Sinderhope Shield (Allendale)
Sinderhope Shield bastle, Allendale. Photo by Peter Ryder.
Low Sinderhope, NY 848520. Bastle 7m by 6.7m, side wall 1.05m thick, end wall with byre entrance 1.4m thick. Bastle derivative extension.
A conventional bastle of substantial construction was extended by the addition of a larger block of bastle-derivative type, the ground floor of which had opposed doorways each with round-arched monolithic heads. (1)
Range of buildings adjacent to west side of Low Sinderhope Shield Farmhouse, Grade II listed building. Late 16th or early 17th century bastlehouse with 17th century extension, altered in 18th century. Bastle, three storeys and two bays. There is an external stone stair to a 20th century doorway. Extension is two storeys and three bays. An interesting example of a very substantial bastle with an early extension in which domestic accommodation stayed at first floor level. (2)
Bastle measures c.6.7m by 7m externally; the bastle derivative house is c.10m long and 6.5m wide externally and is built with thinner walls - 0.75m-0.8m thick - compared with 1m-1.4m thick walls in the bastle.
The date of the bastle derivative house is problematic as the basement doorways indicate a date no later than c.1650, but the first floor windows are more typical of the early 18th century. (3)
The principal buildings of the farm form a linear range facing south east (hereafter south) and include work of a number of different periods. At the west end are a bastle, with built on to its east end a bastle derivative house; beyond this are the present farmhouse of later 18th or early 19th century date, and 19th century farmbuildings.
The bastle is almost square, measuring c.6.7m by 7m externally, with end walls 1.4m thick and side walls just over 1m thick; the fabric is of large roughly coursed rubble, with elongate but only very roughly shaped quoins. The byre doorway in the centre of the east wall (now opening into the basement of the added house) has a slightly segmental head, possibly modified from its original (flattened triangular?) form. An original slit vent survives in the centre of the west wall, but other features at this level, and virtually everything, except for another blocked slit on the west, are of post-bastle date. The first floor doorway on the south was rebuilt following a collapse of the wall face a few years ago; the window beside it has a lintel of pink sandstone of the same type as those in the added house. Internally, the second floor has a fireplace with a wave moulded surround that may be 18th century; the present roof only dates from alterations in the 1950s or 1960s; previously this part of the building stood rather higher than the adjacent block.
The added bastle derivative house is c.10m long by 6.5m wide externally, and is built of much more thinly coursed rubble than the bastle; its walls are 0.75m-0.8m thick at basement level, and 0.6m above. The most striking feature at basement level are a pair of opposed doorways set near the west end, each with a monolithic round arched head and a narrow chamfer of head and jambs. The extrados as well as the intrados of the door heads is cut to a semicircle, which together with the coarse gritstone used, has prompted the suggestion that they may be reused millstones. The basement has slit vents and small lockers in the side walls, and corbels at the east end carrying the hearthstone of the fireplace above. Part of the original first floor survives, with roughly squared transverse beams carrying sandstone slabs.
The first floor doorway has a low rectangular overlight, both with neatly chamfered surrounds; east of the doorway are two plain window openings (now lacking their joinery) with splayed lintels; unlike the doorway they have no other cut dressings, although there is nothing in their relationship with the surrounding masonry to suggest that they are insertions. On the north there is a single two-light window now lacking its mullion, with a projecting slab beneath that might be the edge of a slopstone or sink. At the east end is a fireplace of a typical Allendale type, with a basket arched lintel set forward on rounded corbels, and a wave moulding to both the soffit and external edge. The ceiling beams are of much lighter scantling than those below, and probably always carried floorboards. The staircase to the second floor (now partly collapsed) is set against the west wall.
Recent rebuilding and repair have destroyed evidence of second floor windows, except for blocked openings at the west end of each side wall. The present roof is modern, but the sawn off ends of two upper cruck blades remain projecting from the north wall; the ends of the tie beams into which they are tenoned are exposed in the external wall face; a puzzling feature but one which does occur elsewhere.
