STRONGHOLDS OF

THE BORDER REIVERS . .

Fortificafons of the Anglo-Scottish Border 1296-1603
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
KEITH DURHAM lives in Northumberland and is the author of
Men-at-Arms 279: The Border Reivers and New Vanguard 47: Viking Longship.
He is also a skilled and respected sculptor of historical miniatures and has
produced master figures for a number of companies including Paste Militaire.

GRAHAM TURNER is a leading historical artist, specializing in the medieval

period. He has illustrated numerous titles for Osprey, covering a wide variety
of subjects from the dress of the 10th-century armies of the Caliphates,
through the action of bloody medieval battles, to the daily life of the British
Redcoat of the late 18th century. The son of the illustrator Michael Turner,
Graham lives and works in Buckinghamshire, UK.
FORTRESS • 70

STRONGHOLDS OF
THE BORDER REIVERS
Fortifications of the Anglo-Scottish Border 1296-1603

KEITH DURHAM ILLUSTRATED BY GRAHAM TURNER

Series editors Marcus Cowper and Nikolai Bogdanovic
First published in 2008 by Osprey Publishing DEDICATION
Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford OX2 OPH, UK
This book is dedicated to the memory of Angus McBride, 1931-2007.
443 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016, USA
E-mail: [email protected]

© 2008 Osprey Publishing Limited ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank the following for their courtesy and assistance: Peter Ryder,
All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private
Chris Gravett, Historic Hexham Trust, Ruth Scott, Watson Warren, Steve
study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright,
Laws, Pete Armstrong and at Historic Scotland, Paul Whitfield, John Gordon
Designs and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this publication may be
and Gillian Urqhuart.
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any means, electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission
of the copyright owner. Enquiries should be addressed to the Publishers. ARTIST'S NOTE
Readers may care to note that the original paintings from which the
ISBN 978 1 84603 197 7
colour plates in this book were prepared are available for private sale.
Editorial by Ilios Publishing, Oxford, UK (www.iliospublishing.com) All reproduction copyright whatsoever is retained by the Publishers.
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4

CHRONOLOGY 8

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 9

Norham Castle • Dunstanburgh Castle • Aydon Castle

BORDER FORTIFICATIONS 17
The pele • The tower house. The bastle • Stronghouses • Defensible churches

PRINCIPLES OF DEFENCE 39
Hermitage Castle, 'The Strength of Liddesdale' • Barmkins and beacons
Siege of Cessford Castle, 1523

TOUR OF A TOWER HOUSE - SMAILHOLM 44

EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE TOWER HOUSE 51

BORDER STRONGHOLDS AT WAR 52
The effects of raiding • The 'Rough Wooing', 1544-49
Assault on Wark Castle by the Duke of Albany, 1523

THE FATE OF THE CASTLES, TOWER HOUSES,

BASTLES AND DEFENSIBLE CHURCHES 59

VISITING THE SITES TODAY 60

GLOSSARY 62

BIBLIOGRAPHY 63

INDEX 64
STRONGHOLDS OF THE
BORDER REIVERS

INTRODUCTION
Compleyenes [complainants] Bartrame Mylburne of the Keyme, Gynkne Hunter
of the Waterhead in Tyndale, upon William Armstrong of Kinmowthe, Ecky
Armestronge of the Gyngles, Thome Armstrong of the Gyngles, Thomas
Armestonge called Androwes Thome, of the Gyngles, Johne Forster sone to
Meikle Rowie of Genehawghe, George Amestronge, called Renyens Geordie,
and his sons of Arcleton in Ewesdale, and there complices, for that thay and
others to the number of thre hundrethe parsons in warlike maner ranne one
opyn forrowe in the daye tyme, on Fridaie in the mornynge last, being xxxth of
August, in Tyndale unto certen places that is to say the Keyme, the Reidhewghe,
the Black Myddynes, the Hillhowse, the Waterhead, the Starr head, the Bog
head, the High feelde, and ther raysed fyer and brunte [burnt] the most pairte
of them, and maisterfullie refte [robbed], stale and drove awaye fowre hundrethe
kyen [cows] and oxen, fowre hundrethe sheip, and goate, xxx horses and mears
[mares], and spoyle and insight of the howses to the walewe of towe hundrethe
pounds, and slewe and murdered crewellie six parsons, and maimed and hurte
ellevin parsons, and tooke away xxx presoners, and them do deteigne and keip
in warlyke maner, myndinge to ransom them contrarie the vertewe of trewes
[truces] and lawes of the Marches. Wherof they aske redress.

In the year 1583, this catalogue of woes arrived on the desk of Sir Francis
Walsingham, Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth I. It came from Lord Scrope,
Warden of the English West March, and was a further reminder of the 'broken
state' of England's northern frontier. This 'compleynt' and claim for redress
against the Armstrongs was yet another example of a seemingly endless stream
of similar 'reiffis' (robberies), 'murtheris' (murders), 'birnyngs' and 'spoylings'
that emanated from the Border. To Walsingham, sitting at the hub of
government and deeply immersed in affairs of state, such barbaric behaviour
must have seemed outlandish indeed. But to the likes of Gynkne (Jenkin)
Hunter and Bartrame (Barty) Milburn, left impoverished and bereft, it was the
grim reality of daily life on the Border Marches. Even their crudely built,
defensible homes, referred to in contemporary documents as 'bastell-houses',
were a direct result of a continuing legacy of three centuries of warfare,
violence, lawlessness and systematic devastation that had left the Anglo-Scottish
Border country in a pitiful state.
During the second half of the 13th century peace and prosperity reigned
across the Borderland. Sharing a rugged landscape and a similar culture,

4
 Border Reivers, 1585. Coming
from all levels of society and
often riding with the 'wynk'
of approval from the officials
who had been appointed to
suppress them, the great riding
families plundered across the
six Border Marches. Amongst
them were the Armstrongs,
Burnses, Scotts, Robsons,
Elliots, Halls, Bells, Charltons,
Forsters, Nixons, Maxwells,
Johnstones and the ubiquitous
Grahams, They were cursed as
'ever ryding' and as reiving
reached its zenith in the
mid to late 16th century,
they 'shook loose the Border'.
(Illustration: Angus McBride,
author's collection)

Border folk of both kingdoms had much in common and lived together in
relative harmony. Border towns flourished, merchants and landowners
prospered and farmers were able to enjoy the fruits of their labour. On a
national level, however, each nation remained wary of the other's territorial
ambitions and during this period of calm, the English in particular had taken
the opportunity to strengthen their Border holds at Norham, Alnwick, Wark
and Carlisle, as well as establishing efficient lines of communication along
their northern frontier. When Scotland's king, Alexander III, was killed in a
riding accident in 1286, he died heirless and in the absence of an obvious
adult successor to the Scottish throne, the English monarch, Edward I,
in furtherance of his plans for the total domination of Scotland, used his

5
The Border marches

/
SCOTTISH i

t
Berwick-upon-Tweed
EAST MARCH
NORTH
eGreenlaw
SEA

A
_/ "
")
,'r __
/
/

'"
""\
"

o 0
Q ,po

•- . - National Boundary
- - - March Boundary
~'" Debatable Land
10 miles
I
I
20km

influence to install John Balliol on the Scottish throne in 1292. Unfortunate

and weak minded, Balliol was forced to recognize Edward as his feudal
overlord and by a process of intimidation and humiliation, the English
monarch proceeded to rule Scotland by proxy. In time, Edward's behaviour
became so overbearing that Balliol, albeit under pressure from his council,
eventually rebelled against him. In an act of defiance, the Scots negotiated a
mutual defence agreement - which became know as the 'Auld Alliance' -
with Edward's traditional enemy, France, and proceeded to lay siege to the
English fortress at Carlisle. In a fury, Edward retaliated by launching a series
of devastating invasions across the Border. In 1296, Berwick was stormed
and in an act of sheer brutality the town's entire male population was put to
the sword, earning Edward the epithet 'Hammer of the Scots'.
Recoiling from the initial impact, the Scots soon retaliated with equal
ferocity and in 1297, under William Wallace, defeated the English at Stirling
Bridge. As one outrage followed another, the two kingdoms became engulfed
in a war of attrition that was destined to last for 300 years. The Borderland
became their battleground and as the scavenging armies of both nations
invaded and retreated across the 'line', towns and villages were put to the torch,
their inhabitants' slaughtered, crops were looted or burnt and vast areas of
arable land were reduced to impoverished wastelands. Wallace was later
defeated at Falkirk in 1298, but in 1314 English ambitions for the subjugation
of Scotland were dealt a crippling blow by Robert the Bruce, who gathered

6
the Scottish nobles to his cause and crushed the army of Edward II at
Bannockburn. Bruce wrested Berwick from English hands in 1318 and his
victorious Scottish armies plundered England's northern shires unopposed,
exacting tribute and blackmail from the terrified population. After Bruce's
death, Edward III defeated the Scots at Halidon Hill and Berwick was
recaptured in 1333. Fifty years later the Scots were victorious at Otterburn
and, in 1402, the English had their revenge at Homildon Hill. Although
Berwick passed briefly into Scottish hands in 1461, it was retaken and finally
ceded to the English in 1482. Both nations continued to mount sporadic
raids and armed incursions that bedevilled the Border country and, in 1513,
James IV of Scotland led a large-scale invasion into Northumberland, which
culminated in a devastating defeat at Flodden Field, his own death and the loss
of a significant proportion of Scotland's nobility. It was, without doubt, the
worst military defeat in Scotland's history.
For the Borderland, worse was to come when 30 years later, Henry VIII
attempted to contrive the marriage of the English Prince Edward to the infant
Mary, Queen of Scots. Having failed to woo the Scots with a mixture of
threats and diplomacy, the bellicose monarch attempted to force the union by
means of a devastating show of military force and from 1544 to 1549, in a
period that became known as the 'Rough Wooing', English armies supported
by foreign mercenaries brought 'fyre and sword' to the Scottish Lowlands.
In this constant war of attrition, both governments encouraged their
Borderers to harass their embattled neighbours across the line by way of
incessant raiding and, even in periods of comparative peace between the two
kingdoms, violence along the Borderline continued unabated. Inevitably, such
appalling conditions bred a ruthless and resourceful society who had, by the
beginning of the 16th century, become 'maisterful theeves' and rustlers, skilled
in the arts of skirmish, raiding, ambush and extortion - they added the word
'blackmail' to the English language. (It was also recognized that they were by
far the finest light horsemen of their day and in times of national conflict,
both governments were quick to conscript Border horsemen into their armed
forces as scouts or 'prickers'.)
Caught up in this vicious cycle of warfare, raiding and reprisal, survival
became the most important element in the Borderer's uncertain life. Due to the
ever-present threat of sudden violence descending upon him and his loved
ones, the Borderer's well being lay firmly amongst his own clan or 'grayne'
and his loyalty to his surname invariably overrode any national allegiance.
It should also be borne in mind that raiding was not confined solely to forays
into the opposite realm. Cross-border alliances were not uncommon and in
1525, it was noted that 'the Armstrangs of Liddersdaill and the theiffs of
Ewysdaill were joined with the rebels of Tyndaill ... and kepet all company
togedders'. When a suitable opportunity presented itself, formidable war
bands such as these were certainly not averse to plundering amongst their own
countrymen. As a consequence, even families who shared the same nationality
lived in constant suspicion of each other and fickle loyalties led to bitter rivalry,
which could suddenly escalate into open hostility and deadly feud.
In an attempt to impose some degree of law and order on what had become
an anarchic society, both kingdoms had agreed to divide their Border territories
into East, West and Middle Marches and appointed wardens and keepers to
govern and police them. Between the west marches of each kingdom, however,
was a narrow strip of territory known as the Debateable Land. Although both
kingdoms hotly contested ownership of this small piece of ground, neither of

7
 them was prepared to take responsibility for the crimes of the inhabitants and,
as a consequence, it became the haunt of some of the most nefarious reiving
bands and cutthroats in the Border country.
Amongst his many responsibilities, part of a warden's duty was to meet
with his opposite number on truce days and dispense cross-border justice
accordingly. Both governments acknowledged that the standard laws of the
land were quite inadequate when dealing with such a violent and unruly
populace and as a consequence the unique Border Laws, which specifically
governed behaviour across the Border Marches, supplemented those laws.
Legislation covered such criminal activities as aiding and abetting raids into
one's own country, illegal marriage to a person from the opposite realm and
the conditions that applied when engaged in the lawful pursuit of stolen
goods, known as the 'Hot Trod'.
By the beginning of the 16th century, raiding, or 'reiving', had become a
way of life and against this background it is hardly surprising that when these
people built their homes, the emphasis was firmly on security. Fortified
Hebburn Bastle, Glendale, buildings on both sides of the Border ranged from large, well-defended castles
Northumberland. This small
to stark, imposing tower houses, fortified manor houses and defensible
fortress is actually a strong house
from the 15th century and is a
farmhouses known as bastles, a class of building unique in the British Isles.
good example of the rather In addition, many churches were strengthened against attack and, in times of
haphazard designations that trouble, served as austere sanctuaries for their congregations.
were applied to many Border
strongholds. It stands about
2km from Chillingham Castle
and looks out towards the CHRONOLOGY
Cheviot Hills. In the 16th century,
Hebburn was able to house a Late 11th century First motte and bailey castles appear in the Borders.
garrison of 20 horsemen, whose Late 13th century Manor house is built at Aydon.
unenviable task it was to thwart
the nightly depredations of 1296 Edward I of England invades the Scottish Lowlands and plunges
Scottish marauders. both nations into 300 years of intermittent warfare.
14th century
1305 Manor house at Aydon is fortified.
1314 Robert the Bruce defeats the English at Bannockburn.
1316 Dunstanburgh Castle completed.
1300s Vicar's Pele built at Corbridge; Thirlwall Castle erected and
churches at Edlingham and Ancroft given defensible towers.
1332 Old Gaol completed at Hexham.
1360 Lord Dacre builds a fortified manor house at Hermitage in
Liddesdale.
1370 Neidpath Castle built by Sir William Hay.
1371 The Douglases strengthen Hermitage Castle.

15th century
1400 Four corner towers added to Hermitage Castle.
1450s Smailholm Tower built by the Pringles.
1450s Hebburn 'Bastle', or stronghouse, built.
1456 Orchardton Tower constructed on a circular plan by John Cairns.
1497 James IV lays siege to Norham Castle.

16th century
1513 James IV defeated by Earl of Surrey at Flodden Field.
1523 Attack on Cessford Castle by the Earl of Surrey; Duke of
Albany attacks the English castle at Wark-on-Tweed.
1544-49 The 'Rough Wooing'.
Mid-1500s Tower houses built at Hollows and Elsdon.
1560s Elizabethan fortifications constructed at Berwick.
1565 'Repentance' specifically built as a watchtower.
1581 Design of Greenknowe Tower marks shift in emphasis from
fortified to domestic architecture.
1584 Stronghouse built at Doddington.
1560-1602 Bastle houses built at Hole, Low Cleughs and Woodhouses.
1603 James VI of Scotland is crowned James I of England and begins
the pacification of the Borders.

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

In the wake of the Norman Conquest in 1066, along with some revolutionary
concepts of assault and defence, the invaders brought with them the feudal
system. In return for 40 days' military service each year, Norman kings
parcelled out extensive estates to loyal barons who in turn, and under the same
obligation, granted manors to their own favoured knights. As a consequence,
near the end of the 11th century, so-called motte and bailey castles began to
appear at strategic locations in and around the Border country.
To the Normans, still being a minority occupying force in what was
essentially hostile territory, these strongholds became powerful bases from which
they consolidated their authority. Each castle accommodated a garrison and by
using small but highly effective cavalry units, the Norman aristocracy were able
to dominate the surrounding countryside and control the local population.

