What is recorded here

The gatehouse at Simmonscourt stands as the last witness to a vanished castle, its limestone throat still tight enough to strangle a crowd. A spiral stair climbs the north tower toward a chamber that may have watched the road, while a narrow slit on the east wall cuts the sky like a knife. The building does not explain itself; it withholds. What is missing is the point. The castle is gone, but the gate remains, preserving the moment of entry and the danger of being seen.

A gate tower is the only surviving remnant of theSimmonscourt castle complex. It has a flattened barrel vault and passage with single chamber over, which is approached by a spiral stairs in the NW tower. Built of coursed limestone masonry with dressed quoins. In the E wall is a pointed segmental arched recess, which may be a blocked doorway. There is a tall, narrow slit ope on the E wall. The plan is similar on the opposite side of the gateway. There are splayed slit opes on either side of the entrance passage. A possible garderobe shoot lies at the angle between the stair turret and gate. (Grose 1791, I, 21 Plate 21; Ball 1900, 308, 316, 317; Ball 1903, 29-32; Ball 1907, 18).

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.