74 ON THE MANOR HOUSE OF SOUTH WINFIELD. 



6th, 1785 (one of which is reproduced on Plate V.) show that the 

 roof over the banquetting hall was then perfect, and the windows 

 glazed. Between 1789 and 1793, a large portion of the south wall of 

 the banquetting hall fell down or was taken away, as we find by a 

 comparison of the plates given by Shaw and Blore. About the 

 year 1825, a lofty tower in the south-east angle of the north court 

 fell down, and some twenty or thirty years ago the sides of the 

 original well, which was still in use in the centre of the south 

 court, collapsed, and the space has since been filled up. During 

 the past twenty years Ihave known this ruin intimately, and until 

 the last year or two, during which all reasonable care has been 

 taken to preserve it, the considerable progress of decay in 

 some of its most interesting parts has been only too painfully 

 obvious. 



The Manor House is divided into two large quadrangles or 

 courts ; the extreme length of the buildings is 416 feet, and their 

 greatest width 256 feet. We enter by a substantial well-built 

 gateway in the south-east angle of the south court. It is flanked 

 on the right hand by a narrow room which was the porter's lodge. 

 To the left hand, forming part of the south side of this court, is a 

 large barn, having an area of nearly 90 feet by 30. With the 

 exception of the eastern bay, which was added at a somewhat later 

 date, it is all part of the original construction. " Notwithstanding 

 that the barn has substantial buttressed walls," as remarked by 

 Mr. Ferrey, " the massive oak roof seems independent of them, 

 as the trusses are carried on strong oak posts of large size ; not 

 placed centrally with the buttresses." This peculiar construction 

 doubtless added to its strength, and helps to account for the 

 preservation of the barn. Only some detached portions of walling 

 now remain on the rest of this side of the outer court ; but a 

 sufficiency of foundations have been uncovered to prove that it used 

 to be occupied by a continuous range of buildings about 30 feet 

 in breadth. A narrower range of rooms occupied the west side of 

 this irregular shaped court, of which only part of the outer wall 

 now remains ; that it had two floors is proved by a portion of a 

 flight of stone steps. The opposite or east wing of the courtyard 



