Ice-house at 7a Cleveland Row

A subterranean ice-house located in front of Rose Cottage, 7a Cleveland Row and associated with Cleveland Pools, the oldest existing outdoor public pool site in Western Europe.

MATERIALS: The ice chamber is constructed of coursed rough Bath stone blocks. The external wall to the north is either coursed Bath stone or reconstituted stone.

PLAN: A subterranean circular domed ice chamber with entrance passage and access steps to the north.

EXTERIOR: The ice-house is a subterranean structure, located approximately 5m to the south of 7a Cleveland Row and is accessed via the lightwell of that property. Externally at lightwell level a buttress wall, built in 1991 and constructed of squared uncoursed Bath stone blocks (possibly reconstituted), is visible. An open access portal is located to the east with single width opening constructed in Bath stone.

INTERIOR: Access is via a single width passage with corbelled roof structure leading down three stone steps, set at a 45 degree angle, culminating in a small square opening into the ice chamber.

The ice-house is a domed space approximately 6m in diameter constructed of coursed rough Bath stone blocks with a central circular stone ventilation opening at the apex (now blocked by modern road construction above). Just above the current floor level are regular rectangular putlog holes, likely to have once held a floor or shelving. Several iron hooks are located at head height around the structure. The floor is made up of compacted soil under modern loose laid C19 shallow rectangular frog bricks. The soil infilling the lower half of the ice chamber is likely to be a later insertion, and masks any surviving features at its base. A modern metal grille and surround has been attached to the inside face of the access passage.