• The second Triple Avenue leading south of the Hall (not  survived):                                                                                     A second avenue, planted treble near to the Hall then reducing to a double row, led south across the fields, Curtis Meadow and Dryfield, later to become the park, framing the south facade of the Hall. Although still a prominent feature in the early C20, the avenue is no longer extant.

• Orchard & Fishponds (not survived):
West of the Hall in the early C17 was an orchard and fishponds; retained in form into the early C18 but plain lawn by the mid C20, this area is now covered by modern (mid/late C20) development.

• The cherry Yard (not survived):
The early C17 Cherry Yard, which lay on the south side of the canal running to the south of the Hall, had apparently been cleared by the early C18, although its basic form remained. It was presumably removed as part of the mid C18 landscaping, although the canal was again retained.

18th Century features of the Rococo park:

• Horton Hall -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II (not survived):

Medieval manor house built around two courtyards and partly rebuilt during the late 17th century and again in 1740. It was demolished in 1936. PRINCIPAL BUILDING The Hall, which stood to the east of the present village, was demolished in 1936 and a number of new houses and bungalows now occupy its site. The Hall saw various rebuildings. About 1550(60 the Parrs built a major new range with panelled parapet, large windows and an octagonal tower. This is shown in Tillemans' drawing of 1721 (Bailey 1996), as is a tall and narrow wing to one side added c 1700 by (according to Horace Walpole) Daniel Garrett (d 1753). The main formal garden was aligned on the main door to this range. Thomas Wright (d 1786) remodelled the east front c 1760. To the north-west of the site of the Hall stand the C18 brick stables and coach house (converted (now known as Captain's Court). The drawing of Horton Hall by J Storer July 1812 shows that the cupolas had disappeared by then.

The Thomas Wright designed columns of Horton Hall, and various other features including a panelled saloon is viewable near the Overstone Solarium at Overstone, Northamptonshire.

• Horton Park -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II:

• The serpentine lake in two parts (The Top lake not survived & Lower Lake):
The stream which supplied the canals was dammed in the mid c. 18th to form the two serpentine lakes which snake through the park. Horace Walpole, writing in 1763, noted 'a fine piece of water' at Horton. The lakes are divided by the Green Bridge. The top lake which contained an island with rococo features has been drained at least since the 1920s. Silt and other debris have clogged up the river to such an extent that the cascade structure is hardly visible. The draining of the Top Lake means that the water now trickles rather than cascades. Reeds have chocked up the river near the Green Bridge. A late 20th century house located on the river near the site of the old Horton Hall has enclosed a large body of parkland along the river bank.

• The Open Rotunda Temple (not survived):
Perhaps originally sited on a circular mound on the upper part of the park near Ravenstone Lane. It is possible that it was then moved to another location. Possibly located to an island in the Upper Lake according to Gervaise Jackson-Stops. Demolished in the 1930s according to the registration documents.

• The Grotto (not survived):
Location unknown

• The Volcano of Thomas Wright:
Certainly a unique feature in this country and one of only two artificial volcanoes known in Europe. The Volcano of Thomas Wright was a hollow mound that was used for extravagant firework displays, with possibly fire features and lava flow that was possibly imitated by a water effect.

The volcano was perhaps located in a mound that formed an island in the now drained Top Lake (possibly accompanied on the island by the open temple) which originally extended east to meet with the north end of New Plantation. It is possible that the Volcano was originally a Mott and Bailey Castle.

A particularly spectacular monument within a UNESCO World Heritage site in Germany, the other artificial Volcano is also an 18th century garden structure. The volcano is known as The Rock of Wonders on Stein Island at the Garden Kingdom of Dessau- Wörlitz (also known as the English Grounds of Wörlitz). This was a working Volcano from which fireworks were launched with furnaces and chimneys and channels for water that could be made to resemble lava.


The »Stein« (lit. Stone) was built between 1788 and 1794 for Prince Leopold III Friedrich Franz of Anhalt-Dessau and is the first and largest English landscape garden in Germany and continental Europe. The park has always been open to the public. The island with its grottos and caves, the artificial volcano and the Villa Hamilton gives shape to the memories Prince Franz had from his tour of Italy. He wanted to give the spectator an impression of the Neapolitan topography, of the prevalent vegetation, the shape of a volcano, of an antique theatre and, with the Villa Hamilton, of contemporary Italian architecture. Works to secure and reconstruct the volcano were extremely complex, not least because the objective after years of decay was to reclaim the »Stein« island and preserve it for future generations. After more than twenty years of closure the island was re-opened to the public in September 2005 with a spectacular ‘eruption’ to mark the event.



