09 Great Lime at Holker

A huge fluted common lime, set in the most attractive grounds of Holker Hall, probably planted when the formal gardens were laid out in the17th century. A lovely tranquil tree to meet and draw, surrounded by garlic enjoying it’s dappled shade. 

Really quite upset to discover only just now, that there is an ICE HOUSE I could have seen! My attention was fully focussed on the tree. I’ve a soft spot for ice houses; I like to think that people went to the huge effort of building and maintaining them solely for the joy of ice cream, regardless of other uses for ice. Plus anything underground is always interesting, right?

Extra ice cream content from fashionable celebrity cook Mrs Agnes B Marshall (1855 - 1905), whose ‘Book of Ices’ and ‘Fancy Ices’ stimulated demand for ice. Not to mention setting the bar! Heston B, you must try harder. 

 

Ice house photograph © Mr CJ Wright. Source: Historic England Archive