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Nidderdale AONB has a high number of historic parks and gardens and designed landscapes. Long-established families, including the Ingilbys, Yorkes, Mowbrays, Danbys and Markenfields were all responsible for graceful buildings and designed landscapes of great merit. Industrialists added to this heritage during the C19th and their legacy is still visible although in varying states of completeness. The buildings and grounds at Studley Royal, Swinton, Hackfall,
Jervaulx, Grantley, Aldbrugh, Sawley, Markenfield, Birstwith and
the parks in Wharfedale are all valuable components of the
landscape, distinguishing the Nidderdale area from the wilder parts
of the Pennines.
Several are local attractions and many are of great
historic interest.
Studley Royal is an internationally renowned designed
landscape and is one of the few great eighteenth century green
gardens to survive substantially in its original form. Today,
the landscape comprises extensive pleasure grounds with a formal
water garden, a deer park of mixed styles and the grounds of the
major Cistercian monastery.
Swinton Park at Masham is a 30-bedroom luxury castle hotel and
is the ancestral home of the Cunliffe-Lister family. The
parkland supports a herd of approximately100 fallow deer and is
separated from the house by a lake designed to replicate a
river. The grounds also contain follies, standing stones
and Quarry Gill ravine. Guests are welcome to enjoy the
grounds.
Hackfall Wood is located near Grewelthorpe, 2 miles from
Masham. John Aislabie bought the land in 1731, but it was his son,
William who turned the area into a beautiful woodland garden
with follies, grottoes, surprise views and waterfalls. In
more recent years the woods became less managed and nature began to
take over. The Woodland Trust and The Hackfall Trust are now
looking after the site with conservation in mind, and it recently
was designated as a Site of Special Scientific
Interest.
Jervaulx Abbey was founded in 1156 by a group of
Cistercian Monks who came over from France after the Norman
Conquest. Today the graceful abbey ruins are only a
fraction of what they once were yet they hold a beauty and romance
all of their own. The Abbey is also noted for the vast
range of wallflowers and shrubs that grow amongst its ruins. It is
estimated that there are up to 200 different species.
There are many other lesser known designed landscapes in the
AONB which are not registered or protected by
legislation. A new research group guided by a
professional archaeologist are collecting information from old
maps, aerial photographs and site visits.
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