Garden Loggia

This columned structure is called the Loggia, which marks the entrance to the area we now know as the Shakespeare Garden. It was also the rather impressive entrance to an outdoor swimming – filled in since the 1950s, but whose contours remain clearly visible from within the Shakespeare Garden.

Loggias are covered exterior galleries or corridors usually supported columns or arches, are an Italian architectural innovation. They reached their peak popularity in the mid-seventeenth century on the Continent, especially in Italy. Thus, Herstmonceux contains a rare architectural feature not found in many sites in the United Kingdom.

The loggia is made of solid Flemish brick similar to the Castle itself. The loggia gallery contains four pillars and two arched windows framing the view beyond, creating a beautiful shaded spot to rest and take photos of the grounds. During the castle's restoration, many updates and changes were made to the Castle grounds. Thankfully the loggia remained untouched, and now acts as a beautiful transition area between the Rose Garden and the Shakespeare Garden north of the Castle.