ROLVENDEN

945/0/10018 BENENDEN ROAD
10-MAY-05 Ice House in the grounds of Hole Park

GV II
Ice house. Probably C18. A tapering cylindrical ice house with domed roof, lined in brick in header bond. The well is about 11 feet in diameter, tapering slightly downward. Its overall depth is about 16 feet. A drain exists which empties into the valley. The exterior was covered in a cement based render, possibly in the early part of the C20. The brick north facing approach tunnel was 14 feet long and 4 feet wide but only a few courses remain buried in the undergrowth. The source of ice was probably a series of ponds on the estate and one dried up pond to the south is no more than 30 yards away.

An ice house retaining its chamber intact and part of an estate group.

[Sylvia P Beamon and Susan Roaf "The Icehouses of Britain" 1990. P315.]

Description from record TQ 83 SW 32:
Cylindrical icehouse is in a ruinous state. Actual ice store exists below a rectangular concrete casing. The approach tunnel is only evident by its brick floor, a few bricks still standing, and rubble. Served Hole Park House (Queen Anne period). From reconstruction sketch, appears to have been a half circular loading bay before the entrance, which may have been reached by steps. The well is tapered slightly downwards and the lower 0.6-1m is full of debris. A drain still exists. (1)

<1> Roaf, S. & Beamon, S. P., 1990, The Ice Houses of Britain, Beamon and Roaf, 'The Ice Houses of Britain,' 1990. (Monograph). SKE8293.