Bowling Green Walls And Gazebo

1. BARLEY GROVE 1735 Bowling Green walls and gazebo SS 4918 4/4 19.3.51.

II

1. Mainly C18 or earlier. At east end of Castle site. Ground falls away to east and south. There has been a bowling green here since C18 if not earlier. The Reverend John Swete describes how the green was temporarily destroyed and a "pleasure-house" dismantled by Mr Rolle in 1789 owing to unseemly and blasphemous behaviour of those using them. In early C19 Barley Grove was "laid out and planted" by Mr John Yeo, mayor of Torrington. The walls surrounding the bowling green may be of this date, stones from the old Castle probably being used. There is little other evidence of lay-out now remaining. At south east corner is an octagonal gazebo; (the pleasure-house of 1789?). The base of this is buttressed on the south and east below the level of the green itself. Front is of rusticated stone with round-headed opening, the other sides roughcast and with sunk panels. Sash window in round-headed panel, south east, overlooks the valley. Octagonal roof of slate with ball finial at apex. Added brick lean-to, east.

Listing NGR: SS4970218945