Identification and description | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | YOULSTON PARK | ||||||
Location |
|
||||||
Localisation | Latitude: 51.117286 Longitude: -4.0200226 National Grid Reference: SS 58712 37274 Map: Download a full scale map (PDF) |
||||||
label.localisation | [51.122142105509,-4.01534702534652], [51.1171404757012,-4.0144121434712], [51.1167196004417,-4.01431457452647], [51.1164448470313,-4.01420140548769], [51.1160308661648,-4.01405903614135], [51.1159742120101,-4.01406928841868], [51.1159393683904,-4.01408292409591], [51.1158588516002,-4.01412882056309], [51.1157966053349,-4.01417780203152], [51.1157454348473,-4.01423780986777], [51.1156847018374,-4.01432004693712], [51.1156494417382,-4.01438915522567], [51.1156162997529,-4.01446936316366], [51.1155781124577,-4.01461834184455], [51.1155322797682,-4.01478772257194], [51.1154871686927,-4.01490683158385], [51.1155027572766,-4.01490064018077], [51.1155191472567,-4.0149202137261], [51.1155316984322,-4.0151259376208], [51.1155038618929,-4.0155459404052], [51.1155225094659,-4.01555975431394], [51.115476337269,-4.01568705204485], [51.1154180910061,-4.01582611166523], [51.1154124627207,-4.01583958322458], [51.1153631117688,-4.01595302541817], [51.1153248844364,-4.01602637353932], [51.1152854518227,-4.01611224256341], [51.1152664778082,-4.01615385197564], [51.1152343574361,-4.01623289515611], [51.1150098970611,-4.01600808741261], [51.114952936466,-4.01595788567881], [51.1149482432468,-4.01595322493639], [51.1148094162216,-4.01626011356841], [51.1146548318694,-4.01660309258362], [51.1145266213342,-4.01688679484843], [51.1143442165885,-4.01730546891103], [51.1140955534033,-4.01788230219286], [51.1139796940637,-4.01811541173731], [51.1139553306103,-4.01814837314907], [51.1139226626019,-4.01817915805795], [51.1139122915695,-4.01820603404434], [51.113893650282,-4.01825437108524], [51.1138778133947,-4.01829654375809], [51.1138634882915,-4.01833449600523], [51.1138277864303,-4.01842295192509], [51.1138014901353,-4.01848752875205], [51.1137669087228,-4.01856317443607], [51.1137389876621,-4.01861767895606], [51.1136801042956,-4.01874655782967], [51.1136087985426,-4.01891775746449], [51.1135629645051,-4.01902005823759], [51.1135141631353,-4.01913794570763], [51.1134533585853,-4.0192738832904], [51.1134205739688,-4.01934960618683], [51.1134017376882,-4.01939879101284], [51.1133855726602,-4.01944952104015], [51.1133655170007,-4.01951722633879], [51.113342888709,-4.01957767564328], [51.113330540221,-4.01961571327254], [51.1133173177444,-4.01965228401704], [51.1132986293635,-4.01969290258664], [51.1132845328876,-4.0197280064189], [51.1132609175988,-4.01984556227081], [51.1132602342664,-4.01984867570446], [51.1132374995847,-4.0199516966551], [51.1132144516011,-4.02003641592017], [51.1131904555585,-4.02012395123015], [51.1131501953652,-4.02026792658671], [51.1131192422931,-4.0203937341346], [51.1130921798409,-4.02050256639309], [51.1130582837589,-4.02064253260434], [51.1130108931459,-4.02083477303223], [51.112972330636,-4.02098453626544], [51.1129386561764,-4.02111165282706], [51.1128981478856,-4.02126990307866], [51.1128797650252,-4.02134482358257], [51.1128635692467,-4.02150127728433], [51.1128537529042,-4.02160086006938], [51.1128392703824,-4.02171024022769], [51.1128251582053,-4.02179820550848], [51.1128126950694,-4.02189481512577], [51.1127921687424,-4.02198964389406], [51.1127729209315,-4.02211453174592], [51.112745989788,-4.02226765856