Overgrass Tower House (Newton-on-the-Moor and Swarland)
Ruins of Overgrass Tower, Newton-on-the-Moor and Swarland. Photo by Peter Ryder.
The basement vault at Overgrass Tower, Newton-on-the-Moor and Swarland. Photo by Peter Ryder.
[NU 14440333] Tower. (1)
Tower at Overgrass. (2)
The tower is not mentioned in the 1415 Survey and nothing is known of it during the 15th and 16th centuries. It stands low, lying about 20 yards to the south-west of the Swarland Burn, and is almost hidden from view by the banks of the stream, which are steep and wooded. There are indications by the side of the stream of the abutment of a bridge. The structure is comparatively small, oblong in shape with a slight projection or buttress to carry the staircase. It is built of good masonry, with extra large stones to the external angles and door jambs. It was erected probably during the 14th century. Only the vaulted basement now remains. It measures internally 23ft 6ins by 15ft 10ins with walls about 6ft thick. The entrance door is at the east end of the south side, and was secured by a falling bar. The lower steps of a newel stairway exist on the right of the entrance. At the foot of the staircase, a flat pointed-arched doorway gives access from the lobby to the basement, which is vaulted, and is lighted by two small windows in the east and west ends. There are two small recesses or aumbries on the interior, and a shaft in the thickness of the west wall probably belonged to a garderobe.
In 1874, Mr W J Robinson of Newmoor House purchased Overgrass. (3)
Description in authority (3) correct except that the south east corner of the tower has collapsed and most of the stones removed. The western part of the entrance lobby with the remains of two jambs can still be seen. It is also possible to trace the north side of the newel stairway with one step still in situ. Lying nearby is part of the arch of a pointed doorway.
The walls of the tower, 1.8m thick, are well-dressed masonry, including some very large blocks. There is a set-back about 2m above ground level.
The remains are overgrown in places and in generally poor condition. On the north side are the ruins of a cottage.
No trace could be seen of the bridge abutment referred to by authority (3). (4)
Condition unchanged. (5)
Overgrass Tower. Ruins buried in trees, may be 14th or 15th century. Not in list of 1415, little known of its history. (6)
Overgrass Tower and adjacent ruins, Grade II. Ruins of towerhouse, late 14th or 15th century. Adjacent building probably 18th century. Tower measures 7.15m x 4.7m internally, walls 1.8m thick. Walls stand to about first floor level except at south east corner. Interior: slightly pointed tunnel vault almost complete, mural cupboards on south (bricked up) and east. (7)
The ruins of Overgrass Tower are rather unusually sited in a valley bottom, on the east side of the Swarland Burn. The tower is built of large courses of sandstone ashlar and measured 11.2m by 8.5m externally, over walls c.1.8m thick. The walls have a chamfered set-back 1.8m above ground level. The only surviving external features are a chamfered loop in the centre of the east wall (the outer face of which is now toppling outwards) and the ragged openings of a central loop in the west wall (the outer face of the wall having fallen) with the remains of a garderobe chute to its north. Above the western loop is a smaller square opening, its lintel oddly set a little above the top of the vault. The entrance to the tower has been towards the east end of the south wall; only the lower part of the west side of the entrance lobby survives, showing the chamfered jamb of its outer archway and a rebate, with drilled holes for door fittings, at its inner end. Nothing now remains visible of the newel stair, which was at the south east corner of the tower and entered from the entrance lobby.
Whilst no features remains at first floor level, the basement vault of the tower remains intact, except for a collapse at the south east corner. The internal walls of the basement have two aumbries, or wall cupboards, one to the north of the eastern loop (now a ragged hole in the wall) and a second, infilled with relatively recent brick, at the west end of the south wall. Set a little east of centre are rough sockets cut into the haunch of the vault, on both north and south, presumably housing a transverse timber.
Adjacent to the western part of the north wall of the tower is a secondary building, 6m wide by 6.5m long with walls c.0.6m thick, clearly built of material reused from the upper parts of the tower. The only features are a doorway opening (its lintel gone) in the centre of the east wall, a blocked window in the west wall, a tapered loop at the west end of the north wall and a strange little recess with a monolithic head in the internal face of the same wall further east.
