Priory Gatehouse

The Priory Gatehouse is a circa 1400 gatehouse of the former Augustinian priory, founded between 1205 and 1238. It is constructed of dressed shale rubble with granite dressings and is now roofless. It stands as the principal surviving above-ground remnant of the early 13th-century priory, although remains of walls are visible to the southeast. The west-facing outer side of the gatehouse features a large carriageway arch to the right, with a dressed slate, chamfered joist and a moulded granite 4-centred arch springing from moulded corbels. A small niche with an unmoulded 3-centred granite head sits above the carriageway. To the left of the west front is a footway arch, also chamfered, with a loop window above. The interior east elevation is similar in design but reversed, lacking the niche and loop window, although a small loop window is present to the left of the carriageway. The south side of the gatehouse exhibits partial collapse. The doorway to the first-floor stair turret is now exposed externally. The north-side wall shows signs of a former lower range, with a squint window overlooking the footway. Putlog holes are visible in all external walls. The carriageway interior contains a stone vault with chamfered granite transverse and longitudinal ribs, resembling a wagon roof, and includes a moulded granite wall plate and fleuron bosses. The footway has a quadripartite vault with granite ribs and carved bosses. An interior doorway to the stair turret features a moulded granite 2-centred arch with cusped spandrels and a stone newel stair. A rectangular shaft serves as the entrance to the garderobe of the first-floor chamber. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.