| Summary : A carriage drive laid out by John Corbett of Sundorne Castle in the early 19th-century to pass through the precinct of Haughmond Abbey. In 1741, the site was inherited by John Corbet who incorporated the abbey into the estate centred on his newly-constructed residence, Sundorne House, just over 1 kilometre to the west. His son, also John, rebuilt Sundorne House employing architect and landscape designer, Robert Mylne in 1774. John Corbet constructed a 5 mile circular carriage drive around the landscape park at the turn of the 19th century, to display the beauty and historical associations of his estate. Starting from Sundorne House the carriage drive turned eastwards through woodland to the base of Haughmond Hill, then southwards through more woodland passing close to the east side of the abbey ruins, and over the Shrewsbury to Newport turnpike road to Haughmond Castle. From here the route turned westwards, crossed the turnpike again, and returned to Sundorne House. The drive was mainly created from existing tracks and footpaths, although a new route had to be engineered to take it along the slope above the abbey. From here a diversion would have been possible to inspect the ruins more closely, especially since Corbet had repaired the fabric and cleared the farm from the site. By circa 1850 the estate had reduced in size reflecting the Corbet family's financial decline, and the carriage drive may gradually have gone out of use as a result. An estate survey of 1841 shows the drive still open, but by 1881 the First Edition Ordnance Survey map indicates the route had been severed by the construction of a walled track to the north of the abbey. Most of Sundorne House was demolished in 1955. |
More information : (SJ 5416 1501 - 5428 1544) Carriage drive.
Between January and December 2002, English Heritage carried out a detailed analytical field survey of the environs of the standing buildings of Haughmond Abbey (Event record 1384572) (1). The survey, which covered an area of 19ha, was intended to inform the site's management and to put into context the findings of the small-scale excavations carried out between 1975 and 1979.
For further details, see Archaeological Investigation Report AI/10/2003, which includes photographs, plans at various scales, interpretative diagrams and a full textual description and analysis. (1)
The carriage drive partly lies within the Scheduled Area of Haughmond Abbey. (2) |