The tower and attached building form part of a complex of structures and features in the valley bottom. A ruinous wall links the north east corner of the attached building to another ruin, probably of 18th century date, about 30m to the north west. About 20m east of the tower is an irregular enclosure, 15m-20m in diameter, in part enclosed by the remains of a rubble wall (now up to 2m wide and 0.8m high) and in part by a bank; this might be the 'barmkin' mentioned in some sources. Between the enclosure and the tower is another rubble wall, running north-south and extending southwards for some distance. Just west of this is the old head race for Overgrass Mill, which stands in ruins some distance further south. Large stones at the edge of the field between the head race and the stream suggests that ploughing here has disturbed some structures. (8)
Overgrass tower was added to the DCMS schedule list (SM 31723), on the 7-July-1999. It is well preserved and retains many original features and significant archaeological deposits. It will make an important contribution to the study of settlement at this time. (9)
The tower survives today [2012] only as the majority of the vaulted basement. Walls at the south-east angle and the adjacent vault have gone. This has severely impacted on the double-door entrance lobby (only the west jamb surviving) and a newel stair (nothing visible) set into this angle. There is little documentary evidence for the medieval settlement of Overgrass and nothing specifically relating to the tower. It is not known if other medieval buildings of manorial or lesser status lay around the tower as was frequently the case. There is no visible evidence today for any such structures although there may well be archaeological evidence below the ground surface. Nor is there evidence to suggest that the enclosure to the east is of medieval date. Map evidence from the 19th century shows that Overgrass Tower sat next to an important fording point of the Swarland Burn. Whether this existed in medieval times, and whether the tower was sited at least in part to watch over and control this crossing, is not known; if it were, it may explain its poor defensive location, overlooked by high ground on three sides.
By the mid-19th century the remains of the tower had become part of a farmstead or smallholding with buildings appended to its north and east walls and surrounded by vegetable plots. (10)
Consolidation works to stabilise the tower walls were monitored and archaeological investgations were carried out to characterise the deposits over the vault of the tower and to establish the survival of a newel stair at the south-east corner. A test pit excavated above the vault in 2014 (1m x 0.8m x 1m deep) revealed a stratigraphic sequence of deposits similar to those exposed at the east end of the building prior to re-turfing, which provided a bedding layer for the stone floor above which has been robbed out; there was no evidence for occupation deposits. Investigation of the remains of a newel stair located two steps immediately below the ground surface, one with its newel broken away and slightly displaced.
The North face of the tower survives up to a maximum of 12 courses; works in 2014 involved clearance of vegetation and tree
stumps from the surviving corework of the eastern area of the face which also revealed one course of facework. The South face is the most substantially surviving face of the tower, although completely tumbled at the east end where all but the partial west jamb of the ground-floor lobby entrance complex has been lost; twelve courses of facework were visible, the chamfer forming the eighth course. Work to the face in 2014 This included the initial clearance of vegetation from the top of the wall and the cutting back and poisoning of adjacent tree stumps; the extensive facework was cleared of loose mortar and pointed and deep tamped where required; corework exposed to the east next to the remains of the lobby entrance was cleared and pointed. The 4m strefch of the East face survived with a maximum nine visible courses, leaning out and distorted by tree growth; during consolidation works in 2014 the very fragile remains of the east face were cleared of vegetation, facing stones numbered and all but the lowest course disassembled; the exposed core was consolidated and the wall face rebuilt. The West face survived between three and eight courses high; works in 2014 could not remove tree stumps, which were cut back and poisoned; limited areas of facework
were re-pointed and deep tamped where necessary and exposed core was cleared of vegetation, consolidated and pointed.
The building lying against the north face of the tower was ruined and in a fragile state. Surviving features included a doorway in the east wall, remnants of a window jamb in the west wall and a small niche with monolithic arched head in the north wall; a tapering loop which formerly lay to the east of this niche has gone. The floor of the building was cleared of deposits revealing a substantial stone floor with a brick path and adjacent manure channel running east-west across the building. The layout suggests this was a cattle byre.
