Middleton Castle

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 15 June 2023 to amend the name and address, and to reformat the text to current standards

TF 61 NE
5/60

MIDDLETON
TOWER END
STATION ROAD
Middleton Castle

(Formerly listed as TOWER END (east side) Middleton Tower)

19.10.51

I

Moated house; gatehouse c1455 for Thomas, Lord Scales, attached house of 1864 and 1876 for Sir Lewis Whincop Jarvis and of 1905 for John Taylor Ramsden; brick with lead and tiled roofs. Rectangular moat with gatehouse to centre south, attached hall and range to left dated 1876, west arm of moat with attached range dated 1864 and of 1905.

Wide gatehouse: restored 1864, irregular bond brick, stone dressings, lead roof behind parapet; rectangular, with clasping polygonal turrets at angles, three storeys accentuated by stone string courses. Rebuilt embattled parapet with undated stone plaque with crest similar to date plaque of 1876 on angle tower, two large gargoyles of 1864, angle turrets rising above main parapet with embattled parapets and shallow machiolations. Ground floor with four-centred arch to gateway renewed, doors of c1864; on either side an opening of two cusp headed lights under square hood mould; first floor with central oriel window having C15 base with mullions and roof renewed c1864, small oriel window mostly renewed to right. Weathered six quartered arms within Garter above central oriel, for Anthony Woodville son-in-law of Thomas Lord Scales. Second floor with two openings as to ground floor. Turrets with small lights to each stage.

Rear: facade as to front but without second floor string course, heraldic plaque or mullions, but with doorway to right turret, three-light mullioned opening to first floor, two single light openings to second floor, all with squared surrounds. Second floor of left turret with two-light opening.

Bridge across moat to gatehouse c1860 and 1876, low brick arch with stone keystone and stone string course, later embattled parapet above; pair of octagonal piers to front, each with stone cap surmounted by stone pineapple; bridge paved with granite setts.

Hall attached to left of gatehouse, 1864, altered c1905; brick, carstone base to moat, plain tiles to roof, gable to left with gable parapet and two gault brick moulded octagonal shafts to external stack; low small opening with two cusp-headed lights under square hood mould to left; stepped string course broken by tall central stair-light refashioned c1905, five lights with two transoms under four-centred arch. Plaque above with crest and arms. Two bay two storey range attached to left, brick with carstone base to moat, plain tiled roof, string course; oriel window to ground floor left with three-light Gothick transomed window above, similar two-light transomed windows to right to ground floor and first floor.

Attached to left at angle of moat a two bay four storeyed embattled brick tower dated 1876. Parapet with shallow machiolations rising from stone corbels; ground floor with central opening of three Gothick transomed lights under square hood mould, two similar two-light openings to each of first, second and third floors. Ground floor windows to hall, and of 1864 and 1876 builds all leaded.

Facade to west: in several builds, 10 bays. Bays one to four of c1905, bays five-seven of 1864, four storeyed bay 10 at angle of moat dated 1876; pink brick with limestone dressings and string courses, carstone base, embattled parapet concealing slate roof. Bays one to four for J.T. Ramsden: two-light transomed openings with Gothick heads, stone mullions and surrounds, leaded lights, under square hood moulds, four to ground floor, three to first and second floor (bays one, two and four), bay three of second floor with Ramsden arms in stone, Bays five to seven for L.W. Jarvis dated 1864 with arms on plaque to bay six of third floor; openings to bays five and seven of each floor as to bays one to four but with wood mullions to frames and without leaded lights; ground floor bay six with similar three-light opening.

Bays eight and nine of two storeys flush with bays one to seven and 10, forward of rear three storeyed range; embattled parapet with shallow machiolations; footbridge to bay eight, four-centred stone doorway with figure stops; three-light transomed opening above; bay nine ground floor with double Gothick headed light with leaded lights; first floor with transomed double light. Bay 10 (the four storeyed tower at angle of moat of 1876), facade as to south but with large oriel window having leaded lights to ground floor, first to third floors each with one opening.

Interior: all of late C19 and c1905; gatehouse ground floor with heavy ceiling joists, frieze of shields, flowers and grotesques; lower walls panelled; large stone fireplace with chimney over to east. First floor with ceiling of geometric panels accentuated by moulded wooden ribs, walls part panelled with painted frieze of peacocks above; overmantel to fireplace, early C17 style. Hall: Hammerbeam roof with grotesque corbels; openwell closed string stairccase with alternate barley sugar and double vase balusters. Dining room to west of hall with geometric panels to ceiling accentuated by wooden ribs, panelled doors, C17 marquetry overmantel to fireplace. Room to ground floor of south west angle tower with similar ceiling to dining room but with acanthus leaf frieze and plaster festoons of oak leaves to ceiling; Jacobean style fire-place in wood with strapwork, dated 1905 with initials JTR.

F.W. Steer: Middleton Tower, A Guide and Short History, 1961.

Listing NGR: TF6686817564

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

221993

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Steer, F W, Middleton Tower, Norfolk: A Guide and Short History, (1961)

End of official list entry

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