Stone Monument in King's Wood Warren at Ngr St 7565 3695

The stone monument in King's Wood Warren was built in 1847 using local stone and red brick. It is designed as a small grotto at the source of the River Brue. The exterior features a rustic stone surround with a keystoned arch, and to the right of the keystone are the incised initials and date HRH 1847. Two of the keystones of the sub-arch are missing, and the monument is currently overgrown as of November 1983. Inside, there is a brick-lined chamber that encloses the spring.

This monument was erected by Hugh Richard Hoare of Stourhead, Wiltshire, to mark the source of the River Brue. Hoare lived at Stourhead from 1845 and undertook various improvements and construction projects around the estate until his death in 1857. Other buildings on the estate also feature the initials H.R.H.

The grotto in King's Wood Warren, built in the mid-19th century, is a well-preserved example of Victorian landscape design. It is situated next to the extensive landscape garden and park of Stourhead, which is a Grade I Registered Park and Garden. The monument has significant historical ties to Stourhead, which was largely developed during the 18th and 19th centuries by the Hoare family.