TQ55507088 Ice House found during road widening (1,1a)

Circular chamber, conical in section with a domed roof. Total interior height, inc. soakaway, 5.6m and 3.4m dia. at base. The base of the chamber is of Tudor brick with the upper part (the main section of the chamber) of 19thC brick. The ice house is covered with an earth mound and accessed through barrel vaulted brick tunnel with angled inner trap door. Restoration work carried out in 1995.(2)

A few feet away from a dovecote built in 1545, the 'ice hole' is no longer visible as a flower bed is over it. Probably used to store meat to supply the gentry. The dovecote was still in use in the late 1930s. (4)

<1> D.Garrod Field Officer (OS Card Reference). SKE39564.

<2> K.A.R.U. Record Card D132 (OS Card Reference). SKE45224.

<3> DC Eve 7-JUN-1996 (OS Card Reference). SKE39681.

<4> Roaf, S. & Beamon, S. P., 1990, The Ice Houses of Britain (Monograph). SKE8293.