Walls to the South Court

The Walls to the South Court are a substantial rectangular enclosure dating back to the mid-16th century. The enclosure measures approximately 75m north-south and 70m west-east. The walls are constructed of pennant rubble stone set in red loam and are 0.8m wide at their base, tapering to 0.6m, with a maximum height of 3.8m to the top of the crenellated parapet, which is present on all walls except the south wall. Parts of the west and east walls remain at their original height, while other sections were rebuilt in the late 20th century. The walls feature embrasures; those in the south wall have been infilled, and there are single rows of putlogs in the west and east walls. The west wall abuts the corner buttress of the west range of the house, and the east boundary wall originally stopped short of the south-east corner, with a short section added in the early 19th century to fill the gap. A projecting rectangular bastion is visible towards the north end of the west wall, with slit windows having deep internal splays on each of its faces. A circular tower projects out beyond the court at the south-west corner; it has an internal diameter of 2.1m, a doorway set across the corner, with a surviving portion of the south-east jamb, and reconstructed steps leading to a viewing platform. It is believed a second tower may have existed at the south-east corner but was likely demolished when a mid-19th century barn was built along the south wall. The original mid-16th century gateway position in the south wall is now uncertain due to the wall’s extensive rebuilding in the 19th century and the insertion of a new entrance. The east wall remains continuous but a straight joint towards its northern end suggests a former bastion that was removed to accommodate an outbuilding built against the external face of the wall. A mid-19th century barn in the south-east corner and later outbuildings along the north end of the east wall are not considered to be of particular architectural interest.