Gothic Temple In Grounds Of Rainbow Wood

WIDCOMBE HILL 656-1/58/1911 (South side) Gothic temple in grounds of Rainbow Wood

(Formerly Listed as: WIDCOMBE HILL (South side) Garden Pavilion in grounds of Rainbow Wood) 05/08/75

GV II*

Garden pavilion. 1745, by Richard Jones, removed from Prior Park to grounds of Rainbow Wood House (qv) in 1921. MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, felt roof. PLAN: Square structure, with low-pitched pyramidal roof. EXTERIOR: Open three bay front carried on four Batty Langley columns of quatrefoil section, with two bands, on high bases and with decorative capitals, responds on main front at each end. Arches wide, low ogees with crowning crocket, under frieze band with lozenge and flute, with moulded cornice and crenellations with small pierced quatrefoils. Detail, including arches, returns in single bay at each end, over stone paving, with lower platform extending forward approx 2.5m for full width. Rear wall to arcade has two-light window with C14 geometrical tracery in fine moulded members, and central pair of plank doors to ogee arch, these all with drip courses. Main pavilion has plain sides, with cavetto eaves cornice to concealed gutters, and rear wall, partly set into slope of land, has two windows as front, and blind central panel with ogee head. INTERIOR: Walls have panelling with ogee intermediate band with florettes, and cusped heads below frieze with quatrefoils, all in low relief stone carving, rear wall has plain recess to ogee head, corresponding with doorway, and with similar panelling below flanking windows. Roof structure appears to be C20 replacement. HISTORY: A good example of Gothick garden buildings, once identified with Ralph Allen¿s highly important garden landscape. Early and playful version of Gothic Revival, building successfully removed and rebuilt in present location. SOURCES: G. Clarke, Prior Park: A Complete Landscape (1987), 55, 77; N. Jackson, Nineteenth Century Bath - Architects and Architecture (1991), 118.

Listing NGR: ST7661163743