The Hermitage And Summer House, Ascog, Bute

Mid to later 19th century with substantial later alterations; single residence from late 19th century. Asymmetrical single and 2-storey, 7-bay eclectic style former school and headmaster?s house with Old English half-timber detailing. Whitewashed harl with extensive half-timbering. Painted chamfered cill course; raised, painted string course at 1st floor; overhanging timber bracketed eaves. Timber astragals; gabled entrances; finialed roofs (predominantly octagonal-capped); timber bracketed rear verandah; painted hoodmoulds surmounting ground floor openings at rear. Pitched single storey boarded timber revolving summer house to S.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: part-glazed timber panelled door beneath gabled canopy off-set to left of centre; flanking single windows (bipartite in bay to left); 5-sided canted window in bay to outer left. Part-glazed timber panelled door beneath gabled canopy in penultimate bay to outer right; quadripartite window at ground to left; tripartite window in bay to right; bipartite windows at 1st floor in penultimate bay to outer right and bay to outer right.

E (REAR) ELEVATION MAIN WING: part-glazed timber panelled door at ground in bay to outer right; bipartite windows in 2 bays to left; timber balustraded verandah advanced to front supporting projecting 1st floor; 3-sided canted window centred above; 3-light corner windows flanking to left and right. Engaged 3-sided canted window at ground in bay to outer left; finialed octagonal cap. N WING: single window at ground in bay to outer left; lean-to 4-light projection in bay to outer right; single door in re-entrant angle to left.

Predominantly replacement timber glazing; some 8-pane timber sash and case verandah glazing at rear. Grey slate roofs; ball finials; terracotta ridge tiling. Red sandstone ashlar coping to whitewashed harl ridge and wallhead stacks; various circular terracotta cans.

INTERIOR: extensive timber panelling; timber cornices; fluted pilasters flanking round-arched timber panelled doors; timber arcading comprising fluted Ionic columns tapering to base, broken round arches. Hammerbeam dining room ceiling; fluted pilaster detailing; blind balustrade with regularly-disposed tapered and fluted balusters enclosing 1st floor gallery.

SUMMERHOUSE: slightly raised single bay structure comprising 4-leaf part-glazed boarded timber doors centred beneath gable; circular base.