Wilverley Park (and Coach House)

Location and site

Wilverley, Foxlease and Cuffnells comprise a group of small historic parks, on the fringe of the New Forest to the south of Lyndhurst. From the 18th century both Foxlease and Cuffnells had substantial houses, the land that became Wilverley Park was part of the 188 acre Foxlease estate (1789 plan). When, in 1865, Henry Buckworth Powell-Montgomery inherited, he sold Foxlease, retaining a triangular area of 58 acres on the western side of the estate for himself (The History of Foxlease). He built Wilverley House on the higher ground of the northern section, with a view south over the parkland (OS 1871 6”).

Historic development

Wilverley Park remained in the ownership of the Powell family for almost a century (Kelly’s Directories), it was requistioned for use as a school for evacuees during WWII. In 1947, when it was being derequisitioned, Martin Powell sold Wilverley Park to Peter Barker-Mill (Barker-Mill papers). The house was in a poor state of repair and three years later was demolished. When, in 1968, Lindsay Masters bought the neighbouring estates of Cuffnells and Wilverley Park, the Coach House of Wilverley was the only building of any size standing, together with a lodge at the entrance from Pinkney Lane. Masters turned the Coach House into a modern residence and began developing a garden. He laid out a kitchen garden with brick walls, re-using bricks from the old walled garden, and built a swimming pool and hard tennis court. After consulting several well known garden designers, including Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, he accepted the plans of Francois Goffinet and implemented them over the next two years. (Spens & HGT Wilverley Coach House).

Current Description

Wilverley Coach House now occupies the same ground that was developed from 1865 as Wilverley Park by Henry Buckworth Powell (OS 2008). The old coach house, made into a modern residence from 1968, has a productive walled kitchen garden on the east, and a large area of parkland to the south (Aerial photos), formerly owned by Lindsay Masters it is now held in Trust. The parkland is part of the larger Wilverley Farm.

Summary

Wilverley Park was originally part of the Powell estate of Foxlease. When Henry Buckworth Powell inherited in 1865, he sold Foxlease but retained the western 58 acres of land for his own use, and built a house. During World War II it was used as a school for evacuees and was not well maintained. In 1948 Wilverley Park was bought by Peter Barker-Mill for development, and the house was demolished. Planning permission was not granted and, in 1968, Wilverley Park was bought by Lindsay Masters who turned the old Coach House, that was still standing, into a modern residence and laid out a new garden.    The parkland is part of a dairy farm.

HGT Research: February 2009