Lodge And Archway To The Cloisters

The lodge and archway to the Cloisters date to the early and late 19th century. The lodge is constructed of limestone ashlar with a stone slate roof. It is of Picturesque composition, two storeys high, with the first floor set within the gable, and eaves extending to the head of the first floor. It has various casement windows, all with small-scale diagonal leading. Facing the driveway is a three-bay open arcade with four-centred arches set within plain, chamfered surrounds, accessed by two steps. Two-light casements flank a pair of doors, which have small diagonal panels, all set within casement mould surrounds. Above the arcade is a wide gable with a crenellated oriel between square, sunk panels, featuring plain raised shields on either side. The gable has deep, projecting stone eaves on stone brackets. The east front has a gable with a canted oriel set within stepped brackets and a stone roof over a three-light casement with hollow-mould mullions and a stopped drip course. To the left is a four-centred opening leading to the arcade. The road front is plain, with a very large external stepped stack featuring three cropped diagonal shafts. The rear has a coped gable with a small light. The interior was not inspected.

Adjacent to the lodge, to the left, is a large four-centred archway with a double wave mould. It is flanked by small, two-stage square buttresses rising to gabled heads, all within a high gable with stepped coping and a two-stage bellcote. Each side has a haunched supporter attached to the lodge, and to a short length of boundary wall in two steps. Above the main arch is a shield bearing carved moose antlers and armorial detail, with a scroll inscribed “GENEROSIS ET PARATUS,” and a larger scroll inscribed “THE CLOISTERS,” all in raised Gothic lettering. The rear of the archway is similar, but without the larger scroll and inscription. Although there are no gates remaining, hinge pins remain. It is likely that the lodge was built for the original Cloisters, and the archway was added when the house was extended.