The Grotto at Bowden Park is a Grade II* listed building in the Wiltshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 7 January 1987. A Georgian Grotto.

The Grotto at Bowden Park

WRENN ID
unlit-loft-alder
Grade
II*
Local Planning Authority
Wiltshire
Constituency
Chippenham MP: Sarah Gibson (LD)
Country
England
Date first listed
7 January 1987
Type
Grotto
Period
Georgian
Address
The Grotto at Bowden Park, Bowden Hill, Lacock
OS grid reference
ST 938 680
Coordinates
51.41182, -2.09051
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Grotto at Bowden Park is a grotto and summerhouse built around 1800. It is constructed from cyclopean ironstone random rocks and features a concealed stone slate roof. The central circular summerhouse has a three-sided canted front made of cyclopean masonry, with wings of rockwork on either side that include various small grottoes. The right wing contains an entry to a serpentine tunnel that emerges behind the structure.

The summerhouse is adorned with three pointed-arched doorways that have lattice-glazed double doors and Y-tracery overlights. Inside, the grotto-work is unusually elaborate and complete, with walls and a vault lined with tufa, fossils, and shells. The vault also features pendants that resemble stalactites, and the floor is patterned with tiles. The stonework of The Grotto has similarities to the cascade at Bowood House, which was built between 1785 and 1787 by Hon. C. Hamilton and constructed by J. Lane of Tisbury.

Local climate

The Grotto at Bowden Park receives an average of 830 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 55% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 57% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 34 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 51% of listed buildings. Of these, 15 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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  1. Walls to Walled Garden at Bowden Park Grade II 99 m
  2. The Conduit House Grade II* 116 m
  3. Guest House at Bowden Park Grade II 144 m
  4. Ice House to North of Walled Garden at Bowden Park Grade II 154 m
  5. Bowden Hill War Memorial Cross Grade II 157 m
  6. Bowden Park Grade I 158 m
  7. Terrace Wall and Balustrade to West and South of Bowden Park Grade II 163 m
  8. Church of St Anne Grade II 167 m
  9. Harris Memorial in Churchyard South of Chancel of Church of St Anne Grade II 172 m
  10. Milestone South East of Church of St Anne Grade II 206 m