Terraces and Forecourt Walls at Wigfair Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Immediately N and E of Wigfair Hall.

History

Wigfair Hall was built by John Douglas, architect of Chester between 1882 and 1884 for the Rev R H Howard, reusing the site of the former seat of the Lloyds, Wickwer. The two revetted garden terraces on the E (garden) side of the house, together with the curved forecourt walls to the N are contemporary and presumably formed part of Douglas' overall design.

Exterior

The terraces consist of two revetted gravel walks, one lower than the other and stretching approximately 50m along the garden side of the house. Each of the two revettment walls is of rough-dressed limestone construction with chamfered-edged sandstone capping, and is gently battered; the terraces descend in two equal steps of 2m high down to a partly-sunken lawn. The upper terrace has two ascending steps at the southern end, whilst the lower has flights of seven steps to the N and S ends, with the coped parapet sloped down and up correspondingly; the latter is accessed via three steps leading from the former at the N end.

The low, coped terrace wall steps up at right-angles at the N end to continue as a forecourt enclosing wal at a height of approximately 1m. This is of snecked limestone ashlar with chamfered sandstone capping as before, and runs westwards in front of the house before curving around to the S where it terminates at the service end of the house. The wall is punctuated by 9 square limestone ashlar piers with sandstone capping, two pairs of which form gatepiers to the front (N) and side (E) respectively. Both of these have contemporary low, simply-decorative iron gates and modern terracotta finials. As the wall curves to the S it steps up in 7 stages to reach a maximum height of 2m at its southern termination.

In the centre of the forecourt is a shallow, octagonal, chamfered stone basin with a square tapering block of sandstone to its centre; this has a C19 brass sundial affixed to it, inscribed 'Troughton, London.'

Reason for designation

Included for group value with Wigfair Hall.