Game Larder at Hewell Grange

Summary

A plain Gothic revival style game larder for the Hewell Grange estate, thought to date from the later-C19.

Reasons for Designation

The Game Larder at Hewell Grange, dating from the later C19, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: as a charming and carefully composed building which, although primarily functional, is of good quality and forms an attractive feature with its use of a plain Gothic revival style;
* Historic interest: as a game larder to a large country house estate, forming part of its history and illustrating its evolution in the later C19;
* Degree of survival: the game larder survives intact, including with internal fittings;
* Group value: with the Grade II* Registered Park and Garden, and the large number of listed buildings within it.

History

The Game Larder at Hewell Grange stands at the SE corner of the park at Hewell Grange, which had been developed over a number of centuries. The land had passed to the Windsor family following the Dissolution, and in the early C18 the 2nd Earl of Plymouth had a new house built, possibly by Francis Smith of Warwick. The park around the house was laid out mainly from the mid-C18, with advice from Lancelot 'Capability' Brown and others, and in the early C19 with advice from Humphry Repton.

Following the death of the 8th Earl without issue in 1843, the estate passed to Harriet Clive, a sister of the 6th Earl who in 1819 had married Robert Henry Clive. The barony of Windsor was revived in 1855, and Harriet assumed the additional surname of Windsor. She was succeeded in 1869 by her grandson, Robert George Windsor-Clive. Robert did not achieve his majority until 1878, and in the intervening years the estate was under the stewardship of his mother, Lady Mary Windsor-Clive. Following his majority, Lord Robert, later the 1st Earl of Plymouth of the third creation, initiated the building of a large new house by the architect Thomas Garner.

The Game Larder appears to date from the latter part of the C19, although it has not been possible to date it precisely. It was used for the storage of game caught on the estate and stands adjacent to the kennels for keeping the hounds. Hewell Grange was sold in 1946, following the death of the 3rd Earl of Plymouth, and the Game Larder passed in to private ownership.

Details

A plain Gothic revival style game larder for the Hewell Grange estate, thought to date from the later-C19.

MATERIALS AND PLAN: the building is built of brick under a tile roof, with timber louvered openings. It is rectangular on plan and is orientated roughly E-W.

DESCRIPTION

EXTERIOR: the game larder is a compact building with a gabled roof which has rows of fishscale pattern tiles on its S face, with central gablets on its N and S sides. Beneath these are large pointed arch openings, that to the N contains the entrance door which is of timber and missing its top panels. The remainder of this arch and all other openings on the building have louvered ventilation slats. Flanking each central arch on the N and S side are flat-headed rectangular openings which rise up under the eaves.

At each end of the building there are a pair of pointed arch openings with smaller, central openings above. These appear to be influenced by the form of Y tracery of medieval gothic architecture. All the openings on the building and the corners of the building have chamfered edges.

INTERIOR: internally, the building appears little altered. It has a tiled floor and around the edges there is a timber frame which would have been used for the hanging of game; this continues across the roof space. Many small metal hooks survive. The roof structure above has two trusses with central king posts, and the ceiling is plastered.

Sources

Other
Hewell Grange Historic Landscape Appraisal (Parklands Consortium, 2001)

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