Vicar's Pele (Ponteland)
The Vicar's Pele at Ponteland. Photo by Peter Ryder.
(NZ 16477283) Peel. (1)
The vicar's pele stands in his garden. (2)
Listed under castles and fortalices in AD 1415. (3)
The roofless shell of a three-storeyed tower with modern appendages. As W.C.W. photograph of 7/4/1954. (4)
Vicarage Tower, Grade II. Tower house. Said to be 14th century, but existing remains appear early 17th century. Random rubble, patched with brick. Three storeys, c.24ft x 20ft in plan. Three large openings on south side, 20th century lintels. Blocked 16th century door on west side. Also a roof groove and holes for roof timbers of former adjoining wing. One chamfered jamb of the doorway to this wing survives, with harr posts and draw-bar slot. Blocked door on first floor has part of an early medieval grave cover Celtic cross, used as a jamb stone. Two 16th century windows. Controlled ruin. (5)
Ponteland Tower. Three-storey, heavily repaired ruin. Covered in ivy. (6)
In the 19th century the tower was part of a larger house. This was demolished around the turn of the century but the tower was left standing. The tower was left to deteriorate until major repairs were necessary about 20 years ago and concrete lintels were inserted. The west side of the tower is a jigsaw of masonry of different dates with a wide variety of features and blocked openings. Interpretation of the tower suggests a medieval house with a ground floor hall, an undefended building possibly dating from the 1280s. At the east end of the hall has been a cross wing. Evidence survives of two doorways from the cross passage into the wing. Later in the medieval period the southern half of the cross wing was reconstructed as a tower, with a narrow stair in the thickness of the wall. It is not known whether the tower stood alone or whether the earlier hall was retained. By the 19th century buildings adjoined the tower to the north and east and the interior of the tower had been remodelled. (7)
Early 18th century references exist in Northumberland Record Office in the Blacketts of Wylam papers. Also notebooks of the vicar of Ponteland, James Snowdon, from the second half of the 18th century. (8)
The Vicar's Tower was formerly part of a much larger building, the former Vicarage, and was left standing when the remainder of that house was demolished in the late 19th century. The tower is now roofless ruin, the interior grilled-off and overgrown. The simple form of the tower and its plain southern elevation belie a complexity of both fabric types and structural features.
EXTERIOR:
The south elevation is of roughly-coursed and roughly-squared stone, except for the second floor, which is of more regularly coursed and rather whiter stone. Each floor has a central large square-headed opening (the lower a doorway); all lintels and sills are of recent concrete and the lower opening at least is clearly an insertion.
The west elevation is more interesting. Midway along the wall is the chamfered jamb of a former doorway set in a wall running west; its dressings are in a coarse grey gritstone. South of this and outside the former range into which it opened, is a blocked square-headed chamfered loop in the wall, now infilled by the brickwork of a flue that rises the full height of the wall. North of the jamb is a blocked doorway with dressings of honey-coloured sandstone; it has chamfered jambs and an unchamfered lintel cut in a peculiar manner into two angled blocks. It appears that in its original form this doorway has had a pointed arch, formed in a common local manner from two inclined slabs; directly to the north is the southern jamb of a second similar doorway, now utilised as the base of the north west corner of the tower. On the north the 'ghost' of the projecting rebate and cuts for door fittings are visible.
At first floor level there is a second blocked square-headed doorway above the first, but this appears to be an insertion; there are hints that it has been reduced in height. An inclined series of rough sockets in the wall show that at some stage there has been a roofline sloping up from an eaves-line approximately at first floor level, above the surviving door-jamb of the lateral range, to just below the top of the north west angle. South of this and beyond the brickwork of the inserted flue, is a small square-headed loop, now blocked. The only feature at second floor level is a peculiar round window, with a raised surround, at the north end of the wall; this may be of 18th century date.
