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Summary

Rectangular building, constructed of brick with stone dressings, has a steeply pitched tiled roof. The interior contains a sort of hall, lighted on three sides.

Monument Type(s):

• HOUSE (13th century to 14th century - 1201 AD to 1400 AD)

Protected Status:

• Scheduled Monument () 1006907: Chesterton Abbey
• Listed Building (I) 1331829: Chesterton Tower

Full description

1. The Abbey (GT).
2. Chesterton Tower was built about the middle of the C14. St Andrew's was appropriated to the Abbot of Vercelli and this house was probably built for the procurator to the Abbot. It was extensively restored in 1949 but is still of great architectural interest.
3. Scheduled as Chesterton Abbey.
O2, The remains stand in the Rectory Garden at Chesterton. Gaulo Bicchieri, Cardinal of St Martin's and papal legate to England,1216, seems to have been connected with Chesterton in 1217, when his clerk was Rector of Chesterton. The grant of the church to the Cardinal was confirmed 16/01/1238 / 1239 to Vercelli Abbey. The upper part of the building is in the style of the later part of theC14, some consider the lower storey to be a century earlier, C13.The interior contains a sort of hall lighted on 3 sides with a vaulted ceiling with fine roof bosses. The rectangular building constructed of brick with stone dressings, has a steeply pitched tiled roof and corner turrets to N and W. The tiled roof appears in sound condition, and the brickwork in good condition except the base of the turrets where the mortar needs repointing, and some bricks replaced. The lead flushing on the turret roofs needs attention in one or two places. Much of the stone dressing appears to have been renewed at some time, particularly the mullions, and the imitation machicolations on one of the turrets. In the interior the ground floor hall is vaulted in 2 bays with chamfered ribs, the roof bosses in good condition, the whole whitewashed. There is a Mod wood spiral staircase in the N turret. The ground floor windows are of 2cusped lights under 2 centred heads, restored. The first floor with straight headed windows has been partly partitioned off with removable partitions. In the W turret a small kitchen and lavatory have been installed (This was the original garderobe projection). The ceiling and floor are Mod.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1960, OS 6 inch map (Map). SCB9012.

<2> RCHM, 1959, An Inventory of the Historic Monuments in the City of Cambridge. Volume II, 381 - 382 (ill, plan) (Bibliographic reference). SCB12532.

<3> Untitled Source (Bibliographic reference). SCB5395.

Sources and further reading

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