The summerhouse, balustraded terraces around the formal garden and the pond represent the surviving landscape structures of the gardens which Thomas Mawson designed for Albert
Ochs at his new house at Walmer Place between 1902 and 1903. The house was demolished in 1960.

In 2019 the summerhouse, terraces and pond were considered for designation as a Listed Building. The resulting assessment led to the decision not to designate the structures.

From the assessment report: "The summerhouse, balustraded terraces around the formal garden and the pond under assessment represent the surviving landscape structures of the gardens which Thomas Mawson designed for Albert Ochs at his new house at Walmer Place between 1902 and 1903. Significantly the house was demolished in 1960 meaning that the context of the garden structures, particularly the terraces which formed the immediate setting to the house, has been greatly diminished. Subsequently, the loss of a significant portion of the balustrading of the terraces, including all of the sea-facing side of the east terrace, means that insufficient original fabric remains to justify ascribing architectural special interest to these features. This in turn has a detrimental effect on the setting of the summerhouse which was an integral feature at the termination of the southern end of the eastern terrace.

The summerhouse itself is of some architectural merit with high quality stonework to its classical
detailing, and it survives largely intact. Mawson designed gazebos and summerhouses in a wide variety of styles and although clearly of quality both in design and workmanship, it cannot be claimed to be innovative in style nor especially representative of Mawson’s work.

The ornamental pond has been significantly reduced in size, has lost its original profile and context
within the overall design and, also, presumably, the stone edging which was likely to have been a feature (although this is unsubstantiated). The small fountain, even if partly original, is not of any particular quality.

Thomas Mawson was undeniably a significant figure in the history of early-C20 landscape design, both for his substantial number of commissions for country houses and public parks in Britain and
internationally, and for his influential writings on landscape design theory and practice. This is reflected in the large number of his landscape structures which are listed. However, the vast majority of these are either within registered parks and gardens or where the bulk of the designed landscape and/or house survives. Neither is the case here. The gardens at Walmer Place were not a particularly early commission for Mawson (his first was in 1886) and, although the designs were exhibited in 1903 at the Royal Academy, do not appear to have been either a notable milestone in his career, nor innovative in terms of the style which is typical of late-Victorian/Edwardian landscape design. Neither Albert Ochs, nor any of the subsequent owners of Walmer Place, are of national significance."(1)

Historic England, 2019, Historic England Advice Report: Case name: Summerhouse, Terracing and Ornamental Pond, Walmer (Unpublished document). SKE52335.