Hepple Tower

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Heppelle; Heppedale; Hephell

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

Hepple Tower was probably erected at the end of C14 by Sir Robert Ogle. He is recorded as holding six such fortifications by 1415. His main residence being at Ogle itself. It had an armed garrison of twenty in 1509, but had fallen into decay only thirty years later, having apparently been burnt by the Scots. Formerly part of a larger building, only the tower remains standing. The ruinous structure is constructed in squared stone, with a barrel vaulted ground floor. A stair set into the thickness of the south wall once led to the upper floors. It was being used as a hay store in 1957.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 236269)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NT98660065

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; 1705

County Sites and Monuments Record number; N1198

• Web site links
  • http://britannia.com/tours/coquetdale/hepple.html
    http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N1198
• Books
  • Ryder, Peter, 2004, 'Towers and bastles in Northumberland National Park' in Frodsham, P., Archaeology in Northumberland National Park (CBA Research report 136) p262-271
    Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Keepdate Publishing) p176-7
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern) p66
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p187
    Jackson, M.J.,1992, Castles of Northumbria (Carlise) p139
    Rowland, T.H., 1987 [reprint1994], Medieval Castles, Towers, Peles and Bastles of Northumberland (Sandhill Press) p10, 39, 61, 62
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p335
    Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p199-200
    Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p118
    Pevsner, N., 1957, The Buildings of England: Northumberland (London, Penguin) p170
    Dodds, Madeleine Hope (ed), 1940, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol15 p280-1, [Photo] p381
    Hugill, R.,1939, Borderland Castles and Peles [1970 Reprint by Frank Graham] p124-5
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Dixon, D.D., 1903, Upper Coquetdale (Newcastle) p296-300
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p394
    Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p18, 24, 44, 396
• Journal Articles
  • Hodgson, J.C., 1916, 'List of Ruined Towers, Chapels, etc., in Northumberland; compiled about 1715 by John Warburton, Somerset Herald, aided by John Horsley' Archaeologia Aeliana [ser3] Vol13 p13
    Dixon, 1901, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle [new ser] Vol10 p45-8
    1853, Gentlemen's Magazine Vol39 pt1 p469-71
• 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]