The Orangery

The Orangery is a garden building that has been converted into a house, likely originating in the 1740s. It was designed for Thomas Ball, who passed away in 1749 and was known for his work as a planter and sylviculturist. The original structure may have been inspired by Archer's water house at Chatsworth and possibly featured a cascade. In 1769, Robert Adam created designs for improvements at Old Mamhead, which included plans for converting a water house into a temple, possibly referring to this building, which later became a gardener's cottage.

The Orangery is constructed with ashlar Bathstone facing over rubble, with Portland stone dressings and a dome made of Portland stone. It is strategically positioned to offer a stunning view to the east towards the Exe estuary, framed by 18th-century tree planting, along with extensive new planting done by the current owner. The building has an L-shaped plan, with the main range being single-storey and featuring a polygonal domed projection at its center, along with a later-added rear left wing.

The exterior is single-storey, showcasing a five-sided central projection topped with a dome and cupola. There are two bays on either side of the projection. The building has a deep plinth beneath a moulded string, a plain parapet with a moulded cornice above, and pilasters on the left and right crowned with urns. The projection features pilasters and an oval stone tablet in a scrolled frame with a ball finial at the center. The central opening in the projection has a window with round-headed glazing bars, while the other windows in the projection and the adjacent bays are two-light mullioned windows with moulded stone frames and cornices. The interior was not inspected during the survey, but documentation regarding the gardens of Old Mamhead is reportedly held by the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.