Historic Homes of England
Wollaton Hall and Deer Park, by Jon Jayes
ONLY three miles west of Nottingham city centre, atop a large hill, stands 16th-century Wollaton Hall, surrounded by over 500 acres of parkland. Such an elevated location means this majestic Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion can be seen from far and wide, and as befits its dramatic architectural style, it attracts a whole lot of attention.
Within the park, herds of red and fallow deer roam across grass and woodland areas. Birds flit amongst the trees, while swans and ducks glide across the lake. Formal gardens, pleasure grounds, woodland and even a golf course, also form part of the estate, are all enclosed by a brick wall which, legend has it, is seven miles long and seven feet high, taking seven bricklayers and seven apprentices seven years to build – although the truth of that remains to be seen!
The wall has disappeared in some places over the passing years, but there is still a considerable amount of it left. There is currently a project underway, assisted by a number of volunteers, to work on its restoration.
My first memories of the park and the hall were as a small child. On these visits I was taken by my parents, and frightened out of my wits by the stuffed gorilla of gargantuan proportions that lurked behind one of the doorways. Today the museum, which opened in 1926, is the largest natural history museum in the county, housing some 750,000 objects, including fascinating fossils and a range of taxidermy.
We also attended shows held in the park. I particularly remember those where heavy horses and agricultural machinery were on display.
Wollaton’s Industrial Museum, partly housed in the Grade II listed stables block, focuses on Nottingham’s important industrial past, showcasing local textile machinery and transport, with everything from ploughing engines to a rare phaeton coach and communications technology, including the world’s first video recorder.
Later, after my marriage, my wife and I moved to a house that stood within the boundary of the old park estate, just a couple of hundred yards from one of the entrances, and it was then that I spent many hours over the next 15 years or more, wandering the grounds and photographing the magnificent deer.
Wollaton Hall was built in Ancaster stone from Lincolnshire, with the main design being executed by Robert Smythson, who had already designed Longleat House in Wiltshire, continuing his career at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, and other notable projects around the country. On one of Wollaton Hall’s outside walls is a Latin inscription translating as: “Behold this house of Sir Francis Willoughby, built with rare art and bequeathed to Willoughby’s. Begun 1580 and finished 1588”. For context,
1588 was the year of England’s victory over the Spanish Armada.
Sir Francis, who commissioned the building, made his fortune through shrewd business investments, contacts and marriage, but his main income at the time came from his Nottinghamshire coal mines. It has been said that, to avoid structural damage to the hall through subsidence, Sir Francis – and successive owners – did not allow coal to be taken from directly underneath the hall and now the building stands on a column of coal.
Wollaton’s exuberant late Elizabethan style with early Jacobean elements is distinctive. “It is one of the most striking examples in the UK and interests visitors from far afield,” says Graham Armitage, Visitors Lead, and it’s possible that Willoughby played some part in its creation. The central hall is topped by the great Prospect Room, defined by its huge windows, which offer fabulous views of the surrounding park. In turn, this central block is flanked at each corner by projecting threestorey square towers, their dramatic decorative features rising far above the roofline.
Wollaton’s square footprint reflects the Elizabethan’s love of symmetry, while the style of the facade we see today is a combination of the Classical, seen in the columns and pilasters, and that of a medieval character, with traceried windows and bartizan turrets. On
the exterior walls are some ornate gondola mooring rings. “They are purely decorative,” reveals Graham. “They are a nod to the Venetian style that was of interest at the time. They were added in 1702 by master masons brought over from Italy, on behalf of Cassandra Willoughby, the Duchess of Chandos.”
Cassandra, a descendant of Sir Francis, moved to Wollaton in 1687 after which she took it upon herself to compose an “Account of the Willoughbys of Wollaton” from many family letters and household accounts.
Wollaton’s interior changed much more significantly over the years, largely owing to a fire in 1801, leading it to be remodelled by Jeffry Wyattville, a garden and architectural designer who worked on Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. Today most of the ground and first floor house the museum’s galleries. On a tour you can still see the Great Hall and Prospect Room, along with the old kitchens and the Admiral’s Bath in the basement
– a plunge pool of ice-cold water which was used, it is rumoured, by Rear-Admiral Sir Nesbit Willoughby. The cool underground cellars here were once used for the storage of foodstuffs and wines.
There is no grand art or antiques collection to be found at Wollaton – apart from their architectural interest, the Great Hall and Prospect Room are plain, though the views from the latter are indeed breathtaking. Access is through the towers on each corner of the central section, and the climb is steep, narrow and winding. The room is thought to have been originally designed as a ballroom, but it defies the imagination how any ladies had energy to dance after traversing these spiral stairs whilst wearing a gown! In recent times the cast-iron supports that disfigured the room have been removed and more modern technology installed, which means the floor can appear flat and unobstructed, as was intended.
A house with a history this long has unsurprisingly seen some turmoil, and the Willoughbys were not always one big happy family. Sir Francis’s marriage to Elizabeth Littleton was
stormy, and according to Cassandra, who for her “Account” spent much time recording personal letters between the couple, was dominated by Elizabeth’s independent spirit. The Royal Historical Society tell us Sir Francis resolved to force her obedience through any means: appeals to her father, public shaming, imprisonment within the household, and banishment from the house and family. By 1578, Elizabeth was threatening suicide, convinced the servants were out to murder her, and forbidden to have anything to do with the children – it is thought that they had 12 children, though not all of them survived. They separated in 1579, reconciling in 1588.
