Late 19th century glasshouse at Hoe Mill House, Hoe Mill Road (EHER 81958)

The ruins of a large glasshouse with brick-built bothy along its western side, and a boiler house with brick chimney for the underfloor heating. It is built mostly from yellow stock brick on the exterior and red brick on the exterior, and the bricks are thought to have been salvaged and reused from an earlier glasshouse closer to Hoe Mill House (EHER 39107). This structure is interpreted as having been built in 1875, and underwent some reconstruction in the 1960s, before the frame was dismantled in 2009 due to safety concerns. During a survey in 2018, the building was in ruin, and the only upstanding element was the bothy.

September 2018. Heritage assessment. A large glasshouse with a brick-built 'bothy' (living quarters for winter gardening) along its western side, and a boiler house with brick chimney for the underfloor heating. Much of the brickwork is reclaimed yellow London Stocks and several have carved initials. The inner wall is built from mid 19th century red bricks and is a cavity wall. There are dwarf walls for a timber-framed glass-house. At the time of survey, the building is in ruin, and the only upstanding element is the bothy. There are wrought iron ties from the original roof hanging from the structure. It is probable that the building was built of reclaimed bricks from an earlier glasshouse shown on the 1874 OS map nearer the house. This idea is reinforced by the large number of engraved bricks high up on the northern end of the bothy, many of which bare the initials of the then owner's (Samuel Garrett) children. One has an added date of 1875 and this probably signifies the erection of the newly built glasshouse. Also of note is a brick baring a benchmark on the interior of the bothy, thought to be further evidence of re-used materials. The building was given a new timber frame and glass, and the chimney updated, in the 1960s. Several remaining fittings, including the tank and steel pipework, as well as some electrical fittings, conform to this date. The floor was re-laid with red quarry tiles and the heating ducts filled with concrete. The frame was dismantled by the owner in 2009 due to safety concerns. <1>