Ashwell Lodge

Ashwell Lodge is a mid-to-late 19th-century lodge situated opposite the main gateway to Ugbrooke House. There is speculation that the design may be attributable to Capability Brown, who landscaped Ugbrooke Park, or to William Spring, the clerk of works for the house’s rebuilding, or Joseph Rowe, the architect of the stables, although the style and detailing point to a 19th-century origin. The lodge is constructed of local stone rubble with local grey limestone quoins and dressings. It has a thatched roof, gabled at the ends, with tiled covering to the rear ridge. A central grey limestone ashlar stack rises through the roof, incorporating two brick shafts. The plan is of double depth, containing two main rooms, a central entrance, a narrow service room at the rear, and a disused porch on the left return. The building is two storeys high and features a symmetrical two-window front. The eaves of the thatched roof project as gables above the first-floor windows, and a central gabled thatched porch is supported on posts, featuring a stud and plank front door. The ground floor windows are two-light casements with 20th-century leaded panes, set within grey ashlar cambered arches with keystones and grey ashlar jambs. Similar first-floor casements have cambered heads below boarding. A thatched brick porch clad with split logs is located on the left return, while a ground floor bow window is present on the right return. This simple cottage-style lodge is significant within the Ugbrooke landscape, not only for its role in defining the main entrance but also for contributing to the overall character of Ugbrooke Park. The park's design by Capability Brown is notable for the absence of elaborate architectural features, perhaps reflecting a focus on economy.