Castlefacts³

Scarrowmanwick

Has been described as a Possible Bastle, and also as a Possible Pele Tower, and also as a Possible Uncertain

There are no visible remains

Name	Scarrowmanwick
Alternative Names	Scallermanok; Scalemanock; Saltermannoweke; Scaramanwick
Historic Country	Cumberland
Modern Authority	Cumbria
1974 Authority	Cumbria
Civil Parish	Kirkoswald

In C18, Scarrowmanwick was referred to as a 'place of resort in times of peril', and in 1847, that 'near the village are the remains of an old border stronghold called Scarrowmanwick'. (PastScape (where categorised as a medieval pele tower)–ref. Perriam and Robinson)

No evidence of an earlier building in the present village. In 1984 Mrs. Metcalf of the main farm pointed to a site to the SW of the farm as a possible site; she had some memory of large stones being ploughed up there when the new barn was built. (Perriam and Robinson)

Among many other instances in this tract of country, we must remark, that occasional strong holds were necessary to the inhabitants, who were, in ancient times, frequently harrassed by small parties desending from the mountains; in the neighbourhood of Croglin, is a place for resort in times of peril, called Scarromanwick, like Haresceugh, in the vicinity of Renwick, and Dunwallought, near Cumrew. (Hutchinson 1794)

Gatehouse Comments

A place of retreat might merely be a isolated area in the hills and Scarrowmanwick is both the name of a hamlet, at the given map reference, and the name of the isolated fell with the gorge of the Croglin Water. Peel Dod is a placename on Scarrowmanwick Fell. Much heat and little light is produced by discussions on the meaning, origin and use of the term 'pele' (or peel) but it is general associated with places having something to do with defence, again suggesting the fell may have been a place of retreat.A mention of remains does suggest a building of some sort although a possibly confusion between an old story of a 'place of retreat' and remains of a, now lost, building has to be considered. Haresceugh, mentioned as an analogue by Hutchinson, is a very ruinous (down to foundations) manor house; Dunwallought is an isolated hill site of confused foundations, possibly a hunting lodge.There is nothing to suggests a high status site like Haresceugh or Dunwallought, however it seems possible that there was a bastle here, possibly with an extensive set out of outbuildings and field walls (so ruinous and confused as to be mistakable for a large building). The hamlet is unlikely as the sort of place for a pele tower, which tend to be residences of higher social status than bastles, although a C15 reference to a tenement of Humphrey Lord Dacre may be for a house let to a knight or sergeant for some military service which could have been a tower.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)

1389618

County Historic Environment Record

www.cumbria.gov.uk/planning-environment/countryside/historic-environment/HER.asp

OS Map Grid Reference	NY581471
Latitude	54.8169898986816
Longitude	-2.65353989601135
Eastings	358100
Northings	547100