693], [51.112708836778,-4.02249177522335], [51.1127074255049,-4.02250057170378], [51.1126935854259,-4.02257797579973], [51.1126820521258,-4.02265719507835], [51.1126728169903,-4.02271794124386], [51.1126663873903,-4.02277766695056], [51.1126580483669,-4.02283859508883], [51.1126552581533,-4.02286990520058], [51.1126515692863,-4.02290117605291], [51.1126354283769,-4.02295561980772], [51.1126227377941,-4.02301335745059], [51.1126123632233,-4.02308276891885], [51.1125973116137,-4.02315740518064], [51.1125665654669,-4.02332822320754], [51.1125325860683,-4.02354033270794], [51.1125068469065,-4.02369722470478], [51.1124831677382,-4.02384420550647], [51.1124692356621,-4.02397361027964], [51.1124564246061,-4.02409020548611], [51.1124385762458,-4.02423801229639], [51.1124327477976,-4.02431490842465], [51.1124209255211,-4.02437439787539], [51.112416220545,-4.02440719562868], [51.1124107026762,-4.02444538697406], [51.1124040645163,-4.02453267728578], [51.112396250604,-4.02460477174565], [51.1123943132674,-4.02466469325383], [51.1123917493055,-4.02470887144949], [51.1123884845399,-4.02474158924705], [51.1124926036175,-4.02478443134386], [51.1127635942593,-4.0249024347547], [51.1128127855235,-4.0249233021048], [51.1130276684582,-4.02504071098268], [51.1130987626803,-4.02506910863951], [51.1131160900047,-4.02507600996118], [51.1132804015188,-4.02514320280776], [51.1134223211059,-4.02520513060566], [51.11342863635,-4.02520397804495], [51.1134348526418,-4.02520853616219], [51.113438348264,-4.02521440404609], [51.1134388429214,-4.02521699743235], [51.1134843894681,-4.02517312640741], [51.1135313375756,-4.02512102981581], [51.1135692315488,-4.02509839816328], [51.1136225071682,-4.02507558188205], [51.1136862045773,-4.02505336418199], [51.1137131020819,-4.02504253885566], [51.1137411208238,-4.02503447719536], [51.1137878668006,-4.02503037775697], [51.1138190711871,-4.02502531291431], [51.1138727927687,-4.02502866233458], [51.1139016854171,-4.02502206762323], [51.1139214357599,-4.02503964788803], [51.1140422882634,-4.02513923175662], [51.1141238708686,-4.02521109499248], [51.1142349700548,-4.02530782425654], [51.1142988106387,-4.02535519436293], [51.114410091189,-4.02543107207412], [51.1144425749857,-4.02545078134603], [51.1144654895087,-4.02546221376554], [51.1144882086625,-4.02546935129895], [51.1145230240692,-4.0254738746211], [51.1145326997279,-4.02547601239126], [51.1145807968495,-4.02549254698352], [51.1146076324407,-4.02550086476455], [51.1146290266864,-4.02551180211485], [51.114651839758,-4.0255290882108], [51.114698887296,-4.02555429261445], [51.1147257566269,-4.02557104179945], [51.1147541759176,-4.02558657289326], [51.1147675120562,-4.02559544327058], [51.1147817312033,-4.02560006590073], [51.1147942025504,-4.02560175448992], [51.1148538698786,-4.02562008137015], [51.1148850832796,-4.02562487591746], [51.1149117490275,-4.02563261488638], [51.1149537057699,-4.02563502182725], [51.1150454422813,-4.02565546612382], [51.1150837549608,-4.02566057128635], [51.1151132584618,-4.0256654339674], [51.1151935461058,-4.02566151649187], [51.1153320023964,-4.02565342828533], [51.115374011098,-4.02565283704703], [51.1154124566088,-4.0256450887492], [51.1154339103399,-4.02563702575351], [51.1154788080884,-4.02560984205398], [51.1155371212556,-4.02557138598984], [51.1155577480937,-4.02555914319812], [51.1155785414982,-4.02554247834737], [51.1156019814469,-4.02551321276939], [51.1156461290738,-4.02546184898934], [51.1156623641262