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IoE Number:
379242
Location:
GROTTO APPROXIMATELY 85 METRES SOUTH OF GOLDNEY HOUSE, CLIFTON HILL
BRISTOL, BRISTOL, BRISTOL
Photographer:
N/A
Date Photographed:
N/A
Date listed:
08 January 1959
Date of last amendment:
30 December 1994
Grade
I
The Images of England website consists of images of listed buildings based on the statutory list as it was in 2001 and does not incorporate subsequent amendments to the list. For the statutory list and information on the current listed status of individual buildings please go to The National Heritage List for England.
BRISTOL
ST5772NW CLIFTON HILL, Clifton
901-1/14/787 (South side)
08/01/59 Grotto approximately 85 metres south
of Goldney House
(Formerly Listed as:
CLIFTON HILL
(South side)
Grotto at Goldney House)
GV I
Grotto. 1737-64, dated 1739. Limestone ashlar, decorated
inside with shells, quartz and rock crystal - 'Bristol
diamonds'. Ashlar entrance has a 2-centred arched doorway with
2-panel door, similar flanking windows with trefoil heads, and
octofoil central window above, all with hoodmoulds with
uncarved stops. INTERIOR: a very fine pillared hall with
fountains, rock pool, statue of Neptune and a Lion's Den.
HISTORICAL NOTE: In 1762-5 Thomas Paty was employed in
"grinding, gooping and laying" tiles in the Grotto at Goldney
House: '...surpasses all the English (grotto) examples in the
imagination and fantasy used in the selection and combination
of shells and stones' (Gomme).
(Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural
History: Bristol: 1979-: 163; The Buildings of England:
Pevsner N: North Somerset and Bristol: London: 1958-: 447;
Colvin H: A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects
1600-1840: London: 1978-: 626).