9
Robert de Umfraville's As a rule, these castles were constructed from earth and timber. If possible,
11 th-century motte and bailey when choosing a site a natural feature in the landscape would be utilized, such
castle at Elsdon in Redesdale,
as a hill or spur that could be fashioned into the required shape. Initially, a
Northumberland, was
constructed by modifying large, steep-sided and level platform was created, which formed the bailey. This
a natural spur of land that area, often oval in shape and surrounded by a ditch, was then enclosed with an
overlooked the village and earthen rampart, which was defended by a wooden palisade and a heavily
the road that passed through it.
fortified gate tower. The bailey contained domestic buildings that would have
The impressive earthworks
comprise a ringwork over included a barrack room, stables, a kitchen, a blacksmith's shop and a chapel.
40m in diameter and an Access to the motte was by means of a long, sloping stairway, which
extensive bailey, both bridged the deep ditch separating it from the bailey. The summit of the motte
surrounded by deep ditches
was crowned with a palisade and inside this lofty enclosure rose a substantial,
and protected by substantial
ramparts. Note the 16th-century
timber-built tower that housed the lord and his family. If necessary, this
tower house standing at far left. building could also serve as a final refuge should the bailey be overrun.
An almost perfect example of this kind of earthwork can be seen at Elsdon
in Redesdale, Northumberland. It was in all probability constructed around the
end of the 11th century by Robert de Umfraville as a power base from which
he could defend his lordship of Redesdale. The castle's timber defences were
never replaced in stone and the site was eventually abandoned in favour of a
motte and bailey castle at Harbottle. Consequently, the earthworks at Elsdon
have remained remarkably undisturbed and even after 900 years of natural
erosion the site remains the finest example of its kind in Northumberland.
The great castles of Warkworth, Alnwick, Norham and Prudhoe were
associated with mottes and in the mid-12th century, when King David I of
Scotland invited Norman knights across the border and granted them lands
to be held in return for military assistance, mottes were built at Selkirk,
Peebles and Hawick, and a powerful ringwork and bailey was constructed in
the mid-13th century at Hermitage in Liddesdale.
In spite of their formidable earthworks these timber fortresses were still
dangerously susceptible to attack by fire or undermining and Norman overlords
soon began to surround their enclosures with walls of stone. The main gate to
the bailey was defended by a strong, stone-built tower and stone walls also began
to replace the wooden palisade surrounding the summit of the motte, creating
what became known as a shell keep. In time, the buildings contained within were
also remodelled in stone. The first stone-built keeps began to appear in the region
around the mid-12th century, one of the finest being erected at Norham on the
site of a motte and bailey originally built by Bishop Flambard of Durham.

10
Norham Castle
The northernmost outpost of the County Palatine of Durham, the fortress
was strategically situated on steep banks high above a bend in the Tweed and
guarded an important crossing point on the river. In 1136 and 1138, the
original stronghold of earth and timber was sacked twice by the Scots and,
on the instructions of Henry II, Bishop Hugh de Puiset rebuilt the castle in
stone between 1157 and 1160.
The new fortress was protected on its southern and western sides by broad,
steep ditches and on its eastern side by a deep ravine. To the north, steep banks
fell sharply to the Tweed below. Standing within the inner ward (formerly the
shell keep) the massive keep was initially three storeys high, and consisted of
two floors above a barrel-vaulted basement that was divided into three
chambers. Although the keep was heightened to five storeys in 1423, its original
pitched roofline is still clearly visible on the east wall. Built of pale red
sandstone with walls between 3.6 and 4.6m thick, the keep is typically Norman
in style and measures 25.6 by 18.3m. Even now its towering walls stand almost
27.4m high. Originally, access to the keep was gained via an external stone
staircase that led to a door at first-floor level in the north side, but in 1423,
a new spiral staircase built into the centre of the west wall replaced this
arrangement. Also contained in the inner ward was a well and outbuildings
that included a Great Hall and an adjoining Great Chamber. A strong wall, The keep, Norham Castle,
with its entrance guarded by a barbican and drawbridge, defended the inner Northumberland. Frequently
ward. In front of the wall was a broad ditch that could be flooded in times of threatened, attacked, besieged
and bombarded, Norham
peril by means of a cleverly contrived aqueduct.
Castle was destined to playa
Beyond these formidable defences was the outer ward (bailey), which was major role in four centuries of
enclosed by a curtain wall replete with towers, turrets and fortified gates on Border warfare. Still affording
its southern and western sides. In the 12th century a tower constructed over panoramic views across the
a strong, tunnel-vaulted passageway defended the West Gate, but sometime in Tweed and containing all the
classic elements of a Norman
the 14th century the gateway was sealed. Reopened in the early 15th century, castle, Norham retains its
the tower was enlarged and refortified with a portcullis, barbican and a tilting deserved reputation as the
bridge that was later replaced by a drawbridge. After sustaining serious 'Queen of Border Castles'.
damage from James IV's heavy artillery in
both 1497 and 1513, the castle's defences
underwent significant modifications. Along
the curtain walls, its D-shaped projecting
towers were remodelled to present a V-shape
to enemy ordnance and provision was made
to accommodate a number of cannon.
In the 1541 Survey of Border Strongholds
the castle of 'Norrham ... belonginge to
the byhoppe of Duresme [Durham]' was
described as being 'in very good state both in
reparacons & forteficac'ons well furnyshed
& stuffed with artillery munyc'ons and
other necessaries requysyte to the same'.
Ten years later, Sir Robert Bowes, Warden of
the English Middle March, reported to the
Warden General that the castle still stood:

Marvellously well for the defence and relief of

the country, as well from incourses of enemys
in time of war as from thefts and spoils in tyme

11
 of peace, for it standeth upon utter [extreme] frontier', and ... a garrison of
horsemen lying there, may be in the way of any enemies that shall pass [back]
into Scotland between Barwick and Wark.

Procuring funds to maintain the fabric of the castle would seem to have been
a constant struggle, and Bowes adds a warning note that, 'for want of
continual reparation [parts of the castle] are in much decaye'. However, in
spite of the penny-pinching government of Elizabeth I, the rugged old fortress
continued to serve as a refuge until the Union of the Crowns, when it finally
became redundant.
The outbreak of open warfare between England and Scotland that
followed Edward I's invasion of 1296 saw the emergence of a great many
castles, fortified houses and towers across the Borderland. A new trend in
castle design placed the emphasis on strengthening the gatehouse, which in
effect thrust the keep into the castle's front-line defences. This arrangement,
Carlisle Castle, Cumbria. which incorporated the feudal lord's living quarters above the hub of the
This formidable fortress was castle's defensive apparatus, also gave him the advantage of exercising direct
regarded as the key to the west
control over the main entrance to his fortress. In Northumberland, there are
door of England and served as
the residence of the Wardens
gatehouse-keeps at Tynemouth, Bothal and Bywell but the example par
of the English West March. excellence is Dunstanburgh Castle, built as a retreat by Thomas, Earl of
Forever at the forefront of Lancaster, who held the nearby barony of Embleton.
Anglo-Scottish warfare, the
castle's defences have been
much altered over the centuries.
Dunstanburgh Castle
In the mid-16th century, the With the exception of the king himself, Thomas of Lancaster was probably
castle was adapted for artillery, the wealthiest and most influential man in the realm. The powerful earl was
with the addition of a half-moon openly scornful of Edward II's relationship with the effete Piers Gaveston,
battery in front of the Captain's
Tower and an artillery parapet
whose influence over the King infuriated the barons. Not surprisingly, as
on the keep. In 1596, the Edward II's deficiencies as a monarch became increasingly apparent, it was
notorious reiver Kinmont Willie to Lancaster that the dissatisfied nobility rallied. Events came to a head when
Armstrong was broken out of the Earl's supporters had Gaveston arrested and judicially executed in 1312.
the castle by Sir Walter Scott,
the Bold Bucdeuch, much to the
A year later, in order to avert a civil war, Edward grudgingly pardoned
embarrassment of the resident Thomas of Lancaster and his followers, but he never forgave them for
Warden, Lord Scrope. Gaveston's death.
 The stronghold Thomas of Lancaster built is dramatically situated high
on a rocky coastal promontory and dominates the surrounding landscape.
Although it does not control any important road or river crossing, it is clear
that Dunstanburgh was built as an imposing symbol of Lancaster's power
and influence in the north of England. Using the finest of materials and
designed on the grandest scale, the castle's defences enclose a sprawling
site of 4.5 hectares (the largest in Northumberland), which to the north
terminates in a sheer cliff that plunges 30.5m to the sea below. To the east,
the promontory slopes down to a rocky shoreline and to the west, it falls
steeply away to marshy ground, making the only level approach to the castle
from the south.
Work on the castle started in 1313 and, following the English defeat at
Bannockburn, the Scots launched a series of large-scale raids into
Northumberland. The King had little option but to hand over control of his
forces in the northern shires to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and in 1316, the
Earl obtained a royal licence to crenellate at Dunstanburgh.
The magnificent gatehouse consisted of two massive, D-shaped towers
that guarded the castle's main entrance, which was positioned between them
and directly above the gate-passage, a central chamber contained apparatus
for operating the portcullis. The north-eastern and north-western corners
of the gatehouse were each capped with a tower and on either side of the
south-facing parapet the great, curving walls were raised an additional two
storeys in the form of D-shaped towers. From their inner sides a further pair
of narrow stair turrets soared skywards, terminating at a dizzying height of
24.4m. Used as watchtowers, or signalling platforms, these turrets afforded
unparalleled views in every direction. Deliberately designed to impress,
they were without doubt the crowning touch to Dunstanburgh's magnificent
gatehouse, the whole of which must have presented a truly daunting prospect
to visitors and would-be attackers alike.
From the gatehouse, the south curtain wall ran east towards the shoreline.
This section of the castle's defences was most likely to bear the brunt of any
assault and in addition to a moat the wall was defended by a turret and
two towers, all linked by an embattled wall walk. The Constable's Tower
contained comfortable living quarters as befitted the castle's senior officer,
and a smaller turret, being centrally placed, was designed to provide flanking
fire along the length of the south curtain wall, which terminated at the
Egyncleugh Tower. Perched high above a sea-filled ravine, this tower had a
gateway and barbican in its south-facing wall and from here, a drawbridge
spanning the moat allowed the castle's garrison access to a small harbour
that lay a short distance to the south.
The inlet where the harbour was situated extended to the north, where it
joined the great moat that lay beneath the west curtain wall. From here, the
moat stretched northwards to Embleton Bay, effectively cutting off the castle
site from the surrounding countryside.
High above the moat, the west curtain wall, which incorporated a
rectangular turret, ran south from the cliff face to the north, and joined the
principal gatehouse. Around 1323-25, the Lilburn Tower, a three-storey
rectangular tower replete with angle turrets, was built at the northern end of
the west curtain wall. A short distance to the north, a timber and earth
palisade ran down the steep incline to a gatehouse below. Overlooking the
moat and the bay beyond, this small tower stood guard over a track that
approached the castle from the north.

13
Completed around 1316, Due to the precipitous nature of the northern perimeter of the outer bailey,
Dustanburgh Castle is defences here were minimal. A low wall ran along the edge of the cliff and met
dramatically situated on
the east wall, which continued south along the shoreline to the Egyncleugh
a rugged headland on the
Northumbrian coast. Now an Tower. In times of trouble, villagers would have been accommodated in the
imposing ruin, its magnificent vast outer bailey along with their livestock and whatever belongings they
gatehouse and defensive could carry with them.
towers remain in unadulterated
In spite of the ever-present threat of invasion by the Scots, Thomas of
form and still convey a vivid
impression of prestige and
Lancaster continued to openly oppose Edward II and less than ten years after
military might, as doubtless work on Dunstanburgh had commenced the Earl was dead, executed by a
intended by its builder, vengeful King following his rebellion and subsequent defeat at Boroughbridge
Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. in 1322.
The Earl's estates were forfeited to the Crown and in 1368 the barony of
Embleton passed into the hands of John of Gaunt, third son of Edward III and,
by way of marriage, Duke of Lancaster and lord of Dunstanburgh. Dissatisfied
with the layout of the castle's defences, the Duke ordered a new gatehouse to be

DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE, 1385

The principle of the gatehouse-keep had one major disadvantage The new gatehouse consisted of a vaulted tower that was
in that it became the immediate focus of an attack and whilst in equipped with a portcullis, and immediately in front of it stood a
the thick of battle, must also serve as the residence of the defender barbican. Running south from the barbican and closely parallel with
and his family. As an experienced soldier, this weakness was the west curtain wall was a mantlet-waIl54.9m long. Guarding the
unacceptable to John of Gaunt and between 1380 and 1383 he southern end of this wall was a small tower equipped with a sloping
commissioned important changes to the castle's defences. drawbridge, for the land immediately in front of the castle dropped
Immediately behind the gatehouse an inner ward was created, away quite steeply, much more so than it does today. This cleverly
complete with six domestic residential buildings and a tower that contrived approach to the castle's entrance forced any aggressor
governed access from the outer ward. When this work was into a narrow killing field between the two walls. Here, he would be
completed around 1383, the main entrance between the D-shaped subjected to a hail of missiles from the great west tower, the west
towers was walled up and a substantial new gatehouse, which curtain wall and the barbican, before he could even attempt to
allowed access to the inner ward, was constructed near the south tackle the new gatehouse. From the west, a track leading from the
end of the west curtain wall. This arrangement effectively village of Embleton crossed the moat via a narrow causeway.
converted the old gatehouse into a keep, allowing it to serve as a Further access was controlled from a smalt fortified gatehouse,
self-contained residence for the lord of the castle and as a final which doubtless employed a drawbridge and was flanked by a stout
place of refuge if all other defences should fall. earth and timber palisade that followed the line of the moat.
Dunstanburgh Castle, 1385
 built in the west curtain wall and by blocking up the original entrance to the
castle, transformed the massive gatehouse into an imposing keep. In 1399,
Henry of Lancaster took the throne and Dunstanburgh's status changed to that
of a royal castle. During the Wars of the Roses, Dunstanburgh held out for the
Lancastrian cause and, in 1462, Yorkist forces laid siege to the castle. The
garrison was starved into submission and its commander, Sir Ralph Percy,
surrendered the castle on honourable terms to Edward IV. From that time
onwards, Dunstanburgh, being somewhat remote from the usual paths of
invasion, saw no further military action and, as a consequence, little was spent
on maintenance. In 1584, the report of the Commissioners of the Borders
deemed repairs unnecessary, as the castle was 'so farr distant from the sayd
border of Scotland' and in time, Dunstanburgh lapsed into a state of 'wonderful
great decay'.
As English control of the frontier deteriorated during the reign of Edward
II, some of the northern gentry, having built comfortable, lightly defended
residences for themselves, were forced to re-fortify them in the face of ever-
increasing raids from Scottish marauders. A perfect example of this kind of
development can be seen at Aydon Castle, an early fortified manor house in
the Tyne Valley, built near the end of the 13th century.

Aydon Castle
Situated about 3km from Corbridge, Aydon Castle stands high above the Cor
Burn, by which it is protected on three sides, particularly so at the rear of the
fortress where the manor house itself stands on the very edge of a bank that
falls steeply to the Burn below. The original manor house, which was largely
undefended, was built just before 1296 in a rare period of peace on the
Borders. Once hostilities commenced, however, the owner, Robert de Reymes,
obtained permission from Edward I to crenellate and fortify his home.
The manor house was a two-storey block, which was cruciform in plan
and consisted of a spacious, well-appointed hall and solar with an attached
wing that housed a kitchen. In 1305, the angle between the two blocks
was enclosed by an embattled wall, which created an inner courtyard. In the

II THIRLWALL CASTLE, 1450

Built in the early part of 14th century with dressed stones The 'castrum de thirwall' was a crucial link in a chain
plundered from nearby Hadrian's Wall, Thirwall Castle was of defences that gave warning of Scottish incursions and
strategically situated close to the Tyne-Irthing Gap, one of the would undoubtedly have been provisioned with a beacon.
main 'ingates' frequented by Scottish raiders. Built on an L-plan The watch was to be kept nightly 'by the inhabitants of
with immensely strong walls up to 2.7m thick, Thirlwall was a Thirlwall ... Robert Thirlwall and Robert Carrock [being]
small castle of the hall-house type and comprises a three-storey, setters, searchers and observers of this watch'. Even so, in
rectangular block with turrets at its north corners and a four-storey 1589/90 Richard Thirlwall was forced to lodge a complaint
projecting tower on its east side. The building has few windows, against 'Wille's Arche Elliot of Stychill Hill, Robine Elliot of
those that are in evidence being small and narrow. The entrance Bonhomes, his son Dande, and others who had stolen from
was at the north end of the east wall and was protected by a Thirwall six oxen, six kye, and six young two year old nowte
strong door and a yett. A newel stair gave access to the first floor [cattle]'. Not surprisingly, the men of Thirlwall, whilst
and from here, a straight mural stair in the north wall led to the defending the surrounding area from Scottish marauders,
second storey. The basement was dimly lit by narrow ventilation engaged in similar activities themselves and in 1550, along
slits and beneath the north-west tower was a dungeon. There was with some of their notorious neighbours in Tynedale, they
no vaulted basement, the timber floors within being carried on were accused of being 'much prone and inclined to theft,
setbacks and corbels. The hall would have been on the second especially a lordship ... called Thirlwall'. The castle was
floor with the solar at its south end and a room above on the third abandoned as a place of residence in the mid-17th century.
floor may have served as a chapel. In the south-east corner of the This illustration is based on a drawing by Peter Ryder.
wing, the second and third floors were equipped with garderobes.
II Thirlwall Castle, 1450

17
Aydon Castle, Tyne Valley,
Northumberland. This late
13th-century, fortified manor
house is without doubt the
finest of its kind in the Border
country. Robert de Reymes, a
Suffolk gentleman, acquired
Aydon in 1296 and at the
commencement of hostilities
with Scotland he obtained a
licence to crenellate and fortify
his property. Sadly, his new
defences proved woefully
inadequate, for in 1315,
the Scots stormed the
castle and burnt it; in 1317
it was taken again, this time
by English rebels. The cost
of the damage at Aydon left
Robert de Reymes a broken
and impoverished man.

mid-14th century, a curtain wall was built to enclose the exposed north side
of the site. The wall was defended by a substantial ditch and incorporated a
simple arched gateway, a D-shaped tower and a flanking square tower, the
whole forming a roughly pentagonal outer bailey. Within this area, another
wall linking the north end of the west block to the curtain wall, created an
additional courtyard. However impressive these new defensive measures
appeared to the de Reymes family, marauding Scots and English rebels were
undeterred and Aydon was ransacked on a number of occasions.

