Monument Type(s):

• ICEHOUSE (Late 18th century - 1760 AD to 1799 AD)

Summary

Site of an icehouse of 18th century date.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA4807 - 1988/1989 Survey of Walled Garden and Farm by CHAU
• ESA5590 - 1995 evaluation at Apley Castle by University of Bristol Archaeological Service (Ref: UBAS ACP 95A)

Description

Immediately outside the southern end of the east wall of the earlier walled garden at Apley Castle is the entrance to an ice house. This has a decorative curving brick parapet over an entrance doorway leading to the passage into the main chamber of the ice house. The style of the brickwork suggests that this dates from after the mid 18th century. It could have been built at the same time as the dovecote to the north [PRN 17433] <1>

In 1987 the NE facing ice house was cleared of rubbish dumped there in the 1960s. Well preserved brickwork was found, with access to the chamber via a corridor 3.65m long 1.2m wide and 1.8m high. On either side are long horizontal recesses 1.2m from the ground. There is one door frame recess at the chamber end, but probably there was an outer door as well. At the outward end is a concave ramp rising to ground level, clearly to facilitate filling the ice house. An egg-shaped chamber, 3m diameter and 6m overall height is located under the NE facing wall of a large melonry. The corridor leads into the upper third of it. There are two drain holes on opposite sides of the inner cavity. It has been suggested that the ice houses, undocumented, are associated with the second castle on the site, completed in 1620. This is highly unlikely. Later building phases included to most recent castle built in the late-18th century. Ice to fill the chambers would have been gathered from ponds in the grounds. <2>

Photographs taken and submitted to the HER in 2012 of the walled garden and icehouse. <3>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.