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Martyr Worthy Minor

Introduction

During the sale of the main house in 1978-9, the grounds were divided up so that the Arts and Crafts garden, the small parkland area to the north and the gardener's cottage were retained by a Trust. The old entrance drive now leads only to the old gardener's cottage, now called Martyr Worthy Minor.

Part of the gardens are now run as a nursery supplying agapanthus commercially by a member of the Ffennell family. In 1986, restoration work was carried out to the Arts and Crafts garden and further work was completed in 1994. There are no records of the original design of the Arts and Crafts garden, but it appears that much of it remains in its original form, including the yew hedges, brick walls, steps, a raised terrace with a brick piered pergola and summerhouse with white portico, similar to the entrance to the house. There are wrought iron gates and a raised semi-circular brick terrace ‘theatre'. An additional walled garden containing a swimming pool and arched brick ‘folly' or seat was constructed in the 1930s. Closer to the gardener's cottage there is a listed clock house built in 1912.

It has been suggested that the features of the Arts and Crafts garden here bear some similarity with those in the garden at Otterbourne House and both houses were owned by members of the Christian family. It is not known who designed either garden, though the summerhouse at Martyr Worthy is stylistically similar to parts of the main house and therefore, this and other structures could be attributed to the architects, Cancellor and Hill.

Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts

Owners

The Ffennell family

History

The Ffennell family bought Martyr Worthy Place in 1926 and made further additions to the Arts and Crafts garden. They sold the main house in 1978-9. However, the grounds were divided up so that the Arts and Craft garden, the small parkland area to the north and the gardener's cottage were retained by a Trust set up by the Ffennell family. A new entrance drive to the cottage was created away from the gardener's cottage across the park leaving the old entrance drive to lead only to the old gardener's cottage now called Martyr Worthy Minor.

Period

Early 20th Century (1901-1932)

Features & Designations

Designations

  • Conservation Area

Style

Arts And Crafts

Features

  • Cottage (featured building)
  • Description: Gardener?s cottage.
  • Earliest Date:
  • Latest Date:
  • Hedge
  • Description: Yew hedges.
  • Wall
  • Description: Brick wall.
  • Steps
  • Garden Terrace
  • Description: Raised terrace.
  • Pergola
  • Description: Brick piered pergola.
  • Summerhouse
  • Description: Summerhouse with white portico.
  • Gate
  • Description: Wrought iron gates
  • Terrace
  • Description: Raised semi-circular brick terrace `theatre?.
  • Garden Building
  • Description: Close to the gardener?s cottage there is a listed clock house built in 1912.
  • Earliest Date:
  • Latest Date:
Key Information

Type

Garden

Purpose

Horticultural

Principal Building

Domestic / Residential

Period

Early 20th Century (1901-1932)

Survival

Extant

Open to the public

Yes

Civil Parish

Itchen Valley

References

Contributors

  • Hampshire Gardens Trust

  • Janet Hurrell