Gatehouse

The gatehouse, built around 1426-1451 for Archbishop Kempe, is a Grade I listed structure located on the west side of Thorpe Lane in Cawood. It is constructed from magnesian limestone ashlar and features a stone slate roof over oriel windows, with the rest of the roof concealed by a parapet. The building has three storeys and one bay.

On the north front, the gatehouse displays full freight with narrow angle buttressing that has set-offs. There is a carriage arch with enriched spandrels and a drip mould, which is partially obscured by the adjacent property at 2 Thorpe Lane. The first floor features a canted oriel window with heraldic shields on its panelled base, alongside traceried windows with leaded lights. The roof is adorned with ornamental cresting. A blocked two-light flat-arched window is present on the second floor beneath a drip mould. The structure has a coved cornice and parapet, and an original stair turret with slit windows projects above the main roof level.

At the rear, there are two arches: a 4-centred pedestrian archway to the left and a 4-centred carriage archway to the right, both set under a large segmental arch with a cornice. The first floor features a band with heraldic shields and capping, with three shields that project slightly to support the oriel window above, which has three traceried lights and a 4-centred head. The roof also has ornamental cresting. On the second floor, there is a two-light window with small leaded panes and traceried heads under a drip mould. The angle buttresses with set-offs rise from the heraldic band to support the coving and parapet, and there are octagonal stone chimneys on each side.

Inside, the carriageway has tierceron vaulting, and there is a 4-centred doorway leading to the stairs. An original oak door is lying on its side in the carriageway, while the upper floors have not been inspected.