Gates, gatepiers and quadrant walls at East Lodge, Stobo Castle, Peebles, Stobo, Scottish Borders

Description

Dating to the mid-19^th century (but before 1856) and with later alterations, East Lodge is a single-storey and attic, two-bay, irregular-plan gatelodge that was the main entrance for Stobo Castle estate. East Lodge is constructed in random whinstone with red sandstone ashlar margins and window mullions. The property has overhanging eaves on exposed rafter ends. It is next to the B712 Stobo to Drumelzier road, about 5.5 miles southwest of Peebles.

The entrance (northeast) elevation has an advanced gable with a tripartite ground floor window and a single attic window. To the left of this is a gabled entrance porch with a replacement entrance door. The southeast elevation has a bipartite ground floor window and a single attic window.

The rear (southwest) elevation has two single-storey, rubble-built outshots of differing heights, one of which has a flat roof. There is a later uPVC conservatory attached to the northwest elevation (which is excluded from the listing).

The property has non-traditional casement windows. The roofs are slated and pitched. Each gable is topped by a ball finial. There is a central ridge chimneystack with a pair of square shafts set at an angle. One is topped by a clay pot and the other is truncated.

The interior was not seen (2020).

Immediately to the northeast of the lodge, flanking the entrance drive and set back from the road, are a pair of squared and coped ashlar stone gatepiers. These support decorative wrought iron gates with pin-wheel and a fleur-de-lys finial motifs. Low, stone quadrant walls (now topped with timber fencing) connect to another pair of piers.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: the conservatory.

Historical development

East Lodge was built as the principal gatelodge for Stobo Castle estate. The Montgomery family owned Stobo estate between 1766 and 1901. Stobo Castle was designed by Archibald and James Elliot and completed in 1811, replacing an earlier mansion. In the surrounding policies, entrance lodges and ancillary estate buildings and structures were built, establishing Stobo as a typical early-19^th century residential and agricultural estate with an attractive designed landscape.

East Lodge was built between 1832 and 1856 but stylistically appears to have been built in the early 1850s. The estate has two earlier gatelodges. The Buildings of Scotland notes that the Garden Lodge dates from around 1812 and the West Lodge dates from around 1820 (pp.701-704). John Thomson's map of 1832 shows one approach drive leading towards the castle from the south indicating that the Garden Lodge was previously the main entrance to the estate. The 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1856 shows three gatelodges servicing the estate, including East Lodge.

The Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1856-58 describes the East Lodge entrance as the 'new approach' from the Peebles road to Stobo Castle, and the Garden Lodge entrance is described as the 'old approach' (OS1/24/39/38), suggesting East Lodge was built a considerable time after the Garden Lodge. On the 1^st Edition map East Lodge is shown with a semi-circular entranceway flanking an approach drive leading westward through the policies, passing by the Home Farm and Kennels, through The Park towards Stobo Castle.

The footprint of East Lodge has changed since that shown on the 1^st Edition map, particularly at the rear. These changes include the addition of two, single-storey outshots on the southwest elevation and the overall enlargement of the floorplan of the house with an extension to the northwest. The 2^nd Edition Ordnance Survey map (revised 1897) shows the larger, rectangular-plan outshot as distinctly separate to the main building. However, the 3^rd and later Edition maps show a smaller building connecting the outshot to the house, creating a larger footprint.

In the 20^th century Stobo Castle was bought by the cricketer, Hylton Philipson, and later by the 10^th Countess of Dysart, who lived at the castle until the mid-1960s. In 1972 Stobo Castle and its estate was divided up and the contents of the castle sold at auction (Glasgow Herald).

East Lodge has been in separate ownership to the castle since the early 1970s. In the late 1990s a conservatory was added, and in the late 2010s the internal layout of the property was reconfigured to enlarge a window opening and install two rooflights (reference 18/01525/ALT).

Statement of Interest

East Lodge and its associated gates, gatepiers and quadrant walls meet the criteria of special architectural or historic interest for the following reasons:

The building has design features typical of the Stobo Estate, such as its diamond chimneystack, whinstone construction and red sandstone detailing and the gateway includes wrought iron gates of notable design quality.

It is a good representative example for its date and building type. While some later fabric has been added, the building retains its mid-19^th century architectural and historic character particularly to the entrance and road elevations.

It largely retains its historic setting and its associated entrance structures continue to show the historic function of the building.

