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FABULOUS FOLLIES
...and Landscape Curiosities

Gloucestershire with Bristol

BADMINTON                                                          ST 811 838

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  Hermit's Cell

  The Hermit's Cell, also known as The Root House, is in   the deer Park of Badminton House. It was designed by   Thomas Wright of Durham for the Duke of Beaufort in   about 1750.

  A rustic seat at the rear has an inscription of nail heads,   that reads;

  ''HERE LOUNGERS LOITER-HERE THE WEARY REST''.

​  Postcard posted: 1905

BATSFORD                                                             SP 186 338

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Batsford Lodge

The lodge to Batsford Park was designed by Sir Ernest George and possibly Harold Peto for Algernon Bertram Freeman, who had inherited the estate in 1886. In the 1860s, he had been a diplomat in Russia, China and Japan, and installed a teahouse in the arboretum at Batsford. In 1905, he became Lord Redesdale.

BERKELEY

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Crenellated cottage

Near to Berkeley Castle is a crenellated cottage.

BERKELEY

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 Temple of Vaccinia
 
  The rustic summerhouse in the garden of The Chantry       was built by Rev Robert Ferryman for his friend Dr   Edward Jenner in the late 18th century. In 1796, Jenner   performed his first vaccination against smallpox in the   hut and it was called the Temple of Vaccinia.

 It was restored in 2011.

  See also:
​  West Yorkshire STAINBOROUGH Sun Monument

BERKELEY                                       

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Kennels

Near to Berkeley Castle are the kennels of the famous Berkeley Hunt.








Date taken: 02/07/2012

BERKELEY                                                              ST 685 989

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Game Larder

There is a game larder at Berkeley Castle.









Date taken: 02/07/2012

BERKELEY                                                                   ST 685 989

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Tunnel












Date taken: 02/07/2012

BISLEY-WITH-LYPIATT                                      SO 903 058

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  The Seven Springs

  In 1863, the Rev Thomas Keble had a semi-circular   stone structure built to provide a public water supply. It   has five Gothic arched openings and two spouts on   either end of the wall from which water emerges. Keble   also started the tradition of well-dressings at the site.

BRISTOL                                                                   ST 579 729

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  Cabot's Tower

  Cabot's Tower was designed by W.V.Grough and built in   1897-98 in honour of John Cabot, the Venetian, who   sailed from Bristol for America   in 1497.

  The tower is 105 feet high and is in a public Park near   the centre of  Bristol.

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BRISTOL                                                                       ST 580 730

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​Bristol High Cross replica

A copy of Bristol High Cross was erected on College Green in 1851 and eventually the top section was moved to Berkeley Square in Clifton in 1950. 

The original Bristol High Cross was carved in 1373 and moved to College Green in 1733. In 1768, It was erected as a Gothic feature in the landscape at Stourhead.

See; Stourhead STOURTON WITH GASPER, Wiltshire.















Date taken: 02/07/2012

BRISTOL                                                                  ST 565 732

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  Clifton Down Observatory

 The Clifton Down Observatory, near the Suspension   Bridge, was built by James Waters as a snuff mill but   was damaged in 1777. In 1828, it was rented to the   artist William West for his studio. A wooden balcony was   added to the tower in 1835 and West also excavated an   underground  passage to Ghyston's Cave which was   opened in 1837.

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CHELTENHAM                                                          SO 955 234

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Pittville Park Bridge

Pittville was developed as a Regency estate from 1825 to 1842 for Joseph Pitt, a wealthy banker, lawyer, and MP for Crichlade.

Pittville Park was designed by Richard Ware as the centrepiece, with a pump room and pleasure garden. John Forbes designed the bridge at the end of Pittville Lake. 

CHIPPING CAMPDEN                                          SP 154 396

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  Campden Manor Gatehouse

 
The Jacobean gatehouse to Old Campden Manor was   built in about 1613 for Sir Baptist Hicks and was   repaired in about 1930.








  Date taken: 09/06/2016

CHIPPING CAMPDEN                                         SP 155 393

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  East Banqueting Hall
 

 The banqueting hall to the east of Old Campden Manor   was built in a Flemish inspired baroque style for Sir   Baptist Hicks between 1612 and 1627.








​  Date taken: 09/06/2016

CHIPPING CAMPDEN                                              SP 155 393

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​West Banqueting House























Date taken: 09/06/2016

CHIPPING CAMPDEN

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Carriage Splash

Wagons entering the town could pass through the wheel wash to remove mud. 

It could also be used to soak the wooden wheels to allow them to expand and tighten the spokes. 

