The Gatehouse

The Gatehouse is an early 19th-century tollhouse situated on Holyhead Road, Great Ness. Constructed of coursed Nesscliffe stone, the building originally had a shallow-pitched roof of slate, replaced with corrugated iron by the time of the survey in 2004. The front elevation features three bays; the central bay has a later gabled timber porch over the entrance door and a recessed panel at first-floor level, though no window is present. The windows, believed to originally have been two casement lights with a central mullion, were blocked during the survey. The reveals and rear of the building are otherwise blank, except for a rear door and a later, single-storey gabled extension. A chimney is located on the north-western gable end. The interior comprises two rooms, with a lobby entry and a winder staircase leading from the kitchen. The kitchen contains a sizeable original hearth with a stone surround, although this has been infilled and a smaller surround has been inserted. This tollhouse represents a comparatively complete example of an early 19th-century tollhouse on a significant turnpike road.