Retaining Walls And Associated Garden Features On South And East Sides Of Ammerdown House

The retaining walls and associated garden features on the south and east sides of Ammerdown House form a group of significant historical interest. Work began in the middle of the 19th century, and was extensively altered and remodelled by Sir Edwin Lutyens from 1901, with the project completed around 1920.

To the south and east of the house lies a lawned parterre where the ground slopes away, featuring coursed and squared rubble retaining walls with dressed stone copings. Walling to the east creates a yew garden, using similar construction. A paved walk runs directly alongside the house. Two sets of stone steps lead eastward from a broad path towards the yew garden; these steps are semi-circular, with dressed stone and half-round nosings, flanked by low piers. One set of steps is topped with enriched stone urns, the other with seated stone figures depicting mythical winged beasts.

In the centre of the south lawn stands a sundial on a stone vase pedestal. On the east lawn there is a figure of Mercury, placed on a stone drum pedestal. The eastern part of the parterre is bordered to the north by an elevated pergola supported on concrete Tuscan columns, leading from a back door of the house, and terminating in a small stone figure on a drum pedestal. A path from the parterre descends a flight of stone steps, flanked by ball finials, into a yew rotunda. Sculptured hedges are supported by low coursed and squared rubble retaining walls, some with copings.

The rotunda’s centre contains a circular, stone-lined pool with a carved bowl that functions as a fountain. Four figures representing classically garbed romantic subjects, crafted from Coadstone and set on concrete plinths, overlook the pool. To the east of the rotunda, a pair of 17th-century ashlar gate piers with moulded caps and ball finials support a wrought-iron gate, framing a view of the adjoining parkland. North of the rotunda is a circular rose garden enclosed by yew and coursed and squared rubble retaining walls, featuring a bronze astralobe on a stone vase pier.

A broad path running along a north-south axis connects to the Orangery (listed separately), with three flights of stone steps and cast-iron gates marking the exit from the rotunda. The south end of this path has concealed flights of stone steps leading down into the park, with a reconstituted stone figure on a drum plinth overlooking the scene. To the west of the path to the Orangery, two further statues are placed on plinths, alongside a sundial with a ball finial on a column. Although these features are dispersed across a wide area, they collectively represent an important garden design and are listed as a single group.