ACTIVITIES
Swiss Garden
Next door to the Shuttleworth Collection and part of the Shuttleworth Estate is the Grade 2* listed Swiss Garden, a wonderful example of the 19th century fashion for the Picturesque The Ongleys Old Warden Park, one of the finest estates in Bedfordshire, was bought by Sir Samuel Ongley, a wealthy London merchant in the late 17th century. The 2nd Lord Ongley probably planned the garden in the early 19th Century but it was the 3rd Lord Ongley of the East India Company, who succeeded to the estate on his 21st birthday in 1824, who created the garden in the picturesque style. There is a legend which says that the garden was a trysting place for himself and his Swiss mistress. On a more mundane note, Swiss Picturesque was a popular style in the early 19th century. The garden is a perfect example of this style and seems much bigger than it actually is because the naturally flat area was remodelled with pools and mounds created to give contrived vistas and an illusion of a larger garden. Serpentine paths wind through glades and rose arbours, over bridges and past ornate garden seats. There is a grotto made of tufa stone leading into a fernery, housed in a good example of early English glasshouse construction. There are a number of small pretty rustic buildings in the garden and central to the design is the delightful thatched ‘Swiss Cottage’ raised on a mound. There are good examples of cast iron work, bridges, trellis and a huge iron arch. In the chapel, a tiny building built for contemplation, you can see a book of psalms on a slate bed which was restored by the stonemason at Burghley House. The picturesque theme is continued in the estate village of Old Warden, also built by the Ongleys. Inside the church, there is a superb collection of wooden carvings installed by them at the same period as the garden was created.
farming and estate management as well as in The Shuttleworths motor racing and aviation but unfortunately he Lord Ongley was childless and in 1872 the died in a flying accident in 1940 when he was estate was sold to Joseph Shuttleworth from only 31yrs old. His mother formed the Richard Lincolnshire, partner in the engineering firm of Ormonde Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust to Clayton & Shuttleworth. In 1876 he built a grand administer the garden, the collection and the new house for himself and his family. His son estate but the Second World War and Frank was one of the original members the privations which followed over of the Bedfordshire County the next 40 years, meant the Council as well as continuing Visiting garden was neglected. In to run the family firm. In the spring you can 1976 the Bedfordshire The Shuttleworths see masses of daffodils, in County Council introduced some early summer there are spectacular were approached Victorian features rhododendrons and if you visit in June to take over the to the garden. there are scented rambling roses. management of the They remodelled Opening Times: 1st March – 31st garden on a long the grotto and October 9am-5pm lease. They restored introduced 1st November – 28th February 9.30am-4pm it and opened it to elaborate flower Admission: £5 adults, Concession £4, the public in 1981. beds: they planted Children under 16 Free a number of Tea Room, Plants for Sale, No dogs. specimen trees and Getting there: Take the A1 south for about unusual variegated 45 miles then on the Biggleswade plants. They also made bypass follow signs – it 2 miles west a dogs’ graveyard - the along the B658. colour of each headstone (SG18 9EP) represented the colour of the dog’s coat. Ironwork from Clayton and Shuttleworth was used to replace a bridge so that boats could sail under it. Bedfordshire Richard Shuttleworth inherited the Old Warden Estate on his 23rd birthday and took a keen interest in
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