Doddington Tower

Gatehouse Classification - Fortified Manor House

Has been described as a Certain Solar tower (peel-tower)

There are major building remains

NameDoddington Tower
Alternative NamesDelves Hall; Dodynton; Dodyngton
Medieval CountyCheshire
Historic CountryCheshire
Modern AuthorityCheshire
1974 AuthorityCheshire
Civil ParishDoddington

Fortified structure which is the only surviving building on the site of a moated manor probably built between 1365-1403. The tower is constructed of coursed sandstone with a slate roof, and is three storeys in height with a wall-walk above. The tower was free standing and probably intended as a place of refuge for the family. In early C17 the tower was incorporated into a range of domestic buildings of which nothing now survives. C17 house was demolished and replaced by a house built from 1777 by Samuel Wyatt. The tower was retained as a landscape feature and presumably was used as a gazebo or banqueting pavilion. (PastScape)

The owner of the manor, Sir John Delves obtained licence to crenellate 1365 and the surviving 3 storey pele tower is believed to have been the result of this. It is the only surviving structure on the site of a medieval moated manor house. In the 17th century the tower used to form one end of a Jacobean mansion. This building was demolished when the present mansion was built. The tower remained as a garden feature and at this time a 17th century staircase and 6 statues of The Black Prince, Audley and four Cheshire Knights was added. (Cheshire HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Sir John Delves obtained a licence to crenellate in 1364, his grandson and some other men obtained a licence for a tower in 1403.
The tower is now free standing, but the Cheshire HER states it used to form one end of the Jacobean Mansion which could, conceivable, have been a replacement for a medieval hall. This would have made this a fortified solar or chamber tower attached to an unfortified hall, a form common in C14 northern England but rare elsewhere.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ70874702
Latitude53.0197
Longitude-2.43562
Eastings370870
Northings347020
Length
Width
Dimensions Comment
Vault
Vault Comment
Orientation25
Orientation Comment
Wall Thickness 1
Wall Thickness 2
Map
Holder
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Charles Fairey All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Lancashire and Cheshire(Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 17
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and WalesVol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 530
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties(Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 16
  • de Figueiredo, P. and Treuherz, J., 1988, Cheshire Country Houses(Chichester: Phillimore) p. 72
  • Cullen, P.W. and Hordern, R., 1986, Castles of Cheshire(Crossbow Books) p. 26
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum(London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 67
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus and Edward Hubbard, 1971, Buildings of England: Cheshirep. 198-199
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure(New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 169-70 online copy
  • Ormerod, G., 1882 (2edn), History of the County Palatine and city of Chester(London) Vol. 3 p. 522, 524
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England(Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 219 online copy
  • Ormerod, G., 1819, History of the County Palatine and city of Chester(London) Vol. 3 p. 265-9 online copy

Journals

  • Bird, S. et al, 1996, Garden HistoryVol. 24 p. 167-83
  • Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval ArchaeologyVol. 26 p. 95n2 download copy
  • Nares, 1953, Country LifeVol. 113 p. 344-8

Primary Sources

  • 1875, 36th Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Recordsapp. 2 p. 143, 144, 148 see online copy (Chester Recognizance Roll, 38 & 39 Edw. III. m. 1d; 4 & 5 Hen. IV, m. 10d)

Other

  • Historic England, 2015, Heritage at Risk North West Register 2015(London: Historic England) p. 2 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 North West(London: English Heritage) p. 2 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2013, Heritage at Risk Register 2013 North West(London: English Heritage) p. 2 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 North West(London: English Heritage) p. 20 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 North West(London: English Heritage) p. 20 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010 North West(London: English Heritage) p. 17 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 North West(London: English Heritage) p. 27 online copy