Snope Cleugh pelehouse
Has been described as a Possible Bastle
There are masonry ruins/remnants remains
Name | Snope Cleugh pelehouse |
Alternative Names | |
Historic Country | Northumberland |
Modern Authority | Northumberland |
1974 Authority | Northumberland |
Civil Parish | Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh |
Whilst out walking in the South Tyne Valley I came to the farm called "The Bog" on the East side of the River South Tyne.
The farm had 1 or 2 interesting old buildings and as the farmer was about I asked him if he had a bastle house amongst his buildings, he said he hadn't but if I was to walk up to "Snope Cleugh" 1/2 mile East I would come across what he had always known as a bastle house, in ruins, amongst a few trees and at the confluence of 2 streams and a little further on I would also come across what he called a "Bath House" where, in the old days local folk would bathe in this very wet depression in the landscape as it was known to have healing powers.
So, with his permission I walked up to the area and found an extensive area of fallen sandstone stones, obviously of 2 end-to-end buildings. Nearby are 2 streams and the ruins stand at the confluence. There are about 2 walls standing to a height of 4-5 ft with very thick walls. It appears to me to have been a superior, classic extended bastle of massive, roughly squared blocks of sandstone not unlike the bastle at Lingy Close which lies about 3 miles North and stands at roughly the same height above sea level. There is a sign of doorway in the East side.
The orientation of the bastle is east-west.
About 40-50 yds further East is a rectangular shaped earthwork which I have taken to be the site of the aforementioned Bath House. (Peter Mallalieu)
Not scheduled
Not Listed
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid Reference | NY689543 |
Latitude | 54.8833312988281 |
Longitude | -2.48505997657776 |
Eastings | 368970 |
Northings | 554380 |