Gateway

This is a castellated Gothic gateway, built in the late 18th century, probably by John Giffard, before 1797. It provides access to a service court. The gateway is constructed of sandstone ashlar on a narrow plinth and is symmetrical, featuring a central entrance with a large four-centred chamfered arch. The arch’s key stone has a sculpted head of Christ, with a returned, moulded label above. Flanking the arch are sculpted relief plaques, and the structure is topped with a crenellated parapet. Short sections of crenellated wall extend on either side, stepping down to join large flanking drum towers. These towers have three string courses; the upper course is larger and simply moulded, while the lower course continues onto the connecting wall sections. They feature central blind quatrefoils and flanking blind dumb-bell-shaped gun-loops.

To the south of the east tower, an adjoining section of ashlar walling is contemporary with the gateway. This walling is advanced and slightly concave, with canted returns and a crenellated parapet similar to the gateway. It incorporates three niches with depressed-arched heads and moulded labels, each topped by a blind quatrefoil. These have been painted to resemble windows with intersecting tracery and leaded panes. Further walling of a similar style adjoins to the right, connecting with the main house to the east. This section was moved to its current position in the mid-1960s from a location to the west of the house.

Behind this screen wall, and adjoining the main house to the east, is a surviving ground-floor section of the Jacobethan east wing of the house, contemporary with the gateway. This wing now serves as the kitchen and service area, and features a flat roof with a moulded parapet. An off-centre entrance on the east face has a deeply recessed door from the late 19th century, with a two-part leaded light above. Recessed leaded cross-windows flank the entrance. The south face has two six-light mullioned and transomed windows, connected to a moulded label-course that runs along the main house. A tall rubble garden wall extends to the south, continuing around in three planes to the east, and is topped with a plain stone capping. A slate-roofed brick and rubble lean-to projects from the rear of the wall, and was formerly a privy-block. A contemporary Gothic entrance is situated in the centre of the south-west facing returned section, featuring a Tudor-arched head, returned moulded label, chamfered reveals and voussoirs. The west return of the wall is constructed of brick and is staggered in three sloped stages, with a modern opening in the centre, before continuing in two staggered stages to its termination.