Details

The monument includes an early 19th century ice house in the grounds of
Killerton Gardens. The circular ice house is built into the side of a former
quarry later converted into a rock garden. It has external dimensions of about
7m in height and 5m in diameter whilst internally it is just over 6m in height
with a diameter of 4.1m. A single narrow entrance gives access to the ice
house about 4m above its base. The interior is brick lined and has a conical
roof. Its walls have three concentric recessed grooves, each over 1m apart,
which perhaps supported timber floors and possibly a timber lining. Each of
the grooves has 12 equally spaced radiating timber wall ties. There is an
octagonal brick drain at the centre of the base from which runs a drainage
channel, about 0.15m wide, which exits below the southern wall.
The ice house, which is Listed Grade II, is recorded as having been built in
about 1808 for Sir Thomas Acland of Killerton House by the designer John
Veitch; it had a maximum capacity of 40 tons of ice which was estimated to be
sufficient for three years. In 1900 the ice house was incorporated into a
formal rock garden, provided with a stone built, stepped passageway, about 5m
long, and had its roof overlain and hidden from view by a rockery. The ice
house has been fitted with electricity for display purposes and there is an
iron grill across the inner entrance.
Killerton Gardens is registered Grade II* in the Register of parks and
gardens. All modern fencing, gating, and information boards are excluded from
the scheduling, although the structure and fabric behind or beneath these
features is included.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Icehouses are subterranean structures designed specifically to store ice,
usually removed in winter from ponds and used in the summer for preserving
food and cooling drinks. Thousands of icehouses have been built in England
since the early 17th century. These were initially built only by the upper
level of society, but by the end of the 18th century they were commonplace.
They continued to be built throughout the 19th century, when huge examples
were established by the fishing industry, as well as for use in towns.
Icehouses only became obsolete after the introduction of domestic
refrigerators in the early 20th century.
Of the thousands originally built, some 1500 icehouses have been positively
identified through a combination of archaeological and documentary research.
Although a relatively common class, most recorded examples with surviving
remains will be considered to be of national interest and appropriate for
consideration for either scheduling or listing. They are also generally
regarded as a significant component of local distinctiveness and character.

The ice house 210m north west of Killerton House was identified in a national
survey of ice houses as being of national importance. Despite some early 20th
century landscaping of its surrounds, it survives well and retains evidence of
its original timber fittings which provide information on its use and
construction. It has a documented designer and there are contemporary records
describing its filling. In addition to architectural information, the monument
will provide details on the methods of food storage in the 19th century prior
to the advent of the domestic refrigerator.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Acland, A, A Devon Family, (1981)

Source: Historic England