Shell House Including Rockery To South West

Shell House, including the rockery to the south-west, is a grotto and rockery built in the early 19th century. It is constructed from limestone with a high proportion of flint. The rustic grotto features a small circular room that faces south-west and overlooks a rockery arranged around a small circular pond with a fountain. The structure is made of large, irregular lumps of stone, with a rough projecting eaves cornice and a rustically embattled parapet. The front has a flat arch that contains a plain plank door with an overlight. Inside, the walls are plastered and lined with shelves displaying a collection of exotic shells. The rockery consists of densely-packed large blocks of stone, also roughly finished, forming a symmetrically planned garden with paths and a central pond featuring a cast iron fountain. The Shell House is situated in a beautifully landscaped park and is part of a group of notable listed buildings, including the Orangery, the Palm House, features of the Italianate Gardens, the Church of St Mary, and the Rolle obelisk, all of which contribute to the overall scheme.