The Silver Bowl: Photos of Urker Lodge

Photographs of Urker.

In order to orient these photos, I am repeating two of the maps that I have also been posted in my 2nd Blog post:

The map above shows the layout of the Urker Lodge buildings as they were in 1864 - or thereabouts. Note the extensive walled garden to the south of the quadrangle. There were fruit trees, and other garden vegetable plots. The parts shaded in indicated buildings, while the sections of the quadrangle that were merely outlined indicated walls.

This is a schematic I have done of the 1864 map to help orient us to the photographs which follow. The main house is outlined in blue. Based on building materials used, I suspect that the original house was on an east-west axis, and the gabled section added that faces the courtyard came later. It is also possible that there was at some time a more extensive gabled section facing the walled garden than what exists today.

Photos of the buildings and grounds taken in 2003 and 2010 by myself, and Ian Jackson.


The view of the South facing side of Urker Lodge as it appears from the main road beneath.
	Looking over the fields: View from Urker
	The lane leading to Liscalgot.
	The lane leading from Monag Road. Note the trees are on the north-westerly side of the lane on the lower part of the lane.
	Halfway up the lane. NOTE the trees are on the south-easterly side of the upper part of the lane. I doubt that these trees were planted by Archbishop Boulter as part of the improvements to the Charter Lands in 1738. They do not show on the survey map of 1864, whereas the trees leading to Liscalgot leading from the northerly side of Urker Lodge are indicated, and may date back that far.
	Approaching Urker from the lane leading from Monag Road. The gates leading to the South west corner of the compound lie ahead.
	The gates leading to the South west corner of the compound (L-R #7 & #6 on the map).
	Steps leading to the North East side of the house.

Here is what the ruins of the buildings look like from photos taken from 2003-2010, as well as a few my ruminations about what we can learn from them:

#7 & #8 & #1 & #2 The North wall of the compound. Currently, the entrance has a metal gate. It would have been a wooden one in the mid-1800s.
	On the western side of the north wall (to the left in this photo)are the stables.
	On the most easterly side (to the right in this photo), the section with the peaked roof on the extreme right hand side is where a building was indicated in 1864. The part between it and the current gate, was outlined, but was not a building. This would indicate that this section with the roof sloping into the quadrangle was built later.
	This photo taken by Ian Jackson in 2010 shows the width of the gate, and the two pillars either side. The two pillars may be a help in placing other photos taken pre-1900.
#10 Views looking from the interior of the courtyard
	A view of the stables in 2003. The building was built of brick, covered with a coat of cement. NOTE: The brick masonry is visible to the left of the doors beneath the peaked overhang.
	The interior of the stables. Note the cobblestone flooring.
	Shot from under the metal gate, facing the stables and the side of the house that faced the courtyard.
	A view from the interior courtyard looking east towards the stables #2 & #3. Photo credit: Ian Jackson.
	#10 A view from the interior courtyard looking southwards towards the house. Note the brick construction of the gabled section that tees from the main house into the courtyard. Photo credit Ian Jackson.
	How it looked this same view of the house appeared in the early 1970s. Photo credit: Christine Wright.
#11 The view looking towards the exterior west wall
	The view looking towards the exterior west wall The boards sticking out mid-way are where greenhouse was shown to be in photos from 1890. The boards that remain are the ones that were installed when Christine rebuilt the greenhouse. By that time, the old greenhouse was long gone. Photo credit: Ian Jackson.
#8 & #1 & #2 viewed from the interior courtyard facing north-west
	The house is on the right. The structure with the archway was turned into a playroom for children. Photo credit: Ian Jackson.
	The interiour of this building. Note that the walls were made of stone. The archway indicates that it was once used as a stable, or else a cart house/coach house - the equivalent of a 19th Century garage.
Interior views
	An archway was made when the wall was opened up for a kitchen to be added on to the east wall of the original house. The fireplace to the right of the archway ties into the original chimney. Photo credit: Ian Jackson
	Another perspective, taken by myself, in 2010. After the 1970's additions, the room in the foreground was used as a drawing room, and the room on the other side (not visible) was used as a dining room.
View of North eastern exterior #5 & #4
	On the left was a shed that Christine converted to a pantry, and on the right a shed that was converted to a playroom for the children. In the 1864 map, the structure on the left did not exist.
	This view is looking slightly further to the north that the previous shot. Note the wall in the foreground at right angles to the building. It is likely older than the buildings. Also note the concrete box just inside the wall on the left.
This is most either a north-westerly portion of the building I have labled: #7, or else part of #8
	Note the stone walls of this structure. I couldn't remember quite where it was, but since I first posted this page, Christine and I have chatted. It was further along past the red outbuiling in the picture above (which she thinks was probably the outhouse).