Boathouse and deep-water dock, riverside landing stage, steps, balustrade and gates, Thames Eyot

MATERIALS: boathouse and dock: stock brick and red brown brick with stone dressings. Balustrade in stone and reconstituted stone, stone steps and landing stage (with some repair in concrete), iron gates.

PLAN: boathouse and dock: rectangular single-storey boathouse with a deep-water dock opening to the river where private boats were stored and maintained. It was designed to enclose the view from the riverside terrace from which symmetrical flights of steps descend to a landing stage, which is placed asymmetrically on the river frontage.

EXTERIOR and DOCK: although engulfed in ivy, the boathouse has an intact brick-vaulted jack-arched roof and a balustraded parapet, (where the balustrade in part survives), which is similar to the river frontage balustrade, above a deep moulded cornice. An oculus with a cast iron grille punctuates the southern elevation (further openings are hidden beneath the ivy). There are blocked doorways at the rear and on the north side. The round-arched opening to the river has a plain stone keystone and is flanked by brick piers where foliate stone capitals incorporate the head of a river god; both were noted in 2006, only the northern pier is now visible. Fixings for slatted timber gates, which were depicted in earlier photographs, but since removed, remain in situ. Remnants of timber stairs are fitted against the rear wall. Steel runners for pontoons are fitted on the lateral walls; the pontoons have not survived. Formerly recorded as having a tiled roof-top terrace (not accessible), behind a balustrade adorned with urns similar to those on the river frontage and the house.

BALUSTRADE AND LANDING STAGE: the stone balustrade has bulbous vase balusters between square, panelled stone piers and a broad flat coping. The balustrade is punctuated by swagged urns embellished with fruits and lion's head masks; the central and largest urn is adorned with fruits and foliage which spew from the mouths of lion masks or river gods placed on each side. Most of the decoration on the urns is quite eroded. Placed off-centre on the river front but symmetrically arranged, a double flight of stone steps descends to a stone landing stage; the steps are enclosed behind ornate wrought iron gates. Attached to the river wall flanking the stairs is a pair of mooring rings, each in the form of a bronze lion's head. The gardens were raised above the river providing a view from the paved terrace walk, which was much admired at the time. To the south the balustrade turns west to meet the loggia and grotto (qv) which line the southern boundary wall and to the north it terminates at the boathouse which was similarly treated, architecturally, to the balustrade.