The north elevation is almost as complex as the west. A blocked square-headed doorway towards the west end of the wall is clearly an insertion; above this is a patch of large well-squared blocks, indicating the very thin wall of a mural stair in this position. A second blocked square-headed doorway at first floor level opened onto the first floor lobby served by this stair and may be contemporary with it; one stone at the base of its western jamb is part of an incised cross-slab grave cover, perhaps of 12th century date. Above the head of the doorway is a long horizontal slab with a chamfered lower edge, possibly another re-used grave cover. To the east of the first floor doorway, close to the very end of the wall, is a small loop window; there is a larger square-headed loop a little further from the corner at second-floor level, where there is another old roof line, sloping down from near the top of the wall to an eaves line at approximately second floor level, close to the north west corner.
The north east quoin has been rebuilt (its upper part in brick) probably in the 20th century.
The east wall of the tower is largely constructed of roughly-coursed and roughly-squared quite dark stone, with a scatter of brick. There is an obvious rebuilt patch of more regularly coursed fabric adjoining (but pre-dating) the rebuilt north west quoin. At first floor level an old blocked loop is set centrally, with a larger bricked-up window opening to the south. At second floor level there is a circular window near the north end, like that on the west.
INTERIOR:
The internal elevations of the tower are partly concealed by vegetation and in poorer condition than the exterior. At ground floor level there are clear signs of a former north-south vault, now cut away. On the west is the ragged recess of a fireplace (with parts of the internal jambs of the earlier window exposed). At the north east corner are an adjacent pair of blocked doors, one in each wall; that on the north is clearly more recent and cuts through a former mural stair. The same large squared blocks as seen externally are used for the thin side wall of the stair, whilst beneath the stair is a blocked recess with a timber lintel.
At first floor level the former stair-headed lobby is partly infilled with rubble. To the east of it is a small chamber (presumably a garderobe) set in the north east corner of the tower; its inner walls have been partly cut away but one projecting block (left hanging in mid air by the cutting away of the basement vault) show the chamfered base of the western jamb of its doorway. Other features at this level are an early 19th century fireplace (still with its ironwork) and a blocked doorway in the west wall and what appears to be a blocked doorway, with a segmental-arched head in the adjacent part of the north wall.; this may perhaps have given access to a second mural stair above the first.
At second floor level there is another small 18th or early 19th century fireplace set diagonally in the south west corner.
SUMMARY: A tentative building history might be:
i) Stone-built ground floor hall house, perhaps of 13th century date, with a cross-passage at the east end of its hall. In the east wall of the passage were a range of two or three service doorways, presumably giving access to a wing beyond. The discrepancy in stone type between the surviving jamb of the cross-passage doorway and the service doorways, suggests that the hall may have pre-dated the addition of the wing.
ii) The southern part of the wing was reconstructed as a tower, perhaps in the 15th century. It is not clear whether the northern part of the wing was removed at this time or, indeed, how long the hall block survived.
iii) By the 19th century the tower had been incorporated in a larger house. The majority of this was demolished towards the end of the century(?); leaving the tower and some outbuildings. A mid-20th century photograph shows the south wall having a pendant canted bay window of typical late 19th century form.
