Lodge At Main Gate With Attached Yard Wall And Gatepiers

The lodge at the main gate, with an attached yard wall and gatepiers, was built around 1891 by the architect Norman Shaw. It is constructed from squared tooled stone with ashlar dressings and features a graduated Lakeland slate roof. The building has a T-plan and is a single storey with three bays on the north elevation. It includes a chamfered plinth, moulded strings above and below the windows, and a moulded eaves cornice. The central bay projects and has a pedimented gable with a bow window that contains three 12-pane sashes and a cornice. There is a similar window on the right return, while the narrower left gabled bay features a comparable window. To the right, there is an extruded porch with a round-headed arch and a cornice. All openings are framed in Gibbs surrounds. The left side has a stack and there is a ridge stack, both adorned with moulded strings and cornices. The rear elevation consists of two bays, featuring paired 12-pane sashes in surrounds with alternating raised blocks. The attached yard wall to the right connects to Chesters Museum and includes a central gateway with rusticated rock-faced piers.