Welton Hall, Horsley

Description

The tower house at Welton survives well and retains significant archaeological deposits and many original architectural features. Taken together with the adjacent medieval manor house, it is thought to be one of the best combinations of manor house and tower in the county. Its importance is enhanced by its association with the adjacent medieval village.
The monument includes the remains of a tower house of 15th century date. It is located within a farm complex, but was originally on the street line at the eastern end of the medieval village of Welton. The medieval village, field system and fishponds are the subject of a separate scheduling. The tower was created in the late 14th or early 15th century by the conversion of the west wing of an earlier, but still occupied, manor house. Both the tower house and the adjacent manor house are Listed Grade 2star. The stonework of the original, steeply pitched western gable of the former wing, from which it was converted, is visible in the west wall of the tower. The tower, which is square in shape and measures 7m externally, stands three storeys high and is roofless. It has a vaulted basement which was clearly a later addition. The basement was lit by two small square windows through the south wall, the most westerly one of which has been altered to provide a doorway. A small, now blocked, opening through the east wall has been obscured by the insertion of the later tunnel vaulted roof. The first floor contains a low doorway through its northern wall with a projecting stone spout immediately to the west and a small ornate window through the eastern wall. Both the north and east wall of the second floor of the tower contain a square headed window. Part of the parapet which surmounted the tower is visible at its south western corner. (Scheduling Report)

Farmhouse and ruined tower. House dated 1614 but originally a C13 or C14 hall house. C16, C17 and C19 alterations. Tower C14. Squared stone, including Roman stone, and random rubble. Welsh slate roofs. Tower to right with 2- storey L-shaped house attached. Tower roofless; 2 storeys and tunnel-vaulted basement. One C14 first floor window with cusped head; other windows square- headed with chamfered surrounds. Ground floor masonry is of one build with wing to left. This was hall range and has a blocked C14 window in gable end. Later, probably C16 building partly covers gable end of hall range.
Entrance front is on left return. Doorway dated WW 1614 under hoodmould. It has angular flattened Tudor arch and finely-moulded surround. Square inset panel above with moulded surround. Above and to the left 2- and 3-light windows with hoodmoulds and ovolo-moulded mullions. Rear of front wing projects to left and has 3- and 4-light windows, one blocked, with plain chamfers and without hoodmoulds. Two 2-light similar windows to stair projection on right of door.
Garden front has to left a 5-sided, 2-storey mullion-and-transom bay window with ovolo mouldings and moulded string above each floor. Right of this a 2-bay section with early C19 door and 16-pane sashes in flat raised surrounds; but there is also one small original C14 window above door to left and another blocked beside it. On left return a massive external stack, originally on corbels at 1st floor level but extended to ground and given crow-stepped top in C16 or C17.
Interior of hall range to left of tower has, on 1st floor, a blocked C14 doorway with pointed arch and continuous chamfer; also a large blocked C14 window with segmental head on gable end below smaller window visible from outside. These indicate a former 1st floor hall. Square stone newel stair has doorways with chamfered surrounds and broach stops. It continues up into roof space and suggests vanished 3-storey wing. Ground floor of hall wing has large C17 fire- place with flattened Tudor arch, moulded surround and triangles in spandrels. Old beams. (Listed Building Report)