Terrace Wall and Steps of Dunorlan to the South East of the Former Dunorlan House

TERRACE WALL AND STEPS OF DUNORLAN TO THE SOUTH EAST OF THE FORMER DUNORLAN HOUSE, PEMBURY ROAD

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Overview

Terrace wall and steps. Constructed in the 1850s-1860s by the firm of James Pulham for Henry Reed of Dunorlan.
Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1393164
Date first listed:
05-Mar-2009
List Entry Name:
Terrace Wall and Steps of Dunorlan to the South East of the Former Dunorlan House
Statutory Address:
TERRACE WALL AND STEPS OF DUNORLAN TO THE SOUTH EAST OF THE FORMER DUNORLAN HOUSE, PEMBURY ROAD
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Location

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1393164
Date first listed:
05-Mar-2009
List Entry Name:
Terrace Wall and Steps of Dunorlan to the South East of the Former Dunorlan House
Statutory Address 1:
TERRACE WALL AND STEPS OF DUNORLAN TO THE SOUTH EAST OF THE FORMER DUNORLAN HOUSE, PEMBURY ROAD

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
TERRACE WALL AND STEPS OF DUNORLAN TO THE SOUTH EAST OF THE FORMER DUNORLAN HOUSE, PEMBURY ROAD

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Kent
District:
Tunbridge Wells (District Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ 60013 39673

Reasons for Designation

The terrace wall and steps of Dunorlan Park are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * It was the 1850s terrace wall to the original Dunorlan from which the pleasure garden, lake and borrowed landscape could be viewed. Dunorlan Park is Grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens. * It is a little altered Italianate style sandstone, stone and Pulhamite structure. * It is one of a group of garden structures produced for Henry Reed at Dunorlan by the firm of James Pulham in the 1850s-1860s.

Details

872/0/10052 PEMBURY ROAD 05-MAR-09 Terrace wall and steps of Dunorlan to the south east of the former Dunorlan house

II Terrace wall and steps. Constructed in the 1850s-1860s by the firm of James Pulham for Henry Reed of Dunorlan.

MATERIALS: The base is of sandstone with stone and Pulhamite balustrading.

PLAN: Projecting curved centre with flights of curved steps and straight sides.

DESCRIPTION: The battered base of the terrace is about 10ft high, constructed of diagonally tooled sandstone with moulded cornice and the balustrading above is probably constructed of both stone and Pulhamite artificial rock. The projecting central section has a central moulded stone panel with scrollwork decoration flanked by balustrading with side shallow urns with gadrooning. From this section curved stone stairs lead to the lower level, terminating in cylindrical stone piers with battered bases and side walls with balustrading that also terminate in cylindrical piers. There is a further curved central section behind leading to straight sides, each with three sections of balustrading divided by stone piers, the end piers terminating in ball finials.

HISTORY: In 1823, John Ward, a partner of Decimus Burton in the development of the villas in Calverley Park bought Calverley Park Farm which included the site of a chalybeate spring. He constructed a lake on the farm for recreational use. In 1854 the farm was sold to Henry Reed, a friend of William Booth, who had made his fortune in Tasmania. He demolished the farmhouse and built a new house, Dunorlan, in Italianate style. The grounds were laid out by the scottish landscape gardener Robert Martock (1811-1890) and James Pulham, and leading garden designer and manufacturer of garden ornaments, was commissioned to provide Pulhamite artifical rockwork, a Pulhamite cascade, a temple, a Pulhamite and terracotta fountain and probably extended and re-shaped the lake. The terrace wall is shown on the 1867 Ordnance Survey map. In 1874 Henry Reed sold Dunorlan to the Collins family in whose ownership it remained until 1945 when Tunbridge Wells Borough Council purchased the site. The main house, Dunorlan was badly damaged by a fire in 1946 and demolished in 1958. A later C20 house bearing the same name was built on the site of the 1850s house.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: * It was the terrace wall to the original 1850s Dunorlan from which the pleasure garden, lake and borrowed landscape could be viewed, and adjoins Dunorlan Park Grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens. * It is a little altered Italianate style sandstone stone and Pulhamite structure. * It is one of a group of garden structures produced for Henry Reed at Dunorlan by the firm of James Pulham in the 1850s and 1860s.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
505243
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Terrace Wall and Steps of Dunorlan to the South East of the Former Dunorlan House

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 23:51:39.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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