Historische aanleg, Van Limburg Stirumweg bij 2

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Component description 2: park layout at Van Limburg Stirumweg 2

PARK LAYOUT, the landscaped layout of Oranjestein was created in various phases during the 19th century, whereby the present more or less square complex grew from the narrow park strip in the west along the Domineessingel and its extension (Van Limburg Stirumweg) and was completed in several subsequent phases (1846 and 1872) through the purchase of successive new north-south strips. Designer of the western half of the landscape park is Roodbaard; this section dates from the 1820s; the other park sections were laid out after 1846 and 1872 respectively and essentially continue Roodbaard's style. The layout is determined by a number of large open spaces, separated from each other by parkland or tree-lined avenues. This alternation of spaces and rising vegetation is present chiefly in an east-west direction. Small open spaces, scattered throughout the landscape-designed park, are largely formed by winding water features and adjoining grassland; there is a fine-meshed network of winding paths, mostly accompanied by avenue planting consisting of oak, beech or linden, and for a large part laid through uneven terrain. The so-called flower garden, which extends to the south of the house over virtually the entire length of the plot, is also traversed by a network of unpaved winding paths, which are so sunken into the lawn that they are invisible from eye level. Striking is the location of most of the buildings and pavilions in the park: rather scattered and mainly on the fringes. Although the house itself lies in the extreme northwest corner of the complex, it is entirely connected to the layout by two sight lines; one running southwards from the house over the entire length of the flower garden, the other towards the southeast over the menagerie pond towards the deer park; after the acquisition in 1872 of the last plot to the east, the present vegetable garden and orchard were laid out in the extreme northeast corner of the complex; a new pond was also dug in this eastern section, and a deer enclosure was made in the 1880s between the vegetable garden and the menagerie (northern section) and in part of the original Roodbaard layout (southern section); this latter section is surrounded by a narrow winding pond and is very hilly. There are five water features in total in the park; these do not connect with each other, nor with the ditches that surround the estate for much of its extent; to the east of the house lies the small kidney-shaped pond of the poultry yard (see further under 7), at the end of the flower garden lies the so-called Coffee Pond, a long narrow water feature that suggests a stream flowing into the park from under the Domineessingel; over the "stream" lies a chain bridge (see under 9). Then there is the Grotto Pond in the south near the Bieruma Oostingweg: a more or less round pond with two winding offshoots amidst a grotto-like world with deeply-set winding paths in "ravines", lined with stumps. Around the southern section of the deer enclosure lies a winding pond with a broad offshoot towards the orchard; finally there is the already-mentioned New Pond, which was dug only around 1890: a bean-shaped water feature with an offshoot. Apart from those already mentioned, the layout of Oranjestein has a number of other place names. Such as Third World, Stump Path and Jewry. For a more precise location of these elements, reference is made to the toponym map of the site (dated July 1991 and prepared by the Stichting Particuliere Historische Buitenplaatsen (PHB)). The park layout of Oranjestein is as it were framed by four avenues, all still traceable to the subdivision of the 17th-century Oranjewoud; one of them, the Oostlaan, forms an integral part of the complex and partially forms the eastern boundary; the other avenues are now public roads, but are nonetheless included within the protected complex as important structural carriers. All avenues are planted with single rows of oak; only in the Oostlaan are there also some American oaks and conifers. Within this avenue pattern, the park of Oranjestein possesses a landscape layout whose visual-spatial and architectural qualities are of a high standard; the western park strip consists to a large extent of the same layout as it was created under Roodbaard. The remaining parts of the park are very fine examples of a landscape-style park in which the unity of the layout is especially determined by the two sight lines from the house. Highly remarkable for the park of Oranjestein is that it appears much larger than is actually the case, and this is achieved within the boundaries of the park itself and not—as often is the case—through sight lines extending beyond the park. The use of poetic motifs and surprise elements makes the visitor feel as though they are in an Arcadian landscape; this effect is reinforced by the presence of many "follies", the scattered water features in an undulating small-scale landscape, and the very fine-meshed network of winding paths, which creates a sense of disorientation (wandering).

Valuation

PARK LAYOUT is of general importance:

- because of its age and development history;

- because of the high degree of integrity of the original Roodbaard layout;

- because of the interesting fact that the park was laid out in various phases and yet forms a unity;

- as an excellent example of the small-scale character and intimacy of a Roodbaard park;

- because of the visual and spatial coherence with the other components of the estate.