MONUMENT NO. 14373

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DESCRIPTION

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Possible site of a bastle. There was formerly a bastle at Belling, but no trace of such a structure survives within or around the present farmhouse. The tower may have been located on Belling Crags, though no visible evidence remains. The farmhouse and bastle were demolished in 1980 and the site is now submerged beneath Kielder Water.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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There was formerly a Pele at Belling. (1)

There appear to be no remains of this Pele. A probable site is Belling Crags. (2)

The Belling is a farmhouse with outbuildings of no great age, situated at the foot of precipitous crags, and above a S facing slope of pasture, overlooking the River North Tyne valley. No evidence of antiquity was found in or around the farmstead. No owner could be contacted.
Belling Crags rise to 674 feet above OD, and present an excellent postion for a defensive tower. There is good all round visibility, along the N Tyne valley to the E, S and W, and up the valley of the Belling burn to the N. The position overlooks a great stretch of moorland to the N and E. On all sides of the hill-top are
precipitous crags or steep pasture slopes. There are no traces of antiquity to be seen. (3)

A bastle was built at some time at Belling. This became a farmhouse, and later on became a barn. This was demolished in 1980. (4)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1a) Field Investigators Comments

F1 FDC 05-JUL-56

( 1) General reference

Add notes Ro Roads Northum 1867 78 note (H Maclauchlan)

( 2) Field Investigators Comments

F2 ASP 02-AUG-56

( 3) General reference

HF Clarke 5-7-56 Essex Arch Soc (Author of "The Tower and Fortified Houses of Northum" 1905-56 Private work unpublished)

(6) Dodds, JF 1999 Bastions and Belligerents: Medieval Strongholds in Northumberland

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