Snape Castle
Has been described as a Certain Masonry Castle
There are major building remains
| Name | Snape Castle |
| Alternative Names | |
| Historic Country | Yorkshire |
| Modern Authority | North Yorkshire |
| 1974 Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Civil Parish | Snape With Thorp |
Snape Castle. Castle now 2 houses. Dating from c1430, mostly reconstructed in the C16 by Sir Thomas Cecil; C18 alterations. Rubblestone and ashlar with lead roofs. Rectangular in plan with a tower at each corner. All but the south side is ruinous. Chapel to south-east. North front: towers almost full height but without floors, the eastern tower has lost almost all parapet and south-west corner of wall. South front: 9 bays, end bays towers, that to left 3 storeys, that to right of 4 storeys and bays 2, 3, 4 and 5 are 2 storeys, bays 6, 7 and 8 are 3 storeys. Bay 5: early C18 round-headed panelled door flanked by pilasters in flat-headed architrave with cornice. Swept shouldered panel above has crest in round architrave and above this an 18- pane sash in architrave with double keystone. Bay 2 breaks forward as an oriel window on 1st floor and has a sash with glazing bars in chamfered surround. Bays 3 and 4 16-pane sashes in chamfered surrounds to ground floor. 24-pane sashes in architraves with cills and double keystones above. Bays 6 and 7 tripartite sashes with chamfered surrounds to ground and 1st floors. 3-light mullion and transom window to 2nd floor of bay 6. Inserted door between bays 6 and 7. Bay 8 breaks forward slightly with C20 half- glazed door and 4-pane sash above. The right tower has a 16-pane sash in chamfered stone surround to ground and 1st floors. 2nd floor has a side- sliding sash in chamfered surround. 3rd floor: moulded band, blind 3-light mullion-and-transom window. Rising out of this bay at corner of east tower is late-C16 clock tower, moulded band below embattled parapet continues across towers. The rear: main range has 2 4-light mullion and transom windows rising through 2 floors representing Sir Thomas Cecil's great chamber. Left return (west): a full height canted bay to west tower
In wall to left of this fragments of a large Elizabethan chimneypiece with caryatids, a central round-headed carriage opening and niche to right with ashlar surround. Right return: chapel projects on right of tower with vaulted stores to north. Connecting north-east tower, having chamfered pointed-arched doorways and chamfered 2-light window openings. Chapel: 2 storeys, 2 bays. Chapel on 1st floor with stores below. Offset diagonal buttress at east (right) end. Chapel has 3-light windows with Perpendicular tracery and 4-centre arches to north, south and east sides, moulded band, embattled parapet. West end of chapel has a 2-storey porch with 4-centre arched board door under hoodmould in north side and steps inside leading to west entrance of chapel. Interior of chapel: ceiling painted by Verrio but completely ruined. Sculpture: C18 oval series of Dutch religious reliefs and 2 C18 statues to east wall, 2 C18 statues to west wall. East tower has a large kitchen fireplace arch to ground floor and a late C16 fireplace to top floor. Main entrance has early C18 open- well staircase with thick turned balusters. 1st floor has late C16 plaster ceiling with Geometrical patterns on thin ribs. Panelling and doors of early C18. Oak spiral stair in clock tower. History: built on the site of an old manor house in 1430 by 1st Lord Latimer of Snape. Occupied in 1483 by Richard III's mother and wife, and from 1532-42 by Catherine Parr wife of 3rd Lord Latimer of Snape before her marriage to Henry VIII. The 4th Lord Latimer's daughter and heir Dorothy married Sir Thomas Cecil of Burghley, Lincolnshire who enlarged the Castle and added the 4 towers 1587. The coat of arms of the Nevilles and Cecils are over the front door. (Listed Building Report)
This site is a scheduled monument protected by law
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 Reference | SE262843 |
| Latitude | 54.2545204162598 |
| Longitude | -1.59933996200562 |
| Eastings | 426200 |
| Northings | 484390 |
