History in Structure

Elephant Gates, North Gate-Lodge, Arniston House

A Category A Listed Building in Borthwick, Midlothian

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.8396 / 55°50'22"N

Longitude: -3.0607 / 3°3'38"W

OS Eastings: 333667

OS Northings: 661215

OS Grid: NT336612

Mapcode National: GBR 702X.4J

Mapcode Global: WH6T7.YHN5

Plus Code: 9C7RRWQQ+RP

Entry Name: Elephant Gates, North Gate-Lodge, Arniston House

Listing Name: Arniston Policies, North Lodge, and Lion and Elephant Gate, Including Gates and Gatepiers

Listing Date: 22 January 1971

Category: A

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 331244

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB814

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200331244

Location: Borthwick

County: Midlothian

Electoral Ward: Midlothian South

Parish: Borthwick

Traditional County: Midlothian

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Description

Circa 1790. Lodge comprising 2 single storey, single bay, square plan pavilions flanking drive. Coursed, polished ashlar to NE, broached to remainder. Base course; long and short quoins; polished eaves course; blocking course.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATIONS: paired pavilions; window to centre in round arched recesses with radial spandrels; flanked by paired Ionic pilasters; moulded band course; simple frieze with paired paterae in advanced panels above pilasters; tablet to centre of blocking course surmounted by carved elephant (for Oliphant) to N and lion (for Dundas) to S.

NORTH PAVILION

NW ELEVATION: blank single bay with harled extension to outer right; single window; porch to re entrant angle with oculus to left return above infilled doorway.

SW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; later addition advanced; single window off centre to left.

SE ELEVATION: asymmetrical; window to centre; corniced architraved doorway; panelled timber door. Addition to outer left with single window off centre to left.

SOUTH PAVILION

NW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; window to centre; corniced architraved doorway to right with panelled timber door.

SW ELEVATION: infilled window in round arched recess .

SE ELEVATION: blank with low brick lean to shed.

Predominantly round arched, 18 pane timber sash and case windows. Flat roof. Coped ashlar wallhead stacks with moulded octagonal cans. Cast iron and plastic rainwater goods.

INTERIORS: not seen 1997.

GATES AND GATEPIERS: located between pavilions; later 19th century wrought iron, 2 leaf carriage gate flanked by pedestrian gateways; clustered wrought iron uprights with decorative finials forming gatepiers.

Statement of Interest

"Box Lodges" (Buxbaum p 82) are supposedly the earliest type of lodges on Scottish estates. Buxbaum points out that they were probably used for shelter for sentries during the day rather than actual living accommodation, as they are quite small. However, he goes on to suggest that perhaps the retainer or gamekeeper may have retired there. A design in the SRO shows what must presumably have been the original design for these box lodges (RHP 5248/2) with a triumphal arch to the centre and pair of sphinx instead of the Lion and Elephant. The Lion and Elephant represent the marriage of Katherine Oliphant and George Dundas who purchased the Arniston estate in 1571.

External Links

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