BORDER FORTIFICATIONS
Whilst the great castles, such as Bamburgh, Warkworth, Alnwick and
Dunstanburgh served as strategic power bases for the aristocracy of the north,
the primary role of the tower house was to provide secure living accommodation
for the Borderer, his family and within the confines of a barmkin wall, his
extended family and close retainers.
A broad range of tower houses began to appear, many of them being
situated within 30km of the Borderline. Their origins lay in crude timber and
turf strongholds that were usually enclosed by a palisade of wooden stakes,
or 'pales', from whence the term 'peles'.

The pele
In a survey carried out in 1541, it was noted that certain men of Tynedale
lived in 'peles' that were located within inaccessible areas cut by 'ravins' and
protected by fallen trees:

In which naturall strength and fortyficac'ons of such places almost inaccessible the
said Tynedalles do muche rejoice and imbolden themselves and when they be
affrayed do rether trust in the strength of suche places without their houses than
to the suertye or defence of their houses. And yet surely the heddesmen of them
have very stronge houses whereof for the most p'te the utter sydes or walles be
made greatt sware [square] oke trees strongly bounde and joyned together with
greatt tenons and the same so thycke mortressed that yt wylbe very harde

18
 t
~ Fortified church
SCOTTISH NORTH
.Pi Castle
II Tower
EAST MARCH SEA
... Bastle
... Stronghouse
~~ Debatable Land

10 miles
I
I
20km

Dunstanburgh CasUe
Craster

11II Cockle Park

n Tower

D
o !p D
o
Fou~:::~and II

(lCastle Drum~oltran I
DO~las Tower Corbrid \
(]
Vicar's Pele Bywell /
eDalbeatlie CasUe\ ....
/
)
r...... )
1..1 '--.. ..I
I - - Blanchland \ t'
.,/~ Abbey & Tower
I

SOLWAY
FIRTH
 withoute greatt force and laboure to breake or caste downe any of the said houses,
the tymber as well of the said walles as rooffes be so greatt and cov'ed matt parte
with turves and earthe that they wyll not easyly burne or be sett on fyere.

In a letter of 2 April 1528, Lord Dacre describes a 'strong pele of III Will
Armistraunges builded aftur sich a maner that it couth not be brynt ne
distroyed, unto it was cut downe with axes'. Although no tangible evidence of
these stout little 'peles' has survived, they do seem to bear a strong resemblance
to the pioneer cabins that proliferated across parts of North America in the
18th century and are in all probability what was being referred to when large
BELOW LEFT numbers of 'bastels', 'stronge houses' and 'peles' were 'taken' or 'pulled down'
Thirlwall Castle, Greenhead, in cross-border forays. Indeed at one point, Dacre specifically indented for 300
Northumberland. This small
castle, which is situated close to
sixpenny axes 'for wrecking', his purpose undoubtedly being the destruction of
Hadrian's Wall, stands on high this class of defensible building.
ground above the Tipalt Burn Even when these turf and timber dwellings and their palisades were gradually
and served as a secure family being replaced in stone, the evocative term 'pele', or 'peel', lingered on and was
stronghold and manorial seat
for the Thirlwalls, who were
still being used well into the 16th century to describe a variety of tower houses,
powerful members of the bastles and stronghouses. Not surprisingly, academics are somewhat irritated
northern aristocracy. Thirlwalls by this rather haphazard nomenclature, but it should perhaps be borne in mind
had fought at Falkirk and with that the men who actually observed and described these buildings at the time felt
the Black Prince in France.
the terms that they employed were appropriate enough.
and by 1384, John Thirlwall,
in addition to being lord
ofThirwall Castle, had been The tower house
appointed as lieutenant to As a rule, tower houses were sited for their owners' convenience and are
the Earl of Northumberland
rarely found in what could be perceived as strategic locations; in other words,
and warden of Carlisle Castle.
they were never built to deliberately stand as obstacles in the path of invading
armies. Although defensibility was obviously a prime consideration, the
BELOW RIGHT
In 1776, the historian William
relatively small size of these buildings meant that although they served to
Hutchinson, whilst on an keep the owner and his family safe from the small bands of fast-moving
expedition to Hadrian's Wall, marauders who 'rode with the moonlight', they could never withstand a
described Thirlwall Castle as determined assault by a large force and could not be expected to endure a
a 'horrid gloomy dungeon'.
His sketch clearly shows the
prolonged siege. They were, however, built to cope with the daily cut and
south-eastern tower and the thrust of life in the Border Marches.
two corner turrets on the north Because the remains of many tower houses in the Borders now stand
side still in a reasonable state alone, it is easy to forget that in their heyday, they were actually the nucleus
of preservation. Note the
structures attached to the
of a thriving community. Most sites have scant evidence of the outbuildings,
east and west walls and stables, storehouses and agricultural activity that sustained the owner, his
the farmyard to the north. immediate family, followers, servants and tenants.

20
 The Gatehouse, Willimoteswick,
near Beltingham, South Tyne
Valley, Northumberland. In
1541, 'Willymonteswyke' was
described as 'a good toure and
stone house joyninge thereto
... kepte in good rep'ac'ons'.
This fortified manor was home
to the Ridleys, who were
supervisors of the nightly
watch that guarded 'the ford
of Hautwessel' (Haltwhistle).
In the Border Ballad 'The Fray
of Hautwessel', the Ridleys
violently repelled a raid by a
war band of Armstrongs from
Liddesdale. In the ensuing fray,
'John Ridley thrust his spear
Right through Sim 0' the
Cathills wame [belly] ... Then
Alec Ridley let flee A c10thyard
shaft; it struck Wat Armstrong
in the ee' Went through his
steel cap, heid an a' ... it made
him quickly fa', He could na
The basic tower house was of a roughly rectangular shape and generally rise ... The best at thief-craft
comprised a barrel-vaulted basement, supporting three or four storeys, stacked or the ba' [football] He ne'er
one above the other. Although towers obviously varied somewhat in size, a again shall ride a raid'. A vivid
reminder of the power of the
good many of them measured around 9.1 by 12.2m, rising to 12.2-18.3m in
English longbow!
height over walls between 1.S-3m thick, making the tower house immensely
strong in relation to its relatively small size. The buildings in its immediate
vicinity were invariably enclosed by a protective barmkin wall, which may
have been equipped with a parapet walk and a small gatehouse to guard the
entrance, the whole arrangement combining in compact form the main benefits
of a keep and bailey. Within this enclosure would be a comfortable hall, which
provided additional accommodation, along with a kitchen, a storehouse for
food and, if space permitted, perhaps a brew-house. Beyond the barmkin would
have stood the more basic dwellings of lesser individuals and servants. Farming
and animal husbandry were the principal source of livelihood and alongside
tilled fields and rough pastureland would have been a stable for horses and
enclosures for cattle and sheep.
Over time, the basic rectangular shape of the tower house changed to meet
the needs of the owner, the most common variant being the L-plan tower,
which was created by incorporating a new wing built at a right angle to the
existing tower. Generally built to fulfil the need for extra accommodation or
to house a stair, the L-plan was particularly popular on the Scottish side of
the Border. A further development, albeit much rarer in the Border country,
was the Z-plan tower, which comprised a substantial central tower with two
smaller residential towers attached to diagonally opposed corners of the main
building. In addition to providing extra accommodation, this arrangement
also afforded the walls with good, all-round covering fire.

Construction
The majority of tower houses - and their barmkin walls - were constructed
with stone that was quarried locally, and invariably took the shape of random
rubble. Suitably sized lumps of rock would be split in two by an experienced
builder and the resulting flat face of each rock would be used to fashion the

21
 outer faces of the wall, whilst any chinks and gaps between the rocks were
packed with chippings. The space between the inner and outer skins of the
wall was filled with a thick rubble core and the whole structure was bound
together with lime mortar, making an incredibly robust edifice.
This method of building was a much cheaper option than building in
ashlar and did not require the expensive services of a stonemason, whose
skills would only be called upon to cut the necessary dressings for doorways,
stairways, windows, fireplaces, gun loops, mouldings, quoins and the like.
To construct a tower in ashlar would have been time consuming and
prohibitively expensive; indeed some towers were given rounded corners to
reduce the need for dressed masonry.
However, there were disadvantages to building with random rubble,
especially when using sandstone as it can be prone to water penetration. Wall-
heads could be sealed off with capstones to avoid water ingress from above
and some towers featured a sloping plinth around their base, which allowed
rainwater to run off well away from the foundations. The commonest and
perhaps most effective way of dealing with this problem was a process known
as harling, in which a mixture of lime mortar and aggregate was thrown onto
the walls, creating a semi-porous coating that would absorb the rainwater
and, hopefully, allow it to dry out before it could penetrate the stonework
beneath. The colour of the mixture invariably reflected the hue of the local
stone used in the building and, in addition to smoothing out the rough surface
of the walls, harling undoubtedly enhanced the appearance of a tower house
by allowing the dressings around windows, doors and quoins to stand out in
pleasing contrast to the walls.
Although some larger tower houses had their entrances at first-floor level
and were accessed by a fore-stair, the main entrance of smaller towers was
invariably at ground level.
Two doors usually defended entrances, with the jambs being rebated to
accommodate a stout wooden door and an inner grille of iron. Wooden doors
usually took the form of an outer layer of vertical planks and an inner layer
that ran horizontally, the two being securely fastened together with long
clencher nails. The door was further strengthened by a thick plank, or stile,
that was dovetailed into the top, middle and bottom horizontal planks.
Directly behind the wooden door, and carried on substantial hinges, was the
grated iron door, or 'yett', as it was known. Constructed by forging iron bars
together around a central point in the form of a latticework, they were
extremely strong and virtually fireproof. Yetts were fitted with a heavy iron
bolt that could be secured by means of a lock or chain and were further
reinforced by means of an iron drawbar, which was housed in a tunnel in the
adjacent wall. These deep, wood-lined tunnels, along with'the drawbars
themselves, would be installed whilst the building was being constructed.
The vast majority of tower houses had barrel-vaulted basements, which not
only provided additional stability at ground level for the storeys above, but also
had the advantage of being almost impervious to fire. Whilst some basement
floors were flagged or cobbled, the majority were simply left as rough earth or
bedrock, depending on the foundation. Security was paramount at this level
and apertures were generally confined to narrow ventilation slits pierced high
above ground level. In order to alleviate the gloom, some vaulted basements
were fitted with one or two small, barred windows, which are usually found
high in the end walls. The vaulted basement in more substantial tower houses
occasionally accommodated a kitchen and by subdividing a high vault and

22
installing a second floor, or entresol, additional space was created for storage. Hollows Tower, Canonbie,
In some cases, a convenient access hatch through the ceiling of the vault allowed Dumfries and Galloway. The site
is associated with the celebrated
the passage of provisions directly from the entresol to the hall above.
reiver Johnnie Armstong of
As in all defensible buildings, the size of a window was largely determined Gilnockie,and it was here, in
by its height above ground level and any windows immediately above the 1525, that he raised 'Holehouse'
basement remained small, the sills and frames being fitted with socket holes on land he had been granted
by Lord Maxwell. Although the
for iron bars. Even at safer levels, where windows were allowed to increase
house was in all probability of
in size, they remained well defended by strong iron grilles, crafted on similar timber construction, Lord Dacre,
lines to a yett. Windows were generally fitted with wooden shutters, which Warden of the English West
could be opened to admit light and fresh air, and for those that could afford March, claiming that it was built
it, the upper half of the opening could be glazed, the lower half being closed upon 'a parcell of the Debatable
grounde', on which it was
by shutters. The recesses of larger windows were usually splayed out to allow forbidden to erect a permanent
the maximum amount of light to penetrate and their side walls were often dwelling, crossed the Border
fitted with stone seats. in 1528 and burned it down.
Access to the upper floors was usually by means of a narrow turnpike, or The following year, amidst
treacherous circumstances, the
newel stair, where the steps branch out from the central newel and ascend
Scottish king, James V, executed
in a clockwise direction. It was believed that this arrangement also ensured Johnnie Armstrong. The present
that should the doorway be breached and swordplay ensue, the advantage of tower was built almost 20 years
manoeuvrability would always remain with a right-handed defender who was later and, after the Debateable
Land had been divided to the
retreating upwards. This may well be so, for the Kerrs, who were famously left
relative satisfaction of both
handed, had the stairs in their towers built to rise in an anticlockwise direction. nations in 1552, the Armstong
Some examples also featured a 'trip-step', which was steeper than its fellows tower was finally allowed to
and designed to catch the unwary attacker off guard. Usually built within reside in Scotland.
the thickness of the wall, or tucked into a
convenient corner, the newel stair was
relatively simple to build and took up little
space. Occasionally, to allow more space,
the stair was housed in its own separate
stair-tower and in some L-shaped towers,
where the entrance was situated in the
re-entrant angle, the main stair terminated
at first floor level and the upper storeys
were reached by a narrow stair turret, built
out above the doorway and supported by
corbels, as can be seen at Greenknowe
Tower, Gordon. Occasionally, as found in
the Vicar's Pele, Corbridge, a straight flight
of stairs led directly to the first floor.
On the first floor was the great hall, the
hub of the tower house, a well-appointed,
spacious room where the owner, his family
and trusted retainers would convene to
socialize and take their meals. The great
hall was the showpiece of the tower house
and invariably contained the grandest
fireplace in the building. Some were
decorated with friezes or carvings and, in
finer examples, with heraldic devices,
which would have been brightly painted.
Many of these fireplaces feature a huge
lintel, usually fashioned from an enormous,
single piece of stone, the weight of the wall

23
 above being supported by a broad, substantial, relieving arch. Throughout the
tower, walls were usually plastered and then painted, or covered with wood
cladding, and in the great hall no doubt decorated with tapestries. The great
hall would usually be equipped with a number of aumbries, or wall-cupboards,
some of which may have been secured with wooden doors and quite often
there would also be a salt box situated close to the warmth of the fireplace.
Generously proportioned windows ensured the maximum amount of light and
ventilation and, invariably, there was a convenient garderobe nearby, most of
which were provided with a door, a lantern recess and a small window.
Ideally, garderobes were positioned one above the other, or laid out in a
roughly similar arrangement through the upper floors. If possible, they shared
the same flue, which generally discharged outside the enclosure, or into a
stone drain below ground level, not unlike a modern cesspit.
The upper storeys had timber floors supported on joists that were built
into the walls, often with additional support being provided by stone corbels.
The second storey was generally reserved for the sole use of the lord and his
lady and contained their private apartments, their sleeping quarters and their
own garderobe. This floor would be fitted out in much the same manner as
the great hall, albeit on a more intimate scale and, being high above ground
level, would have also enjoyed the benefits of larger windows. In some
instances, walls of wattle and clay may well have partitioned this room in
order to create one or two smaller chambers.
Further storeys would have provided accommodation and sleeping
quarters for the lord's immediate family, the top storey usually giving access
to the parapet. On some towers the parapet was corbelled out, crenellated
and fitted with machicolations, whereby defenders could rain missiles down
upon attackers who had managed to reach the walls. Some parapet walks
had projecting bartizans at their corners, which, being corbelled out further
than the parapet itself, allowed defenders greater manoeuvrability when
engaging attackers in the immediate vicinity of the tower. Parapets were
drained by means of stone waterspouts, which protruded from the base of the
parapet and carried rainwater well clear of the walls. In some instances, when
a stair opened directly onto the parapet, the stair head was sheltered by a
cap-house, as seen at Orchardton Tower.
In Scotland, near the end of the 16th century, it became fashionable to
fully cover the width of the tower with a pitched roof, which came right down
to the wall-head. As a consequence, the parapet gradually became obsolete
and bartizans gave way to one or two rounded corner turrets, usually with
conical roofs. Whilst quaint in appearance, shrewd owners equipped them
with well-sited shot holes and, in order to provide flanking fire, they are often
found strategically placed at diagonally opposed corners of a tower house.
Roofs were steeply pitched and, as a rule, covered with stone slabs, which
were attached to the timbers by means of wooden pegs or sheep bones, the
weight being supported by stout rafters and purlins. The various timbers used
in the construction of the roof structure were morticed together, secured with
wooden pegs, and in some cases, marked with Roman numerals, presumably
for ease of identification during the process of assembly.
Some roofs were pierced with dormer windows to allow light into the attic,
a refinement invariably installed near the end of the 16th century. On the Scottish
side of the Border, the copingstones on the gable end of the roof were often raised
in a stepped fashion, creating 'corbie stanes', or crow stepping, an attractive
feature that enclosed the roof and gave protection against strong winds.

