Low Cleughs bastle (Corsenside)
(NY 87778674) Peel (GT) (Remains of). (1)
An ancient Border tower now in ruins ... Property of Mr Scott Lowleam. The remains of a rectangular building with external measurements of 13.2m x 7.3m. The walls, 1.1m to 1.3m thick, are of undressed stones, some very large, with roughly squared quoins. Two internal set-backs at 1st and 2nd floor levels and traces of joist holes suggest that the building had three floors the uppermost of which may have been an attic.
In the south wall there are two doorways, one above the other, at ground and first floor levels. Both have holes for sliding drawbars and the upper doorway has large pivot holes in lintel and threshold. In the first floor there are small rectangular windows with chamfered surrounds but the ground floor has no window openings. There are no traces of fireplaces or of any internal or external staircase.
The thickness of the walls and the door securing arrangements indicate that this building was of a defensive character and is of the type called Bastles or pele houses in Northumberland. These came late in the era of border fortification, which possible accounts for this example's omission from the Border Surveys of 1415, 1542 and 1584. The architectural features indicate a 16th or early 17th date. The situation is on a south-east slope between the 500 and 600 foot contour, with a water supply immediately to the west.
The remains are in generally poor condition with the south-west corner recently collapsed. Local enquiries revealed no significant field names. (2)
Condition unchanged. (3)
NY 877867 Bastle. (See Type-site NY 88 SE 14). (4)
As described by Authority 2. Surveyed at 1:10000. (5)
Detailed description. (6)
The south wall needs emergency work. (7)
Description. (8)
Low Cleughs Bastle, 580m NNE of Low Leam Farm. Scheduling revised on 22nd March 1994, new national monument number 25036. The monument includes the remains of a bastle, or defended medieval farmhouse, situated on a south-east slope of moorland on the edge of a small tributary of the River Rede. The structure, composed of roughly squared stone and surviving in original form to eaves level, is rectangular in shape, measuring 13.3m by 7.5m externally with walls 1.2m-1.4m thick. The upper gables have fallen and the bastle is roofless. Both the basement, or byre, and the first floor living area were entered through doorways in the long south side, placed one above the other; this is unusual in bastle construction where the normal entry to the byre is through a doorway placed in one of the gable ends. Both doorways are square headed and display two drawbar tunnels and sockets for doorposts. There are beam sockets around the upper walls of the basement in which timbers supporting the upper floor were held. The upper storey has three rectangular windows with chamfered surrounds in the south wall, two to the left and one, partly fallen, to the right of the doorway in the south wall. The windows show that they were at one time blocked by iron bars and at least one was hung with shutters. It is not certain how the inhabitants of the bastle gained access to the upper storey doorway as there are no remains of an external staircase and given the unusual situation of the doorway, the existence of one would have blocked entry to the byre entrance. It is thought that traces of beam slots in the upper walls of the first floor suggest that there may have been an attic floor above.
Surrounding the bastle there are the slight remains of attached enclosures and smaller buildings visible as low stony walls and ditches; these features are represented on the earliest Ordnance Survey map in 1860 as a second building of similar proportions to the bastle and small enclosures and paddocks.
Low Cleughs bastle survives well without any post-bastle modifications. The existence of a possible attic storey, its three first floor windows and its larger than usual size suggest that this is a 'superior' type of bastle occupied by a resident of higher status than usual. (9)
The bastle is in an advanced state of collapse. Plans being prepared in 1993 to consolidate it as a picturesque but stable ruin, and the work to be completed in 1994. Prior to this the structure was recorded by students from Newcastle University. (10)
Consolidation works took place at the bastle in 1997. Excavation of fallen debris inside the bastle was watched by The Archaeological Practice. The inner face of the walls was rebuilt and the south west corner. The whole structure was repointed. (11)
A documentary study of the bastle concluded that available evidence suggests the present bastle is early 17th century in date, it being documented in 1604; no evidence was found for earlier settlement on the site but it should not be discounted. The associated enclosures are undated but assumed to be contemporary. Other structures on the site are attested by documentary evidence, one of which is likely to have succeeded the bastle as a dwelling. The site was occupied until the mid-19th century.
The Tithe Map (1839) shows two principal buildings, one the bastle, each associated with an enclosure. The buildings are visually differentiated perhaps in relation to their state of repair. It is suggested that the second building may represent a structure built on the foundations of a former bastle. (12)
A ruined bastle, 600 yards NNE of Low Leam Farm. Listed Grade II. (13)
Listed by Cathcart King and by Dodds. (14a,b)
General association with HER 7945 (Highcleughs), HER 34002 (longhouse). (14)
An ancient Border tower now in ruins ... Property of Mr Scott Lowleam. The remains of a rectangular building with external measurements of 13.2m x 7.3m. The walls, 1.1m to 1.3m thick, are of undressed stones, some very large, with roughly squared quoins. Two internal set-backs at 1st and 2nd floor levels and traces of joist holes suggest that the building had three floors the uppermost of which may have been an attic.
