Ice House South West Of The Grange

The icehouse at The Grange, Halesowen, dates from the late 18th/early 19th century and sits approximately 100 metres south west of the main house. It is constructed of brick, with walls at least one foot thick, and is circular in plan with a domed top and a trapdoor opening slightly off-centre. The walls of the chamber are tapered, creating a slight egg shape. The north-facing entrance tunnel to the chamber has been damaged and is now blocked with modern brickwork; a metal cage covers the opening. The icehouse is built into a steep incline, at the base of which is a surviving canal, which was part of a decorative garden and likely supplied ice to the estate.

Icehouses were introduced to England in the 17th century and became common in the 18th century. Contemporary discussions focused on optimal designs, with common features including an underground location, north-facing entrances, surrounding trees, tapered walls to compact ice during gradual melting, and a domed base for drainage. This icehouse reflects these common characteristics.

The icehouse appears on an estate map of circa 1830. Like many icehouses, it fell out of use by the late 19th/early 20th century with the development of refrigeration and the wider availability of commercial ice. The Grange itself ceased to be a family home and became the Seth Somers Social Club in 1951. The icehouse is designated at Grade II, reflecting its survival largely intact together with its original water source and its good group value with the listed Grange house.