Landscape record MDO47316 - Landscape park at Winkton Lodge, Burton, Christchurch

Homefield School, formerly Winkton Lodge, is a large two-storey villa of the early 19th century with ancillary buildings, formerly located within gardens and parkland and largely bounded by walls.

Although there is a late-18th century reference to this estate, the former Homefield School is a large two-storey villa of the early 19th century with ancillary buildings, formerly located within gardens and parkland and largely bounded by walls. The architect is not at present known. In 1797 the estate was purchased by Edmund Walcott and the house was said to be the home of Admiral Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons (1790-1858), who became Commander of the Black Sea Fleet during the Crimean War. In the Hampshire index of country houses, compiled in the 1920s, the house is described as a “small estate with 12 bedroomed house, walled kitchen garden, grounds and farmer�. The Walcott family owned the building until the 1920s, after which Winkton Lodge became Homefield School, probably in the mid-20th century, single-storey extensions were added on the south side of the house and the former coach house and garages were converted to classrooms. Additional outbuildings, mostly single-storey prefabs, have also been built to the north and rear of the house and sports facilities including tennis courts and playing fields were laid out in the grounds.

Most of the grounds are situated to the rear; the 1879 Ordnance Survey map depicts large areas of lawns and mature trees; although parts have since been built over.

Assessment: Gardens are assessed against criteria for inclusion in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. Those laid out between 1750 and 1840, where enough of the layout survives to reflect the original design, are likely to be designated. For gardens laid out after 1840, they should survive relatively intact with the degree of special interest that they must hold increasing as the site becomes closer in time. As such, it is considered that the buildings and parkland of the former Homefield School do not merit designation for the following principal reasons: … Lack of a designed landscape: the main emphasis of the garden lies in its tree planting rather than its design and parts have been built over in the second half of the 20th century.

It is acknowledged that the former Homefield School, historically known as Winkton Lodge, makes a strong contribution to the conservation area, which affords it an appropriate level of statutory protection, and has local interest for being the home of Admiral Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons. The buildings and gardens do, however, not meet the criteria for designation in a national context. <1>

<1> Historic England, UDS Non-Designation case report, Report on no list case 471069, assesed in 2012 (Scheduling record). SDO18398.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1578362 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 30 2024 10:35AM