Farlam Hall Cottages, Kirkhouse

Has been described as a Possible Bastle

There are major building remains

NameFarlam Hall Cottages, Kirkhouse
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishFarlam

2 houses, formerly one bastle house. Probably late C16 with mid C19 alterations. Thick calciferous sandstone walls, Welsh slate roof, yellow brick chimney stacks. 2 storeys, 2 bays each. No 6 left, has single-storey, 2-bay lean-to extension at front, of hammer-dressed calciferous sandstone and Welsh slate roof; plank door in wooden surround; 2-light wooden casement. No 5 has central plank door with C19 rusticated surround; ground floor sash windows with glazing bars have similar surrounds; gabled dormers above. At division between houses is earlier filled ground floor entrance. Entrance in end wall right, now filled, had chamfered surround similar to one at Denton Foot bastle house nearby, which is dated 1594. (Listed Building Report)

The two cottages have been made out of one building c. 71 ft. long, with walls of random rubble 3 ft. thick and with the upper storey partly in the roof. The doorway in the middle of the North end is similar to that dated 1594 at Denton Foot (NY 572623). The building is much longer than ordinary bastles to which the character of masonry and the doorway relate it; it may be the original 'manor house called Farlam Hall' of the 'Gilsland Survey of 1603'. It was thoroughly remodelled in the C19th (PastScape ref. Ramm et al )

Gatehouse Comments

The cottages have been confused with the medieval Farham Hall but Perriam and Robinson state "The 1603 Survey map and an early 18th century map clearly show the 'maner house' north of the Williamgill, (burn) but the cottages to the south."

- 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 ReferenceNY570600
Latitude54.9328498840332
Longitude-2.67227005958557
Eastings357013
Northings560009
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications)
  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 151 (plan)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 95
  • Ramm, H.G., McDowall, R.W. and Mercer, E., 1970, Shielings and Bastles (London: HMSO) p. 77 no. 11
  • Curwen, J.F., 1913, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 13) p. 410

Primary Sources

  • Graham, T. H. B. (ed.). 1934, The barony of Gilsland. Lord William Howard's survey, taken in 1603 (Feild-Booke yt explaines all the Map Booke for Gilsland taken in 1603) (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 16)