Abbey Gatehouse And Adjoining Wall To East

ST 79 SW KINGSWOOD ABBEY STREET (north side)

7/256 Abbey Gate-house and adjoining wall to east (latter formerly listed 23.6.52 as Cottage occupied by S. Worrell)

GV I

Abbey Gate-house. Early C16. Ashlar with Cotswold stone slate roof. 2 storeys. Central large moulded pointed arch, with slit window opening to left, additional smaller arch to right with straight head to south and niche above, and pointed arch to north at rear, 2-light mullion and transom window with 4 equal sized lights over main arch. Niche has carved side colonnettes and elaborate crocketed canopy which once held a statue, probably of the Virgin, with a carved dove above. Window has highly decorative lily carved on main mullion and carved pointed hood mould. 2 side buttresses with diagonally set small square piers at first floor level with crockets, and pinnacles with crockets. 2 string courses. Gable verge has crockets and finial depicts carved Crucifixion scene. Interior of gateway has lierne vault with carved bosses in passage, rear has relieving arch spanning both archways, with some mouldings remaining, and upper storey faced in boards and with C20 window inserted. Room above passage of 2 bays with 2 tiers of arched wind bracing and additional unbraced upper tier, blocked 2-light trefoil head stone mullion window on west side and stepped window seat to large south window. Room reached from moulded 4-centre stone archway immediately to right at rear of gateway which has narrow, chamfered Tudor arch adjoining and remains of pointed stone relieving arch over with corbel to left, apparently all part of the original fabric of the gate-house. To east of gate-house on south side, former cottages now curtain wall only and part of the original fabric of the gate-house. 2 storeys, 3 window openings with square stopped hood moulds at each end on first floor and on door opening to left on ground floor. Central buttress with diagonally set pier similar to main gate- house buttresses but without pinnacle. The Gate-house and flanking walls are all that remains of the Cistercian Kingswood Abbey and are scheduled as Ancient Monument No. 70. (David Verey, Buildings of England - Gloucestershire: The Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1980).

Listing NGR: ST7471192036