Description

WIMBORNE ST GILES
SU 0311 ST GILES HOUSE

13/111 Grotto 250m south-east
of St Giles House

II*

Grotto, 1750s by Castles of Marylebone. Flint and rubble with tiled and
slated roof. Overgrown and in a state of dereliction so that much of
the structure is hidden. Positioned so that the structure appears to
be the source of a spring feeding the ornamental lake. Three rounded
arches, the central one leading into the main grotto and the outer ones
leading into subsidiary compartments. The main grotto which cannot now
be easily entered has walls lined with shells, fossils, coral and stone
mounted on a lathe and plaster vault, partially collapsed. It consists
of 2 chambers the innermost of which is said to contain a C19 tiled floor
and fireplace. The subsidiary compartments contain flints suspended from
iron hooks. Main grotto has a plank door. An important example of this
type of grotto but now in a state of considerable disrepair. (RCHM, Dorset,
vol V, p 97, no. 6. Newman, J and Pevsner, N. The Buildings of England:
Dorset, 1972, p 473. Jones, B, Follies and Grottoes, 1953, p 47-9).

Listing NGR: SU0344811422

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537918

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

• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)