Gatehouse to former Caynton Manor

Gatehouse to former Caynton Manor

This is a gatehouse of approximately 1635, built in association with the former Caynton Manor. It is constructed of red brick laid in English bond with a base and dressings of red sandstone, and has a tiled roof.

The building is rectangular on plan and oriented roughly north-south. It is designed with a central passageway with rooms to either side, and two rooms on the first floor. The principal external elevation was originally the east side, with the former manor house to the west.

The building has a red sandstone base and a cabled fluted frieze above the ground floor which runs around the building, though much weathered where exposed. The two long elevations to the west and east were originally nearly identical, though the east elevation is now mostly obscured by attached buildings. Both feature a central arch to the passageway, two windows each on the ground and first floor, and a moulded eaves cornice. The ground floor windows on the western elevation are of three lights with four lights on the first floor, complete with transoms. All have hollow-chamfered mullions. The western ground-floor windows have been partially blocked with later brickwork.

The two outer arches of the passageway are relatively plain with tall central keystones, voussoirs which may have had a simple chamfer, moulded imposts, jambs with recessed panels and carved, raised lozenges on the bases of the jambs. The arch and most of the windows on the east elevation are now bricked up. The east arch has a small, truncated pendant to its keystone; the absence of a moulded impost on the west side of the internal arch suggests that the east elevation was the outer face and that the doors were hung on the west side of the internal arch. The short elevations originally had no openings; the upper gable ends have been completely rebuilt in later brickwork and show various scars and holes relating to formerly attached buildings.

Interior

The central passageway has a base of red sandstone blocks. At its centre is a transverse arch with imposts moulded on their eastern and central faces but not to the west, where an historic pintle indicates the former location of the doors. The north room was probably originally subdivided into a stair enclosure and a room, possibly with separate doors from the passageway which have since been replaced by a wider door opening. The original staircase has been lost and access to the first floor is now via a ladder in the north room. The south room was probably the porter's room and has a Tudor-style arch into the passageway; its fireplace is original although remodelled with a 19th-century grate.

On the first floor, the north-east and south rooms have decorated plasterwork friezes and overmantels. The north-east room has a strapwork frieze of S-shapes, combined with an overmantel of a strapwork cartouche flanked by pilasters. The original ceiling does not survive but the pattern of nails on the underside of the joists suggests it was a plaster ceiling suspended on laths like that in the south room. The partition which divides this room from the north-west room runs very close up against the fireplace and overmantel but appears to be in its original position.

The south room has a more elaborate pattern of strapwork, including S-shapes with human faces or dragon heads, flying birds, and pairs of birds holding swags. This last motif is similar to that found on early 17th-century friezes at Benthall Hall and Abcott Manor, also in Shropshire. The frieze continues on the window reveals. The overmantel is decorated with the Yonge family's coat of arms and the inscription 'WY 1635', flanked by two terms or terminal figures. The family coat with its six combined arms is that recorded by the College of Heralds during their visitation of Shropshire in 1623. The plain plaster ceiling appears to be original. Both of the first floor fireplaces are corbelled with a cyma recta cornice at the top; that in the south room also has a Tudor-style arch and a roll moulding to the opening.

The two first floor doors are of plank and batten construction and have wrought iron strap hinges consistent with a date of approximately 1635. The hinges of the north-east door are of a round end design; those of the south door have spearhead-shaped ends. The doorframes are both moulded on their outer faces, although of subtly different designs, and are pegged into their respective partitions.

The attic was not accessible at the time of inspection but the visible parts of the roof suggest that the trusses and rafters have been replaced though the purlins may be older and re-used. A former tie-beam may also survive in truncated form against the north elevation.