Two Lions Inn, Penrith (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Gerard Lowther's House; 'Dockray Hall'

In the civil parish of Penrith.
In the historic county of Cumberland.
Modern Authority of Cumbria.
1974 county of Cumbria.
Medieval County of Cumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY51562997
Latitude 54.66254° Longitude -2.75238°

Two Lions Inn, Penrith has been described as a probable Fortified Town House, and also as a Pele Tower although is doubtful that it was such.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*.

Description

Two Lions Public House and integral stables C17 and C18. Roughcast over stone, 2 low storeys. Old moulded doorway with 4-centred head and studded door, a 16-paned sash window on each floor, and an additional new window above. Added porch on right and gabled wing farther right. Another old doorway to left with shaped lintel, with stable and loft farther left. An ogee headed opening in passage to rear. Rear has blocked stone-mullioned window with label, re-used datestone. Stone stables with sashes. Fine plaster ceiling with heraldic shields of Lowther family. (Listed Building Report)

Two Lions Inn. Built circa 1500 with later alterations, formerly known as Bowling Green Inn and "Dockray Hall". (PastScape ref. 1947 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest)

Solar block, hall, courtyard and gateway, drawbar and reinforced door.
Important transitional type of hall house and needs further investigation. Perhaps has similarities with Great Salkeld Rectory. (Perriam and Robinson 1998)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Listed Building number(s) 1312062
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 12074.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 4994.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Matthew Emmott's Castle Blog
  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
Books
- Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 215 (plan)
  Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth) p. 177
  Taylor, M.W., 1892, Old Manorial Halls of Westmorland and Cumberland (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 8) p. 254-58 (plan) online copy
Periodical Articles
- Davis, Philip, 2010-11, 'Crenellated town houses in Medieval England' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol. 24 p. 270-91 (mention)
  Watson, G., 1901, 'Gerard Lowther's House, Penrith (Two Lions Inn): Its purchase by him, Descent, and Social Life associated with its subsequent Owners.' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 1 p. 94-103 online copy
  Jackson, W., 1879, 'Gerard Lowther's House in Penrith, with some particulars of his life.' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 4.2 p. 410-19 (plan) online copy
Other sources: Theses; 'grey' literature; in-house reports; unpublished works; etc.
- English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 North West (London: English Heritage) p. 36 online copy
  English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 North West (London: English Heritage) p. 34 online copy
  English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010 North West (London: English Heritage) p. 32 online copy
  English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 North West (London: English Heritage) p. 40 online copy
  English Heritage, 2006, Extensive Urban Survey - Cumbria (Cumbria County Council) Download copy
  Clare, T., 1982, A Report on Medieval Fortified Sites in Cumbria (Cumbria CC)

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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