Gate And Gate Piers, Elmwood Mansion, 1-8 Blantyre Mill Road, Bothwell

The gate and gate piers date from the earlier to mid-19th century. They are situated slightly set back from the road, near the lodge to the southwest of the main house, and are part of the boundary features around the grounds of Elmwood Mansion. The gate piers are made of red sandstone ashlar, with a polygonal gothic design. They have moulded plinths, a string course, hood-moulded arcaded decoration featuring blind horizontal panels, a carved string course beneath the cornice, and capping above. The main gates are replacement wrought-iron, with replacement pedestrian gates on either side. The boundary walls are sandstone ashlar with a stepped ashlar cope. Low quadrant walls to the left and right of the gates include sections of decorative cast-iron railings; on the left, these join the lodge, and a solid boundary wall continues to the right with intermittent ironwork panels. The railings are of a later 19th century gothic design, featuring flower motifs within square and diamond frameworks, multi-foil gothic panels, latticework to the lower border, and evenly disposed trefoil motifs along the upper border. According to accounts, these fine cast-iron railings were imported from either France or Belgium by Mr Shaw to complement the formal gardens. Their decorative value was recognised during World War II, when a request to dismantle them for munitions was refused by the Ministry of Defence. The structure appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1862.