The Blackbird Inn (Ponteland)
The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland. Photo by Peter Ryder.
(NZ 16537298) Ponteland Castle (Remains of). (1)
The ruins of a pele tower stand in the garden of the Blackbird Inn at Ponteland. The earls of Athol lived in the tower in the 14th century. The Scots successfully raided it in 1388. It was rebuilt by Mark Errington at beginning of 17th century. (a)(2)
The renovated remains of the tower are now incorporated in the public house situated at its southern extremity. It consists of a rectangular building of two storeys 11.4m north-south and 6.6m east-west, with typical 17th century features. See photograph.
No evidence that this was ever called 'Ponteland Castle' (except OS maps) can be found. (3)
Condition unchanged. (4)
The Blackbird Inn, Grade II*. Formerly a manor house, now an inn. Medieval tower, altered and house added mid-17th century for Mark Errington. Restored early 20th century. Tower - random rubble, with stone slate roof. Attached house - roughly dressed stone and Welsh slate roof. Old brick chimneys. 'ME' inscribed on lintel of original Tudor-arched doorway within house. Also inscribed above window on first floor of tower.
Interior of tower has tunnel-vaulted ground floor and large 17th century fireplace. (5)
14th century vaulted basement in Blackbird Inn and 17th century work attached. Building thought to be the castle of Aymer de Athol which was burnt in 1388. (6)
The site of The Blackbird Inn probably formed the residence owned by the Earls of Athol in 1309 and may have been the castle burnt by Earl Douglas in 1388.
The earliest part of the Blackbird Inn dates to the late 13th or early 14th century - the two and a half storeyed tower of coursed sandstone forming the southern end of the present complex. The entrance is in the west wall protected by a draw-bar and murder hole. The ground floor is barrel vaulted and comprised one room; the first floor also comprised one room. There was probably a garderobe turret at the north-east corner of the tower. The original tower probably had a second floor possibly with a wall-walk above. The tower is all that survives of the original manorial site. It is likely there was an adjoining building to the west - possibly the hall range.
The tower was remodelled and reduced to its present height c.1600 by Mark Errington. A stack was built on the east wall to heat the ground and first floor rooms. Mullion windows were inserted. The tower probably formed the parlour wing of a hall range.
In the 17th century a domestic range was built on the north side of the tower and doorways broken through at ground and first floor level.
By c.1900 the domestic range had been converted into an inn. By 1920 the tower was in ruins. Fire damage occurred in 1991. (7)
The Blackbird Inn incorporates a substantial medieval building usually interpreted as a tower house. It lay as a roofless ruin until c.1935 when it was restored an incorporated in the Inn.
The building is a rectangular north-south block of two storeys with an attic, constructed of heavy rubble. There is a rough plinth on the east (where the ground level is lowest) and a chamfered set-back on the east wall approximately at first floor level; the south wall has a similar set-back below the gable. On the east is a large chimney projection, stone below and old brick above, which has a rough plinth at a higher level than that of the wall behind. At the north end of the east wall is a rectangular projection, apparently bonded into the wall, which is carried forward on moulded courses at first floor level as a turret, rising to a dormer-like gabled top at the same level as the main roof ridge.
At basement level the side walls are c.1.6m thick and there is a semicircular barrel vault, now plastered over. The present entrance on the east seems a relatively recent insertion, but on the west is an original doorway, now opening into a modern toilet block. This doorway has a chamfered shouldered arch, much defaced and retains its drawbar socket and tunnel; it opens into a lobby with a murder hole above and a mural stair rising to the north. The inner doorway, into the basement, seems to have been roughly cut away. On the east side of the basement is an impressive fireplace of c.1600, with a double quadrant moulding to the jambs, purse stops and a flattened four-centred arch in a square frame. In the south wall is an inserted four-light mullioned window of similar date; there is also a small rebated wall locker near the south end of the east wall.
