Gatehouse And Attached Courtyard Walls At Hamstall Hall

HAMSTALL RIDWARE C.P. BLITHBURY ROAD (north- SK 1019-1119 east side)

Gatehouse and attached 12/30 courtyard walls at Hamstall Hall (formerly 27.2.64 listed as Gateway at Hamstall Hall)

GV II*

Gatehouse and walls. Late C16. Red brick (English bond) with ashlar quoins and dressings. A pair of octagonal turrets, each with ogee- moulded cornice and stone dome, flank a rusticated semi-circular gate arch with raised key and strapwork parapet. Each turret has an inserted 2-light chamfer-mullioned window with straight hood mould looking towards the gateway approach. To the rear of each turret is a Tudor-arch doorway with sunken spandrels. Attached lengths of coped walling enclose the north-east and north-west sides of the main courtyard at Hamstall Hall (q.v.). The gatehouse is in the centre of the north-west wall. The north-east wall is terminated at the south-east end by a tower (q.v.). Adjacent to the tower are indications of former buildings ranged along the inside of the walls. These include the remains of 2 early C16 windows, a bay window of 3 and the other of 4 light, both with basket- arch lights and ogee-moulded mullions and surrounds. Interior. Nesting boxes have been cut out of the walls to convert the gate turrets to dovecotes. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. I.M. Ferris, 'A Survey of Hamstall Hall, Staffordshire' South Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society Transactions vol. XXVI (1984-5) pp. 44-75.

Listing NGR: SK1048419424