Bringhurst Park, New Castle County

[Delaware_Gopher]

Bringhurst Park is off of Carr Road near I-95 & Marsh Road. This is a county park which is mostly in a wooded area with a jogging trail through it and a small stream with large rocks. This park also features some interesting stone structures which indicates that a house used to be located close by. I've searched the internet for information regarding this location but have failed to find any real information.

I am interested in talking to anyone with any information on this site. Has anyone every searched the area with a metal detector? Digging at this site would be a chore as the ground has many stones. I have talked to the New Castle County Department of Parks Division regarding using a metal detector at this site and they have informed me that there are no restrictions, however, they would like a phone call with details and times of any activity.

Best,
Brian

 

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[DETREASUREHNTR]

Rockwood Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is an English Country Estate in America. The Mansion, built between 1851-1854, is an excellent example of Rural Gothic Revival Architecture. Rockwood Mansion was built for Joseph Shipley, a merchant banker originally from Wilmington. The Mansion was Shipley's retirement home. Shipley spent most of his life in Liverpool, England where he became wealthy. Rockwood Mansion was inspired by Wyncote, Joseph Shipley's English country house designed by George Williams. Shipley had Williams design Rockwood Mansion, though he had never seen the site. Joseph Shipley moved his entire household from England bringing his favorite dog and horse (Toby and Branker) as well as gardener Robert Shaw and housekeeper Audrey Douglas.

After Joseph Shipley's death, Rockwood eventually became the property of his great nephew Edward Bringhurst Jr. in 1891. Bringhurst with his wife Anna and their three younger children Mary, Edith and Edward moved into Rockwood the next year. The Bringhurst's eldest daughter Elizabeth Bringhurst Galt Smith, affectionately known as Bessie, was married and living in a castle in Ireland at the time. Bessie was responsible for much of the decorative features of the Mansion during this period. The mansion currently represents the 1890s when the Bringhurst family moved into Rockwood, though much of Joseph Shipley's furniture (imported from England) is still is in place at Rockwood.
The estate passed to Mary Bringhurst who lived to age 100, and left the mansion to her niece Nancy Sellers Hargraves, who left it to an unnamed non-profit for the enjoyment of present and future generations. New Castle County received the mansion and acreage in 1973, with the Friends of Rockwood as caretakers. The mansion went under extensive restoration by New Castle County in 1999. The 72 of the acres of Rockwood Mansion Park includes the Mansion & Conservatory, Porter's Lodge, Gardener's Cottage and Barn & Carriage House currently under renovation and construction as a Visitors Center (opening in 2005).

The 6 acre historic garden of Rockwood is surrounded by a ha-ha (a sunken wall used on English estates instead of a fence to keep livestock away from the house, so it appears that the lawns are continuous). The landscape is referred to as Gardensque, a style that is characterized by long vistas, curving paths, and trees and shrubs bordering the lawn.
I hope this helps!

 

[Delaware_Gopher]

Hello DETREASUREHNTR, thanks for the excellent history of the Rockwood mansion! Very informative.

Bringhurst Park is approx 1/4 mile from Rockwood Museum and is close to Bellevue State Park.
I've thought that the structures at Bringhurst Park were garden pathways for Rockwood.

Best,
Brian