Kearsney Abbey and Russell Gardens are the most popular, historic parks in Dover. They are located 2.5 miles north west of Dover town centre in the Alkham Valley, part of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Alkham Valley Road separates Kearsney Abbey (in the Parish of River) and Russell Gardens which is in Temple Ewell.
Both parks are carefully designed landscapes. Thousands of tonnes of earth were moved and trees planted to create the slopes, woods, water courses and lake. The River Dour, a spring-fed chalk stream, flows through the parks. Combined with ornamental lakes, this gives the parks a picturesque landscape style.
The origins of both parks can be traced back to grand country houses and estates built for prominent local industrialists in the early 19th and 20th centuries.
www.KearsneyParks.co.uk
Kearsney Abbey is laid out in an informal style. Its 10 acres of open parkland and lakes are popular with families.
Although never a monastic estate, the history of Kearsney Abbey can be traced back to the Norman Conquest.
The park as it exists today can be attributed to John Minet Fector, a local banker and merchant, who built a grand mansion on the site between 1820-1822.
Two adjoining ornamental lakes on the course of the River Dour provide a haven for water fowl. Kearsney Abbey also has a fine collection of specimen trees, including Beech, Lime and Yew. A prominent feature is a Cedar of Lebanon which is believed to be one of the oldest specimens in the country.
Russell Gardens is Grade II Listed in the English Heritage Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Historic Interest. It covers 10 hectares and is laid out in a formal style.
Originally known as Kearsney Court Park & Gardens, they were designed by the renowned Edwardian landscape architect, Thomas H. Mawson (1861-1933). Kearsney Court is believed to be one of the first independent commissions by Mawson, and is a very rare example of his work in the south east. Several set piece photographs of Kearsney Court were included in Mawson's book, The Art & Craft of Garden Making, which became a standard reference in its day.
The challenging steep terrain of the Alkham Valley provided Mawson with the ideal opportunity to create his signature design features - great terraces, pergolas and architectural features in a garden context. The magnificent 170m long canal pond, and Palladian-style pergola bridges and boathouse pavilion form the central architectural features of the park.
May/June Update
General update
We are pleased to say that all the pathways in Russell Gardens are now open. The areas that have been damaged by the recent flooding are set to be repaired over the next few weeks.
The main car park in Kearsney Parks is open summer hours from 7am until 9pm and is locked overnight. Parking is free for up to 4 hours.
The café is now open until 5pm daily, offering its popular range of baked good and light bites. The Kearsney kiosk is open at weekends selling a whole range of treats, including drinks and ice creams.
The Billiards Room is available to hire for private events, for more information, please see the Kearsney Parks website.
The grand border in Russell Gardens continues to establish well with colour throughout the year. The lavender bed is slightly late this year but just coming into flower and it is a haven for bees.
Please remember that fishing is not allowed anywhere in the parks and model boats are only allowed in the lower lake in Kearsney Abbey.
Wildlife
It continues to be a busy time of the year in the park for the wildlife, with young coots and moorhens doing well. The parents are protective of their young, so please be careful when you visit the park, and keep a respectful distance from the wildlife.
Please remember that even though dogs are allowed off the lead in some areas of the parks, they must always be under control and kept away from the breeding birds.
Forthcoming Events
Temple Ewell Art Workshop, with River Art Group, is holding an Art at the Abbey exhibition in the Billiards Room at the Kearsney café on 6 July from 9am-5pm, and on 7 July from 9am-4pm. For more details, please see www.kearsneyparks.co.uk/whats-on/events
Volunteering at Kearsney Parks
Volunteer tasks continue in the parks on a weekly basis. We continue to carry out general maintenance in all three parks, including working on the grand border and the orchard in Russell Gardens. If you are interested in volunteering, and would like to be put on our database, please get in touch at kearsney.parks@dover.gov.uk
Photography
There are many great opportunities for taking photographs in Kearsney Parks, and we thank everyone for sending their fantastic photos to us. Please feel free to send photos in and we will try to use them in our publications, including the Kearsney Parks Calendar and on our social media.
The eye-catching picture above was taken by Steve Elks.
Please send your photos to kearsney.parks@dover.gov.uk