Whitlow III bastle (Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh)
Whitlow III farmbuilding, Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh. Photo by Peter Ryder.
Solitary bastle, 10.9m long x 6.4m wide. End wall 1.2m thick. Byre door in gable wall. (1)
Whitlow Tower or Castle, ruins noted by John Warburton in c.1715. (Possibly NY 64 NE 10 or 11?). (2)
Farmbuilding 120m west-north-west of Whitlow Farmhouse, grade II listed building. Bastle house now an agricultural store and byre. Late 16th or early 17th century, altered in late 17th century. (3)
Whitlow III is a derelict range of farmbuildings overlooking the ruins of Whitlow II (NY 64 NE 11), and made up of a bastle 10.8m by 6.4m externally, with a second bastle period building 7.4m long built on to its south end (bastle II), a small outshut on the west and a 19th century barn built onto its north end.
The bastle has a west wall 0.9m thick and end walls of a little over 1m; the east wall, only 0.6m thick, appears to have been entirely rebuilt in the 19th century. The original byre doorway is set in the centre of the south end and has a monolithic lintel cut into a shallow segmental arch. There is a small blocked slit in the centre of the north end (now visible inside the added barn); at first floor level there is an old loop (blocked) in the north end, and a small chamfered window near the south end of the west wall; this has a low rectangular cavity above the internal lintel. The present east wall is of two broad bays, with a central doorway; the ground floor windows reuse the lintels of two-light mullioned windows, and the northern first floor window the sill of a similar opening.
Internally there is a fireplace of late 17th century or early 18th century character, with a simple moulded surround, at the south end of the ground floor, and another of rather later character, with a corbelled out lintel on the north. Towards the south end of the west wall is a shallow recess with a wall cupboard at its rear, and on the north the stub of a removed cross wall; north again is a blocked doorway into the outshut, only the lower courses of which survive. The roof structure is of four irregular bays, with bolted collar beam trusses.
Little survives of the phase II bastle, except for the section of its west wall adjacent to the earlier building. This has a plain square headed doorway. There has been an opposed doorway of similar type in the east wall, of which only the lower part of the south jamb survives; here a field wall has been built on the old foundations; traces of footings mark the south end of the building.
There are also traces of another structure on the east of, and running parallel to, the phase II bastle. Rubble and footings mark its south end and the southern part of its east walls; footings appear to continue north alongside the phase I bastle, and disappear beneath a later garden.
The upper part of the south gable end of the phase I bastle has collapsed within the last ten years and the surviving piece of phase II walling is now leaning outwards. (4)
Whitlow III is a pair of bastle buildings, with a small outshut and barn additions. The bastle is 10.8m by 6.4m internally, with a second bastle added to this of 7.4m. The original bastle is of two bays, with a central doorway, with flagstone lintels and windows. Recent collapse of the southern gable end is noted, though there is survival of some internal features. Alterations are noted with the outshut. The adjoining barn is noted of roughly-squared stone, with some greatures noted - albeit in some cases blocked - and also in the bastle tradition. Internal features of the house of the 18th century survive.
