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Summary

Description

Dating from the mid-19th century, Shira Lodge is a single-storey, roughly T-plan, former gatelodge with Jacobethan-style details. Constructed in squared and snecked red sandstone with ashlar margins and dressings, moulded gables, strapwork detailing, orb finials, base course, eaves course and chamfered reveals. It is located at the former western entrance to Bloomhill House, a Jacobethan country house, built in 1838 (listed at category C, LB42904).

The southeast (entrance) elevation has an advanced gable to outer right with a tripartite window to the centre at ground floor level. Porch in antis in re-entrant angle to left, carried on waisted pier with panelled storm doors. Single window in bay to outer left.

The southwest elevation has an advanced, shaped curvilinear gable to outer right bay with tripartite window with strapwork and cornice detail above, screen wall to lean-to to left flanking. Two windows in block to left and bipartite dormer window to outer left bay. There is a late-20^th century, flat-roofed extension at the rear and an adjoining conservatory, dating from around 1999.

The windows are predominantly plate glass in timber frames, some top-hopper and some in sash and case frames to the southwest elevation. Some uPVC casement windows to rear addition, added in around 2009. Grey slate roof with lead flashings and ashlar coping to skews and skewputts, ashlar coped stacks with circular cans.

There is a low plinth boundary wall to the left of a pair of painted ashlar gatepiers with stepped pyramidal caps and topped by later cast iron lamps. Low plinth wall to left, formerly railed, now with hedge above, terminated by further sandstone gatepier. Corresponding gatepier attached to Moore's Bridge (see separate listing, LB1155). The boundary wall to right is of sandstone construction with pinnings and semicircular coping. Part of the wall was removed to form a new residential site entrance in around 2021 and a section next to the gatepiers was rebuilt around the same time.

Statement of Special Interest

Shira Lodge was built as the west gatelodge for Bloomhill House (listed at category C, LB42904). It is first shown on the 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1860. It is a well-detailed and representative example of a mid-19th century gatelodge which retains much of its architectural style and historic character, particularly to its exterior street elevation. The projecting gables, decorative strapwork, orb finials and quality sandstone construction are in a distinctive Jacobethan style, and some of these features are stylistically similar to elements on Bloomhill House.

Although no longer functioning as an entrance to Bloomhill House, Shira Lodge remains a prominent and historic ancillary component of the former estate which informs our understanding of its function in the 19^th century.

Listed building record revised in 2023.

References

Bibliography

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