Gates And Gatepiers, Aultnagar Lodge

Gates And Gatepiers, Aultnagar Lodge

Aultnagar Lodge was designed by Robert J Macbeth in 1910 for Andrew Carnegie. It is a large, five-bay, two-storey lodge with an attic, executed in Arts and Crafts and domestic Tudor-Revival style and notable for its rare Liberty interior scheme.

The building features a rusticated base course with moulded cill and string courses. The ground floor bays have polished ashlar dressings, whilst the first floor is harled with patterned half-timber frames to the gables. The eaves are overhanging and bracketed with plain timber bargeboards.

On the south-west (garden) elevation, a pair of canted bays to the centre flank advanced gables with stone mullioned tri-partite windows to the ground and first floors, with single lights to the attic. An octagonal bay at the south-east corner angle contains a sunroom with glazed french doors featuring curved astragals and a capped octagonal roof. A later flat-roofed single-storey conference room addition occupies the south-west re-entrant angle, and later canted dormer additions have been made to the attic level.

The north-east (entrance) elevation has a multi-pitch glazed canopy above the entrance, with a later reception room infill to the right of the main entrance. Circular windows to the ground floor have key-stoned surrounds and astragalled glazing. To the right, walls form an enclosed courtyard area with a rounded gatepier entrance for vehicles.

Corbelled-out oriel windows appear on the north-west and south-east (side) elevations. A square-capped observation tower with tri-partite glazing is positioned at the roof of the south-east wing.

The entrance hall contains hardwood timber panelling and a large segmental-arched, leaded and stained glass screen in 'Glasgow School' style with a glass-fronted display case (former fishtank) at its centre. All panelled hardwood doors retain original fixtures.

The library and drawing room are fitted throughout by Liberty of London with a secretaire, bookshelves, leaded display cupboards, corner units, all fitted with brass and copper handles, locks and light switches. A tailor-made tapestry depicting sylvan scenes covers three walls to ceiling height. The ceiling is of oak beams.

The octagonal sunroom features a segmental-arched inglenook fireplace with a polished ashlar surround and an oak-beamed ceiling with a decorative octagonal Liberty ceiling light fitting at its centre.

The principal reception rooms on the ground floor centre have large timber fire surrounds designed by Liberty; one includes a glazed display cupboard over the mantelpiece.

The principal staircase is of timber with carved timber newel posts and ball finials. The principal first floor bedrooms have decorative brass wall and ceiling lights by Liberty.

The windows are predominantly timber sash and case with four-pane glazing to the upper sash on the south, east and west elevations. Non-traditional replacement windows have been installed at attic level and to the rear (north) elevation. The roof is of grey slate with tall end and ridge stacks fitted with clay cans. Cast iron rainwater goods with decorative hoppers complete the external detailing.

Associated with the lodge is a former coach house and stable, a single-storey, gabled, U-plan range that is harled with patterned half-timber frames to the gables. Coped walls to the front have capped gatepiers forming a courtyard. A swept-roof louvre sits to the central ridge. The right range has been converted to an open-plan garage space; the left block, formerly stables, has been converted to residential accommodation.

The gates and gatepiers consist of circular-plan gate piers with mushroom caps and pierced timber gates featuring a Moorish arch pattern.