Kitchen garden walls at Doldowlod House

Location

Set below and on the SW side of the A470, approximately 400m SE of the house.

History

Doldowlod was purchased by the engineer James Watt of Soho, Birmingham, in 1803 and was developed as a country residence by his son James Watt junior (1769-1848) of Birmingham in the second quarter of the C19. The present house was built in the 1840s as an extension to an existing farmhouse, which was demolished when the house was extended in the 1870s. Watt's interest in fruit trees led to the building of the kitchen garden in the 1840s.

Exterior

Garden walls of brick with freestone coping, on a sloping site approximately 90m NE-SW by 60m. The NE wall, facing the main road, follows an irregular line. The SE wall has a central entrance with segmental head and retains its boarded door. Further W the wall has been breached to allow vehicle access. The NW wall has 2 entrances, both with replacement doors. Of these, the central entrance has a brick segmental head, and is flanked on the outer side by lean-to brick bothies. The bothy on the L side has a corrugated metal roof, central boarded door flanked by a 2-light small-pane window on the R and later 3-light window to the L. The R side wall, facing the garden entrance, has a 2-light small-pane loft window and 4-pane basement opening retaining traces of original mesh. The L side wall has a 2-light loft window similar to the R side. The R-hand bothy has a slate roof, central metal-framed window, and a doorway and 2-light small-pane window to its R. The L end wall, facing the garden entrance, has a boarded door.

Reason for designation

Listed for group value in the overall historic context of Doldowlod House and grounds.