Pope'S Tower Approximately 35 Metres South East Of Harcourt House

STANTON HARCOURT HARCOURT HOUSE SP4105 21/321 Pope's Tower approx. 35m. SE 12/09/55 of Harcourt House (Formerly listed as Pope's Tower)

GV I

Former chapel. c.1470-71, probably by William Orchard for Sir Robert Harcourt. Limestone ashlar; roof not visible. 4-storey tower with nave, and 2-storey bay with chancel to right. Eared architrave over keyed hollow-chamfered arched doorway to C16 panelled doors, and hood moulds over two 2-light cinquefoil-headed windows to nave and room above; offset buttress to right, moulded cornice with gargoyles and octagonal crenellated stone stack. Tower has hood moulds over one- and 2-light cinquefoil-headed windows, and square-headed upper-lights. 3-light panel-tracery window to east (left). Crenellated parapet with gargoyles beneath. Stair-turret to rear with slit lights and similar parapet. Similar windows to sides and rear, and hood mould over late C15 four-centred hollow-chamfered rear doorway. Interior: chancel has a fan vault on head corbels and hollow-chamfered chancel arch with quatrefoil spandrels. Nave has quartered and moulded beams to panelled ceiling, originally painted, and pointed arched doorway with plank door to stone newel stairs with similar doorways and ancient plank doors. Room above nave has moulded beams and moulded stone fireplace. Tower: early C17 panelling and similar stone fireplace. Tower: early C17 panelling and similar stone fireplace in first-floor room, moulded beam in room above, and late C17 bolection panelling in third-floor room. Formerly attached to the parlour end of the medieval manor house, demolished c.1750. The nave of the chapel was used by servants and was recorded (in 1818) as having been decorated with red and gold to the beams and gold stars on a blue ground to the panels. The family, assembled in the room above, could view the altar through a squint (now blocked). The tower possibly provided lodgings for the priest or lord's retainers, and its design is similar to those at Minster Lovell Hall and at Magdalene College, Oxford, also by William Orchard. The tower derives its name from Alexander Pope who stayed here in 1717-18, when he used the upper room in the tower to translate the fifth volume of Homer's "lliad". (Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, p.782; National Monuments Record; M. Wood, The English Medieval House, 1965, pp.173-4, 239; Bodleian Library, M.S. Top, Oxon for late C18 and C19 drawings).

Listing NGR: SP4163005638