The date of the bastle derivative house remains something of a puzzle; it would be difficult to place the basement doorways much after c.1650, but the proportions of the first floor windows are more typical of the early 18th century. It is uncertain how much the two parts of the building functioned as an integrated dwelling; there is admittedly a single blocked doorway between them at first floor level, but the provision of separate first floor doorways implies a division into two separate units.
Access to both buildings at first floor level is via a quadrant shaped stone platform on the south, now rather overgrown and ruinous. (4)
The exceptionally thick walls of the bastle suggest it might have been carried up further than the usual two storeys, as a 'poor man's' tower. Such tower-like buildings (including Low Bishopside and Moorhouses in Allendale) may come relatively early in the bastle-building tradition, perhaps about 1600 or even a little earlier. The bastle-derivative house is considerably later perhaps about 1700; it is clearly not a defensible building and has a cross-passage with a pair of opposed doors. (5)
Bastle house, late C16 or early C17 with C17 extension, altered C18. Massive rubble with roughly-shaped quoins, stone dressings; slate roof with stone stack to right. Bastle to left 3 storeys, 2 bays. External stone stair to C20 doorway. Blocked overlight and window opening to left have C18 wedge lintels. Small C19 2nd floor window. Extension to right 2 storeys, 3 bays. Round-headed chamfered through-passage doorway and small rectangular window, flanked by narrow loops, to right. To left of through passage external stone stair to doorway with overlight, both in chamfered surrounds; to right 2 C18 window openings with wedge lintels. Farmhouse to right c19, altered, not of interest. Left return has central ground-floor loop. Rear elevation; bastle to right has boulder plinth, inserted doorway and small 1st floor window. Extension to left has through-passage doorway similar to that opposite,with small loop to left and 2-light window,which has lost its mullion,above. Interior: end wall of bastle has original byre entrance with flattened Tudor-arched head and segmental rear arch. C17 extension has original transverse beams and corbels at east end to carry 1st floor hearth. 1st floor room not seen as full of hay. An interesting example of a very substantial bastle with an early extension in which the domestic accommodation remained at 1st floor level. Listed Grade II. (6a)(2)
Additional reference. (7)
A conventional bastle of substantial construction was extended by the addition of a larger block of bastle-derivative type, the ground floor of which had opposed doorways each with round-arched monolithic heads. (1)
Range of buildings adjacent to west side of Low Sinderhope Shield Farmhouse, Grade II listed building. Late 16th or early 17th century bastlehouse with 17th century extension, altered in 18th century. Bastle, three storeys and two bays. There is an external stone stair to a 20th century doorway. Extension is two storeys and three bays. An interesting example of a very substantial bastle with an early extension in which domestic accommodation stayed at first floor level. (2)
Bastle measures c.6.7m by 7m externally; the bastle derivative house is c.10m long and 6.5m wide externally and is built with thinner walls - 0.75m-0.8m thick - compared with 1m-1.4m thick walls in the bastle.
The date of the bastle derivative house is problematic as the basement doorways indicate a date no later than c.1650, but the first floor windows are more typical of the early 18th century. (3)
The principal buildings of the farm form a linear range facing south east (hereafter south) and include work of a number of different periods. At the west end are a bastle, with built on to its east end a bastle derivative house; beyond this are the present farmhouse of later 18th or early 19th century date, and 19th century farmbuildings.
The bastle is almost square, measuring c.6.7m by 7m externally, with end walls 1.4m thick and side walls just over 1m thick; the fabric is of large roughly coursed rubble, with elongate but only very roughly shaped quoins. The byre doorway in the centre of the east wall (now opening into the basement of the added house) has a slightly segmental head, possibly modified from its original (flattened triangular?) form. An original slit vent survives in the centre of the west wall, but other features at this level, and virtually everything, except for another blocked slit on the west, are of post-bastle date. The first floor doorway on the south was rebuilt following a collapse of the wall face a few years ago; the window beside it has a lintel of pink sandstone of the same type as those in the added house. Internally, the second floor has a fireplace with a wave moulded surround that may be 18th century; the present roof only dates from alterations in the 1950s or 1960s; previously this part of the building stood rather higher than the adjacent block.
