Building record 1633/2/1 - Lyme Cage

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 407227 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Former hunting tower/gatehouse, later park keeper's house and prisoners' lock-up: Origins c.1580, taken down 1734 by George Platt, rebuilt 1737 by Peter Platt, perhaps to a design by Leoni for Peter Legh X. Coursed, squared, buff sandstone rubble with ashlar sandstone dressings, felted roof and cupolas (originally stone) and formerly two chimneys. In plan, square with attached square corner towers. 3-storeys symmetrical fronts. Chamfered plinth, raised rusticated quoins, applied ashlar band at first floor. Windows in towers in raised, plain surrounds (now blocked but with twelve pane sashes originally). Semi-circular headed doorcases on three faces, with rusticated surrounds and Tuscan pilaster capitals to imposts with raised plain, window surrounds above (all blocked). Projecting heavily-moulded entablature with ashlar blocking course with central balustrading (probably added by Wyatt, now damaged). On towers, stepped bases to domed cupolas (now twentieth century wooden replacements) three square sundials on moulded sills between first and second storeys, read: east face, "Vive Hodie"; south face, "Remember now the creator in the days of thy youth"; west face, "Cras minus aptus eris". Interior: four Tuscan antae with banded rustication in ground floor. Diagonal flight leads to spiral, stone staircase in south-west corner tower. Remainder of interior now removed but first floor was the main room with a panelled oak ceiling with huge, central, carved rosette. The stairs were in one corner, a fireplace, a lavatory, and a prison room in the others.

All the elements used in the rebuild can be found in the south and west ranges of Lyme Park (q.v.) but it is not certain if the sixteenth structure (paralled by an example at Chatsworth) was totally demolished or not.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ98 SE 14 (Index). SCH2487.

On a high point in Lyme Park stands Lyme Cage, a square building erected probably as a watch-tower c.1525. In the 1720s, four corner towers were added. It is believed to have been used to detain those who contravened the game laws, when Lyme was part of the royal forest. Hence its name. (DRB 03/01/1969).

<3> English Heritage, 2001, Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest, GD1633 (Report). SCH2822.

The Cage (listed grade II*), which stands like a great tower house at the end of a ridge 700m north of the Hall. From it there are panoramic views north to the Pennines and westward across the Cheshire Plain to Wales, as well more immediately across the park to the Hall. Erected in the mid sixteenth century as a hunting tower, the structure was rebuilt to a design by Leoni in 1733-5 as a three-storey gritstone tower with attached square corner towers.

<4> Oxford Archaeology North, 2007, Lyme Park, Cheshire; Non-Intensive Survey and Desk-Based Study, p.44 no. 52711*0 (Client Report). SCH4773.

A former hunting tower/gatehouse, then later converted to the park keepers house and prisoners lock up. The first 'Cage' established in the mid sixteenth century as a wooden hunting tower (see 5) and was partly taken down in 1734 but was rebuilt in 1737 by Peter Platt. It comprises coarse squared buff sandstone rubble with ashlar sandstone dressings. It is square with attached square corner towers. The first floor was the main room with a panelled oak ceiling with a large central carved rosette.

<5> Banks, E, 1993, Lyme Park Restoration Management Plan (Unpublished Report). SCH8132.

<6> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.446 (Book). SCH7059.

Elizabethan, rebuilt by Platt brothers in 1734-7, possibly to the design of Leoni. Square with corner turrets, pillared basement and principal chamber above.