| Summary : In 1571-2 Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester) erected a gatehouse at the northern end of the outer court of Kenilworth Castle. Leicester's Gatehouse formed an imposing approach from the main Coventry road and provided easier access to the castle's deer park to the west; and also to the east to Kenilworth parish church where Elizabeth I attended Sunday service in 1575. It is a two storeyed, rectangular sandstone building with octagonal corner turrets and mullioned and transomed windows. Originally it would have straddled the medieval curtain wall (removed in 1650), and featured an entrance passage wide enough for carriages at ground level and two floors of lodgings above. It was built in the tradition of a medieval gatehouse, perpetuated in the Tudor period, although not for defensive purposes. The style is similar to that of Leicester's Building, suggesting they were built at approximately the same time.In the 1650s, following the Civil War, it was converted into a substantial private residence under the ownership of Colonel Hawkesworth, who also built a domestic extension on the east side to provide a kitchen and additional accommodation. He blocked the passage to create a ground floor and basement, and the west porch was added as a new entrance. These modifications were built reusing demolished parts of Leicester's other buildings. Internally the building contains Elizabethan panelling and an alabaster fireplace (inscribed 'R L 1571'), relocated after 1650 and probably originally from the privy chamber. The roof structure was rebuilt in the mid-18th century. From 1958 the main room on the second floor was used as the council chamber of Kenilworth Town Council, and now houses an exhibition on Leicester and Elizabeth. |
More information : Listed building. (1)
Guidebook. (2)
Within a Registered Park and Garden. (3)
Leicester's Gatehouse is not included in the scheduling of Kenilworth Castle, although the ground beneath the building is included. (4)
In 1571-2 Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester) erected a gatehouse at the northern end of the outer court of Kenilworth Castle. Leicester's Gatehouse formed an imposing approach from the main Coventry road and provided easier access to the castle's deer park to the west; and also to the east to Kenilworth parish church where Elizabeth I attended Sunday service in 1575. It is a two storeyed, rectangular sandstone building with octagonal corner turrets and mullioned and transomed windows. Originally it would have straddled the medieval curtain wall (removed in 1650), and featured an entrance passage wide enough for carriages at ground level and two floors of lodgings above. It was built in the tradition of a medieval gatehouse, perpetuated in the Tudor period, although not for defensive purposes. The style is similar to that of Leicester's Building, suggesting they were built at approximately the same time.
In the 1650s, following the Civil War, it was converted into a substantial private residence under the ownership of Colonel Hawkesworth, who also built a domestic extension on the east side to provide a kitchen and additional accommodation. He blocked the passage to create a ground floor and basement, and the west porch was added as a new entrance. These modifications were built reusing demolished parts of Leicester's other buildings. Internally the building contains Elizabethan panelling and an alabaster fireplace (inscribed 'R L 1571'), relocated after 1650 and probably originally from the privy chamber. The roof structure was rebuilt in the mid-18th century. From 1958 the main room on the second floor was used as the council chamber of Kenilworth Town Council, and now houses an exhibition on Leicester and Elizabeth. (5)
In 2004-5 tree-ring sampling and analysis was undertaken by English Heritage during renovations and repairs to the gatehouse. Samples were obtained from 115 different timbers in Leicester's Gatehouse. The Gatehouse contained a number of timbers which were probably felled in the third quarter of the 16th century, coinciding with Leicester's construction. The gatehouse was later re-roofed with timber felled in 1740-60. The portions of the building attributed to Colonel Hawkesworth's period contained a small amount of 16th century material, the majority of the timbers appear to have been felled in the later 14th century. This includes timbers from partition walls, the newel posts of the staircase, some of the timbers in the roof space, and possibly some oak panels (of Continental origin). Most of these timbers are reused. Some timbers were undated, most notably those of the stairs in the south-west turret of the gatehouse. (6)
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