Description

BICTON BICTON PARK
SY 08 NE
3/11 Garden ornaments and furniture in
-
11.ll.52 the Italianate Gardens
GV II*
Walled and terraced formal garden. Early C19. Flemish bond red brick walls with
limestone coping, brick-lined ponds, statuary of limestone, cast iron or alloy on
stucco pedestals, cast iron fountains and limestone garden furniture.
Large formal garden extends down a terraced slope south-west of the Orangery (q.v.).
Either side are tall walls ramping down at each terrace. These walls do not fully
enclose the gardens. They stop short each side and the lower terrace is bordered by
a wide U-shaped pond fed by a natural stream. This pond frames a large rectangular
ornamental pond. The terraces are filled with various features; fountains, statues
and vases (both on square-section pedestals of stuccoed brick), benches, steps,
raised flower beds and a sundial.
Starting from the top and working down, first there is a large gently-sloping
terrace with paths around the edges (now tarmac over pitched cobbles). The curving
path along the front of the Summerhouse is lined with a series of vases, the 2 in
the middle large and broad, those each end narrower with the sides carved with
classical figures. Then approximately 10 metres from the Orangery and in the centre
is a brass sundial on a limestone pedestal like a turned baluster. The dial is
inscribed G and GW Dixey, New Bond Street, London. The dial is flanked by small
circular ponds towards the Orangery and raised flowerbeds away from it. Each pond
has a small cast-iron fountain; dolphins at the base and a cherub holding the
fountain spout and basin aloft. The raised beds are of limestone, are octagonal
with outwardly splayed panelled sides on a guilloche-decorated base and a large
curving rim. Moving down to the path above the first terrace are a number of vases,
some with acanthus leaf enrichment and others broad and narrow, and a couple of
smaller vases along the upper side of the path. Towards either end of the path are
limestone benches; large scrolled arms, a cable mould along the top of the back and
supported on a series of balls. Either end Portland stone steps lead down to the
middle terrace. They have cast iron railings on standards which have foliate bases
and caps, and each flight has 3 vases in which the bases are lobed and the sides
carved with trailing vines in fruit.
The middle terrace is relatively narrow. Across the centre there is a line of
statues; vases each end, and 2 cherubs either side of a taller central statue
comprising a pair of Bacchanalian putti with another on their shoulders holding a
cornucopia. The path returns across the top of the second terrace and is lined by 4
vases. The garden walls here have gateways through each side, the north-western is
a C20 rebuilt but the south-eastern is original with a cast iron gate. The paths do
not extend down to the lower terrace. Most of this terrace is taken up by the large
rectangular lake. In the centre is a large ornate cast iron fountain comprising 5
diminishing stages of ornate lobed vase-like basins and standing on a granite plinth
with soffit moulded coping. At each corner there is a large pedestal each with a
statue of a rustic, eg. a shepherdess and harvestman with scythe. A path round the
outside of the hordering lake is also lined with vases.
These gardens form but a part of the C19 landscaping scheme which was conceived on a
grand scale and includes a group of fine listed buildings such as the Orangery
(q.v.) and the Palm House. (q.v.). The garden is so arranged that Hayward's Church
of St Mary (q.v.) shows in the valley to the left as one looks down. It is partly
hidden by a stand of trees but gap was left in the middle of these to concentrate
the view on the Rolle obelisk (q.v.) which stands on the brow of the next hill.

Listing NGR: SY0727085940

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17546628

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

• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)