,-4.02544355584976], [51.115680391514,-4.02542562686254], [51.1157001444357,-4.02541191692177], [51.1157234696618,-4.02539964916823], [51.1157405266508,-4.02538582128009], [51.1157576982435,-4.02537056957169], [51.1157738879511,-4.02534970249134], [51.115797871188,-4.02531503092651], [51.1158547828103,-4.02525365171779], [51.1159682291877,-4.0251318765529], [51.1159947565348,-4.02511646232982], [51.1160221693459,-4.02509665743898], [51.1160559377843,-4.02507855932278], [51.1162817408387,-4.02493940702055], [51.116330179428,-4.02490508993319], [51.1163794556315,-4.02487952534353], [51.1164084719399,-4.02486579141902], [51.1164351031395,-4.02484438030141], [51.1165238586583,-4.02478253471748], [51.1166091201539,-4.02472510843138], [51.1168101524119,-4.02459858671388], [51.1169015048123,-4.02454256916199], [51.1171128391715,-4.02443392847827], [51.1173772587242,-4.02439133551068], [51.1175914004527,-4.02436983459148], [51.1178138014791,-4.02435955415464], [51.1179397486095,-4.02444022053745], [51.1179783614667,-4.02446434246442], [51.118125252682,-4.02455078350287], [51.1182303527762,-4.0246096774226], [51.1182713688443,-4.02463004670869], [51.1183300362431,-4.02466976365033], [51.1184082017053,-4.02472605131935], [51.1184836217383,-4.02478507693208], [51.1185814583458,-4.02484794093305], [51.11861958055,-4.02487961532339], [51.1186566804199,-4.02491838961738], [51.1186891139023,-4.02496696227679], [51.1186395672858,-4.0256983987541], [51.1188012936128,-4.02575905915907], [51.1188361402244,-4.02577215808948], [51.119082482726,-4.02588010376619], [51.1192316073727,-4.02593621299093], [51.1194742505889,-4.02602928057788], [51.1194749611289,-4.02604017160139], [51.1195678430419,-4.02602566002971], [51.1196012908091,-4.02601569221344], [51.1196526430682,-4.02600007765604], [51.1198454682785,-4.02542350399844], [51.1199561396812,-4.02532174586751], [51.1205237367718,-4.02527827199234], [51.1205644271667,-4.02527590804545], [51.1206044193235,-4.02526193887007], [51.1206445450803,-4.02524025905626], [51.1206886306873,-4.02520803511656], [51.1206554563,-4.02489078056156], [51.1205859012946,-4.02431143388468], [51.1205675091244,-4.02415830131257], [51.1205035300034,-4.02364107499249], [51.1204865249068,-4.02353244453066], [51.1204746371906,-4.02343989936303], [51.1204661100345,-4.02336622059999], [51.1204626351853,-4.02330719524646], [51.1204554135213,-4.0232048513281], [51.1204456975145,-4.02314269532528], [51.1204255239791,-4.0230612200028], [51.1204094391998,-4.02300850274532], [51.1203982600881,-4.0229737190628], [51.120297753724,-4.02269610958142], [51.1202546922714,-4.0226016315015], [51.1201894402056,-4.02242787719635], [51.1201110457287,-4.02222882836257], [51.1200417457873,-4.02204989699884], [51.1199803811733,-4.02188531646948], [51.1199038945013,-4.02162790871281], [51.1199111463571,-4.02162979722389], [51.1199183577417,-4.02162882606643], [51.1202252033099,-4.02166023005648], [51.1207194314452,-4.0217145358508], [51.1208219371477,-4.02172072705523], [51.1209422341067,-4.02171740657279], [51.1210072395471,-4.0217200781965], [51.1210032029631,-4.02162453578151], [51.1209970578325,-4.02132735880692], [51.1210007801598,-4.02117919276092], [51.1210139053551,-4.02108638164238], [51.1210286123938,-4.02103575171888], [51.1211416516839,-4.02069641462053], [51.1212448236909,-4.02039509943098], [51.1213857129472,-4.01997823678466], [51.1214902231387,-4.01966598782633], [51.1217051502551,-4.01903259771516], [51.122