| HCC Site ID: | 1648 | Parish: | Havant |
| Designations: | LB II; CA | Area: | |
| Access: | Public Access | Ownership: | Public garden Havant District Council |
Location and site
The Gazebo Garden is situated in a residential and commercial area of St Faith’s in Havant, between East Street and The Pallant; to the south of The Pallant car park and north of the Bear Hotel.
Historic development
The Gazebo itself was built in the late 18th century – 1779 is stamped on the weather vane – by William Lellyet, owner of the house then sited on the present 23 and 24 East Street, Havant. The Gazebo is built with red brick with grey headers and hand made clay tiles. The lower storey was probably used for storage. The upper storey, reached by an outside flight of stone steps, has a small room with evidence of windows on three sides, and with a fireplace in the northwest corner.
In the 18th and 19th centuries it would have looked out over the Manor House and its grounds and the Fair Field, and then on to open country. It was eventually separated from the main house. The word Gazebo means a gazing place and is a small fancy building or room perched on a garden wall to give a view towards the countryside.
Current description
Now (2001) the Gazebo stands in the middle of Havant, with its small garden created in c1990, based on an 18th century design. Flowers and shrubs represent the types of plants used during the time when the Gazebo was built. The garden consists of a paved area surrounding a circular bed which contains a Bay (Laurus Nobilis) surrounded by geranium and irises. The borders have box, camellia, hellebore, hyacinth, narcissus and viburnum for spring flowering, cistus, iris, lavender, lilium magnolia, roses, clematis, jasmine, cotton lavender, clematis, wisteria, and peony for summer flowering, and geranium, roses, helenium, aster and Virginia creeper for the autumn.
Summary
The late 18th century gazebo was originally part of a townhouse garden, and is now separated from the main house. A small public garden was built c1990 based on an 18th century design encompassing the gazebo. It occupies the edge of a car park in Havant providing historical interest as well as being a haven of peace and beauty in the bustling small town. That area of the town would suffer a loss of quality if it were to disappear.
HGT Research: January 2001