[2] Wetheral Priory was a small Benedictine institution, founded by Ranulf le Meschin following the Norman invasion of Cumbria at the beginning of the 12th century.

[3] The gatehouse originally formed part of a range of buildings running along the side of the outer courtyard, and would have controlled access to the institution, as well as symbolising its power and status.

[6] To help speed the process of closing the institution, Ralf Hartley was appointed as the prior of Wetheral by Henry's minister, Thomas Cromwell; royal commissioners visited in 1536, and the priory was finally surrendered to the Crown in 1538.

[1] The gatehouse is 12.5 by 8.9 metres (41 by 29 ft) across, with the floors linked by a spiral staircase in the north-east corner, and an adjacent barrel vaulted cellar.

[4][1] The ground floor includes a barrel vaulted entrance passageway and a porters' lodge, the latter 5.3 by 3 metres (17.4 by 9.8 ft) in size.

[1] The first and second floors both formed single rooms, approximately 7.6 by 5.2 metres (25 by 17 ft) across internally, and would have been used as domestic chambers for the officials of the priory.