Backershagen

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

Description

HISTORICAL GARDEN AND PARK LAYOUT (1) belonging to the historical country estate Backershagen. The historical garden and park layout of Backershagen has a particular stratification within which the following are discernible: the geometric base layer, the early landscape layout and the layout in mature landscape style with a single early twentieth-century element. The start takes place at the beginning of the 18th century, when against the farmhouse situated on the terrain, Cornelis Backer and Maria Clara van der Hagen built a country house. Traces in the park that lead back to this geometrically designed layout are the house site, which is still situated more or less on this original location, a section of the kitchen garden wall and some old lime trees at the house and on the Rijksstraatweg that recall the access avenue. Moreover, the 17th-century canal system with the Zijlwetering as the supply route and the branch-off from the Zijlwetering in two right angles along the rectangular meadow towards the house still determines the structure and appearance (meadows) of this northern part of the park. The original water avenue, the access route over water, which led right behind the house and ended there, forms an important element (see Cadastral Minute Map). Until the 19th century the house was accessible via a long straight approach road from the Rijksstraatweg and by water along the aforementioned water avenue from the Zijlwetering (compare Cadastral Minute Map from 1822 and Noorda map from 1839). On either side of the approach road lay the rectangular utility gardens, of which the southwestern utility garden is still recognisable in structure. The northern utility garden was bounded on the eastern side by a straight ditch, which branches off at a right angle towards the water avenue. This water course has been preserved in the field. Parallel to the Rijksstraatweg lies an elongated terrain with a well-preserved layout in Anglo-Chinese or early landscape style. In 1772 Cornelis Backer began this layout, which on the western side is characterised by a winding and fine-meshed layout of moss mounds (containing the shell grotto alias hermitage), a large mound section on the side of the Rijksstraatweg (with the cupola), a winding water feature and a small-scale pattern of winding paths including a beech avenue on a berm. The planting consists principally of oaks and beeches. In this park layout there were three park meadows with winding edging in irregular curves (named: arable land, hermit meadow and thorn meadow) and a rectangular donkey meadow. The southernmost meadow and the middle meadow were separated from the country estate after 1910 as open space for two new country estates, Ivecke and Wiltzangk (both country estates are protected as national monuments). Within the layout lies also a deer park, which probably served as such since the end of the 18th century (now called De Hartenkamp). The Cadastral Minute Map from ca. 1820 indicates at this location the deer park with a deer house on the western side and a smaller building, probably a summer house. The deer park has remained recognisable as open space in the field. The path network, which partly dates from the 18th century, is also recognisable. Due to the separation in 1910, the early landscape layout of Backershagen covers approximately two-thirds of the original area.

The later developments of the layout concentrated particularly around the house. After Backershagen came into the hands of Prince Frederik in 1846 - also owner of De Paauw and De Horsten - changes took place in the park around the house, probably to a design by Zocher jr. The front is re-landscaped as a narrow park meadow so that the approach road wound in curves (see print P.J Lutgers from 1855). But it is particularly garden architect Petzold who leaves his mark on this part of the layout. To a design by Petzold in 1854 (map in Royal Household Archives) the curves of the approach road are flattened to the current layout and in the park solitary trees and tree groups are planted, for the benefit of the perspective views so typical for Petzold. This specific planting of solitary trees and tree groups is still recognisable in this park section. Petzold's design aimed to create a relationship between, among others, De Paauw and Backershagen. In the wooded section on the northeastern side of Backershagen, some walking paths that were part of this relationship are still partly recognisable, if these were not already laid out earlier by Zocher. On some paths the original paving is still present. The original baroque pond and the basin in the park wood on the northern side of the house were expanded to the current curved water feature in landscape style. Petzold's intention was to realise a large water feature in landscape style here, of which therefore only a first outline as far as the old shipping ditch was executed. The Umfahrungsweg (circulation road), which Petzold laid out on the orders of Frederik Hendrik, is also clearly recognisable and runs from the Backershagenlaan (from component 12) with a gentle curve through the park. Around 1926, at the request of the then owner Mr A.G.M. Swart, under the direction of garden architect Leonard Springer, a modification takes place. A new access road was made from the Backershagenlaan, which winds in gentle curves towards the rear. On the northern side of this road a small park layout in landscape style was created with small water feature, park planting and a view of the meadows on the northwestern corner of Backershagen, as has been preserved to the present day. After the construction of the new house in 1984, the view from the house towards the Rijksstraatweg was damaged by the creation of a new water arm (in the extension of the ditch east of the former northern utility garden) with screening shrub planting. Also, because the new building was placed somewhat further forward, the relationship between the side facade and the sight line over the water feature beside the house was altered.

Valuation

The HISTORICAL GARDEN AND PARK LAYOUT is of general cultural, architectural and garden-historical importance:

- on account of its age;

- on account of the 18th-century layout in early romantic Anglo-Chinese landscape style which, through small-scale mound structure, winding paths and grotto, represents a very high degree of rarity value;

- on account of the particular coherence of the various landscape park sections, dating from different periods and designed by, among others, Zocher jr., Petzold and Springer. For the oeuvre of garden architect C.E.A. Petzold on account of characteristic layout of tree groups and solitary trees and approach road between the house and the Rijksstraatweg.