Ruins Of Dunkeswell Abbey Gatehouse

The ruins of Dunkeswell Abbey Gatehouse, dating from the early 16th century, are located in Dunkeswell, Devon. Constructed from local stone and flint rubble with Beerstone ashlar detailing, this roofless building originally had a two-storey, one-room plan and served as the northern part of the gatehouse. The room to the south of the carriageway has been incorporated into Abbey Cottage.

On the front (west) side, there is a first-floor window, and at the right end, you can see the moulded jamb and springing of the original Tudor arch gateway. A lateral stack in the left (north) wall supports a small Beerstone ashlar fireplace with a chamfered surround. The rear wall features a blocked two-light window with cinquefoil heads and sunken spandrels, as well as a ground-floor two-centred arch doorway and a first-floor segmental pointed arch doorway, both leading to a collapsed newel stair turret. Dunkeswell Abbey itself was founded in 1201 by William, Lord Brewere, as a Cistercian monastery.