Alnham Earls Pele

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Earls Tower; Alnham Castle; Elnam; Turris de Alneham; Aylnane; Alname

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

The remains of a medieval tower house at Alnham, often referred to as Alnham Castle. It lies on high ground to the south of the medieval village remains. The tower is rectangular in plan and survives as a prominent sub-rectangular mound which measures 22m east-west by 18m north-south and stands up to 2m high. Part of the inner face of the north wall and its junction with a cross wall are visible as exposed masonry and there is a possible doorway at the north east corner. The tower is one of two in Alnham and is first mentioned in 1405 when it was surrendered to royal troops.

This site has been described as a;
Tower House.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry footings remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NT99181081

Sources of information, references and further reading

Web site links

http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N1336

Books

Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Keepdate Publishing) p161-2
Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern) p12
Rowland, T.H., 1987 [reprint1994], Medieval Castles, Towers, Peles and Bastles of Northumberland (Sandhill Press) p11, 34
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p325
Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p12-3
Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p53
Pevsner, N., 1957, The Buildings of England: Northumberland (London, Penguin) p64
Hugill, R.,1939, Borderland Castles and Peles [1970 Reprint by Frank Graham] p26
Dodds, Madeleine Hope (ed), 1935, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol14 p573-4
Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p17, 24, 43

Journal Articles

1899, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle [new ser] Vol9 p81

Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)

1541 Survey of the East and Middle Marches [Click here]
1509 Survey of Tevedale [Click here]
1415 list of Northumberland Castles [Click here]

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

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