Feature Assessment: Built Environment / Country houses
# Country houses [we need to add the map in]
Overall vulnerability |
# Features assessed:
- Iconic country houses in parkland settings
- Stately homes and parkland
- Grand halls of the landed gentry
# Special qualities:
- Characteristic settlements with strong communities and traditions
- An inspiring space for escape, adventure, discovery and quiet reflection
# Feature description:
Country houses are often surrounded by parkland and designed landscapes. Some houses can be described as stately homes, which are impressive structures and sometimes include houses that are open to visitors. Grand halls of the landed gentry are another sub-category of country house. They were lived in historically by the landed gentry, a landowner social class.
The PDNP contains many iconic country houses in parkland settings, for example Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall, Thornbridge Hall, Lyme Park, Hassop Hall, Ashford Hall, Stanton Hall, Swythamley Hall and Tissington Hall. These properties are privately managed and owned, apart from Lyme Park which is primarily managed by National Trust and supported by the Stockport Corporation.
Country house infrastructures are historically significant and homes often hold many historical archives and artefacts, for example paintings, sculptures and pottery, and archives. Parkland landscapes have been designed over time; they hold great ecological importance as they have diverse and unique habitats supporting various species and great archaeological importance that reflects the landscape they were developed from as well as their own development over time. These grounds are often used for leisure and recreational purposes such as walks and sporting events, making them also culturally important. They hold significance for a wide range of people and are frequently used for educational visits by both adults and children.
# How vulnerable are country houses?
Country houses and associated features in the PDNP have been rated ‘moderate’ on our vulnerability scale. This score is due to high sensitivity and exposure to climate change variables, but a generally well managed current condition and a high adaptive capacity.
An increase in extreme climates, pests and diseases may pose a threat to species which define the character of the gardens at these homes and the historical archives contained within them. Changes to landscape may affect people’s desire to visit, decreasing the amount of resources available to protect the building and grounds from further harmful effects brought on by changes to climate. If they are well managed and resourced, country houses and their parkland settings have a high adaptive capacity.
Overall potential impact rating | |
Overall adaptive capacity rating |
# Current condition
Country houses are currently mainly well managed, however this is dependent on the resources available. They are affected by non-climate stressors, such as damage caused by visitors, but this has limited impact on their quality or function as it is often mitigated through maintenance. There are invasive species present which do impact the associated parkland, for example Rhododendron at Chatsworth House. Parkland at Lyme Park has already been damaged due to wildfire and parkland at some sites has already been lost entirely to development and agriculture.
In the summer of 2019 Lyme Park suffered from flooding. This saw some of the outbuildings damaged as well as the park and garden.
The majority of the country houses in the PDNP are listed and none are on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.