The Grotto, Approximately 50 Metres South West of Flitwick Manor is a Grade II listed building in the Central Bedfordshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 23 January 1961. Garden building.
The Grotto, Approximately 50 Metres South West of Flitwick Manor
- WRENN ID
- gilded-steeple-quill
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Constituency
- Mid Bedfordshire MP: Blake Stephenson (Con)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 23 January 1961
- Type
- Garden building
- OS grid reference
- TL 029 340
- Coordinates
- 51.99581, -0.50255
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Grotto is a garden building located approximately 50 metres southwest of Flitwick Manor, dating from the late 18th century. It is constructed of red brick, featuring some vitrified bricks. The main sections of each facade are clad in clinker and blue glass, with red brick dressings. The structure resembles a small bridge, with an archway room beneath that retains pebblework decoration on the ceiling and floor, as well as parts of the walls.
The west elevation showcases a Gothic style, featuring a pointed archway flanked by two small quatrefoil windows. In contrast, the east elevation presents a Classical style facade divided into three bays, marked by brick pilasters that support the central round arch. This arch includes a brick keystone and impost bands, while the flanking bays contain round-arched niches. The parapet is adorned with a brick band at the base, stone coping, and a vermiculated stone panel in each bay.
Local climate
The Grotto, Approximately 50 Metres South West of Flitwick Manor sits in a drier-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 710 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 86% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 85% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 34 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 53% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- No related consent applications matched
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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