Similarly dramatic research from Nottingham University tells us that Sir Francis’s relationship with his son-in-law, Percival Willoughby, whom was set to inherit the bulk of his estates, was also dark. When Lady Willoughby died in 1595, Sir Francis married Dorothy Tamworth, but soon after, he died, leaving Dorothy pregnant. There were suspicions he had been poisoned. The pregnancy threatened to disinherit Percival. In any event, the baby died, too.
The hall changed hands over the years, but remained within the family, eventually being bought by the Nottingham City Council in 1925.
In the grounds at the rear of the hall stands the 1823 Camellia House, the earliest known glass and cast-iron construction of its type in Europe.
This is a beautiful place to relax in late summer when the cool, damp interior is a relief from the sun and heat outside. During autumn you can still enjoy the camellias here, blooming front and centre through the archways of the structure – the enigmatic expressions of the statuary reflecting the calming influence of the red and white flowers inside.
The colourful formal gardens at the rear of the hall are small but stunning. Shaded by large copper beech trees, they provide shelter in all seasons and are protected from the attentions of the deer by a fence and a ha-ha. “They’re the most challenging to maintain to a meticulous standard,” admits Kyle Heesome, Wollaton’s Estate Lead, “as there’s historical information we have retained in our museums collection over the years that help indicate how the gardens should look. They do seem to be appreciated by many visitors sitting and enjoying themselves here, so it’s worth it.”
Luckily the ground staff have help from local residents who volunteer through the Friends of Wollaton Park project. A passionate team, they assist with woodland management of the wildlife nature reserves, historic tours of the park, bat box making and other activities to keep the ground looking nice for visitors to enjoy.
The park is nothing less than an oasis in the midst of a busy city – and being able to work with conservation so close to Nottingham’s centre is something Kyle never takes for granted. The deer are usually unaffected by any urban disturbance, although on occasion the animals have found a way out and been spotted trotting along the dual carriageway before being rounded up and guided back to their green acres of the parkland. Of course, they do have to share the park with the large events sometimes staged in the grounds, such as the outdoor cinema, but with their own conservation area away from prying eyes, there’s plenty of wooded areas in which they can retreat.
I found that there was nothing more restful than walking in the park first thing as the sun rose, highlighting the dew on the grass or allowing me to watch deer paddling in the lake to cool themselves before the day became too hot. It’s also exciting to be here in autumn, when the October rut was in full swing and the haunting roar of a red stag penetrated the morning mist, his head back and bellowing out clouds of breath as he roared out his challenges.
Forget their usual elegant appearance, parading slowly around the park: come the rutting season, their transformation into violent,
400 lb fighting machines is phenomenal, as they lock antlers and push and shove each other to gain dominance and thus the biggest harem of females. Kyle offers sound advice to bring a long-lensed camera or binoculars. “It’s important visitors allow extra room from the deer during rutting season, as they can be more agitated and potentially aggressive.”
What magnificent creatures deer are, though! They have a place in mythology and are associated with royalty: indeed, the Nottingham city
coat of arms features red stags, and in earlier times deer were the sole preserve of royalty when it came to hunting. They’ve roamed Wollaton’s grounds for centuries, and watching them over my own years has given me an insight into their lives in the park.
A red stag and fallow buck produce a new set of antlers each year, which become larger as the animal matures. The antlers, which are bone and grow from “pedicles” on the animals’ head, emerge covered in “velvet”, a soft skin which is shed after around 3 months – this can often be found on fence posts or bushes when it is rubbed away by the animals. The expenditure in energy to grow these appendages would be, at least, like humans growing a new leg every year.
Outside of the rut, the deer, both red and fallow, are usually fairly passive and would rather stay well clear of people. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t be approached and certainly never fed by visitors. “They enjoy eating the grasses, sedges and leaves, and with so much room they have plenty to choose from,” says Kyle. “Much to the frustration of photographers, they often enjoy eating daffodils as a treat in the spring, too!” I am told that a cheeky deer named Vincent is a particular offender for this, who equally seems to love being photographed. The rascal!
The hall attracted a whole new legion of fans when it starred as Wayne Manor, Batman’s home, in Christopher Nolan’s 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises. I’m told some even get married here for this very reason. This year’s star attraction, however, is quite different. “Titus: T. Rex is King” is a blockbuster exhibition showcasing the first real Tyrannosaurus rex exhibited in England for over a century. Using all the latest digital and interactive media, visitors can immerse themselves in the dinosaur’s environment of 67 million years ago, as well as learn about the skeleton’s discovery and excavation in America’s Montana Hell Creek Formation in 2018.
For Graham, it’s such diversity that makes Wollaton so special. “It has a lively atmosphere because it has visitors that have all kinds of interests: those interested in natural history, architecture, and wildlife . . . I think it is so lively because it’s based close to the centre of the city and the University of Nottingham, too. With families, photographers, walkers, runners, students and teachers we have up to 900,000 visitors each year.”
Wollaton is a beautiful place to unwind and appreciate the benefits of nature. I’ve found pleasure in coming here my whole life, and still do, even though the grounds today aren’t as rugged and wild as they used to be. Historic houses and parks are an asset to the country and a reflection on our great heritage. This one is the one I know best and appreciate not just for what it was, but for what it is now and, hopefully, will be in the future.
Wollaton Hall and Deer Park Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
NG8 2AE; 0115 876 3100; wollatonhall.org.uk