestonKenilworth Road, 1c1888
Yew Tree HouseKenilworth Road, 21871Thomas Chambers Hine
Kenilworth HouseKenilworth Road, 3c1888
The ChestnutsKenilworth Road, 5c1865-70Thomas Chambers Hine?
Lenton Avenue, 1c1870-75
Cedar HouseLenton Avenue, 3c1865-75
Lenton Avenue, 5c1865-75
Lenton Avenue, 7c1870
Lenton Avenue, 91870-75Thomas Chambers Hine?
FernleighLenton Avenue, 11c1875
Lenton Avenue, 13c1880Thomas Chambers Hine?
Lenton Avenue, 15c1880Thomas Chambers Hine?
Dundee HouseLenton Avenue, 17c1885Thomas Chambers Hine?
Lenton Avenue, 19c1878-80
Lenton Avenue, 21c1878-80
Lenton Avenue, 23c1870
Arlington HouseLenton Avenue, 25c1875
Lenton Avenue, 27c1882-83Thomas Chambers Hine?
Lenton Avenue,29c1882-83Thomas Chambers Hine?
GraylandsLenton Avenue, 31c1875Thomas Chambers Hine?
NewlandsLenton Avenue, 33c1875Thomas Chambers Hine?
Lenton Road, 11855Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Castle RisingLenton Road, 31855Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Castle BankLenton Road, 5 and 5A1873Watson FothergillGrade II listed
Fothergill HouseLenton Road, 71872Watson FothergillGrade II listed
Estate OfficeLenton Road, 7a1909Arthur Richard CalvertGrade II listed
Lenton Road, 11Robert Evans JPHome of Ernest Reginald Ridgway architect until 1917.
FairholmeLenton Road, 131861Thomas Chambers Hine
Lenton Road, 151861Thomas Chambers Hine
OakhyrstLenton Road, 171861Thomas Chambers Hine
Lenton Road, 191861Thomas Chambers Hine
Ravine HouseLenton Road, 211861Thomas Chambers Hine
Rutland HouseLenton Road, 231861Thomas Chambers Hine
Lenton Road, 251858Thomas Chambers Hine
Lenton HouseLenton Road, 271858Thomas Chambers Hine
Lenton Road, 291858Thomas Chambers Hine
Leslie VillaLenton Road, 311858Thomas Chambers Hine
Cliff HouseLenton Road, 331858Thomas Chambers Hine
Gladstone HouseLincoln Circus1876-77Edwin Loverseed
Newcastle Circus, 21870-75
Mevell HouseNewcastle Circus, 71877Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Newcastle CourtNewcastle Circus
Burton HouseNewcastle Circus1875
CastlethorpeNewcastle Circus1875
Newcastle Drive, 11856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 31856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 51856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 71856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 91856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 111856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 131856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 151878Albert Nelson BromleyLived in by the architect until his death in 1934
Newcastle Drive, 171878Albert Nelson Bromley
Newcastle Drive, 191886
Newcastle Drive, 211884Watson Fothergill
Newcastle Drive, 231884Watson Fothergill
GlendowerNewcastle Drive, 271884-85Watson FothergillFor William Foster
Newcastle Drive, 291856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 311856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 331856-59Thomas Chambers Hine
Newcastle Drive, 35
Newcastle Drive, 37
Walton HouseNewcastle Drive, 391886Watson FothergillGrade II listed Also known as The Priest's House
North Road, 1
North Road, 2
North Road, 3
North Road, 5
Yorke HouseNorth Road, 61870-80
ClaremontNorth Road, 71872Thomas Chambers HineBuilt for George Sparrow.
North Road, 8
East LodgePark Row1860?Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Tower HousePark Row, 531827-33Peter Frederick Robinson then Watson FothergillGrade II listed rebuilt by Watson Fothergill in 1895?
Park Ravine, 2
Park Terrace, 11827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 21827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 31827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 41827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 51827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 61827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 71827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 81827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 91827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 101827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 111827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 121827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 14
Park Terrace, 151827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 161827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 171827-33Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Terrace, 181881Thomas Chambers HineSee Park Terrace, 19
Park Terrace, 191881Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed Originally one house, now numbers 18, 19 and 20.
Park Terrace, 201881Thomas Chambers HineSee Park Terrace, 19
Arundel HousePark Valley, 1c1870Thomas Chambers HineFor Stephen Wills, Lace Manufacturer
Park Valley, 3c1870Thomas Chambers Hine
HollyhurstPark Valley, 4c1835-45
Park Valley, 5c1845-50Thomas Chambers Hine
Stuart CottagePark Valley, 6c1835-45
Park Valley, 71848-51Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Park Valley, 81828-29Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Valley, 9c1845-50Thomas Chambers Hine
Park Valley, 101828-29Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Valley, 11c1845Thomas Chambers Hine
Park Valley, 13
Park Valley, 151838-39Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Valley, 171838-39Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Valley, 191838-39Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Valley, 211838-39Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Valley, 231838-39Peter Frederick RobinsonGrade II listed
Park Valley, 251878Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Pelham Crescent, 1c1870John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 3c1868-72John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 5c1868-72John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 7c1868-70John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 9c1868-70John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 10c1870-75John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 11c1868-70John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 12c1870-75John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 13c1868-70John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 14c1870-75John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 15c1871John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 16c1870-75John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 17c1871John Loverseed
Pelham Crescent, 18c1911
Pelham Crescent, 19c1868-70John Loverseed
Peveril Drive, 1
Peveril Drive, 2
Peveril Drive, 3
Peveril Drive, 6
Peveril Drive, 7
Peveril Drive, 8
Peveril Drive, 10
Peveril Drive, 11
Peveril Drive, 12
Peveril HousePeveril Drive
The Ropewalk, 2
The Ropewalk, 4
The Ropewalk, 6
The Ropewalk, 8
The Ropewalk, 10
The Ropewalk, 111850Thomas Chambers Hine
The Ropewalk, 12
The Ropewalk, 14
The Ropewalk, 16
The Ropewalk, 20
The Ropewalk,22
The TownhouseThe Ropewalk, 24
The Ropewalk, 26
The Ropewalk, 28
The Ropewalk, 30
Oak Hill HouseThe Ropewalk, 321827-37Grade II listedFor Thomas Herbert, lace manufacturer
The Ropewalk, 341827-37Grade II listed
The Ropewalk, 361827-37Grade II listed
The Ropewalk, 381827-37Grade II listed
The Ropewalk, 401827-37Grade II listed
The Ropewalk, 42
The Ropewalk, 44
The Ropewalk, 46
The Ropewalk, 48
The Ropewalk, 50
The Ropewalk, 52
The Ropewalk, 54
The Ropewalk, 56
William HouseSouth Road, 11858Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
South Road, 2Thomas Chambers Hine
Ellenborough HouseSouth Road, 31850sWatson FothergillGrade II listed Remodelled 1875-81.
South Road, 4Thomas Chambers Hine
South Road, 5Thomas Chambers Hine
South Road, 6Thomas Chambers Hine
Tattershall Drive, 1c1875
Tattershall Drive, 2c1875
Tattershall Drive, 3c1873
St IvesTattershall Drive, 4c1890
Tattershall Drive, 5c1895
Tattershall Drive, 6c1890
BroadgateWestern Terrace, 1ca. 1895
Western Terrace, 21890
Western Terrace, 31845-50Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Western Terrace, 41845-50Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Western Terrace, 51845-50Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Western Terrace, 61845-50Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Western Terrace, 71844Thomas Chambers Hine
Western Terrace, 81844Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Western Terrace, 91844Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Western Terrace, 101844Thomas Chambers HineGrade II listed
Lincoln VillaWestern Terrace, 111840Peter Frederick Robinson