087782898,-4.01789742641117], [51.1222189470074,-4.01750941988105], [51.1223598892314,-4.01708888391729], [51.1223975186896,-4.01697881651567], [51.1224087641869,-4.01692803299616], [51.1224201991396,-4.01686626848649], [51.1224201720033,-4.01673441095491], [51.1224066747216,-4.01644814618974], [51.1223752224401,-4.01599994837991], [51.122322778164,-4.01543179952737], [51.1223011114429,-4.01535211704464], [51.1222829955675,-4.01533302259076], [51.122265025184,-4.01533016103348], [51.1222022347762,-4.01533363945085], [51.122142105509,-4.01534702534652] | ||||||
Overview | Heritage Category: Park and Garden Grade: II List Entry Number: 1000706 Date first listed: 12-Aug-1987 |
An C18 park, with an early C19 carriage drive and pleasure grounds.
HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT
In 1086 land in the parish of Shirwell was held by Gilbert and Robert of Beaumont.
By the early C12, Roceline de Beaumont had his chief dwelling at Youlston (Risdon
1640), and by the early C15 there was a substantial dwelling on the site of the present
house. Youlston passed by marriage to John Chichester of Ralegh, Devon in 1490, and
during the C16 and C17 the Chichesters consolidated their position as one of the leading
families in Devon, serving as Members of Parliament and supporting the Crown in the
Civil War. Another branch of the family was established at neighbouring Arlington
Court (qv) in the early C16. Sir John Chichester of Youlston (d 1680) was created
a baronet in 1641. Youlston remained a secondary estate until Sir Arthur Chichester,
third baronet, sold Ralegh in 1690. Sir Arthur (d 1718) rebuilt much of the house
at Youlston (Cherry and Pevsner 1989). Donn's Map of Devon (1765) shows that the present
park around the house was established by the mid C18, perhaps as part of Sir Arthur's
early C18 improvements. Sir John, fifth baronet, who succeeded in 1740, made further
improvements. From his succession in 1784 the sixth baronet, a man of literary tastes,
spent much time in London (CL 1961). At his death in 1808 the property passed to a
cousin, and changes were made to both the house and pleasure grounds in the early
C19. The park remained stocked with deer in 1822 (Lysons), and in the early C19 a
picturesque carriage drive was developed through a valley to the south-west of the
house. This feature is similar to the contemporary Woolley Drive at Arlington Court
which joins the A39 Lynton road c 2km north of Youlston Park. Sir Arthur, the eighth
baronet, succeeded in 1842 but suffered financial difficulties which led to his bankruptcy
c 1870. As a result much of the park was let from 1879. Sir Arthur married Lady Rosalie
Chichester, widow of his distant cousin Sir Bruce Chichester of Arlington Court, in
1883. Admiral Sir Edward Chichester succeeded as ninth baronet in 1898, and was followed
in 1907 by his son, Captain Sir Edward Chichester. The property was sold in 1920 to
J C Fanshawe-Royle, and subsequently in 1953 to Major Cavan. Youlston has passed through
several hands in the mid C20, and today (1999) remains in private occupation.
DESCRIPTION
LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING Youlston is situated 0.5km north-west
of Shirwell Cross and c 1km west of the village of Shirwell, to the west of the A39
road which leads north-east from Barnstaple to Lynton. The c 60ha site comprises some
53ha of parkland, and some 7ha of pleasure grounds and walled gardens around the house.
