EXTRACT FROM MAYFIELD PARK CHRONOLOGY

includes the relevant bibliography

• indicates documents attached

1854

Col. Robert Wright bought 35 acres (14.2ha) of Weston Grove Estate from William Chamberlayne which included the Charles Fox Memorial, erected by Chamberlayne in 1810*, and the Weston Upper Arch to the south of Weston Lane (Leonard 1984, 76). Photo of Fox Memorial (Cain 2005a).

1856

Col. Wright built Mayfield House on the northern half of the park with stable block, walled kitchen garden and lodge at the main entrance approach drive (City News 1988)* & (Bitterne LHS 1915, 398)*.

1857

Col. Wright died before the house was completed, but his widow and son continued to live there (Leonard 1984, 76).

1871

The 1st ed OS 6” Map shows a well-wooded park bounded by Weston Lane on the east; Barnfield, on the south; a boundary line east of the carriageway to Weston Grove House, on the west; and Portsmouth Rd to the north. The stable block and kitchen garden are shown, the latter containing two glass houses, and a water well in the centre. There is a lodge but no entrance drive by it. Orchards are present below the kitchen garden (OS 1871, 6”)*. The photographs show these sites. (Cain 2005b-d)*. The Fox monument is marked at the centre of the park and the upper arch is indicated crossing Weston Lane. An ice house is marked N of the railway line which is said to have been on Mayfield property (OS 1871, 6”).

1880-1881

The 1st ed OS Map 25” emphasises the breaks of slope on three sides of the garden area surrounding the house, and definitions of the driveways and paths. There is now an entrance drive from Weston Lane. The arch and ice house are shown. (OS 1880-81, 25”)* & (Mulholland 2005).

1889

The Mayfield estate was bought by the 3rd Baron Radstock (City News 1988)*.

1897-1898

On the 2nd ed OS Map 25” the arch over Weston now leads to a cricket ground but the ice house is no longer shown (OS 1897-98, 25”)*.

1905

Photo of Mayfield House seen from the base of the Fox Monument (Fountain 1984)*.

1909-1911

The 3rd ed OS Maps 25” and 6” show property development taking place mainly on the Woolston side of Mayfield Park (OS 1910, 25”)* & (OS 1911, 6”)*.

1913

The 4th Baron succeeded his father and lived at Mayfield until his death (without issue) in 1937 (City News 1988)*.

1914-1918

During WW1 part of the house was used for convalescent soldiers as an annex for The Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley (Abrahams 2005) & (Bitterne LHS 1915, 398)*.

1931-32

The upper arch over Weston Lane was removed to widen Weston lane (Arnott & Wragg 1994, 145) & (Fountain 1984)*.

1933

The OS map shows housing development along Weston lane. The southern part of the estate is shown as a sports ground with a pavilion (OS 1933, 25”)*.

1937

On the death of the 4th Baron the estate was sold to Southampton Corporation. Lord Radstock had stated in his will that the park should be kept as public open space. The Echo reported “Mayfield is a typical English Country Park, with great trees, pleasant lawns and colourful flower beds” (City News 1988)*.

References

Maps

Ordnance Survey (OS) maps from Hampshire County Council:

1st ed. 1871, 6”

1st ed. 1880-1881, 25”

2nd ed. 1897-1898, 25” & 6”

3rd ed. 1909-1911, 25” & 6”

4th ed. 1933, 25”

Books

Arnott, A., & Wragg, R. 1994 Images of Southampton, Derby, Breedon Books

Fountain, D. G. 1983 Lord Radstock of Mayfield, London, Mayfair Christian Books

Leonard, A.G.K. 1984 Stories of Southampton Streets, Southampton, Paul Cave Publications

Other sources

Abrahams, I. 2005 Personal communication – from MIND nursery

Bitterne Local History Society (LHS) 1915, Copy 398 Mayfield House

Cain, A. 2005a-d Photographs of the Fox memorial, stable block, lodge and site of orchards, taken by Researcher

City News 16 June 1988

Mulholland, 2005 Personal Communication – from Bitterne Local History Society