Albeit in a poor condition, and having recently suffered deterioration, Whitlow III is a good example of the Alston Moor farmhouse deriving from a bastle. The addition of a second bastle is noted here, as well as elsewhere, and later this was remodelled in the later 17th or early 18th century. 19th and 20th century alterations are noted. Collapses of the Listed Building can be shown to have occurred between Listing in the 1980s and the present survey, in 1994 and 1995. None of the architectural features have been lost, except a 19th century window, through the collapse affected the fabric. (5)
Whitlow bastle was built in about 1600 and may have replaced an older building as there are early foundations a little to the south-east running beneath the present garden wall. Another thick-walled building was added to the south end, but this was not a true bastle despite having thick walls. It is unclear when the bastle was converted into a dwelling with conventional ground floor accommodation. Initially it was thought this occurred around 1700, but further study suggests the ground floor fireplace is re-used and was probably brought down from the first floor in the early 19th century when lead mining brought relative prosperity to the area and the house was modernised. The thick front wall was taken down and rebuilt with new sash windows, and the barn at the north end of the house might have been added at this time. Around 1900, with the decline of the lead industry, the bastle was converted into a byre, which gradually fell into disrepair. In 2007 a scheme of conservation and repair has been undertaken to consolidate the remains. (6)
In 2010 the floor level inside the 19th century barn was lowered. This exposed exposed a line of stone slabs running north-south across the building, possibly the edge of a platform for animal stalls and contemporary with the barn. (7)
Bastle house, now agricultural store and byre. Late C16 or early C17, altered late C17. Rubble, stone dressings, stone slate roof. 2 storeys, 2 wide bays.Central doorway flanked by former 2-light mullioned windows, altered but retaining original heads. Smaller windows above now blocked, that to right retaining sill of 2-light mullioned window. Left return shows original byre entrance with massive jambs and slightly cambered lintel. Rear elevation has
small chamfered lst-floor window with holes for iron bars, to right ruined wall of second bastle-type structure with square-headed doorway. Interior has late C17 fireplace with roll-moulded surround. Later byre to right with 3 slit vents and pitching door, included for group value. Listed Grade II. (8a)
Dodds notes a ruined bastle in a field to the west of Whitlow Farm,remaining to only 5 courses high with a door pillar, the rest being a heap of rubble. The LBS reference was made in 1985, and Dodds work was published in 1988. It is uncertain whether these are the same, or different, bastles. (8b-c)
Additional reference. (9)
Whitlow Tower or Castle, ruins noted by John Warburton in c.1715. (Possibly NY 64 NE 10 or 11?). (2)
Farmbuilding 120m west-north-west of Whitlow Farmhouse, grade II listed building. Bastle house now an agricultural store and byre. Late 16th or early 17th century, altered in late 17th century. (3)
Whitlow III is a derelict range of farmbuildings overlooking the ruins of Whitlow II (NY 64 NE 11), and made up of a bastle 10.8m by 6.4m externally, with a second bastle period building 7.4m long built on to its south end (bastle II), a small outshut on the west and a 19th century barn built onto its north end.
The bastle has a west wall 0.9m thick and end walls of a little over 1m; the east wall, only 0.6m thick, appears to have been entirely rebuilt in the 19th century. The original byre doorway is set in the centre of the south end and has a monolithic lintel cut into a shallow segmental arch. There is a small blocked slit in the centre of the north end (now visible inside the added barn); at first floor level there is an old loop (blocked) in the north end, and a small chamfered window near the south end of the west wall; this has a low rectangular cavity above the internal lintel. The present east wall is of two broad bays, with a central doorway; the ground floor windows reuse the lintels of two-light mullioned windows, and the northern first floor window the sill of a similar opening.
Internally there is a fireplace of late 17th century or early 18th century character, with a simple moulded surround, at the south end of the ground floor, and another of rather later character, with a corbelled out lintel on the north. Towards the south end of the west wall is a shallow recess with a wall cupboard at its rear, and on the north the stub of a removed cross wall; north again is a blocked doorway into the outshut, only the lower courses of which survive. The roof structure is of four irregular bays, with bolted collar beam trusses.
Little survives of the phase II bastle, except for the section of its west wall adjacent to the earlier building. This has a plain square headed doorway. There has been an opposed doorway of similar type in the east wall, of which only the lower part of the south jamb survives; here a field wall has been built on the old foundations; traces of footings mark the south end of the building.
There are also traces of another structure on the east of, and running parallel to, the phase II bastle. Rubble and footings mark its south end and the southern part of its east walls; footings appear to continue north alongside the phase I bastle, and disappear beneath a later garden.
