The Morrab Gardens, along with some individual features within the Gardens, are nationally recognised as being historically important. Each has a heritage listing by Historic England. The listing includes more detailed descriptions, along with some historical information.
Features with a heritage listing
Follow the links below to see the full official listing:
Morrab Gardens
Morrab Gardens heritage listing
The Gardens themselves are Grade II listed because they are seen as being of special historic interest, principally as a late 19th Century public park laid out to the designs of Reginald Upcher and developed as a sub-tropical garden in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century.
The Bandstand
The Bandstand heritage listing
The Bandstand is a Grade II listed building. It has a granite base and cast and wrought-iron superstructure with lead-clad canopy. It is octagonal in shape and has iron steps on the east side leading up to the bandstand platform.
The Boer War Memorial
The Boer War memorial heritage listing
The Boer War Memorial erected in 1904 is listed at Grade II for its historic interest as a moving reminder of the impact of the Boer War on the local community, and which illustrates the emergence of war memorials erected by the public as a focus for remembrance. Heritage listing
The Fountain
The Fountain heritage listing
The fountain and pond walls are Grade II listed. Built in the late 19th Century, the fountain is cast-iron. It is a large pedestal and has relief friezes with scallop shells, starfish and festoons of sea shells. There are dolphins at the corners and cherubs riding turtles which spout fountains of water. At the top there is a globe with an otter holding a fish in its mouth. The fountain stands in a shallow pond surrounded by a low wall of small granite boulders.
The Morrab Library
The Morrab Library heritage listing
The Morrab Library (formerly Morrab House) is a Grade II listed building. It was previously listed as Penzance Library. It is a Stucco house built 1841 for Samuel Pidwell, now housing a library of over 70,000 books as well as archives and a photographic collection within this delightful Victorian building.
We are extremely proud to be the custodians of a wonderful national asset, worthy of being heritage listed.
image sources: (click to expand)
- morrab gardens entrance: © Friends of Morrab Gardens | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International
- the bandstand: Image by Peter Crumpler, used with permission
- the boer war memorial: © Friends of Morrab Gardens | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International
- the fountain: Image by Peter Crumpler, used with permission
- The Morrab Library: © Friends of Morrab Gardens | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International