Grottoes On East Side Of Fonthill Lake, South Of The Landing Stage

The grottoes on the east side of Fonthill Lake, located south of the landing stage, date from around 1790 and are likely the work of Josiah Lane of Tisbury for William Beckford. Constructed from limestone, the grottoes consist of two main groups. The lower group is situated at the edge of the lake and features a low entrance that is partly submerged, along with several higher entrances from the bank. This rocky structure includes niches at various levels and tunnels connecting to a large central chamber, which once had a cascade at the rear. The second group of grottoes is positioned higher up the bank, offering multiple entrances at different levels leading to rocky tunnels and a central chamber that contains an ovoid ashlar-lined bowl, which was probably intended to hold a reservoir for the cascade of the lower grotto. Josiah Lane was a notable builder of grottoes for country estates in Wiltshire, with other examples at Wardour and Stourhead.