St. Alban's vicarage, Coldwell Lane

DESCRIPTION / STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
This fine former parsonage of St. Alban’s Church, Windy Nook, was apparently designed by the same architect and built at the same time as the church. This architect was the amateur Thomas Liddell, the 2nd son of Lord Ravensworth, who also worked on Glamis Castle in 1850. Constructed with a dressed frontage and rubble sides and rear, it is understated but refined, with pleasing, simple details. Ashlar quoins, window surrounds and string course stand slightly proud of the frontage, and the whole stands on an ashlar plinth. The roof is of steeply pitched Welsh slate with stone water tabling, as well as a stone chimney to the northern gable. The Ravensworth influence is seen in the delicate curved kneelers, which were a fond feature of buildings on their estates. To the base of this gable is a small timber plank door. Until recently, the building retained its original, hornless 6 over 6 timber sashes with narrow glazing bars (in 3 asymmetrical bays to the principal elevation) however it is extremely regrettable that these fine windows have now been replaced with poor double glazed casement imitations. To the north at the rear there is an extension, added in 1909, but this is in harmonious stone, which again until recently retained its own original 2 over 2 timber sashes. It is a testament to simple quality, enclosed as it is by stone walls interspersed with pyramid-capped gate piers. Although the recent loss of windows loses something of the character of the building, it is nevertheless a special building, and a fortunate survival in the area. MATERIALS Sandstone, slate, timber ARCHITECT Thomas Liddell DATES 1841-2 (Extended 1909) LOCAL LIST