Reference
Z493/15
Title
MOGERHANGER PARK
Photographs of Humphrey Repton's Red Book for "Mogenhanger in Bedfordshire, a Seat of Godfrey Thornton Esqr.", made between 28th May and August 1792. Photographs made c.1986 by National Monuments Record, negative numbers BB 86/26.
Page 8 - "Character and Situation
The proper management of the Grounds, so much depending on the Character and Situation of the house to which they belong, I confess there appeared to me some difficulty in the treatment of Mogenhanger. A park of such extent inclosed by a pale and annexed to such a command of property, requires a house of superior stile to that which has lately been repaired. It is not easy to affix its true Character, it is too large and too much ornamental for a farm house, while it is too small and too humble for a family country-seat, and its distance from the capital is too great to permit its being called a Villa. I shall therefore consider it as an occasional sporting-seat; and as I do not see any situation in the park greatly preferable to the present for a larger house, I must suggest such improvements as may not interfere with any future additions to the house, if the surrounding property should hereafter tempt its possessor to give it more importance of Character. The Situation must be considered as a plain, and of course very distant views are not to be expected; but there are many objects which it would be wrong to exclude, and if the plantations which are necessary (almost everywhere) to hide the pale, be kept low as copse-wood, they will serve the joint purposes of enriching without excluding the distant objects, while they will become excellent nurserys for game, and answer the expectation of the Sportsman better than lofty woods.
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Date free text
1792-1986
Production date
From: 1792 To: 1986
Level of description
item