We came across this old ice house in the woods during our Derbyshire stroll. The idea is, or rather was, that ice was collected from a local lake in winter, and stored in bulk in the insulated subterranean chamber of the ice house. The large quantity of ice together with the storage conditions meant that ice was available throughout the year, more for food preservation that adding to a gin and tonic, which would be my preferred option. The ice houses were generally on an estate, and the ice used by the servants in the manor house associated with the estate. This ice house was a bit of an enigma. There did not appear to be a nearby manor house, or even the ruins of one, nor a nearby lake. In fact if our walking guide hadn’t identified the building as an ice house, we would have been a bit flummoxed as to what it was.
Just realised I've put this in twice! I uploaded yesterday I wondered where it disappeared to. I accidentally uploaded it to the date when it was taken! Thanks for comments on both days.