Shoreswood Tower

Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower

There are no visible remains

NameShoreswood Tower
Alternative Names
Historic CountryNorthumberland
Modern AuthorityNorthumberland
1974 AuthorityNorthumberland
Civil ParishShoreswood

Shoreswood Tower, destroyed in 1496, was about 2 miles west and by south from Berwick within a mile and a half of the border of Scotland (John Lelands Survey c.1538). In Sept. 1584 the decayed remains were in the occupation of a Mr. Selbye (Bates, 1891). One of the towers cast down by James IV of Scotland in the raid of 1496. Although considerably damaged, the survey of 1584 reported it as being 'very fit and convenient to defend the country and annoy yhte enemy', although the cost of bringing it into operation was estimated to be £240. It was never repaired (Dodds, 1999). (PastScape)

Shorsewoode Towre belonginge to the decane and chapter of Duresme standinge neere Tweede about two myles west and by south from Berwick within a myle and a half of the border of Scotland decaied by warres and partlye by meanes as aforesayd but by whome to be repaired we cannot learne otherwise then either by her majestye in respect to have the use of the same in tymes of service, or by the Lords and owners. This towne or fortresse we doe thincke a verye fitte and convenient place as well to defend the countrye as annoye the enemye upon the opposite border if it were repared the charges of which reparacions we esteem to two hundreth and fortye pounds. (Christopher Dacre, 1584)

Gatehouse Comments

The PastScape record reference to "John Lelands Survey" seems to be erroneous probably for the Dacre report. The site is lost. Shoreswood Hall is a grade II listed early C18 house which may represent a possible location, given the tendency to reuse high status site but this unsupported supposition.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNT958465
Latitude55.7123908996582
Longitude-2.06763005256653
Eastings395848
Northings646555
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 44
  • Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 95
  • Graham, Frank, 1993, Northumberian Castles Aln, Tweed and Till (Butler Publishing) p. 41
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 353
  • Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p. 317
  • Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 157
  • Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p. 22, 70, 80 (Also published as the whole of volume 14 (series 2) of Archaeologia Aeliana view online)

Journals

  • Bates, C.J., 1891, 'Border Holds of Northumberland' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser2) Vol. 14 p. 22, 70, 80 online copy

Primary Sources

  • 1584, Report of the Commissioners on the Borders (1584) under Lord Hunsdon; largely the work of Christopher Dacre. Online transcription
  • Sir Robert Bowes, 1550, A Book of the State of the Frontiers and Marches betwixt England and Scotland taken from Brit. Mus. Cotton. MS. Titus, F.13, a copy of the original (see Bates, 51, n185). Printed in Hodgson, [pt.3, ii, 187, 204 > http://archive.org/stream/historyofnortpt302hodguoft#page/204/mode/1up]
  • 1541 View of the Castles, Towers, Barmekyns and Fortresses of the Frontier of the East and Middle Marches Survey of the East and Middle Marches