The Sham Ruin
THE SHAM RUIN
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1284571
- Date first listed:
- 01-Aug-1986
- List Entry Name:
- The Sham Ruin
- Statutory Address:
- THE SHAM RUIN
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2005-06-23
- Reference:
- IOE01/14443/31
- Rights:
- © Mr Adrian Exton. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1284571
- Date first listed:
- 01-Aug-1986
- List Entry Name:
- The Sham Ruin
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE SHAM RUIN
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE SHAM RUIN
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Corsham
- National Grid Reference:
- ST 87340 70575
Details
CORSHAM CORSHAM COURT ST 8770 5/102 The Sham Ruin GV II*
Folly ruin, c1797 by John Nash, incorporating Gothic stonework, some possibly medieval, some apparenty mid C18 Gothick from the Bath House (q.v.) by L. Brown, altered by Nash, and possibly from another demolished garden building. High serpentine rubble stone blank wall with applied ashlar features to north and south sides and 3 skyline features, from east, an oval stack, ashlar with rubble backing to south and 2 ornate relief carved arms, a rectangular bellcote with pointed main arch flanked by panelled piers, smaller pointed arches each side and truncated short spirelet, and an oval ashlar stack, upper half pierced with plain roundels. Main structure has east end clustered Norman-style column, as if the respond from an arcade with several stones from a moulded arch above. North side is of massive rough squared blocks with from east, 2 tiers of Gothick lancets, tall with cusped heads and polygonal shafts divided by raised blocks, then canted ashlar stair tower with lancet stair openings and stone capping, then, at mid level, ogee-headed opening with hoodmould, similar to surviving side entries to loggia of Bath House, then another clustered Norman-style respond with several stones of moulded arch projecting, then upper level 2-light Gothick window with cusped heads and trefoil, similar to surviving first floor centre light of Bath House and, at right end, large 3-light intersecting tracery window with hood. At ground level centre is a low massive rusticated pointed arch, possibly once a grotto. South side, to Church Street, is rubble stone with one central Perpendicular-style 2-light upper window and, lower down, to left, one long 2-light Gothick window with cusped-heads and trefoil, similar to that on north side. (F.J. Ladd, Architects at Corsham Court, 1978 67, 110).
Listing NGR: ST8735570584
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 315127
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Ladd, F J, Architects at Corsham Court, (1978)
Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 46 Wiltshire,
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 11-Jun-2026 at 19:17:57.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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