The Stone Tower

Details

CLAVERDON

SP26NW MANOR LANE
1457-1/3/42 (East side)
06/02/52 The Stone Tower
(Formerly Listed as:
CLAVERDON
Stone Building)

II

House. Tower of c1593 probably for Thomas Spencer, with later
additions and alterations including C17 stacks and wing to
north-east of 1967 by George Pace also incorporating
outbuildings, and with later alterations.
MATERIALS: tower of regular coursed lias limestone, roughly
squared, lower courses of ashlar, with asphalt roof, the
interior rooms are lined with brick in irregular English
garden wall bond; wing of limestone ashlar, brick and concrete
with red tile roofs, otherwise roof concealed.
EXTERIOR: 3-storey tower, with raised stair-turret to west
corner. Chamfered plinth. Quoins to angles. Moulded string
course at second-floor level around tower; remains of
first-floor string course on north-west and south-west sides.
Entrance to south-west side: thick plank door with nail-heads
within doorway with chamfered jambs and 4-centred arch,
flanked by 2 projecting piers which carry a moulded 4-centred
arch under a square head to form a shallow porch; above arch
the string course forms a moulded dripstone, and above this
the face slopes back in a series of 11 small moulded off-sets
to a tall, shallower projection which finishes with an ogee
gable-head reaching almost to the second-floor string-course.
The face of the left pier has toothings for connecting
building (see below). To left an inserted window with
chamfered jambs; 2 further single-light windows to upper stage
with lead cames.
To north-west side are windows to stairway: 8 single-light
windows in chamfered and quoined surrounds stepped, the lower
window interrupts the lower-stage band; the fifth window
interrupts the second-floor band, all with lead cames. Also to
this side a projecting stack rises from first-floor level on
moulded corbels.
To the south-east side are 2 windows to each storey.
To the north-east side a 2-light mullion window; similar
second-floor window under hoodmould. Low parapet with raised
gable ends, probably remodelled. Chimney with diagonal shafts.
Wing abuts to north-east side: single storey, 10-window range.
Entrance with a plank door, further double, glazed doors and 2
pairs of plank garage doors to further outbuildings.
Fixed-light windows in wood surrounds throughout of varying
heights. Similar fenestration to garden facade.
INTERIOR: entrance opens to small square lobby, with 4-centred
and double-chamfered arched opening to staircase to left with
massive square central newel to lower stages, becoming slender
and rounded to upper stage. Low, arched doorway to cellar.
Further arched doorway to main room with moulded,
double-chamfered, four-centred arched fireplace. Niche to side
of window within wide jamb. Indents, possibly sword sharpening
marks to window jambs, also to newel.
First floor: wooden keys for panelling (removed);
triple-chamfered, cavetto- and ovolo-moulded 4-centred arched
fireplace. Shallow break-forward to chimney-breast. Several
niches of varying sizes. Further arched doorway to inner room,
dated 1593 to jamb and with possible mass-clock. To inner jamb
the initials 'IH' are inscribed. This room also has niches.
Second floor: triple-chamfered arched opening with probably
C16/C17 plank door. Further doorway to inner room has
double-chamfered, ovolo-moulded arch. Masons marks or counting
marks to window and door jambs to this floor. 4-centred arched
opening leads to roof.
HISTORY: the origins of the building are unclear. Ambrose
Dudley, Earl of Warwick d.1590 without issue when his manorial
rights in Claverdon were returned to the Crown. 'Afterwards',
according to Dugdale, the land was purchased by Thomas Spencer
Esq. (a younger son of Sir John Spencer of Althorpe) who
obtained a lease from the Dean and Chapter of Worcester `and
built a very fair house thereupon'. It has been assumed, but
not proven, that this is Spencer's house.
Until c1860 a house of 2 storeys, the lower stone and the
upper timber, stood to the south-west. Other apparently
similar buildings in the vicinity include a stone tower
incorporated into a house at Fenney Bentley and the gatehouse
at Wormleighton (1613).
There is also a 3-storey falconry at Althorpe which may
suggest a hunting use for the Stone Tower.
(Victoria County History: Styles P (ed): County of Warwick:
Barlichway Hundred: London: 1945-: 69; Dugdale: The
Antiquities of Warwickshire: 458; Reading S (local
historian)).



Listing NGR: SP2068065254

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

482456

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Dugdale, W, The Antiquities of Warwickshire, (1733), 458
Styles, P, The Victoria History of the County of Warwickshire, (1945), 69

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.