Harden

Harden is a house dating from the mid-18th century, with earlier origins in the 17th century and alterations made in the mid-19th century. It was originally a dower house belonging to Lawkland Hall. The house is built of strap-pointed rubble to the lower storey, with a pebbledash finish to the upper storey, stone dressings, and a stone slate roof, forming a U-shaped plan. It is two storeys high, with four bays, and a gabled extension was added to the left-hand side in the mid-19th century. A former central entrance is marked by a moulded surround and includes a seven-panel door with a glazed top panel and internal strap hinges. There are four windows per storey. The window surrounds are cavetto-shaped, except for the ground floor windows which have been deepened. The ground floor windows have 15-pane sashes, and the upper floor windows have sashes with glazing bars. An upper floor dripmould is present. The extreme left-hand bay has a canted bay window to the ground floor with sashes and glazing bars. An upper floor window also has sashes with glazing bars. Decorated bargeboards adorn the gable. Two ridge stacks are present, along with a large, projecting stack in the right-hand gable end from the 17th century. A date stone inscribed CB/1674 is set into the right-hand wing. Inside, an inglenook fireplace has been concealed, while a mid-18th century fireplace with a decorated imitation keystone remains in the right-hand wing. A closed-string staircase features turned balusters and a ramped handrail.