Last month we concluded our look at Parlington lane at the Gamekeeper’s lodge. Amongst the recent changes at Parlington has been the heritage listing of various buildings and structures, these are Home Farm, the nearby Stallion Pens, Barwick Lodge, Wakefield Lodge, the Ice House and jointly listed the Light and Dark Arches, all Grade II. Sadly, apparently due to the many changes it has had upon it, the Gamekeeper’s lodge has not made the cut. I believe this is a mistake as there is much about it which warrants attention. Clearly some of the recent changes have not improved its architectural significance, but under its façade is a lot of estate character which could be readily restored.
During its heyday it was the centre of activity, trains would pass by as close as was possible, albeit at a leisurely 12 mph or so, there was a siding on the opposite side of the lane from the lodge where the trains would discharge their coal at the staith for use on the many fires at the old hall. Adjacent to the lodge on the Garforth side was a small gas works where coal was rendered down to produce coal gas, again for use at the hall. Years back I discovered some of the pipework for this service.
Behind the lodge was a prestigious kennels built in the form of a cross on plan for the hunting hounds, this brick built structure was demolished years ago, as was the old gas works. The pond by the lodge aside from teaming with many fish and fresh water mussels was used to supply water to the gas making process, the pipes from the pond leading to the plant were clearly visible when the pond was last emptied to remove the build up of silt.
The water from the pond leaves by a simple weir and is transported through a stone culvert across Parlington Lane and into the grounds of the hall where it feeds the small pond there, once a principle feature of the expansive gardens. Today it is a much shrunken version of the original and the winding shape has been stopped off by an intermediate retaining wall, to keep the present shape in a rough oval, with points for anglers to cast their lines from. The original pond had a delicate wrought iron footbridge to pass across the narrow serpentine at the end nearest the house, but all is now gone, and only a silted up swamp remains. Thus we leave the ponds and Gamekeeper’s lodge, photo circa 1880.