iv) As a plaque on the tower records, it was 'restored' by the district council in 1971. (9)
Scheduled. (10)
Two evaluation trenches were excavated in 2001: one inside the south-west corner of the pele tower and the other outside the north-west corner. The internal trench uncovered stone flagging apparently overlying a modern concrete surface in part of the floor space. Possible traces of an older flagged floor were also seen. The external trench also uncovered a modern concrete floor at a depth of 0.35m, probably part of a dwelling present on the site until about 1950. (11)
The Ponteland Pele Tower Working Group produced a booklet on the Vicar's Pele, Ponteland which summarised the history of Pele Towers, the history of the Vicar's Pele, the working group and the project to restore the structure from 1997-2002. (12)
The tower was built circa 1400. (13a)
The vicar's pele stands in his garden. (2)
Listed under castles and fortalices in AD 1415. (3)
The roofless shell of a three-storeyed tower with modern appendages. As W.C.W. photograph of 7/4/1954. (4)
Vicarage Tower, Grade II. Tower house. Said to be 14th century, but existing remains appear early 17th century. Random rubble, patched with brick. Three storeys, c.24ft x 20ft in plan. Three large openings on south side, 20th century lintels. Blocked 16th century door on west side. Also a roof groove and holes for roof timbers of former adjoining wing. One chamfered jamb of the doorway to this wing survives, with harr posts and draw-bar slot. Blocked door on first floor has part of an early medieval grave cover Celtic cross, used as a jamb stone. Two 16th century windows. Controlled ruin. (5)
Ponteland Tower. Three-storey, heavily repaired ruin. Covered in ivy. (6)
In the 19th century the tower was part of a larger house. This was demolished around the turn of the century but the tower was left standing. The tower was left to deteriorate until major repairs were necessary about 20 years ago and concrete lintels were inserted. The west side of the tower is a jigsaw of masonry of different dates with a wide variety of features and blocked openings. Interpretation of the tower suggests a medieval house with a ground floor hall, an undefended building possibly dating from the 1280s. At the east end of the hall has been a cross wing. Evidence survives of two doorways from the cross passage into the wing. Later in the medieval period the southern half of the cross wing was reconstructed as a tower, with a narrow stair in the thickness of the wall. It is not known whether the tower stood alone or whether the earlier hall was retained. By the 19th century buildings adjoined the tower to the north and east and the interior of the tower had been remodelled. (7)
Early 18th century references exist in Northumberland Record Office in the Blacketts of Wylam papers. Also notebooks of the vicar of Ponteland, James Snowdon, from the second half of the 18th century. (8)
The Vicar's Tower was formerly part of a much larger building, the former Vicarage, and was left standing when the remainder of that house was demolished in the late 19th century. The tower is now roofless ruin, the interior grilled-off and overgrown. The simple form of the tower and its plain southern elevation belie a complexity of both fabric types and structural features.
EXTERIOR:
The south elevation is of roughly-coursed and roughly-squared stone, except for the second floor, which is of more regularly coursed and rather whiter stone. Each floor has a central large square-headed opening (the lower a doorway); all lintels and sills are of recent concrete and the lower opening at least is clearly an insertion.
The west elevation is more interesting. Midway along the wall is the chamfered jamb of a former doorway set in a wall running west; its dressings are in a coarse grey gritstone. South of this and outside the former range into which it opened, is a blocked square-headed chamfered loop in the wall, now infilled by the brickwork of a flue that rises the full height of the wall. North of the jamb is a blocked doorway with dressings of honey-coloured sandstone; it has chamfered jambs and an unchamfered lintel cut in a peculiar manner into two angled blocks. It appears that in its original form this doorway has had a pointed arch, formed in a common local manner from two inclined slabs; directly to the north is the southern jamb of a second similar doorway, now utilised as the base of the north west corner of the tower. On the north the 'ghost' of the projecting rebate and cuts for door fittings are visible.
At first floor level there is a second blocked square-headed doorway above the first, but this appears to be an insertion; there are hints that it has been reduced in height. An inclined series of rough sockets in the wall show that at some stage there has been a roofline sloping up from an eaves-line approximately at first floor level, above the surviving door-jamb of the lateral range, to just below the top of the north west angle. South of this and beyond the brickwork of the inserted flue, is a small square-headed loop, now blocked. The only feature at second floor level is a peculiar round window, with a raised surround, at the north end of the wall; this may be of 18th century date.
The north elevation is almost as complex as the west. A blocked square-headed doorway towards the west end of the wall is clearly an insertion; above this is a patch of large well-squared blocks, indicating the very thin wall of a mural stair in this position. A second blocked square-headed doorway at first floor level opened onto the first floor lobby served by this stair and may be contemporary with it; one stone at the base of its western jamb is part of an incised cross-slab grave cover, perhaps of 12th century date. Above the head of the doorway is a long horizontal slab with a chamfered lower edge, possibly another re-used grave cover. To the east of the first floor doorway, close to the very end of the wall, is a small loop window; there is a larger square-headed loop a little further from the corner at second-floor level, where there is another old roof line, sloping down from near the top of the wall to an eaves line at approximately second floor level, close to the north west corner.
