The Hill Garden Southern Pergola And Terrace

The Hill Garden southern pergola and terrace, constructed circa 1906-10, forms part of a garden scheme designed by Thomas H Mawson for Lord Leverhulme at The Hill (now Inverforth House). This area is now owned separately from the main house; other garden features are recorded under Inverforth House. The pergola is aligned westwards and runs south from the wider Cruciform Pergola. It turns east for approximately 35 metres and then continues south for roughly 80 metres, terminating in a belvedere. A summerhouse is a central feature.

The pergola is characterised by paired concrete Doric columns set on pedestals, linked by stone balustrades. The columns support a timber superstructure simulating a Doric entablature. A brick pavement lies beneath. The belvederes have wrought-iron balustrading. The first two sections of the pergola are raised on brick terrace retaining walls, which incorporate continuous outbuildings with square-headed, three-light windows having concrete lintels. The southern section, on its western side, is raised on similar walls forming a large open loggia with round-arched openings, each featuring moulded brick heads, keystones, and imposts. Brick pilaster strips rise to correspond with the balustrade. A brick cornice sits above the arcade. The fourth bay from the left features a brick architraved oculus. The belvederes are supported on semicircular projections with ground-level entrances, also architraved with keystones. The summerhouse is supported on a rectangular projection, featuring a round-arched opening with a keystone, flanked by keyed oculi, and a single oculus on each return. The back walls of the loggia are supported by brick flying buttresses.

The terraces were built using soil excavated during the Hampstead Tube construction. The terrace provides excellent views over Hampstead Heath and towards the house. The garden was divided when the house became a hospital, and this section of the garden is now open to the public.