| Summary : A ruined medieval tower house, known as Parson's Tower, situated south west of Ford Castle. It was the home of the local parson and as such was always separate from the nearby castle. The remains comprise the basement stage of a tower built of coursed, squared, sandstone blocks, with chamfered set-back or plinth visible on three sides. The tower is almost square in plan, measuring 10.1 metres by 10.5 metres externally, stands about 3.65 metres high and has walls about 2 metres thick enclosing a single chamber. Internally, the basement is covered by an east-west barrel vault and many bear masons marks. Various sockets and rooflines can be traced in the stonework externally and are associated with later buildings attached to the tower. These buildings no longer survive. Ruinous in 1513, repairs had still not been undertaken when surveyed in 1541. Since the medieval period the tower is reported as having been totally demolished in 1663, rebuilt in 1725 and enlarged in 1825. |
More information : [NT 94383742] Parson's Tower [NR]. (1)
Fortified vicars' house, first mentioned 1541. Only the vaulted
ground floor remains. (2)
Scheduled. (3)
Correctly described. See GP. AO/55/276/2. (4)
Parson's Tower, Grade II. Ruined tower, probably a 'Vicar's Pele'.
Medieval. Squared stone. Ground floor entry on S side has been
enlarged. Chamfered offset at about 6ft above ground. Walls stand to c.12ft. On E side shallow segmental arch to remains of mural stair. Interior: walls c.7ft thick. Segmental tunnel-vaulted ground floor. (5)
NT 944 375. Parson's Tower at Ford Castle. Scheduled No ND/369. (6,7)
Parsons Tower was built circa 1338 by William Heron for his resident chaplain. Ruinous in 1513 and not repaired in 1541. (8,9) |