In the south wall there are two doorways, one above the other, at ground and first floor levels. Both have holes for sliding drawbars and the upper doorway has large pivot holes in lintel and threshold. In the first floor there are small rectangular windows with chamfered surrounds but the ground floor has no window openings. There are no traces of fireplaces or of any internal or external staircase.
The thickness of the walls and the door securing arrangements indicate that this building was of a defensive character and is of the type called Bastles or pele houses in Northumberland. These came late in the era of border fortification, which possible accounts for this example's omission from the Border Surveys of 1415, 1542 and 1584. The architectural features indicate a 16th or early 17th date. The situation is on a south-east slope between the 500 and 600 foot contour, with a water supply immediately to the west.
The remains are in generally poor condition with the south-west corner recently collapsed. Local enquiries revealed no significant field names. (2)
Condition unchanged. (3)
NY 877867 Bastle. (See Type-site NY 88 SE 14). (4)
As described by Authority 2. Surveyed at 1:10000. (5)
Detailed description. (6)
The south wall needs emergency work. (7)
Description. (8)
Low Cleughs Bastle, 580m NNE of Low Leam Farm. Scheduling revised on 22nd March 1994, new national monument number 25036. The monument includes the remains of a bastle, or defended medieval farmhouse, situated on a south-east slope of moorland on the edge of a small tributary of the River Rede. The structure, composed of roughly squared stone and surviving in original form to eaves level, is rectangular in shape, measuring 13.3m by 7.5m externally with walls 1.2m-1.4m thick. The upper gables have fallen and the bastle is roofless. Both the basement, or byre, and the first floor living area were entered through doorways in the long south side, placed one above the other; this is unusual in bastle construction where the normal entry to the byre is through a doorway placed in one of the gable ends. Both doorways are square headed and display two drawbar tunnels and sockets for doorposts. There are beam sockets around the upper walls of the basement in which timbers supporting the upper floor were held. The upper storey has three rectangular windows with chamfered surrounds in the south wall, two to the left and one, partly fallen, to the right of the doorway in the south wall. The windows show that they were at one time blocked by iron bars and at least one was hung with shutters. It is not certain how the inhabitants of the bastle gained access to the upper storey doorway as there are no remains of an external staircase and given the unusual situation of the doorway, the existence of one would have blocked entry to the byre entrance. It is thought that traces of beam slots in the upper walls of the first floor suggest that there may have been an attic floor above.
Surrounding the bastle there are the slight remains of attached enclosures and smaller buildings visible as low stony walls and ditches; these features are represented on the earliest Ordnance Survey map in 1860 as a second building of similar proportions to the bastle and small enclosures and paddocks.
Low Cleughs bastle survives well without any post-bastle modifications. The existence of a possible attic storey, its three first floor windows and its larger than usual size suggest that this is a 'superior' type of bastle occupied by a resident of higher status than usual. (9)
The bastle is in an advanced state of collapse. Plans being prepared in 1993 to consolidate it as a picturesque but stable ruin, and the work to be completed in 1994. Prior to this the structure was recorded by students from Newcastle University. (10)
Consolidation works took place at the bastle in 1997. Excavation of fallen debris inside the bastle was watched by The Archaeological Practice. The inner face of the walls was rebuilt and the south west corner. The whole structure was repointed. (11)
A documentary study of the bastle concluded that available evidence suggests the present bastle is early 17th century in date, it being documented in 1604; no evidence was found for earlier settlement on the site but it should not be discounted. The associated enclosures are undated but assumed to be contemporary. Other structures on the site are attested by documentary evidence, one of which is likely to have succeeded the bastle as a dwelling. The site was occupied until the mid-19th century.
The Tithe Map (1839) shows two principal buildings, one the bastle, each associated with an enclosure. The buildings are visually differentiated perhaps in relation to their state of repair. It is suggested that the second building may represent a structure built on the foundations of a former bastle. (12)
A ruined bastle, 600 yards NNE of Low Leam Farm. Listed Grade II. (13)
Listed by Cathcart King and by Dodds. (14a,b)
General association with HER 7945 (Highcleughs), HER 34002 (longhouse). (14)
N7944
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1970; D Smith
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY, Low Cleughs Bastle 1991; P Ryder
WATCHING BRIEF, Low Cleughs Bastle Conservation Project 1997; THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICE
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Low Cleughs Bastle DBA 1998; THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICE
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY, Low Cleughs Bastle 1991; P Ryder
WATCHING BRIEF, Low Cleughs Bastle Conservation Project 1997; THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICE
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Low Cleughs Bastle DBA 1998; THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICE
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