The mural stair rises to the north west corner, where it turns east to give access to the first floor; the upper part looks restored but a two-light mullioned window in the north wall, obviously positioned to light the stair, indicates that it has been in position since at least c.1600. The single first floor room has thinner walls than the basement; on the east is a fireplace similar to that below, but with a crenellated moulding on the lintel incorporating the initials 'M + E'. The same device appears over the uppermost window of the north east turret and on the lintel of a doorway in the north range. At the south end of the room is a four-light mullioned window and near the north end of the east wall a three-light one; the west wall has a narrow single-light window (set slightly lower than the others) at its south end and a recent three-light mullioned window further north. Near the south end of the east wall and to the west of the south window are small wall lockers and, near the north end of the west wall, is an odd curving recess in the wall. This recess incorporates a re-set piece of an ovolo-section mullion and is probably a remnant of an earlier stair arrangement (externally this area looks patched and disturbed - a projecting stair turret may possibly have been removed). The interior of the small turret room at first floor level was not seen; it is lit by a two-light mullioned window on the east and a single-light window on the south.
The present stair from first floor to attic commences as a quadrant of stone newel stair, which may be old material re-set. The attic room (no longer used) is lit by a two-light window which, unlike the other c.1600 windows, does not have a hoodmould. There is a blocked single-light window in the north gable. The roof structure is all of the earlier 20th century. The turret has a small room at this level with similar fenestration to that below.
INTERPRETATION:
The shell of the building is clearly of medieval date, but the only remotely dateable feature is the west door which could be of the 14th century or earlier. Some elements of the plan - the positions of the door and stair and the surviving first floor window - have echoes of the mid 13th century building at Shield Hall, Slaley, which appears to have served as a cross-wing to a hall. On the external face of the west wall of the Blackbird Inn, above the roof of the modern toilet block, are traces of the pitched roof of an adjacent structure, probably an early hall block. The fact that there is a chamfered set-back at first floor level on the east of the building and not on the west also argues that the latter was never intended as an external wall.
It is not clear whether the Blackbird Inn building was originally a storeyed cross-wing or a tower proper; the chamfered set-back below the south gable is of the type that marks the division between stages in some towers. Above this, there seems to be a discontinuity in the stonework around the attic window and the gable coping (c.1600?) but this could be a consequence of 20th century restoration.
In the Richardson sketchbook (NRO: ZAN M13/F13) is a pencil drawing, probably of c.1840, labelled 'Ponteland' which shows what is presumably the Blackbird Inn. If this definition is correct, then the building, at least in its 17th century form, was considerably more extensive than the block surviving today. The drawing appears to show the building from the south west; the south gable end is very much as it stands today, but a large chimney stack projects from the west wall, perhaps just beyond the north end of the surviving section. Beyond this area a pair of gabled wings projecting westwards, the shallower southern one (a stair projection?) having a doorway with a flat-pointed head in its south side. (8)
A limited building survey was carried out by PF Ryder on 14 June 1989 of the building known as The Blackbird Inn off North Street in Ponteland. The shell of the building is confirmed as clearly Medieval in date, though the only remotely dateable feature if a western doorway which could be 14th century or later in date. The plan of the building is similar to the mid-13th century Shield Hall near Slaley and the existing building is thought to have served as a cross wing to a hall house. The various later alterations and additions to the building date from the later 16th century remodelling by Mark Errington and early 20th century restoration. (9)
A programme of archaeological monitoring was carried out by Archaeological Services Durham University during the construction of an extension to the rear of The Blackbird Inn, North Road, Ponteland. The watching brief recorded two layers of silty sand containing a small selection of artefacts of medieval and post-medieval date. (10)
Ponteland's tower was occupied in 1325, and burnt in 1388. It was bought and restored in 1580. A Jacobean manor house was built, incorporating the tower, about a century later, and lived in until 1788. It is not known when it became a public house, nor why it is called the Blackbird. (11a)
Also known as Errington Pele. (11b)
Medieval tower incorporated in a mid 17th century manor house. Stone-built, with slate roofs. Restored in the early 20th century but damaged by fire in the 1980's. Now a public house. Listed Grade II*. (11c)
The ruins of a pele tower stand in the garden of the Blackbird Inn at Ponteland. The earls of Athol lived in the tower in the 14th century. The Scots successfully raided it in 1388. It was rebuilt by Mark Errington at beginning of 17th century. (a)(2)
The renovated remains of the tower are now incorporated in the public house situated at its southern extremity. It consists of a rectangular building of two storeys 11.4m north-south and 6.6m east-west, with typical 17th century features. See photograph.
