Paterchurch Tower

Cadw's description

Location

Situated just within Dockyard wall, some 130m E of Fort Road entry to Royal Naval area.

History

Medieval tower associated with medieval mansion, ruinous by early C19 and the remains otherwise demolished by mid C19. In C15 occupied by David de Patrickchurch, and in 1422 passed by marriage to the Adames family of Buckpool, who held it until 1731. The evidence for this being a domestic building is problematic, but there is no evidence of a church on the site. The tower was freestanding to NE of a large block of buildings on the 1820 dockyard map. It stood outside the dockyard walls until they were realigned 1844, subsequently Admiralty workshops were built around. In 1844 bones were found around the tower.

Exterior

Rubble stone 3-storey embattled tower with castellated parapet and taller rounded NE stair tower. S front has blocked chamfered pointed entry with heavy corbelling over, blocked first-floor (later) camber-headed opening and plain second-floor window. Loop under parapet. W side has loop to ground and first floor, blocked square second-floor opening with voussoirs and two drainage gutters above. E side has loop, plain window to first and second floor and two drainage gutters. NE tower has N and E stepped buttressing, rounded masonry between and two small lights. W of N buttress is short wall section with pointed arched doorway in line with main pointed N doorway, and between (to left) is E door into tower stair. N side has one plain first-floor window with traces of gable above and loop above second floor.

Scheduled Ancient Monument Pe 380

Interior

Vaulted chamber each floor, ground floor with square section ribs, four from corners and four to ridges, meeting at octagonal boss. Segmental arch to blocked S doorway. Plastered vaults to two upper floors, rounded to first floor, pointed on second floor, the crown of the vault rising behind parapets of tower top. First floor has narrow corner SW flue.