Building record 0193906001 - GROTTO IN GROUNDS OF FAWLEY COURT

Summary

Eighteenth century garden grotto in grounds of Fawley Court, with reused medieval arch, corbels and window.

Protected Status/Designation

Listed Building (II) 1125742: GROTTO AND RUIN IN FAWLEY COURT GROUNDS

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Type and Period (4)

FOLLY (18th Century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (15th Century - 1400 AD to 1499 AD)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (14th Century - 1300 AD to 1399 AD)
GROTTO (18th Century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)

Description

FOLLY ORIGINALLY HOUSED PART OF FREEMAN'S COLLECTION OF THE ARUNDEL MARBLES (B1,B3-5).
Grade II. Garden folly in form of ruin with domed grotto. Mid C18, by John Freeman of Fawley Court. Flint, with some stone dressings, and tiled roof over dome. W. end has projecting passage with C14 moulded pointed arch at entrance and roundel with egg and dart moulding above. Behind passage is a high wall with ruinous outline, incorporating a re- used 3-light Perpendicular window and 2 moulded stone corbels. Left side of passage has arched niche; right side has small closet with remains of arched shelves. Grotto has wide semi-circular arch with flanking roundels to N. and massive rusticated rectangular doorway of knapped flint with pediment to S. To left of doorway is a brick arch with flint imposts and keyblock, to right is a roundel. Interior has fine dome of flint with ornamental ribs and frieze of knuckle bones. Entrances now have 1984 metal grills. Folly originally housed part of John Freeman's collection of the Arundel marbles, including a fragment of the Pergamon altar. (G. Tyack, Records of Bucks. Vol. 24 p. 134-5)(B6).

Sources (5)

<1>SBC20462 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1925. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume III. Volume 3. pp38-40; Illustration opposite p37.
<3>SBC11706 Bibliographic reference: Nikolaus Pevsner. 1960. The Buildings of England: Buckinghamshire. p135.
<4>SBC11402 Bibliographic reference: OS RECORD CARDS SU 78 SE 01 (FILED).
<5>SBC15186 Article in serial: Geoffrey Tyack. 1982. 'THE FREEMANS OF FAWLEY AND THEIR BUILDINGS', IN RECS OF BUCKS 24, PP130-143 & PLS V-VII. Vol 24. pp134-136; Plate Via.
<6>SBC3985 Bibliographic reference: DoE. 1986. LIST OF BUILDINGS OF SPECIAL ARCHITECTURAL OR HISTORIC INTEREST: BUCKS; WYCOMBE: PARISHES OF FAWLEY &C. p10.

Location

Grid reference	SU 76670 84010 (point)
Civil Parish	FAWLEY, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire