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I Location

II General Description

The hotel, originated as a 12thc. manor house, of which the S and W ranges survive, together with a mid-12thc. doorway. Much of the remainder of the site was erected in the late 14thc. (see VII History).

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) Doorway, N wall of Small Hall (or Dining Hall)

This two-order, round-headed doorway now lies inside the building. The inner order has a plain modern arch, renewed imposts and, on the angle of each jamb, a vertical roll moulding, or pseudo-colonnette. There is a hint of a cushion shape at the top of the left-hand colonnette, and irregular chamfering at the top of the right. The archivolt of the second order is carved with back-to-back chevron, each pair set at right angles to either side of a plain nook roll. The lower voussoirs on each side are original, as are the impost blocks, which have high uprights carved with two quirks, above a low hollow chamfer. The shields of the double scallop capitals are recessed and the cones are separated by upright rolls; in each case the angle of the capital is carved with a curled leaf, the one on the right enhanced by a beaded central stem. The capitals sit on engaged columns. The left-hand base has been cut back and that on the right replaced.

Dimensions

VII History

Amberley Castle originated as a manor house, built by the bishops of Chichester to the W of St Michael's church (qv), probably in the 12thc. The main range of the house was aligned N-S, with the hall occupying a wing which projected from the centre to the W. Of this house, the S and W wings survive. The mid-12thc. doorway in the W wing is the earliest identifiable feature; other details here seem to date from the early 13thc. The imposing curtain wall and gatehouse were built shortly after 1377, when Bishop Rede was granted a license to crenellate. Bishop Rede also added the (now part-ruined, part-rebuilt) Great Hall to the NW of the old house, dividing the area within the castle into the Lower Court (W) and Upper Court (E). The castle became a hotel and restaurant in 1988.

A photograph in the NMR Red Boxes shows the doorway prior to its restoration, which involved the reconstruction of the inner arch, and the central segment of the outer arch. These had clearly been removed at some time to create a higher opening.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The chevron is comparable with the W doorway of East Lavant (West Sussex), and both can be datedc.1150. It is not clear whether this doorway, now lying at the W end of the N wall of the Dining Hall, is in its original position or not. The sequence of enlargement and restoration suggests that it is probably in situ.

IX Bibliography