Description

SHOBROOKE SHOBROOKE PARK
SS 80 SE
2/89 Sundial Terrace, including
- steps, walls, seats and sundial

GV II
Large, landscaped terrace in ground of Shobrooke Park, now demolished, comprising
front retaining wall, flights of steps, ornamental seats, fountain and sundial
1851, by T L Donaldson for John Henry Hippisley. Portland stone throughout wits
brass sundial. Classical style. Long, ornamental terrace overlooking landscape
valley to east. 2 long terraced lawns (originally gravel with grass verges an
banks) enclosed both sides and back by yew hedges on a 3rd terrace. The front
retaining wall and parapet rises each side terminating with forward breaks, and, in
the middle, breaks forward squaare with large semi-circular projection around the
sundial, centrepiece of the lower level. Each of the 3 banks has central flight of
stone steps leading back from the sundial to a circular stone-walled fountain it
the middle of the upper level. This marks the entrance from a Yew Walk to site of
Shobrooke House to south-west. Further flights of steps lead from wide middle
terrace up to large ornamental stone seats at each end. Front retaining wall is
slightly battered with 3 projecting bands of verniculated rustication. The parapet
is interrupted by a series of square piers which rise above the moulded coping;
simple caps along main walls, vases at either end, and bals with an obelisk each
side around centre. Sundial is fixed to a fluted drum on Tuscan base with neck
decorated with carved lions' masks and festoons set on octagonal plinth of 3 steps.
Ornate brass dial inscribed 'Carpenter and Westley, Regent Street, London, 1851'
and includes the initials of John Henry Hippisley. The stone steps off all sides
of middle terrace have low plain side-walls and square terminals showing marks
where ornate brass flower-pots were originally fixed. The steps to fountain and
shell seat (to north) have higher side-walls and ornate terminal piers, fielded
panels of rustication below key-pattern frieze with verniculated ball caps. Large
apsidal stone seat at south end has fluted brackets under seat with shaped arms,
shaped fielded panels on back with moulded broken scrolls sweeping up to centre
where surmounted by carved shell. At north end the apsidal stone shell seat is
semi-circular in plan with ornate elliptical shell canopy. Flanking pilasters have
projecting bands of verniculated rustication with moulded edges; scrolls with
floral enrichment and canopy surmounted by carved-shell acterion shaped arms to
stone seat, fielded panelled at back with panelled frieze interrupted by fluted
brackets.

Listing NGR: SS8551301583

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26455919

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)