24
 Occasionally, 'corbie stanes' were widened to provide steps up to beacons,
or lookout posts, for most towers were crucial links in a chain of stations that
could swiftly spread news of invasion or raid. Some towers were equipped with
braziers, whilst others were fitted with stone fire pans, as at Hollows Tower and
Repentance Tower. Principal beacons, however, were generally situated on
hilltops throughout both sides of the Border, although the Earl of Sussex
instructed Wardens of the English East and Middle Marches to ensure that
'upon every fray raysed in the night' warning must be given to the country 'by
fire in the topps of the castle or toure'.
Although most towers share some of the characteristics described above,
each of them has its own unique features and peculiarities, be they intrinsic
to the building itself, or enshrined in its history.

Hollows Tower
Sometimes called Gilnockie, this rugged tower house built in the mid-16th
century is situated two miles from Canonbie and stands high above the
river Esk, by which it is protected on two sides. 'Holehouse', or Hollows, is Standing within the churchyard
of St Andrew's Church in
rectangular in plan and measures around 10 by 7.6m over sandstone rubble
the Northumbrian village
walls averaging 1.5m in thickness. At the level of the parapet walk, the walls of Corbridge, this small,
stand 11.6m in height and 4.9m higher, the crow-stepped south gable is topped well-preserved tower house
with a stone beacon that could be fired in the event of raid or invasion. The from the early 14th century was
intended as both a residence
elaborate corbelling, which incorporates a bold cable moulding, once supported
and sanctuary for the vicar.
projecting turrets, or rounds, and a parapet that has long since disappeared. As tower houses go, this one
The tower comprises four storeys over a barrel-vaulted basement with an could almost be described
attic in the roof space. At basement level, all the walls are well defended by as dainty.
splayed gun loops except on the eastern
side, where there was probably a barmkin.
The entrance, which is in the west wall,
features a double rebate for a wooden
door and inner yett, and inside the
basement a newel stair rises in the south-
western corner to the upper storeys.
It terminates in the attic where a doorway
allows access to the parapet. On the first
floor, three windows, two of which have
stone seats, light the hall and the room is
graced with a fine fireplace 2.1m wide.
The upper floors are similarly arranged
on a more modest scale. The tower was
sympathetically restored in 1979-80.

The Vicar's Pele, Corbridge

Built in the early part of the 14th century
with Roman worked stones from the
nearby garrison town of Corstopitum
(Corbridge), the tower house measures
8.2 by 6.4m over walls 1.4m thick and
rises to a height of 9.1m. Looking out
over the market place and churchyard,
the embattled parapet adds another 1.5m
to the height of the tower and encloses
a walkway, with square, corbelled-out

25
 machicolated bartizans at each corner. The entrance to the tower, which is in
the east wall, was defended by a stout oak door reinforced by an iron grille.
From the barrel-vaulted basement, a straight mural stair rises to the first floor
and at the stair head there is a mural slop sink with a drain pierced through
the wall, which discharges into the market place below. The first-floor
chamber, which served as the vicar's living quarters, is entered through an
arched doorway and is lit by trefoil-headed windows with stone seats. The
room is well appointed and boasts two aumbries and a generous fireplace. In
the north-east corner there is a garderobe, and from this corner, a stair leads
Standing high above the to the second storey, which is lit by three windows and served as both
Elsdon Burn in Redesdale, bedroom and study. The timber floor was carried on beams that were
Northumberland, this supported on corbels and in the north-west corner, adjacent to one of the
imposing tower house was
windows, there is a stone book rest, slanted so as to catch the light. A ladder
built to accommodate the
parish priest. In a survey of from this floor led through an opening to the battlements above.
1542, it was reported that the
'naughty' people of Redesdale Elsdon Tower
not only committed 'acts of
Standing in Elsdon, the former capital of Redesdale is another tower house
rapine and spoil, but often
went as guides to the thieves that served as a vicar's 'pele', but one that was constructed on a much grander
of Scotland, in expeditions scale than the quaint example at Corbridge. In 1415, a 'Turris de Ellysden'
to harry and burn'. It is hardly was documented as a 'vicar's pele' and was probably built by the Umfraville
surprising that the vicar was in
family. The present tower, however, which is strongly situated above the
need of such a high degree of
security whilst living amongst
Elsdon Burn, opposite the family's earlier motte and bailey earthwork, bears
such 'eveil, unruly and many of the hallmarks of 16th-century construction and may well be a
misdemeaned' people. rebuild of the fortress mentioned in 1415.
The original entrance to the tower
was in the north wall and was defended
by three machicolations positioned
just below the parapet. The tower is
13 by 9.4m and originally comprised
three storeys over a vaulted basement
with walls 2.3m thick. The walls rise
to a height of 12.8m terminating in
a parapet, on which are armorial
panels displaying the heraldic devices
of various aristocratic Northumbrian
families, including those of the
Umfravilles. Both the parapet and its
decorations, however, are from a later
date than the original build. A newel
stair, which connected the three upper
floors, included a trip step designed to
unbalance the unwary intruder. In the
17th century the upper floors were
converted into two storeys with higher
ceilings, and a steeply pitched roof was
constructed within the battlements. In
more enlightened times, the windows
were enlarged and in order to make the
building more comfortable the interior
has been very much altered over the
years. The tower continued to serve as
a rectory until 1961.

26
 Orchardton Tower,
15th century, Castle Douglas,
Dumfries and Galloway. Built
on a circular plan and tapering
as it rises, at first glance this
rather charming tower house
bears an uncanny resemblance
to a Scottish broch. Whilst
Orchardton Tower is unique
in the Border country, there
are a number of round tower
houses in Ireland, on which
it may have been modelled.

The Old Gaol, Hexham,

Northumberland. Countless
miscreants from all levels of
society, Scots and English
alike languished within the
Orchardton Tower
Old Gaol's forbidding walls
Being circular in plan, this picturesque tower is the only one of its kind in the whilst awaiting their trial and
Border country. Built for John Cairns around 1456 and standing a few miles judgement in the nearby Moot
south of Dalbeattie, the tower is 8.8m in diameter and comprises three storeys Hall. Even when imprisoned,
over a vaulted basement. The rubble-built walls, which are almost 2.7m thick offenders were a continued
threat, for when 'the greatest
at ground level, taper somewhat as they rise, are around 10m in height and and strongest riders or rather
terminate in a corbelled-out parapet, which encloses a narrow wall-walk. reavers, Scots and English were
A barmkin wall originally enclosed the tower and a number of substantial in gaol, great threats were sent
two-storey outbuildings, one of which may have been a great hall. to their apprehenders and
prosecutors, and at the bar a
An arched doorway admits to the gloomy, rectangular, vaulted basement, notable Scots thief threatened
from which there was no access to the upper floors. The original entrance, which blood [feud] against the
was defended by two drawbars, was at first-floor level and would have been gentleman who took him.'
reached from the courtyard by means of a
timber forestair. The upper storeys are all
circular, the first floor serving as the hall,
which is lit by two windows and contains
a fireplace, an aumbry and a recycled
piscina, which served as a washing bowl.
A newel stair rising within the thickness of
the wall gives access to the floors above
and near the stair foot there is a garderobe.
The second floor is laid out in much the
same comfortable manner, the third being
less well appointed. The newel stair
terminates in a neatly contrived cap-house,
which opens onto the parapet wall-walk.

The Old Gaol, Hexham

In the English Middle March the
inhabitants of Tynedale had a well-deserved
reputation for lawlessness and in 1330,
the Archbishop of York, with uncanny
foresight, ordered a 'good and strong gaol'
to be built for the detention of offenders.

27
 Serving a dual purpose as both a fortified tower and a place of incarceration, it
was in all probability the first purpose-built prison in England. The gaoler was
John de Cawood, a barber and sergeant of the manor, who was paid 2d a day.
Completed in 1332, and built with stones looted from Corstopitum, the
tower is rectangular, being 18m long by 11m wide over walls 2.3m thick at
ground level, where the lower courses are protected by a chamfered plinth.
The walls rise to a height of 16.5m and were defended by battlements that
were corbelled out and equipped with machicolations. Comprising three
floors, which were connected by a newel stair, the Gaol was equipped with
'shackles, manacles, fetters and other items necessary'. At ground level, there
were two vaulted chambers that served as prisons. Here, the poorer kind of
In spite of its grim appearance person was imprisoned, whilst awkward souls were simply cast into two foul,
the Old Gaol at Hexham was unlit dungeons beneath the floor. The first storey, being better lit and more
allowed to fall into decay, so salubrious, was reserved for richer prisoners who could pay their way and the
much so that in 1538, a band
gaoler lived above his charges on the floor above.
of Scottish and English reivers
from Liddesdale and Tynedale
In 1550, however, the Gaol was reported to be in some decay and in 1595,
were able to break into the Ralph Eure, Warden of the Middle March, complained bitterly that due to its
prison, beat up the guards ruinous condition, he was forced to hold some prisoners 'of the better sorte'
and release their kinsmen, in his own house for safekeeping! The building was last used as a prison in
having only a single iron door
to break down. (Illustration:
1824 and now, rather appropriately, has been adapted to house the Border
Angus McBride, courtesy of History Museum, which celebrates the turbulent history of the Old Gaol and
Historic Hexham Trust) the life and times of the Border Reivers.
Greenknowe Tower
Situated near Gordon in Berwickshire and built on an L-plan in 1581,
Greenknowe has four upper storeys including an attic in the roof space, all
carried over a vaulted basement with walls 1.2m thick. The main block is
10.1 by 7.2m, the protruding shorter wing being 4.9 by 3.3m.
The entrance to the tower is close to the re-entrant angle, and down one or
two stairs inside the vaulted basement is a kitchen equipped with a wide
fireplace, along with further space for storage. A small hatch in the ceiling
allowed provisions to be passed to the floor above. From the basement, a broad
newel stair in the wing leads to the first floor, which served as the principal
residential quarters and features a fine fireplace. From here, the upper storeys
were reached by means of a smaller spiral stair turret, which was corbelled out Greenknowe Tower, Gordon.
in the angle above the entrance. This arrangement allowed greater space on the This classic, L- plan tower house
floors above, which consisted of well-appointed sleeping quarters and private is a fine example of a gradual
chambers that were well provisioned with generously proportioned, half-glazed shift towards domestic comfort
as opposed to pure defensibility,
windows, protected with iron bars. The pitched roof had crow-stepped gables which became fashionable
and sloped directly to the wall-head; consequently, there is no parapet-walk from across the Scottish borders
which to defend the tower. Instead, there are two round, corbelled-out angle in the late 16th century.
turrets equipped with shot holes, which are situated at diametrically opposite It is, however,
well provided
corners of the main block. The walls are equipped with a variety of gun loops; with a variety of
additional supporting fire came from a smaller turret built on a corner of the strategically placed
wing and from the narrow stair turret above the entrance. The tower served as gun loops.
a residence until the1830s, after which it fell into ruin.

The bastle
The somewhat humbler option available to the
minor landowner or better-off tenant farmer was
the defensible farmhouse that became known
as a 'bastell howse' a corruption of the
French bastille: a small fortress. The bastle
was immensely strong in relation to its
modest size and was designed to protect
the farmer, his immediate family and
his more valuable livestock against the
small-scale, incessant raids that
plagued the Borderland until
well into the 17th century.
Over 200 bastles have
been identified throughout
Northumberland and
the Pennine Dales, many
examples being situated
in Redesdale, Upper
Coquetdale, North
Tynedale, Allendale
and in the South Tyne
Valley. Most were
built near the turn
of the 16th century
and many are to be
found within 30km
of the Border.
Mary, Queen of Scots' House,
Jedburgh. This T-plan tower
house is romantically linked
with Mary, Queen of Scots,
who, whilst travelling through
the Borders on official business,
stayed in Jedburgh for four
weeks in 1566. Although the
town contained a number of
defensible town houses in the
16th century, the association
may well be justified as Mary
did indeed lease a house in
Jedburgh from the Kerrs of
Ferniehirst, and the stairs in
this tower all turn to the left,
a characteristic of the famously
left-handed Kerrs.

Bastles were invariably built as two-storey rectangular structures being

around 9-10m by 5.5-6m with walls averaging between 1 and 1.2m thick.
A narrow, ground-floor doorway, usually placed centrally in one of the gable
ends, gave access to a basement, or byre, into which cattle, sheep or horses
could be driven in times of trouble. Access to the upper storey, which served
as a living area, was through a doorway usually set high up in one of the long
walls and was reached via a ladder which could then be drawn up behind the
occupant. Essentially, the bastle compressed the tower and barmkin into one
compact structure.
Walls were constructed using irregularly shaped blocks of stone and are
characterized by their use of massive quoins and at ground level by huge
boulders that took the place of traditional, sunken foundations, which are
rarely in evidence. The walls of a bastle were constructed in much the same
way as a tower, although the mortar used was quite weak or clay based. The
entrance to the basement was strongly constructed, utilizing large blocks of
stone to form the jambs and lintel, the weight above being taken by a small
relieving arch. Doorways were narrow, but usually splayed out internally and
rebated for one or two substantial doors, which could be secured by drawbars,
which rested in tunnels built into the wall. Doors would invariably be 'harr-
hung', an arrangement by which the door was allowed to pivot on pins, or a
firmly attached timber, that rested in sockets set into the sill and lintel. No
matter how strong, raiders could potentially burn down these timber doors
and one or two bastles are equipped with a 'quenching hole', which is set
above the doorway and allowed the occupants to pour water over the flames.
Some basements were barrel vaulted, whilst others relied on substantial
oak beams to carry the floor above. Basements were dimly lit by two, or
perhaps three, narrow ventilation slits, rarely more than O.15m wide. Once
the more valuable animals were secured inside the basement, access to the

30
 Hole Bastle, Bellingham,
Redesdale, Northumberland.
The bastle has been
incorporated into a farm
complex and an external stone
stairway, installed in more
enlightened times, now allows
access to the upper doorway.
The two smaller windows,
situated just below the stone-
flagged roof and now lighting
an attic, were originally set at
either side of the doorway and
were each equipped with
sockets for two iron bars.

upper floor was usually through a very small trapdoor that pierced the
vaulted ceiling, or the stone-flagged floor above. This was achieved by way
of a removable ladder, although some bastles, such as Woodhouses and Crag,
were equipped with internal stone stairs that led from the basement to the
living quarters above.
A removable wooden ladder also allowed external access to the first-floor
doorway, which was constructed on similar lines to the one below and usually
set slightly off-centre in one of the long walls. (In more settled times, access
to the upper level was usually improved by the addition of an external stone
stairs.) At this level, the walls were pierced with two or three small,
rectangular windows, usually consisting of roughly cut surrounds fitted with
sockets for iron bars. In some examples, windows can be found at each side Hole Bastle. Ground plan and
of the doorway with perhaps another placed high up in the gable end. elevations.

r
......

