Rodmarton Place

Description

Site of moated house called fortified by Emery.

Built round three sides of a courtyard lick Leckhampton Court, the body of the house had four substantial hall-like windows with at least one cross wing. Grose stated that it had a first-floor hall with an external stair, though this is unlikely by its accredited early fifteenth-century date. (Emery)

The medieval manor-house, called Rodmarton Place in C18, was built south-east of the church in the early C15, and with later additions of C16 and C17 occupied three sides of a quadrangle. An external staircase provided access to the great hall on the first floor; the cellar underneath was apparently used as a prison. The house, which also included a chapel, was the residence of Thomas Wye in 1544. In C18 it fell partly into ruin and was used for storing grain and in 1796 the lessee was ordered to demolish a large part of it. The building was still standing in 1872 when it was partly used for cottages but they were rebuilt in the early C20. (VCH)

Comments

It is not entirely clear the reason Emery calls this a fortified house, other than it being moated and it being similar in status and general form to some other Gloucestershire houses, such as Eastington. However it would seem likely that the house would have some decorative martial elements, such as battlements, and may well have been walled as well as moated, although the wall shown in Grose's V18 view is not high (it looks more of a revetment of the moat) and may not be a complete circuit.