BARROW TOWER

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DESCRIPTION

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The site of a medieval pele tower. The tower is mentioned in a document of 1522, but was subsequently raided and destroyed by the Scots. It was in ruins by 1541 and the stone later removed and used to build a farmhouse a short distance to the east. Several coins of Charles II's reign have been found in the ruins.

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(NT 91160610) Barrow Peel (GT) (Remains of) (1)

Described in the Survey of 1541 as a ruin. "The old walls of a
little fortress belonging to Gerrard Barrowe, which in time past was razed to the ground by the Scots. And so remains still waste for lack of money for repairs." (Not listed in the 1415 Survey. pp 12-20). (2)

The modern house at Barrow has been built of the stones of the Pele tower, that stood a few yards to the west, where traces of the foundations may yet be seen. Several copper coins of Charles II reign(1660-1685) have been found in the ruins by Mr John Carruthers. It is many centuries since the tower was ruined, by the Scots invasions. (3)

The farmhouse is marked on the OS map as an old pele tower, but no trace of the tower now remains. In 1522 a garrison of 20 men was to be kept at Barrow. At some time between this date and 1541, the tower was taken and burnt. (4)

The original size or plan of the Peel cannot now be determined. The site is marked by an irregular-shaped area of hummocks covered with turf, showing some small angular stone. The small farmhouse on the east side, is constructed of well-shaped blocks of stone with very large quoins at the corners. There is also much fashioned stone in the walls of the sheepfold to the north. The farmhouse is now deserted.
(Present location of coins (authy 3 refers) not ascertained). (5)

No change since report of 7 5 57. (6)

Listed by Cathcart King and by Dodds. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1925.

( 2) Archaeologia Aeliana : or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity

C J Bates 14, 1891 Page(s)45

( 3) General reference

Upper Coquetdale 1903 36 (D D Dixon) Page(s)36

( 4) Northumberland County History

15 Page(s)488-489

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 07-MAY-57

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F2 SA 01-DEC-76

(7) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

Page(s)345

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

Page(s)185

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