Lorton Hall

Has been described as a Possible Pele Tower

There are uncertain remains

NameLorton Hall
Alternative NamesWinder House
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishLorton

Square 3-storey, 2-bay tower with rear C19 2-storey 3-bay extension in similar style and lower 2-storey, 7-bay wing now Winder House. Tower has C19 fenestration; irregular 2- and 3-light windows, some in Tudor style under hoodmoulds, the others without hoods; and ground-floor mullioned and transomed windows. Winder House has C17 fenestration with extensive C19 alterations; centre 3-light window was originally entrance under hoodmould and pediment; enlarged 2-light ground-floor windows under 3-light stone-mullioned windows with continuous hoodmould and individual pediments. Rear of tower has Tudor-style doorway and 2-light windows. Rear of Winder House similar,with C19 2-, 3- and 4-light windows. Interior of tower is completely late C19 and early C20 panelled woodwork, with moulded plaster ceilings. Other features claimed by a previous owner to be original, such as a concrete vault and spiral staircase in the tower (see Pevsner) and dated plasterwork in Winder House, are extremely dubious. The same owner painted C16 and C17 portraits of his ancestors to hang on the walls of his house and opened the building to the public. (Listed Building Report)

Possible tower; could be 19th century.

Previously listed building report says '14th century pele tower'.

Pevsner illustrates and says 'a pele tower originally with tunnel vaulting at ground level and spiral staircase'. Exaggerated claims for the house on a 1970s guide-sheet raise suspicions over the thin-walled tower.

'Present owner reports finding foundations of a possible second tower in his cellar' (Listed Building Report). Needs closer examination. (Perriam and Robinson 1998)

Gatehouse Comments

THe Winders held a third of the vill of Lorton in 1398 and this is likely as the site of their manor house but the actual form of that medieval house is not clear; a chamber block tower attached to a hall is likely by analogue with other gentry status houses but the present building needs careful and critical examination to see if it actually contains medieval remains. The current 'pele tower' is C19.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY152257
Latitude54.6196784973145
Longitude-3.31341004371643
Eastings315280
Northings525750
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 94
  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 98 (slight)
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 44
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1
  • Hugill, Robert, 1977, Castles and Peles of Cumberland and Westmorland (Newcastle; Frank Graham) p. 124
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth) p. 158-9
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)

Other

  • Lund, J., 1999, An Archaeological Survey of the Islands of Derwentwater; Derwent Isle, Lords Isle, Rampsholme and St. Herbert's Isle.