The brickworks balustrade

The balustrade at the front of the old brickworks has featured before on this blog but here we have a particularly fine photo of it.

Sylvia at the brickworks – clearly showing the balustrade.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a date but the back of the photo tells us that the little girl was called Sylvia.

The balustrade is the main focus here. This had been designed by Mr Box, when he owned the brickworks, for use at Market Lavington Manor, built in the 1860s. There is a possibility that a dispute arose between Box and Pleydell Bouverie – who was having the Manor built and it is possible that Mr Box was not properly paid for the Manor’s balustrade.

Anyway, he decided to use the same pattern and make a similar balustrade for his own house, by the brickworks on Broadway.

Pleydell Bouverie was incensed by this. He claimed that a promise had been made that this pattern would only be used at his grand Manor House. Box was ‘invited’ to remove the balustrade from around the brickworks. Box refused.

The result was a court case which found in favour of Mr Box who thus kept the balustrade.

Sad to say, it is no longer there. But photos keep its memory alive.

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The trouble causing balustrade

Some of us rather like the idea of those who deem themselves in high and mighty positions losing out to the more ordinary folks. And this photo reminds us of one such event.

Brick master’s house with Victorian balustrade around the front garden. The photo dates from about 1930

This shows the brickmaster’s house in the 1930s. It’s a shame the photographer missed the distinctive chimneys but perhaps our intrepid camera user was keen on the front garden wall or balustrade. It is of a distinctive design and was made, not surprisingly by Edward Box and Co at the Lavington Brick, Tile and Pottery works back in Mid-Victorian times.

The trouble – or should we say dispute – ended up in the law courts. That wall certainly cost someone a lot of money.

The design occurs in one other place in Market Lavington. That’s at the Manor House which was built in the 1860s by Edward Pleydell Bouverie. The same pattern balustrade  stops folks from falling off a terrace just outside the house.

According to Edward Playdell Bouverie the Box family told him that this pattern balustrade would not appear anywhere else.  He was incensed when he found the same design around the Box’s own home. He ordered them to remove it. They refused so Mr Bouverie sought a court order demanding its removal. One wonders if he thought his position of Lord of the Manor, member of parliament etc was a guarantee of success at court. It proved not to be the case.. The Box family won and kept their garden wall.

The house, by the way, is now known as Mowbray House and looks like this.

Same house – 21st century

So perhaps Edward Pleydell Bouverie has the last laugh for the old balustrade has gone and a wooden fence with shrubs has replaced it.

The Disputed Balustrade

Market Lavington Manor was built in the 1860s. Edward Pleydell Bouverie had decided on a grandiose building based on a Tudor style brick building. The ornamentation was lavish. No expense was spared in making sure the new Manor House was by far the best dwelling in the parish. Amongst the design features was a balustrade around the terrace just outside the house. This attractive little wall was designed and provided by Edward Box who had taken Market Lavington Brick Works in 1859. It was essentially brick, made in moulds much as ordinary bricks were. Here we see the balustrade surrounding the manor.

An undated photo of Market Lavington Manor shows the balustrade around the terrace

Another photo shows the balustrade after the snow storm of 1908.

Market Lavington Manor terrace and balustrade after the snow of April 28th 1908

But back to the 1860s. Edward Box looked at his work and he was pleased. In fact he was so pleased he decided he’d have an identical balustrade around the house he was building for himself. His house, sometimes called Mowbray House, is close to the old brickworks on Broadway, Market Lavington.

Edward Pleydell Bouverie was incensed. He was obviously of the opinion that he alone had the right to this particular and very stylish balustrade. He demanded that Box remove it from his house. This did not happen. Bouverie was a lawyer and he took Box to court over  what was no more than a garden wall. Bouverie lost.

So here is the balustrade at the brick master’s house. This picture dates from the 1920s and may feature members of the George family.

The identical balustrade built by Edward Box at his own home at Broadwayt, Market Lavington