The Park & Gardens
The first landscaped park was laid out by Robert Herbert in the early eighteenth century, with a series of vistas along open roads running from the house. Few such good examples of early 18th
century landscaping remain in Hampshire. Despite the later imposition of a Capability Brown landscape, Robert Herbert's rococo follies remain in their original positions. Even at that time visitors were
admitted to the park to admire fabulous constructions in artistic settings.
"This is, according to my fancy, the prettiest park that I have ever seen"
William Cobbett, Rural Rides, 1821
Heaven's Gate
Heaven's Gate is on the summit of Siddown Hill, overlooking the south front of the house. It was built in 1737. In those days, visitors approached the house via the drive near the Long Walk,
Sir Robert Sawyer's avenue of beech trees stretching from the lower slopes of Siddown Hill towards the formal gardens (now the south lawn) and what was the main entrance to the house.
The Rev. Isaac Milles, visiting in 1743, described Heaven's Gate as "a building of brick near 90 feet long and 45 feet high. It consists of one large arch in the middle, and a smaller one of each side,
which opens into a square room which is paved with stone and the walls stuccoed, and in which sometimes the family drink tea". All that remains now is the central pedimented arch, restored a few
years ago by the present Earl. The words "Construit Robert Herbert 1737", "Restruit George Herbert 1997" are engraved into the stone.
Jackdaw's Castle
Jackdaw's Castle was described by Milles as "lately erected" in 1743. It lies to the east of the house, and once stood at the far end of the pleasure gardens.
The design is that of a roofless classical temple, with pedimented Corinthian columns salvaged from Berkeley House, in Piccadilly, after it burned down in 1733, and facades of rendered brick with
niches either side of an arched opening.
The burned out Berkeley House was rebuilt in the late 1730s as Devonshire House.
The architectural historian Howard Colvin suggests that it may have been designed by Sir Robert Herbert's brother, the 9th Earl of Pembroke.
"Capability" Brown
Robert Herbert also turned his attention to the five medieval fish ponds at Milford Lake, which lies at the north edge of the present park. He constructed a house on the dam and combined the five ponds to three.
Later in the 18th century, English preference turned to a more naturalistic landscape epitomised by Lancelot "Capability" Brown, who had a hand in part of design of the present park. Capability Brown drew up plans
for Robert Herbert's nephew the 1st Earl of Carnarvon some of which were implemented. To celebrate his elevation to the earldom in 1793, the 1st Earl also built ornamental arches at Beacon Hill Lodge and London Lodge.
Specimen trees were planted by the 2nd Earl, including cedars grown from seeds brought back from the Lebanon by two great 18th century collectors, Edward Pocock (Lord Pembroke's chaplain at Wilton)
and Richard Pococke (grandson of the Rev. Isaac Milles, rector of Highclere).
The 2nd Earl was so impressed with the newly introduced exotic shrubs from the Himalayas, that he imported quantities of peat to replace the chalk soils at Highclere in order to cultivate rhododendrons and azaleas.
As a result several new species were developed at Highclere including the golden-flowered 'azalea altaclerense' and the sweet-smelling 'azaleadendron' (a cross between 'rhododendron luteum' and 'azalea pontica')
as as the "Highclere Holly" 'ilex aquifolium altaclerensis'.
