Category: Porfolio

A Fascinating Day in Woodbridge

I promised in my last News Letter that I would write a short account of a visit that Val and I made to Woodbridge in October..   I think it was possibly the only wet day during the whole of the month, but it was nevertheless a fascinating trip.   We had been to Woodbridge before, but this was the first time we gave ourselves the opportunity to look around some of the Pulhams’ old Home Town. Continue reading “A Fascinating Day in Woodbridge” →

James Pulham in Scotland

130900 - Scottish Rock Garden Cover 600 x 850by Claude Hitching

(This is the complete article – a few deletions were necessary during the editing process due to space limitations is July 2013 Issue of The Rock Garden)

James Pulham and Son are best remembered these days for the picturesque rock gardens, ferneries, follies and grottoes they constructed during the Victorian years.   Continue reading “James Pulham in Scotland” →

The Pulham Legacy in London

James Pulham and Son, the eminent firm of Victorian and Edwardian landscape artists, are mostly remembered today for their picturesque rock gardens, ferneries, follies and grottoes with which they embellished many of the great country estates and parks around the country, but, as garden fashions evolved around the turn of the 20th Century, they also extended their portfolio to include grand, balustraded terraces, and formal Italian and Japanese-styled gardens.   They supplemented this by manufacturing a wide range of very high-quality garden ornaments, such as fountains, vases, urns, seats and balustrading etc in their Manufactory in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.   Continue reading “The Pulham Legacy in London” →

James Pulham in Wales

James Pulham and Son are best remembered these days for the picturesque rock gardens, ferneries, follies and grottoes they constructed during the Victorian years.   This was the time when tourists returning home from their ‘Grand Tours’ of Europe sought to create natural habitats in their gardens for the ferns and Alpine plants they had collected during their travels.   Hence the fashion for rock gardens, and, if natural rocks were not economically available, the Pulham craftsmen would ‘make their own’ by building up heaps of rubble and old bricks, and coating them with their own proprietary brand of cement that soon became known as Pulhamite.   The craftsmanship of the ‘rock builders’ lay in their ability to sculpt the surfaces to simulate the colour and texture of natural rock.   Continue reading “James Pulham in Wales” →

News Updates

The Pulham Website Newsletters

In an attempt to keep our readers and visitors up-to-date with everything that is happening in the ‘World of Pulham’, we have decided to produce occasional News Updates that can be accessed from this page.   Just click on the dates to go to the complete Newsletter selected.

March ’18
  • A coveted award from The Gardens Trust
  • Welcome to ‘pulham.rocks’ – a new name for The Pulham Legacy website
  • Coming Soon – ‘The Pulhams of Broxbourne’ DVD
  • St Albans Court, Nonington, and Thornby Hall, Northamptonshire – two newly rediscovered Pulham gardens
  • Leonardslee Gardens to reopen to the public this year
  • Lever Park, Rivington – Restoration update
  • Your R V Lifestyle – ‘100 Things to do in the U K’
  • The Rectory, Wallington, Hertfordshire – a link with the Hitching family?

Click Date on left for Details

November ’17
  • The final ‘Pulhams of Broxbourne’ presentation – for the ‘Worth Park Friends’ at Worth Park, Crawley.
  • News of two newly-discovered Pulham sites – Nymans and Bournemouth Gardens
  • A Linked Series of Coincidences involving Silver Cups and a Pulham Family Bible and Photograph Album.
  • An update on the Gardens at Dyffryn, South Wales
  • A new website launched by The Friends of Danesbury Fernery
  • Looking for a book to buy for all your friends and family – or even yourself – for Christmas? . . .

(Click Date on left for Details)

August ’17
  • Heading for my final ‘Pulhams of Broxbourne’ presentation before I hand over the reins to Val. (See below)
  • A Pulham fountain is discovered in Rhode Island, New Jersey
  • Probable Pulham garden features are discovered in Dyffryn Gardens and Dumbleton Hall
  • Previously unreported Pulham gardens are discussed for the first time at Chateau Impney. Rosherville Gardens and Headley Park.
  • Pulham gardens at Sunningdale Park, Bearwood College, Leonardslee and Bawdsey Manor pass into new hands.
  • A Pulham Rockwork Trail has been set up at Waddesdon Manor.
  • Great News at Lowewood, but discouraging news at Ewell Court House.

(Click Date on left for Details)

June ’17

• A previously unrecognised and unrecorded Pulham rock garden in West Sussex
• Completed and newly-commissioned restoration projects part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund
• Archive pictures of the Villa Ste Ursule, in Cannes, France – Obadiah’s first assignment for Thomas Smith
• Pictures of some (non-Pulham) rockscapes around the French Riviera
• Examples of work done by one of Pulham’s most gifted stone modelers
• The restoration of a Pulham fountain in the Isle of Wight
• A Silver Award for Val Christman and her team for their garden at the Chelsea Show

(Click Date on left for Details)

March ’17

(The Pulham Memorial Letter)
  • Report on the Special Pulham Memorial Event, including the Opening of the Memorial Site and Garden, and the Launch of the ‘Romance in Stone’ Exhibition at Lowewood Museum, that runs until 29th April 2017
  • Interactive Video Tours of five of the Pulhams’ most prestigious gardens
  • Recording of the BBC’s Three Counties Radio interview about the Exhibition and the Pulham Story
  • Report on the Pulham Conference on 9th March
    • (Click Date on left for Details)

