Midfield House, Lasswade

Midfield House, Lasswade

Midfield House is an 18th-century classical Georgian mansion that was substantially reconstructed between 1914 and 1918 by the renowned architect Sir Robert Lorimer. The building is arranged in an L-plan and comprises two storeys with an attic above a concealed basement. It is constructed in stugged and snecked sandstone with slightly raised droved margins to openings, which feature stugged long and short surrounds. The building is topped with an eaves course and stone parapet decorated with evenly disposed urn finials, and is fitted with strip pilaster quoins. A stone garden wall to the south-west, constructed in ashlar with a coped top, features an arched opening to the left of centre.

The north-west entrance elevation displays irregularly disposed bays in the pattern of 1 2 1 1 1, with windows at basement, ground, and first-floor levels, and dormer windows to the attic. A timber panelled door at basement level provides access between the central bay and the double bay to its left. The bridging mezzanine bay, set back, provides access to the service wing. An advanced, flat-roofed single-storey projection to the extreme left bay contains two closely spaced windows at ground level, with a window at first-floor level and a Dutch gable above. The principal entrance is marked by a raised Gibbsian doorpiece in the outer right bay, featuring a two-leaf timber panelled door, with a first-floor window and a non-aligned dormer window above.

The south-east garden elevation showcases the angle of the L-plan with seven bays arranged as 3-3-1, complemented by a four-bay return wall forming the short arm of the L. The three-bay central group features a triple arched loggia with Ionic columns at ground level, with lunette windows set behind each arch. Above, a niche containing a statue of Flora occupies the centre bay at first-floor level, flanked by windows in the adjacent bays. The single bay to the outer right contains windows at each floor, set to the right of centre. The four-bay return wall includes a round-headed arch at ground level in the outer right bay (originally open with a door set back within), with a first-floor window above, and windows at both levels in the three remaining bays. A slightly advanced three-bay block to the left of centre features a three-light canted bay with French windows at ground level spanning three bays, with a window in each bay at first-floor level above.

The south-west side elevation comprises five irregularly disposed bays. A full-height semi-circular three-light bay to the right of centre is topped by a dormer window. Windows at ground and first-floor levels, with dormer windows above, appear in the remaining bays. A two-bay block to the outer left, slightly recessed, contains windows at ground and first-floor levels.

The service wing extends to the south-east with an irregular single storey form and attic. Its south-west elevation facing the main house displays four irregular bays, with an architraved door surround in the bay to the right of centre and dormer windows to the attic. The north-east rear elevation is part-harled and contains thirteen bays.

Throughout the building, windows are 12-, 15-, 16-, and 24-pane timber sash and case windows. The roof is grey slate with piended platform design, platform-roofed dormers, and slate covering to the additional wing. Four evenly disposed ashlar-coped stacks stand to the north-west, with further ashlar-coped stacks to the south-east and south-west. All rainwater goods are cast iron.

The garden wall is constructed in squared sandstone rubble with flat ashlar cope.