Description
16th century L-plan tower house with (altered) early
18th century S-facing 5-bay house adjoining W gable and intercommunicating at upper floors. Tower is harled, house
is rendered; all with red ashlar dressings; slate roofs.
TOWER: possibly 1567 incorporating rectangular tower of
1420. 3 storeys, with attic; jamb (at E end of N wall)
carried 2 storeys higher, with stair turret in re-entrant
angle corbelled from near main eaves level; conical-roofed
bartizans over 3 remaining angles. Some openings
roll-moulded; crow-stepped gables. Door in re-entrant angle
of jamb, panel recess above. Wheel stair fills lower storeys
of jamb, tiny chambers to upper floors and rope and
billet-mouldings, corbelled beacon platform over S gable,
finial over N gable. Body of tower has vaulted basement,
some evidence of possible original door at 1st floor level on
E gable, with panel recess above. Asymmetrically arranged
openings to elevations, single wallhead dormer at S. Coped
end stacks, W stack rebuilt to incorporate flues of addition. cusped-headed aumbry on N wall.
HOUSE: originally 2 storeys, 5 regular and well-proportioned
bays, chamfered margins. Alterations mainly late in 19th
century: heightened a storey, with crowstepped gables,
pedimented dormer heads above eaves level, canted ground
floor windows added (porch possibly mid 19th century)
gabled rear (N) stair turret. 2nd porch, to N, with
Tudor-arched doorway, is earlier/mid 19th century. Mostly
sash windows, upper S facing windows with 12-pane glazing
pattern. Some good 18th century panelling survives in
ground floor rooms. 19th century low recessed W wing is
T-paln, its 3-bay S elevation exposed red sandstone.
Walled garden to S of house, ashlar-coped rubble-built walls
linked to tower at E and to low wing at W. Panelled and
corniced square gatepiers to S, curved quadrants and
cast-iron gates with spiked rails all earlier 19th century.