view towards Battlesden House (behind trees) from A5 January 2008

Battlesden Lodge lies on the Watling Street, or A5. It is the entrance lodge from the road to Battlesden House. Today the big house is not so big as when both it and the Lodge were built in 1864. This is because the house was largely demolished by the Duke of Bedford in 1886 when he bought it from the trustees of the estate of Sir Gregory Page-Turner. The house, together with another house in the grounds and Battlesden Church can be seen in the distance from the road.

The Lodge was listed by the former Department of Envirnoment, being give Grade II status as of particular interest. The architect was the same as that of the big house,  G.H.Stokes, advised by Sir Joseph Paxton, a native of Milton Bryan who had cut his landscaping teeth at Battlesden House in the 1820s. The lodge has a later 19th century addition to the rear. It is built in what is described as a Free Gothic style, of red brick with ashlar dressings and a slate roof. The original structure was built to a small T- plan and comprised one storey with attics

In 1927 the lodge was valued under the terms of the Rating Valuation Act of 1925; every piece of land and building in the country was assessed for the rates to be paid on it. At that date the lodge was divided into two. The valuer noted [DV/1/A10/39b-c] that part was occupied by a Mrs.Ricketts, who had a living room, kitchen, pantry and three bedrooms, with, outside, an earth closet. the other occupier was Charles E.Lumey who had the same accommodation. Mains water had been laid on. the valuer commented: "Miles from anywhere".