Stanage Park is located on the south side of the Teme valley to the west of Knighton, on the English border. Its associated park is noted as an outstanding example of picturesque parkland laid out by the famous landscaper Humphry Repton (1752-1818). Stanage was the last and most complete of his three recognised Welsh landscape commissions. His picturesque improvements, castellated house (nprn 140661) and enclosed garden survive almost intact and are recorded in a 'Red Book', still kept at the house. A later nineteenth-century arboretum and formal terraced gardens lie to the north and west of the house. 

The house is set on a rise between two hills near the centre of its park. Two drives approach the house from entrances and lodges on the A4113: one from the north-west (now Old School House, 30948); the second from the north-east (Hartsease Lodge). The latter approaches through the east park (Finches Park) and the former through the west park (Baynham Park), retaining part of its former avenue. The natural landform and the positions of the drives are used to cleverly obscure the house from view until the final approaches, a device typical of Repton.

The early history of the park is unclear. The 'Red Book' shows that Repton did not undertake any large-scale earth-moving or tree-planting at the site but augmented what was already there; the woods, the stream, the deer park and ponds and the drive, 'the wild, shaggy genius of Stanage'. Most of Repton's efforts focused on the east park and the area around the house. An existing deer park in the west park was retained, perhaps establishing its wooded character and the more open ornamental character of the east park which was recorded on the 1888 Ordnance Survey map. The main tree planting in the west park and the park plantations, including Park Bank Wood, happened after 1807 when a William Hope began to plant around 65,000 trees - larch, oak, Spanish and horse chestnut - for Charles Rogers, inspired by Thomas Johnes' planting at Hafod (700128).

The gardens and wooded pleasure grounds lie to the east and north of the house (86264).

Sources:
Cadw 1999: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Powys, (ref: PGW (Po)24(POW)).
Ordnance Survey first-edition six-inch maps: Shropshire LXXVI.16 (1889).
RCAHMW air photos: 955031/50-3; 965145/41.

RCAHMW, 13 July 2022