Description

TF 2057-2157 TATTERSHALL SLEAFORD ROAD
(south side)

10/69 Tattershall Castle (formerly
14.9.66 listed as Keep)

G.V. I

Castle, now monument owned by National Trust. c.1440 built for
Ralph Cromwell, Lord High Treasurer, on site of castle built by
Robert Tateshale in 1231. Restored in 1911-25 by Lord Curzon.
Red brick tower in English bond, with darker lattice lozenge
decorations to upper parts, ashlar dressings, leaded roofs.
Rectangular plan with facetted angle towers, originally with
attached hall to courtyard side. 5 storey with undercroft,
irregular 3 bay front with plinth, chamfered ashlar string course
and embattled parapet with machicolated base. To ground floor 3
four centred arched doorways. In the plinth a small arched
opening to undercroft, and above a small rectangular light. To
first floor are 2 two light windows, one with moulded rectangular
surround. To second and third floors are 3 two light windows all
having cusped heads to the lights, central mullions and 4 centred
arched surrounds. Above the machicolations are 8 cusped headed
openings in moulded rectangular surrounds. In the tops of the
angle towers are single cross shaped arrow loops and the
embattled parapets have arcaded brick corbels. On the roof is a
bank of 3 tall circular stacks with embattled tops. To either
side of the tower can be seen a section of the curtain wall with
upper gallery having small rectangular loops with a wall walk
above. In the left hand side wall are 3 single large 2 light
windows to each floor, having cusped heads to the lights, panel
traceried tops and concave moulded surrounds. In the right hand
side are 2 large windows matching those to the left. Interior.
Undercroft has wide brick segmental tunnel vault, with chambers
off. Ground floor parlour has fine chimney piece of Ancaster
stone bearing shields of Lord Cromwell and his ancestors.
Shallow 4 centred moulded opening with crocketed ogee over.
Rectangular shield bearing panel, flanked by half round columns
with floriate capitals and having brattished top with frieze of
fleurons. 4 centred arched openings to chambers off the parlour.
First floor, principal state room is reached by a turning stair
in the north east turret with restored inset moulded ashlar
handrail. The chimney piece is elaborately carved with grotesque
heads on the capitals at either end. In the spandrels are
representative carvings, and the panel across the lintel has
armorial shields, brattished top with frieze of fleurons. On the
north wall are corbels to support a baldequin over the high
table. 4 centred brick openings to chambers off. The second
floor has a long passage on the east side with fine quadripartite
brick vault with moulded ribs and ashlar shield bosses, restored.
The Audience Chamber also has a fine chimney piece, bearing
shields of arms. On the south wall are corbels to support a
canopy over Lord Cromwell's dais. A garderobe chamber on the
south side has been converted to a dovecote having side walls
lined with mud and lath construction containing circular nesting
boxes. The third floor room, the withdrawing Room or Privy
Chamber also contains a fine chimney piece. The window recesses
in the west wall are elaborately brick vaulted with decorated
bosses, and triskeles in the spandrels made of shaped bricks.
Above is a roof gallery with covered walkway giving access to the
machicolations, and upper walkway behind the embattled parapet,
supported on chamfered brick piers with segmental arches. On the
rear wall are 2 two light windows to eadch floor, with cusped
heads to the lights, panel tracery and 4 centred arched heads.
Cromwell employed a German, Baldwin Docheman, to superintend the
brickmaking and he worked to foreign, possibly French, designs.
The castle was last occupied in the C17, and in the years after
1912 restoration was undertaken by Lord Curzon under the
direction of William Weir, architect. Scheduled Ancient Monument
No. 2.

Listing NGR: TF2105657544

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Tattershall Castle at Wikipedia
• Tattershall Castle official website
• Wikidata Q2628361

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)