Ground Floor Section

o 20 30 40
TOP LEFT Such small openings would not have allowed much ingress of light and
A view of the tunnel-vaulted would need to have been supplemented by candles and whatever light
basement at Hole Bastle. Note
emanated from the fireplace, which stood at one of the gable ends. In the
the narrow ventilation slit in
the gable wall, and to the right absence of a barrel vault, the weight of the hearth was supported from below
the small ladder hole in the by a stretch of stone corbels. Generally, the fireplace was equipped with a
ceiling, which allowed access to timber and plaster firehood that was supported by a timber beam, and a flue
the upper floor. This doorway
that was recessed into the gable wall and terminated in a stone chimneystack,
has replaced the original
entrance, which was in the
carried on corbels. Recesses in the walls provided rudimentary cupboards and
opposite end of the vault are often found near the fireplace, whilst water was no doubt stored in a barrel.
and is now blocked up. The living area might have been divided by wattle and clay partitions to
provide sleeping quarters and small areas may also have been screened off with
TOP RIGHT
The basement of Gatehouse
curtains to allow a small degree of privacy. Ablutions must normally have been
Bastle showing the roughly performed outdoors, whilst inside the bastle, sanitation was limited to the use
fashioned timber beams that of a bucket that would be emptied each morning. Additional sleeping
carry the upper storey. accommodation, perhaps for children, may have been provided in the form of
Although not as strong as a
barrel vault, this arrangement
a loft, or gallery, in the roof space. Roofs were steeply pitched and usually
would have been virtually flagged with stone slabs, which may have been secured to the hefty roof timbers
fireproof. The basement floor with roots, or sheep shank bones. It would appear, however, that some bastles
is partially flagged with stone were thatched with heather, which seems almost perverse considering the
slabs and the south-west end
wall is corbelled out to carry
trouble taken to make the rest of the structure virtually fireproof.
a fireplace in the living There are a variety of bastle types scattered across the region, many of
quarters above. (Courtesy them incorporating a number of the aforementioned features.
of Miss Madison)

Woodhouses Bastle
Situated in Coquetdale, near Harbottle, this fine example of a Northumbrian
bastle house can be dated to the turn of the 17th century. The building is 12.2
by 7.6m, the upper storey being carried over a vaulted basement. The walls,
which are 1.5m thick, were built of random rubble and incorporate massive,
squared quoins. In the south wall there are two original, narrow windows,
both fitted with sockets for iron bars, and below one window there is a slop
sink and drain. The doorway to the basement was well defended by two
drawbars and above the lintel is a stone showing the date 1602, although

32
this may not be in its original position. In the south-east corner of the TOP LEFT
basement is a rare example of a stone stair leading to the living quarters In 1541, this bastle at Akeld, near
Wooler in Northumberland, was
above. In 1903, the antiquarian David Dippy Dixon mentions the remains of
described as 'a lytle fortlett
a 'winding staircase', although the present arrangement is an alteration from or bastle house without a
1903. New windows and a door to the upper floor were inserted at a later barmekyn' and, being 19.2m
date and in recent times the bastle has been sympathetically restored. in length, it is somewhat longer
than other bastles. The basement
was barrel vaulted, the roof being
Low Cleughs Bastle, Redesdale pierced with a ladder hole
Standing on a windswept hillside overlooking the Rede Valley, this superior leading to the upper floor. This
type of bastle dates from the end of the 16th century. It is built of roughly interior view of the ground floor
coursed sandstone blocks, the base course incorporating a number of massive entrance, which is in the long
west wall, gives a good idea of
boulders, and measures 13.3 by 7.45m with walls around 1.3m in thickness.
the stout nature of the doorway,
The angle quoins and surrounds of both doorways are built with dressed the jambs of which are fitted
stonework, as are the surrounds of the upper-storey windows. All three with a double check and a deep
windows contain sockets for iron bars, two of them being equipped with tunnel housing the drawbar. Only
sheer brute force could hope to
additional sockets for harr-hung shutters.
'burst' through such defences,
Unusually, the doorways to the basement and upper floor are set one but on occasion that is exactly
above the other in the long south wall. The lower door was defended by two what was brought to bear.
drawbars, the upper door by only one. Timber beams carried the upper floor
and corbelling in the south-west wall supported a hearth, above which would TOP RIGHT
Gatehouse Bastle, Tarset,
have been a firehood. The walls of the living area are equipped with a number Northumberland. Whilst the
of stone cupboards and the bastle may have had additional sleeping windows of some bastles were
accommodation in the form of a gallery in the roof space. Nearby are the no more than crude rectangular
foundations of what may be a second bastle. openings, the better sort of
bastle occasionally boasted
more sophisticated surrounds,
Stronghouses such as this window to the right
Although the following two strongholds are both known as 'bastles', they of the doorway at Gatehouse
actually fall into a class of buildings known as 'stronghouses'. This term is Bastle, which has a dished sill
and blind arch carved into the
used to describe a type of defensible building that was designed on more
lintel. Note the use of alternate
sophisticated lines than a bastle and was certainly intended to provide more long and short stones in the
salubrious accommodation, but which cannot quite be included in the tower door surrounds. (Courtesy of
house family of buildings. Miss Madison)

33
TOP LEFT
Woodhouses Bastle,
late 16th century, Coquetdale,
Northumberland. This rugged
bastle stands tall enough to
have incorporated a loft
beneath its steeply pitched
roof, as suggested by the small
window high up in the east
gable. The original doorway to
the upper floor was most likely
set in the long south wall and
approached by means of a
removable ladder.

TOP RIGHT
Doorway to the vaulted
basement in the east end of
Woodhouses Bastle showing
a date stone that was probably
inserted some time after the
building was completed. Hebburn Bastle
Along with the inscribed date Standing O.8km east of Chillingham Castle, and built in the 15th century,
of 1602 are the initials W P
and B P, standing for William
this building is far more commodious and elaborately constructed than
and Bartholemew Potte. In a a bastle house, which it predates by almost two hundred years. Measuring
survey of Border Lands in 1604, 18.3 by 11m, the building was twin-gabled, the two upper storeys being
Woodhouses consisted of carried over a vaulted basement with walls between 2.7 and 3m in thickness.
'four houses, two outhouses
and eighty two acres of land,
Beneath the floor is an unpleasant pit, 2.4m deep, that doubtless served as a
the whole of which was held dungeon. The entrance is near the south-eastern corner and from here a newel
by five persons', one of whom stair rises to the upper storeys, the first floor being divided into three rooms,
was the aforementioned two of which were provisioned with fireplaces and generous windows.
William Potte.
Above, the second floor comprised two rooms in the attic space created by
the twin roofs that were lit by windows in the gable ends.
 TOP LEFT
The upper door at Low Cleughs
Bastle was 'harr-hung', the sill
and lintel being provisioned
with sockets in which a post
attached to the door would
pivot. In this view of the
doorway, the socket in the
lintel can be clearly seen. Note
the drawbar tunnel in the jamb.

TOP RIGHT
Doddington Bastle, built 1584,
Northumberland. In the
16th century the village of
Doddington, which was part
of the estate of Sir Thomas
Grey of Chilling ham, hosted
a weekly cattle market, was
home to 30 taxpayers and
accommodated two mills.
Not surprisingly, this haven
of prosperity drew raiders
from near and far and in order
to deter them, the Greys built
On high ground to the east are the remains of Ros Castle, an Iron Age hill a strong house in the centre of
fort, which became one of the most important beacons in the English the village. The building is now
in a ruinous state, although the
Marches; it is surely no coincidence that the Hebburn coat of arms contains
projecting stair turret still
three sable cressets, or beacons (see the bottom image on page 8). stands to its full height.

Doddington Bastle
Built for Sir Thomas Grey of Chillingham in 1584 this stronghouse, which
was constructed on a T-plan, measures 17.2 by 7.9m and comprised three
storeys, all carried on timber beams. The basement may well have served as a
kitchen and in the centre of the south wall a projecting porch and stair turret
gave access to all floors and to embattled parapets that ran along the north
and south walls. The walls, which were only 1.lm thick, were not particularly
strong for a building of this size and it was found necessary to strengthen them
with buttresses. Near the end of the 19th century, Doddington Bastle appears
to have been in a habitable condition and a sketch from that period shows a
steeply pitched roof and what appear to be four original windows in both the
second and third storeys.

Defensible churches
Churches were tempting targets for reiving bands and lead taken from their
OPPOSITE PAGE
roofs was prized booty, as when a raiding party from Teviotdale 'reived
Low Cleughs Bastle, Redesdale,
4 webbes of leed' from the church at Ingram in Northumberland. In response Northumberland. Built at the
to these depredations, many churches across the Border region were built turn of the 17th century, this
larger-than-normal bastle
with stout doors, thick walls, small, narrow windows and, in some instances,
would have been the property
included the added security of a defensible tower. Such buildings served of a well-to-do farmer. Fresh
as places of relative sanctuary for poorer members of the parish and must water came from a small burn
to the west of the bastle and
have been an infinitely preferable option to hiding out in the surrounding
the surrounding land bears
countryside. In 1436, however, the vicar of the church of St Gregory the traces of rig and furrow
Great at Kirknewton, in Glendale, Northumberland, was given licence by the cultivation and rectangular
enclosures for livestock.
Bishop of Durham to say mass in any safe place in the parish, but outside the
The building continued to
church, as it was thought prudent not to gather all the parishioners in one serve as a place of residence
place at anyone time whilst hostilities continued! until the mid-19th century.

35
Church of St John the Baptist, Edlingham, Northumberland. Perhaps the finest example of its kind, the church is a rugged, austere building
situated in a quiet valley 8km west of Alnwick. At its west end there is a massively strong tower comprising three storeys, which is only accessible
from inside the church. Its gloomy interior is lit by a small number of narrow slit windows. The sheer severity of its architecture makes the tower
difficult to date, but it was probably added to the church sometime in the early 14th century. Nearby stands Edlingham Castle.

CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, EDLINGHAM, NORTHUMBERLAND, 16TH CENTURY

In 1498, the Bishop of Durham lamented that 'the priests of that savage Borderers would come to church during the holy season.
country [the Borders] are most evil, they keep their concubines ... If there was a church he would use it, if not, a barn.'
they are ignorant almost entirely of letters, so that they cannot read Borderers were not averse to bringing their quarrels into
the words of the mass some are not ordained at all, but merely church and were warned not to carry into church 'weapons
counterfoils of priests they dare to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice longer than a cubit and to talk to no one but the priest'. Not
in profane and ruined places, with vestments torn, ragged and surprisingly, however, Gilpin found that in one church 'the
most filthy, unworthy of divine worship ... and the said chaplains congregation was divided into feuding factions armed with
administer the sacraments to the said thieves without compelling swords and javelins and his sermon was twice interrupted by
them to restitution'. Whilst searching for a new parson to take over armed combat'. The stouthearted priest would not be swayed
the vast parish of Symondburne, in Northumberland, we hear of from his mission, however, and continued to make his yearly
the previous incumbent, a Mr Crakenthorpe, who in 1596, 'haithe pilgrimage to Northumberland, his courage and tenacity being
made refusal thereof, deaminge his body unable to live in so much admired by his unruly flock.
troublesome a place, and his nature not well brooking the perverse This altercation between rival factions takes place in the strongly
nature of so crooked a people'. Of those priests who chose to defended church at Edlingham, Northumberland. As the priest,
reside 'amongst this rude, superstitious people', many went who is himself armed, attempts to separate the protagonists,
'with sword and dagger and such coarse apparel as they can get'. his wife and daughter wisely retire to the safety of the tower.
As always, there were exceptions, one of the most memorable Originally, any windows in the church would have been small
being Bernard Gilpin, 'the Apostle of the North', who set out and narrow and a stout door that could be secured with a drawbar
annually from his parish at Houghton Ie Spring in County Durham defended the entrance. The doorway to the tower was also fitted
to preach amongst the wild people of Redesdale, Coquetdale and with a substantial tunnel for a drawbar and access to the upper
Tynedale in Northumberland. 'Braving the northern winter he set storeys was by means of a removable ladder. A 'bole-hole', or
off on his travels around Christmas time, knowing that even the peephole, set high above the doorway looks down into the nave.
Church of St John the Baptist, Edlingham, Northumberland, 16th century
RIGHT
The church of St Anne, Ancroft,
Northumberland. Monks from
Lindisfarne erected a church
here in the early 12th century
and in the early 14th century,
it was recorded that a 'lytle
fortresse nere unto the church'
had been added. The tower,
which has a vaulted basement
and boasts walls 135m thick,
could only be entered from
within the church, via a ladder
to a small door at first-floor
level. Situated a few kilometres
south of Berwick, the tower
has extensive views of the
surrounding countryside.

BELOW
Hermitage Castle, Liddesdale: This 'grimly majestic' fortress stands on the banks of Hermitage Water and dominates the bleak surrounding
countryside. Its strategic importance as a major stronghold in the Scottish Middle March ensured that both Scots and English hotly contested
ownership of the castle and as a consequence, throughout the 14th century Hermitage was destined to change hands on a number of occasions.
PRINCIPLES OF DEFENCE
Being at the forefront of Anglo-Scottish warfare for almost four centuries,
most of the larger Border strongholds frequently modified and updated their
defences in order to withstand the rigours of assault and siege. One of the
most awesome and certainly the most sinister in appearance was Hermitage
Castle, which stood just 10km from the Border in an isolated part of
Liddesdale, perhaps the most turbulent valley in the Borderland.

Hermitage Castle, 'The Strength of Liddesdale'

A Scottish nobleman, Nicholas de Soules, first built a motte and bailey castle
on the site of the present castle around 1240. After the Hermitage passed into
English hands, the castle became the property of Hugh de Dacre, a Cumbrian
nobleman. Around 1360, Dacre replaced the earth and timber stronghold with
a stone-built, fortified manor house, which became the nucleus of the present
castle. In 1371, the castle fell into the hands of William, Earl of Douglas, a
powerful Scottish noble, who transformed Dacre's manor house into the
massive and forbidding central tower that we see today. By around 1400, four
rectangular corner towers had been added, creating an unusual H-plan
structure that was equipped with rows of doorways set high in its walls from
which a bretasche, or removable timber fighting platform, could be deployed.
The entrance to the fortress was at first-floor level in the Kitchen Tower, which,
as its name suggests, contained a well-provisioned kitchen along with a number
comfortable rooms and private chambers for the lord of the castle. The Well
Tower was equipped with a postern gate and a well, whilst the lower floors of
the Prison Tower were fitted out with two prisons, one of which was a grim
little pit, devoid of light or sanitation.
In the 16th century, the Hermitage's defences were adapted for artillery and
a V-shaped gun platform, or ravelin, was erected immediately to the west of the
castle. Gun loops were inserted around the walls and the old entrance in the west
wall was blocked up, being replaced by a smaller doorway in the south wall.
In the 16th century a new, small
entrance was created in the
Barmkins and beacons south wall at Hermitage Castle.
Towards the middle of the 16th century, as relations between England and The doorway was flanked by
Scotland continued to deteriorate, both governments were anxious to ensure the Well Tower and the Kitchen
Tower and further defended by
that all fortifications along their frontiers were suitably strengthened against a wide-throated gun port that
armed incursions, both large and small. was probably intended for the
In 1535, an Act was passed in Scotland 'For Bigging [building] of Strengthis use of a small cannon.
on the Bordouris' that required:

Evry landit man duelland in ye Inland or upoun ye

bordouris havand yare ane hundreth pund land of new
extent saIl big ane sufficient barmkyn apoun his heritage
and landis ... of Stane and lyme contenand thre score futis
of ye square [1B.3m square] ane Eln thick [O.91m] and vj
Elyns heicht [5.63m] for the resset and defenss of him, his
tennentis and thair gudis in trublous tyme wyt ane toure
[tower] in the samin for him self gif he thinkis It expedient.