• The Menagerie -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II*:

                            
Following a fashion established by Louis Le Vau at Versailles some 80 years earlier, the Menagerie was the centerpiece of Lord Halifax’s private zoo, with cages set behind it in a circular enclosure of over two acres, an all surrounded by a circular moat. Menageries were commonplace in Europe containing exotic animals from around the world later becoming the basis of modern zoos. For example, the earliest in England was that at the Tower of London, which was moved in 1835 to Regents Park where it remains today. In the earlier period however, menageries were status symbols reflecting the owner’s wealth and power.
The Saloon was used as a banqueting room. Musicians would play in the bay and food would be prepared in the simple brick-vaulted basement. Built to the designs of Thomas Wright in the late 1750s, stands to the east of the line of the southern avenue on what was established as the southern boundary of the park. Its main facade, a single storey with corner pavilions and a raised centre with a semi-domed canted bay and a broken top pediment, faces the Hall site. It was restored from a derelict state in the mid 1970s by Gervase Jackson-Stops, the architectural historian, who lived there until his death in 1995. To the south is a 1ha moated enclosure, presumably associated with the animals. Walpole, writing in 1763, makes mention of the feature describing it as 'a little wood, prettily disposed with many basons of gold fish'. Four circular ponds survive, incorporated in a modern (late C20) garden design. The Stratford-on-Avon to Towcester Midland Junction Railway (disused) cuts through the southern tip of the menagerie enclosure. The Rotunda which stood in the park to the west (or east according to G.J-S) of the Menagerie was demolished in the 1930s.

Detail:

 Garden building. Late 1750s by Thomas Wright (attributed) for 2nd Earl of Halifax. Restored 1975-1979 and 1980-82 when extended. Limestone ashlar, slate roofs, brick end stack to rear. Central block, end pavilions and screen wall links. Single-storey, 13-bay range. Centre breaks forward slightly and has open pediment and canted bay with semi-domed roof, originally of lead with raised vermiculated panels, now reproduced in fibre-glass. Bay has central part-panelled and glazed door with round-arched head and frostwork keyblock and sash windows to canted sides with similar heads and keyblocks. Centre is approached by grass mound and is flanked by lower bays with half-pediments and lean-to roofs. They each have a 12-pane sash with blocked surrounds and heads, vermiculation (the latter called after the pattern left by sand worms) to keyblocks, blank balustrades to bases and pediments. Moulded plinth, a sill band, band at level and springing of bay window and door heads and base moulding of half-pediments carried across centre as string course, and continued as moulding across canted bay at base of blocking cornice. Blank panel with feet to central pediment. 3-bay screen walls either side have round-arched gateways flanked by niches with frostwork keyblocks. The gateway bays break forward slightly. Gateways have raised and blocked surrounds with vermiculation, frost work and dropped key blocks. End pavilions have small square windows with oversize blocked surrounds, frostwork to base panel and blocking and pyramidal roofs with ball-and-spear finials. The ashlar facing is of local limestone with better quality limestone dressings, possibly of Ketton stone. Extensions one room deep have been built behind screen walls, whose archways are now glazed and pavilions have been duplicated in rendered brick to rear. Rear elevation of main block is of red brick in English bond. Side bays projects forward to this side with hipped roofs and frame terrace approached by steps, with steps down to basement. Centre has pair of round-headed niches at terrace level. Bays either side were originally windowless with doorways to terrace on inner return sides, but now have sash windows inserted c.1980. Trellis screens to new wings either side of same date. Interior: saloon has fine plasterwork probably by Thomas Roberts of Oxford, restored by Christopher Hobbs and Leonard Stead and Son of Bradford. Saloon has "aisles" with openings to main space framed by fluted Roman boric columns supporting full entablature to lintels with triglyph frieze and martial emblems to metopes. The openings are flanked by niches which originally held "four great urns, representing the animals of the four parts of the world, made of plaster, painted to look like bronze" (Walpole). These have been recreated. Bas-relief panels over niches with trophies of weapons appropriate to each of the Four Continents. Dado with egg-and-dart to base, continued round base of columns, and wave pattern to rail. Cornice of entablature to columns is continued round room below deep cove with medallions hung by bows bearing symbols of the Zodiac and framed by sprays matched to each symbol. The summer signs are over window wall, midwinter sign over chimneypiece. Ceiling shows Father Time with sythe and holding symbol of Eternity with the Four Winds to each corner of ceiling. Apollo's head in sunburst to ceiling of bay. Acanthus scrolls and cornucopia to angles of cove. Chimneypiece of hard plaster painted to resemble porphyry with central panel bearing laurel wreath. Pedimented overmantel framing glass. Bay opposite has garlands over windows and door and drops either side with musical instruments. Side-rooms have rosettes to ceilings of vestibule alcoves leading to terrace doors. Central doors have been pierced in walls facing openings to saloon, where, side-boards may originally have stood. The Saloon was originally used as a banqueting room and music probably played in the bay. Basement where food was probably originally prepared has brick groin vault to main room below saloon. The menagerie itself was housed behind the building, which was designed both as banqueting house and eyecatcher for Horton House (demolished), in a circular enclosure just over 2 acres in extent and described by Horace Walpole in 1763 as "a little wood, prettily disposed with many basons of gold fish". Four of those circular ponds survive and a garden in the manner of Thomas Wright laid out on the site. The Menagerie has been attributed in the past to Daniel Garrett, but can confidently be ascribed to Wright who received payments from Lord Halifax in 1754, 1756 and 1757.

