Monument record 0420802037 - Temple of the Saxon Dieties, Hawkwell Field, Stowe Landscape Gardens

THE SAXON DEITIES (7 STATUES OF THE SAXON GODS) HAD DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, THE LAST BEING HAWKWELL FIELD, C.1753. THE STATUES WERE SOLD IN 1921; IN 1992 THE SITE WAS EXCAVATED. THE STATUE BASES/FOUNDATIONS SURVIVE & A CENTRAL AREA, THE FLOOR OF THE THORNBOROUGH BARROW (CAS 0782) (SEE REPORT,PLAN) (16).
Sunna, Mona, Tiw, Woden, Thoner (Thor), Friga and Seatern - seven statues giving their names to the days of the week carved by John Michael Rysbrack in 1728-30. The statues were less than life size and stood on square pedestals 1m high. Thery were arranged in a circle around a central altar with seven niches for the priests to officiate for each day of the week.The gods were originally sited to the east of the house interspersed with topiary. In 1744, they were moved to surround the Gothic Temple and the altar was left behind. In 1764, they were moved again to a new site to the north of the Gothic Temple and a new complex of paths established. The figures were presumably sold in the 1921 sale although the catalogue refers to only one figure. Friga was later acquired by Clough William Ellis. The bases survive in good condition and are constructed of ironstone and red frogless brick in a hard yellow/cream mortar,. The bases are more or less square measuring 1m x 1m. The brick and mortar cores survive in all but two cases. Some limestone ashlar facing survives on the most northerly pedestal. The central feature is a rectangular raised area which is the floor of the 'Thornborough Barrow' raised about 6cm above the original ground surface. It is contructed of orange/brown gravel indifferently mortared. Resting on the surface are fragments of Roman tiles. (18)
A further condition survey of the bases was carried out in 1995 prior to restoration work (19)
The National Trust Survey of Stowe undertaken in 1989 noted a long hollow (40m x 15m) with an open end facing south towards the Gothic Temple. A brick/stone pedestal some 75cm square was recorded in the west side and a planting of yew trees on the east. The statue of Friga sold in the 1922 estate sale is now at Portmerion. The floor of one of the Roman Thornborough barrow was noted to be an area of rough limestone masonry about 2m square (20).