The Summerhouse

Elizabethan banqueting tower likened to fairytale castle
A rare surviving example of an Elizabethan banqueting tower which was originally one of a pair. The towers flanked the bowling green of Sir Francis Newport's family home at Eyton Hall.

Built on large estates a short distance from the main house, banqueting towers became popular in the late 16th century. Family members and guests retired to these intimate surroundings to savour the panoramic views and the heady scents and flavours of spiced wines, sweet-meats and the decorative sugar moulds of a banquet. The Summerhouse's likeness to a sugar-plum fairytale castle is intentional, as the intricate architecture was meant to reflect the elaborate dishes served.

The building has been restored by The Vivat Trust, a building preservation trust, which manages its rescued buildings as self-catering holiday properties. The Summerhouse comprises of two octagons with the larger one providing a bedroom with an open fire and a four poster bed on the first floor, and a kitchen on the ground floor with a small shower room tucked under the stairwell. The smaller octagon houses the oak staircase which connects the floors and leads to a balustraded roof terrace, offering outstanding views of the Shropshire countryside.

The kitchen offers fine views through three full-length arched windows. A shower room with a toiler is enclosed underneath the stairwell. The first floor provides a bedroom, sitting room with a four poster bed and an open fire.