| Summary : Pleasure grounds and landscape park at Temple Grounds laid out during the 18th century and early 19th century. The formal gardens, created during the late 17th century survive as earthworks. A walk, called the Green Walk leads from the entrance on Cravengate to the north of Temple Lodge and south across the park. The grassed path is supported partly by dry-stone retaining wall and a line of beeches and a regular spacing of yews on the east side. The walk leads to Culloden Tower and formerly continued beyond, down the slope to the extensive terraced gardens of Yorke House. North of the site of Yorke House is a wooded rocky outcrop. This has been laid out as a pleasure ground and contains terraced walks. A summerhouse, the `Cedar Room' as marked on a map of 1773, stood on the highest point overlooking the river. At the foot of the rockface, adjacent to the river are four caves or grottoes. The river bank from the site of Yorke House to the grottoes is retained by a substantial supporting wall. |
More information : THE TEMPLE GROUNDS, RICHMOND II
Traces of formal gardens of the late C17, with park and pleasure grounds developed through the C18 and early C19 occupying an area of 14.5ha.
The original focus of the site was Yorke House (NZ 10 SE 277) demolished 1824-1827 and the present Temple Lodge, built circa 1769 then became the focus.
A walk, called the Green Walk in C19 documents leads from the entrance on Cravengate to the north of Temple Lodge and south across the park. The grassed path is supported partly by dry-stone retaining wall and a line of beeches and a regular spacing of yews on the east side. The walk leads to Culloden Tower (NZ 10 SE 20) and formerly continued beyond, down the slope to the extensive terraced gardens of Yorke House, traces of which are still apparent as earthworks. 150m to the north of site of Yorke House is a wooded rocky outcrop - Mill Bank Wood, planted and laid out as a pleasure ground with terraced walks, edged by low dry-stone walls, shown on a map of 1729. A summerhouse, the `Cedar Room' as marked on a map of 1773, stood on the highest point overlooking the river. At the foot of the rockface , adjacent to the river are four caves or grottoes. The river bank from the site of Yorke House to the grottoes is retained by a substantial supporting wall. (1)
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