Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse – A Conservation Plan Prepared by Warwickshire Museum Field Archaeology Projects Group on behalf of Polesworth Parochial Church Council Version 1.0 March 2008 Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse – A Conservation Plan Version 1.0 by Warwickshire Museum Field Archaeology Projects Group on behalf of Polesworth Parochial Church Council Contents List of figures 1 Acknowledgements 2 Summary 3 1. Introduction and background 5 2. History of the site and building 10 3. Description of existing buildings and site 26 4. Statement of significance 39 5. Overview of main management and conservation issues 44 6. Statement of conservation principles 58 7. Assessment of impact of current proposals 61 8. Conclusions and proposals 67 Bibliography and sources 70 Appendix A: Listed Building citations Appendix B: Scheduled Ancient Monument details Appendix C: Plans for conversion of Gatehouse to flats Appendix D: Plan for landscaping of Gatehouse and Driveway Warwickshire Museum Report 0808 March 2008 Prepared with support from Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse – A Conservation Plan List of figures Fig 1: Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse, High Street frontage 6 Fig 2: Location plan 7 Fig 3: Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse and surroundings 8 Fig 4: Polesworth, 1886 (1st edition Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map) 11 Fig 5: Rear of Gatehouse, c.1785, drawing by E Stringer (WRO DR(B)44/110) 13 Fig 6: Front of Gatehouse, c.1800 (BCA Aylesford Collection f 572) 16 Fig 7: Rear of Gatehouse, late 19th-century drawing (WRO PV Pol Abb 1) 16 Fig 8: Front of Gatehouse, c.1910 postcard (WRO PH 352/144/53) 18 Fig 9: Rear of Gatehouse, early 20th-century (WRO DR(B)44/110) 18 Fig 10: Rear of Gatehouse with procession, 1910 (Wood 1984, 5) 19 Fig 11: Interior of Gatehouse, early 20th-century, looking east (WRO DR(B)44/110) 21 Fig 12: Rear of Gatehouse, 1920s postcard (WRO PH 767/35) 21 Fig 13: Rear of Gatehouse, 1967 (RCHM B67/2018) 22 Fig 14: Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse, Provisional phasing, ground floor 24 Fig 15: Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse, Provisional phasing, mezzanine and first floor, 25 Fig 16: Gatehouse, from north 27 Fig 17: Gatehouse, from south 27 Fig 18: Gatehouse, from south-east 27 Fig 19: Gatehouse, main archway, from north 27 Fig 20: Gatehouse, main archway, west side, with blocked doorways 27 Fig 21: Gatehouse, pedestrian passage and windows to Porter’s Lodge and mezzanine room 28 Fig 22: Gatehouse, pedestrian passage with window and doorway to Porter’s Lodge 28 Fig 23: Gatehouse, pedestrian passage, from south 28 Fig 24: Gatehouse, south-eastern doorway to stair and upper floors 28 Fig 25: Gatehouse, window to stair, restored 1923 30 Fig 26: Gatehouse, stair to upper floors 30 Fig 27: Gatehouse, mezzanine room, north-west corner 30 Fig 28: Gatehouse, mezzanine room, south doorway 30 Fig 29: Gatehouse, hall, south-west corner 30 Fig 30: Gatehouse, hall, south side 30 Fig 31: Gatehouse, hall, closet with 1920s wainscoting and bench 30 Fig 32: Gatehouse, hall, east wall and fireplace 31 Fig 33: Gatehouse, hall, north-west corner 31 Fig 34: Gatehouse, hall, north-east corner 31 Fig 35: Gatehouse, chamber, north-west doorway to garderobe/stair turret 31 Fig 36: Western range, from north 34 Fig 37: Western range, from south-east 34 Fig 38: Western range, from north-west 34 Fig 39: Western range, ground floor, north east corner, mid 19th-century window and brick floor 34 Fig 40: Western range, ground floor, south-west corner, showing mid 19th-century partition walls 34 Fig 41: Western range, south wing, ground floor store, from east 34 Fig 42: Western range, north-eastern doorway, late 19th-century 35 Fig 43: Western range, first floor, western window in south wall 35 Fig 44: Western range, first floor, eastern window in north wall, lowered in late 19th century 35 Fig 45: West wall of Gatehouse, with scar of turret, plinth, and purlin socket of earlier building 35 Fig 46: Western range, roof, from east 35 1 Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse – A Conservation Plan Fig 47: Gatehouse forecourt, from north-east 37 Fig 48: Driveway, from south towards Gatehouse 37 Fig 49: Driveway, eastern boundary wall 37 Fig 50: Driveway, western boundary railings 37 Fig 51: Driveway and War Memorial towards Gatehouse, from south 37 Fig 52: Driveway, south end, and west end of church 37 Fig 53: Gatehouse garden, from south-west 38 Fig 54: Gatehouse, from Tithe Barn 38 Acknowledgements Polesworth PCC is grateful to English Heritage who have part funded the preparation of the Conservation Plan, along with an archaeological survey of the Gatehouse by Nat Alcock and Bob and Jean Meeson, tree-ring analysis by A Arnold and R Howard, a structural inspection by Steve Mason of Hancock, Wheeldon and Ascough, and a timber condition survey by Ridout Associates. The site development work has also been supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Heart of England Community Foundation. 