Description

BRISTOL

ST5772NW CLIFTON HILL, Clifton 901-1/14/787 (South side) 08/01/59 Grotto approximately 85 metres south of Goldney House (Formerly Listed as: CLIFTON HILL (South side) Grotto at Goldney House)

GV I

Grotto. 1737-64, dated 1739. Limestone ashlar, decorated inside with shells, quartz and rock crystal - 'Bristol diamonds'. Ashlar entrance has a 2-centred arched doorway with 2-panel door, similar flanking windows with trefoil heads, and octofoil central window above, all with hoodmoulds with uncarved stops. INTERIOR: a very fine pillared hall with fountains, rock pool, statue of Neptune and a Lion's Den. HISTORICAL NOTE: In 1762-5 Thomas Paty was employed in "grinding, gooping and laying" tiles in the Grotto at Goldney House: '...surpasses all the English (grotto) examples in the imagination and fantasy used in the selection and combination of shells and stones' (Gomme). (Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural History: Bristol: 1979-: 163; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: North Somerset and Bristol: London: 1958-: 447; Colvin H: A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840: London: 1978-: 626).

Listing NGR: ST5744172736

External Links

• Wikidata Q17528446

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)