The Surviving Cast Iron Conservatory

“A fashionable adjunct to a drawing room” (Neale, 1988 conservation analysis)

The Victorian cast-iron conservatory attached to the drawing room is the only one to survive at Rippon Lea.

In their day, both Frederick Sargood and Benjamin Nathan built great complexes of up to 24 conservatories throughout the grounds to nurture and display their exotic bloom collections.

Conservatories were all the rage in Victorian Britain, and the Industrial Revolution allowed new uses for glass and steel.

The conservatory was moved in 1898 by Sir Frederick Sargood from its original position overlooking the lawn. It was moved to create a great talking point, showcasing his exotic orchids to visitors in the drawing room.

Originally there were intricate stained-glass windows and door panels, built to protect the drawing room furniture from the humidity and heat of the conservatory. These have since been replaced by plain glass.

The structure is a prefabricated cast iron shell on a bluestone sub-wall. It has timber window sashes, a glass barrel-vaulted roof and an elaborate encaustic tile floor.

The ironwork came from George Smith & Cos Sun Foundry in Glasgow. They produced vast amounts of decorative cast iron for the British and overseas markets.

The fan window was influenced by Joseph Paxton’s design for the Great Exhibition Crystal Palace. Sir Frederick visited the Crystal Palace on his London visit around 1881 and was awed by it.

The fan window design was very popular at the time, and also featured in Melbourne’s Exhibition Building (also built by Rippon Lea’s architect Joseph Reed).

The rear windows may have been frosted at one point to block the view of the servant courtyard and basement kitchen.

Decorative Panels

The exterior showcases several ornamental ceramic panels, illustrating garden plants. It includes the sunflower emblem so loved by late Victorians.

In Sir Frederick’s day prior to his renovations in 1898, there were two cast-iron conservatories attached to the mansion, including one adjacent to the dining room on the south side.

Today, only the tiled floor and sub walls of this conservatory remain, and can be seen between the house and the ballroom.