Name: Marmion Tower
Rating: 5.0

Marmion Tower

Church Street, West Tanfield, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5JQ, UK

1-99 Years

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Description

Marmion Tower near the village of West Tanfield in North Yorkshire is this fine 15th-century gatehouse, three storeys high and with a beautiful oriel window. It belonged to a now-vanished manor house beside the river Ure. The monuments of the manor’s Marmion family owners grace the adjacent church.

West Tanfield lies on the banks of the river Ure, where the main route from Ripon once crossed the river via a ferry and later a bridge. This 15th-century gatehouse was the entrance to the former Tanfield Castle, the defended riverside manor house of the knight John Marmion.

Free Entry. If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Free
Host birthday parties: No

Features

History of Marmion Tower: West Tanfield lies on the banks of the river Ure, where the main route from Ripon once crossed the river via a ferry and later a bridge. This 15th-century gatehouse was the entrance to the former Tanfield Castle, the defended riverside manor house of the knight John Marmion.
The three-storey gatehouse is itself a mini-castle, with a guardroom on the ground floor and grander chambers on the first and second floors. Yet some elegant features suggest that it was as much about display as defence.
Exterior: The square tower is three storeys high, with a vaulted gate passage set off-centre. The contrasting colours of the magnesian limestone blocks have been carefully laid in neat ashlar (squared stone) courses. The different appearance of the masonry at second-floor level shows where the tower was heightened by a storey – note the slightly smaller ashlar stone courses of the upper floor.
Interior: The vaulted ceiling at the eastern end of the gate passage is higher than that at the opposite end, which allowed the gates to open inward. To the left (south) is a small doorway leading into the guardroom or porter’s lodge. This room is vaulted, with a fireplace, cupboard and latrine in the south wall. A window looks eastwards and outwards. A small squint (an oblique opening) in the north wall enabled the porter to look into the passage.
Manor house and church: The now vanished manor house itself lay to the rear (west). Its site is now in private ownership and not open to the public. An impressive riverside wall on the south side can be viewed from the river path. When the antiquary John Leland visited West Tanfield in about 1540, he was more impressed with the gatehouse than the manor house itself: The castle of Tanfeld, or rather as it is now, a mean manor place, stands hard on the [bank] of [the] Ure, where I saw no notable building but a fair towered gatehouse and a hall of squared stone.

Facilities

Parking: Parking is available at the village hall in West Tanfield. Please put 50p in the honesty box.
Food & Drinks: There are Two pubs, the Bull Inn and Bruce Arms, both serve food, and there is a small shop and post office in the village.
Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome.

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Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open daily - see opening times tab for full details.

Address: Church Street, West Tanfield, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5JQ, UK

Post Code: HG4 5JQ

Council: North Yorkshire

County: North Yorkshire

Road Access: On A6108 in West Tanfield.
Bus Access: Dales & District service 159.
Train Access: Thirsk 10 miles.
Bicycle Access: Find this site on The National Cycle Network.
Parking: Parking is available at the village hall in West Tanfield. Please put 50p in the honesty box.