Lion House

Lion House is an early 19th-century house located on Audley End Road, Audley End, near Saffron Walden. It was formerly known as the house opposite the main entrance to Audley End House.

The building is constructed of red brick with a hipped slate roof. The rectangular plan has a front centre section brought forward in three canted bays. The front, north elevation has five bays, with a three-bay canted section in the centre and narrow, separately roofed single bays on either side. All windows are in a "Gothick" style, featuring two-centred arches, sashes, and glazing bars, with four-by-three panes and intersecting "Y" tracery above. A central yellow brick stack rises from the roof apex.

The rear elevation is a rectangular block, featuring centrally placed ground and first-floor windows with triple-sash windows containing glazing bars arranged as one-by-four, five-by-four, and one-by-four panes. A two-light casement window appears on the east side with four-by-four panes. The west elevation is a rectangular block with a five-window range on the first floor; these windows are narrow lancets. One window, facing north, retains its original three-by-three pane sash and intersecting tracery. A south-end window is blocked, and the central three have one leaded pane, one single pane, and one of three panes. The ground floor features two similar windows to the south, one with leaded panes and one with a single pane. A central projecting gabled porch features shaped bargeboards and finials. The inner door has an original four-centred arched head and six flush bead-moulded panels, the upper pair shaped to an arch and glazed.

The east elevation has been considerably altered in the 20th century, featuring a wide, recessed inner porch with five 20th-century doors. A 20th-century metal casement window is on the south side, and an original lancet window is blocked on the north side. The first floor has a broad 19th-century window resembling those on the front elevation, with six-by-three panes and upper tracery. Two blocked lancet windows are visible on the north side, mirroring the one below.

Inside, the central ground-floor room has an original marble fire surround. The stair at the rear of the west unit features an original shaped handrail, turned newel posts, and square balusters.