South Kyme Tower

In the civil parish of South Kyme.
In the historic county of Lincolnshire (Modern Authority of Lincolnshire, 1974 county of Lincolnshire).

Slender tower, of C14, is all that remains of the castle which was built between 1310 and 1381, it was surrounded by a moat, which still survives as an earthwork. Mid C14 with additions, removed c.1725. Built for Sir Gilbert de Umfraville. Coursed limestone ashlar. 4-storey, square tower 77 ft high, with square projecting stair tower at the south-east corner which rises slightly higher than the main tower. Deeply chamfered plinth and 2 chamfered upper floor bands, topped with chamfered battlements. The south, entrance front, bears scars on the ground and first floors of the later attached house which has since been removed. The floor of the first floor room is reputedly patterned, hence its name 'the Chequered Chamber' thought this is not at present visible. No floors, ceilings or roofs survive higher up, though evidence for them does survive. The circular stone spiral staircase survives intact, with at the top a central newel post which rises as a colonnette to support the panelled vault above. The lower contains no fireplaces or guard robes, and it was presumably intended purely for defence, it stands within a large moated site. The attached house was demolished between 1720 and 1725, when chimney-pieces were bought by Mr Chaplin for Blankney Hall. This tower is the earliest of a series of fortified towers built in this part of Lincolnshire, it is the only one built of stone, the later ones like Tattershall Castle, The Tower on the Moor at Woodhall Spa, the Hussey Tower at Boston and Rochford Tower at Skirbeck are all built of brick.

This site has been described as a;
Tower House.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 192771)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TF16854961

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 351033

• Web site links
  • http://www.roffe.freeserve.co.uk/earthworks/moats/kyme.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of the East Midlands (Malvern) p61
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p296
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p145
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p260
    Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1964, Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Harmondsworth) p641
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p442-3
    Trollope, E., 1872, Sleaford and Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn in the County of Lincoln (London) p249-52
• Journal Articles
  • Clapham, 1946, Archaeological Journal Vol103 p189-90
    Kirk, 1881, Associated Architectural Societies' reports and papers [Lincoln, York, Northampton, Bedford, Worcester, Leicester and Sheffield] Vol16 p27-9
    1826, Gentleman's Magazine pt1 p305