The site is bounded to the south and east by the A39 Lynton road, and to the north
by a minor road leading west from Toll Bar Cross towards Muddiford. To the south-west
and west the site adjoins agricultural land and is enclosed by traditional banks and
hedges, and by fences. The house stands towards the east end of a west-facing combe,
from which the park rises north, east and south towards the site boundaries. There
are predominantly westerly views across agricultural land and woodland outside the
site from the pleasure grounds, and higher points in the park to the north, east and
south of the house.
ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES Youlston Park is approached from the A39 to the east. A pair
of late C18 lodges (listed grade II*) stand c 500m east of the house. Of square plan,
the lodges are constructed in ashlar with pediments on each face, and niches on the
east and west faces containing oval urns set on pedestals. The lodges support C20
simple iron railings and gates with spear finials. To north and south the lodges are
flanked by low concave stone walls, while C20 metal estate fencing on the east side
of the A39 allows views from the entrance across farmland towards Shirwell. The tarmac
drive passes c 320m west-north-west across the park, partly running through an avenue
of limes, before turning south-west for c 160m to approach the carriage court to the
south of the house. The east drive is shown on Donn's Map of Devon (1765). A further
drive, now a grass track, entered the site from the A39 Lynton road at a point c 530m
south-east of the house, passing north across the park for c 500m to join the east
drive c 240m east of the house. This drive is shown on the 1804 OS Drawing, but appears
to have been abandoned by 1838 (Tithe map). A pair of stone gate piers surmounted
by ball finials which formerly supported cast-iron Chichester heraldic herons mark
the entrance to the former south drive, which is closed by an early C19 metal gate.
The gate piers are flanked by concave stone walls which terminate in square piers
surmounted by pyramid caps. A service drive approaches the kitchen garden and late
C18 stables (listed grade II) to the north of the house from the minor road forming
the northern site boundary. A carriage drive c 3km in length (now, 1999, a track)
approached the house from the south-west, passing north along a wooded valley with
views to the north and west for c 1.5km, before turning east to follow a stream for
c 1.5km to reach the south side of the house. This drive is first shown on the 1838
Tithe map, and formed part of the early C19 improvements to the estate.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING Youlston Park (listed grade I) incorporates a medieval courtyard
house with a hall, from which an important timber roof of c 1400 survives above the
present hall (Cherry and Pevsner 1989). The medieval house was remodelled by Sir Arthur
Chichester, who added the west wing in the late C17. Further extensive alterations
in the mid C18 gave the house its present Georgian external details, including sash
windows, lunettes in the hall gables, and a Palladian window lighting the staircase.
There were further changes c 1800. Constructed to a courtyard plan, with a projecting
west wing, the two-storey house is built in random coursed ashlar and rubble stone
with slate roofs. The rendered service quarters lie to the north. The house contains
important interior elements dating from the late C17 and mid C18, including rare Chinese
wallpaper, which indicate the importance of the family and estate in the C18.
GARDENS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS Lying principally to the north and west of the house,
the pleasure grounds are separated from the park by metal estate fencing (sale particulars),
and comprise mixed ornamental planting and lawns around two lakes which lie c 300m
north-west of the house. Nothing is know about the gardens associated with the medieval
house, or Sir Arthur Chichester's late C17 remodelling. The lakes are of artificial
construction, being retained by dams to the west, and appear to have lain at the head
of a series of at least three further ponds in the valley to the west of the site.
These further ponds would have been overlooked by the early C19 west carriage drive.
Pleasure grounds conforming approximately to those which survive today are shown on
the 1804 OS Drawing, but the Tithe map (1838) suggests that the mid C19 pleasure grounds
extended further south to include Park Plantation c 150m south-west of the house.
