Shenley Park Walled Garden

History of the Frost Arches

• HOME
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
• ORCHARD AND MEADOW
  • HISTORY
  • APPLE VARIETIES
  • APPLE DAY
    • SHENLEY PARK APPLE DAY
    • HISTORY OF APPLE DAY
    • PREVIOUS APPLE DAYS
    • THIS YEARS APPLE DAY
  • WASSAILING
  • NATURE
• WALKS
• PLAY AREAS
• TEA ROOM
• WALLED GARDEN
  • INTRODUCTION
  • MAP OF WALLED GARDEN
  • IS THE GARDEN OPEN OR CLOSED TODAY?
  • HISTORY OF THE GARDEN
    • TERRACING
    • AMPHITHEATRE
    • APPLE TREES
    • FROST ARCH
    • PLANTING
  • GREENHOUSES AND PLANT SALES
  • EVENTS
    • EVENTS PAST
    • FUTURE EVENTS
    • TICKETS
  • NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME
  • OF INTEREST IN THE GARDEN TODAY
  • HIRING THE WALLED GARDEN
  • GUIDED TOURS OF THE WALLLED GARDEN AND GREENHOUSES
• APPLE JUICE
  • INTRODUCTION
  • PRODUCTION
• GUIDED WALKS AND TOURS
• HISTORY OF SHENLEY PARK
  • HISTORY OF PORTERS PARK
  • HISTORY OF SHENLEY HOSPITAL
  • HISTORY OF SHENLEY PARK TRUST

The Shenley Park Walled Garden dates back to the 16th Century.

Originally a working garden producing fruit and vegetables it was on one level, with 7 metres difference between the top and bottom of the garden.

Hot air rises so in effect during winter months the cold air would have drained to the bottom of the garden where the wall would have acted as a dam, creating a frost pocket. However, frost arches were built into the wall so allowing the cold frosty air to drain out and away. 

Around the Garden from the West Gate round to the South Gate there are arches at regular intervals at the base of the wall. If you look from the outside of the Walled Garden you can see several of these arches.

Inside of the Walled Garden, addition of compost over the years has caused the soil levels to rise, so covering the arches.

We have uncovered one of these arches inside of the Walled Garden so that you can see what they would have been like. The short path to the arch is paved with bricks that were salvaged by the Trust from a pathway that would have at one time led from the Mansion down to the Garden.

Uncovered frost arch	Tree root at base of frost arch

We do not know how long the arches were used for with the purpose of frost drainage but we do know that during the time of Shenley Hospital the arches were utilised for growing apple trees. From the photograph above you can see not only some very solid foundations of the Wall itself but also a tree root. The trees were planted at the bottom of the arch and then allowed to grow up either side of the wall. Due to the different environments inside and out an early and late fruit crop were produced.

If you know of any other walled gardens with frost arches we would be very grateful if you could let us know, we have not been successful in locating many others. Please contact us by clicking this link.