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Summary

Brick wall within the curtilage of Shaw House, on the west side of the North Garden, part possibly contemporary with the mansion but with several later alterations

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Conservation Area: Shaw House and St Mary's Church, Shaw
• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1001446: Shaw House

Monument Type(s):

• BUILDING? (Elizabethan - 1581 AD? to 1600 AD?)
• BOUNDARY WALL (17th century to Late 19th century - 1670 AD? to 1900 AD)
• GARDEN WALL (17th century to Second World War - 1670 AD? to 1940 AD)

Full Description

Historical maps <1> indicate that there was a brick perimeter wall enclosing the formal gardens at Shaw House, probably from at least the time of Thomas Dolman III, the owner from 1666-97. The garden immediately to the north of the mansion is likely to have had an internal wall on its east side as well, but this was removed in the first half of the 18th century. An orangery was also built across the north side of the North Garden in about 1700. The First Edition Ordnance Survey mapping <2> shows the western wall running from a wing of Shaw House up to Love Lane, although there is an entrance through it to the stableyard and coach house.

At the time of the survey of the garden's standing structures in 2003 <3>, most of the east face of the west wall was concealed behind a modern wooden fence within an area used by the occupier of The Cottage. However bonding in some parts of the west walls appeared to be contemporary with the brickwork of the house, and possibly the wall formed part of an original building since demolished <3><4>. Nail holes in the north and west walls suggest they once supported trained fruit trees.

The 2003 survey did look at the west side of the wall however, when it was described as the boundary wall between the school yards (of Shaw House/ Trinity School) and the back drive. It was rendered immediately to the north of The Cottage, implying that a lean-to structure had been demolished. The wall running up to the north gate onto Love Lane has a high sloping coping constructed with a double line of vertically set stretchers. It is mainly in English bond and was presumably rebuilt in the 19th century when the old buildings in the former stable yard were demolished <3>. The west wall butts up to the north boundary wall with a straight joint.

Since the fencing and late 20th century garden of The Cottage was removed in c 2013, the west side of the west wall has been revealed. The brickwork is predominantly in English bond, although there are insertions and additions. Closest to the mansion is a bricked up low doorway with a wooden lintel beam still in situ. A functioning door through to the yard of The Cottage is the next insertion, with two lines of brick headers above the opening, and a wider rectangular gateway with another wooden lintel is cut through the wall further north.

A Historic Building Recording report written by Cotswold Archaeology following a photographic survey found that the the west wall is likely to be contemporary with the house. It has various openings, alterations and repairs but is very largely in original condition. The entrance into the stable yard has been rebuilt and the elaborate coping is a repair or addition in its present form. It was probably added when the Love Lane wall was built and both sections have undergone repair since then <5>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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