Our buildings archaeologists have rediscovered a huge underground Ice House dating from the 1780s whilst working on behalf of Great Marlborough Estates as part of the development of Regent’s Crescent, a landmark residential project. The Ice House has been designated as a Scheduled Monument by Historic England, and it is hoped that public access, via a new viewing corridor, will be made available at certain times of year during archaeological and architectural festivals.
Located just off Regent’s Park, the subterranean Ice House would have been one of the largest of its kind when first built - measuring an impressive 7.5 metres wide and 9.5m deep. Remarkably, the red brick, egg-shaped chamber survived the Blitz despite the destruction of the mews houses above, and remains in excellent condition, along with its entrance passage, and vaulted ante-chamber. Testament, perhaps, to "the great engineering and construction abilities present towards the end of the 18th century" says Jane Sidell, Inspector of Ancient Monuments at Historic England.
