Steps And Terrace Walls Around Tennis Lawn South West Of Wood House

SX 69 NE SOUTH TAWTON

1/180 Steps and terrace walls around tennis lawn south-west of Wood House GV II*

Steps and terrace walls. 1899-1905 by Thomas Mawson. Plain granite steps, low granite rubble walls made from chosen pieces made to look like crazy paving and with flat-topped granite ashlar coping; granite ashlar seat. Plan and description: the tennis lawn is terraced into the hillside facing north- east. Most of the banks around it are of earth surmounted by low box yew hedges but the bottom one (onto the forecourt) and the right one looking up from the house (onto the rear service drive) are revetted with granite walls. From the centre of the forecourt (called by Mawson the carriage court), a flight of stone steps lead up to the first short terrace which begins the crazy-paved granite path around the tennis lawn. Plain stone steps lead up all the terraces and at the right (north- western) end of the top one is a round-backed stone seat. These features associated with the tennis lawn are part of an extensive landscaping scheme conceived by Mawson to go with the rebuilding of Wood House (q.v.). Mawson himself considered the whole scheme as one-of his major achievements. Source: T H Mawson The Art and Craft of Garden Making, (5th edition) includes copious notes and illustrations of Wood House.

Listing NGR: SX6545096020