The Tennis Pavilion

Cadw's description

Location

At the foot of Buckland Hill on the lane leading to the rear of Buckland Hall, facing the park.

History

Said to be by H Avray Tipping, the renowned architect, writer and garden designer who was working at Buckland c1923. During renovation work in 1990s tiles were found with the name Watson of Tewkesbury and dated 1926. Formerly known as the Sewing House. Used as holiday cottage.

Exterior

An octagonal building, of pegged timber framing with rendered infill on a stone plinth, with a stone tiled roof. The roof has hipped gabled dormers with lead finials to sides, stone chimney to rear, deep overhanging sprocketed swept eaves. Windows are wooden framed with mullions and lattice glazing. Facing the park up 4 stone steps is a 3 sided verandah comprising the open timber framing of braces and balustrade. Inside the verandah the polygonal entrance bay, parallel with the outer octagon, has a central doorway of 4 pegged timber panels with lattice glazing and trefoil heads to each light; to each side paired double-light timber-framed lattice windows, and double lights in the angled return. At rear a timber framed doorway with planked door; side and rear windows have single, double and triple lights.

Interior

Interior has large central octagonal room open to roof and lit by the dormers, with central Tudor-arched fireplace with chimney breast facing the door. Rooms to right and left, former male and female changing rooms, and kitchen to rear; added bathroom. Parquet floor; ceiling beams have hollow mouldings.

Reason for designation

Listed II* as a most unusual early C20 recreational building possibly designed by Avray Tipping and using traditional timber framing techniques.