Listed Building record MDR7287 - Icehouse, Melbourne Hall Gardens

The ice-house is located half a mile (800m) south of the Hall at the bottom of the formal gardens. It is earth-covered in an open flat site. The door has been sealed but appears to have two possible entrances, with steps leading down inside one of them. (1-3) Grade II listed building: 'Icehouse to SE of Four Seasons Vase in Melbourne Hall Gardens. Late 18th century with later repairs. Brick. Semi-circular brick façade with plank door below stone lintel. Nterior has steps down to domed well. A later addition to the early 18th century garden designed by Royal Gardeners to Queen Anne, London and Wise, for Thomas Coke of Melbourne Hall. Included in the Derbyshire Historic Gardens Register at Grade I'. (4) The entrance steps were cleared of their infill in 2003 by a working party of the Melbourne Historical Research Group, prior to opening the icehouse to the public on one of the Heritage Open Days in September. The ice chamber is approximately square in plan and is straight-sided . Nineteen steps lead down from the entrance and there are three insulating doors before the chamber itself is reached. There is a separate loading chute. The structure appears to be of 19th century origin, as document of 1862 has been identified showing that the then tenant of Melbourne Hall, Colonel Henry Edward Gooch, was pressing the agent of the Melbourne Hall Estate to complete the icehouse without delay. However, it is highly likely that there would have been an earlier icehouse associated with the Hall. (5)