Berwick House, Swyre (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Swyre.
In the historic county of Dorset.
Modern Authority of Dorset.
1974 county of Dorset.
Medieval County of Dorset.

OS Map Grid Reference: SY52338959
Latitude 50.70410° Longitude -2.67641°

Berwick House, Swyre has been described as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

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

Description

Fortified Manor House, built in C16. It was extensively altered and rebuilt in the early C19 with only the north wing showing signs of late C16 fabric. Originally quadrangular, it is now L-shaped in plan. Built of stone rubble with slate roofs. (PastScape)

Berwick was a manor and the property of the family of De La Torr from the time of ED I until the late 15th c when it passed to the Trenchards, one of whom was vending at Berwick in 1506, and the Russells. After 1600 the Farm was generally leased out. The house, large and ancient, fronts 72ft every way; with a small quadrangle in the middle. On the N. is a small court, to the W. of which is the principal entrance of a large gateway. On the E. and W. sides are old windows which project beyond the walls; formerly there were no windows in the lower part. On the N. and E. are two turrets projecting six or eight feet beyond the walls; in which are holes for arrows or guns. It seems designed as a place of some strength. The Greys of Askerswell resided here in the reign of Elizabeth (Hutchins). Sir John Russell, ancestor of the Duke of Bedford, owned and resided at Berwick in and before 1506 (Dorset Manor Houses). (PastScape)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Listed Building number(s) 1287950
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 450485.
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Weymouth Local and Family History
Books
- RCHME, 1952, An inventory of historical monuments in the County of Dorset Vol. 1: west (HMSO) p. 230 no. 2 online transcription
  1908, Some Old Dorset Manor Houses (Heath and Prideaux) p. 210
  Hutchin, J., 1861 (3edn org. pub. 1774), History of Dorset Vol. 2 p. 779-84 (Facsimile edn by EP Publishing produced 1973)

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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.

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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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