| Summary: | This wall is the only above ground portion surviving of the south court of Dartington Hall, which was excavated by Platt. The south court consisted of a small central courtyard with a long gallery on the south side (of which the upstanding wall is a part). On the west side was a tower and set of apartments linking the gallery to the main block of the hall. On the east side, a further block of buildings closed off the courtyard, although it did not join up with the great kitchen at the lower end of the great hall. The gallery, a remarkable early ground floor gallery, is dated architecturally (ie by the Beerstone mouldings) to the late 15th, early 16th century. The tower which was either defensive, or a garderobe was probably a little later, as was the west range. It is thought that the east range preceded the gallery. Most of the south court was built about 1500, possibly to house Margaret, Countess of Richmond, who was in possession of Dartington Hall at that time. The court was pulled down and levelled in late 17th century, and the remains covered by a lawn in the early 19th century. Pottery and small finds were mainly of the 17th century, although 13th century pot was also found. |
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