Frodesley Lodge

Frodesley Lodge is a hunting lodge, now a small country house, dating from circa 1590, possibly built for Edward Scriven, with a significant addition of around 1750. The building is constructed of squared and coursed grey sandstone with grey sandstone ashlar dressings and facing to the north and west of the 18th-century block, beneath plain tile roofs.

The structure is planned as a T-shape with an 18th-century addition to the west, rising 2 to 3 storeys with attic accommodation. The site slopes downward to the north. The building features a chamfered plinth and coped parapeted gables. The 17th-century block has a gabled full eaves dormer to the west, containing a blocked double-chamfered window and a datestone that was illegible at the time of survey in April 1985. An external brick lateral stack to the north-east has two star-shaped shafts, while an external stone end stack to the west of the 17th-century block has a 20th-century brick shaft.

The south front displays a 1:1 arrangement of windows with a gabled cross-wing to the left. The windows are 3-light double-chamfered stone mullioned type, with 2-light examples in the attic. A 2-storey lean-to porch sits in the angle of the cross-wing; this structure dates from the 17th or 18th century but was remodelled in the late 19th century and now features a verge parapet, 20th-century first-floor window, and an open ground floor with chamfered depressed arches. The porch has an octagonal corner pier and half-piers with chamfered bases. A 17th-century nail-studded boarded door with strap hinges, spiked top, and an old lock remains intact.

To the rear, a 4-storey roughly semi-circular stair tower stands in the angle of the cross-wing, with 2-light windows, coped parapet, and a gabled 17th-century red brick stair loft. The cross-wing has a mid-to-late 19th-century round-arched first-floor window fitted with French casements.

The 18th-century block's north front displays a moulded plinth and plat bands at lintel level across the north and west elevations, with coped parapeted gable ends. A large external stone end stack to the south features chamfered offsets and a brick top stage. Two bays contain 19th-century two-light wooden casements set in 18th-century openings with moulded cills and keyed lintels; the right-hand windows are blocked. The central attic window in the gable above has a moulded cill and segmental pediment, now blocked with red brick. The right-hand return front displays a 3-light round-arched first-floor window and two ground-floor wooden cross casements with keyed lintels; the rightmost casement probably replaced a door, as evidenced by straight joints in the plinth.

The interior retains substantial 17th-century features, including a roof with curved principals and a timber-framed partition wall. Chamfered stone arched fireplaces, some in the attic, survive from the 17th century, along with 17th-century panelling incorporating moulded cornices. The 18th-century work includes plain and bolection-moulded panelling, panelled window seats, and both panelled doors and 17th-century boarded doors throughout. A 17th-century wall cupboard with H-hinges survives in a bedroom. A circular stone staircase is present, and the kitchen (ground floor to north) contains chamfered beams. The room above the porch features 18th-century panelling, a moulded cornice, and shaped corner shelves. Blocked 2-light stone mullioned windows are visible in the west wall of the 17th-century block. A first-floor room in the 18th-century block contains an 18th-century eight-panelled door and an 18th-century fireplace with a plain surround and ceramic tiles flanking an 18th-century cast iron gate. Some of the panelling appears to have been re-ordered. Tradition holds that panelling was removed to Acton Burnell Hall following its destruction by fire in 1914.

The house was first documented around 1675 when it was occupied by Sir Richard Corbett during the rebuilding of Longnor Hall. The ashlar wing was added around 1750 for Godolphin Edwards.