Description

NZ 40 SE WHORLTON CASTLE BANK
9/165 Whorlton Castle
23/6/66 Gatehouse
GV I
Gatehouse of motte-and-bailey castle of which no other building
survives but some vaulted undercrofts (q.v.). Late C14, altered in
C16. Sandstone ashlar on high chamfered plinth; roofless and
floorless. Rectangular plan shows central through-passage,with
springing of a high vault remaining, and one large room at either
side on each floor, surrounded by small mural chambers.
3 storeys, 3 wide bays. Segment-arched entrance in 2 planes, the
outer curved, the inner chamfered. Modern wood lattice filling
with wicket door. 3 shields in cusped panels above. Flanking
first-floor cross windows in chamfered reveals and similar top-
floor windows. Scattered slits and small single lights. Second-
floor drip bands. Plainer rear elevations with 2 blocked doorways
and scattered slits. One cross window at top right and a 2-light
window (lost mullion) at top left. Drawbar tunnel in doorway and
later pintles. Round-arched door to projecting staircase tower on
left, which holds newel stair broken at the top.
Interior: Caernarvon arches to several mural chambers, some of
them garderobes, represent the original building period, as do the
wide splays and segmental rere-arches of the smaller windows.
Later, larger doorways and windows have Tudor rere-arches. Wall-
passages missing in places, but first-floor and ground-floor
fireplaces and chimneys remain. Ribs of the central vault have a
single hollow chamfer, probably also original.
Signs of later buildings, now gone, both inside and out.
Scheduled Ancient Monument County No 115.

Listing NGR: NZ4811702472

External Links

• Historic England Listing

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)