Greenhouse at High Glanau

The greenhouse at High Glanau is a well-designed medium-sized structure, recently restored, measuring about 11 meters long and 4 meters wide, oriented east-west. It is entered from the west end and is internally divided into two cells that can be managed independently. The base is constructed from sandstone rubble finished with two courses of red brick, while the main structure features a light wooden frame supporting a pitched roof with four structural bays on each side, all glazed. Each roof bay is divided by intermediate glazing bars and a light mid-rail into eight lights, with four lights above and four below the rail, each light containing three glass panes. Except for the bottom row, each pane has a convex lower edge that overlaps the one below, allowing rainwater to run down the center rather than beside the glazing bars. This design creates a self-contained water collection system, with water draining from the gutters into a sump inside each half of the structure to maintain humidity.

The side walls consist of one pane deep, featuring four long top-hung casements on each side, with two in each half. The north slope of the roof also has similar top-hung casements. The gable ends are fitted with vertical glazing bars, and the west end includes a part-glazed door. An internal glazed partition allows for independent control of the micro-environment in each half of the greenhouse. Ventilation is managed through a system of levers, rods, and cogged wheels that open and close the top-hung casements in each section. Hot water pipes run along the beds on each side, heated by a boiler located in one corner. The west half contains a high two-level slatted table that appears to be original.