Coldmartin Tower (Tillside)
(NU 99092691) Peel. (1)
Coldmartin Tower is first mentioned in 1584 when it was the property of Roger Fowberry. It was then stated to be utterly decayed.
The tower seems to have been about 27 feet square, outside measurement. All that now (1891) remains is a fragment of the south-west wall which has been 6 feet thick and still stands about 9 feet high in an exposed situation overlooking Wooler Water. (2)
The remains are (1935) situated on the western verge of a quarry on the hill to the north of Tower Martin. A dry stone wall along the top of the hill becomes for a few yards a mass of masonry, which breaks off at the quarry edge, showing a core of cement and rubble. (3)
Site on pastureland, overlooked by higher ground to south-east and south-west. A strong wall running north-west/south-east, 9.5m long, 1.7m wide and 2.5m high. Foundation lines of the NW wall are visible for 5m. To the south-west and north-east of the wall are two platforms of earth and masonry.
The peel was constructed upon a mound which is still visible, standing to a maximum height of 1.5m. No ditch is visible. No architectural features are visible in the remains. There is an adjacent water supply. See photograph. (4)
Condition unchanged. (5)
Coldmartin Tower, [details as above]. (6)
The ruin of Coldmartin Tower stands on a hillside facing north west. Previous accounts refer to the remains standing on the edge of a quarry, this is no longer apparent. The only documentary reference to the tower is in 1584, when it is referred to as 'one towre of stane and lime of Roger Fowberry's of Fowberry gent. utterly decayed notwithstanding it hath land belonginge to it able to keep two men and horse fit for service'.
The tower has measured 9.7m east-west by 8.9m north-south. The greater part of the south wall stands to a height of 2.5m and is faced with coursed roughly squared quite 'long' stones, a fabric type more characteristic of the 16th or early 17th centuries than earlier periods. The wall is 1.6m thick; the internal facing has been removed (except for one course at ground level) but the ragged core overhangs enough to suggest that it represents the springing of an east-west
vault. The external face of the west wall stands one to two courses high for most of its length, but only a few ragged stones are exposed of the north and east walls, rising little above the turf. The interior of the tower forms a somewhat raised platform.
On the south of the tower are remains of the cobble foundation of an adjacent structure(?) measuring c.7m by 3.1m externally.
Although reduced to a fragment without any architectural detail whatsoever, this is an attractive little solitary ruin with a dramatic backdrop of the Cheviot landscape. (7)
Scheduled (8).
The ruins of the peel, comprising an upstanding section of wall surrounded by a low hummocky mound can be seen on several vertical aerial photographs. (9b-f) The location of the site on these photos agrees with that on the OS map (1) and on the scheduling documents (6), but in no way tallys with the description given by authority 3. It does not lie on top of a hill and there is no trace of a quarry in the area. (9a)
The upstanding wall and underlying mound have been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (see archive object MD000297). (9)
Additional bibliographic references. (9g-h)
Coldmartin Tower is first mentioned in 1584 when it was the property of Roger Fowberry. It was then stated to be utterly decayed.
The tower seems to have been about 27 feet square, outside measurement. All that now (1891) remains is a fragment of the south-west wall which has been 6 feet thick and still stands about 9 feet high in an exposed situation overlooking Wooler Water. (2)
The remains are (1935) situated on the western verge of a quarry on the hill to the north of Tower Martin. A dry stone wall along the top of the hill becomes for a few yards a mass of masonry, which breaks off at the quarry edge, showing a core of cement and rubble. (3)
Site on pastureland, overlooked by higher ground to south-east and south-west. A strong wall running north-west/south-east, 9.5m long, 1.7m wide and 2.5m high. Foundation lines of the NW wall are visible for 5m. To the south-west and north-east of the wall are two platforms of earth and masonry.
The peel was constructed upon a mound which is still visible, standing to a maximum height of 1.5m. No ditch is visible. No architectural features are visible in the remains. There is an adjacent water supply. See photograph. (4)
Condition unchanged. (5)
Coldmartin Tower, [details as above]. (6)
The ruin of Coldmartin Tower stands on a hillside facing north west. Previous accounts refer to the remains standing on the edge of a quarry, this is no longer apparent. The only documentary reference to the tower is in 1584, when it is referred to as 'one towre of stane and lime of Roger Fowberry's of Fowberry gent. utterly decayed notwithstanding it hath land belonginge to it able to keep two men and horse fit for service'.
The tower has measured 9.7m east-west by 8.9m north-south. The greater part of the south wall stands to a height of 2.5m and is faced with coursed roughly squared quite 'long' stones, a fabric type more characteristic of the 16th or early 17th centuries than earlier periods. The wall is 1.6m thick; the internal facing has been removed (except for one course at ground level) but the ragged core overhangs enough to suggest that it represents the springing of an east-west
vault. The external face of the west wall stands one to two courses high for most of its length, but only a few ragged stones are exposed of the north and east walls, rising little above the turf. The interior of the tower forms a somewhat raised platform.
On the south of the tower are remains of the cobble foundation of an adjacent structure(?) measuring c.7m by 3.1m externally.
Although reduced to a fragment without any architectural detail whatsoever, this is an attractive little solitary ruin with a dramatic backdrop of the Cheviot landscape. (7)
Scheduled (8).
The ruins of the peel, comprising an upstanding section of wall surrounded by a low hummocky mound can be seen on several vertical aerial photographs. (9b-f) The location of the site on these photos agrees with that on the OS map (1) and on the scheduling documents (6), but in no way tallys with the description given by authority 3. It does not lie on top of a hill and there is no trace of a quarry in the area. (9a)
The upstanding wall and underlying mound have been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (see archive object MD000297). (9)
Additional bibliographic references. (9g-h)
N3311
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1955; A S Phillips
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
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.