Description

CASTLE ASHBY CASTLE ASHBY PARK
SP8659
13/29 Remains of former Greenhouse,
attached monument, wall, gate
and gatepiers

GV II

Greenhouse. 1695 partly demolished c.1868. Coursed limestone rubble with
limestone dressings. Formerly rectangular in plan and a single-storey, 13-bay
range. 3-bay centre breaks forward and survives to full original height. Tall
central doorway, approached by low moulded stone steps flanked by window
openings of same height and dimensions, all with plain dressed stone surrounds.
Three rectangular blank panels above with similar surrounds. Plain dressed stone
cornice and plain ashlar stone-coped parapet inflected by pairs of plain piers
either end, with taller central section over middle bay with pairs of tapering
piers flanked by volutes with cartouche of arms to centre. Piers, probably from
Easton Maudit House, all carry terracotta pineapple finials. Chamfered quoins.
Wings have been cut down to less than half their original height. Lower portions
of similar windows and chamfered quoins. Former doorway now forms niche
sheltering marble Italian Renaissance-style wall fountain. The Greenhouse stood
on south side of churchyard of Church of St. Mary Magdalene (q.v.) and now forms
screen wall. Against the former doorway and facing the church has been erected a
large stone aedicule framing life-size marble statue of a female angel.
Commemorating 4th Marchioness of Northampton, d.1877 by J.E. Boehm. Attached
wall to right with gate leading from Italian Garden to park. Limestone ashlar
gatepiers with moulded angles, moulded cornices and stone eagles on stepped
bases. Low C19 gate with spear finials. The Greenhouse has been attributed to
William Talman who was consulted in 1695 concerning alterations to the north
range of Castle Ashby (q.v.), not apparently executed. The building appears on
an estate map of 1760 before the park was naturalized by Capability Brown which
shows a formal garden laid out in front on similar lines to present Italian
Garden.
(Castle Ashby park and gardens are included in the HBMC Register of Parks and
Gardens for Northamptonshire at Grade I; Buildings of England: Northamptonshire:
1973, p138; H. Colvin: A Dictionary of British Architects, 1978, p806)

Listing NGR: SP8636259100

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26293532

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5