Description

ST IPPOLLITTS LONDON ROAD
TL 12 NE (West side)
St. Ibbs

3/48 Observatory at South Wing,
- St. Ibbs, 90M to WSW of
house

GV II

Observatory. 1801 for Rev. William Lax, bill extant from Isaac Newton
glazier and plumber of Hitchin for work on it, probably re-using
materials from observatory dismantled from over great gate at Trinity
College, Cambridge, in 1797 (Lax's college). Red and black brick in
header bond; vertical boarding to top band. Roof collapsed. A small
circular building in middle of garden now rather overshadowed by trees.
About 3M of brickwork topped by about 1M timber cowl with small windows
at the cardinal points, part of the rotating cap. Wide segments of wall
thickened externally by 9 inches for full height (one containing
fireplace and flue) with recesses occupied by 3 windows and entrance on
E. Wooden window frames, segmental arches, and 4-panels flush-beaded
door with stone threshold. Remains of slate cap on floor. Interior lined
with matchboarding.

Listing NGR: TL1931026562

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26583164

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)