Historic Environment Supplementary Planning Document - Consultation Draft (February 2026)

6.0 Historic Parks and Gardens

Introduction

6.1 Registered historic parks and gardens are nationally recognised designed landscapes of exceptional cultural and historical value. They reflect significant periods of garden design, often associated with notable designers and historic events. Designation supports their protection as heritage assets with the aim to safeguard their layout, features, and character.

6.2 Registered parks and gardens are designated heritage assets under the National Planning Policy Framework, gaining similar protections to conservation areas, listed buildings and scheduled monuments. Inclusion on the Register does not create a separate consent process, but when assessing proposals greater weight is given to their conservation.

Criteria for Registration

6.3 All sites included on the Register of Parks and Gardens must demonstrate special historic interest in a national context. Nine general criteria are used, grouped into two categories: Date and Rarity and Further Considerations.

Date and rarity

6.4 The older and rarer a designed landscape, the more likely it is to qualify for registration. Key principles:

• Pre-1750: Significant original layout survives.
• 1750–1840: Enough remains to reflect design.
• Post-1840: Must be of special interest and intact; higher threshold for recent sites.
• Post-1945: Careful selection needed.
• Under 30 years: Only if outstanding and under threat.

Further considerations

• Influential in shaping taste or referenced in literature.
• Early or representative examples of a style/type or by notable designers of national importance.
• Associations with significant people/events.
• Strong group value with other heritage assets.

Specific Considerations

6.5 There are also specific considerations that contribute to the heritage significance of a Registered Park and Garden. Well-documented sites tend to achieve higher grades, especially when linked to listed buildings or garden structures. The design concept is more important than scenic beauty unless deliberately integrated. Authenticity matters: routine changes are acceptable, but unsympathetic restoration or full recreational use reduces significance. Poor condition does not prevent registration if the layout survives, although irreversible loss does.

6.6 Structural elements are key, with historic planting adding interest but not being a primary factor. Archaeological remains strengthen the case for designation and significance including abandoned gardens which may be scheduled. Deer parks qualify if boundaries, interiors, and visual links to house survive, while sports grounds are assessed as part of the park, with related structures sometimes listed separately.

Grading

6.7 Registered sites are divided into three grades:

• Grade I: Exceptional interest
• Grade II*: More than special interest
• Grade II: Special interest

6.8 About 37% of registered landscapes are Grade I or II*, compared to only 8% of listed buildings.

Registered Parks and Gardens in Bolsover District

6.9 Bolsover District contains three designated historic parks and gardens on the Historic England Register:

• Bolsover Castle (Grade I) – An exceptional early 17thcentury designed landscape featuring terraces, the Fountain Garden, and formal pleasure grounds. Its significance lies in the survival of its original layout, Renaissance-inspired design, and strong associations with Sir Charles Cavendish and architect Robert Smythson.
   
• Hardwick Hall (Grade I) – One of England’s finest Elizabethan landscapes, combining extensive parkland with formal walled gardens, pavilions, and gatehouses. It exemplifies Elizabethan garden planning and is closely linked to Bess of Hardwick and Robert Smythson.
   
• Barlborough Hall (Grade II) – A well-preserved late 16th-century landscape with walled gardens and parkland integral to the Elizabethan mansion. Its group value with the hall and associated structures underpins its heritage importance.

6.10 A small section of the historic park and garden falls within Bolsover District but the majority of the park of Welbeck Abbey lies in Bassetlaw District.

Bolsover Castle

6.11 Bolsover Castle’s grounds are Grade I on the Historic England Register because they represent one of the most significant surviving examples of early 17thcentury garden design in England. Key reasons include:

• Historic Integrity: The layout of terraces, the Fountain Garden, and associated features remains largely intact from its original design period (c.1608–1640).
• Design Innovation: The gardens showcase Renaissance-inspired concepts adapted to an English setting, emphasizing theatrical views and formal geometry.
• Associations: Strong links to Sir Charles Cavendish and architect Robert Smythson, figures central to Jacobean architecture and landscape design.
• Group Value: The gardens are integral to Bolsover Castle’s architectural ensemble, enhancing its historic and aesthetic significance.

Hardwick Hall

6.12 Hardwick Hall’s grounds are Grade I because they represent one of the most important and bestpreserved Elizabethan landscapes in England. Key reasons include:

• Historic Integrity: The park retains its 16th-century walled gardens, pavilions, and gatehouses, alongside later formal and pleasure grounds.
• Design Significance: It exemplifies Elizabethan garden planning, combining architecture and landscape in a unified composition.
• Associations: Strong links to Bess of Hardwick and architect Robert Smythson, central figures in Elizabethan design.
• Scale and Survival: Extensive parkland with medieval origins and 17th-century extensions remains largely intact.

Barlborough Hall

6.13 Barlborough Hall’s grounds are Grade II because they are a well-preserved example of a late 16th-century designed landscape. Their significance lies in:

• Historic Layout: The survival of walled gardens and parkland from the original period.
• Architectural Associations: Strong links to the Elizabethan mansion and its historic setting.
• Group Value: The gardens complement the listed hall and associated structures, enhancing the overall heritage importance.

6.14 These sites are protected as designated heritage assets under national planning policy, reflecting their historic integrity, design significance, and contribution to the district’s cultural landscape.