Locally Registered Garden: Leweston Manor (DDO19723)

Brief description of site: Lewiston Manor is built on the site of an earlier Elizabethan manor lying south of the town of Sherborne in rolling countryside near the village of Longburton. It is approached from the north east and is built on a hill with fine views especially to the south west. Parts of the gardens designed by Mawson remain and in particular outer features such as the Belvedere, approached through ornamentally planted woodland with stone edged wide rides leading along the imposing allée with a Tuscan Boar statue. The Menagerie Walk forms the western boundary. The Jacobean church of Holy Trinity is to the east of the house with the Catholic Chapel built in the 1960’s, to the west. Brief history of site: There was an Elizabethan house on the site with the current church near the house built in the Jacobean period for Sir John Fitzjames. The Tudor house existed up until the latter part of the 18th century when a new house was constructed in the classical style for William Gordon who died in 1802. The Gordon family retained the estate until 1865 when it was sold to George Wingfield Digby of nearby Sherborne Castle. The property was resold in 1897 to George Hamilton Fletcher who employed the Edwardian garden designer Mawson to create an elaborate landscaped garden both around the house and with features stretching into the outer grounds. In 1926 the estate was sold again and spilt up with the house and park being bought by Eric Hamilton Rose. In 1948 Mrs Rose sold the house and grounds to St Anthony’s for use as a Catholic School. Significance: The gardens remain an important and characteristic example of Mawson’s work and the most important in the county. The Belvedere is particularly important as it is thought to be an exceptional example of a Belvedere by Mawson. Sources: G Beard Thomas H Mawson, 1976, p57 T Mawson The Art and Craft of Garden Making, 5th edition, 1912 Timothy Mowl, Historic Gardens of Dorset, 2003, p 129-132, 134. III.P.133&134

Record last edited

Apr 13 2016 5:10PM