Building record 3320/3/14 - Remains of Former Greenhouse, Attached Monument, Wall, Gate & Gatepiers

Greenhouse. 1695 partly demolished c.1868. Coursed limestone rubble with limestone dressings. Formerly rectangular in plan and a single-storey, 13-bay range.

{1} Greenhouse. 1695 partly demolished c.1868. Coursed limestone rubble with limestone dressings. Formerly rectangular in plan and a single-storey, 13-bay range. 3-bay centre breaks forward and survives to full original height. Tall central doorway, approached by 2 low moulded stone steps flanked by window openings of same height and dimensions, all with plain dressed stone surrounds. Three rectangular blank panels above with similar surrounds. Plain dressed stone cornice and plain ashlar stone-coped parapet inflected by pairs of plain piers either end, with taller central section over middle bay with pairs of tapering piers flanked by volutes with cartouche of arms to centre. Piers, probably from Easton Maudit House, all carry terracotta pineapple finials. Chamfered quoins. Wings have been cut down to less than half their original height. Lower portions of similar windows and chamfered quoins. Former doorway now forms niche sheltering marble Italian Renaissance-style wall fountain. The Greenhouse stood on south side of churchyard of Church of St. Mary Magdalene (q.v.) and now forms screen wall. Against the former doorway and facing the church has been erected a large stone aedicule framing life-size marble statue of a female angel. Commemorating 4th Marchioness of Northampton, d.1877 by J.E. Boehm. Attached wall to right with gate leading from Italian Garden to park. Limestone ashlar gatepiers with moulded angles, moulded cornices and stone eagles on stepped bases. Low C19 gate with spear finials. The Greenhouse has been attributed to William Talman who was consulted in 1695 concerning alterations to the north range of Castle Ashby (q.v.), not apparently executed. The building appears on an estate map of 1760 before the park was naturalized by Capability Brown which shows a formal garden laid out in front on similar lines to present Italian Garden. (Castle Ashby park and gardens are included in the HBMC Register of Parks and Gardens for Northamptonshire at Grade I; Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: 1973, p138; H. Colvin: A Dictionary of British Architects, 1978, p806).

{4} A quite separate area of gardens lies out of sight of the house, south of the churchyard. This was developed in the later 1860s in what was previously the kitchen garden. The main entrance is under an archway at their north-west corner. From this a path runs along the north side of the gardens, here bounded by a wall which comprises a series of broad piers, part of the greenhouse of 1695 which previously stood here. Towards the centre of this wall three bays of the greenhouse survive to their full height, incorporated in a tall stone screen (whole structure listed grade II), with, on the garden side, an Italian Renaissance-style wall fountain and towards the church an aedicule framing a life-size angel commemorating the fourth Marchioness (d 1877).
The remains of almshouses were removed and in 1695 the greenhouse, possibly designed by the quarrelsome William Talman (d 1719), was erected on the south side of the churchyard.

{5} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 13/29 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.138 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> English Heritage, 1994, Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England (1994, Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Report). SNN1324.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Castle Ashby (Photographs). SNN111838.

Record last edited

Jul 7 2021 11:36AM