Victorian Folly of 'medieval Ruins' in Bromley Palace Park
VICTORIAN FOLLY OF 'MEDIEVAL RUINS' IN BROMLEY PALACE PARK, STOCKWELL CLOSE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1186785
- Date first listed:
- 10-Jan-1955
- List Entry Name:
- Victorian Folly of 'medieval Ruins' in Bromley Palace Park
- Statutory Address:
- VICTORIAN FOLLY OF 'MEDIEVAL RUINS' IN BROMLEY PALACE PARK, STOCKWELL CLOSE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-02-07
- Reference:
- IOE01/11184/12
- Rights:
- © Mr Richard M. Brown. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1186785
- Date first listed:
- 10-Jan-1955
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 30-Apr-2008
- List Entry Name:
- Victorian Folly of 'medieval Ruins' in Bromley Palace Park
- Statutory Address 1:
- VICTORIAN FOLLY OF 'MEDIEVAL RUINS' IN BROMLEY PALACE PARK, STOCKWELL CLOSE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- VICTORIAN FOLLY OF 'MEDIEVAL RUINS' IN BROMLEY PALACE PARK, STOCKWELL CLOSE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- Bromley (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 40595 69036
Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 30/01/2014
785/5/44A
BROMLEY
STOCKWELL CLOSE
Victorian folly of 'medieval ruins' in Bromley Palace Park
(Formerly listed under RAFFORD WAY)
(Formerly listed as ROCHESTER AVENUE BROMLEY RUINS OF THE OLD PALACE)
10-JAN-55
II
Folly with Norman style detailing, probably of mid-1860s and by the firm of garden contrators, Pulhams.
MATERIALS: Stuccoed brick with stone, flint and possibly Pulhamite details.
PLAN: Square or rectangular (partly ruinous).
EXTERIOR: The folly stands just outside what is now the south west gateway into the civic centre complex. In the mid-C19 this was the south west corner of the pleasure grounds around the Palace. It comprises a low, flat-fronted, stuccoed brick turret with some applied stone and flint walling. Its main feature is a round-arched window in Norman style on the main south front, with raised mechanical zig-zag decoration. This may be cast Pulhamite rather than carved stone. The arch rests upon what are probably real early medieval capitals supported on the left by a possibly late C12 column with decorative capital. To the left side of the building is a blind squint, again round-headed. The rear of the structure and its roof have collapsed.
HISTORY: After changes to the boundary of the bishopric in 1845 the bishop's palace at Bromley became the private house of Coles Child, a wealthy coal merchant. He extended the house using Richard Norman Shaw as architect (1863), and by 1865 was ornamenting his grounds, employing James Pulham over a five year period to create what contemporary records describe as a fernery and waterfall using the 'Pulhamite' artificial rock-work for which the firm was well known. Nothing specifically is known about the folly, although it probably belongs to this phase of landscaping and may well have been constructed by the firm of Pulhams who as well as rockwork supplied structures such as bridges and balustrades. Tradition has it that it was constructed from medieval stonework dredged from the moat c.1865. Some may have been; the key features, however, were clearly new-made in the mid-C19.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION: The folly of c.1865 at the south west corner of the former pleasure grounds at the former bishop's palace, Bromley, is listed for the following principal reasons:
* It is an intrinsically interesting mid-C19 folly, unusually employing Norman style decoration to evoke the spirit of the former bishop's palace.
* It is probably by Pulhams, one of the most innovative and interesting C19 firms of garden contractors
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 358557
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jun-2026 at 17:08:29.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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