Whalton Tower

Description

Tower-house of late C14 or C15; kitchen wing probably C16; main block C16 or earlier largely rebuilt in early C18; north wing probably C18; bay windows and additions on north including heightening of north wing, early- mid C19. Tower-house massive rubble with megalithic quoins, later tooled to represent coursed masonry; main block south front squared stone; right return of main block, kitchen wing and ground floor north wing coursed rubble; C19 parts tooled squared stone; cut dressings, ashlar in C19 parts. Welsh slate roof on main block, Scottish slates on kitchen and north wings; rendered brick stacks. Overall L-plan.
South elevation 2 storeys, in 2 parts. Main block, 2+1+2 windows, symmetrical. Chamfered plinth, rusticated quoins. Central half-glazed door with patterned overlight, in C19 raised-and-chamfered stone surround, flanked by broad canted bays with moulded cornices and 12-pane sash windows in chamfered surrounds; 5 similar windows in C18 raised stone surrounds above. Coped gable with moulded kneelers on right; end stacks. To left is tower-house reduced in C18 to conform with facade. Traces of blocked ground floor window with sash in raised stone surround above; roof hipped to left.
3-bay left return of tower has 1st floor plate-glass sashes in C18 openings. Right return a 3-bay kitchen wing with 1st floor 4-pane sashes, and lower north wing to far right. Twin-gabled north elevation shows flush-panelled door, with 3-pane overlight, and various sash windows. Kitchen wing on left with two 12-pane sashes in C18 raised stone surrounds and coped gable with moulded kneelers; further sash windows in lower north wing.
Interior: ground floor of tower contains 2 square chambers with parallel segmental vaults divided by cross-wall with chamfered doorway; southern chamber has 4-centred fireplace and mural stair with lintels on chamfered corbels. Main block has open-well open-string stair of c.1800 with stick balusters, ramped and moulded handrail, curtail step and carved newel. Contemporary cornices with Greek key ornament and, in sitting room, rose cornice. 6-panel doors, panelled shutters. Kitchen wing has walls 1 metre + thick. (Listed Building Report)

Incorporated in the rectory at WHALTON is part of an old pele-tower, consisting of two vaulted apartments with strong arch roofs. In the inner one are the remains of a spiral staircase, which formerly led to the upper rooms and battlements.
The remains of the tower measure 6.5m x 10.5m, and the walls are about 1m thick; they are constructed of large and small roughly-shaped stones of sandstone, coused and partially bonded. The stones have been repointed, and the tower has been much restored. All the windows, 3 in the W wall, 1 in the S wall, all on the 1st storey, are modern insertions. The only opening at ground level, a doorway in the W wall, may be original. A modern slate roof is gabled N-S. The N gable-end is of original stone work, and suggests the tower to have had three storeys originally. The tower has been extended eastwards with the addition of a building of prob. late 18th century date, with a wing to the N, at the extreme E end. (PastScape)