The north east quoin has been rebuilt (its upper part in brick) probably in the 20th century.
The east wall of the tower is largely constructed of roughly-coursed and roughly-squared quite dark stone, with a scatter of brick. There is an obvious rebuilt patch of more regularly coursed fabric adjoining (but pre-dating) the rebuilt north west quoin. At first floor level an old blocked loop is set centrally, with a larger bricked-up window opening to the south. At second floor level there is a circular window near the north end, like that on the west.
INTERIOR:
The internal elevations of the tower are partly concealed by vegetation and in poorer condition than the exterior. At ground floor level there are clear signs of a former north-south vault, now cut away. On the west is the ragged recess of a fireplace (with parts of the internal jambs of the earlier window exposed). At the north east corner are an adjacent pair of blocked doors, one in each wall; that on the north is clearly more recent and cuts through a former mural stair. The same large squared blocks as seen externally are used for the thin side wall of the stair, whilst beneath the stair is a blocked recess with a timber lintel.
At first floor level the former stair-headed lobby is partly infilled with rubble. To the east of it is a small chamber (presumably a garderobe) set in the north east corner of the tower; its inner walls have been partly cut away but one projecting block (left hanging in mid air by the cutting away of the basement vault) show the chamfered base of the western jamb of its doorway. Other features at this level are an early 19th century fireplace (still with its ironwork) and a blocked doorway in the west wall and what appears to be a blocked doorway, with a segmental-arched head in the adjacent part of the north wall.; this may perhaps have given access to a second mural stair above the first.
At second floor level there is another small 18th or early 19th century fireplace set diagonally in the south west corner.
SUMMARY: A tentative building history might be:
i) Stone-built ground floor hall house, perhaps of 13th century date, with a cross-passage at the east end of its hall. In the east wall of the passage were a range of two or three service doorways, presumably giving access to a wing beyond. The discrepancy in stone type between the surviving jamb of the cross-passage doorway and the service doorways, suggests that the hall may have pre-dated the addition of the wing.
ii) The southern part of the wing was reconstructed as a tower, perhaps in the 15th century. It is not clear whether the northern part of the wing was removed at this time or, indeed, how long the hall block survived.
iii) By the 19th century the tower had been incorporated in a larger house. The majority of this was demolished towards the end of the century(?); leaving the tower and some outbuildings. A mid-20th century photograph shows the south wall having a pendant canted bay window of typical late 19th century form.
iv) As a plaque on the tower records, it was 'restored' by the district council in 1971. (9)
Scheduled. (10)
Two evaluation trenches were excavated in 2001: one inside the south-west corner of the pele tower and the other outside the north-west corner. The internal trench uncovered stone flagging apparently overlying a modern concrete surface in part of the floor space. Possible traces of an older flagged floor were also seen. The external trench also uncovered a modern concrete floor at a depth of 0.35m, probably part of a dwelling present on the site until about 1950. (11)
The Ponteland Pele Tower Working Group produced a booklet on the Vicar's Pele, Ponteland which summarised the history of Pele Towers, the history of the Vicar's Pele, the working group and the project to restore the structure from 1997-2002. (12)
The tower was built circa 1400. (13a)
N10994
20th Century (1901 to 2000)
Medieval (1066 to 1540)
Medieval (1066 to 1540)
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1968; R W Emsley
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Vicar's Pele Ponteland 1998; The Archaeological Practice
TRIAL TRENCH, The Vicar's Pele, Ponteland 2001; THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICE
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, The History of the Vicar's Pele, Pontlend (booklet) 2002
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Vicar's Pele Ponteland 1998; The Archaeological Practice
TRIAL TRENCH, The Vicar's Pele, Ponteland 2001; THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICE
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, The History of the Vicar's Pele, Pontlend (booklet) 2002
Disclaimer -
Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.