Merlin

Detached three-bay two-storey house over basement, built c.1840, with three-bay east and two-bay west elevations, flat-roofed Doric portico addition to front and two-storey addition to rear. Hipped artificial slate roof with rendered chimneystacks, sheeted overhanging eaves, moulded eaves course and cast-iron rainwater goods. Paired moulded eaves brackets to rear addition. Painted rendered brick walls. Square-headed window openings having tooled limestone sills and timber sliding sash windows, three-over-six pane to first floor, six-over-six pane to ground floor, six-over-three pane windows to addition and barred windows to basement. Portico has paired columns to front and single engaged columns to rear, all on cut limestone plinths. Square-headed door opening with timber panelled half-glazed double-leaf door and moulded lugged-and-kneed surround, approached by flight of limestone steps. Retaining interior features. Sandstone boundary walls to rear with pedimented dressed sandstone entrance carriage archway comprising segmental-arch opening with dressed sandstone plinths, imposts, voussoirs and pediment, having timber battened doors, and with cast-iron weather vane above. Glasshouse to site with pitched roof, timber ridge crestings, brick plinth walls with limestone sill course and gable-fronted entrance with timber panelled half-glazed double-leaf door, carved timber bargeboards and finial and limestone step.

The large scale and regular fenestration of this building make it an imposing feature on Coleville Road. It forms a group with the related structures of the gate lodge and gates to the northeast. The retention of the glasshouse and coach house with their timber and stone decorative elements show evidence of fine craftsmanship and add variety of materials and interest to the site.