Remains of a putative third building, shown appended to the east side of the tower on the first edition Ordnance Survey map, does not survive as an upstanding structure but earthworks suggest the location of its north wall. (11)
Listed by Cathcart King and Dodds. (12a-b)
Tower at Overgrass. (2)
The tower is not mentioned in the 1415 Survey and nothing is known of it during the 15th and 16th centuries. It stands low, lying about 20 yards to the south-west of the Swarland Burn, and is almost hidden from view by the banks of the stream, which are steep and wooded. There are indications by the side of the stream of the abutment of a bridge. The structure is comparatively small, oblong in shape with a slight projection or buttress to carry the staircase. It is built of good masonry, with extra large stones to the external angles and door jambs. It was erected probably during the 14th century. Only the vaulted basement now remains. It measures internally 23ft 6ins by 15ft 10ins with walls about 6ft thick. The entrance door is at the east end of the south side, and was secured by a falling bar. The lower steps of a newel stairway exist on the right of the entrance. At the foot of the staircase, a flat pointed-arched doorway gives access from the lobby to the basement, which is vaulted, and is lighted by two small windows in the east and west ends. There are two small recesses or aumbries on the interior, and a shaft in the thickness of the west wall probably belonged to a garderobe.
In 1874, Mr W J Robinson of Newmoor House purchased Overgrass. (3)
Description in authority (3) correct except that the south east corner of the tower has collapsed and most of the stones removed. The western part of the entrance lobby with the remains of two jambs can still be seen. It is also possible to trace the north side of the newel stairway with one step still in situ. Lying nearby is part of the arch of a pointed doorway.
The walls of the tower, 1.8m thick, are well-dressed masonry, including some very large blocks. There is a set-back about 2m above ground level.
The remains are overgrown in places and in generally poor condition. On the north side are the ruins of a cottage.
No trace could be seen of the bridge abutment referred to by authority (3). (4)
Condition unchanged. (5)
Overgrass Tower. Ruins buried in trees, may be 14th or 15th century. Not in list of 1415, little known of its history. (6)
Overgrass Tower and adjacent ruins, Grade II. Ruins of towerhouse, late 14th or 15th century. Adjacent building probably 18th century. Tower measures 7.15m x 4.7m internally, walls 1.8m thick. Walls stand to about first floor level except at south east corner. Interior: slightly pointed tunnel vault almost complete, mural cupboards on south (bricked up) and east. (7)
The ruins of Overgrass Tower are rather unusually sited in a valley bottom, on the east side of the Swarland Burn. The tower is built of large courses of sandstone ashlar and measured 11.2m by 8.5m externally, over walls c.1.8m thick. The walls have a chamfered set-back 1.8m above ground level. The only surviving external features are a chamfered loop in the centre of the east wall (the outer face of which is now toppling outwards) and the ragged openings of a central loop in the west wall (the outer face of the wall having fallen) with the remains of a garderobe chute to its north. Above the western loop is a smaller square opening, its lintel oddly set a little above the top of the vault. The entrance to the tower has been towards the east end of the south wall; only the lower part of the west side of the entrance lobby survives, showing the chamfered jamb of its outer archway and a rebate, with drilled holes for door fittings, at its inner end. Nothing now remains visible of the newel stair, which was at the south east corner of the tower and entered from the entrance lobby.
Whilst no features remains at first floor level, the basement vault of the tower remains intact, except for a collapse at the south east corner. The internal walls of the basement have two aumbries, or wall cupboards, one to the north of the eastern loop (now a ragged hole in the wall) and a second, infilled with relatively recent brick, at the west end of the south wall. Set a little east of centre are rough sockets cut into the haunch of the vault, on both north and south, presumably housing a transverse timber.
Adjacent to the western part of the north wall of the tower is a secondary building, 6m wide by 6.5m long with walls c.0.6m thick, clearly built of material reused from the upper parts of the tower. The only features are a doorway opening (its lintel gone) in the centre of the east wall, a blocked window in the west wall, a tapered loop at the west end of the north wall and a strange little recess with a monolithic head in the internal face of the same wall further east.
