Temple of Harmony facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Temple of Harmony
The Temple of Harmony
General information
Town or city	Goathurst
Country	England
Coordinates	51°06′08″N 3°04′14″W / 51.102350°N 3.070529°W / 51.102350; -3.070529
Construction started	1767
Client	Sir Charles Kemeys-Tynte
Design and construction
Architect	Thomas Prowse

The Temple of Harmony is a cool old building from the 1700s. It's found in the big gardens of Halswell House in Goathurst, Somerset, England. It's called a 'folly' because it was built just for fun and looks, not for living in!

It was built in 1767. It looks just like an ancient Roman temple called the Temple of Fortuna Virilis, which is super old – from the 1st century! The Temple is in Mill Wood, a large garden area. It was built for Sir Charles Kemeys-Tynte. The main designer was Thomas Prowse, with ideas from Robert Adam and Thomas Stocking.

What is the Temple of Harmony?

The Temple of Harmony was built to remember a friend named Peregrine Palmer. He used to be a Member of Parliament for Oxford University. He passed away in 1762.

How the Temple Looks

The Temple has a roof made of slate. It also has triangle-shaped parts at each end, called pediments. All around the building are Ionic columns and flat columns called pilasters. These give it a classic, ancient look.

The building faces a certain way, with its main entrance looking towards Halswell House. The house is about 470 meters (514 yards) away.

Saving the Temple

For many years, the Temple was not looked after. It was even used as a shelter for cows! In 1993, a group called the Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust (SBPT) took over the Temple. It was in very bad shape.

With help from groups like English Heritage, the Temple has now been fixed up. It is now a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected. The Temple is about 6.4 meters (21 feet) wide and 11.3 meters (37 feet) long at its base. It now has a special metal bar inside to help keep it strong.

The Temple's Special Statue

Inside the Temple, there is a marble statue made by John Walsh. This statue shows Terpsichore, who in ancient Greek stories was the goddess of dance and poetry. The statue was put there to remember Thomas Prowse, one of the Temple's designers, after he died in 1767.

The statue you see in the Temple today is a copy made in 1999. The original statue is kept safe at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton.

Who Owns the Temple Now?

For a while, the Temple was owned by the Somerset Building Preservation Trust. It was looked after by the Halswell Park Trust. But in 2020, Edward Strachan bought the Temple. He also owns Halswell House and the land around it, called Mill Wood. This means the Temple is now back with the main estate, just like it was a long time ago.

Visiting the Temple

You can visit the Temple of Harmony on Sunday afternoons during the summer months. If you want to visit at other times, you can arrange it beforehand.

Gallery

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  South-east facade with portico

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  South-east facade with portico

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  North-east facade (long side) and north-west facade with blind window

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  North-west facade

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  Detail of north-west facade

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  Detail of south-west facade (long side)

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  Detail of south-west facade (long side)

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  Detail of inside of portico

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  Detail of inside of portico

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  View of Halswell House from the Temple