Hethpool Tower

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Hethpulle

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

The ruins of a C14 tower house situated in the garden of Hethpool House, on a tongue of land in the confluence of the Elsdon and College Burns. The ruin consists of three walls of a square building measuring 7m square. It stands to a height of two storeys, with the south west and south east walls measuring 1.6m thick. The north east wall is only 0.6m thick. The south east wall has an internal set back at first floor level, and a central recess or window above. The building seems to be unusually small for a permanent dwelling, but a reference dating to 1541 referred to it as a 'lytle stone house or pyle' at Hethpool 'whiche ys a greate releyffe to the tennants'. This implies that it was used as an occasional refuge.

This site has been described as a;
Pele Tower.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major 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 237662)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NT89652835

Sources of information, references and further reading

Web site links

http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N635

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) p73
Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern) p67
Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p200 [slight]
Rowland, T.H., 1987 [reprint1994], Medieval Castles, Towers, Peles and Bastles of Northumberland (Sandhill Press) p22
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p335
Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p202
Ramm, H.G., McDowall, R.W. and Mercer, E., 1970, Shielings and Bastles (London) p89, no.51
Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p119
Pevsner, N., 1957, The Buildings of England: Northumberland (London) p171
Hugill, R.,1939, Borderland Castles and Peles [1970 Reprint by Frank Graham] p130-1
Vickers, Kenneth H. (ed), 1922, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol11 p250
Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p17

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]
1415 list of Northumberland Castles [Click here]

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant

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

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.

*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

¤¤¤¤¤