Lake Head and Grotto Approximately 550 Metres West North West of Ditchley House is a Grade II listed building in the West Oxfordshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 30 August 1988. A C18 Grotto. 1 related planning application.
Lake Head and Grotto Approximately 550 Metres West North West of Ditchley House
- WRENN ID
- north-vault-raven
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- West Oxfordshire
- Constituency
- Banbury MP: Sean Woodcock (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 30 August 1988
- Type
- Grotto
- Address
- Lake Head and Grotto Approximately 550 Metres West North West of Ditchley House, OX7 4ER
- OS grid reference
- SP 384 212
- Coordinates
- 51.88867, -1.4423
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The lake head and grotto, located approximately 550 meters west-northwest of Ditchley House, were built around 1745 for the Earl of Litchfield. Constructed from limestone rubble, the structure features a curving retaining wall with a central round-arched opening and smaller triangular-headed openings on either side. Inside, the central arch leads to a large grotto that can only be accessed by water, while the side arches provide access to connecting dry passages. Ditchley Park, where this feature is located, is included in The English Heritage Register of Historic Gardens at Grade II.
Local climate
Lake Head and Grotto Approximately 550 Metres West North West of Ditchley House receives an average of 750 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 70% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 65% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 37 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 68% of listed buildings. Of these, 17 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
Sign in or create a free account to unlock:
- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 1 application
- 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
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
Similar buildings
The closest matches to this building from all 493,000 UK listed buildings, by architecture, period and materials.
- 1 The Lion Court, Walled Gardens and Lion Gate to North East of Ditchley House
- 2 Grottoes on East Side of Fonthill Lake, South of the Landing Stage
- 3 Grotto to North East of Old Wardour Castle
- 4 Grotto on North Side of the Lake at Elvaston Castle
- 5 Gas House Approximately 100 Metres North Pf Ditchley House
this building 1 similar nearby listed buildings