Newlands Manor

You are here Home  > Private Parks & Gardens >  Newlands Manor
Item image
HCC Site ID: 1017 Parish: Milford-on-sea
Designations: House. lodges, gate piers, temple,
clock tower all LB II; CA. SINC
Access: No Public Access Ownership: Multiple private

Image: Google online

Location and site

Newlands Manor lies between Everton and Milford on Sea less than a mile and a half from the sea. The land rises gently from the south and a stream crosses from west to east flowing into the lake. Woodland and belt planting to the west, south and east shelters and screens the house from view.

Historic development

Sir John Hadley D’Oyley moves from Newton Park and builds a cottage at Milford. In 1800, Admiral Cornwallis rented the Manor from Sir John, and after the house burnt down in 1802 Cornwallis acquired the freehold and rebuilt the house in a ‘Strawberry Gothic’ style. The estate was managed by Mary Whitby, the wife of a friend, John Whitby, who helped to complete the house and layout of the grounds and inherited the estate on Cornwallis’ death in 1819. The house was set in a parkland landscape with clumps and belts of trees, a little copse screens views of the house from the principal approach through a ‘Gothic’ lodge with gate piers and rails in the north east.
The pleasure grounds around the house included a woodland garden with sunken/water garden with ponds and rills, conservatory and sweeping lawns down to the lake, with four (now three) islands, the south drive crosses a bridge with railings over the inflow and the outflow was a cascade surmounted by a rustic bridge. A walled kitchen garden with a clock tower, glasshouses and a ‘Dutch’ garden on the west side. There are three other lodges including the Round Lodge on the north side of the park. Gothic railings and gates enclosed the pleasure grounds from the surrounding parkland.
Mrs Whitby’s daughter, Theresa, inherited the estate in 1850, she was married to Frederick West, there is no evidence of any change during this period. The estate then passed to their second son, William Cornwallis West, who married and had three children and during the 1890s entertained lavishly; guests included British and German royalty, a line of commemorative lime trees were planted between 1896 and 1902. Patsy, one of the granddaughters, was a great gardener and planted lots of flowering shrubs including azaleas and rhododendrons.
Geroge inherited in 1917, and put the estate up for auction in 1920. It was bought by John Cecil Power, who did a great deal to the house and gardens, including a new terrace and balustrade on the south side, tennis courts, one with ‘Doric’ pavilion, Yew hedges, formal paths and steps linking the house to the lake, one enclosed by a Cypress avenue. An Italian garden was created in the central court of the house.
In 1950 the estate was divided up and sold, the house and grounds of 38 acres was divided into 12/13 dwellings, each allocated some garden area, the remaining area including woods and lake managed communally by a joint management company.

Current description

Views of the house from the lake and vice versa are now screened by trees. Some large old oak trees remain in the parkland and adjoining the lake. Much of the tree canopy in the woodland west of the house was taken out by the 1987 storm and has since been replanted. Evergreen plantings including Holm Oak, Pine and Cedar, other more ornamental planting, including Palm trees around the house, London Plane and a large Hungarian Oak.


Early 19th century park, woodland and lake, with 20th more formal terraces and pleasure ground around a Strawberry Gothic house – originally with views to the Solent and Isle of Wight.

HGT Research: November 1999


Click here to visit Milford on sea local history site

Our address

Milford-on-sea No Public Access Click for Disclaimer & copyright
50.739493180564416, -1.6009850800037384

Comments are closed.