Description

NU 21 NE
6/39
10.1.53

CRASTER
CRASTER TOWER

Craster Tower

GV
II*

Country house incorporating medieval tower. Tower probably C14. House 1769,
perhaps by William Newton; east wing C19. Tower large squared stone; 1769
block has south front of squared whinstone with tooled sandstone ashlar quoins
and dressings, east elevation of squared stone and west end rendered. East
wing rendered with cut sandstone quoins and dressings. Graduated Lakeland
slate roof on 1769 part, Scottish slates on east wing; flat roof of tower not
seen. L-plan with rectangular tower at junction of 1769 south block and east
wing.

South front 3 storeys, 2 + 1 + 2 bays, symmetrical. Plinth, 1st-floor and 1st
floor sill bands. Rusticated quoins. Central tripartite Tuscan doorway has
fielded-panel door under radial fanlight, between pilasters carrying open
pediment; flanking 3-pane casements. 12-pane sash windows to lower floors;
those on 1st floor corniced and centre pedimented. Lower eaves cornice with
central pediment, open except for detached section of cornice above central
2nd floor window. Hipped roof with 2 ridge stacks, rendered on stone bases.
Set back to right is 3-storey 4-bay east wing with raised quoins; 12- and 16-
pane sashes in raised stone surrounds; coped right end gable; stepped-and-
corniced ridge and right end stacks.

West front in two parts. Right 3-storey 4-bay 1769 block: ground floor sill
band; 12-pane sashes to lower floors and 9-pane sashes above. Left taller
3-storey tower: large chamfered plinth. 1st and 2nd floors have tripartite
windows, small-paned sashes with intersecting heads under pointed arches, with
raised moulded surrounds and sills. Moulded string below embattled parapet.

East elevation of 1769 block shows C19 canted ashlar bay with 12-pane sashes,
moulded cornice and parapet; 12- and 6-pane sashes in raised stone surrounds
above.

North (entrance) front: Left east wing, with lower floors set forward under
separate pent roof. Right end shallow porch with tripartite Gothick doorway;
vertical-panelled door flanked by 2-pane casements. Quatrefoil window above
and gable with moulded coping and kneelers. 4-pane sashes, except for another
quatrefoil at 1st-floor level to left of porch. Tower to right has C20
opening on ground floor only.

Interior not seen. Tower retains barrel-vaulted basements.

Listing NGR: NU2511219575

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Craster Tower at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5182529

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5