Garden Buildings

The advent of the naturalistic style in Garden design in Georgian times saw the advent of specific Garden buildings. These buildings were specifically designed for aesthetic rather than practical purposes. This was also the era of Romanticism, so the buildings reflected this ethos. 

Many were influenced by old ideas of Gothic architecture. If estates did not already have church or castle ruins, these were constructed and planted usually with ivy. These were usually hidden among trees and carefully framed to give an aspect of rustic decay. Classical architecture and Italian influences were also popular with the rise of Romanticism: thus, various kinds of Greek or Roman temples were constructed, and pillars on their own were also popular. These were usually situated in more prominent positions but again carefully framed by planting. A third group of buildings fell into neither of these patterns. These reflected the eccentricities of either the estate owners or architects, and it is to these that the term 'follies' was usually applied.

In Victorian times, building eccentricities, if anything, increased. The growth of Empire meant a taste for exotic, often oriental, buildings. Buildings now were usually prominently displayed. Various kinds of pleasure, tea and boating houses were popular. Woodstock reflected these changing styles as its gardens evolved.

Ha-Ha

Ha-Ha

Digital Photograph of a Ha-Ha

Ha-Ha

Ha-Ha

Digital Photograph of a Ha-Ha

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Ha-Ha

Ha-Ha

Ha-Ha

Enlarge image

The advent of parklands and naturalistic landscapes in Georgian times meant that clear vistas from the estate house were desirable. However, as most estates also played host to large numbers of cattle and horses, a way had to be found to keep grazing animals away from the planting at the house. Fences were not desirable as they ruined the vista, so the Ha-Ha was the solution. It consisted of a ditch, usually grass covered, sometimes including a facing wall. It was constructed in such a way that any construction was invisible from the house. The ditch and hollow were constructed to be impervious to hoofed animals.

Woodstock has two extant Ha-Has. The development of Ha-Has made the development of 18th Century parkland landscapes possible.