Monk Bastle, Allendale

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Monks Farm, le Menke

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

Range of four bastle type buildings stands at Monk Farm. It is difficult to work out the sequence in which they were built because of later alterations but the earliest building seems to be at the southern end and the latest at the north. The earliest building looks like a tower rather than a typical bastle and may be earlier than any of the other bastles in the area. The farm was known as 'le Menke' as early as 1547 and is said to have been a cell once attached to Hexham Priory.

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 NY78345654

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; 15122

County Sites and Monuments Record number; N6344

• Web site links
  • http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N6344
• Books
  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Keepdate Publishing) p420-1
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern) p119 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2
    Ramm, H.G., McDowall, R.W. and Mercer, E., 1970, Shielings and Bastles (London) p80 no.22
• Journal Articles
  • Ryder, P.F., 1992, 'Bastles and bastle-like buildings in Allendale' Archaeology Journal Vol149 p361-2
    1895-96, Archaeologia Aeliana [ser2] Vol7 p270
• Other sources and unpublished works (Theses, in-house reports and other such)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 p13