Islekirk Hall

Has been described as a Questionable Pele Tower

There are no visible remains

NameIslekirk Hall
Alternative NamesHermitage of St Hilda, Ilekirk; Hildkirk
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishWestward

Ilekirk (Hildkirk) Grange later called Hall, was first occupied by the Barwys family as early as 1529. It was formerly the hermitage of St. Hilda belonging to the monastery of that name (Swift).

Perriam and Robinson cite Swift, who noted an unpublished ballad which refers to a tower at Islekirk Hall. Nothing remains to suggest a tower, and there is no other antiquarian reference to one. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

The evidence seems weak for a significant fortified residence here. The 'hermitage' may have been fairly substantial, since it was let to the Barwis family from 1529, who replaced it with a modest unfortified hall, possible sometime after they were granted it in 1544. A reference in a ballad may be artistic creation or refer to a chapel belfry. On the other hand, the 'hermitage' was a grange of Holm Cultram Abbey from 1216, and there was clearly something worth protecting here.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY259445
Latitude54.790168762207
Longitude-3.15320992469788
Eastings325970
Northings544500
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 18
  • Grainger, Francis and Collingwood, W.G., (eds), 1929, 'The Register: Islekirk'_The Register and Records of Holm Cultram_ (Kendal: CWAAS Record Series 8) p. 76-77 online transcription

Journals

  • Swift, F.B., 1950, 'Barwis of Cumberland' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 50 p. 141 online copy
  • Collingwood, W.G. and Rogers, J., 1899, 'Lost Churches in the Carlisle Diocese' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 15 p. 288-9 online copy
  • Bower, R., 1894, 'Brasses in the Diocese of Carlisle' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 13 p. 150 online copy