Pillaton Hall Gatehouse
Encyclopedia
Pillaton Hall Gatehouse is a 15th century gatehouse
and all that remains standing of medieval Pillaton Hall, near Penkridge
, Staffordshire
. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
and a Grade II* listed building.
The Littleton family, later Littleton Baronets
, acquired the Pillaton estate as a result of the 15th century marriage of Richard Littleton to Alice Winesbury, heiress of Pillaton Hall.
The moated manor, built around a quadrilateral courtyard, comprising residential quarters and a Great Hall
to the south, and a kitchen range to the west, was approached via the Gatehouse on the south. The Gatehouse, of two storeys rises to three in the centre, raised by four circular domed angle turrets. Attached to the Gatehouse to the east is the chapel formerly dedicated to Saint Modwen
.
The Littletons abandoned the Hall as a residence in the mid 18th century and built a new mansion, Teddesley Hall
(demolished in 1954) nearby. The neglected old Hall was ruinous by 1799 but the Gatehouse and Chapel survived and were restored in the 1880s by Lord Hatherton
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
and all that remains standing of medieval Pillaton Hall, near Penkridge
Penkridge
Penkridge is a market town and ancient parish in Staffordshire, England with a population of 7,836 . Many locals refer to it as a village, although it has a long history as an ecclesiastical and commercial centre. Its main distinction in the Middle Ages was as the site of an important collegiate...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
and a Grade II* listed building.
The Littleton family, later Littleton Baronets
Littleton Baronets
Two Baronetcies have been created in the Baronetage of England for members of the Littleton family.The Littleton family had their origins in South Lyttleton, near Evesham, Worcestershire. Thomas de Littleton was appointed a judge at the Court of Common Pleas in 1464 and was created a Knight of the...
, acquired the Pillaton estate as a result of the 15th century marriage of Richard Littleton to Alice Winesbury, heiress of Pillaton Hall.
The moated manor, built around a quadrilateral courtyard, comprising residential quarters and a Great Hall
Great Hall
Great Hall may refer to* Great hall, the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or large manor house* Great Hall of the People, Tiananmen Square, Beijing* Great Hall of the University of Sydney, Australia* Cooper_Union#The_Great_Hall, New York...
to the south, and a kitchen range to the west, was approached via the Gatehouse on the south. The Gatehouse, of two storeys rises to three in the centre, raised by four circular domed angle turrets. Attached to the Gatehouse to the east is the chapel formerly dedicated to Saint Modwen
Saint Modwen
Modwen, or Modwenna, was an English nun and saint, who founded Burton-on-Trent Abbey in Staffordshire, England, in the 7th century.She was an Irish noblewoman by birth, and founded the abbey on an island in the River Trent. Modwenna spent seven years at the abbey with two other Irish nuns called...
.
The Littletons abandoned the Hall as a residence in the mid 18th century and built a new mansion, Teddesley Hall
Teddesley Hall
Teddesley Hall was a large Georgian country house located close to Penkridge in Staffordshire, now demolished. It was the main seat firstly of the Littleton Baronets and then of the Barons Hatherton...
(demolished in 1954) nearby. The neglected old Hall was ruinous by 1799 but the Gatehouse and Chapel survived and were restored in the 1880s by Lord Hatherton
Baron Hatherton
Baron Hatherton, of Hatherton in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1835 for the politician Edward Littleton, Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1833 to 1834...