In addition,

'all uthir landit men of smallar Rent and Revenew big

pelis and great strenthis as thai plesse for saiffing of thare

39
 • HERMITAGE CASTLE, LIDDESDALE, 1485
The main entrance to the Douglas tower house was reached by by joists, which fitted into square sockets positioned just below
a timber fore-stair that could be dismantled in times of peril, the foot of the doorways. Beneath each socket was a projecting
whilst some kind of drawbridge probably defended the corbel, onto which the joist rested. The platform, which would
doorway itself. Beyond the door, the passageway leading into have been roofed and equipped with hatches, allowed the
the interior of the castle was equipped with two portcullises, an defenders to keep siege machines away from the walls and,
arrangement that allowed the defenders to create a lethal hopefully, to thwart any attempt at undermining. This fighting
killing zone. By leaving the first portcullis raised, any attackers platform also explains the reason for Hermitage's most striking
who breached the door would notice only the second portcullis, features, the two flying arches on the shorter east and west
and as they advanced towards it, the first portcullis could be faces of the castle. Here, the space above the apex of the arches
lowered behind them, creating a trap from which there was no was blocked in, thus allowing the fighting platform to bypass
escape. Set high around the castle walls were a series of the deep recesses created by the projecting corner towers. This
rectangular doorways that gave access to a projecting timber method of defence was dispensed with in the late 15th century,
fighting platform, or bretasche, that could be deployed as and when most of the openings were blocked up and a permanent
when the need arose. This platform, or gallery, was supported battlemented wall-walk was built at a slightly higher level.

selfis men - tennentis and gudis. And that all the saidis strenthis barnikynnis
and pelis be biggit and wtin twa zeris [years] to be completit under ye pane'.

Having carried out a survey of 'Castles, Towers, Barmkins and Fortresses of

the Frontier of the (English) East and Middle Marches' in 1541 for Henry
VIII, Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Ralph Ellerker discovered that 'for the most
parte the fortresses, towres and piles upon the utter side of the frontier of
those east marches have been in tymes past rased and casten downe by the
Scottes and yet be not repaired which is muche pity to see'. They added that
'it will be great danger if the Scottes shall hereafter be able ... to invade those
marches and remain any tyme in the same without repulse'.
As a consequence, Acts of 1555 and 1584 specified that all castles and
strongholds within 32km of the Border were to be put in order and any open

Repentance Tower,
Ecclefechan, Dumfries and
Galloway. With panoramic
views of the Solway Firth and
the surrounding countryside,
this 'watchtower of great
height' was built in 1565 and
served primarily as a signalling
station. Border law required
'the Watch to be keeped on
the House-head; and never
faill burning, so long as the
Englishmen remain in Scotland;
and with ane bell to be on the
Head of the Fire-pan, which
shall ring whenever the Fray
is, or the Watchman seeing
Theives disobedient come
over the Water of Annand,
or thereabouts, and knows
them to be Enemies.'

41
TOP LEFT ground within the vicinity was to be enclosed with quickset hedges and steep
The entrance to Greenknowe ditches, in order to impede the movement of raiders. How effective these
Tower, which is situated in the
measures were and how energetically they were put into practise is not recorded.
re-entrant angle, is equipped
with an iron yett that originally Perhaps the sharpest weapon in the Borderer's armoury was vigilance and
had a timber door outside it. Bishop Nicholas Ridley, who was born at Willimoteswick, recalled that 'in
Above it is a date stone of 1581 Tynedale, when I was a boy, I have known my countrymen watch night and
commemorating the owners,
day in their harness ... that is in their jacks and spears in their hands'. When
James Seton of Touch and his
second wife Jane Edmondstone,
raiders were sighted, a network of beacons on both sides of the Border
with their inscribed initials and warned of their approach and an order issued by the Earl of Sussex instructed
coats of arms. The entrance Wardens of the English Marches to ensure that 'every man that hath a castle
is defended by a narrow gun
or towre of stone shall, upon everie fray raysed in the night, give warning to
loop immediately to the left
of the doorway and from a
the countrie by fire in the topps of the castle or towre'.
canted shot hole in the stair Because of its strategic location, one tower in the Scottish West March
turret above. was built primarily to give warning of invasion. Built by Lord Herries in 1565
and strategically situated on a hill high above Hoddom Castle in Dumfries
TOP RIGHT
Cessford Castle, Eckford,
and Galloway, was 'The wache toure upoun Trailtrow, callit Repentance',
Scottish Borders. Built as a which was equipped with a 'greit bell and fyir pan put on it'. On the Scottish
residence for the Kerrs, this side of the Border, instructions indicating the strength of the approaching
massive tower house was force were quite precise:
one of the major strongholds
in the Scottish Middle March.
Constructed on an L-plan with The firing of 'a [one] baile is warnyng of ther cumyng, quhat [whatever] power
walls almost 4m thick, the main thai be of. Twa bailes togedder at anis, [at the same time] thai cumyng indeide
block is 19.4 by 13.8m and [indeed]. Fower [four] bailes, ilk ane besyde uther [each beside the other] and
the projecting wing is around
all [fired] at anys [once] ... be suthfast [sure] knowledge that thai ar of gret
11m wide. The tower has two
entrances, one at ground level power and menys [menace].
in the re-entrant angle, which
is protected by the 'false As raiders approached, tenants and folk who lived near the tower would seek
barbican', and one at first-floor
protection within the safety of the barmkin, and once a tower house, or small
level. The site was originally
enclosed by a formidable castle, did come under attack, defenders could launch a variety of missiles from
earthwork and ditch. the security of the battlements or parapet walk. Should the barmkin wall be
breached, and the tower itself threatened, large rocks seem to have been useful
in discouraging attempts to undermine the walls. As the use of handguns -
'hagbuts' (arquebuses) and 'daggs' (wheel-lock pistols) - became prevalent,
ventilation slits in the basement walls were re-fashioned into gun loops and in

42
order to give as wide a field of fire as possible, some gun loops were widely
splayed. However, these openings proved to be a mixed blessing, as marksmen
could use the splay to guide a projectile straight into the interior. Vertical dumb-
bell loops lessened that particular risk and strategically placed loops of the
inverted keyhole type were a popular choice in many tower houses. In the event
of the door and inner yett being 'burst', the narrow newel stairway could be
blocked with boulders or furniture. Once inside the tower, however, an attacker
could fill the entrance and stairway with combustible material and smoke the
trapped defenders out, a method known as 'scumfishing'. Alternatively, having
gained access to the basement, they could lay charges and threaten to blow the
tower up, at which point the defenders usually attempted to surrender.
As detailed below, whilst most small tower houses could never withstand
a determined assault, the more robust type could sometimes prevail against
a large attacking force, even when accompanied by light artillery, as at
Cessford Castle, near Jedburgh.

Siege of Cessford Castle, 1523

Cessford Castle, a stronghold of the Kerrs, is a massively strong tower house
built on an L-plan and lies about 10km north-east of Jedburgh. Standing on
high ground commanding the valley of the Kale Water, Cessford Castle was
regarded as one of the strongest holds in Scotland. In May 1523, when
Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey and veteran of Flodden, laid siege to the
fortress he found it to be defended by an outer 'barbican', or barmkin, which
had been 'vawmewred with earth of the best sort that I have seen' (meaning
that the defenders had piled a sloping bank of earth against the outer face of
the wall in order to absorb the effects of bombardment), and observed that
within the 'barbican', the 'donjeon' (tower) was protected by a 'false barbican',
which was a screen wall that closed the re-entrant angle of the tower.
Accompanying Surrey's army was a train of 11 small cannon, and while
these pieces commenced a bombardment of the 'vawmewre', Surrey's infantry,
using scaling ladders, stormed the 'barbican'. Once inside, they attempted Ground floor plan
to raise their ladders against the tower itself, but a withering barrage of of Cessford Castle.
gunfire drove them back out. At this point, however, two
culverins began to concentrate their fire on a blocked-up Ground Floor
window, set about 1.83m above ground level in one of the
tower walls, and were able to create a small opening.
Encouraged by the prospect of a substantial reward, three
gunners then attempted to create a breach in the wall
by laying charges in the opening. Realizing immediately
what was going on, the Scots managed to ignite the
powder before their task was completed and the ensuing
explosion, whilst causing no further damage to the tower,
badly injured the unlucky gunners.
As Surrey wondered what to do next, the owner of the
tower, Sir Andrew Kerr, Warden of the Scottish Middle
March, who had been engaged elsewhere, returned to
Cessford. Whilst no doubt taken aback, Kerr struck a
bargain with Surrey whereby the castle was handed over
on condition that the garrison would be spared and that he
.
I

•
could remove all his personal 'bags and baggage'. When J
the English withdrew from the Scottish Borders later that 'False Barbican'
year, Kerr was able to reclaim and repair his castle.

43
Perched on a rocky outcrop,
or 'craig', Smailholm Tower
is without doubt the most
picturesquely situated tower
house in the Scottish Borders.
Built in the mid-15th century,
it served successive Pringle
lairds as a secure residence and
family seat for over 100 years.

TOUR OF A TOWER HOUSE - SMAILHOLM

Situated in the Tweed Valley on a rocky knoll 8km west of Kelso, the slender
silhouette of Smailholm Tower stands like a lone sentinel overlooking the
beautiful, rolling countryside of the Scottish Middle March. Lying 16km from
the border with England, no other tower house in the Borderland so readily
evokes the excitement of bygone days, when the 'steill bonnetts' 'were ever
ryding' and swept across the Border Marches with 'fyre and sword'.
The tower house was probably built in the early 15th century as a secure
residence for the Pringles, an influential Border surname, who are recorded
as holding the estate of Smailholm Craig from around 1455. The stronghold
stands on the north edge of the crag, and on three sides was enclosed by a
barmkin wall that varied between 1 and 2m in thickness and incorporated
stretches of wall-walk. The wall followed the line of the crag, creating two
courtyards, the larger being to the west of the tower, the smaller to the east.
To the south, a narrow stretch of ground in front of the doorway to the tower
linked the two courts, whilst the wall of the tower house itself defended the
central northern perimeter.
Entry to the enclosure was through a round-arched gateway in the west
barmkin wall, the door of which could be secured by a sliding drawbar. This
gateway led into the larger of the two courts, which on its north side
contained a stone-built, single-storey hall and chamber, and on its south side
a well-provisioned kitchen block. Any notion that large numbers of livestock
would be herded into the barmkin in times of trouble are quickly dispelled by
the size of the central courtyard, there being space for perhaps two or three
horses and a small number of cattle or sheep that could be slaughtered if food
supplies became exhausted.
The hall was built to provide additional accommodation to that in the
tower house and allowed the laird a spacious room in which he could greet

44
 SMAILHOLM TOWER IN THE
16TH CENTURY
© Crown Copyright

2m 2m 4m 6m 8m 10m
il~-~
o

Site Plan

and entertain guests. He could also meet his tenants First Floor Second Floor
here and carry out the daily administration of his estate.
The adjoining smaller chamber was probably reserved
for the laird's private use; perhaps a place where matters
of a confidential nature could be discussed. The smaller
east court did not contain any buildings and may well
have served as a storage area or a garden. Smailholm
has no well and drinking water must have been
Ground Floor Third Floor
collected in rain barrels, or drawn from the millpond to
the south-east.
The rectangular, five-storey tower house measures 12.1 by 9. 7m and ABOVE
stands 20m high over walls 2m thick. The walls were built of black dolerite Smailholm Tower,
Roxburghshire. Site plan and
rubble, whilst the quoins, dressings, windows and doorways have been
floor plans (Historic Scotland.
fashioned from a deep-red sandstone. All windows in the tower house were Crown Copyright material
small and protected by iron grilles. The only entrance to the tower was through is reproduced with the
permission of the Queen's
Printer for Scotland)

LEFT
Even after 1548, when the
Pringles had become 'assured
Scots', Smailholm must have
remained a tempting target
for raiders, and in such troubled
times it is doubtful if the dormer
window, which now intrudes
onto the south parapet-walk,
would have been allowed to
compromise the defensive
qualities of the tower house.
It was probably added nearer
the turn of the 17th century.

45
 This view of Smail holm gives
some idea of the original
height and strength of the west
barmkin wall, which was
defended by a parapet-walk.
Note the remains of the arched
gateway that gave access to
the west courtyard.

an arched doorway at ground level on the south side, which was defended by
an outer wooden door with an iron yett immediately behind it. Above the
doorway, additional protection was provided by a gun loop of the inverted-
keyhole variety, the sill of which is dished in order to allow a firearm to be aimed
downwards at a more acute angle.
The doorway opens into a barrel-vaulted basement, which is equipped
with an entresol that was reached by means of a ladder. Both these floors
were used for storage, the whole area being lit by a narrow, barred window
in the east side. The timber floor of the entresol was carried on stone corbels

In the great hall at smailholm,

the fireplace is adorned with
two carvings, one of a heart the
other of a bearded face. A heart
was incorporated in the Pringle
family crest, whilst the bearded
face may be a rustic portrait of
the Pringle laird who built the
tower. Note the massive lintel
above the fireplace and above
it, a relieving arch.

46
and above it a small hatch in the ceiling of the vault opened into the great hall TOP LEFT
above, which must have proved useful when hauling up stores and heavy The doorway in the south wall
of the tower house shows to
provisions such as coal.
perfection the use of
To the right of the main doorway, in the south-eastern corner of the contrasting red sandstone that
building, a newel stair gives access to the three upper storeys. The first floor gives Smailholm much of its
served as the laird's hall and is well lit by three generously proportioned character. The gun loop, which
is of the inverted keyhole
windows replete with comfortable stone window seats. The hall boasts a
variety, was intended to defend
rather grand fireplace, and through a door in the north-eastern corner there the doorway below.
is a quite civilized latrine closet complete with toilet seat, lantern recess and
a small window. TOP RIGHT
Whilst the outer wooden door
The second floor, which would have served as the laird's private quarters
at Smailholm is a modern
and bedroom, is similarly disposed albeit on a less grandiose scale. The replacement, this hefty iron
garderobe serving these chambers is also sited in the north-eastern corner yett is apparently an original
and, like the unit below, was equipped with a latrine chute in the north wall, fixture.
which spilled its contents outside the enclosure.
The third floor had a fireplace in each gable and was divided into two
rooms that would have provided accommodation for members of the laird's
immediate family. Sometime in the mid-16th century, however, this topmost
storey was greatly altered, presumably in response to a series of raids that
plagued Smailholm during the 'Rough Wooing' of the 1540s. Two doorways
gave access to parapet-walks on the north and south sides, and on the north
side there is a stone seat for a lookout and a recess for his lantern. The top
storey was also given a barrel-vaulted ceiling, the outer face forming a roof
that was covered with stone slabs. At around the same time, a wide-mouthed,
oval gun loop was inserted high up in the west gable wall and covered the
entrance to the barmkin.

47
II Smailholm Tower, 15605

1 Barmkin wall 1S Top storey - barrel vaulted

2 Gateway into west courtyard 16 Oval gun loop
3 Wall walk 17 Parapet
4 Hall 18 Laird/s private quarters
S Thatched roof 19 Chest or cist
6 Smoke vent 20 Newel stair
7 Central brazier 21 Great hall
8 Private chamber 22 Timber partition (conjectural)
l
9 Fireplace - Ihingin lum
l
23 Hatch
10 Kitchen block 24 Entresol
11 Black dolerite 2S Vaulted basement
12 Red sandstone 26 Iron yett (outer door omitted)
13 Crow-stepped gable 27 East courtyard
14 Stone flags 28 Wall walk

48
49
 It has been estimated that around 50 people lived and worked on the
land around Smailholm, and from both parapets evidence of previous
habitation can clearly be seen. Along with a number of boundary walls,
yards and enclosures for livestock, traces remain of at least four buildings,
which undoubtedly housed some of the laird's tenants. To the south-west,
there is a building that may have been a substantial stable, and whilst some
of the surrounding land was given over to rough grazing for sheep and
On the north parapet-walk at cattle, there is extensive evidence of rig cultivation, where oats and barley
Smailholm, this watchman's were grown. Several stone-lined drains channelled water to the millpond
seat was built onto the side of that lies to the south-east of the tower house. It was used to operate a
the chimneystack in order to
grain mill that existed somewhere near the early 18th-century farmhouse
provide a little warmth during
long, cold winter nights. Next of Sandyknowe.
to it is a recess for a lantern. In the course of the 'Rough Wooing', some Scots became so worn down
The views from the parapets by English raids that in exchange for an assurance that their own estates
are outstanding and on a clear
would remain unmolested, they agreed not to carry out raids into England
day, Bamburgh Castle is visible
to the south and Hume Castle
and promised not to interfere with English forays into Scotland. These men
to the north. became known as 'assured Scots' and in 1548 the Pringles joined their
ranks. By 1574, the family
had abandoned Smailholm
as their principal seat of
residence and had moved
to an estate they held
near Galashiels. In 1645,
Smailholm became the
property of the Scotts of
Harden, who replaced the
outer hall and chamber
in the west court with
a two-storey house, its
height being marked by a
raggle, or groove, in the
west wall of the tower
house which would have
received the edge of its
roof. At about the same
time, the barmkin wall
enclosing the east court
was demolished and
replaced with a much
less substantial structure.
Apparently, an 'old
dowager lady' lived at
Smailholm at the beginning
of the 18th century and
when she died, the site
was finally deserted in
favour of more comfort-
able accommodation at
Sandyknowe farmhouse,
where Sir Walter Scott
spent his childhood.

