| Summary : Tower house of late 14th or 15th century date. The kitchen wing is probably 16th century and the main block 16th century or earlier, largely rebuilt in the early 18th century. The north wing is also probably 18th century in date, while the bay windows and additions on the north, including the heightening of the north wing, date to the early/mid l9th century. The tower house is built of massive rubble with megalithic quoins, later tooled to represent coursed masonry; the main block south front is of squared stone; the right return of the main block, the kitchen wing and the ground floor north wing are coursed rubble; the 19th century parts are of tooled squared stone; cut dressings, ashlar in 19th century parts. Welsh slate roof on main block, Scottish slates on kitchen and north wings; rendered brick stacks. Overall L-plan. |
More information : [NZ 1310 8136] Rectory [T.I.]
Incorporated in the rectory at WHALTON is part of an old pele-tower, consisting of two vaulted apartments with strong arch roofs. In the inner one are the remains of a spiral staircase, which formerly led to the upper rooms and battlements.
Ref entry.
The remains of the tower measure 6.5m x 10.5m, and the walls are about 1m thick; they are constructed of large and small roughly-shaped stones of sandstone, coused and partially bonded. The stones have been repointed, and the tower has been much restored. All the windows, 3 in the W wall, 1 in the S wall, all on the 1st storey, are modern insertions. The only opening at ground level, a doorway in the W wall, may be original. A modern slate roof is gabled N-S. The N gable-end is of original stone work, and suggests the tower to have had three storeys originally. The tower has been extended eastwards with the addition of a building of prob. late 18th century date, with a wing to the N, at the extreme E end.
The Rectory is shut up and disused and the interior of the tower was not viewed.
The tower, now backed by the village of WHALTON, overlooks low-lying undulating farmland to the S, and stands upon an E-W ridge at about 350' above O.D. The ground continues to rise very slightly to the N.
The remains of the tower are as stated [2 and 4] and are included in the rectory, which is for sale. It is not possible to view the interior as my agent in Newcastle holds the keys.
Condition unchanged.
The Old Rectory. Tower house of late 14th or 15th century date. The kitchen wing is probably 16th century and the main block 16th century or earlier, largely rebuilt in the early 18th century. The north wing is also probably 18th century in date, while the bay windows and additions on the north, including the heightening of the north wing, date to the early/mid l9th century. The tower house is built of massive rubble with megalithic quoins, later tooled to represent coursed masonry; the main block south front is of squared stone; the right return of the main block, the kitchen wing and the ground floor north wing are coursed rubble; the 19th century parts are of tooled squared stone; cut dressings, ashlar in 19th century parts. Welsh slate roof on main block, Scottish slates on kitchen and north wings; rendered brick stacks. Overall L-plan. Listed Grade II*. (6)
Listed by Cathcart King and Dodds. (7,8) |