Grotto And Ice-House, Newbattle Abbey

The Grotto and Ice-House at Newbattle Abbey is a structure from the late 18th to early 19th century, featuring a grotto that incorporates a later 17th century archway. The ice-house, which is lined with brick and built into a bank, has a roofless grotto at its entrance. This entrance is accessed by a later timber and parallel girder footbridge over the River South Esk. The building is primarily constructed of sandstone rubble, except for the main elevation of the grotto.

The grotto features a chamfered rusticated segmental arch with imposts and a fluted keystone. Flanking fluted pilasters support an architrave adorned with guttae. Above this, there is a corniced frieze with sculptured stones that display the Lothian sun emblem, initials, a unicorn, a boar, and a Maltese cross. The capping urns on either side still have their floral carved bases. The open area surrounding the grotto is finished with harled rubble on three sides, including a domed wall that has a central doorway leading to the ice-house, which is raised one metre from the ground. A narrow passage lined with handmade brick leads to the deep circular ice-house.