Aldon House, With Associated Stone Stairway And Walls Immediately East And West Of House

Aldon House is a country house dating to the early 19th century. It is constructed of Ham stone ashlar with a Welsh slate roof, partially concealed behind parapets, and stone chimney stacks. The house follows a U-shaped plan, with a smaller, three-storey addition to the northwest side. The main southwesterly-facing facade has five bays, with the central bay recessed, and projecting wings on either side. The original semi-circular arched doorway in the centre bay has been blocked and replaced with a single-storey porch in the fifth bay of the projecting wing. A six-panel door is recessed behind the porch, which has plain panelling on either side, a simple cornice, and a parapet block. The ground floor bays feature semi-circular headed sash windows with nine panes, radial glazing, keystones above, and recessed aprons below. Above a band course are five matching windows, with the central window one pane deeper and featuring a small stone balustrade at the bottom. A string course arches over the windows, with another band course above, and an open balustered parapet, except in bay three, which has a plain cornice and parapet block. The projecting wings have blind arched recesses on the sides, and ground floor Venetian windows, with the centre light blocked. Above these are single twelve-pane sash windows set in architraves, with a semi-blocked segmental arch above. Rusticated pilaster strips serve as quoins, and an open pediment tops the gable. A group of four chimney stacks in the northwest corner is arched together, forming a quasi-turret. A stone wall extending from the northwest corner sweeps around and returns southwesterly to screen the stable area. This section of wall, approximately 2.5 metres high, incorporates pilasters and a niche. The south-easterly garden front has three bays; the two left-hand bays have two twelve-pane sash windows at each level, set in architraves, with bracketed hoods above the ground floor windows, and an eaves cornice. The third bay is designed as an end gable with a two-storey angled bay featuring matching sashes – the centre ground floor window has a pediment. The gable is also pedimented. The northeast rear elevation is more complex, featuring three Dutch gables and transomed windows reminiscent of the 17th century. Adjacent to the main house, near the northern corner, is a fine flight of stone steps with open stone balusters and a circular motif, alongside a return path. Running northeastwards for about 50 metres is a good stone retaining wall with a central stone staircase. The interior of the house was not inspected. Associated with the house are a stone stairway and a retaining wall extending northeastwards, alongside a length of return path.