Walled Kitchen Garden, formerly belonging to Hale House

The walled kitchen garden, formerly belonging to Hale House, was built around 1790 for the May family of Hale Park and extended in the 19th century. It features extensive walls constructed on a south-facing slope, enclosing an area of approximately 150 meters by 60 meters. The garden consists of two large square enclosures and a narrower side or slip garden on the eastern side.

The walls are made of red brick laid in English bond, with some burnt headers, standing over 3 meters high with curved coping. The tall northern section has pilasters at regular intervals on the rear side, and the intermediate walls include cambered and round-headed openings. The western wall was originally built with mud or cob but has mostly been rebuilt in a replica style with tiled copings, making it of lesser interest. The eastern and westernmost sections of the garden were enclosed on the southern side in 1884, using red brick in English bond with black tiles for the coping. The central compartment remains open on the southern side.

Historically, these walls enclosed the former kitchen garden of Hale Park and were constructed after the estate was sold to the May family in 1788, likely replacing an earlier kitchen garden closer to the house. Originally, the garden was open on the southern side to facilitate the 'roll-off' of frost, a common practice at the bottom of a slope.

This walled kitchen garden is a significant and well-preserved example, forming an integral part of Hale Park, which is a Grade II* registered historic landscape. The walls also have group value with the nearby Rectory on Queen Street. The Garden Cottage is not included in the listing.