The earliest reference to Rowley is probably in 1296 when it is referred to as a manor and four people were assessed for taxes there. Another document, made in 1379, records a Robert Ogle who owned some land there and also the presence of a tithe barn and a garden. However, there may never actually have been a village there and, whatever settlement there was, did not survive beyond medieval times. Now the place name is only used for the Rowley Burn.