It is part of a wider group of ancillary buildings forming part of the historic policies of Stobo Castle estate.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: the conservatory.

Architectural interest:

Design

The level of design quality of the lodge, gates, gatepiers and walls demonstrate the building's importance as the main entrance lodge to Stobo Castle in the mid-19^th century.

The exterior of East Lodge, particularly its roadside and entrance elevations, has some good design details. These include its prominent gables topped by ball finials, bipartite and tripartite window openings with stone mullions, overhanging eaves on exposed rafter ends, chimneystacks and a gabled entrance porch. The surviving wrought iron gates are also of notable quality in design terms.

In its details and stonework East Lodge reflects the estate style of Stobo Castle. The larger, single-storey outshot on the southwest elevation and the chimneystacks set at an angle are similar features to those on the nearby Garden Lodge and indicate an estate style. The lodge is constructed in whinstone which is the characteristic building material in the Borders. Together with the contrasting red sandstone ashlar margins the stonework is similar to that of Stobo Castle and its other ancillary estate buildings.

The footprint of East Lodge has been enlarged since that shown on the 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1856, published 1898), by the addition of a conservatory to the northwest elevation and two, single-storey outshots to the southwest elevation. Later maps indicate the northwest elevation has been extended to the southwest to form an enclosed rear courtyard area. However, extensions and alterations to gatelodges are not unusual because they are often adapted in order to increase living accommodation. The changes to the irregular plan form and the addition of later windows and doors are not considered to have an adverse impact on the design quality of the building as a whole.

The interior of East Lodge was not seen in 2020 and has not been assessed.

The squared gatepiers and the flanking low quadrant walls laid out on a semi-circle are a standard design for an estate entrance. This layout provided room for carriage traffic and, alongside the double-leaf, iron gates, is an imposing entrance to the estate. Their survival and location are important as they clearly show the historic function of the neighbouring lodge and adds to its interest. The timber fencing on top of the quadrant walls has replaced earlier metalwork, however the main decorative gateway survives and adds to the special interest of the entranceway and lodge building.

Setting

East Lodge is a prominent building sited next to the B712 road at the eastern entrance to Stobo Castle estate. East Lodge is within the boundary of Stobo Castle Garden and Designed Landscape (GDL00349) and is an important component of the wider setting of Stobo Castle estate. East Lodge retains its gatepiers, iron gates and quadrant walls and these add to the group interest as they show the building's historical function as the principal entrance lodge to Stobo Castle.

The immediate setting of East Lodge has not changed significantly since its construction in the mid-19^th century. The former entrance drive leading from the lodge into the estate is no longer in use and its outline is only partially visible on aerial photographs beyond the garden ground of the lodge. However, in conjunction with the gatelodge, gatepiers, quadrant walls and gates, the historic setting and functional relationship of East Lodge to Stobo Castle is largely retained.

The 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1856) shows a post office in the nearby village/settlement of Class, now known as East Lodge Cottages (listed at category B, LB15381). This would have provided postal services for the Stobo Castle estate. Other amenities, used by the owners of Stobo Castle, were also available in the village of Stobo, including the church. As such the position of East Lodge close to East Lodge Cottages continues to indicate its historic function as the principal entranceway to the estate. There have been small developments in the wider estate setting in the later 20^th century due to the sale and separation of the estate, however these are minimal, and the principal components of this former estate remain.

Historic interest:

Age and rarity

Gatelodges are not a rare building type in Scotland, as they are typical ancillary buildings for country houses. There are many surviving examples from the 19^th century and East Lodge is not an early example of its building type, however its survival along with its paired gatepiers, decorative gates and walls, is of special interest.

The footprint has changed, however the historical and functional relationship between this gatelodge, Stobo Castle and other components of the historic estate remain. The architectural detailing of East Lodge also references the style of other Stobo estate buildings in the vicinity.

The authenticity of the original design of East Lodge has been moderately impacted by later additions and alterations, however much of its traditional character is retained and it remains a good representative example of its building type for its date.

Social historical interest

East Lodge was built as the principal gatelodge for Stobo Castle. It has some social historical interest as an ancillary component of a former estate, however because of its prolific building type there is no special interest under this heading.

Association with people or events of national importance

There is no association with a person or event of national importance.

External Links

Historic Environment Scotland Listing
Wikidata IDs Q108408480 Q108408481

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