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Summary

Tower on the Moor is the remains of a 15th century hunting lodge, built for Ralph Lord Cromwell.

Full description

PRN 43570
All that remains above ground is a red brick turret tower 20m high. This was probably built by Lord Treasurer Cromwell or his family in the 15th century as a hunting lodge to Tattershall Castle. {1}{2}{3}
An excavation took place in 1969 directed by L. Keen and N. Hawtrey. The tower was found to be 9m square and had suffered from much robbing of stone and brick in the 15th century. {4}
The tower was being demolished by 1472 to provide bricks for Tattershall Castle. {5}
Originally the tower stood four storeys high with an octagonal stair turret projecting from the north-west corner of the tower. An arched doorway on each floor provided access between the star turret and the tower. Sections of the tower walls survive projecting from the south-eastern side of the stair turret, measuring up to 2m in length and standing up to three storeys high. The tower has close architectural parallels with the Great Tower at Tattershall Castle (PRN 43561), with Rochford Tower (PRN 10035) and with Hussey Tower (PRN 10029). {6}
The fragmentary ruin of a tower. Only the north west stair tower remains relatively intact. It was built in the 15th century by the Cromwells of Tattershall Castle. It was constructed of red brick and was originally of four storeys. The standing octagonal stair tower is 60 feet high. No details remain but a window opening with a semicircular head can be seen at the top of the tower. Some worn stone string courses remain and the putlog holes are clearly visible. {7}

<1> MINISTRY OF WORKS, MOW 819, - (Scheduling Record). SLI4240.

<2> Lucy Toulmin Smith (ed.), 1964, The Itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543, VOL.V P58 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI11985.

<3> Murray, John, 1903, Handbook for Lincolnshire - Second Edition, - (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1021.

<4> A.J. White, 1970, MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY, VOL XVI:P191 (Article in Serial). SLI537.

<5> LINCOLN RECORD SOCIETY, VOL 55:P39,78 & NOTE (Bibliographic Reference). SLI892.

<6> English Heritage, 2000, Revised scheduling document 33125, MPP 23 (Scheduling Record). SLI5679.

<7> Department of the Environment, 1985, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 10/65 (Index). SLI9064.

Monument Types

• HUNTING LODGE (Medieval - 1400 AD to 1472 AD)
• TOWER (Medieval to Modern - 1400 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Events

• Tower on the Moor
• Site visit to Tower on the Moor

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument
• Listed Building

Sources and further reading

Related records

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