Friday, 29 November 2013

The Shell House

At the far end of the grass terrace at Hotel Endsleigh sits a charming hexagonal building that was designed by Wyatville as a summer house to display geological specimens and shells. It is perched on sloping ground with a view of the river below.
It is photogenic from all angles!



A small pool is centrally placed on the shell house floor and the flooring both inside and out is decorated with pebbles. What a time-consuming task,

but how lovely!

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12 comments:

  1. Beth29 November 2013 at 12:37

    It really is picturesque! What lovely photos. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Share my Garden30 November 2013 at 15:03

      Isn't it just! But as Tom, and Samuel Johnson, says, a nice place for a frog.

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  2. elaine 29 November 2013 at 14:20

    Think of the hours it must have taken to place all those pebbles - such patience.

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    1. Share my Garden30 November 2013 at 14:58

      There was patterned flooring all over the place - someone down on their knees for weeks on end. The terrace in front of the hotel was made up of thousands of tiny bones. Labour used to be vert cheap!

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  3. Tom Stephenson29 November 2013 at 14:47

    I've restored about three of these grottoes now, and melancholy they are. 'A nice place - for a frog' is how Johnson described them.

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    1. Share my Garden30 November 2013 at 14:53

      Oh, I like that, Tom, it's a good description of the entire country.
      'Grotto Restorer' -quite a title! Do you have photos of your restorations?

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  4. Connie29 November 2013 at 22:46

    I love these little hidden treasures.

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    1. Share my Garden30 November 2013 at 15:01

      It was so well positioned, just teetering on the edge of the formal garden and looking ready to be over-run with moss and climbers.

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  5. Paula1 December 2013 at 03:04

    Very lovely!
    I see you also enjoy superbe days in the late autumn season. It has been a nice autumn, not overly wet, no?

    I will look up the Hotel, seems to be a remote place. Which is good! :-)
    Have a nice sunday,
    Paula

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    1. Share my Garden1 December 2013 at 09:22

      December - where has the year gone! We had a few lovely days, just to enjoy the last of autumn but today is cold and dank and winter has definitely arrived.

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  6. WendyMcLeodMacKnight1 December 2013 at 03:49

    I have been loving this series! Just lovely and makes me want to visit!

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