Burnlaw Farmhouse, Allendale

In the civil parish of Allendale.
In the historic county of Northumberland (Modern Authority of Northumberland, 1974 county of Northumberland).

Burnlaw Farmhouse dates back to C16 or early C17 when it was built as a bastle. Since that time it has been altered and extended over the centuries. The original building was quite large for a bastle and even with later additions some original features are still visible. They include the byre doorway, a small slit window and some original massive stonework. The first extension to the building seems to date to the mid C17 as there is a lintel carved 'T S 1662'. The bastle itself was remodelled in the late C17 or early C18 when it was heightened, new windows were inserted. Another extension was added in the later C18. In the early C19 the main part of the building was remodelled again with new windows and a new doorway giving it the two storey and three bay frontage typical of many farmhouses of this period. The small chapel in the cellar was probably once used as a Quaker meeting house.

This site has been described as a;
Bastle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY790575

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 15101

County Sites and Monuments Record number; N6339

• Web site links
  • http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N6339
• Books
  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Keepdate Publishing)
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern) p117 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p357
    Ramm, H.G., McDowall, R.W. and Mercer, E., 1970, Shielings and Bastles (London) p80 no.21
• Other sources and unpublished works (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Ryder, P.F., 1995. Towers and Bastles in Northumberland, Part 4 Tynedale District Vol1 p2-3