Farnborough Hall is a registered historic parkland and a rare example of a ferme ornée, or ornamental farm. Bequeathed to the National Trust in the 1960s, a restoration and conservation programme followed in partnership with Natural England to transform the parkland back to its 18th-century style.
Farnborough Hall is a rare and very special example of a ferme ornée (ornamental farm), created in the 18th century by William Holbech II. The estate was passed to the Trust in 1960 with the endowment of Geoffrey Holbech.
Early 18th-century design saw the transition from rigid symmetry and formality towards a looser, more natural and informal style. However, this was also the period where the owners of smaller properties were able to make their mark and be influential.
The work to restore Farnborough's parkland has been ongoing since the 1960s and we now have a Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement with Natural England.
The aim is to deliver significant environmental benefits:
By embarking on a parkland conservation and restoration programme, it's hoped that the parkland views will be restored back to 18th-century design.
Views and vistas are fundamental to the designed landscape at Farnborough, with framed views capturing the pastoral idyll, ornamented with garden buildings, farm buildings, temples and an obelisk.
There are circuit walks along shaded avenues (known as the terrace) and walks beside water with the pools and cascade.
The terrace walk once allowed visitors to admire wide long-distance views across the landscape; it's our ambition to provide this experience to visitors once more.
9 November 2015
Phase one of the project began with work on the pools, with contractors working alongside an archaeologist to strip down and rebuild the southern Sourlands Weir, stabilising the bank sides and refurbishing the pathways.
This work enabled people to walk side-by-side around the pool, as they would have done in the 18th century. To date, this has been one of the largest projects the Trust has undertaken on site.
Find out when Farnborough Hall is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.
Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England. They help to protect and restore our natural world.
Explore Farnborough Hall’s grand staircase and ornamental plasterwork, before discovering the grand landscape vision of William Holbech II.
Farnborough is an outstanding example of the work of Sanderson Miller. Water features, walkways, hedge and tree planting were in contrast to the open and, at that time, unenclosed agricultural land of the Midlands.
Find out more about the funding the National Trust receives from grants, and the projects it has helped support.
We believe that nature, beauty and history are for everyone. That’s why we’re supporting wildlife, protecting historic sites and more. Find out about our work.
Read about our strategy, which focuses on restoring nature, ending unequal access and inspiring more people.
