Old Rectory, Shilbottle. Photo by Peter Ryder.

Peel. (1)

The peel is part of present farm and buildings and is very good. (2)

Tower in records or lists before 1550 (including Fortalices, Peles, Bastles, fortified and moated manors). (3)

The Tower of Schilbotyl occurs in the list of fortalices existing in 1415. It has for a long time formed part of the vicarage - a portion of the medieval tower is incorporated in its south east angle. This fragment is only 21ft 9ins by 17ft 4ins on plan and is c.20ft high. Consists of a vaulted chamber 15ft 4ins by 10ft 2ins entered on west by a four centred arch. The walls have a batter on all sides. The modern portions of the house so effectively enclose the tower that it is not possible to say whether it stood alone or formed part of a larger structure. (4)

The Pele was restored in 1863 by the Rev Roberts and is part of Shilbottle Vicarage. The lower vault is used as a junk room and the upper as a bedroom. The modern part of the Vicarage has been built in a similar type of architecture to blend with the tower. The Pele is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. (5)

[NU 19550870] Architectural description in T3 correct. Shilbottle Pele is composed of dressed stone and measures 6.8m long on the east side by 5.4m on the south side and is approx 10m high and forms the south east corner of Shilbottle Vicarage - it is not part of a farm and buildings as stated in T2. The east wall contains a trefoil arched window of two lights and a square-headed window, the south wall contains two trefoil arched windows of two lights and also a square-headed window. The modern parts of Shilbottle Vicarage abut the Pele on its west and
north sides. In the south west corner is a newel stairway leading to the flat leaded roof which is embattled on all sides. An inscribed tablet has been set in on the exterior of the east wall and records a restoration of 1863 - it is only read with difficulty. (6)

Condition unchanged. (7)

Not listed as a scheduled ancient monument in the County List, 31st December 1987. (8)

Shilbottle Tower or Castle. Much restored; upper part is a reconstruction. May be part of a larger structure, but cannot check because of modern house. (9)

The Old Vicarage, until recently called 'Pele house', consists of a two storeyed three-bay block with a small three storeyed tower at its east end, extensions to the rear and a single storeyed section at its west end. The house was altered considerably in the 19th century, the north wing being built in 1851 (apparently incorporating an older building said to have been a tithe barn) and the house was restored and gothicised in 1863 by Alnwick architect F R Wilson. There were further alterations in 1969 when the west wing was reduced in height.
The tower itself measures only 7m by 5.2m externally, over walls of sandstone ashlar c.1m thick. The only old features visible externally are perhaps the basement loop on the south (probably an original feature but restored) and traces of a possible first floor window above. The two-light Gothic windows on the south and east of the first floor are 19th century work, as is all the masonry of the south and east walls at second floor level, along with the corbelled out turret at the south west corner and the embattled parapet. On the north and west older masonry appears to extend up to just below the parapet. On the east, below the first floor window, is an inscribed panel commemorating the 1863 restoration, partly in Latin.
The basement of the tower has a barrel vault (plastered over) of two-centred arched section. The present doorway, at the south end of the west wall, has a four-centred arch, but this may well be 19th century work. At the north end of the basement is a small square-headed loop, now opening into the modern sitting room in the north wing; there are small wall cupboards in each end wall. A larger cupboard recessed into the (formerly) external face of the west wall of the tower, at its north end, may be a modification of some older feature (stair or garderobe chute?) but the present owners described a large cavity sloping upwards from south to north, encountered in the thickness of the same wall when a fireplace was altered; this sounds like a mural stair rising northwards from the entrance lobby.
The south wall of the main block of the house is of large squared stone, quite similar in character to the masonry of the tower. The present 1863 porch on the eastern bay replaces an earlier entrance. The weathering of the older porch roof can be seen and the lintel of the doorway (now a window) bears traces of a possible inscription. The rear wall of this part of the house (now internal) is c.0.8m thick and has the same slight external batter as characterises the walls of the tower. The western part of the house was reduced in height c.1969; prior to this it had a cross gable, as if it originally formed a wing.
Several questions remains. The tower is rather small to have formed a dwelling in its own right and seems likely to have formed part of a larger building, presumably a solar to a hall block on the site of the present main block. It seems likely that some of the fabric of this hall block survives, but the extent of this survival is unclear. (10)

9/226. Peel House, with outbuilding (formerly listed as Vicarage). Tower probably 15th century, heightened in 1863. Main part of house and outbuildings are 18th century remodelling of possible medieval fabric. F R Wilson extended the house in 1863 for Rev J B Roberts. Altered about 1970. (11)

Listed by Cathcart King and by Dodds. (12a-b)