Lorton Hall Winder House

LORTON LOW LORTON NY 12 NE 10/146 Lorton Hall and Winder House (previously listed as "Lorton Hall") G.V. II 3-3-67

Tower house and wing, now divided into 2 dwellings. Probably mid or late C15 with C16 wing; alterations dated 1663, 1880 and 1904. Mixed slate rubble, partly rendered, under graduated greenslate roof with ashlar chimney stacks, the tower roof within battlemented parapet. Square 3-storey, 2-bay tower with rear C19 2-storey 3-bay extension in similar style and lower 2-storey, 7-bay wing now Winder House. Tower has C19 fenestration; irregular 2- and 3-light windows, some in Tudor style under hoodmoulds, the others without hoods; and ground-floor mullioned and transomed windows. Winder House has C17 fenestration with extensive C19 alterations; centre 3-light window was originally entrance under hoodmould and pediment; enlarged 2-light ground-floor windows under 3-light stone-mullioned windows with continuous hoodmould and individual pediments. Rear of tower has Tudor-style doorway and 2-light windows. Rear of Winder House similar, with C19 2-, 3- and 4-light windows. Interior of tower is completely late C19 and early C20 panelled woodwork, with moulded plaster ceilings. Other features claimed by a previous owner to be original, such as a concrete vault and spiral staircase in the tower (see Pevsner, Buildings of England, Cumberland & Westmorland, ppl58-9) and dated plasterwork in Winder House, are extremely dubious. The same owner painted C16 and C17 portraits of his ancestors to hang on the walls of his house and opened the building to the public. The adjoining stables, now The Stables, is a separate dwelling with extensive alterations and is not of interest.

Listing NGR: NY1528125763