Historic ‘ice house’ set to become tourist attraction
Hidden treasure is tucked away on former country estate
WORK is set to begin on transforming a 180-year-old hidden landmark from a bygone age into a tourist attraction.
Covered by a roof of grass and moss, it looks like some kind of abandoned Hobbit home or Teletubbies den from the world of TV and film fantasy.
But the true purpose of this peculiar building, tucked away in the grounds of a former country estate in Blaby, is a lot more practical – if no less intriguing.
Before the days of the fridge freezer, the benefits of refrigeration in keeping food fresh for longer were the reserve of an elite few – the 19th century inhabitants of Blaby Hall, in the grounds of Bouskell Park, among them.
The secrets of the Blaby Ice House, however, will soon be revealed to the public as part of Blaby District Council plans, announced in December, to turn it into a tourist attraction.
The authority, which now runs the park, has confirmed that work on the refurbishment, which is being funded by the National Lottery, will begin this week.
A spokesman for the council said: “The ceremonial first spade in the ground will take place on Thursday”
Councillor Sharon Coe will be joined by Buried Bouskell project coordinator, Gemma Tallis, and Giles Ball, general manager of builders Fairways Contracting Limited at the site at 11am.
“In December 2019, £156,000 was awarded to us by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the project to restore and explore the history of the ice house,” said the council spokesman.
“Dating from 1843, the grade IIlisted Ice House was the storage facility for the Victorian manor house, Blaby Hall.
“A popular method to store ice from the nearby lake to keep Blaby Hall’s food supplies cold, the Ice House was an important addition to the estate.
“However, the full historical and archaeological features remain relatively hidden and the project to restore it to its former glory will help to preserve its structure and heritage for the future.”
Prior to the invention of the refrigerator, humans had relied on other time-tested methods of preserving food, such as salting, smoking, spicing, pickling and drying.
For the lucky few, however, there was the ice house, a curious construction once popular at stately homes and country estates.
Back in January, council parks officer James Poynton gave the press a tour inside the mysterious eightfoot long chamber.
“It would have been used for storing ice throughout the winter, which would have been collected on the lake behind the ice house,” he explained.
“That would have been used in Blaby Hall, which is just adjacent to here, for keeping food chilled on the table. It could possibly have been carved into ice sculptures or ice slabs. Back then it was colder and they’d have plenty of ice to collect off the lake.
“The feature on the ceiling, that’s where they would have dropped the ice in through the winter, then they’d have tried not to open the doors because they’d be letting warm air in.
“You’ve got a drain where, as it melts, it would have drained back into the pond.
“It’s cavity wall and that keeps the ice for longer, which is a very early example of technology being used.
“It would have been sheet ice in this case. Some ice houses though, they used to tow icebergs into port and cut off chunks and distribute it round stately homes.”
The lottery money, along with further cash from the district council, will be used to research the structure and promote it for guided tours and community events, such as a twoday archaeological dig.
A council spokesman, speaking in January, said: “It is also anticipated to become a tourist attraction. Thorough research will be undertaken to uncover the history of its use and efforts will be made to promote the ice house and pond, highlighting its history with guided visits.”
A date for the archaeological dig has yet to be agreed.