                                      
Lord Halifax’s private zoo would have been found in a two acre circular enclosure at the back of the menagerie building. A moat, perhaps filled with water, provided the outer circumference of the circle, probably intended to contain the animals if they escaped from their cages. Among the animals seen by Horace Walpole and his companion Dr Cole, were storks, ‘racoons that breed there much’, a young tiger, a bear, ‘uncommon martins’ and ‘wart-hogs with narvels on their backs’. Parts of the circular moat survive including a long section on the east side of the present garden.

In 1763 Horace Walpole described the environs of the Menagerie as ‘a little wood, prettily disposed with many basons of gold fish.’ Four of the original circular six ponds or ‘basons’ survive.
It is thought that there are tunnels linking the Menagerie to the Icehouse and to other parts of the grounds (as in other estates).

(Tim Mowl) the present owner has realised the Rococo garden that Gervase had begun around it based on an unexecuted layout by Thomas Wright for a flower garden at Badminton House in Gloucestershire. Starting with the three-pronged goose-foot of alles leading to two round ponds with water jets, there is now a classical wooden Chapel, consecrated on its rear with an Abbe Laugier-style wooden Doric portico, an extremely camp Gothic bedroom, a wooden bridge over a lily pond, a spiral Mount topped by an obelisk and planted with Acaena microphylla, 15 roaring lions, cast by Rattee and Kent from an original at Stowe which was struck by lighting, and a walled Box Garden with lively fountains. The main garden outside Gervase’s goose-foot was planned by his partner, Ian Kirby, the Box Garden by Jenny Blom in Kirby’s spirit; the Rose garden was planted by Vernon Russell Smith.

• The New Temple –The Temple House -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II:

                                      
Garden Temple possibly attributable to Thomas Wright and attached brick built house. Mid 18th century extended late c. 19th forming a T-plan. The Temple faces park of Horton Hall and site of demolished house to south-west. Detail It is constructed of limestone ashlar and has a lead and slate roof with a tetrastyle portico approached by three moulded steps. Ionic order. pediment and full entablature with pulvinated frieze. Back wall of portico has central double-leaf, part-glazed door with moulded stone surround and pulvinated frieze. Blank attic window above with moulded stone surround. Shallow segmental-headed niches to ground floor left and right and circular niches above, either side of window. Large lat c. 19th house to rear incorporating temple, of white brick with stone dressings and forming T-plan.

• The Arches -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II:

                                     
Mid 18th garden building in Horton Park on the NE side of Horton Hall and originally it marked the exit point for a drive from Horton Hall. It was altered during the 20th century and is constructed of limestone ashlar. It comprises a tripartite triumphal arch with each of the two bays having a cottage to the rear. The one in the right bay was originally a barn. Detail Garden building. Mid C18, altered C20. Limestone ashlar. Faces former park of Horton Hall (demolished 1936) and site of house to west. Tripartite triumphal arch. Ionic pilasters on panelled plinths. Rusticated arches with keyblocks, those either side of central arch lower and formerly blank. Circular blank panels above outer arches with keyed stone surrounds. Entablature inflected over pilasters. Stone-coped parapet. Right bay has cottage to rear, another cottage behind left bay, formerly barn and both with C20 canted bay windows to outer arches. Original wrought-iron tie beam found in renovation of left building stamped 1769.

• Cobbled Drive (not survived):
Exit drive from Horton Hall through Arches onto Ravenstone Lane, relics of which remain in the grass.

• The Ice House -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II:
The mid C18 icehouse is located in the Icehouse Spinney. Mid 18th century ice house situated in Icehouse Spinney, Horton Park. It is constructed of red brick, comprises a tunnel vaulted passage leading to a domed chamber, covered by an earth mound.

