Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 2 (of 2)Clark, George Thomas
History
Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 2 (of 2)
Clark, George Thomas
Architecture -- England; Architecture, Medieval; Military architecture
Lunn’s Tower is cylindrical, 36 feet diameter, and about 40 feet high,
and stands three-quarters outside the curtain. On the outer face are
four pilaster strips, 5 feet broad by 6 inches projection, which
probably rose to the base of the parapet, now gone. They rest on a
plinth, and the tower has two sets-off, of which they partake. Appended
to the rear of the tower has been added a sort of half-octagonal turret
carrying a well-stair—an early addition. The basement is at the ward
level, and there are two upper floors containing fireplaces under
segmental heads. The floors were of timber. The only openings are
loops: those of the two lower floors are square-headed, placed outside
in square-headed recesses, ending below in broad fantails like those of
the keep. Within, they are placed in splayed recesses with segmental
arches. The basement has a door from the ward, but the upper floors
are reached by the well-stair, which also opens on the contiguous
curtain. This curtain on either side for some yards has been removed;
but fragments remain, and show that a small, round-headed arch sprung
on each side from the tower to the curtain and supported a garderobe
at the rampart level over the hollow angle. Close in the rear of this
tower is a well, lined with ashlar, 4 feet diameter. The curtain south
of Lunn’s Tower has been breached for about 50 feet, and beyond this
it is old and supports a range of stabling and farm buildings 170 feet
long by 25 feet broad with square buttresses, in the centre of which
is a large porch with diagonal buttresses and a wide entrance as for
a barn, with a round-headed arch. The lower stage is of stone, and
above is a stage of brick and timber. It is said to have been built
by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, in the reign of Edward II.; but much of
it is certainly of far later date—in the late Perpendicular style.
The curtain against which it is built is early English or Decorated,
and the superstructure of the barn seems to be an addition, placed
there when it was decided to have an upper storey. The arches are
round-headed and look Decorated, but there are two late Tudor windows.
The chapel was a few yards from this building.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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