| Description | This is a formal pond with two stone basins feeding it on the west side, and cascades with three further basins on the south side. It was probably built by John Wood of Bath in 1724 5. The retaining walls and surrounds are of magnesian limestone, mostly dressed with vermiculated panels and banded piers. The principal pond is rectangular, in the line of the long vista from the Chapel (PRN 8603) at the north end to the Temple (PRN 8260) and Obelisk (PRN 8262) at the south end. It is raised about two metres above the level of a natural depression in this vista, and it is fed from a large fan shaped pond on the west side. Outward flow to the south is subterranean, through terraces on three levels and three formal ponds of diminishing size.
On the north side of the principal pond is a parterre, which was identified as a ‘semitropical garden’ on the survey of the garden by Detmar Blow (English Heritage, 1991). It has sloped side walls to ramped paths on each side, and at the inner end there are three piers, with dragon head spouts between them.
Beyond to the south is the Great Cascade. This structure has twelve steps or waterfalls and is 4.8 metres wide and 46 metres in length. The cascade was partly destroyed and grassed over, probably in the late 18th century, and it was recently uncovered (English Heritage, 1991). |