Bouskell Park Ice House

Bouskell Park was once the site of a medieval village, the remains of which were cleared to create parkland and gardens for Blaby Hall. Much of the park’s features date back to this period including the Ice House built in 1843 which is now a Grade II Listed Building.

The historic Ice House was a form of early refrigeration and it would have been used by the residents of Blaby Hall to store ice that could be used to preserve food and cool drinks. Domed and circular in shape, the Ice House is covered by an earth mound with a small circular ventilation opening at the top.

In December 2019, £156,000 was awarded to Blaby District Council by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of a £173,000 project. This exciting 'Buried Bouskell' project has restored the Ice House to its former glory and will help preserve its structure and heritage for the future.

Tours of the Blaby Ice House are now closed for this year and due to restart in Spring 2025. New dates will be released in the new year on this web page and announced on our social media channels @visitblaby

The tour includes a guided walk across Bouskell Park with information given about the archaeological features. You will then have an opportunity to look inside the restored grade II listed Ice House and learn about how and when it was used.

New for 2024 is our activity trail for children that runs alongside our Bouskell Park Ice House Tours. Help our resident Fosse Fox Blar find his froggy friend by solving clues around the park. Complete the crossword to find froggy’s hiding place and reunite the parkland pals!

If you have any queries about a tour, please email leisure@blaby.gov.uk 

Discover the history of the area: visit our Bouskell Park archaeology page to read more about the findings of a recent community dig and read more about Blaby Hall on our Blaby Hall page.