Portcullis Lodge And Retaining Walls To Forecourt Of Eastnor Castle

Portcullis Lodge and the retaining walls to the forecourt of Eastnor Castle were built between 1815 and 1816 by architect Robert Smirke. The lodge is constructed of coursed squared rubble with freestone dressings and features a roof that is hidden behind an embattled parapet. It is a single-storey building set on a battered basement. The central entrance has a pointed archway, flanked by two-stage round corner towers that sit on battered plinths. The tower facing the entrance has narrow slit windows that look inward and round-headed windows in deep freestone embrasures that face outward. A chamfered string course runs along the building, and there is a panel of arms in the center. Inside the archway, there are two plank doors with pointed freestone surrounds. On either side of the lodge, tall retaining walls extend towards the castle and enclose the forecourt. These walls are made of coursed rubble with freestone coping and an embattled parapet, standing approximately six to eight meters high on the outside and buttressed at the north corner.