Hanwell Castle

HANWELL CASTLE, MAIN STREET

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1287674
Date first listed:
08-Dec-1955
List Entry Name:
Hanwell Castle
Statutory Address:
HANWELL CASTLE, MAIN STREET
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Date:
2005-06-04
Reference:
IOE01/13082/20
Rights:
© Mr David Sheppard. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1287674
Date first listed:
08-Dec-1955
List Entry Name:
Hanwell Castle
Statutory Address 1:
HANWELL CASTLE, MAIN STREET

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
HANWELL CASTLE, MAIN STREET

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Oxfordshire
District:
Cherwell (District Authority)
Parish:
Hanwell
National Grid Reference:
SP 43631 43605

Details

HANWELL MAIN STREET SP4343 (South side) 24/84 Hanwell Castle

GV II*

Country house, now 3 dwellings. Former great house of which only the south-west tower and south range remains of a 2-storey house built round a courtyard with main entrance on west. Begun c.1498 for William Cope, cofferer to Henry VII. Mostly demolished in C18. East wing and restorations c.1903. Left part. Complex range incorporating C15, C19 and C20 builds. Squared coursed ironstone. Steeply pitched stone slate roof laid to diminishing courses. Stone and brick ridge stacks. Double depth plan. 2 storeyss. 2-window range. Entrance porch has plank door and 4-centred wood head. Front has C20 windows with wood lintels. Rear has Tudor windows some renewed. Central part: long rectangular south range. Diaper patterned blue and red brick. Limestone dressings. Steeply pitched stone slate roof laid to diminishing courses. Brick ridge and end stacks. 2 storeys. 5-window range. Gabled porch has entrance with 4-centred doorway. Ground floor has C20 windows with wood lintels. First floor has 2- 3- and 4-light C15/C16 windows, some with King mullions and an oriel window. Tower on right. Red brick with diaper patterns in blue brick and ironstone quoins. 3 storeys. 2 corner turrets. Crenellated parapets. South side has 4-light C15/C16 windows that are on ground floor transomed. Interior not inspected but south range is noted as having 2 large kitchen fireplaces placed back to back; plain moulded stone doorways; late marble fireplaces. Tower noted as having contemporary stone fireplaces on upper floors and newel stair in north-west turret. James I visited in 1605, 1612, and 1624 Leland records the castle as a very pleasant and gallant house in c.1540. The earliest example of C15 brickwork in north Oxfordshire. The C20 addition on east is not of special architectural interest. Photography and plans in NMR. Interior not inspected. (Buildings of England; Oxfordshire; 1974, p632; VCH; Oxfordshire; Vol IX, p114; Wood-Jones, R.B., Traditional Domestic Architecture in the Banbury Region, 1963, p164; Beesley, A., History of Banbury, 1841, pp191-2, 240)

Listing NGR: SP4363143605

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
401739
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Salzman, L F, The Victoria History of the County of Oxford, (1969), 114
Beesley, A, History of Banbury, (1841), 191-2, 240
Pevsner, N, Sherwood, J, The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, (1974), 632
Wood-Jones, R B, Traditional Domestic Architecture in the Banbury Region, (1963), 164

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Hanwell Castle

Map

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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