MEM24706 - Post-medieval rectory gardens, Luccombe (Monument)

The Tithe Map for Luccombe shows an arrangement of formal gardens around the Rectory (MEM22254). In addition to the main garden area (land parcel 606), this included a range of outbuildings (recorded under MEM24707); a square enclosure at SS 9109 4460 (605), depicted with the western and southern boundaries fenced; a pond at SS 9097 4465 (607); and two parcels of land separated from the main garden area, at SS 9106 4470 (604a) and SS 9111 4456 (605a). There are several paths marked around the gardens, with a spiral path in the central area to the south of the main house (SS 9105 4460), which may or may not represent a mound with a viewing platform on top. The Apportionment describes the gardens as under the same ownership as the house (Reverend Thomas Fisher), with individual parcels described as below: 604: Garden; 604a: Lower Orchard (Orchard); 605: Garden Orchard; 605a: Court House Orchard (Orchard); 606: House Shrubbery and Outbuildings; 607: Fish Pond. [1] By the time the 25 inch 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed, the gardens had seen some modifications. The central spiral path is no longer depicted and most of the remaining routeways had been moved or altered, with new ones also created. The square orchard enclosure appears to be in use as a walled garden, possibly a kitchen garden, and the area to the north has also been walled off and incorporated into this feature, with outbuildings at the northern end possibly including a long greenhouse (SS 9108 4466). The fishpond had been removed, but a new pond is shown at SS 9104 4471. [2] The 2nd Edition map shows some further changes. It appears that some of the garden features in the walled garden area had been cleared, although they may have simply been omitted from the map. The new pond at SS 9104 4471 had also been removed, although a stream is shown running through this area and a sluice is marked at c. SS 9106 4473. [3] The 2018 MasterMap data shows that tince the 2nd Edition map was surveyed, the entire area of the walled gardens has been divided in two (once again partitioning off the original area) and these parcels, together with the orchard plot to the south (SS 9111 4456) are depicted as occupied by houses, labelled as follows: SS 9108 4464, "The Walled Gardens"; SS 9109 4460, "Slates Cottage"; SS 9111 4456, "The Old Parsonage". [4] The gardens south of the Old Rectory have taken the bulk of the late 20th Century development with three new detached houses. The former gardens are enclosed by a tall garden wall. [5]