More information : An icehouse at Ayscoughfee Hall, Churchgate, Spalding (NGR: TF 525 322). Entry to the icehouse is gained through an upward sloping, stepped passage, which passes through two pairs of oak doors, 1.8 metres apart. The chamber is a brick built, straight-sided, domed structure. It is about 2.6 metres in diameter, with a depth of 6 metres from the base to the dome. The walls contain a cavity of about 0.6 metres. The floor is made of double oak planks set on brick piers and has a small central soakaway. It is raised slightly above ground water level to avoid the flooding that occurs regularly in the fens. The steep embankment over the structure has several small walls to retain the earth cover. (1)
The 1:2500 OS map for Lincolnshire published in 1904 shows that Ayscoughfee Hall is located at TF 24895 22364 and the icehouse is located at TF 24884 22240. (2) |