Gatehouse To Charlecote Park

CHARLECOTE

SP2556 CHARLECOTE PARK 1901-1/10/23 Gatehouse to Charlecote Park 05/04/67 (Formerly Listed as: Gatehouse at Charlecote Park House)

GV I

Gatehouse, now museum. c1560. Brick laid to English bond with limestone ashlar dressings. EXTERIOR: east facade of 2 storeys; symmetrical 3-window range plus 3-storey octagonal angle turret to each angle. Drip courses and parapet with pierced rosette pattern. Round-headed moulded archway has imposts, keystone with jewelled soffit; paired wrought-iron gates with overthrow, 1722 by T Parris. Ground floor has ovolo-mullioned cross-mullioned windows, with similar windows above flanking bracketed canted oriel with 1:3:1-light transomed window over painted relief arms of Lucy impaling Spencer in wreath and strapwork frame; each turret has 2-light windows, top entablature and ogival cupola with ball finial and weather-vane; that to left with 1824 clock faces. All windows with leaded glazing, most with crown glass. Rear similar, but drip course raised over arch with fluted key; 3-light mullioned and transomed windows flanking entrance and similar windows above, flanking 2 cross-mullion windows and central bracketed stone panel. North and south ends have cross-mullioned windows; 2-light stair window to south. INTERIOR: passage has 2 bays of rib vaulting with large pendant bosses; each side has impost course and cornice over elliptical-headed entrance with studded door and flanking shell-head alcoves. To north a timber-framed partition and dogleg stair; south side has room with moulded Tudor-arched corner fireplace with cornice and Tudor-arched corner doorway. Museum to first floor has similar fireplace and doorway and doorways to turret rooms, panelled and battened doors; north-west room has round-headed timber doorway with C17 panelled door and fireplace with traces of paint. The gatehouse is a well preserved item. Property of the National Trust. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N & Wedgwood A: Warwickshire: Harmondsworth: 1966-: 227; The National Trust: Charlecote Park: guidebook: 1991-: 6-8).

Listing NGR: SP2599256412