Search for the name, locality, period or a feature of a locality. You'll then be taken to a map showing results.

Marwell Zoological Park (also known as Marwell Hall)

Introduction

The gardens lie immediately around the house with the main part on the east front. A north wall shelters the lawns and incorporates a summerhouse. There is also a yew walk and numerous outbuildings. All are now part of Marwell Zoological Park.

The garden immediately around the house is mainly on the east front. To the north are terraced lawns with cedar trees. There is a long north wall with a central summerhouse built into it and a wide border along it. Beyond it were sheltering plantations, an orchard and shady woodland walks and an ancient Yew Walk to Whaddon Lane.

To the south were extensive outbuildings, including a brick well-house, stables, a coach house and garages and a walled kitchen garden with a variety of espalier and wall fruit trees and glasshouses.

Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts

Telephone

01962 777407

Website

https://www.marwell.org.uk/zoo/

Access contact details

The site is open daily from 10am-6pm. The last admission is 90 minutes before closing. For details please see: http://www.marwell.org.uk/planning_your_day/times_prices.asp?css=1 T: 01962 777407

Directions

http://www.marwell.org.uk/planning_your_day/directions.asp?css=1

Other Websites

History

Marwell Hall is an ancient estate first recorded in a Domesday reference and owned by the Church and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, till the Reformation. A 14th-century house was probably re-built in the early-16th-century by the Seymour family and later owned by the Brett and Dacre families.

The present house was re-built in 1816 by Mr William Long in Tudor style and incorporating parts of the old house. It stood in about 7 acres of well-wooded grounds.

From 1867 to 1933, the Hall was owned by the Standish family and during World War 2, when a Mr and Mrs Hayes lived there, it was used as an airfield for fighter aircraft.

In 1969, the Hall and 417 acres of land were sold to John Knowles. He opened a zoo in 1972 but made the Hall his home until 1980, when it became the offices for Marwell Zoological Park. Today Marwell Zoological Park is world-famous and has become a major tourist attraction. There are many new buildings on the site and a new entrance with car parks.

Features & Designations

Designations

  • The National Heritage List for England: Listed Building

  • Reference: Marwell Hall
  • Grade: I

  • Site of Nature Conservation Importance

Features

  • Glasshouse
  • Summerhouse
  • Garden Wall
  • Kitchen Garden
  • Description: There is a walled kitchen garden with a variety of espalier and wall fruit trees and glasshouses.
  • Lawn
  • Orchard
  • Plantation
  • Description: Sheltering plantations.
  • Walk
  • Description: There is an ancient Yew Walk to Whaddon Lane.
  • Espalier
  • Description: There is a walled kitchen garden with a variety of espalier and wall fruit trees and glasshouses.
  • Garden Terrace
  • Description: To the north of the house are terraced lawns with cedar trees.
  • Stable
  • House (featured building)
  • Description: The present house was re-built in 1816 by Mr William Long in Tudor style and incorporating parts of the old house.
  • Latest Date:
Key Information

Type

Park

Purpose

Educational

Principal Building

Domestic / Residential

Survival

Extant

Open to the public

Yes

Civil Parish

Owslebury