Hackthorn – Hall, Gardens and Medieval Earthworks

The present-day country house dates from the late 18th century, while the earthworks date back to a medieval settlement and medieval field system. The stream, lake and gardens add a designed landscape to the history of the place.

Hackthorn Hall and the Lake

Hackthorn Hall is a Grade I-listed country house. James Lewis designed the present house, which was built between 1792 and 1795. A stream runs from west to east through the grounds of Hackthorn Hall and was enlarged below the manor house to form a meandering lake. This adds a landscape dimension to the building’s history: the house and the water feature provide contrasting points of interest. If you are weighing up architecture and landscape when choosing your destination, these themes offer two perspectives on Hackthorn.

Gardens and Walled Kitchen Garden

The gardens around Hackthorn Hall and the church cover about 15 acres. They include formal gardens, woodland gardens, and an ornamental and kitchen garden within a walled enclosure. The walled garden at Hackthorn Hall is 400 years old, and fruit, vegetables and flowers grow there. A greenhouse in the garden houses a vine planted in 1868. The garden and the vine mark different points in time: an older garden layout and a precisely dated planting. Together, the garden designs and the plants described provide a distinct contrast to the country house’s architectural history.

Medieval Traces and St Michael

Hackthorn’s medieval settlement and field system survive as extensive earthworks. The remains of the settlement lie in Hackthorn Park. The settlement and field system point to different aspects of medieval life: the settlement itself and the organisation of the land used for agriculture. The history of the place therefore extends beyond the later building phases of the Hall and church.

The Church of St Michael was rebuilt in 1849 by Mr Mainwaring. Its four-stage ashlar tower has eight gargoyles in the form of griffins and lions. St Michael & All Angels also has a restored historic organ. The date places the rebuilding in context; the tower and gargoyles identify specific design details, while the organ adds another aspect of the church. This brings its design and furnishings into focus alongside its building history. The 1849 rebuilding took place just over five decades after the present country house was built.

Walk 1: Closed Sections

On Walk 1, the sections listed as permissive footpaths between points 3 and 4, and between points 7 and 8, are currently closed. Check the current path status before setting out and take both closures into account when deciding whether to go for a walk.

Discover more destinations: Norton Disney, Barrow-Upon-Humber, Stamford, Saxilby, Saleby, Healing, East Barkwith, Rippingale

For the main travel overview: Lincolnshire.