Gatehouse To Tawstock Court

The gatehouse to Tawstock Court, dated 1574, is constructed from freestone ashlar with some early brickwork in the turret vaulting. It features a cavetto moulded plinth and a gabled slate roof. The building is rectangular in plan with the main entrance located on the south side, flanked by tall octagonal corner turrets. It has two storeys, although the intermediate floor has been removed. The corner turrets are three stages high and topped with an embattled parapet, except for the turrets which have a moulded finish.

The main entrance consists of a large four-centred outer arched opening with an ogee-flanking-hollow moulded surround. The gates are made of two heavy studded leaves, decorated with cover strips and chamfered rectangular bosses on the panels. The left gate features a carved grotesque male head on the top rail, while the right gate has a female head. Above the arch, there are two straight-headed stone windows, each containing two four-centred arched lights with hoodmoulds. These hoodmoulds are formed from the string with dropped ends, flanking an elaborate pedimented stone cartouche that bears a heraldic achievement, supported by eared Ionic-style fluted pilasters, with a datestone from 1574 above.

The corner turrets have single light stone windows on the splayed facets of the first stage, featuring carved spandrels and hoodmoulds. There is a blind single light window above a rectangular window on the left side of the left turret, which also has a defensive loop on the bottom stage of its inner face. The right turret has a rectangular window opening on the first stage. There is a tall blocked window opening on the rear right side of the upper storey, and a blocked ground floor doorway on the left side.

Inside, there is a plain moulded four-centred inner arch with a relieving arch and a stone mullion window above, which has three four-centred arched lights with foliated spandrels. Within the outer arch, there are timber doorways leading to each turret stairway; the right one has a segmental head, while the left has a depressed head and is placed obliquely across the angle. The stairs have been removed or collapsed, and the roof structure was replaced in the 20th century.