York Historic Environment Record

YORK SE6051SW TOWER PLACE 1112-1/21/1136 No.9 14/06/54 GV II* Also known as: Davy Tower TOWER PLACE. Defensive tower, converted to summerhouse, now house. Tower c1250; converted to summerhouse c1730, extended c1830; further extension in C20. MATERIALS: tower base of magnesian limestone; raised and extended in red brick in Flemish bond; C20 extension in red and grey brick in Monk bond; porch and coved eaves cornice of timber; slate roof, hipped towards river, with wrought-iron corner scrolls and 2 brick stacks. EXTERIOR: entrance front to Tower Place: 1-storey gable end. Steps up to door of 6 raised and fielded panels with divided overlight in plain porch, to left of extruded stack. River front: basement and 1 storey, 2 windows; 1-bay extension to left. Main wall has 12-pane sash to left and blind window opening to right: both have painted moulded stone sill and flat arch of gauged brick with fasciated keyblocks. Extension bay is canted at the corner and has 2 x 4-pane casement window. Park front: basement and 1 storey, 2 bays. To left, offset buttress and musket loop to right. Above, windows are 16-pane sashes, detailed as on river front. Return wall to right has cruciform loop. In the C14 and early C15, tower was known as the Tower of the Friars Minor; by the end of C15, Davy Tower. A defensive chain was customarily slung across the river from Davy Tower to the tower opposite. INTERIOR: not inspected. RCHM records its original summerhouse fittings including a chimneypiece with pulvinated frieze, window seats, a dado rail with sunk panelling above, and a moulded and enriched cornice. (An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York: RCHME: The Defences: HMSO: 1972-: 158-9; City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 235-6). Listing NGR: SE6036951390