No evidence that this was ever called 'Ponteland Castle' (except OS maps) can be found. (3)
Condition unchanged. (4)
The Blackbird Inn, Grade II*. Formerly a manor house, now an inn. Medieval tower, altered and house added mid-17th century for Mark Errington. Restored early 20th century. Tower - random rubble, with stone slate roof. Attached house - roughly dressed stone and Welsh slate roof. Old brick chimneys. 'ME' inscribed on lintel of original Tudor-arched doorway within house. Also inscribed above window on first floor of tower.
Interior of tower has tunnel-vaulted ground floor and large 17th century fireplace. (5)
14th century vaulted basement in Blackbird Inn and 17th century work attached. Building thought to be the castle of Aymer de Athol which was burnt in 1388. (6)
The site of The Blackbird Inn probably formed the residence owned by the Earls of Athol in 1309 and may have been the castle burnt by Earl Douglas in 1388.
The earliest part of the Blackbird Inn dates to the late 13th or early 14th century - the two and a half storeyed tower of coursed sandstone forming the southern end of the present complex. The entrance is in the west wall protected by a draw-bar and murder hole. The ground floor is barrel vaulted and comprised one room; the first floor also comprised one room. There was probably a garderobe turret at the north-east corner of the tower. The original tower probably had a second floor possibly with a wall-walk above. The tower is all that survives of the original manorial site. It is likely there was an adjoining building to the west - possibly the hall range.
The tower was remodelled and reduced to its present height c.1600 by Mark Errington. A stack was built on the east wall to heat the ground and first floor rooms. Mullion windows were inserted. The tower probably formed the parlour wing of a hall range.
In the 17th century a domestic range was built on the north side of the tower and doorways broken through at ground and first floor level.
By c.1900 the domestic range had been converted into an inn. By 1920 the tower was in ruins. Fire damage occurred in 1991. (7)
The Blackbird Inn incorporates a substantial medieval building usually interpreted as a tower house. It lay as a roofless ruin until c.1935 when it was restored an incorporated in the Inn.
The building is a rectangular north-south block of two storeys with an attic, constructed of heavy rubble. There is a rough plinth on the east (where the ground level is lowest) and a chamfered set-back on the east wall approximately at first floor level; the south wall has a similar set-back below the gable. On the east is a large chimney projection, stone below and old brick above, which has a rough plinth at a higher level than that of the wall behind. At the north end of the east wall is a rectangular projection, apparently bonded into the wall, which is carried forward on moulded courses at first floor level as a turret, rising to a dormer-like gabled top at the same level as the main roof ridge.
At basement level the side walls are c.1.6m thick and there is a semicircular barrel vault, now plastered over. The present entrance on the east seems a relatively recent insertion, but on the west is an original doorway, now opening into a modern toilet block. This doorway has a chamfered shouldered arch, much defaced and retains its drawbar socket and tunnel; it opens into a lobby with a murder hole above and a mural stair rising to the north. The inner doorway, into the basement, seems to have been roughly cut away. On the east side of the basement is an impressive fireplace of c.1600, with a double quadrant moulding to the jambs, purse stops and a flattened four-centred arch in a square frame. In the south wall is an inserted four-light mullioned window of similar date; there is also a small rebated wall locker near the south end of the east wall.
The mural stair rises to the north west corner, where it turns east to give access to the first floor; the upper part looks restored but a two-light mullioned window in the north wall, obviously positioned to light the stair, indicates that it has been in position since at least c.1600. The single first floor room has thinner walls than the basement; on the east is a fireplace similar to that below, but with a crenellated moulding on the lintel incorporating the initials 'M + E'. The same device appears over the uppermost window of the north east turret and on the lintel of a doorway in the north range. At the south end of the room is a four-light mullioned window and near the north end of the east wall a three-light one; the west wall has a narrow single-light window (set slightly lower than the others) at its south end and a recent three-light mullioned window further north. Near the south end of the east wall and to the west of the south window are small wall lockers and, near the north end of the west wall, is an odd curving recess in the wall. This recess incorporates a re-set piece of an ovolo-section mullion and is probably a remnant of an earlier stair arrangement (externally this area looks patched and disturbed - a projecting stair turret may possibly have been removed). The interior of the small turret room at first floor level was not seen; it is lit by a two-light mullioned window on the east and a single-light window on the south.
