Why would monarchs visit a tower? Today, we stand before Wayneflete Tower. It is a historical gatehouse in Esher near London. This tower was once part of the grand Palace of Esher.
Let’s travel back to 1462. Bishop William Waynflete of Winchester established this palace. He connected the gatehouse to a keep with a curtain wall. Imagine the palace in its prime. It was a significant residence.
Sadly, much of the Palace of Esher was demolished in the 17th century. This included its furnishings and granite blocks. Only Wayneflete Tower remained. The tower witnessed the palace’s decline.
Fast forward to the 18th century. William Kent designed a Gothic-style mansion house. He integrated the tower into this new design for Henry Pelham. Wayneflete Tower became part of a fashionable estate.
Wayneflete Tower has seen many changes. It started as a gatehouse. Later, it was incorporated into a mansion. Today, it is a Grade I listed building. This designation recognizes its historical importance.
The tower’s history extends even further back. The site was originally an 11th-century manorial complex. It was situated on the banks of the River Mole. Bishop William Waynflete incorporated the manor house in 1462. He built the brick Palace of Esher around it.
The four-story gatehouse has semi-octagonal turrets. A high curtain wall once linked it to a huge brick keep. The keep had octagonal turrets on its angles. In the 17th century, the keep was demolished down to its foundations. So was the great hall and curtain wall.
In the 18th century, Henry Pelham added wings and a porch. He integrated the tower into a Gothic mansion house.
Several notable figures have owned Wayneflete Tower. These include Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I. Penny Rainbow owned Wayneflete Tower for 31 years. She felt honored to live there.
The current owner, Penny Rainbow, spotted the tower in a local newspaper. She was entranced by the pre-Tudor property. It had lain empty for four years. She found the rooms amazingly light-filled. Large 18th-century mullioned windows replaced the small medieval apertures. The original brick spiral staircase is a wow factor.
Penny Rainbow made several improvements to the tower. These included repointing the brickwork and restoring stone. She installed a glass porch. She demolished a 1950s double garage to make way for a glass annexe.
The glass annexe offers clear sight of the river. Kingfishers, ducks, and even deer are spotted from there.
Before Penny installed electric gates, tourists often wandered onto the property. One night, she found two Japanese tourists photographing themselves in the garden.
Penny Rainbow invited Tony Robinson’s Time Team to dig in her gardens in 2006. They searched for the remains of Esher Palace. Hilary Mantel mentioned the tower’s smoking chimney 17 times in her book Wolf Hall.
Wayneflete Tower stands as a testament to time. It shows architectural changes. It is a reminder of the people who shaped its history. From a gatehouse to a Tudor property, its story echoes through the ages. As we leave, remember the tower’s rich past. It is a unique landmark in Esher’s landscape.