The Queen's Beasts, beside Hall Place Mansion.
Bedding displays in hedged compartments.
The Mansion at Hall Place.
The Queen's Beasts, beside Hall Place Mansion.
Bedding displays in hedged compartments.
The Mansion at Hall Place.
Hall Place, in Bourne Road, Bexley, DA5 lies just off the A2 Rochester Way.
The grounds of this historic house are some of the finest gardens in London today. There are spectacular show gardens including an excellent display of topiary, as well as many other attractions, free to the public.The house of Hall Place lies on the north side of the present estate. The river Cray flows through the estate, a short distance to the south of the house. To the south and west of the buildings are the gardens. The main area of gardens lies beyond the Cray, though the most intensively developed areas are near the house.
To the east of the house is the car park, nursery glasshouse area, and the outbuildings, one of which contains a pub. There is a cafe to the east of the car park. Beyond these is a sports ground.The house overlooks a traditional rose garden on its western side.
On the lawns to the further west are several more interesting flower beds, borders, and little gardens. There are several long herbaceous borders, backed by hedges.There also is a compartmentalised bedding garden, with the beds separated by sections of yew hedges, with clipped buttresses. There is a herb garden, (originally a garden for the blind), and a sunken display garden.To the south of the house and the River Cray, there is a large lawn garden, with island beds containing collections of labelled plants. Thee is also a relief dry watercourse or flood relief channel running through the gardens, and this has been aesthetically included into the gardens, all carefully mown and maintained.
To the north of the house, across from Bourne Road, is another open space. Aerial photographs show a vista lined by trees, extending to the north from the house.Perhaps the best known of the garden features is the collection of the 'Queen's Beasts', a line of topiary specimens overlooking the Rose Garden. These are a set of spectacular specimens in yew, from heraldic and mythical animals found the Royal Coat of Arms. They were created for the 1953 coronation. Other examples of topiary can be found on the lawns behind these.
These are set within the walled garden of the old estate, east of Hall Place house. Bedding plants for the gardens, and cut flowers for the house are grown here.
Some of the glasshouses are open to the public. There are displays of cacti, succulent plants, and others.The nursery area includes model gardens, showing examples of what can be done with small suburban gardens. There are also vegetable and fruit plots, and subtropical display areas.
There is a plant sales area, and the garden staff will give advice.Elsewhere there is a grass maze, and a good collection of mature trees. For wildlife interest, there are several wildflower meadows, and a number of different types of birds and waterfowl can be seen.
The other attractions include the house itself, which is now a museum. It also houses a gift shop. Some of the associated buildings have been converted to a pub and restaurant.A few monuments can be found, mostly near the house.
A number of events, holiday activities, and private functions are held in the house, and sometimes in the grounds.Other facilities, including sports fields, are found in the fields to the east of Hall Place Gardens. They include football and cricket pitches.
The park at Hall Place is based on the 500 year old house of Hall Place Mansion, on the river Cray, in Bexley. The mansion was used for military purposes during World War II, and the grounds were neglected and damaged during this period. Renovation was carried out, and the estate was purchased for use as a public park in 1935.
The grounds have been extended since the original purchase, and they now cover about 65 hectares of land.Many of the features that modern visitors see in the gardens are quite recent, added by the parks service of Bexley Council since World War II.
Leaflets on the history of the house and grounds can be obtained within the house.Unfortunately, Hall Place adjoins the A2 trunk road, and the resulting road noise is a constant distraction. Renovation of the grounds with the aid of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant is planned. The plan includes some changes to the landscape close to the house.
The house and grounds are managed by the Bexley Heritage Trust. The grounds are closed at dusk each day. Entrance is free, but charges may be made for admission when special events are held. Contact telephone is 01322 526574.