Cumberland Lodge At Entrance To East Drive To Gilston Park

Cumberland Lodge is a gate lodge built in 1855, located at the entrance to the east drive of Gilston Park. It was likely designed by P C Hardwick, who also constructed the main house for John Hodgson in 1852. The lodge is made of coursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings, which is unusual for Hertfordshire. It features steep slate roofs, including slate slabs over the bay window, and an arcaded wooden porch.

A moulded dripmould with carved leaf terminals is present over the bay window, similar to the one above the new south door of the parish church restored by Hardwick. The lodge is designed in an ornate Tudor style and faces north onto the drive. The main range runs east to west and has two gabled wings that project differently to the south. A central gabled projection on the north side includes a large canted bay window that overlooks the drive, along with a two-bay Gothic timber porch at the eastern angle and heavy cusped bargeboards with carved roundels near the lower edge.

The east gable facing the road displays a coat of arms. The windows are square-headed, with two and three lights, featuring cast iron diamond lattice casements. Each bargeboard has unique decorative elements. This lodge is an interesting example of ornamental Tudor architecture from 1855, presumably created by P C Hardwick as part of his work on the Gilston Park Estate. The lodge is named Cumberland Lodge to distinguish it from the older South Lodge in Eastwick parish, as the Hodgson family's main residence was at Bowness in Cumberland.