​It was restored in 2015. 




​Date taken: 09/06/2016

CHIPPING CAMPDEN                                              SP 151 391

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Market Hall

​The Market Hall at Chipping Campden was built for dairy produce and poultry in 1627 for Sir Baptist Hicks. 








​Date taken: 09/06/2016

CIRENCESTER                                                       SO 972 031

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  King Alfred's Hall

  Following the advice of the poet Alexander Pope, Lord      Bathurst designed King Alfred's Hall as a banqueting        house in Oakley Wood, Cirencester Park. It was started    in 1721 and completed in 1732 and is said to be the        county's earliest mock-Gothic castle.



​  Postcard posted: 1907

CIRENCESTER                                                         SO 999 023

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Pope's Seat

Cirencester Park was laid out for Sir Allen Bathurst, a patron of Alexander Pope.Together they are said to have planned the avenues in the park from Pope's Seat.





Postcard posted: 1904

CIRENCESTER                                                           SP 013 022

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Hexagon

Lord Bathurst designed the irregular Hexagon in about 1736. 

It appears on Rudder's plan of 1779 as being where six vistas met, and had views to the Horse Temple and Hartley's Temple, that are no longer there. 
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There are two plaques at the site that read:

'Hic tuns Tamesine Pater septemgeminus fons'

Which is Latin for 'Here, O Father Thames, is your sevenfold spring'. 

The claim is that Seven Springs is the true source of the River Thames and not the one at Thames Head at Kemble. 

DIDMARTON                                                           ST 810 871

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  Worcester Lodge

 
The entrance lodge to Badminton Park was designed by   William Kent and built in 1746. There is a dining room   above the archway.

DYRHAM AND HINTON                                          ST 749 757

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Dyrham Park Lodges

The pair of lodges to Dyrham Park were built at the end of the 18th century in a style that William TYalman used when he designed the east front of Dyrham House in about 1700. 

EBRINGTON                                                            SP 176 428

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Hidcote Manor Pavilion























Date taken: 10/08/2014


EBRINGTON                                                            SP 176 428

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Hidcote Manor Summerhouse























Date taken: 05/06/2015


HAWKSBURY                                                         ST 772 878

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Somerset Monument

The Somerset Monument was erected in memory of General Lord Robert Edward Henry Somerset, who served with distinction at Waterloo in 1815. It was built by Lewis Vulliamy in 1846 and is about 100 feet tall.

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HENBURY                                                                 ST 561 787

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Blaise alcove

The garden alcove at Blaise Castle House was designed by Charles Robert Cockerell in 1831.









​Date taken: 02/07/2012

HENBURY                                                                  ST 558 783

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Blaise Castle

Blaise Castle, near Bristol, was built by Robert Mylne for Thomas Farr in 1766, at a cost of £3,000. It has three round towers and a circular core.

For other triangular castles see:
DUNCHIDEOCK, Devon.
ILFORD, Essex.
ARUNDEL, Sussex.
​BROADWAY, Worcestershire.

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HENBURY                                                                 ST 558 784

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Robber's Cave

Robber's Cave is constructed with large limestone blocks to form a naturalistic feature on the carriage drive to Blaise Castle. It may have been part of the landscape scheme for John Scandrett Harford in about 1800. 






​Date taken: 02/07/2012

HENBURY                                                                ST 559 789

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Blaise Hamlet

In 1811, John Nash designed the nine picturesque cottages for the retired workers from the Blaise Castle Estate.








​Date taken: 02/07/2012

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LITTLE COMPTON

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SP 230 321

The Four Shires Stone

The Four Shires Stone marked the boundaries of Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Worcestershire. Only three counties now meet at the stone because the parish of Evenlode was transferred from Worcestershire to Gloucestershire in 1931.

The ashlar limestone monument was described by Samuel Rudder in 1779 as, ''A handsome pedestal about 12 feet high with a dial on the top and an inscription to inform travellers that 'This is the Four Shire Stone'.''

It may have replaced earlier boundary stones on the site. 

​See also Three Shires Stone at Marshfield, Wiltshire.

MICKLETON                                                          SP 170 430

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  Kiftsgate Court Temple

 
The swimming Pool on the lower terrace at Kiftsgate   was  made in 1962 and the nearby colonnaded temple-   like changing room was built in 1984.  