Planning constraints

The Park is a conservation area with many of the buildings being listed. Planning submissions are subject to detailed planning regulations.

Residential Estate

Access

Access to the estate for vehicles is restricted to three entrances - North Road, Lenton Road and Peveril Drive where registration with The Estate's ANPR system is required to operate the rising bollards. There are also two minor entrances - Barrack Lane and Newcastle Drive/Park Row - that provide access to selected parts of the estate, although Barrack Lane itself does not fall within The Park.
There are several pedestrian/cycle entrances which are mostly gated, some of which locked at night. These are: Lenton Road ; Lenton Road ; Fish Pond Drive ; Newcastle Drive and The Park Tunnel which runs from Tunnel Road to Derby Road with a staircase halfway along to Upper College Street. There is a gated walkway from Pelham Crescent to Harlaxton Drive, Lenton which is currently locked from 11pm to 5am.
From 1999-2013 the pedestrian gate between Lenton Road and Park Road, Lenton was locked every night between the hours of 11pm and 5am. The estate management argued this was necessary to reduce late night noise and anti-social behaviour, because the route links student-dominated Lenton to the city centre. A public local inquiry was held in 2013 to consider the legal status of Lenton Road, which ruled that it was a public right of way as a public footpath had been present since at least 1700, so should be added to the council's Definitive Map and could not be legally barred with a locked gate. This resulted in the removal of the gate between Lenton Road and Park Road.

Maintenance Arrangements

The Park is a private estate, managed by Nottingham Park Estate
Ltd, a company governed by Act of Parliament.
Living on the estate incurs both council tax and a local charge. The park rates cover maintenance of roads, pavements, the gas light network, the trees and the public green spaces. Residents previously received a reduced council tax bill due to these rates covering services which would usually provided by the council. However, the Park Estate rate is now paid in addition to the full council tax rate.

Residents' Association

The Nottingham Park Residents' Association holds regular talks and hosts a number of events using the two green spaces in the middle of the estate. They also produce a twice yearly magazine which is delivered, free of charge, to every Park household.
In 2011 the NPRA hosted a street party on the day of the Royal Wedding, and, in 2012, a Diamond Jubilee Street Party. Other events include a picnic for young children based on the Teddy Bear picnic song, a Carol Service and Boule tournament. Every two years in June a number of the gardens are open to the public, with the proceeds being donated to local charities.

Neighbouring areas