*Autumn light*

A folly somewhere in Gloucester !

Spotted through the coach window on a Mystery tour...

Happy weekend dear friends i will catch up soon xxx

 

Conduit head. Rebuilt as a feature in Hillfield Gardens.

Originally built 1636 for Alderman John Scriven in Southgate

Street to provide the city with water piped from Robin's Wood

Hill; removed 1784 and rebuilt in a garden on the east side of

the city; moved to Edgeworth Manor c1830; given to the City of

Gloucester and reconstructed 1937. Painswick stone ashlar

carved and moulded in Jacobean style combining Gothic and

Renaissance details, badly weathered in part. A small arcaded

octagonal structure now entered on the north side.

EXTERIOR: a plain ashlar plinth of two courses; triple shafts

at each corner with moulded bases and deeply carved foliage

capitals support a crowning entablature and a miniature

crenellated parapet pierced with circular openings; eight

moulded ogee ribs which spring from the corners at parapet

level are gathered to form an open crown capped by an

elaborately carved finial which carries a statue of Jupiter

Fluvius pouring rainwater on Sabrina. In each face between the

triple shafts is a pointed arch open above and infilled below,

with a central shaft on the infill which may have risen as a

mullion in the upper part of the arch; at each angle of the

frieze a boldly projecting and vigorously carved lion's head;

on each face of the frieze a carved medallion depicting one of

the resources of the Vale of Gloucester (cider, fishing, wool,

corn, etc.).

Other cities have retained important monuments relating to

early water supply; this conduit head is remarkable for the

quality and richness of its decorative and symbolic carving.

Scheduled Ancient Monument.

 

Thank you so much Wendy for the ID x

 

Done