The upper part of the south gable end of the phase I bastle has collapsed within the last ten years and the surviving piece of phase II walling is now leaning outwards. (4)
Whitlow III is a pair of bastle buildings, with a small outshut and barn additions. The bastle is 10.8m by 6.4m internally, with a second bastle added to this of 7.4m. The original bastle is of two bays, with a central doorway, with flagstone lintels and windows. Recent collapse of the southern gable end is noted, though there is survival of some internal features. Alterations are noted with the outshut. The adjoining barn is noted of roughly-squared stone, with some greatures noted - albeit in some cases blocked - and also in the bastle tradition. Internal features of the house of the 18th century survive.
Albeit in a poor condition, and having recently suffered deterioration, Whitlow III is a good example of the Alston Moor farmhouse deriving from a bastle. The addition of a second bastle is noted here, as well as elsewhere, and later this was remodelled in the later 17th or early 18th century. 19th and 20th century alterations are noted. Collapses of the Listed Building can be shown to have occurred between Listing in the 1980s and the present survey, in 1994 and 1995. None of the architectural features have been lost, except a 19th century window, through the collapse affected the fabric. (5)
Whitlow bastle was built in about 1600 and may have replaced an older building as there are early foundations a little to the south-east running beneath the present garden wall. Another thick-walled building was added to the south end, but this was not a true bastle despite having thick walls. It is unclear when the bastle was converted into a dwelling with conventional ground floor accommodation. Initially it was thought this occurred around 1700, but further study suggests the ground floor fireplace is re-used and was probably brought down from the first floor in the early 19th century when lead mining brought relative prosperity to the area and the house was modernised. The thick front wall was taken down and rebuilt with new sash windows, and the barn at the north end of the house might have been added at this time. Around 1900, with the decline of the lead industry, the bastle was converted into a byre, which gradually fell into disrepair. In 2007 a scheme of conservation and repair has been undertaken to consolidate the remains. (6)
In 2010 the floor level inside the 19th century barn was lowered. This exposed exposed a line of stone slabs running north-south across the building, possibly the edge of a platform for animal stalls and contemporary with the barn. (7)
Bastle house, now agricultural store and byre. Late C16 or early C17, altered late C17. Rubble, stone dressings, stone slate roof. 2 storeys, 2 wide bays.Central doorway flanked by former 2-light mullioned windows, altered but retaining original heads. Smaller windows above now blocked, that to right retaining sill of 2-light mullioned window. Left return shows original byre entrance with massive jambs and slightly cambered lintel. Rear elevation has
small chamfered lst-floor window with holes for iron bars, to right ruined wall of second bastle-type structure with square-headed doorway. Interior has late C17 fireplace with roll-moulded surround. Later byre to right with 3 slit vents and pitching door, included for group value. Listed Grade II. (8a)
Dodds notes a ruined bastle in a field to the west of Whitlow Farm,remaining to only 5 courses high with a door pillar, the rest being a heap of rubble. The LBS reference was made in 1985, and Dodds work was published in 1988. It is uncertain whether these are the same, or different, bastles. (8b-c)
Additional reference. (9)
N5943
Post Medieval (1540 to 1901)
20th Century (1901 to 2000)
20th Century (1901 to 2000)
THEMATIC SURVEY, Towers and Bastles in Northumberland 1995; P RYDER
BUILDING SURVEY, Two Former Houses at Whitlow 2006; P Ryder
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY, Whitlow III (Whitlow Farmhouse) 2007; P Ryder
WATCHING BRIEF, Whitlow Bastle (Whitlow III) 2010; Alan Williams Archaeology
DESCRIPTIVE BUILDINGS RECORD (LEVEL 2), Whitlow III ; Vindomora Solutions
BUILDING SURVEY, Two Former Houses at Whitlow 2006; P Ryder
ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY, Whitlow III (Whitlow Farmhouse) 2007; P Ryder
WATCHING BRIEF, Whitlow Bastle (Whitlow III) 2010; Alan Williams Archaeology
DESCRIPTIVE BUILDINGS RECORD (LEVEL 2), Whitlow III ; Vindomora Solutions
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