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A gatehouse is a feature of European castles and mansions. Gatehouses were first constructed in the second half of the 16th century in England when the entrance gateway, which formed part of the principal front of the earlier feudal castles, became a detached feature attached to the mansions only by a wall enclosing the entrance court. The gatehouse then constituted a structure of some importance, and included sometimes many rooms. At a later period smaller accommodation was provided so that it virtually became a lodge, but being designed to harmonize with the mansion it presented sometimes a monumental structure. The gatehouses were designed to take as many as the invading army as possible when it was attacked. Sometimes they had multiple portcullises, and they could drop one behind the advancing men. Other times there would be "Murder Holes" where stones or hot liquid would be dropped on the advancing men.

Notable English gatehouses include:

• Stanway Hall, Stanway, Gloucestershire, where the gatehouse measures 44 ft. by 22 ft. and has three storeys.
• Westwood, Worcestershire, which has a frontage of 54 ft. with two storeys.
• Burton Agnes Hall, Yorkshire, which has three storeys and is flanked by great octagonal towers at the angles.

Sometimes gatehouses formed part of town fortifications, perhaps defending the passage of a bridge across a river or a moat, as in Monmouth. York has four important gatehouses (known as Bars) in its city walls.

On the continent of Europe, there are numerous examples in France and Germany.

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

• guardhouse