| Summary : Remains of medieval tower house, incorporated in an early 18th century house which was extended in 1861-2. The stone-built house is irregular in plan, with Welsh slate roofs. Evidence suggests that a house adjoined the tower in the medieval period. Ancillary structures include a ha ha wall, stable, pump and trough, all of early 19th century date, and a late 18th century sundial. |
More information : (NZ 01368347) Tower L.B. (1)
An elaborately modernised tower at the west end of the present Victorian house. (2)
Mentioned in a survey of 1541. (3)
As described by Pevsner. See photograph. (4)
Littleharle Tower. House. Medieval, early 18th century and 1861-2. Medieval work rubble, early 18th century work dressed stone, 19th century work ashlar. Welsh slate roofs. Irregular plan. Garden front has 3-storey medieval tower on left; 2-storey, 5-bay early 18th century centre and large externally Victorian tower on right.
Medieval tower has slit windows on ground floor and a blocked pointed-arched doorway on right return. 1st floor has 12-pane sash with thick glazing bars in architrave. Similar 9-pane sash on 2nd floor. Crenellated parapet.
Centre section has part-glazed Victorian door under hood mould and 15-pane sashes with thick glazing bars in architraves; except 3 central first floor windows which are later 12-pane sashes. Plain parapet.
Tower on right has Georgian core (cf. interior) with rusticated
quoins and bands, but was altered and extended 1861-2. Two bays. Left bay has mullioned and mullion-and-transom windows. Right bay has 2-storey canted bay window with mullions and hoodmould on ground floor. 1st floor has tall Gothic windows with cinquefoil heads, and blank, pointed-arched panel of Geometric tracery above. Roofs not visible. 18th century section has tall stone conjoined corniced ridge stack. Octagonal corniced stacks elsewhere.
Entrance front is entirely mid 19th century. Gothic doorway behind large crenellated porte-cochere. Irregular fenestration with similar Gothic detail to Victorian tower on garden front.
Interior of medieval tower has walls 6 ft thick, vaulted ground floor
and a stone newel stair which is actually in 18th century section and evidence of medieval house adjoining tower. The section of Victorian appearance has 18th century open-well stair. Drawing room in same part has Rococo plaster ceiling of 1740-50; carved mid 18th century fireplace with broken semi-circular lintel framing bust, and side terms; also 2 elaborate Palladian pedimented doorcases.
Other rooms Victorian, especially library, and hall with screen of 3 pointed arches.
Stable c 60 yards west of Littleharle Tower
GII
Stable block. Early 19th century. Tooled and margined ashlar with Lakeland slate roof. 2 storeys, round 3 sides of courtyard. North range has 3 segmental arches, the centre one the entrance with flanking carriage houses. 3 small 6-paned windows above.
Projecting ranges of stables, 6 bays. West range has 6 stable doors with 6-paned sash above each. East range has 3 doors and 3 windows. 2-stage clock and bell turret above entrance. Square clock stage and octagonal bell stage with louvred openings and angle pilasters. Weather vane.
Hipped roof with 2 triple conjoined ridge stacks on north range.
Interior of stables shows original stalls with curved wood
partitions, iron posts and ball finials and iron hay baskets.
Round-arched recesses at rear of stalls.
8/72 Pump and trough in stable yard at Littleharle Tower
GV II
Pump. Early 19th century. Ashlar and cast-iron. Tall square shaft with pyramidal cap. Large rectangular water trough in front.
Included for group value.
8/70 Ha ha wall c 60 yards south of Littleharle Tower
GV II
Ha ha retaining wall. Early 19th century. Ashlar wall c 200 yards long with rounded coping.
8/73 Sundial c 50 yards south of Littleharle Tower
GV II
Sundial. Late 18th century. Sandstone. Gothick style. Base of 2 roll mouldings separated by hollow moulding. Slightly concave tapering shaft has tracery panels with cusped, arched heads containing stylized plant carvings. A ring of lozenges half way up shaft contain quatrefoils. Rounded top decorated with rosettes. (5)
Listed by Cathcart King and Dodds. (6,7) |