OXFORDSHIRE BUILDINGS TR​UST

3. FISHPONDS, DOVECOT AND TERRACE

To the left is one of the fishponds dug on the same axis as the lime-tree avenues and now largely drained and covered with thick woodland. Ahead is the 17th century dovecot. To the right of this is a low earthwork bank where archaeological excavations in 2009 revealed evidence of walls supporting a raised terrace. This was designed to run at the rear of a new house where it would have provided a fine view overlooking the parterres of a garden. (Point 5 will tell you more about this). The garden was in the area to your right.

The excavations in 2009 uncovered some of the gravel paths and the remains of a flight of steps from an upper to a lower terrace. The slope between the terraces is still evident.
In the woodland behind are the traces of a canal and ponds from a formal water garden.