Lingholm

Lingholm is a substantial late 19th and early 20th century house built of local coursed slate stone with yellow and red ashlar dressings and Westmorland slate roofs. The rear and left return are roughcast.

The house is rectangular in plan with the principal elevation facing east onto Derwent Water, and a reverse L-shaped rear range creating a service courtyard open to the north. Stone terraces are attached to the south and east sides, with the lower east terrace accessed by stone steps at the south end.

Principal (East) Elevation

The remodelled main elevation comprises three distinct sections.

The central section dates from the early years of the 20th century when the original drawing room was remodelled and extended towards the lake. It has two storeys and five bays under a steeply pitched roof with raised copings, triangular water tables and a south gable chimney with a pair of cylindrical chimney pots. There is a moulded eaves cornice and a band between ground and first floor. All windows are yellow sandstone mullion and transom with prominent stone surrounds. The central projecting bay has a pediment, overhanging bracketed eaves and double-height bay windows of twenty-one lights to the ground floor and fourteen lights to the first floor. To either side of the ground floor window there is a nine-light window, and flanking the first floor window there are corbelled rectangular projections with single slender lights, which rise above the eaves in the form of triangular chimney stacks surmounted by single, tall cylindrical chimney pots. The left end bay has an entrance with a tall rectangular overlight, both having heavy moulded stone surrounds, and there is a six-light window above; the right end bay has a first floor cross window.

The south section was probably remodelled in the last years of the 19th century and truncated at the south end in the 20th century. It is a two storey, three bay range with a steeply pitched roof, raised copings and a flat roof to the right end bay with a parapet in the form of a geometric balustrade. Windows are mostly red sandstone mullions or mullion and transom. There is an entrance at the south end with a mullioned overlight, and attached to the right is a large eight-light window. At the right end there is a second entrance with overlight, flanked to the left by a pair of tall lights. The first floor is inset with a low, red sandstone geometric balustrade to the front; it has a central four-light window, two-light windows to each end bay and a single roof dormer. Attached to the left are the lower parts of a partially demolished bay with a red sandstone canted bay window. The left return has a projecting single storey room with a flat roof and a large modern picture window; there is a modern entrance to one side and a detached vestibule to the other. The first floor of the south range rises above and is roughcast with modern windows and prominent triple chimney pots.

The north section is said to have been added in the early 20th century as a billiards or games room, but it is present on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1899 and probably dates to the very last years of the 19th century. It has two storeys and three bays and is designed in a vernacular style with a steep, hipped roof of slate surmounted by stone finials; all window and door openings have prominent red sandstone surrounds. The ground floor has triple full-height windows with shaped heads that are set with original nine-light wooden frames, each light comprising eight small square panes. To the first floor there are three similar windows; the end windows have slatted wooden lower parts and glazed uppers, and that to the centre is in the form of a full roof dormer with double glazed doors. The latter open onto a full width balcony supported on red sandstone corbels with a slender metal balustrade of geometric and scroll patterns. The right return has a plain central entrance with a boarded door, flanked by tall windows in identical red sandstone surrounds to the east elevation. Red sandstone pilaster strips rise to first floor level to support a narrow corbelled balcony accessed by a large opening in a full roof dormer identical to that of the east elevation. A narrow two-storey block is attached to the right.

Rear (West) Elevation

The rear elevation has five bays and two storeys plus attics, and is roughcast except for a neatly coursed slate stone plinth; the dressings are mostly of red sandstone. The main entrance to the house is at the west end, now within a 20th century single storey flat roofed vestibule added when the south end was truncated. It is attached to paired projecting gabled bays with a central stone waterspout and cast-iron rain water goods. There are large sandstone mullion and transom windows of varying sizes; that to the ground floor right lighting the entrance vestibule and that to the first floor left lighting the main stair. Two plain bays are attached to the left with a mullioned window to each floor and a pair of timber-framed roof dormers lighting the attic.

