Conservatory, Eskgrove, 3 Kevock Road, Lasswade

Conservatory, Eskgrove, 3 Kevock Road, Lasswade

A 2-storey, 3-bay house dating to the mid 19th century, extensively altered and enlarged in the late 19th century. The building is constructed in cream ashlar sandstone with polished ashlar dressings, featuring a rusticated base course, cyma reversa moulding to ground floor cills, a cornice course between ground and first floors, moulded cill course to first floor, moulded string course above the first floor canted window, and eaves course, cornice and blocking course above. Window surrounds are finished with ovolo mouldings. The principal north-west elevation displays a raised architraved composition with a prominent stop-fluted, pilastered and pedimented doorpiece at ground level in the centre bay, comprising deep set 2-leaf timber panelled doors with a rectangular fanlight. A first-floor window sits above the doorpiece. A tripartite window occupies the ground floor of the left bay, with a bipartite window at first-floor level, and a full-height, 3-light canted window rises in the left bay.

The late 19th century conservatory adjoins the south-west flank. This elevation displays a 7-bay composition, grouped 4-3, with the conservatory spanning 4 bays to the left. The conservatory comprises a timber and glass superstructure on bull-faced sandstone dwarf walls, divided into two sections: a lean-to, 3-bay block to the left of centre with floor at ground level, and a cruciform block projecting south-west from the bay to the right of centre, with a higher floor level. A full-length lantern links the north-west and south-east gabled ends of the cruciform section, with two further gabled ends set at right angles with the south-west end flush with the house. Windows at first-floor level of the main house overlook the conservatory, with a slightly corbelled wallhead stack between the outer and penultimate bays to the left. A 3-bay addition occupies the outer right side, featuring a window with a small flanking window at ground level in a bay offset to the left of centre, a dormer window above, and windows at each floor in the bays flanking.

The south-east (rear) elevation is 3-bay with two ranges projecting from the outer bays, linked to form a narrow courtyard by a round arch. A Serlian (blinded) window appears at first-floor level in the centre bay, with windows at first-floor level in each flanking bay.

The north-east elevation comprises 9 bays grouped 5-4, consisting of a 2-storey, 4-bay original block to the right, with a single-storey, 4-bay addition projecting from the rear elevation. The original block features windows at each floor in bays set to the left and outer left of centre, and at first-floor level in bays set to the right and outer right of centre, with a slightly corbelled wallhead stack between the penultimate and outer right bays. The addition includes a boarded door set high to a gabled bay at centre, a bipartite window at ground level in the bay to the left of centre, windows in bays to the outer left and right of centre, and a bipartite window in the bay to the outer right.

The roofing comprises grey slate with piend and platform forms to the original block, and slate to the additions. Ashlar coped wallhead stacks appear at south-west, north-east and south-east elevations, with a full-height rendered stack at the south angle and ashlar coped stacks to the rear addition. The additions feature coped skews. Windows display a variety of glazing patterns including 2- and 4-pane timber sash and case windows. Cast-iron rainwater goods are throughout.

A rectangular-plan courtyard addition adjoins the rear. The boundary walls and gatepiers are of squared and snecked sandstone rubble with curved ashlar cope. The gatepiers are chamfered square-plan sandstone ashlar with shallow pyramidal caps.

A late 19th century octagonal summerhouse with porch to the front stands to the south-west of the house, contemporary with the conservatory. It features a timber and glass superstructure on a bull-faced ashlar sandstone base with ashlar apron between. Three rear bays are completely timber slatted with timber-framed windows fitted with top hoppers. The pavilion roof incorporates the porch roof, with decorative, banded slatework, a red clay ridge to the porch roof, exposed rafters under the eaves, and a spike finial to the pavilion roof. Cast-iron rainwater goods are present.

The house was refurbished in the 1920s, with the entrance hall displaying a deep Art Nouveau frieze and embossed wallpaper. The ventilation mechanisms in the conservatory remain functional, and the cruciform conservatory portion was externally refurbished when the current owner acquired the property in 1990. Previously used as government research offices, many internal details including fireplaces were removed during this period. The current owner has restored and replaced many missing details. To improve access to a nursing home development to the rear of the building, the boundary walls and gatepiers are under relocation to a position nearer the house. The building appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1854.