Bellosguardo

Detached three-bay single-storey gate lodge, extant 1887, on a T-shaped plan centred on single-bay single-storey gabled advanced porch. Hipped slate roof on a T-shaped plan centred on pitched (gabled) slate roof (porch), clay ridge tiles centred on rendered chimney stack having "Cyma Recta"- or "Cyma Reversa"-detailed cornice below capping supporting terracotta pots, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves having consoles. Rendered, ruled and lined walls on rendered chamfered plinth with rusticated rendered piers to corners. Camber-headed central door opening approached by two cut-granite steps, and moulded rendered surround with hood moulding centred on keystone framing glazed timber panelled double doors. Camber-headed flanking window openings with cut-granite sills, and moulded rendered surrounds with hood mouldings centred on keystones framing one-over-one timber sash windows. Set in landscaped grounds perpendicular to road.

A gate lodge not only surviving as an interesting relic of the Bellosguardo estate following the demolition (1950) of the eponymous house, but also clearly illustrating the continued development or "improvement" of the estate by Nathaniel Robert Powell (1821-87) with the architectural value of the composition, one attributed to John McCurdy (c.1824-85) owing to stylistic comparisons with a contemporary gate lodge (1863) at Craig More (see 6023----; Dean 2016, 92), suggested by such attributes as the compact plan form centred on an expressed porch. Having been well maintained, the elementary form and massing survive intact together with substantial quantities of the original fabric, thus upholding the character or integrity of a gate lodge making a pleasing, if largely inconspicuous visual statement in Newtownpark Avenue.