The added bastle derivative house is c.10m long by 6.5m wide externally, and is built of much more thinly coursed rubble than the bastle; its walls are 0.75m-0.8m thick at basement level, and 0.6m above. The most striking feature at basement level are a pair of opposed doorways set near the west end, each with a monolithic round arched head and a narrow chamfer of head and jambs. The extrados as well as the intrados of the door heads is cut to a semicircle, which together with the coarse gritstone used, has prompted the suggestion that they may be reused millstones. The basement has slit vents and small lockers in the side walls, and corbels at the east end carrying the hearthstone of the fireplace above. Part of the original first floor survives, with roughly squared transverse beams carrying sandstone slabs.
The first floor doorway has a low rectangular overlight, both with neatly chamfered surrounds; east of the doorway are two plain window openings (now lacking their joinery) with splayed lintels; unlike the doorway they have no other cut dressings, although there is nothing in their relationship with the surrounding masonry to suggest that they are insertions. On the north there is a single two-light window now lacking its mullion, with a projecting slab beneath that might be the edge of a slopstone or sink. At the east end is a fireplace of a typical Allendale type, with a basket arched lintel set forward on rounded corbels, and a wave moulding to both the soffit and external edge. The ceiling beams are of much lighter scantling than those below, and probably always carried floorboards. The staircase to the second floor (now partly collapsed) is set against the west wall.
Recent rebuilding and repair have destroyed evidence of second floor windows, except for blocked openings at the west end of each side wall. The present roof is modern, but the sawn off ends of two upper cruck blades remain projecting from the north wall; the ends of the tie beams into which they are tenoned are exposed in the external wall face; a puzzling feature but one which does occur elsewhere.
The date of the bastle derivative house remains something of a puzzle; it would be difficult to place the basement doorways much after c.1650, but the proportions of the first floor windows are more typical of the early 18th century. It is uncertain how much the two parts of the building functioned as an integrated dwelling; there is admittedly a single blocked doorway between them at first floor level, but the provision of separate first floor doorways implies a division into two separate units.
Access to both buildings at first floor level is via a quadrant shaped stone platform on the south, now rather overgrown and ruinous. (4)
The exceptionally thick walls of the bastle suggest it might have been carried up further than the usual two storeys, as a 'poor man's' tower. Such tower-like buildings (including Low Bishopside and Moorhouses in Allendale) may come relatively early in the bastle-building tradition, perhaps about 1600 or even a little earlier. The bastle-derivative house is considerably later perhaps about 1700; it is clearly not a defensible building and has a cross-passage with a pair of opposed doors. (5)
Bastle house, late C16 or early C17 with C17 extension, altered C18. Massive rubble with roughly-shaped quoins, stone dressings; slate roof with stone stack to right. Bastle to left 3 storeys, 2 bays. External stone stair to C20 doorway. Blocked overlight and window opening to left have C18 wedge lintels. Small C19 2nd floor window. Extension to right 2 storeys, 3 bays. Round-headed chamfered through-passage doorway and small rectangular window, flanked by narrow loops, to right. To left of through passage external stone stair to doorway with overlight, both in chamfered surrounds; to right 2 C18 window openings with wedge lintels. Farmhouse to right c19, altered, not of interest. Left return has central ground-floor loop. Rear elevation; bastle to right has boulder plinth, inserted doorway and small 1st floor window. Extension to left has through-passage doorway similar to that opposite,with small loop to left and 2-light window,which has lost its mullion,above. Interior: end wall of bastle has original byre entrance with flattened Tudor-arched head and segmental rear arch. C17 extension has original transverse beams and corbels at east end to carry 1st floor hearth. 1st floor room not seen as full of hay. An interesting example of a very substantial bastle with an early extension in which the domestic accommodation remained at 1st floor level. Listed Grade II. (6a)(2)
Additional reference. (7)
N7478
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
HERITAGE ASSESSMENT, Sinderhope Shield 2018; P Ryder
DESCRIPTIVE BUILDINGS RECORD (LEVEL 2), Sinderhope Shield ; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
HERITAGE ASSESSMENT, Sinderhope Shield 2018; P Ryder
DESCRIPTIVE BUILDINGS RECORD (LEVEL 2), Sinderhope Shield ; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
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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.