Terrace walls, balustrading, steps and piers at Chantmarle

Terrace walls, balustrading, piers, and steps at Chantmarle were built around 1910 by Francis Inigo Thomas for Francis Savile, as part of the formal gardens adjacent to Chantmarle Manor.

The structures are constructed from Ham stone. A long terrace wall runs north-south alongside the canal, approximately 110 metres in length. This wall is ashlar with stone balustrading and square piers at regular intervals, stopping at the forecourt ends where they continue with plain stone cappings. A set of stone steps at the northern end provides access from the forecourt to the canal level. A small, balustraded balcony projects from the wall, aligned with the house’s porch, supported by corbels matching those of the oriel window above the entrance door. This balcony is flanked by a pair of tall obelisks, which continue the axis across the canal to a pair of tall gatepiers with ball finials, flanking semi-circular steps leading to a meadow area.

Further south, the wall ramps up to another pair of obelisks which flank a broad stone bench facing the South Garden and a central east-west axis. A shell-hooded niche is set into the canal-facing elevation between the obelisks. The southern end of this wall steps down to create a cascade where a stream from the rock garden falls into the canal.

The entrance forecourt and south garden are divided by a wall of coursed rubble stone with moulded ashlar copings, incorporating an ashlar stone gateway with an ornate iron gate. Four sections of balustrading surround a central pond in the south garden, mimicking the grass quadrants beyond. A further terrace wall, approximately 50 metres long, runs north-south to the west, dividing the south garden from the croquet lawn above. This wall is ashlar with balustraded parapets, with piers and corresponding buttresses on the eastern face. Flights of steps are located at the north and south ends of this wall, and a central, broad flight of steps continues the east-west garden axis.