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Summary

Grade II listed late 17th century house with later additions, with a date stone of 1648 but probably rebuilt on the site of a keeper's lodge

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1220375: DONNINGTON CASTLE HOUSE

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• National Monuments Record No.: SU 46 NE 227
  SU 4630 6909
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): ø Map No. 26 4/126 Donnington Castle House
  C.18 refronting to older building two storeys and attic, brick, strings over ground and 1st floor windows, parapet with stone weathered coping, old tile roof. S.E. front double gabled, coping carried up gables with ball finials, flanking chimneys 7 bays, one small attic window in each gable, tall central door, modern wrought iron grille and fanlight, eared stone architrave, cornice and pediment, approached by three steps. Interior ? S.W. front gabled and irregular. One storey wing to L.H., 5 bays, central glazed door, cornice and pediment on console brackets, probably modern.

Monument Type(s):

• PORTERS LODGE? (15th century to 17th century - 1401 AD? to 1646 AD?)
• COUNTRY HOUSE (17th century to Late 19th century - 1648 AD? to 1900 AD)

Full Description

House. C17 and C18(?) with later additions. PR 1648 carved brick on south front. Red brick, stone door surround and old tile roof. 2 end stacks. Diamond shafts with rectangular bases and oversailing tops; 2 to left and 3 to right. 2 storeys and attic. 7 bays; glazing bar sashes with segmental heads on ground and first floors. Stone coped parapet and gabled dormers with ball finials over second and sixth bays. Plinth with stone top; plat bands between floors. Central doorway with eared architrave and bracketted triangular pediment. Interior. Ground floor, left-hand front room has stone fireplace with depressed arch and carved spandrels <1>.

Donnington Castle House stands on the site of what was the official residence of the Keepers of the Castle <2>. Presumably any building here during the siege of the castle would have been destroyed.

The house had a large number of outbuildings include agricultural ones around a yard. A glass lantern slide in the West Berkshire Museum collection <13> shows the farm viewed from the slopes of the castle, with the house in the background. Buildings include a large weatherboarded and tiled threshing barn attached to other ranges which probably include a stable, at least three different buildings on the other side of the yard and a separate thatched structure. Outside the yard is an open cart shed of at least four bays.

The estate of Donnington Park in 1654 is illustrated in a map <6>; this shows the park with the various fields and woods including 'water-gate feilds', 'Chalk-pitt close' as well as the house and its drive and orchard. Small figures with guns on 'The Mountain' may be a hunting party as the park had been used for deer in the 16th century.

Donnington Castle House and an avenue of trees leading to it are illustrated on the early 18th century Speen Manor map <1>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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