The tower and attached building form part of a complex of structures and features in the valley bottom. A ruinous wall links the north east corner of the attached building to another ruin, probably of 18th century date, about 30m to the north west. About 20m east of the tower is an irregular enclosure, 15m-20m in diameter, in part enclosed by the remains of a rubble wall (now up to 2m wide and 0.8m high) and in part by a bank; this might be the 'barmkin' mentioned in some sources. Between the enclosure and the tower is another rubble wall, running north-south and extending southwards for some distance. Just west of this is the old head race for Overgrass Mill, which stands in ruins some distance further south. Large stones at the edge of the field between the head race and the stream suggests that ploughing here has disturbed some structures. (8)
Overgrass tower was added to the DCMS schedule list (SM 31723), on the 7-July-1999. It is well preserved and retains many original features and significant archaeological deposits. It will make an important contribution to the study of settlement at this time. (9)
The tower survives today [2012] only as the majority of the vaulted basement. Walls at the south-east angle and the adjacent vault have gone. This has severely impacted on the double-door entrance lobby (only the west jamb surviving) and a newel stair (nothing visible) set into this angle. There is little documentary evidence for the medieval settlement of Overgrass and nothing specifically relating to the tower. It is not known if other medieval buildings of manorial or lesser status lay around the tower as was frequently the case. There is no visible evidence today for any such structures although there may well be archaeological evidence below the ground surface. Nor is there evidence to suggest that the enclosure to the east is of medieval date. Map evidence from the 19th century shows that Overgrass Tower sat next to an important fording point of the Swarland Burn. Whether this existed in medieval times, and whether the tower was sited at least in part to watch over and control this crossing, is not known; if it were, it may explain its poor defensive location, overlooked by high ground on three sides.
By the mid-19th century the remains of the tower had become part of a farmstead or smallholding with buildings appended to its north and east walls and surrounded by vegetable plots. (10)
Consolidation works to stabilise the tower walls were monitored and archaeological investgations were carried out to characterise the deposits over the vault of the tower and to establish the survival of a newel stair at the south-east corner. A test pit excavated above the vault in 2014 (1m x 0.8m x 1m deep) revealed a stratigraphic sequence of deposits similar to those exposed at the east end of the building prior to re-turfing, which provided a bedding layer for the stone floor above which has been robbed out; there was no evidence for occupation deposits. Investigation of the remains of a newel stair located two steps immediately below the ground surface, one with its newel broken away and slightly displaced.
The North face of the tower survives up to a maximum of 12 courses; works in 2014 involved clearance of vegetation and tree
stumps from the surviving corework of the eastern area of the face which also revealed one course of facework. The South face is the most substantially surviving face of the tower, although completely tumbled at the east end where all but the partial west jamb of the ground-floor lobby entrance complex has been lost; twelve courses of facework were visible, the chamfer forming the eighth course. Work to the face in 2014 This included the initial clearance of vegetation from the top of the wall and the cutting back and poisoning of adjacent tree stumps; the extensive facework was cleared of loose mortar and pointed and deep tamped where required; corework exposed to the east next to the remains of the lobby entrance was cleared and pointed. The 4m strefch of the East face survived with a maximum nine visible courses, leaning out and distorted by tree growth; during consolidation works in 2014 the very fragile remains of the east face were cleared of vegetation, facing stones numbered and all but the lowest course disassembled; the exposed core was consolidated and the wall face rebuilt. The West face survived between three and eight courses high; works in 2014 could not remove tree stumps, which were cut back and poisoned; limited areas of facework
were re-pointed and deep tamped where necessary and exposed core was cleared of vegetation, consolidated and pointed.
The building lying against the north face of the tower was ruined and in a fragile state. Surviving features included a doorway in the east wall, remnants of a window jamb in the west wall and a small niche with monolithic arched head in the north wall; a tapering loop which formerly lay to the east of this niche has gone. The floor of the building was cleared of deposits revealing a substantial stone floor with a brick path and adjacent manure channel running east-west across the building. The layout suggests this was a cattle byre.
Remains of a putative third building, shown appended to the east side of the tower on the first edition Ordnance Survey map, does not survive as an upstanding structure but earthworks suggest the location of its north wall. (11)
Listed by Cathcart King and Dodds. (12a-b)
N4293
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; E Geary
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; B H Pritchard
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Overgrass Tower, historical analysis 2012; Alan Williams Archaeology
WATCHING BRIEF, Overgrass Tower 2014; Alan Williams Archaeology
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; B H Pritchard
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Overgrass Tower, historical analysis 2012; Alan Williams Archaeology
WATCHING BRIEF, Overgrass Tower 2014; Alan Williams Archaeology
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