• The Green Bridge -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II:

                                      
The lakes are divided by the Green Bridge, 500m to the south-east of the Hall site, a dam constructed in the guise of a substantial rusticated bridge. This presumably carried the drive to the Menagerie. The bridge was contrived so that the water would have flowed over a cascade built below the bridge, but the top lake has been drained at least since the 1920s.
Mid 18th century ornamental bridge in Horton Park comprising three arches, constructed of dressed limestone. It is situated between two lakes and acted as a weir or low dam. It also carries a drive leading from Horton Hall to the Menagerie. Attributed to Thomas Wright (although G.J-S notes that Sanderson Miller is reported to have been in Horton designing ‘Gothic Bridges’ for Lord Halifax in the 1740s).
Detail
Low depressed arches, broad piers, recessed rectangular panels above arches, uniform vermiculated rustication and corbel blocks to cornice. No balustrades but G.J-S suggests that it may once have had a timber superstructure. Diagonal retaining walls to west side, with similar rustication. Bridge formerly stood between two lakes, the lower of which survives. The bridge is higher to west side and formerly acted as a weir or low dam maintaining level of water in lake to east side, now drained. The bridge carried a drive leading from Horton Hall through park to the Menagerie. A ride of about a mile and a half across the park.

• The Lily Pond Bridge -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II:
The canal which bounded the south and west sides of the orchard/fishponds however survived the landscaping changes of the 18th and then 20th century. It is spanned by a single-arched bridge of the late C18 or early C19 (listed grade II) which linked the Hall to its park.
Late 18th/early 19th century bridge in Horton Park. Low elliptical arch with keyblock. Chamfered cornice. Approaches curve outwards. It comprises a single-arch and is constructed of limestone with a wrought iron balustrade and timber handrail. The bridge formerly connected the pleasure grounds of Horton Hall to the park.
• The Shrubbery (Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II) (partially survived):
To the north of the Hall site is a wooded strip known as The Shrubbery; several (late C20) new houses have been built within this area. The estate map of 1728 shows that this follows the line of the triple avenue planted at around that date. This was later made less formal to become the wooded pleasure ground through which ran a serpentine drive. A continuation of the drive and planting along the northern boundary of the park led east to the New Temple (listed grade II).

• The New Plantation:
A band of woodland located to the south of the lakes.

• The Ice House Spinney:
To the west of the Green Bridge is this ditched plantation containing the Ice House & Boat House

• The Boat House:
On the shore of the Lower Lake, a brick-arched boathouse with the remains of a rusticated fronting. This is presumably the feature shown in the view attributed to James Blackamore of Horton Park c 1760?

 
• Horton Mounds -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II:
Earthworks in Horton Park including eleven mounds situated around the perimeter of the park. These range from 2 metres to 4 metres in height and from 25 metres to 60 metres in width. They are thought to be 17th century or later prospect mounds or raised plantations.

• Curtiss Meadow Mounds -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II:
Earthworks of mounds situated to the south of the lake, in Horton Park. An area of three hectares is covered by a series of irregular low mounds and shallow ditches, forming no coherent pattern. Area was part of Curtis's Meadow on maps of 1622 and 1728. No date or function can be assigned to the mounds. However, local tradition claims that they date from the mid 18th century when the then Lord Halifax had a private militia which carried out military exercises in the area.

• Tree Enclosure Rings -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II:
Two 18th/19th century tree enclosure rings situated on the western side of The Arches in Horton Park. These comprise two semi-circular ditches 0.5 metres deep. The positions of former trees are marked by a series of small pits along the inside edge of these features.

• Circular Pond -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II:
Among other earthworks relating to the landscaping of Horton Hall park is a large exactly circular pond 2 m. deep lying in the entrance to a small valley. On the maps of 1622 and 1728 there was another pond on this site perhaps associated with the former village. Presumably the present pond was constructed sometime after 1728 but before 1740 as a feature to be viewed from the E front of the house. It is unlikely but not impossible that it dates from the 1740s.

• Coach House -VANE HOUSE -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II: 
Mid 18th century coach house to Horton Hall, converted and altered during the 20th century. It comprises a square two-storey building constructed of red brick with a slated mansard roof. C. 20th century casement windows to ground and 1st floors. There is a square wood cupola to the apex of the roof with a domed lead roof and a wrought iron weather vane. C. 20th 2-storey extension to left. Included for group value.