The mid C19 pleasure grounds also included a greenhouse east of the house, and kennels
to the north of the house in an area of dense shrubbery. An early C19 square, timber-framed
game larder (listed grade II) survives c 10m north of the house, adjacent to the site
of the early C19 kennels. By the late C19 the greenhouse had been removed, and new
kennels constructed c 400m north-west of the house at the edge of the pleasure grounds.
The pleasure grounds today have a late C18 or early C19 character with mixed deciduous
trees and C19 conifers, and areas of shrubbery to the north and north-west of the
house which relate to those shown on the Tithe map (1838).
PARK Lying to the east and south of the house and pleasure grounds, the park today
(1999) remains pasture with scattered deciduous trees. Boundary plantations on high
ground to the south and south-east screen the hamlet of Shirwell Cross. The park is
shown on Donn's Map of Devon (1765) with boundaries approximating to those which survive
today (1999). The 1804 OS Drawing and 1st edition 1" map (1809) show more extensive
parkland planting, with plantations screening the Lynton road on the east boundary.
By 1838 the Tithe map shows fenced boundary plantations to the north, east and south
of the park. These were considerably reduced by 1889 (OS 1st edition 6"), with the
north and north-east boundary plantations and Park Plantation south of the pleasure
grounds being felled. This process may have been connected with Sir Arthur Chichester's
bankruptcy c 1870. The parkland and plantations remain today (1999) substantially
as shown on the late C19 OS maps.
The present park appears to have replaced a detached deer park, now known as Youlston
Old Park, which is situated c 2km south-east of the house, and c 0.5km south of Shirwell,
beyond the site boundary. Occupying high ground to the west of the River Yeo, the
Old Park was divided, with the Little Park forming a smaller, northern compartment.
It is uncertain when the Old Park was disparked, but it appears as agricultural land
on the Tithe map (1838). The Old Park is not included within the area here registered.
KITCHEN GARDEN Lying c 190m north-north-west of the house, the walled kitchen gardens
were established in their present form by 1838 (Tithe map). Surrounded by rubble-stone
walls c 3m high, the kitchen gardens are divided into two compartments, with a smaller
area lying to the east, and a larger garden to the west with a late C19 glasshouse
against the inner face of its north wall. A further area of garden or orchard lay
to the west of the kitchen gardens in the late C19, but areas of garden shown to the
south of the walled gardens in 1838 (Tithe map) do not survive.
REFERENCES
T Risdon, Survey of the County of Devon (1640, 1811 edn) D and S Lysons, Topographical
and Historical Account of Devonshire II, (1822) Country Life, 129 (11 May 1961), pp
1084-7 E R Delderfield, West Country Houses (1968), pp 150-3 B Cherry and N Pevsner,
The Buildings of England: Devon (1989), pp 925-7 T Gray, The Garden History of Devon
An Illustrated Guide to Sources (1995), p 244 Youlston Park Historic Survey, (Nicholas
Pearson Associates 1998)
Maps C Saxton, Map of Devon, 1575 B Donn, Map of the County of Devon, 1765 Tithe map
for Shirwell parish, 1838 (Devon Record Office)
OS Surveyor's drawing, 1804 OS Old Series 1" to 1 mile, published 1809 OS 6" to 1
mile: 1st edition surveyed 1885-6, published 1890 2nd edition revised 1903, published
1905 OS 25" to 1 mile: 1st edition surveyed 1887, published 1889 2nd edition revised
1903, published 1904
Archival items Papers relating to Sir Arthur Chichester's bankruptcy, 1870-9 (1478M/76),
(Devon Record Office) Family papers, including estate papers (1308Z), (North Devon
Record Office) Chichester family letters, vouchers, accounts C17 to C19 (DD/SF 2997),
(Somerset Record Office) Sale particulars, 1987 (3372M/84), (Devon Record Office)
Description written: May 1999 Amended: July 1999 Register Inspector: JML Edited: July
2000
This garden or other land is registered under the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953 within the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens by Historic England for its special historic interest.