Leighton Hall Tower

Leighton Hall Tower

A Grade I listed building in the Gothic style, highly picturesque in conception and detail. The structure comprises a five-stage octagonal tower narrowing at the upper two stages, a higher western circular stair turret, and a south wing of two storeys with an attic. A gateway stands at right angles to the wing.

The tower is constructed of rock-faced Cefn stone with ashlar dressings. The buttresses are stepped and end at the upper stage with crocketed pinnacles set diagonally. The tower has an embattled parapet, beneath which runs a frieze of heads interspersed with shield-bearing angels, continuing across the stair turret. Above the frieze, the turret becomes hexagonal and features open cusped lancets in each face with continuous sill band. The parapet is embattled above a string course with grotesques at the angles.

The uppermost stage of the tower contains tall cross-windows. The turret has a balcony at this stage on large brackets with a balustrade consisting of two tiers of arcading. Above the balcony is a string course below a small lancet in an ashlar gable on the south face. In the stage below, the tower has blind arrow slits alternating with small sash windows with cusped heads, beneath which is a frieze of blind quatrefoils continuing across the stair turret. The next stage down features larger cusped lancets alternating with large blind arrow loops, except for the east side which has a quatrefoil in a square panel with hood mould.

In the lower two stages, decorative details are confined to the three faces on the east side, facing the garden. In the upper of these two stages is a balcony with arched openings in the buttresses, a parapet of pierced quatrefoils, and a soffit of foiled panels, carried by large brackets on head corbels. The east face contains a single-light window with stylised Decorated tracery consisting of two mouchettes. Above it is a blank shield and the Naylor monogram (ICN) in relief beneath a trefoiled gable, with foliage in relief and a fleur de lys finial. To left and right are blind stylised trefoil windows. In the lower stage is a door with studded ironwork flanked by shallow niches in the buttresses. The faces to left and right contain two-light mullioned windows with Y-tracery and sill bands. The lower stages of the tower have plainer windows on the west side facing the courtyard, contrasting with the rich treatment of the east side facing the garden. The turret has tall narrow openings in the lower storeys.

The south wing has a garden front to the east with an advanced gable to the left and a three-window range to the right. In the lower storey, the bay to the left has two four-light mullioned windows with cinquefoil heads; the upper storey has plainer two-light mullioned windows under hood moulds, and a single two-light round-headed mullioned window in the attic. To the right are two-light mullioned windows with pointed heads and hood moulds. To the left of these is a boarded door beneath a mullioned overlight in a doorway with similar tracery. In the upper storey are two-light windows with Y-tracery beneath gablets. Between upper and lower storeys are double continuous string courses.

The south or road front consists of a gabled bay advanced from the main axis. At upper storey level is a sculpted panel within a three-bay architrave with hood mould featuring diamond stops. It consists of two blank shields flanking a large circle with a lozenge in the centre, above which are blind arches with foliage in the spandrels. This is linked with a three-light mullioned window in an architrave, with a panelled sill incorporating sculpted heads in the attic.

The rear entrance front is plainer and comprises ranges either side of a gateway across the service road, at right angles to the building's axis. To the right of the gateway is a four-window range with two two-light windows with Y-tracery in the upper storey beneath gablets, while further right are two two-light mullioned windows beneath a gable. Between these is a lozenge with pointed quatrefoil and foliage in relief, with a hood mould continuous with the windows. In the attic of the gable is a two-light round-headed window. The lower storey has two-light windows. The elevation continues a short distance left of the gateway where it is lower and embattled, with a doorway to the tower under a segmental pointed head. The south wing has a central stack with six tall patterned flues.

The gateway has a two-centred arch with boarded doors, above which is a coped gable. On the south face is a sculpture of St George and the Dragon. The gateway is attached to the Library Garden to the west, with the wall of the courtyard to Leighton Hall attached on the north side.

At the base of the tower are two ashlar niches flanking a spiral stone stair which continues to the top of the turret. The top stage of the tower has an imitation vault of timber ribs on wall shafts with foliage capitals and a moulded cornice. The doorway to the turret has a hood mould, as does an empty niche to its right. In the floor of the top stage are thick glass panels. A timber stairway leads down to a concealed chamber top-lit only by these panels. The room is entirely fitted with cupboards and drawers with linenfold panelling.

The south wing contains Gothic-panelled doors and red and black tiles laid in diaper fashion. A large room at the south end has doors with linenfold panelling and a fireplace with a timber mantel and cast iron grille finely decorated with birds, foliage and the Naylor monogram in relief.