Ornamental Gardens
Ornamental Gardens
Since the mid-18th century, the landscape around the Wittenham Clumps was becoming appreciated not just for agricultural production but also for its appeal for wildlife and recreation.
Ornamental Avenues and Woodland Rides
A map of Berkshire (which then included Little Wittenham) published in 1761 by John Rocque shows the Wittenham area, including the Clumps, laid out with ornamental avenues and woodland rides.
The woodland rides were orientated to provide the best vistas of the hills, river and Dorchester Abbey. The actual planting of the avenues (one of which led to the top of Round Hill) may have been much earlier than the publication date of the map - perhaps even in the early 1700s.
The Rocque map does not show the two clumps of trees on Castle Hill and Round Hill, although tree ring evidence suggests a planting date of around 1730. This makes the tress the oldest known ornamental beech hilltop plantings in Britain.
The Clumps are evident on an Ordnance Survey map from 1820-1830, but this does not show the earlier avenues.
It is interesting that the ornamental avenues were apparently removed before they were fully mature.
Then and Now. Castle Hill as photographed by Henry Taunt in 1873 (c) Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive (left) and Castle Hill today (right)
20th Century Plantings
In the 20th century, commercial tree plantings on the northern slopes of Castle Hill encroached on the hill fort ramparts and obstructed previously clear views to and from the hilltops.
Northmoor Trust's Restoration Work
The Northmoor Trust now has an active management plan to restore the woodland rides from the 18th Century. Glades and clearings have again been opened out to provide views across the river to Dorchester-on-Thames. Conifer woodland which was screening the north flank of Castle Hill is being slowly cleared.