50
EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE TOWER HOUSE
Although the tower house was a symbol of his authority and prestige, the Border
lord seems to have preferred to live in more commodious accommodation built
within his barmkin wall, or even without in a dwelling house lying close to his
tower, which would serve as a refuge in times of danger.
Even in such perilous times the tower, or outer hall, was first and foremost
a family home, and whilst the emphasis on security was unavoidable,
womenfolk no doubt did what they could to brighten up these quite spartan
environments. As we have noted, interior walls were usually plastered or
panelled and would have been draped with tapestries or brightly coloured
banners, whilst floors were covered with dried moor grasses and strewn with
aromatic herbs. Window seats were made comfortable with decorated
cushions and would have been a favourite haunt for the lord's wife and
daughters when they were engaged in darning or needlework.
Furniture would have been sparse and what there was would have been
robustly constructed and strictly practical. Generally, towers were furnished
with two or maybe three beds, a couple of tables, some long, low benches
and a number of stools. In 1624, at Halton Tower in Northumberland,
furnishings included 'a long sattle bed, one mattress and a feather bed and
a pair of blankets. Also, one long table, halfe a score of cushins and three
long cushins for the windows, a long table, 18 buffet stools and beds with
courtings and vallance'. The better-off tower house probably contained some
silver, or pewter, in the shape of plate or candlesticks. When not in use, such
valuables were locked away in long wooden chests.
The Borderer lived on a fairly basic diet that included beef and mutton,
which were boiled or roasted, along with fowl, salt and freshwater fish,
cheese and bread. Whilst meals could be washed down with milk or water,
some tower houses incorporated a 'brew house' within the barmkin and ale
was always a popular choice.

Although the village of

Corbridge was a frequent
target for Scottish raiders, these
rather cosy residential quarters
on the first floor of the Vicar's
Pele, seem to suggest a quite
comfortable and civilized
lifestyle, which must have
been something of a rarity
in such troubled times.
Note the remaining stone
corbels, which would have
carried the upper floor.

51
 Borderers on both sides of the line generated wealth by breeding horses,
cattle and sheep and there were certainly plenty of them around if the numbers
quoted in the 'complayntes and redresses' were even half true. Sheep were reared
for wool and mutton, whilst cattle provided milk or were slaughtered for beef.
Transhumance was practised, being the seasonal movement of livestock to
higher pastures, and as the historian William Camden records, they were 'a
martiall kind of men, who frome the moneth of Aprill unto August, lye out
scattering and summering (as they tearme it) with their cattle in little cottages
here and there which they call Sheales and Shealings'. In 1597, however, it was
reported that in Tynedale raiders not only forced honest folk from their houses,
but also from their 'sommer sheils, which is theire chefest profitt'.
In spite of the rigours of life on the Border Marches, some time was reserved
for more leisurely pursuits and at the day's end, having settled down to his meal
in front of a roaring fire, the Border lord and his family could be entertained
by the recitation of ballads, which celebrated their way of life and were often
accompanied by the small pipes. Men enjoyed playing 'at the cards', and if the
Border lord was a learned man, he may well have owned one or two 'lytle
beuks'. Horse races were always well attended and the game of football
attracted players from all levels of society. Sir Robert Carey, a Border officer
who seemed to follow the game, mentions 'a great match made at football' and
alludes to a moment of personal good fortune as 'having the ball at my foot'.

BORDER STRONGHOLDS AT WAR

The effects of raiding
It was said of Scots raiders that they were all 'alike in their plundering
propensities, knowing no measure of law but the length of their swords' and
it is well documented that raiders on both sides of the Border excelled in
'breaking towers' and 'very strong houses', 'cutting up their doores with axes'
and leaving the inhabitants 'mangled' or 'slain in plain daylight'. Many of
these raiders were formidable men who had military experience hard won in
Europe, such as an Elliot named Martin's Gibbe, who was slain when reivers
from Tynedale ran a foray into Liddesdale. He was reported to be 'a
notorious offender in England' and was 'brought up in the wars in Flanders
and France. Besides being a soldier and trained in war [he] was a captain and
principal leader' amongst the Elliots.
On occasion, such men came in force and devastated whole valleys as in
1593, when 'William ElIott ... of Liddesdale accompanied by 1000 men on
horse and foote, who in partinge them selfes into foure companies, forraged
throughe Tindale [Tynedale] in foure severall places: swepeing the goods of
the countrey before them'.
Even as late as 1596, Sir Ralph Eure recommended that in order to 'fortify
this decayed frontier' - meaning Tynedale and Redesdale - the English
government should 'erect in each a "bastile" or strong house, where an officer
"stronglie attended" might dwell'. In support of his argument, he points out
that on the Scottish side of the Border 'the Scots have erected "stronge tower
houses" planting a headsman of the clan therein, surrounded by the strength
of his name'.
Eure's fears were fully justified for only those dwelling within well-
defended towers could hope to survive the constant raiding. On 12 October
1596, Sir William Selby, writing to a kinsman, reported that:

52
 The Scots attacked Weetewood tower till after midnight, and when they could not
win it, spoiled the town of cattle, sheep, and household stuff lefte not a coate to
put on any person in it; and turned a woman newly broughte to bed out of the
clothes she laye in ... on the 20th they came down to Downam obout 9'0 clock
at night, hewed up the gates of the barnkyn with axes 'which helde them tyll
cockcrowe in the morninge', but was so defended, that they got nothing; whereon
they went to Branxton and spoiled your tenants of 16 cattle and 4 score sheep.

He lists a catalogue of subsequent raids and states that 'In short, there is no night
without spoil, and without some remedy they will lay the country waste'. He
added a final despairing postscript, stating that 'None of your friends dare lie in
their beds at night, but hide themselves in the fields except such as lie in towers'.
Not all defences fared as well as Weetewood and Downam, especially
when attacked in force, as witnessed by this complaint against the Duke of
Buccleuch, who in 1596, 'with his trumpeter and 500 men ... coming to the
stone howse of Banckeheade upon Eske', succeeded in 'forcibly bursting and
burning the door, and the iron yeat, taking prisoners and household stuff'.

The 'Rough Wooing', 1544-49

Some idea of the scale of the devastation wrought whilst the 'Rough Wooing'
was in full swing can be gleaned from the following account of Sir Ralph
Eure's raid into the Merse and Teviotdale in 1544. Jedburgh and Kelso were
burnt to the ground and the damage 'done upon the Scots' was as follows:

The whole number of towns, towers, steeds, barnekins, parish churches, bastel-
houses, seized, destroyed, and burnt, in all the Border country, was an hundred
and ninety two, Scots slain four hundred and three, prisoners taken eight hundred
and sixteen, nolt [cattle] ten thousand three hundred and eighty six, sheep twelve
thousand four hundred and ninety two, horses 1296, gayts [goats] two hundred,
bolls of corn eight hundred and fifty, insight gear - an indefinite quantity.

In 1547, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector of

England, launched a two-pronged assault into the Scottish Lowlands.
Supported by the English fleet, which sailed up the east coast, Somerset led
the main invasion from Berwick, his well-equipped army accompanied by
'15 great pieces of ordnance' and contingents of hardened mercenaries from
Italy and Spain. In the west, Lord Wharton, of Solway Moss fame, launched
a more modest diversionary invasion into the Scottish West March. It should
be pointed out that these incursions were often carried out with the help of
'assured Scots', many of whom saw the advantage of a union by marriage
with England and were willing to take up arms in support of their cause.
Accompanying Somerset was a certain William Patten, who was appointed
to administer martial law in the provost marshal's court. A shrewd observer
with a fine eye for detail, Patten's account of the campaign has left us with a
vivid idea of the impact of full-scale warfare across the Border region and the
way border fortresses fared in the face of a concerted assault.

The capture of Thornton and Innerwick 1547

Shortly before the battle of Pinkie, the English army accepted the surrender
of Dunglas Castle, and on marching northwards, encountered 'two Piles or
Holds, Thornton and Anderwick [Innerwick], both set on craggy foundation,
and divided, a stone's cast asunder, by a deep gut, wherein ran a little river.

53
The siege of Norham Castle, 1497
Thornton belonged to Lord Hume, and was kept then by one Tom Trotter'.
Faced with a daunting assault by the English army, Trotter came out of the
tower, ostensibly to negotiate with Somerset, but instead 'straight locked up
sixteen poor soldiers ... fast within the house, took the keys with him, and
commanding them they should defend the house and tarry within till his
return, which should be on the morrow with munitions and relief; he with his
prickers, pricked quite his ways'. Although having been quite obviously
abandoned, the loyal garrison, on being summoned to surrender, refused and
'were straight assailed Thornton by a battery of four of our great pieces
of ordnance, and certain hackbutters [arquebusiers] to watch the loopholes
and windows on all sides', while Innerwick was covered by:

A sort [company] of these hackbutters alone. Who so well bestirred themselves,

that these keepers [defenders] had rammed up their outer doors, cloyed and
stopped up their stairs within, and kept themselves aloft for defence of their house
about the battlements; the hackbutters got in, and fired the underneath, whereby
being greatly troubled with smoke and smother, and brought in desperation of
defence, they called pitifully, over their walls, to my Lord's grace, for mercy.

Somerset was moved to accept their surrender, but before the messenger could
pass on the news:

The hackbutters had got up to them, and killed eight of them aloft. One leapt
over the walls, and, running more than a furlong after, was slain without, in
the water. All this while, at Thornton, our assault and their defence was stoutly
continued; but well perceiving how on the one side they were battered, mined
on the other, kept in with hackbutters round about, and some of our men
within also occupying all the house under them, for they had likewise shopped
[shut] up themselves in the highest of their house, and so to do nothing, inward

THE SIEGE OF NORHAM CASTLE, 1497

In 1497, amidst growing tension between England and Scotland, barely a mile from the Castle when the carriage carrying the gun
James IV decided upon a pre-emptive strike across the river collapsed under its enormous weight and a 'new cradil!' had to
Tweed, his target being the Bishop of Durham's fortress at be built on site.
Norham. Accompanying James and the Scottish Army on this Eventually arriving on the north bank of the Tweed around
'great raid' was his prized 'old and heavy artillery of iron' and 5 August, 'Mons' was removed from her carriage and installed in
foremost in the train was to be the massive bombard, 'Mons'. a gun emplacement about a mile upriver from Norham Castle.
Named after its place of manufacture (the suffix 'Meg' was In preparation for firing, the barrel was laid upon a bed of timber
added much later), 'Mons' was commissioned in 1449 by Duke and sighted in on the castle. Due to its enormous weight, it was
Philip the Good as a gift for James II, the grandfather of James in all probability unnecessary to rope the barrel into position.
IV. The awesome gun was 4.57m in length, weighed 15,3661b Under the admiring gaze of the King and his courtiers, the
and boasted a gaping 0.46m bore. At that time, it must have Scottish artillery commenced an enthusiastic bombardment,
been the most formidable piece of artillery in the British Isles. and soon ammunition was running low and new gunstones had
Ironically, James II, who championed the use of heavy artillery to be ordered from Edinburgh. The siege continued for 15 days,
and took 'plesure in discharging gret gunis', lost his life in 1460 but under the steadfast command of Norham's captain, Thomas
during the siege of Roxburgh when a Flemish bombard exploded Garth, the rugged old fortress absorbed the punishment and,
next to him. It is recorded that the King's thigh was 'doung [broken] in spite of damage to its north-facing walls, held firm against
in twa ... be quhilke [by which] he was stricken to the grund and the Scottish bombardment. When news was received of the
dieit haistilie thereof, quhilke [which] grettumlie discuragit all his approach of a relief force under the Earl of Surrey, the siege
nobill gentlemen and freindis that war standand aboot him'. was lifted and the Scots withdrew.
On 20 July, amidst much ceremony, the great iron gun left James IV would return 15 years later and although 'Mons' did
Edinburgh Castle to the tune of 'minstrels that played before not accompany him on that occasion, Norham fell to his guns.
Mons doune the gait'. Hauled by 84 carthorses and eight oxen It was, however, to be a short-lived victory in a campaign that
under the control of 110 drivers, the cavalcade came to a halt would end in defeat and death amidst the mud of Flodden Field.
 ATTACK ON A BASTlE HOUSE, 1595 Having secured valuable livestock in the basement, defence
For the most part, Borderers were farmers and the bastle was amounted to little more than holding out through an attack and
primarily a farmhouse, its position largely being dictated by the hoping that a neighbour would answer the fray and offer support,
suitability of land around it. Although rarely found in positions that or that the raiders would eventually give up and move on to easier
could be described as strong, most bastles were within easy reach pickings. Although bastles have been described as built for 'passive
of their neighbours or in clusters as at Wall, in the Tyne Valley. defence', given the nature of the folk within, they doubtless
However, even clusters could not stand against a large force defended themselves 'in stout fashion' with dagg, hackbut,
as when 'men of the [English] middle march burnt Lessuden boiling water or crossbow. Note the small, barred windows and
[Scotland], in which were sixteen strong bastel-houses, the 'quenching hole', set above the basement doorway in the
slew several of the owners and burnt much corn'. end wall. The bastle house is based on a drawing by Peter Ryder.

or outward, neither by shooting of base [small cannon] whereof they had one
or two, nor tumbling of stones, the things of their chief annoyance whereby
they might be able to resist our power or save themselves; they plucked in a
banner that afore they had set out in defiance, and put out over the walls, a
white linen clout tied on a stick's end, crying all, with one tune for 'Mercy!' but
having answer by the whole voice of the assailers 'They were traitors! It was
too late!' they plucked in their stick and sticked up the banner of defiance
again, shot off, hurled stones, and did what else they could, with great courage
on their side, and little hurt on ours.

The beleaguered garrison tried once more to surrender, and on being refused
requested that they be allowed to reconcile themselves with God and be
hanged, so as 'not to die in malice'. Once again, Somerset was moved to spare
their lives. The tower 'was soon after blown with powder, that no more than
one half fell straight down to rubbish and dust, the rest stood, all to be shaken
with rifts and chinks. Innerwick was burned and all the houses of office
[servants houses] and stacks of corn around them both.'

Storming of Annan Church 1547

Meanwhile, in the Scottish West March, Lord Wharton with six small cannon
and the help of the pro-English Earl of Lennox, accepted the surrender of his
first objective, Castle Milk, then decided to 'make a rode yn to overthrowe and
caste downe a certen chirche and stepIe called the steple of Annande ... a strong
place, and very noiseome always unto our men, as they passed that way'.
The church was garrisoned by a Scots force led by James Lyone, who had
been given his command by James Hamilton, the Earl of Arran and Regent
of Scotland.
Laying siege to the church, Wharton reported that:

Having in ordenuance but a facon, a faconette an foure quarter facons ... [we]
devised that night how we shulde maik warr against the house on the morrowe.
At viijth of the clok in the mornying we laid those sex pieces to beit the battailling,
and appoyntid certain archers and hagbutters to maik warre also until a paveis
of tymbre might be drawn to the sidde of the steplee, under which sex pyoners
might work to have undermynened the sam; in putting these to effectes, they in
the house made sharpe warre, and slewe foure of our men and hurt divers others.
And with grett stones from the steple toppe, brooke the paveis after it was sett,
and being in that extrymytie, lakking ordenuance for that purpose, we caused
certane pyoners cutte the walle of the east end of the quere [choir], overthuart
abone the earth, and caused the hooll ende to falle, wherewith the roofe and
tymbre falling inward, slew vij Scotesmen. After that we caused the pieces to be

56
 laid to shoot at the doore of the steplee which was a house hight, and that house
hight rampered with earthe, and caused them further to myen [mine].

