King'S Garden Walls, Rear Yard (South) Walls And Attached Buildings

Walls enclosing the King's Garden at Godolphin House and those surrounding a large adjoining yard to the rear of the house, together with attached outbuildings. Dating from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, these structures are built of granite rubble with granite dressings, and one outbuilding retains remains of slate roof.

The walls enclose two adjoining rectangular enclosures. The western enclosure comprises a walled garden associated with the King's Room; the rear yard is more irregular in shape, resulting from the demolition of further courtyards and building ranges in 1804, and now serves as an open yard or garden.

The back wall of the stable forms the north side of the King's Garden. The tile walls to the south and west, probably 17th century in origin, stand about 3 metres high; the west wall joins the west end of the stable. Midway along the south wall is a 17th century gateway facing outward with chamfered jambs and diagonal stops. The east side is formed by part of Godolphin House comprising the King's Room with porch access, and a ruinous wall of the first half of the 18th century featuring a large blocked segmented leaded window which once lit the principal staircase. The remainder of the east wall, at lower level, probably dates from the early 19th century. It is shared with the large yard behind the house and features a re-used 17th century chamfered gateway with diagonal stops.

The yard south of the house has an irregular shape with walls of varying heights and dates. On its west side, south of the gateway, stand the ruinous remains of a three-cell 19th century piggery constructed partly from re-used stones, with a narrow yard in front. The land slopes upward to the south boundary wall, a 19th century construction with a gateway leading into the Cow Yard. On the east side toward the south-east corner is a deep rectangular latrine pit. Nearer the house is a rectangular single-storey 19th century outhouse projecting into the yard. Its east face is 17th century construction featuring two three-light mullioned windows. Its original extent is unknown and it may have had another floor. Discovery of a small part of two brick ovens adjoining it to the south and east may indicate use as a bakehouse. Between this building and the main house stands a slate-roofed rubble wall, L-shaped on plan and probably of early 19th century construction but incorporating a 17th century chamfered doorway with diagonal stops.

These enclosures are important to the setting of Godolphin House, suggesting the titles and building layout of the property. The south limit of the yard has encroached on the Cow Yard and includes the site of the back gate to the house. The bakehouse must have formed part of a service court off this gate.

Against the outside west face of the west wall of the King's Garden is a raised cobbled pavement, possibly dating from the 17th century. It rounds the south-west corner and diverges to connect with the Cow Yard gate.