| HCC Site ID: | 1501 | Parish: | Bramdean |
| Designations: | SMR, House LB II, SDNP | Area: | Originally c 354 |
| Access: | No Public Access | Ownership: | Brockwood School & Krishnamurti Centre |
Location and site
Brockwood Park lies to the South of the A272 between West Meon and Hinton Ampner. Copper beeches associated with the park line the A272. Views often long but enclosed by woodland and undulating topography.
Historic Development
Richard Smith, a West India merchant, bought Lys Farm, Bramdean in 1769 and began the process by which it was transformed into a gentleman’s estate. He built the central part of the new house on a site that commanded fine scenic views towards the Meon valley. In the next one hundred years successive owners planted trees, both native and exotic species, and gradually converted the meadowland into parkland. Colonel Greenwood, in particular, created an arboretum and planted copper beeches along the estate boundaries. These are still a distinctive feature of the landscape. A ha-ha defined the boundary of the lawn within the park. In the mid twentieth century the park underwent further change when Lady Royden lived there. Not only did she make improvements to park features, such as the arboretum, but she also created new areas of interest, principally a Rose Garden that she designed herself.
In 1968 it was bought by the Krishnamurti Foundation and became an educational institution.
Current Description
There has been new building and some changes to the park. Principles of wild life conservation and organic food production now play a part and some areas have undergone change to make their management more economic. However, the historic importance of the park landscape has not been neglected and the owners are aware of the responsibilities in this respect. The arboretum still contains many specimen trees and is particularly impressive in Spring with specimen narcissi beneath trees in blossom. The pergola is also particularly pretty in Spring and the walled garden is well-utilised.
The Winchester Landscape Character Assessment (2003) refers to the degraded state of some trees around Brockwood Park.
Summary
Farm transformed mid-18th century into a parkland estate with subsequent additions in the 19th century. Features remaining are the parkland and 19th century pergolas, rose garden and many specimen trees. Now a Krishnamurti School.
HGT Research: August 2003