History Of Hale Hall Part 2

The Hall and it`s attendant buildings was the hive of a small community of indoor and outdoor staff. In the 1851 census return, the staff numbered twenty, although other workers would have lived in the village it`s self.

Surprisingly there is some background to the photograph of the ride-on mower. It is a 24" Gleens Model of two and three quaters horse power. It was first produced in 1904, and a sale price of £70 brand new would have been paid. Such a large ride-on mower, would make light work of the large lawns, which surrounded the Hall.

The home farm and walled kitchen gardens by Mr. Nickson, could provide the kitchens with a wide range of fresh foods from the potatoe to nectarines grown adjacent to the heated walls which formed an enclosed garden. The walls of the walled garden were built to around 12 or 14 feet and they were honeycombed with flues which dispersed the hot fumes of fires burning at the base. The bricks when heated,, provided a warm mircrow climate for the many fruite trees tied and traind to the faced of the walls. In the 19 century the introduction of glass conservatories were introduce, these were built against the south facing walls and centrally heated hot water pipes. The garden was surrounded by woodland providing further shelter from wind and frost.

When it came to storing meat at the Hall, or even smoking, salting or drying of the meat if it were to be preserved for periods of time, there was an Icehouse situated close to the Hall under the shade of woodland, this provided an ideal enviroment for the storage of many fresh meats. It was built of brick next to a pit from which ice could be removed in the winter and deposited in the icehouse.

Hale Park, even though a small park, was formally laid out in the manner of the English landscape gardens early in the 19th century. This fashion practiced and promoted by "Capability Brown" and others in the 18th century, entailed the planting of belts and clumps of woodland across acres of sweeping grassland grazed by cattle. In order to extend the park north, part of the village was removed.

The construction of ha-ha walls, one of which exists in Hale today, formed

a barrier against the roaming live stock entering the gadens, whilst at the

same time provided uninterrupted views from the Hall to the park beyond.

Open woodland especially to the north of the hall consisting of Oaks and

Limes was planted and it was customary for a tree to be planted on the

occasion of the coming of age of members of the familly.