This list shows contents of a number of the follies the Aislabie family built around their gardens. Venus’s Temple, the Pavilion, Temple of Piety and the Octagon Tower are all mentioned along with clues about how they must have looked.
It is thought that the now vanished Temple of Venus was built around 1724-1728 in a classical style, a cylindrical building with a domed roof. This document shows that the Temple of Venus still existed in September 1768. After the temple was demolished it is thought to have been replaced briefly by a tent which is depicted in a painting dated 1770.
Reference: WYL150/5975
A Catalogue of the goods deliver[e]d
By Jn Nicholson 3 Sep[tember] 1768
To Rob[er]t Doe
Venus’s Temple Little Kitchen
20 Stalk Glasses, great and small in
the Corner Cubbart
4 Decanters
6 Water Glasses
A Doz[e]n of Cheinea Cups and Saucers
A Large Tea Pott
A Slop bason and Sugar ditto
A Handle Cofffe Cup
4 Cheinea Plates
3 Mahogany Waters
A large sq[ua]r[e] Oak Table Leafe
nd Frame
2 Angle dittos, a large carpet
A sweeping Brush
2 showering dittos, and an old Hand ditto
In the Drawing Room
A Couch containing 2 Mattress-
es
3 Pillars and a Bolster w[it]h Curtains
and of yellow silk Dammask
4 Stooles, 2 Chairs
A Black Marble Table
A Bass Matt.
In the Great Room
8 Mahogany Arm[e]d Chairs
4 Velvet stooles and 2 d[itt]o Elbow
Chairs with Covers
2 Mahogany Tables, a Round
ditto with 4 drawers.
A stove grate w[it]h a Fire Shovel
A pair of Tongs and poker
2 Bass matts
In the Back Kitchen
A Feather Bed and bed stead
A Bolster, a Double Blankett
A Single d[itt]o a Coverlet
A paire of sheets
A white Table and a furm[?]
A Press. A Chair.
Wattle Hall
2 Tables
2 Long Chists
2 Chairs, 2 old gard[e]n seats
A Gunn
A pair of Bellows. 3 Watering
Panns.
5 paire of Garden Sheers
2 parie of Broken Ones
A Brag Gavelock, a Lanthron
A fishing rood
A Turnup Bed w[it] a Feather bed
A pillar and a Bolster
3 Blankets, a Quilt and
2 paire of sheets, a white peal
Table and a Tent stoole
A Corner Cubbart in the stair case
A Corded Bed stead above staires
In the Pavilion
8 Cheineas Arm[e]d Chairs
A mahogany Table
2 Chairs in the Harbour
6 Ditto in the Temple of Piety
A Tea Table and a little stand
2 long sluce gavelocks and
2 Storter
6 Arm[e]d Walnut Chairs in the Octegon Tower.
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Catablogue 