Temple, Exedra And Linking East Boundary Wall Of Formal Garden At Barrow Court

The Temple, Exedra, and linking east Boundary Wall of the formal garden at Barrow Court were built around 1890 by F. Inigo Thomas. The garden wall is constructed of rubble with dressed stone coping, while the architectural features of both garden structures are made of ashlar. The Temple is a tetrastyle Doric loggia topped with a hipped roof and ridge ball finials, opening into a square courtyard that is walled on the east and west sides. This courtyard leads down to the formal east axis of the garden via three semi-circular steps. Flanking the steps are curving quadrant balustraded walls and tall gatepiers, which stand 2.5 meters high and feature acanthus cornices, ball finials, and fruit swagged scrolls on the wall abutments.

The Exedra is a semi-circular recess in the boundary wall, adorned with ball finials on the rear wall and two tall piers, each 3 meters high, featuring attached columns with composite capitals, deeply projecting entablatures, and large urn finials decorated with fruit and flower swags. The piers also have large volutes extending from the entablature to the wall. Inside the recess is an aluminium statue of a winged female figure created in 1921 by A. Klein. These elements, along with several others, form a fine formal garden layout designed by Thomas for Henry Martin Gibbs, which is included in the Historic Gardens Register: Part 1 Avon.