Eccleston Hill Lodge
Encyclopedia
Eccleston Hill Lodge is a gateway and lodge near the village of Eccleston
, Cheshire
, England. It stands at the entrance of the Chester Approach to the estate
of Eaton Hall. The structure has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
for the 1st Duke of Westminster
in 1881. The authors of the Buildings of England
series describe it as "marvellous". Douglas' biographer, Edward Hubbard
, refers to its "ducal grandeur". The description in the National Heritage List for England concludes by describing it as a "a bravura gatehouse, impressive for its grand scale, picturesque massing and rich detailing".
so high and so steep as to be virtually a spire". The lowest storey is in banded stone, the upper two storeys are in red brick with diapering in blue brick and stone dressings, and the roofs have red tiles. An arched gateway forms the bottom storey and contains an ornate wrought iron
gate. Under the archway is ribbed vaulting
. Centrally over the gateway is a stone panel containing armorial
carvings. Above this are transomed
and mullion
ed windows and at the top is a spirelet (small spire). One each side of the panel are smaller windows. From each corner of the gateway arises a tourelle (a turret
on a projecting corbel
). In addition on the right is a circular stair turret with a conical roof. To the right of the gatehouse is a two-storey wing, the lower storey in banded stone and upper storey timber-framed
. To the left is a small single-storey wing, also in banded stone.
Internally there is an oak spiral staircase and oak doors. The large room above the gateway contains a fireplace in Tudor style.
Eccleston, Cheshire
Eccleston is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, and close to Chester...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It stands at the entrance of the Chester Approach to the estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
of Eaton Hall. The structure has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
History and critique
The building was designed by John DouglasJohn Douglas (architect)
John Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
for the 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster KG, PC, JP , styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845 and Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869 and known as the 3rd Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an English landowner, politician and racehorse owner.He inherited the estate of...
in 1881. The authors of the Buildings of England
Pevsner Architectural Guides
The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide books to the architecture of the British Isles. Begun in the 1940s by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the 46 volumes of the Buildings of England series were published between 1951 and 1975. The series was then extended to Scotland and...
series describe it as "marvellous". Douglas' biographer, Edward Hubbard
Edward Hubbard
Edward Horton Hubbard was an English architectural historian who worked with Nikolaus Pevsner in compiling volumes of the Buildings of England...
, refers to its "ducal grandeur". The description in the National Heritage List for England concludes by describing it as a "a bravura gatehouse, impressive for its grand scale, picturesque massing and rich detailing".
Architecture
The gatehouse has three storeys and "a hipped roofHip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
so high and so steep as to be virtually a spire". The lowest storey is in banded stone, the upper two storeys are in red brick with diapering in blue brick and stone dressings, and the roofs have red tiles. An arched gateway forms the bottom storey and contains an ornate wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
gate. Under the archway is ribbed vaulting
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
. Centrally over the gateway is a stone panel containing armorial
Roll of arms
A roll of arms is a collection of coats of arms, usually consisting of rows of painted pictures of shields, each shield accompanied by the name of the person bearing the arms...
carvings. Above this are transomed
Transom (architectural)
In architecture, a transom is the term given to a transverse beam or bar in a frame, or to the crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it. Transom is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece...
and mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
ed windows and at the top is a spirelet (small spire). One each side of the panel are smaller windows. From each corner of the gateway arises a tourelle (a turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
on a projecting corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
). In addition on the right is a circular stair turret with a conical roof. To the right of the gatehouse is a two-storey wing, the lower storey in banded stone and upper storey timber-framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
. To the left is a small single-storey wing, also in banded stone.
Internally there is an oak spiral staircase and oak doors. The large room above the gateway contains a fireplace in Tudor style.