Building record 600/5/7 - Statue of Shepherd Boy in Green Court

Garden statue. C.1710 probably

{1} Garden statue. C.1710 probably by John Nost (Jan Van Nost). Lead on limestone base. Shepherd boy playing a flute and wearing wide-brimmed hat, coat, belt with water bottle to left side, loose breeches and boots. His left arm is resting on a tree stump and he is standing in 'contraposto' pose. A small dog lies at his feet. Stone pedestal with moulded base and cornice and panelled sides. The statue formerly stood in the park on the same axis at the point where the former main drive from the gates to the Preston Capes road turned at right angles to enter the present Green Court to Canons Ashby House (g.v.). (Canons Ashby gardens and park are included in the HBMC Register of Gardens at Grade II*; National Trust Guide 1984, p.28).

{3} There are to the north as well as the west several fine sets of gatepiers, both Jacobean and Queen Anne. In the garden a fine lead figure of a shepherd boy, the only survivor of several lead figures made for Edward Dryden by John Nost c.1700.

{4} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 19/30 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.136 (checked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Photographs of buildings in Canons Ashby (Photographs). SNN111842.

Record last edited

Jul 8 2024 1:03PM