The Cage

The Cage is a former hunting tower and gatehouse, later used as a park keeper's house and a lock-up for prisoners. It originated around 1580 but was taken down in 1734 by George Platt and rebuilt in 1737 by Peter Platt, possibly based on a design by Leoni for Peter Legh X. The structure is made of coursed, squared, buff sandstone rubble with ashlar sandstone dressings, featuring a felted roof and cupolas that were originally stone, along with two chimneys that are no longer present.

The building has a square plan with attached square corner towers and three symmetrical storeys. It features a chamfered plinth, raised rusticated quoins, and an applied ashlar band at the first floor. The tower windows have raised, plain surrounds, which are now blocked but originally held 12-pane sash windows. There are semi-circular headed doorcases on three faces, with rusticated surrounds and Tuscan pilaster capitals at the imposts, along with raised plain surrounds above the doors, all of which are also blocked. A projecting heavily-moulded entablature with an ashlar blocking course and central balustrading, likely added by Wyatt, is now damaged.

The towers have stepped bases for domed cupolas, which have been replaced with 20th-century wooden versions. There are three square sundials on moulded sills between the first and second storeys, inscribed with the phrases: "Vive Hodie" on the east face, "Remember now the creator in the days of thy youth" on the south face, and "Cras minus aptus eris" on the west face.

Inside, the ground floor features four Tuscan antae with banded rustication. A diagonal flight of stairs leads to a spiral stone staircase located in the south-west corner tower. Although much of the interior has been removed, the first floor was the main room, which had a panelled oak ceiling with a large central carved rosette. The layout included stairs in one corner, a fireplace, a lavatory, and a prison room in the others.

The architectural elements used in the rebuilding can also be found in the south and west ranges of Lyme Park, but it is unclear whether the original 16th-century structure was completely demolished or not.