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Summary

Description

Probably late 18th century. Asymmetrical walled garden, shaped to fit the contours of the landscape, with bothy and entrance arch at S end. Random rubble with flat ashlar cope. Central section of the wall to E lowered. Reinstated arched opening to W with ashlar voussoirs.

Statement of Special Interest

The walled garden at Braxfield is important as one of the last surviving elements of the Braxfield estate. It is very unusual in shape and because it was not simply a kitchen garden. There is strong evidence that a route through the garden was part of a pleasure walk which went from Braxfield House to a view-point overlooking New Lanark and the Clyde. The lowered section of the E wall, which is adjacent to the driveway, enabled visitors to the house to obtain a view of the garden and this supports the theory.

The first edition map shows a small cottage and bothy attached to the exterior of the wall to the S end. The small rubble and piended roofed bothy has high and low level windows looking into the garden and is linked to the cottage by a delicate masonry arch.

The cottage itself at 76 New Lanark Road was extended in the 1970s to create an angled L-plan within the garden and the original part is rendered with alterations to the original window pattern. The cottage is not considered to be of special interest in listing terms at the time of revision of the list description in 2013 and it is excluded from the listing

Braxfield estate is of considerable importance because it is one of the small number of estates from which picturesque views of the spectacular scenery at the Corra Linn and Bonnington Linn Falls and of the village of New Lanark could be obtained. It is one of the main components of the Falls of Clyde designated Designed Landscape and contributes to the outstanding scenic qualities of this part of the Clyde.

The estate is also significant historically because of its connection with the McQueen family. The barony of Braxfield was acquired by John MacQueen in 1710. His son Robert who was nicknamed 'the hanging judge', succeeded to the estate in 1771. From the early 1770s he developed the estate by buying land from the town of Lanark when the opportunity arose. It is likely that the main improvements on the estate, including the walled garden, were effected by him. Forrest's map of 1816 shows the outline of the garden and this also suggests the late 18th century date. Even if the walls are somewhat later, dating from the early 19th century, a network of paths and pleasure walks defining this shape existed before this.

The estate is also interesting because of its connection with David Dale and Robert Owen. In 1785 Robert McQueen feued part of the estate to David Dale for the development of New Lanark. The house was let by the next Lord Braxfield who succeeded to the estate in 1799. Robert Owen and his family moved into Braxfield House in 1808 and remained there until 1828. In 1832 the estate was described by Cobbett as 'the beautiful park and mansion occupied by Messrs Walker'the house looks down into the Clyde 200 yards distant'. Messrs Walker were by then running the mills.

The shape of the garden is dictated by the contours of the land. The garden is now (2007) divided between 2 different owners.

Within New Lanark World Heritage Site inscribed 2001.

List description and statutory address updated in 2013.

References

Bibliography

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