Park wall of Hinchingbrooke House fronting Brampton Road and Pepys Steps

Park wall to the east of Hinchingbrooke House, built in the late C16 - early C17, with a second section added probably in the late C17- early C18, and associated flight of steps to the east of Hinchingbrooke House, known as Pepys Steps, which date from the mid C17.

PLAN:

Wall: the park wall is located east and south-east of Hinchingbrooke House. The section to the east of the house runs parallel with Brampton Road for approximately 112 metres with a short stretch (c.7m in length) running parallel at each end, leading towards the house.

Pepys Steps: a single flight of 14 steps, rectangular in plan, located approximately 20 metres south-east of Hinchingbrooke House, leading up to Pepys Walk.

MATERIALS:

Wall: the first section of wall to the north-east and east of Hinchingbrooke House, was constructed in the late C16 or early C17, of re-used medieval masonry to the Brampton Road elevation, and red brick to the interior laid in stretcher bond. The wall is surmounted by Ketton limestone coping and limestone ball finials, placed at regular intervals. Originally a brick-built gazebo on a stone base was positioned in the north-east corner of the wall and evidence for this survives in the form of a late-C16 or early-C17 red brick parapet.

The second section of wall to the south-east of Hinchingbrooke House, probably constructed in the late C17 or early C18, is composed of ashlar masonry to the Brampton Road elevation and light-coloured brick to the interior laid in an irregular English bond. This section of the wall is also surmounted by Ketton limestone coping and limestone ball finials, placed at regular intervals.

Pepys Steps: the 14 shallow steps are constructed of cut Ketton limestone slabs, with bull-nosed moulding to each tread. Although the steps are shown in Buck’s engraving and on the 1757 map, the brick spandrel walls appear to be of C19 construction.