​  Date taken: 05/06/2016

NORTH NIBLEY                                                    ST 742 956

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Tyndale Monument

The inscription reads:

ERECTED A.D. 1866
IN GRATEFUL REMEMBERANCE OF
WILLIAM TYNDALE
TRANSLATOR OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE WHO
FIRST CAUSED THE NEW TESTAMENT
TO BE PRINTED IN THE MOTHER TONGUE
OF HIS COUNTRYMEN
BORN NEAR THIS SPOT HE SUFFERED
MARTYRDOM AT VILVORDE IN
FLANDERS ON OCT 6TH 1536

The tower is by S.S. Teulon and is 111 feet high. It was opened by Lord Ducie and was visible from his new estate at Tortworth.

It can be climbed and the key is available from a house in the village.


PAINSWICK

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Anniversary Maze

Celebrating both the Millennium and 250 years of the garden at Painswick, the maze was designed by a local person. It is unusual in that there are three separate destinations to reach.







​Date taken: 02/07/2012

PAINSWICK                                                             SO 863 105

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Eagle House












Date taken: 02/07/2012

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PAINSWICK                                                             SO 863 105

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Exedra

The exedra at Painswick forms a centrepiece in the garden.









​Date taken: 02/07/2012

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PAINSWICK

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Pyramid

The pyramid in the churchyard at Painswick is a gravestone for John Bryan and his family.

Other pyramid graves are at;
​SHAROW, West Riding.
BRIGHTLING, Sussex.
BLICKLING, Norfolk.
NETHER WALLOP, Hampshire.



Date taken: 02/07/2012

PAINSWICK                                                              SO 863 103

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The Pigeon House

The upper-storey of the mid 18th century Pigeon House was for pigeons and below was a garden room.

The octagonal shape has eight windows on the outside but inside it is circular with only four windows.






​Date taken: 02/07/2012

PAINSWICK                                                              SO 862 105

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Plunge Pool

The Plunge Pool at Painswick is part of the Rococo garden of the mid 18th century.









Date taken: 02/07/2012

PAINSWICK                                                               SO 864 106

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The Red House












Date taken: 02/07/2012

PAINSWICK                                                              SO 862 106

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The Doric Seat

Originally a porch to the Pigeon House, the Doric Seat was probably moved to its present position in the 19th century.








Date taken: 02/07/2012

PAINSWICK                                                               SO 861 103

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Temple












Date taken: 02/07/2012

RODBOROUGH                                                        SO 849 041

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Rodborough Fort

Rodborough Fort is a large sham castle built for Captain Hawker in 1761 as an eyecatcher on Rodborough Common, overlooking Stroud. At one time it was known as Fort George.

It was enlarged for Alexander Holcombe in 1868 and became his residence.

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SEZINCOTE                                                          SP 171 310

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  Sezincote House

 
Sezincote House and Orangery were designed in the   Mogul/Hindu style by Samuel Pepys Cockerell, Thomas   Daniell and Humphry Repton and was built from 1800 to   1805 for Sir Charles Cockerell.







​  Date taken: 09/06/2016

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  Orangery












  Date taken: 09/06/2016

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  The Tent Room

 
The tent Room was originally the bedroom of Sir Charles   Cockerell and was linked to the house by a curved   passage behind iron trellis work.








​  Date taken: 09/06/2016

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  Sezincote Stables












  Date taken: 09/06/2016

SEZINCOTE                                                            SP 172 310

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  Grotto

 
The Grotto at Sezincote House was built at the   beginning of the 19th century by Thomas Daniell for Sir   Charles Cockerell.








​  Date taken: 09/06/2016

SEZINCOTE                                                            SP 172 310

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  Pavilion












  Date taken: 09/06/2016

SNOWSHILL                                                             SP 096 338

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Dovecote

The dovecote at Snowshill Manor is probably early 17th century. 

STANWAY                                                                     SP 061 323

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Stanway House Gatehouse

The Gatehouse to Stanway House was built for Sir Richard Tracy in about 1630. It was possibly designed by Timothy Strong, a local stone mason from Little Barrington. 

STOWE-ON-THE-WOLD

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Enoch's Tower

Enoch's Tower was built as a private museum of curiosities by local man Richard Enoch in 1848. By the end of the 19th century, it had been made into a house.

SUDELEY                                                                 SP 030 276

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Banqueting Hall












Date taken: 01/07/2012

WESTBURY-ON-SEVERN

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Summerhouse

The Summerhouse at Westbury Court Garden was built in 1702-4 and overlooks the T-shaped canal.




















​Date taken: 01/05/2013

WESTBURY-ON-SEVERN

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Tall Pavilion

The two-storey Dutch-style pavilion at Westbury Court Garden was built in 1702-3 to view the 150 feet long canal and beyond.



















Date taken: 01/05/2013

Copyright Ray Blyth 2018