L-shaped Rear Service Range

The service range projects from the rear north end of the house and has a roughcast south and west elevation and prominent clustered tall, cylindrical chimney pots. The south elevation comprises a pair of gabled bays with a variety of small narrow window openings and a ground floor entrance with a bracketed hood. The narrow gabled west elevation has a single oriel window with paired and flush two-light mullioned windows below; there are water tables and a single cylindrical chimney pot at its apex. The north elevation, which has exposed stonework, is similarly detailed to the rear elevation. A single storey hipped roof range surmounted by stone finials projects north from the north elevation comprising various stores and a former coach house now garage, enclosing one side of a narrow courtyard.

Interior

An oak panelled entrance vestibule leads through a heavy four-panelled door into the double-height staircase hall, which has a parquet floor and timber beamed ceiling. The hall is lined with 17th century gilded Spanish goatskin with acanthus leaf, vine and shell detail. A full-height carved chimney piece has paired and fluted Corinthian columns supporting an intricately carved frieze with a mirrored overmantel. The dressed stone interior houses a cast iron stove. To the left of the fireplace a richly carved oak door with a central carving of a Lion Rampant leads out to the exterior. The original imposing oak, dog-leg stair with half landing rises in one corner; it has a closed string, moulded handrail and a balustrade consisting of turned balusters rising off a band of diagonal bracing. Tall timber posts rise upwards to form a timber arcade, and at first floor level there are carved newel posts and a galleried landing. A pair of linen-fold carved doors beneath the stair lead into the cloakroom, and paired doors at the foot of the stair with a double 'square-within-a-square' design give entry to a sitting room and dining room.

The sitting room is oak panelled to half-height with a simple cornice and a decorative geometric plaster ceiling; the inserted stone fireplace was recovered from the first floor.

Leading north from the stair hall is the inner hall with a geometric tiled floor and oak wall panelling serving the ground floor principal rooms to the east. The dining room has a rich suite of 17th century oak panelling throughout, mostly of 'square-within-a-square' form separated by fluted pilasters, with friezes of various forms above. The chimneypiece comprising an oak fireplace and overmantel is intricately carved incorporating coats of arms, various classical references and a scrolled frieze together with scenes depicting flora and fauna, castle and village life, dragons and other mythical creatures. The overmantel bears the arms of James I flanked by cities in false perspective. The chimneypiece is fitted with a depressed arch stone fireplace. The plaster ceiling has a geometric design incorporating coats of arms, cherubs and floral bosses, and also Greenall's initials, and the floor is oak boarded.

The kitchen is a former principal reception room now converted.

The drawing room is also known as the Stone Room, and is accessed from a hall set at right angles to the north end of the inner hall; the former has panelled walls and a wooden floor. A pointed arched entrance fitted with double carved wooden doors opens into the drawing room with a floor-board floor and a geometric and embossed plaster ceiling. The walls have carved half-height oak panelling with exposed Lakeland slate above. There is a substantial black sandstone 15th century fireplace carved with bird and flower motifs placed centrally opposite the imposing central bay window; the latter has small central panes of stained glass thought to have derived from York Minster.

The ground floor of the billiard or games rooms retains its original plan and now serves as an office. A double height former gun room is attached to the rear. The first floor has been converted to a self-contained apartment.

Running west from the inner hall there are a range of service rooms including a scullery and the original kitchen and a back stair; the first floor has been converted to a self-contained apartment.

From the first floor landing, a corridor leads north to the principal bedrooms; the main bedroom (facing east) has plaster panels to all walls and a simple cornice. All other bedrooms are plain with simple cornices and skirting boards. Three original fireplaces are retained; two of moulded timber design with mantle shelves and one with slender engaged columns supporting a mantle shelf. The first floor of the games room and the first floor of the rear service range have been converted to self-contained apartments.

The second floor has been converted to a pair of self-contained apartments.

Subsidiary Features

A small stone store with a hipped roof is situated immediately north west of the house. Attached to the house there are upper and lower east terraces and a south terrace, bounded by slatestone walls.