The Rotunda In The Black Fen Pleasure Ground

BARWICK IN ELMET AND SCHOLES BRAMHAM PARK SE44SW LS23 SE413408

8/20 1.5.60 The Rotunda in the Black Fen Pleasure Ground (formerly listed as Temple Item 15/169 at Bramham Park in C.P. of Bramham cum Oglethorpe)

GV I

Garden Temple. Mid C18 possibly by James Paine for George Fox-Lane, 2nd Lord Bingley. Sandstone ashlar. Circular Ionic temple. Circular 3-step podium; colonnade of 16 unfluted Roman Ionic columns supporting entablature, pulvinated frieze and heavily modillioned cornice. Inner drum with rusticated base and sill band decorated with Greek Key ornament. Doorways to north-west, facing house, and also to south-east, facing obelisk (q.v.) down tree-lined avenue, have architraves, pulvinated friezes, casement moulded cornices and are flanked by blocked windows with architraves. Moulded cornice from which springs ribbed vaulted ceiling to columns. The central drum rises higher than outer circle and has cornice, blocking course and lead dome. The detail is very fine.

Part of a formal early C18 garden laid out to a plan c1725-8 by John Wood for Robert Benson, 1st Lord Bingley. The Black Fen Pleasure Ground is a mile distant from Bramham Park. It is divided by alleys and vistas radiating from round points. From the Rotunda 6 avenues fan out linking with the obelisk (q.v.) and the Temple of Leod Lud (q.v.) from which other avenues fan out and intersect with each other and with avenues from other points.

English Heritage, Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England: Part 45 West Yorkshire, Grade I. D. Linstrum, West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture, (1978) pp62-64. N. Pevsner, Yorkshire West Riding, (1974) pp142 3.

Listing NGR: SE4136040835