Heritage

The Brandreth Family

Houghton Hall initially looked south onto estate parkland stretching toward the A505 (since developed for housing and industry). It was commissioned by Alice Brandreth in 1700. The Brandreth family’s association with Houghton Regis began in 1652. The small estate of Sewell, an ancient hamlet that today lies within the town parish of Houghton Regis, was given to Henry Brandreth by Parliament for his support of the victorious Parliamentarian army in the English Civil War.

One year later, he added the Manor of Houghton, the church of Houghton Regis and the land surrounding them to create his more significant estate of Houghton Regis. A successful businessman and now a country gentleman,

Henry became an active and respected statesman in Parliament. Just before the Restoration of Charles II, the high command of the New Model Army appointed him to the Committee of Safety, which was established in 1659. Henry is also mentioned in Samuel Pepys's famous diary.

Henry Brandreth never lived in Houghton Hall but in the manor house on the opposite side of The Green from where the hall was built. It wasn’t until 1692 – 19 years after his death – that his daughter, Alice Smythe, bought the land and building of Houghton Hall began. While Alice moved into the hall on its completion in 1700, other family members continued to live in the manor house.

The hall made a significant statement, both as a landmark and for the prestige of the Brandreth family in Houghton Regis. The land south of the hall was designed and transformed in the fashion of the great landscape designers of the day, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and Humphrey Repton. The views from the hall over their land would have been important to the Brandreths, and theirs was an uninterrupted one over several miles to Blows Downs, framed by trees.

The Renaissance and Renewal Project

Historic changes in ownership (including council boundaries) left the parkland diminished in size, but the park was awarded a bid of £2.2 million to transform the park from Heritage and Big Lottery Funds ‘Parks for People’ grant scheme in June 2015. The programme supports heritage parks in improving their condition, becoming better managed, and better recorded, interpreted, and explained, with a view toward long-term sustainability.

The Renaissance and Renewal project has so far restored the vitality of the park by:

• Bringing together different user groups

• Increasing accessibility and pride

• Celebrating local park heritage

• Improving visitor facilities to meet the needs of a growing modern community

The ‘Renaissance and Renewal’ is built on the park’s ‘living heritage’ to protect it for future generations.

A site management plan includes maintaining wildlife and increasing the site's biodiversity. During the natural seasonal cycle, annual conservation management and maintenance activities include mowing the meadow and scrub clearance. A constant balance is managed in the woodland areas: opening up the tree canopy to benefit the people, flora and fauna below and maintaining cover for resident and migratory birds. The diversity of landscape habitats is a heritage feature of the site and will be enhanced and protected. During the project, consultant ecologists and landscape and heritage specialists have undertaken habitat mapping, landscape surveys, and breeding bird and bat surveys. Wildlife in the park will be protected and accommodated whilst landscape heritage features have been identified, restored, explained and interpreted for future generations. The project involved tree felling and planting, but only to open up historic sightlines and protect certain species from disease.

Houghton Hall Park is now owned and maintained by Central Bedfordshire Council and Houghton Regis Town Council. The park's day-to-day operations have been transferred to Houghton Regis Town Council.

Houghton Hall Park is ‘the green lung of Houghton Regis’, so its value to residents cannot be underestimated. Although the Hall is an important landmark, it is now privately owned and does not form part of the park.

The Renaissance and Renewal Project was delivered in partnership with a number of organisations:

Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund

Since 1994, the Heritage Lottery Fund has been the largest dedicated funder of heritage in the UK. It uses money raised by National Lottery players to help people across the country explore, enjoy, and protect the heritage they care about. The Heritage Lottery Fund website can be accessed here.

Houghton Regis Town Council

Houghton Regis Town Council, established in 1980, provides services for the town's residents and is a key partner in delivering this project. To visit the Council’s website, please click here.

Central Bedfordshire Council

Central Bedfordshire Council is a unitary authority covering Houghton Regis, Dunstable and the region. Central Bedfordshire Council led the Parks for People bid to restore Houghton Hall Park. You can visit Central Bedfordshire Council’s website.

Houghton Regis Heritage Society

Houghton Regis Heritage Society worked closely with the park partners on a range of projects to uncover the history of the Park. To find out more about the group, please click here.