• Stable Block -Captain’s Court -Register Of Parks And Gardens Grade II; Listed Building Grade II:
Mid 18th century stable block to Horton Hall, converted into a terrace of six houses during the 20th century. The stables are constructed of red brick in Flemish bond with limestone dressings and a slate roof. It comprises a three storey central pavilion flanked by 2-storey wings.
Detail
Former stable block, now terrace of 6 houses. Mid c. 18th, converted and altered in c. 20th. Red brick in Flemish bond with flared headers, limestone dressings, slate mansard roofs to wings, c. 20th concealed roof to central pavilion flanked by 2-storey, 7-window wings. Main front to south has tall central round-headed rusticated carriage arch, now glazed, flanked by leaded wood mullion and transom windows to ground and 1st floors with moulded stone sills, plain stone surrounds and keyblocks. C. 20th wood mullions and transom windows to wings with similar surrounds, alternating with round-headed rusticated doorways. 2-lightleaded casement windows to 1st floor of wings and attic floor of central pavilion with similar moulded stone sills, plain stone surrounds and keyblocks. Plinth, rusticated angles to wings and central pavilion which breaks forward, 1st floor storey bands and stone-coped parapets. Wings have c. 20th roof dormers, central pavilion has coved and moulded wood cornice at 2nd floor level, moulded stone cornice to base of parapet which has pilaster strips to angles and urns to corners of parapet. North front to rear has similar composition, differing in some details: central pavilion has two circular windows above spandrels of archway with plain stone surrounds and no wood cornice at attic floor level; wings have c. 20th entrance porches of Nos. 1-6 to this side, no parapets and windows with moulded stone sills only and gauged brick lintels with stone key blocks. Modern extension to eastern wing. 


19th Century features: 
 
• Two Lodges:
At the north-west end of the drive is a pair of ornate, mid C19, limestone ashlar lodges (listed grade II), two-storeyed, cruciform, and with giant Ionic pilasters.
HORTON LODGE -The Paddock No.4 Brafield Rd -Listed Building Grade II: House, formerly lodge. Mid C19, altered C20. Limestone ashlar, lead roofs, central stone ridge stack. Cruciform plan. 2 storeys. Principal elevation facing Brafield Road has order of giant Ionic pilasters, framing central bay and narrower bays either side. Central sash window to ground floor centre with moulded stone surround, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice. Shorter sash window to 1st floor centre with moulded sill and surround. Bays either side have shallow round-headed niches to ground floor and circular niches to 1st floor. Plinth, moulded ground floor sill band, full entablature with pulvinated frieze and pediment to gable. plinth, sill band and entablature are continued round whole building, and all gables are pedimented. Wing to right facing The Drive has similar composition omitting niches and frieze of ground floor window; side facing Brafield Road has 6-panel part-glazed door with moulded stone surround. Projecting wing to rear has similar composition but blank ground floor central window with moulded stone sill and surrounds, and pair of small blank windows to 1st floor above with moulded sills only. Bays either side have sashes with moulded sills and surrounds to ground and 1st floors. Wing to left has similar windows but omits pilasters and has further single-storey projecting wing, altered C20, with pedimented gable. All sashes are horned and have 4 large panes. One of a pair of lodges at entrance to former principal drive to Horton Hall (demolished 1936). Their architecture is based on that of the New Temple (q.v.). (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: 1973, p264)

HORTON LODGE -Danehurst Lodge No.2 Brafield Rd -Listed Building Grade II: House, formerly lodge. Mid C19, altered C20. Limestone ashlar, lead roofs, central stone ridge stack. Cruciform plan. 2 storeys. Principal elevation facing Brafield Road has order of giant Ionic pilasters, framing central bay and narrower bays either side. Central sash window to ground floor centre with moulded stone surround, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice. Shorter sash window to 1st floor, centre with moulded sill and surround. Bays either side have shallow round-headed niches to ground floor and circular niches to 1st floor. Plinth moulded ground floor sill band, full entablature with pulvinated frieze and pediment to gable. Plinth, sill band and entablature are continued round whole building and all gables are pedimented. Wing to left facing The Drive has similar composition omitting niches and frieze of ground floor window; side facing Brafield Road has C20 door with moulded stone surround. Projecting wing to rear has similar composition but blank ground floor central window with moulded surround and pair of small blank windows to lst floor above with moulded sills only. Bays either side have sashes with moulded surrounds to ground and 1st floors. Wing to right has similar windows but no pilasters and further single-storey projecting wing, altered C20,with pedimented gable. All sashes are horned and have 4 large panes. One of a pair of lodges at entrance to former principal drive to Horton Hall (demolished 1936). Their architecture is based on that of the New Temple (q.v).