Castlefacts³

New Hall Tower

Has been described as a Possible Pele Tower

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

Name	New Hall Tower
Alternative Names	Clifford's Tower
Historic Country	Yorkshire
Modern Authority	North Yorkshire
1974 Authority	North Yorkshire
Civil Parish	Embsay with Eastby

'New Hall or Cliffords Tower (Site of)' is depicted on the 1st edition 6" OS map.

On the high pinnacle of the Forest of Cookrise near Waterford Water Fall Gill the Cliffords built a watch or hunting tower overlooking that of the Nortons. It is mentioned in a boundary perambulation of c.1600. (Whitaker 1878; Bogg 1904)

Surveyed at 6" scale. Only a small mound of heather covered masonry within the vague outline of the foundations remains. These measure 6m by 5.7m. (OS Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comment, R.L. Lewis, 27/07/1965)

Condition unchanged. Outline of foundations surveyed at 1:10,000. (OS Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comment, R.W. Emsley, 04/05/1976) (Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority)

Gatehouse Comments

Although this doesn't survive it was probably similar to Norton Tower on the other side of the valley which it was inter-visible with. The Cliffords and Norton appeared to have been local rivals, in dispute over the deer hunting. Neither of these towers would be military although if an argument between hunting parties armed with hunting weapons got out of hand either or both might be safe refuges. Clearly their main function was as symbolic markers of territory and as leisure retreats for hunting parties.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

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

46411

County Historic Environment Record

www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=2097758&resourceID=420

OS Map Grid Reference	SD984565
Latitude	54.0048713684082
Longitude	-2.02559995651245
Eastings	398415
Northings	456545