2 Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse – A Conservation Plan Summary Summary Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse lies on High Street, Polesworth, on the north edge of the former precinct of Polesworth Abbey, the Benedictine nunnery around which the town grew up. The Gatehouse currently provides access to St Edith’s Church and Vicarage and to Hall Court, the civic centre of the town in the western part of the former monastic precinct. The Gatehouse is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Listed Building lying within the Polesworth Conservation Area. Over the years the condition of the building has deteriorated so much that parts of the masonry are in danger of collapse; it has been on English Heritage’s Register of Buildings at Risk since 1999. The building consists of two elements: the Gatehouse itself, a part stone, part timber-framed building of the 14th century, with main and pedestrian archways and a Porter’s Lodge below and a high status lodging above, with a particularly fine crown post roof; and its western range, a two-storey stone building, in its current form dating to the late 16th century, but with probable medieval origins. This may have been a guest house or an almonry or possibly a school (the use favoured by local tradition). Following the dissolution of the Abbey the gatehouse buildings belonged to the manor house which took over the former precinct. The western range acquired its existing roof in 1583 when it was probably converted to manor house estate offices or accommodation; it was remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries, by which time its ground floor had become a stable and storage. In the late 19th century the upper floor was converted into a parish reading room. The gatehouse was partly remodelled in the 18th century with further alterations in the 19th century, although many original features survive. In 1912 the manor house estate was sold off and the buildings were purchased by the Vicar and trustees, partly with funds raised by public subscription. A limited restoration of the gatehouse was carried out in 1923 when the first floor became a club room attached to the reading room. The west part of the western range was demolished in 1967 after which the remaining parts of the first floors of both buildings were converted into two flats. Owing to the structural problems these are now vacant. It is possible that the buried remains of earlier buildings survive below the existing ones, and that traces of other medieval buildings from the former monastic precinct survive in the area, although archaeological excavations to the west in 1976 found little evidence. To the south of the Gatehouse a tree-lined, but dilapidated, gravel driveway runs southwards to the west end of St Edith’s Church, formerly part of the Abbey church. A driveway on this line will have existed since at least the 14th century, although its current form dates to c.1920 when it was widened and the Polesworth War Memorial constructed on its eastern side. It is currently used for casual car parking but with three designated disabled spaces at its south end. As the only surviving Abbey building in Polesworth apart from the church the Gatehouse has an iconic status locally. It is a preferred subject of postcards and memorabilia of Polesworth and the building has become the focus of local legends which give Polesworth a place in English history for its inhabitants. It is proposed that funds be sought from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other suitable sources for a conservation programme to repair the structure of the building and improve the landscaping of its surroundings, including the driveway to the Church. Ownership of the Gatehouse will be transferred to a company with charitable status, the Nunnery Gateway Trust Ltd, while the driveway will remain part of the churchyard. 3 Polesworth Abbey Gatehouse – A Conservation Plan Summary A sustainable long term use for the Gatehouse building needs to be found which will produce revenue for its future maintenance. The preferred option is conversion of the building into two flats to be let as self catering holiday accommodation to be marketed and managed in partnership with the Vivat Trust, a charity dedicated to rescuing buildings of architectural and historical interest. This option would permit public access to the interior of the building between lettings, as well as on a set number of days each year, including Heritage Open Days. The medieval porter’s lodge and mezzanine room will be displayed as medieval rooms. They will be available for visiting at all times by appointment and will be used in the Abbey’s medieval life education programme ‘Monks and Nuns at Polesworth’. Interpretative signage will be provided to the rear of the building for the enjoyment of passing visitors and local people.