Bath House And Terrace To Albury House Tunnel Entrance Bath House And Terraces

TQ 04 NE Albury C.P. NEW ROAD Albury Park

5/19 Tunnel entrance, 14.6.67 Bath house and terraces

GV II*

See also Shere C.P.

Terrace, bathhouse and tunnel entrance. 1667 - 1676 by John Evelyn for Henry, 6th Duke of Norfolk in imitation of the grotto of Sejanus at Posilipo near Naples. Terrace on two levels extending for a quarter of a mile. Red brick retaining walls, circa 7 feet high. In the centre of the upper terrace is a tunnel extending for "30 perches" into the hillside. The entrance is set into a semi-circular brick wall with arcading containing 10 round headed niches and 2 round headed doorways, on each side of which the terrace continues. In front of the semi circular wall is a pool with a fountain originally dated 1666, but the head is now broken off. At the centre of the lower terrace is the bathhouse. A brick vaulted room with 3 round headed niches on each of the north, east and west walls with pipes to convey water from the pool above. Three bay front to south with square keystoned windows flanking central keystoned door. Rusticated quoined angles and brick cornice above, dated 1676 on the keystones. Flanking stairways lead to the upper terrace with round headed niches in walls.

PEVSNER: BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND, SURREY (1971), p.94. THE DIARY OF JOHN EVELYN: edited by E S De Beer (OUP 1959)

Listing NGR: TQ0651447964