Banwell Castle, terraces and courtyard walls

ST 45 NW 5/8

BANWELL CASTLE HILL (south side) Banwell Castle, terraces and courtyard walls

9.2.61

GV II* House, terraces and courtyard walls. Circa 1848. For John Dyer Sympson. Rubble, freestone dressings, slate.

Garden front; five windows in main block, centre three step well forward between small circular turrets, three storeys; three windows in attached two storey octagonal tower, two windows in further single storey wing to east; windows mullioned or transmullioned under drips (continuous at second floor), east wing has sixteen-light glazing bar sashes; off centre left is a large mullioned ground floor bay; all under corbelled embattled parapets with decorative loops.

Courtyard front; three storeys, seven windows all under parapets as front; at left, a circular turret with slit windows; then, set back, two bays, slits under drips, at ground floor projecting entrance porch and adjoining room, embattled turrets flank a Tudor arch doorway; then two bays forward, first a three storey transmullioned window at the stairwell, then a two storey canted bay; one window in a hexagonal turret; last bay steps back; plain with slits.

In front a terrace with trefoil pierce parapet, lions rampant with swords on embattled octagonal gate piers flank six steps; to right; a terrace behind a pair of circular embattled turrets with cross loops.

Interior; modest but elaborately decorated spaces; entrance hall has mock linenfold panelling in particular around a central fireplace; staircase has flat octagonal newel and balusters paired with rich decorative panels; drawing and dining rooms have stone Tudor arch fireplaces and plaster framed ceilings with foliate decoration.

The building is adjoined by a terrace and dairy (q.v.). Despite date and quality of design, architect not known.

Listing NGR: ST4015358650