Rodborough Fort

SO 80 SW RODBOROUGH

4/89 Rodborough Fort

GV II

Detached house. Mostly 1870; extensive mid C20 restoration. Random rock-faced rubble limestone; artificial stone; ashlar dressings. Two-storey with 4-storey tower on south west side; 2 rear wings. Two sets of curtain walls with various outbuildings to south west and north east (q.v.). South west: asymmetrical with central tower having Tudor arched doorway with hoodmould and double plank doors; chamfered cross window to each tower storey on each tower face, all with hoodmoulds. Continuous dripmoulds to tower and main block; upper part of tower rendered with machicolated and crenellated parapet; circular stair turret at east corner of tower projects above crenellated parapet. Cross windows to main block left of tower, narrow transomed windows to right with iron casements. Crenellated parapet as to tower. North west: symmetrical front, 3 window fenestration, central being canted 2- storey bay. Flanking cross windows: continuous dripmoulds and crenellated parapet. Small circular turret projects at upper level of north corner. North east: largely rebuilt in mid C20 with artificial stone. Three window fenestration all C20 cross-windows; crenellated parapet. South east: two asymmetrical wings, left with hipped roof set behind parapet of south west elevation; right wing is end of north east facing range. Part of curtain wall adjoins at corner to left (q.v). Interior not inspected. Originally built as a folly for Captain Hawker in 1761, enlarged with the construction of house in 1870 for Alexander Holcombe. Stands on lofty eminence above Stroud town and a very important landscape feature. (N.M. Herbert, 'Rodborough' in V.C.H. Glos. xi, 1976, pp 218-234; and B. Jones, Follies and Grottoes, 1974)

Listing NGR: SO8489704075