Great Tosson Tower. Photo Northumberland County Council, 1973.

[NU 02930052] Tower (in ruins). (1)

Tower at Great Tosson. (2)

Great Tosson: a small village south of the River Coquet, in which are the remains of an old pile. (3)

Described in the 1541 Survey as a tower of the Lord Ogle, and not in good repair. [Not mentioned in the 1415 Survey pp13-19]. The Ogles obtained lands at Tosson in about 1330, but the tower is probably of later construction. It measures about 25 feet east-west, 18 feet north-south. There has been a slit at the west end of the vault. Very near the south-east corner there remain portions of the jamb and springing of the inner arch of the doorway. Some traces of the stair are left in the north-east angle; and above these a square-headed door and flat roofed passage is seen from the outside. (4)

In 1517 William Ogle gave Tosson Tower to Lord Ogle in exchange for Cocklaw Tower. The vault still remains, but the arch of it much broken. The masonry is good, the walls 8 feet thick; doorway to the south-east. The Simonside hills rise to the south, to the north-east it overlooks the valley. (5)

All that remains is a portion of the massive walls to a height of 30 or 40 feet, being 9 feet thick at the base.It has been a border pele of the ordinary type, with probably a barmkin. It stands on a slight emninence on the brink of a spring of water. The tower was probably built about the end of the 15th century or beginning of the 16th century. (6)

Description correct as in authorities (4),(5) and (6). Except for parts of the east and north walls the facing stones have been robbed leaving the rubble core. The vault has collapsed but the springing is still visible. The south east angle of the building has also fallen but the door jamb referred to by authority (4) still remains. No trace remains of the barmkin mentioned by authority (6). The tower is in fair condition although wind-sown saplings are growing from the top of the
walls. (7)

Condition unchanged. (8)

Tosson Tower. Grade II*. The remains of a C14 pele tower built with remarkable good mortar as shown by its standing after all its lower facing ashlar has been removed.42 ft x 36 ft, walls 9 ft thick. (9)

Tosson Tower Grade II*. Ruined towerhouse, 14th century. All four walls stand to 20ft except for the south-east corner which has fallen. Many facing stones removed in 18th century. Later ground floor doorway on south side. Ground floor window on west side has splayed inner reveals. Interior: springing of ground-floor vault is visible. Mural chamber on first floor with well-dressed stone. Roofless. (10)

Ruins of rectangular building c.12.2m x 10m. Walls c.1.9m thick, with facing of squared and coursed stone only surviving at first floor level. Basement has traces of entrance lobby at east end south wall, remains of loops in both east and west end, and springing of barrel vault. At first floor level remains of fireplace and guarderobe at north east corner. Maintenance and some consolidation required. (11)(12)

NU 0293 0051. Great Tosson tower house. Scheduled RSM No 20877. The apparently free-standing tower house, probably of late 15th century construction, survives to first floor level, a height of 7m. (13)

Built of squared facing stones; rubble core; roofless. All four walls stand to about 20 feet, except for the south-east corner which has fallen. Many of the facing stones were removed in the 18th century when an attempt was made to destroy the tower. There are fragments of a door and a window visible, and the springing of the ground floor vault remain. On the first-floor there is a mural chamber built in well-dressed stone. (14)

Listed by Cathcart King and Dodds. (15a-b)