Although the summer house which belonged to 17th century philanthropist, John Kyrle - the 'Man of Ross' is of significant historical importance to the town of Ross-on-Wye, the building is privately owned and as such, not open to the public. A guided walk on Saturday, led by Mary Sinclair Powell as part of the John Kyrle Birthday Celebration visited the gardens but prior to that visit, current owners of the house, Geoff and Betty Gartside very kindly gave us a private tour of the house and gardens so that we could photograph it for 'Wyenot'.

The gardens in which the summer house stand are maintained by Mr. Gartside sticking to the original John Kyrle design. Whilst restoring the grounds to their former glory, the Gartsides found a large ammonite, a petrified tree trunk and many other interesting artefacts reflecting the town's history. In the floor of the porchway, lies an amazing mosaic of a swan, made from horse's teeth. The summer house really is a hidden jewel in the centre of Ross and we feel privileged to have been invited to look around.