Christmas ’16
  • Latest Update and Programme for the Special Pulham Memorial Exhibition, 14th January – 29th April 2017
  • Two Video Clips
  • Is there Pulhamite in Francem and Have we Found one of Pulham’s First Terracotta Pieces?
  • Two Pulham ‘Paris Vases’ find a New Home
  • Updates from two ‘Pulham Castles’
  • How the Heritage Lottery Fund has helped two of Pulham’s Parks
  • Val has the Last Word in Video Interview.
    • (Click Date on left for Details)

November’16
  • Update on the new Pulhams Memorial Project at Broxbourne
  • How About a Pulham Convention on 9th March 2017?
  • A Special Interest Day at Waddesdon Manor
  • A ‘New’ Pulham Site at The Newgate Gap, Margate, Kent
  • ‘Rock Landscapes’ Gets onto a Book Club List
  • 2016 Presentation Diary Ends on a High Note
  • Does Your Local Park Need a ‘Friend’?
    • (Click Date on left for Details)

July’16
    • The new Pulhams of Broxbourne Memorial Project
    • A Trip to End All Trips
    • The Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Presentations
    • www.pulham.org.uk Gets a Facelift and Makeover
    • Discovery, Recognition and Restoration – A review of five sites and restoration projects
(Click Date on left for Details)

May ’16
  • Reports on Latest ‘Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Presentations
  • Another Great Day in Woodbridge
  • ‘Site of the Month’ Reaches its final Chapter
  • The Pulham Picture Puzzles
(Click Date on left for Details)

March ’16
  • An Exciting New Discovery in S E London 
  • A Wonderful Picture of the Pulham Family
  • The Heritage Lottery Fund Steps in Again
  • ‘Smash Hit’ Results in a Return Booking for ‘The Pulhams of Broxbourne’
  • The Pulham Picture Puzzles
(Click Date on left for Details)

Christmas ’15
  • The Pulham Picture Puzzle
  • A Fascinating Day in Woodbridge
  • Two more Special Dates for the Presentation Diary
  • A Special ‘Site of the Month’ for January
(Click Date on left for Details)

November ’15
  • The Special Pulham Study Day at The Swiss Garden
  • Presentation to the Welwyn Garden City U3A Gardening Group
  • ‘Rock Landscapes: The Pulham Legacy’ – A Special Gift for Christmas
  • A Fascinating Day in Woodbridge
(Click Date on left for Details)

September ’15
  • A Special Pulham Study Day at The Swiss Garden
  • Major Pulham Restorations at Worth Park, Crawley
  • ‘Buy TheBook’ Page Updated
  • ‘PL1’ – Your Key to a Very Special Offer
(Click Date on left for Details)

April ’15
  • ‘The Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Presentations
  • A Special ‘Pulham Study Day’ at The Swiss Garden
  • Dewstow – One of Alan’s ‘Best Back Gardens’
  • ‘Sites of the Month’ since May ’14
  • ‘PL1’ – Your Key to a Very Special Offer
(Click Date on left for Details)

November ’14
  • ‘The Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Presentations
  • Rediscovery, Restoration and Preservation
  • More Pages on the Pulham Legacy Website
  • ‘PL1’ – Your Key to a Very Special Offer
(Click Date on left for Details)

July ’14
  • Pulham Garden Crafts Ltd Triumph at Chelsea
  • The Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Presentations
  • ‘PL1’ – Your Key to a Very Special Offer
(Click Date on left for Details)

May ’14
  • Forthcoming Presentations in Hertfordshire
  • ‘Site of the Month’ Updates
  • ‘PL1’ – Your Key to a Very Special Offer
(Click Date on left for Details)

November ‘13
  • ‘PL1’ – Your Key to A Very Special Christmas Offer
  • A Most Interesting Approach from NADFAS
  • We Mark the Passing of a Truly Remarkable Lady
  • The ‘Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Presentations go to Wales
         (Click Date on left for Details)

September ‘13
  • Danesfield House Book Signing on 13th August
  • What’s new on www.pulham.org.uk
  • Getting ready for Wales.
(Click Date on left for Details)

August ‘13
Part of the NGS Open Day Celebrations at

Danesfield House,

Henley-on-Thames
will be a Book Signing of

Rock Landscapes: The Pulham Legacy

by Claude Hitching

between 2.30 – 4.30 p.m.
(Click Date on left for Details)

June ‘13

A Miscellany of Trips

  • Rediscovery of a New Pulham Site
  • An Accidental Trip on a Trip to London
  • A ‘Pulhamite Celebration’ at Bawdsey Manor
  • A Presentation and Tour at Shipton Court
  • Dewstow on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live

April ‘13
  • Dates for the Diary – Presentation Bookings
  • ‘Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Exhibition
  • The www.pulham.org.uk Site Map

January ‘13
  • The ‘Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Exhibition Rolls On
  • Dates for the Diary – Presentation Bookings
  • American Guests Enjoy Their Day in Hoddesdon and Broxbourne
  • Heritage Lottery Grants for Pulham Sites

December ’12
  • Four Prestigious Book Reviews
  • Pulhamite Featured on Channel 4 tv
  • New Pulham Garden Discovered
  • New Silver Cup Discovered
  • Original Prize Pulham Vases Discovered
  • Report on the ‘Pulhams of Broxbourne’ Exhibition at Lowewood Museum, Hoddesdon
  • St Katherine’s, Parmoor, Frieth – Report on Presentation on 8th November
  • Site of the Month Website Feature
  • Take the Advice of the Experts