The present stair from first floor to attic commences as a quadrant of stone newel stair, which may be old material re-set. The attic room (no longer used) is lit by a two-light window which, unlike the other c.1600 windows, does not have a hoodmould. There is a blocked single-light window in the north gable. The roof structure is all of the earlier 20th century. The turret has a small room at this level with similar fenestration to that below.
INTERPRETATION:
The shell of the building is clearly of medieval date, but the only remotely dateable feature is the west door which could be of the 14th century or earlier. Some elements of the plan - the positions of the door and stair and the surviving first floor window - have echoes of the mid 13th century building at Shield Hall, Slaley, which appears to have served as a cross-wing to a hall. On the external face of the west wall of the Blackbird Inn, above the roof of the modern toilet block, are traces of the pitched roof of an adjacent structure, probably an early hall block. The fact that there is a chamfered set-back at first floor level on the east of the building and not on the west also argues that the latter was never intended as an external wall.
It is not clear whether the Blackbird Inn building was originally a storeyed cross-wing or a tower proper; the chamfered set-back below the south gable is of the type that marks the division between stages in some towers. Above this, there seems to be a discontinuity in the stonework around the attic window and the gable coping (c.1600?) but this could be a consequence of 20th century restoration.
In the Richardson sketchbook (NRO: ZAN M13/F13) is a pencil drawing, probably of c.1840, labelled 'Ponteland' which shows what is presumably the Blackbird Inn. If this definition is correct, then the building, at least in its 17th century form, was considerably more extensive than the block surviving today. The drawing appears to show the building from the south west; the south gable end is very much as it stands today, but a large chimney stack projects from the west wall, perhaps just beyond the north end of the surviving section. Beyond this area a pair of gabled wings projecting westwards, the shallower southern one (a stair projection?) having a doorway with a flat-pointed head in its south side. (8)
A limited building survey was carried out by PF Ryder on 14 June 1989 of the building known as The Blackbird Inn off North Street in Ponteland. The shell of the building is confirmed as clearly Medieval in date, though the only remotely dateable feature if a western doorway which could be 14th century or later in date. The plan of the building is similar to the mid-13th century Shield Hall near Slaley and the existing building is thought to have served as a cross wing to a hall house. The various later alterations and additions to the building date from the later 16th century remodelling by Mark Errington and early 20th century restoration. (9)
A programme of archaeological monitoring was carried out by Archaeological Services Durham University during the construction of an extension to the rear of The Blackbird Inn, North Road, Ponteland. The watching brief recorded two layers of silty sand containing a small selection of artefacts of medieval and post-medieval date. (10)
Ponteland's tower was occupied in 1325, and burnt in 1388. It was bought and restored in 1580. A Jacobean manor house was built, incorporating the tower, about a century later, and lived in until 1788. It is not known when it became a public house, nor why it is called the Blackbird. (11a)
Also known as Errington Pele. (11b)
Medieval tower incorporated in a mid 17th century manor house. Stone-built, with slate roofs. Restored in the early 20th century but damaged by fire in the 1980's. Now a public house. Listed Grade II*. (11c)
N10991
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1954; J H Ostridge
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1968; D Smith
BUILDING SURVEY, The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland 1989; P Ryder
BUILDING SURVEY, The Blackbird Inn. North Road, Ponteland, Northumberland 1991; RCHME
BUILDING SURVEY, The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland 1992
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
TRIAL TRENCH, Land adjacent to the Blackbird Inn 2011; Archaeological Research Services
WATCHING BRIEF, The Blackbird Inn, North Road 2017; Archaeological Services Durham University
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY, Investigation by RCHME/EH Architectural Survey ; RCHME
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1968; D Smith
BUILDING SURVEY, The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland 1989; P Ryder
BUILDING SURVEY, The Blackbird Inn. North Road, Ponteland, Northumberland 1991; RCHME
BUILDING SURVEY, The Blackbird Inn, Ponteland 1992
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
TRIAL TRENCH, Land adjacent to the Blackbird Inn 2011; Archaeological Research Services
WATCHING BRIEF, The Blackbird Inn, North Road 2017; Archaeological Services Durham University
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY, Investigation by RCHME/EH Architectural Survey ; RCHME
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