Abbey Gatehouse

TEWKESBURY

SO83SE ABBEY PRECINCTS 859-1/2/352 Abbey Gatehouse 04/03/52 (Formerly Listed as: ABBEY PRECINCTS Gatehouse to Abbey House)

GV I

Gatehouse to Benedictine Abbey precincts, modified for holiday use by Landmark Trust (1991). Late C15 or early C16. Guiting stone ashlar and lias, lead roof. PLAN: large square 2-storey gatehouse linked left to Abbey House (qv), and right to Abbey Barn (qv). EXTERIOR: wide pointed arch in 2 moulded orders with moulded drip beneath two 2-light cusped hollow-chamfered stone casements flanking central statue niche with decorative canopy. Boldly crenellated top above hollow-mould cornice with central angel and end gargoyles and 3 leaf decorations each side. Mid offset moulded string, diagonal buttresses to 2 offsets, plinth. Set back from outer opening approx 2.5m is doorway to 4-centred head in double-chamfer surround with heavy C19 doors, with small 4-centred opening and door in moulded surround, to left. Above is central ribbed vault with half-vault each side. Internal side walls in large coursed lias blocks. The inner, SE front is as outer, but without central statue niche, and with series of putlog holes each side of opening, which has no doors. Internally is vaulted roof in 1+2 half bays as outer vestibule. Side walls, in lias, contain small 4-centred doorways with plank doors in heavy flush quoin surrounds; that to right (SW) side gives to spiral stone stair contained in projecting ashlar turret on that side, the turret finishing below main parapet level. INTERIOR: one large room at first floor, with heavy beamed compartmental roof structure of 1950s reconstruction carried on series of carved corbels, mainly C19, but some C16. On NE wall a large dressed Guiting stone fireplace with moulded 4-centred arch, all brought forward from main wall plane. At time of survey being fitted with new oak partitions for Landmark Trust. VCH records that by 1849 the Gatehouse was badly dilapidated, and was then restored by John Medland, architect, with masonry by Thomas Collins; the carved oak doors are from 1855. (VCH: Gloucestershire: London: 1968-: 125).

Listing NGR: SO8897032378