History in Structure

Pope's Tower Approximately 35 Metres South East of Harcourt House

A Grade I Listed Building in Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.7479 / 51°44'52"N

Longitude: -1.3984 / 1°23'54"W

OS Eastings: 441631

OS Northings: 205638

OS Grid: SP416056

Mapcode National: GBR 7XM.79S

Mapcode Global: VHC09.QB3D

Plus Code: 9C3WPJX2+5M

Entry Name: Pope's Tower Approximately 35 Metres South East of Harcourt House

Listing Date: 12 September 1955

Last Amended: 17 October 1988

Grade: I

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1053134

English Heritage Legacy ID: 252405

ID on this website: 101053134

Location: Stanton Harcourt, West Oxfordshire, OX29

County: Oxfordshire

District: West Oxfordshire

Civil Parish: Stanton Harcourt

Built-Up Area: Stanton Harcourt

Traditional County: Oxfordshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Oxfordshire

Church of England Parish: Stanton Harcourt

Church of England Diocese: Oxford

Tagged with: Tower

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Description


STANTON HARCOURT HARCOURT HOUSE
SP4105
21/321 Pope's Tower approx. 35m. SE
12/09/55 of Harcourt House
(Formerly listed as Pope's
Tower)

GV I

Former chapel. c.1470-71, probably by William Orchard for Sir Robert Harcourt.
Limestone ashlar; roof not visible. 4-storey tower with nave, and 2-storey bay
with chancel to right. Eared architrave over keyed hollow-chamfered arched
doorway to C16 panelled doors, and hood moulds over two 2-light
cinquefoil-headed windows to nave and room above; offset buttress to right,
moulded cornice with gargoyles and octagonal crenellated stone stack. Tower has
hood moulds over one- and 2-light cinquefoil-headed windows, and square-headed
upper-lights. 3-light panel-tracery window to east (left). Crenellated parapet
with gargoyles beneath. Stair-turret to rear with slit lights and similar
parapet. Similar windows to sides and rear, and hood mould over late C15
four-centred hollow-chamfered rear doorway. Interior: chancel has a fan vault on
head corbels and hollow-chamfered chancel arch with quatrefoil spandrels. Nave
has quartered and moulded beams to panelled ceiling, originally painted, and
pointed arched doorway with plank door to stone newel stairs with similar
doorways and ancient plank doors. Room above nave has moulded beams and moulded
stone fireplace. Tower: early C17 panelling and similar stone fireplace. Tower:
early C17 panelling and similar stone fireplace in first-floor room, moulded
beam in room above, and late C17 bolection panelling in third-floor room.
Formerly attached to the parlour end of the medieval manor house, demolished
c.1750. The nave of the chapel was used by servants and was recorded (in 1818)
as having been decorated with red and gold to the beams and gold stars on a blue
ground to the panels. The family, assembled in the room above, could view the
altar through a squint (now blocked). The tower possibly provided lodgings for
the priest or lord's retainers, and its design is similar to those at Minster
Lovell Hall and at Magdalene College, Oxford, also by William Orchard. The tower
derives its name from Alexander Pope who stayed here in 1717-18, when he used
the upper room in the tower to translate the fifth volume of Homer's "lliad".
(Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, p.782; National Monuments Record; M. Wood,
The English Medieval House, 1965, pp.173-4, 239; Bodleian Library, M.S. Top,
Oxon for late C18 and C19 drawings).


Listing NGR: SP4163005638

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