Pleasaunce

Pleasaunce is an archaic English term for a pleasure ground or recreation area within a noble or gentry estate. Derived from Old French plaisance, it referred to a designed space set aside for leisure, promenading, and contemplation, separate from productive or defensive areas. In Tudor, Elizabethan, and early Stuart manor houses, the pleasaunce might be enclosed by hedges or walls and connected to the house by a terrace or walk. It could include features such as lawns, groves, avenues, water features, rustic structures like temples or follies, and seating for socializing or solitude. The aim was to provide a naturalistic yet curated setting in which owners and guests could stroll, pause, and admire views or sculpture, in line with the era’s emphasis on leisure and display.

Over time, the term fell out of common usage as landscape design terms shifted toward “pleasure grounds” or simply “gardens.” However, pleasaunce appears in historical inventories, plans, and descriptions of estates, illustrating its role as a distinct component of aristocratic domestic landscapes. The concept remains relevant to studies of early modern English garden history and the social functions of outdoor spaces in the pre-modern period.