The Ice House

TQ 8009 BOHEMIA ROAD Hontye Park

22/10032 The Ice House

II

Ice house. Early C19, thought to have been part of Westel Brisco's improvements to the Bohemia Estate following his purchase of the house and grounds in 1831, but first shown on the Ordnance Survey Map of 1873. Built of coursed local stone with dome covered in cement render and having remains of brick and stone to collapsed entrance tunnel. Consists of a semi-subterranean single beehive-shaped chamber measuring 3.7m. Square on plan and 5.5m in height built into a north facing bank. The main entrance on the south-west side was by a short tunnel, now demolished, which arrived in the chamber at mid-level. At low level, when last inspected, the outline of a door could be seen though it was not known where it emerged. The floor of the chamber contained a drain outlet. At the time of inspection the site was overgrown and only the top of the dome and parts of the entrance tunnel were visible. The ice house was adjacent to a courtyard fronting Bohemia House. Bohemia House was demolished c1972. At time of inspection this was the only known ice house in the Borough of Hastings. A survey drawing of the ice house, Ref. No.839 was produced in 1984 by the then Planners Department of Hastings Council.

Listing NGR: TQ8066209856