Blencow Old Hall
Has been described as a Certain Fortified Manor House, and also as a Certain Pele Tower
There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains
| Name | Blencow Old Hall |
| Alternative Names | |
| Historic Country | Cumberland |
| Modern Authority | Cumbria |
| 1974 Authority | Cumbria |
| Civil Parish | Dacre |
Blencow Old Hall moated tower house. Remains of C15 fortified tower house consists of an island or platform measuring approximately 42m east-west by 30m north-south. On the western end of the island there is a rectangular platform measuring c18m by 7.5m which contains sandstone building foundations identified as the remains of Blencow Old Hall tower house. Surrounding the island are traces of a partially infilled shallow moat, now dry, measuring approximately 6m wide by 0.2m deep. This site is first mentioned in 1406, a lease of the following year records the hall, six crucks, barn and a cowshed. By 1513 the family moved to the new hall (PastScape)
Despite some infilling of the surrounding moat, the site of Blencow Old Hall fortified tower house and moat survives reasonably well and remains unencumbered by modern development. It will retain evidence for the buildings which originally occupied the moated island.
The monument includes the remains of the 12th/13th century Blencow Old Hall fortified tower house and its surrounding moat. It is located on gently sloping land between High Farm in Great Blencow and the River Petterell, and includes a platform or island measuring approximately 42m east-west by 30m north-south. On the western end of the island there is a rectangular platform measuring c.18m by 7.5m which contains sandstone building foundations identified as the remains of Blencow Old Hall tower house. Surrounding the island are traces of a partially infilled shallow moat, now dry, measuring approximately 6m wide by 0.2m deep. The monument can be clearly seen on an aerial photograph which also depicts traces of an outlet channel running downhill from the moat's north east corner to the River Petterell
Blencow Old Hall is mentioned for the first time in documentary sources in 1406 when it was given as a conditional gift by the trustees of Thomas of Blencow's estate to Thomas's son William and his wife Joan. A repairing lease dated to the following year and thought to refer to this site gives some idea as to what the property was like; William Southwaick was to repair the roof of the hall with slate, the kiln of six crucks, the barn and the cowshed, and to enclose the garden towards the fold with a stone wall five feet high. By 1513 the family had moved to a new site, the present Blencow Hall some 650m to the west. Documentary sources indicate that Blencow Old Hall was in use as the manor court of the manor of Blencow in 1785. The date of its abandonment is not known. (Scheduling Report)
This site is a scheduled monument protected by law
Not Listed
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | NY456325 |
| Latitude | 54.6851501464844 |
| Longitude | -2.84437990188599 |
| Eastings | 345660 |
| Northings | 532560 |
