Curtain Wall And Towers At Walton Castle

The curtain wall and towers at Walton Castle, built between 1615 and 1620 for Lord Poulett, are a significant architectural feature that has undergone much reconstruction and modification in the late 20th century. The structure is made of rubble with asphalt flat roofs and forms an octagonal circuit, consisting of eight circular towers connected by straight walls. The main entrance is located to the north, featuring a large elliptical opening with late 20th-century plank doors.

Towers 1 and 8, which flank the entrance, have single light windows and are crenellated, while towers 2 to 7 include two-light openings, with towers 4, 5, and 6 also displaying crenellations. The straight curtain walls between towers 3 and 4, 4 and 5, and 7 and 8 have been raised by approximately 1 meter.

On the south front, between towers 4 and 5, there is a large late 20th-century glazed three-door opening that provides access to an underground swimming pool. Adjacent to this opening is a small concrete block structure intended for an air-conditioning unit, which was exposed at the time of the survey in May 1987 and was planned to be clad in stone.

Between towers 7 and 8, there is an additional internal wall, and this area is roofed. In the courtyard facing the keep, there are a series of four-centred door openings with moulded surrounds; the opening to tower 5 appears to date from the 17th century, while those to towers 6 and 7 have been rebuilt using some original stones. Much of the work within the towers is of late 20th-century oak, based on the original ruins of the circuit and towers. The interiors of the towers have been transformed by 20th-century renovations, and there is a swimming pool located beneath the courtyard, south of the keep.