Pulhamite artificial rock

Artificial folly and rocks created by James Pulham.    Image from thelondonphile.com

Man made rock gardens have existed in Japan since the late 7^th century.   The man made aspect of those gardens refers to the artfully placing of natural rock as opposed to the creation of artificial rock.

In Europe, archaeological evidence for early use of concrete is found from along the banks of the Danube River in Yugoslavia, where in approximately 5600 B.C. it was used to make floors for huts.   The earliest cultivated ornamental gardens were created by the Egyptians around 500BC and it is conceivable that early concrete will have been fashioned in to rock like shapes for decorative purposes.

The English landscaped garden style (as opposed to the formal, symmetrical style popular in the 17^th century) became popular in the early 18^th century.   Some gardens included the use of local stone, layered and positioned to form what appeared to be a naturally occurring feature.

While there were probably earlier, individual attempts to create landscapes using artificial rock, The Pulham family of Hertfordshire were one of the earliest to industrialise the product.   The Pulham family garden ornament business was set up by James Pulham I (1793-1838) and the firm was developed in turn by the eldest sons, all called James, in three successive generations. James Pulham I commenced his career with the Lockwoods, a family of builders in Woodbridge, Suffolk, manufacturing cements. Around 1806 James Pulham I created the architectural decorations for The Castle, a house built in Woodbridge for William Lockwood, and also built a grotto in its garden.

James Pulham II (1820–98) was quick to diversify, capitalising on the market for this new material. By the 1840s it was being used not only in the repair of buildings but as a building material. Pulham moved to Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in c1838, and shortly afterwards started work on his first artificial rock garden, for John Warner at Hoddesdon Hall.

Read more at Pulhamite rockwork – Its conservation and repair

The Pulhams went on to create large artificial rock landscapes at such locations as Buckingham Palace gardens; St.James’s Park, London; The V&A museum and Battersea Park.   These are just some of the London locations.   There are almost 200 Pulham gardens elsewhere in Britain and the rest of the world.

Close inspection of the artificial rocks nowadays reveal some deterioration as can be seen on this site: Michaels Bookshop.   There are companies that specialize in the restoration and repair of ‘Pulhamite’ rock such as www.alanbishopandassociates.co.uk  and www.rockscapes.co.uk

The images on the book shop site show detailed images and although the landscaping appears natural from a distance, closer inspection proves them to be man made.   Modern materials and technology allow craftsmen nowadays to create more lightweight and more natural looking rock and stone features.

Alan Bishop’s and Rockscapes’ services are for permanently installed features.   As a ‘lightweight’ version of the artificial rock industry: www.artificialrocks.co.uk, we supply smaller portable rocks for landscaping use and we also hire rocks for stage, photographic and film use.   Although unconnected with the Pulham family, by coincidence we are a little over a mile from the Pulham site at Broxbourne and local roads feature the names of Pulham and Warner.

Rockscape created with fake rock panels
and lightweight artificial rocks.