Monument record 2266/2/1 - Ice House at Capesthorne Hall

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Summary

A grade II listed eighteenth or early nineteenth century ice house in Capesthorne Park. For a long time, there were few ways of preserving food other than salting and pickling. From the seventeenth century, the idea of an Ice house was introduced to large estates. They were structures built to house blocks of ice to prevent them from melting. They were well insulated and partly underground. The ice was obtained from ponds and lakes frozen in the winter months. Sometimes fields were deliberately flooded by farmers to provide extra income.

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Type and Period (1)

Full Description

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 59124 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Icehouse. Eighteenth or early nineteenth century. Red English garden wall bond brick. Circular domed chamber. Entrance front: cambered arch with retaining walls to sides (twentieth century rebuilding). Short barrel-vaulted passage leading to rectangular entrance to chamber.

<2> Laurie I C, 1986, Ice Houses of Cheshire, p.9 (Booklet-Leaflet). SCH3178.

Ice house situated outside kitchen garden at start of path to Mill Wood under tall trees 250m west of Hall. Nearest water at lower park lake, 25m, to south. Entrance recently repaired. Iron grille in tunnel. Public access. Mound over ice house.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1>XY Digital Archive: English Heritage. 2005. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 59124. [Mapped features: #41160 59124; #54091 59124]
  • <2> Booklet-Leaflet: Laurie I C. 1986. Ice Houses of Cheshire. p.9.

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Location

Grid reference Centred SJ 837 727 (3m by 4m) (2 map features)
Map sheet SJ87SW
Civil Parish SIDDINGTON, MACCLESFIELD, CHESHIRE EAST
Historic Township/Parish/County CAPESTHORNE, PRESTBURY, CHESHIRE

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Record last edited

Apr 19 2023 9:57AM