Windsor Lodge and attached gateway, Compton Castle

Lodge and attached gateway, built in the Gothick style in c 1825, with a south range added in two phases in the early and late C20.

MATERIALS: constructed of Cary stone rubble with Doulting stone dressings, under a stone slate roof.

PLAN: the north part takes the form of a tower, with three angled faces, flanked by circular turrets; attached to the south is a long rectangular range added in the early and late-C20.

EXTERIOR: the principal (north) elevation is arranged as a two and a half storey, three-sided, castellated tower with a tall circular castellated turret to either side. To the central face of the tower is a stone plaque, with a coat of arms, believed to be those of William Peake Mason, with the motto 'facta non verba' ('deeds not words'). To each face of the tower, at first and second floor, are centrally-placed leaded windows set within recessed openings with square hoodmoulds and label stops. The building continues to the south and its west elevation consists of two, two-bay ranges in matching materials under a stone slate roof. To the ground and first floor of the range to the left are two, two-light stone mullion windows with leaded lights. They are set within recessed openings beneath square hoodmoulds with label stops. The two-bay range to the right is blind at ground-floor with a single-light and two-light window to the first floor, again in recessed openings with square hoodmoulds and label stops. The rear elevations were not inspected (2012).

INTERIOR: not inspected (2012).

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: attached to the north end of the lodge is a 4m high wall with stone slate capping and a setback buttress with offsets to the left-hand end. Within the wall is a moulded four-centred arched gateway with a pair of timber, six-panel gates. To the right is a Tudor-arched pedestrian entrance with a 12-panelled door. A short length of stone wall continues to the north-west, with swept coping, ending in a low square pier with ball finial.

In recommending the extent of designation, we have considered whether powers of exclusion under s.1 (5A) of the 1990 Act are appropriate and consider that they are not.