Sundial Terrace, Including Steps, Walls, Seats And Sundial

SHOBROOKE SHOBROOKE PARK SS 80 SE 2/89 Sundial Terrace, including - steps, walls, seats and sundial

GV II Large, landscaped terrace in ground of Shobrooke Park, now demolished, comprising front retaining wall, flights of steps, ornamental seats, fountain and sundial 1851, by T L Donaldson for John Henry Hippisley. Portland stone throughout wits brass sundial. Classical style. Long, ornamental terrace overlooking landscape valley to east. 2 long terraced lawns (originally gravel with grass verges an banks) enclosed both sides and back by yew hedges on a 3rd terrace. The front retaining wall and parapet rises each side terminating with forward breaks, and, in the middle, breaks forward squaare with large semi-circular projection around the sundial, centrepiece of the lower level. Each of the 3 banks has central flight of stone steps leading back from the sundial to a circular stone-walled fountain it the middle of the upper level. This marks the entrance from a Yew Walk to site of Shobrooke House to south-west. Further flights of steps lead from wide middle terrace up to large ornamental stone seats at each end. Front retaining wall is slightly battered with 3 projecting bands of verniculated rustication. The parapet is interrupted by a series of square piers which rise above the moulded coping; simple caps along main walls, vases at either end, and bals with an obelisk each side around centre. Sundial is fixed to a fluted drum on Tuscan base with neck decorated with carved lions' masks and festoons set on octagonal plinth of 3 steps. Ornate brass dial inscribed 'Carpenter and Westley, Regent Street, London, 1851' and includes the initials of John Henry Hippisley. The stone steps off all sides of middle terrace have low plain side-walls and square terminals showing marks where ornate brass flower-pots were originally fixed. The steps to fountain and shell seat (to north) have higher side-walls and ornate terminal piers, fielded panels of rustication below key-pattern frieze with verniculated ball caps. Large apsidal stone seat at south end has fluted brackets under seat with shaped arms, shaped fielded panels on back with moulded broken scrolls sweeping up to centre where surmounted by carved shell. At north end the apsidal stone shell seat is semi-circular in plan with ornate elliptical shell canopy. Flanking pilasters have projecting bands of verniculated rustication with moulded edges; scrolls with floral enrichment and canopy surmounted by carved-shell acterion shaped arms to stone seat, fielded panelled at back with panelled frieze interrupted by fluted brackets.

Listing NGR: SS8551301583