Building record 706/1/1 - Astwell Castle

Part of an early 17th century manor house incorporating the remains of a late 15th century moated manor house. The 15th century remains comprise a three storey gatehouse with stair and garderobe turrets which originally formed the east range of a moated courtyard house. The hall range stood opposite and a chapel occupied the east end of the south range, which was rebuilt in the mid 16th century. The house was partly demolished and rebuilt circa 1606. The east end of the south range, adjacent to the gatehouse, was extended to the south at this time. The majority of the house was demolished in the late 18th century, leaving only the gatehouse and the extended section of the south range. This range was altered in the 19th century and again in 1957/8.

{1} Manor house. C15 and early C17, restored 1958. Coursed squared limestone, plain tile roof except for left roof of gatehouse, brick ridge stacks. Gatehouse of former courtyard house, and double-depth house. Entrance front has 3-storey gatehouse to right with part-blocked chamfered doorway with 4-centred head to timber tympanum with ribbed panels and date 1638. First floor string course, and one 2-light stone arch mullion window with cusped head to lights to first and second floors, that to first floor with hood mould. Battlemented parapet with string course to base. Turret rising full height of building to left and second floor window similar to those to front. Rear elevation has similar first floor window with hood mould and similar blocked doorway. Hexagonal stair turret to left corner, rising above the rest of the building with blocked first floor door with 4-centred head. Single-storey link building to left of gatehouse has flat-arched doorway, a quatrefoil window to right of doorway and battlemented parapet with string course at base. House to left has 2 storeys and attic. C20 stone doorway with 4-centred head to left, a 2-light stone mullion window to right. 4-light arch mullion window to ground floor far right with cut spandrels and hood moulds, a similar window to first floor above and similar 3-light windows in twin stone-coped gables with kneelers. Blocked window to first floor above door. Left side has two 3-light arch mullion windows with hood moulds to ground and first floors and blocked central door with moulded stone surround and keyblock. Rear elevation has 5-light leaded C20 casement window to ground floor and 2- and 3-light casements to first and attic floors, all with timber lintels. The left range has a massive stone stack with 4 diagonal brick flues. Interior has chamfered spine beams and stone fireplaces with 4-centred heads one painted to resemble Purbeck marble with moulded jambs, cut spandrels, strapwork above openings and low stone overmantel with arms of the Lovetts and the Shirleys. The fortified manor house to which the existing gatehouse belonged was probably built by Thomas Lovett who exchanged the manors of Rushton and Great Oakley for those of Falcutt and Astwell in 1471. The daughter of the last Thomas Lovett of Astwell married Francis Shirley and their son George Shirley demolished most of the medieval manor house and built a new house beside the gatehouse, completed in 1606. The property was sold to Earl Temple of Stowe in 1763 when Astwell became a tenant farm and a large part of the house was demolished. In 1958 the building was restored for Mrs. Joan Wake. (Buildings of England: Northants, p.96; Joan Wake, "Astwell Manor House", a guide reprinted from Northamptonshire Past and Present, 1959).

{4} The manor of Astwell passed into the hands of the Lovett family in 1471. The manor later passed to the Shirley family and about 1606 George Shirley added as large house arranged around a courtyard, to the south west and west of the earlier building. Of this house only a fragment now survives. Parts of the castle, in particular the embattled gate-tower, date from the late 1400s

{7} The three storey gatehouse tower with stair and garderobe turrets originally formed the east range of a moated courtyard house and now represents the sole standing remains of the C15 house incorporated into an early C17 manor house. A condition survey has identified the level of intervention required to repair structural defects including significant cracking in the tower.

{9} Two undated photos, also two photos dated 02.12.1993;

{10} (SP 60804407) Astwell House formerly Manor House (LB)

{11} [Former list description] The gatehouse is all that remains of the fortified manor, which was built on the site of an earlier building c1471. The subsequent house, built in 1607, incorporated in the tower some 15thc features. The line of the moat can be traced in the adjoining fields. (Part of moat visible round House). Manor house. C15 and early C17, restored 1958. Coursed squared limestone, plain tile roof except for left roof of gatehouse, brick ridge stacks. Gatehouse of former courtyard house, and double-depth house. Entrance front has 3-storey gatehouse to right with part-blocked chamfered doorway with 4-centred head to timber tympanum with ribbed panels and date 1638. Listed Grade II*.

{12} Description of Authy {11} correct. The archway in the gatehouse is blocked with timber, dated 1638. See photos. No positive remains of a moat were seen, but a depression in the garden to the immediate NW of the house may mark part of its course.

{3, 6, 13-15} Part of an early 17th century manor house incorporating the remains of a late 15th century moated manor house. The 15th century remains comprise a three storey gatehouse with stair and garderobe turrets which originally formed the east range of a moated courtyard house. The hall range stood opposite and a chapel occupied the east end of the south range, which was rebuilt in the mid 16th century. The house was partly demolished and rebuilt circa 1606. The east end of the south range, adjacent to the gatehouse, was extended to the south at this time. The majority of the house was demolished in the late 18th century, leaving only the gatehouse and the extended section of the south range. This range was altered in the 19th century and again in 1957/8.

{19} Two paintings dated 1837;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 6/1 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F07 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.96 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.85 site 9 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<5> Department of the Environment (Doe), 1976, Astwell Castle Farm: Notice of Scheduling, (checked) (Letter). SNN57268.

<6> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.69-72 (checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<7> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 54 (Report). SNN110747.

<8> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 61 (Report). SNN111090.

<8> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 61 (Report). SNN111434.

<9> Photographs of buildings in Helmdon (Photographs). SNN112671.

<10> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 6" 1955 (Map). SNN112944.

<11> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, MHLG List Brackley RD 1955 53 (Report). SNN112993.

<12> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 BHS 08-APR-70 (Notes). SNN111541.

<13> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of South Northamptonshire, 22-JUN-1987 (Report). SNN112993.

<14> PETTIFER A., 1995, ENGLISH CASTLES - A GUIDE BY COUNTIES, p. 164 (Book). SNN47854.

<15> Emery, A, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales 1300-1500, Volume II: East Anglia, Central England and Wales, p. 220-1 (Book). SNN115140.

<16> Historic England, NMR Measured Drawings, NMR06 (Drawing). SNN113008.

<17> Historic England, Undated, Astwell Castle drawings (Archive). SNN115950.

<18> Historic England, Undated, ASTWELL CASTLE, HELMDON, BF061841 (Archive). SNN115949.

<19> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/283/15,16 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 16 2024 12:48PM