In the face of certain defeat 'the captain, [Lyonne] about 4pm took down his
pensall of defyaunce'and the following day the successful besiegers 'cutt and
raiced down the churche wallis and steplee'. Patten reports that Wharton 'took
72 prisoners, the keepers of the same, burnt the spoil for cumber [encumbrance]
of carriage' and then 'brent [burnt] the towne [of Annan], not leving any thing
therein unbrent' . All the ordnance and munitions in the church tower were
taken to Carlisle.
However, on one occasion at least a small but determined garrison were
able to inflict a stinging defeat on a confident, well equipped and numerically
superior attacking force.

Assault on Wark Castle by the Duke of Albany, 1523

One of the most resilient fortifications in the Borderland was the English
castle at Wark-on-Tweed, which for almost 500 years played a major role in
the ebb and flow of Border warfare.
The castle is situated about 13km west of Norham and stands on the banks
of the river Tweed, where it commands an important ford crossing. In the early
12th century, Walter Espec established a motte and bailey castle here, which in
time was rebuilt in stone. The mere presence of this fortress seemed to infuriate
the Scots, who persistently attacked and besieged it, and on a number of
occasions the castle was razed to the ground and then rebuilt by the English.
The Earl of Northumberland called it 'the stay and key of all this country
... situate for annoyance and defence in the best place of all the frontiers', but
in 1513, Wark Castle fell to the mighty ordnance of James IV. By 1517,
however, the castle was back in service and had been developed as an artillery
fortress. The unusual, six-sided keep was:

Made foure howses hight, and in every Stage, there is five grete murdour holes,
shot with grete volutes of Stone, except one stage which is with Tymbre. So
that grete bumbardes may be shot out at icheon of them. And there is a well
made with trap dores thorow the middest of every hows for the heasing up
of ordinaunce.

This 'tower of great strength and height ... was encircled by two walls, the
outer including a large space into which the inhabitants of the country used
to fly ... in times of war; the inner of much smaller extent, but fortified more
strongly with ditches and towers.'
In retaliation to Surrey's incursions into the Scottish borders in 1523, the
Duke of Albany, a potential heir to the Scottish throne, mounted an amphibious
attack on Wark Castle with a force of over 2,000 French allies supported by a
'chosen band' of Scots. Having bombarded the castle with cannon fire from
across the river Tweed and succeeded in damaging the outer defences, the
combined force breached the outer ward. Although they 'were sore galled by
the shot of those above them in the tower' they then managed to fight their
way into the inner ward. At this juncture, the castle's commander, Sir William
Lisle, and his outnumbered garrison of 100 men, resolved that it was more
honourable 'to dye in fight, than to be murthered with gunnes' and fiercely
counterattacked the French. 'Freely setting about them' Lisle and his doughty
garrison 'not only drove them out of the inner ward but also out of the outer

58
ward and slew of the French men 10 persons. And so the said French men went
[back] over the water' leaving 300 dead behind them. Albany's reaction to their
humiliating return is not recorded, but on receiving news of the approach of the
Earl of Surrey at the head of a strong relieving force, he withdrew his forces.
Arriving at Wark shortly afterwards, Surrey added 'bulwarks of earth' to
Hills Tower, Dumfries and
the castle's defences and no doubt inspired by the recent action, remarked
Galloway. Standing 10km
that the keep was 'the strongest thing I have ever seen'. However, the royal south-west of Dumfries, this
commissioners considered the castle not so strong as Surrey supposed, for fine tower house was built by
they found that the foundations of the keep were only 60cm deep and would Sir Edward Maxwell in the early
be susceptible to mining. Near the end of the 16th century, some of the part of the 16th century. The
barmkin wall features a small,
buildings had become so dilapidated that 'no man dare dwell in them & if attractive gatehouse c.1598,
speedy remedy be not had, they will fall flatte to the ground'. Repairs were which was defended by a
half-heartedly undertaken but, by the mid-17th century, the fortress had wooden dooGa yettand two
slipped into a complete state of 'decaie'. inverted-keyhole shot holes. In
1721, a comfortable Georgian
wing was added to the tower,
providing more salubrious
THE FATE OF THE CASTLES, TOWER HOUSES, accommodation for the owner.

BASTLES AND DEFENSIBLE CHURCHES

Following the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of England in
1603 and his subsequent pacification of the Border Marches, the presence
of so many fortifications was deemed unnecessary and a great
number were summarily demolished. As the threat of
hostilities receded, many castles, tower houses
and bastles were abandoned by their
owners in favour of more spacious
and refined accommodation,
sometimes in the shape of a hall,
or manor house, which was
often built as an extension to
the existing fortress. In some
instances, bastles and tower
houses were themselves
modified in order to
 provide less austere and more accessible
accommodation, whilst others were
simply incorporated within farm
complexes and given over to storage.
Old habits die hard, however, and it
should be borne in mind that sporadic
lawlessness across the region continued
well into the 17th century. In some more
remote areas, bastle houses were still
being erected as late as 1707.
It should also be acknowledged that a
great many Border fortresses, both large
and small, owe their survival to Sir Walter
Scott, who, in the 19th century, generated
a wave of romantic interest in the history
of the Borderland that inspired local
gentry to initiate enthusiastic programmes
of restoration on their castles and towers.
Although occasionally of a rather fanciful
and dubious nature, such works at least
halted further deterioration.

In 1584, a Commission on the

Borders reported that 'Warke
VISITING THE SITES TODAY
Castle ... standinge on the
said river of Tweede ... hard Many of the region's castles and tower houses have survived as picturesque,
adjoininge to the border of partial ruins, whilst others have been well cared for and, even to this day,
Scotland' was 'decaied by want serve as family seats. A surprising number of bastle houses, albeit greatly
of reparacion', but added that
modified, still provide family accommodation and numerous fortified
'this castle or fortresse we doe
thincke to be one of the cheife churches on both sides of the Border continue to serve their congregations.
and principall places to Many of these buildings are accessible to the public, and for anyone
defende the country and visiting the Border region there are numerous 'heritage trails' to follow, such
annoye the enemye if it were
as www.thereivertrail.com.
repaired.' Shown in the sketch
is a 'stonehouse' in the outer
Visitors would do well to acquire the Ordnance Survey map In Search of
ward, and in the inner one a the Border Reivers, which details over 800 sites relating to the history of the
bakehouse, a kitchen and the Anglo-Scottish Border. Living history events portraying the Border Reivers
constable's house. From the and their world are held regularly at Old Buittle Tower, near Dalbeattie, in
roof of the keep there were
extensive views across the
Dumfries and Galloway, and for anyone unable to visit the region in person
river Tweed and 'all the there are the following VHS/DVDs: The Border Reivers (Northern Heritage)
boundes of Berwyk'. and In Search of the Border Reivers (Striding Edge Productions).
The following locations marked with an asterisk are accessible to the public:
~r-Aydon Castle. Fortified manor house from the turn of the 14th century,
set above the Cor Burn 0.8km north-east of Corbridge, Northumberland.
The castle can be accessed via the B6321. (English Heritage)
~r-Black Middens Bastle. Situated on a remote hillside in the Tarset valley,
close to Bellingham on the B6320, this roofless building is in the care of English
Heritage. Nearby are the ruins of three other bastle houses: Shilla Hill, Highfield
and Corbie Castle, all of which can be viewed from a public footpath.
Cessford Castle. The ruins of this massive, 15th-century stronghold of the
Kerrs stands on a minor road about 1.6km south-west of Morebattle. The
castle has spectacular views of the Cheviot Hills and can be viewed from the
perimeter of the site, but entry to the interior is forbidden.

60
 ~:·Dunstanburgh Castle. The magnificent ruins of Thomas of Lancaster's
Border fortress stand 2.4km north of the fishing village of Craster, on the
Northumberland Coast. (English Heritage)
~r.-Church of St John the Baptist, Edlingham. This atmospheric 11 th-
century church, with its early 14th-century tower, is situated in a quiet valley
8km west of Alnwick, Northumberland, and can be accessed from the B6341.
The church is open to the public - a small donation would be appropriate.
Edlingham Castle stands nearby.
Elsdon, Redesdale, Northumberland. Best approached by a minor
moorland road from Scots' Gap, which passes close to 'Winter's Gibbet'. Both
the 16th-century tower house and late 11th-century earthwork dominate the
village. The tower is privately owned.
~:·Greenknowe Tower. This tower house from 1581 is now a roofless ruin
but the interior bears close examination. The building, which positively
bristles with a variety of gun loops, stands 0.8km west of Gordon on the
A61 05. (Historic Scotland)
~r.-Hermitage Castle. Surely the most forbidding stronghold in the Border
Marches and well worth visiting, the gaunt ruins of 'Th'Armitage' stand in a
remote valley in Liddesdale, on the B6399. (Historic Scotland)
~r.-Hollows / Gilnockie Tower. A substantial tower house from the mid-16th
century, which stands about 2.5km north of Canonbie off the A7. This former
stronghold of the Armstrongs is privately owned, but is open to the public.
~r.-Low Cleughs Bastle. Standing on a hillside above the Rede Valley,
this partly ruinous bastle house from the turn of the 17th century has
recently been stabilized by Northumberland National Park Authority. The
bastle is located on a minor road about 0.8km west of West Woodburn on
the A68. Wood houses Bastle, 1886. In
~r.-Norham Castle. Situated midway between Berwick and Coldstream and the 18th century a one-storey
standing on the steep, south bank of the River Tweed, this rugged old fortress cottage was added to the
is steeped in Border history. It overlooks the village of Norham on the B6470. bastle, although both were
in ruins when this sketch
(English Heritage) was made in 1886. Note the
~r.-Old Gaol, Hexham. Standing opposite the Moot Hall and close to Hexham doorway to the upper floor
Abbey, the Old Gaol now houses the recently refurbished Border History of the bastle, now blocked, and
Museum and is an essential point of interest for anyone visiting the region. the location of what appears to
be the two original windows.
~r.-Smai1holm Tower. This quintessential tower house is situated on
In latter years it was noted that
Sandyknowe Craigs in the Tweed Valley and encompasses spectacular views both buildings were thatched
of the surrounding countryside and the Eildon Hills. Smailholm stands 10km with heather.
west of Kelso, close to the B6404 and is accessed through the
farmyard at Sandyknowe. (Historic Scotland)
~r.-Thirlwall Castle. Although in a ruinous
condition, the remains of the castle are
picturesquely situated high above the
Tipalt Burn and stand in close proximity
to Hadrian's Wall. The castle is
approached along a pleasant footpath
not far from the B6318.
~r.-Woodhouses Bastle. This restored
bastle house can be approached from
the B6341 and is delightfully situated on
a minor road near Holystone Grange
in Coquetdale, Northumberland. There
is, however, no access to the interior.
Neidpath Castle, Peebles.
Perched high above a bend on
the river Tweed, this massively
constructed tower house was
built on an L-plan in the late
14th century by Sir William Hay,
Sheriff of Peebles, and consists
of three tiers, each covered
with a barrel vault. The exterior
walls have rounded corners
and in the main block enclose
five spacious chambers and six
smaller storeys in the wing. The
entrance was situated in the re-
entrant angle of the main block
and wing, and from there a
spiral staircase rose to the full
height of the building to an
open wall-walk and parapet.

OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM

Shittleheugh Pele, Otterburn,
Northumberland. Now a gaunt
and shattered ruin overlooking
Redesdale, one of the most
turbulent valleys in the Border
country, Shittleheugh was
a superior kind of bastle
and is referred to by the GLOSSARY
Northumbrian historian
Hodgson, as the 'mansion Ashlar evenly dressed masonry.
house of the Reeds'. A stone Aumbry wall cupboard or recess.
porch stood in front of the
Barmkin courtyard with an enclosing wall.
ground floor entrance, which
is in the long south wall, and Bartizan projecting angle turret.
the doorway is equipped with Corbel stone block projecting from a wall to carry an upper floor or
tunnels for two drawbars. parapet, etc.
In latter days military personnel
Crenellate to furnish with battlements.
from nearby Otterburn Training
Area frequently used
Entresol second floor within the ground storey.
Shittleheugh as a recce point Garderobe medieval latrine.
and its interior was often Machicolations openings between corbels through which missiles can be dropped.
scattered with large numbers Mural built within a wall.
of spent cartridge cases.
Piscina basin for washing Communion vessels.
Being a 'martiall kind of men'
themselves, the Reeds would Solar private room off the main hall.
no doubt have fully approved. Quoins dressed stones at the corners of a building.

62
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bain, Joseph, (ed.) Calendar of
Border Papers: 2 Volumes,
1560-1603 HMSO:
Edinburgh, 1896
Brooke, C., Safe Sanctuaries]ohn
Donald: Edinburgh, 2000
Dent ]., and McDonald, R., Warfare
and Fortifications in the Borders
Scottish Borders Council:
Newton St Boswells, 2000
Frodsham, P., Ryder, P., et aI.,
Archaeology in Northumberland
National Park Council for
British Archaeology: York, 2004
Graham E, Castles of
Northumberland Frank Graham: Newcastle upon Tyne, 1976 ABOVE At Berwick-upon-Tweed, major new
defences were constructed in the 1560s.
Marsden ]., The King, the Castle and the Great Iron Gun Privately published
Designed by Italian military engineers, they
Maxwell-Irving, A., The Border Towers of Scotland. The West March incorporated five angle bastions, being arrow-
Maxwell-Irving: Stirling, 2000 shaped fortifications that extended outwards
Pevsner, N., revised by Cruft, K., Dunbar, ]., and Fawcett, R., Borders Yale from massively thick, stone-faced earthworks,
which were designed to absorb the impact
University Press: New Haven and London, 2006
of incoming shot. At the rear of each bastion
Pevsner, N., Gifford, ]., Dumfries and Galloway Yale University Press, were two gun emplacements, which face the
New Haven And London, 2002 open area between them, creating a killing
Pevsner, N., revised by Ryder, P., McCombie, G., Grundy, ]., and Welfare, ground over which an attacking force must
advance in order to storm the ramparts.
H., Northumberland Penguin Books: London, 1992
How effective these state-of-the-art defences
Phillips, G., The Anglo-Scots Wars 1513-1550 Boydell Press: would have proved against an assault remains
Woodbridge, 1999 conjectural as they were never tested.
Pollard A., Tudor Tracts Cooper Square Publishers: New York, 1964 This view from Cumberland Bastion
looks east towards
Ramm, McDowall, Mercer, Shielings and Bastles HMSO: London, 1970
Brass Bastion.
Ryder. P., Bastle Houses in the North Pennines North Pennines Heritage
Trust: Nenthead, Cumbria, 1996
Summerson, H., Dunstanburgh Castle English Heritage: London, 2002
Tabraham, C. (ed.), Hermitage Castle Historic Scotland: Edinburgh, 1996
Tabraham, C., Smailholm Tower Historic Scotland: Edinburgh, 2007
Tough, D. L. W., Last Years of a Frontier
Sandhill Press: Alnwick, 1987
Design, technology and history of key fortresses, strategic
positions and defensive sys ems

STRONGHOLDS OF THE
BORDER REIVERS
Fortifications of the Anglo-Scottish Border 1296-1603

In the year 1296, Edward I of England launched a series of vicious raids

across the Anglo-Scottish Border in his attempt to annexe Scotland.
The Scots retaliated and the two countries were plunged into
300 years of intermittent warfare in which the Borderland became
the front line and raiding, or'reiving: encouraged by both sides,
became a way of life. This book examines the Border fortresses, ranging
from small, well-defended castles to imposing tower houses, or'peles:
and a variety of rugged, fortified farmhouses known as 'bastles: It also
investigates the many churches that were strengthened against attack
and in times of trouble served as sanctuaries for their congregations.

Full colour artwork _ Photographs _ Unrivalled detail _ Colour maps

US $18.95 / CAN $22.00

IS B N 978-1-84603-197-7

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PUBLISHING

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