Helbeck Hall

Has been described as a Possible Pele Tower

There are no visible remains

NameHelbeck Hall
Alternative NamesHill Beck; Helsbeck; Hillbeck; Hillebeck; Hellbeck
Historic CountryWestmorland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishHelbeck

Hellbeck was the seat of the Helbeck family until 1314 when the last Helbeck married a Blenkinsop. It may contain the remains of a tower house. (PastScape–ref. Perriam and Robinson)

Hellbeck Hall, was situated on the slopes at the foot of the Pennine Range, a short distance to the N.E, from Brough. Of the old house there is hardly any portion left: it has been supplanted by an eighteenth century building. The de Hellebecks continued as lords here until the end of the reign of Edward II., when a daughter was left as heiress. By marriage, a Benkinsop from Northumberland was brought into Westmorland. The Blenkinsops continued as a family of note for fourteen generations at Hellbeck: some-times they served the shire in Parliament; they could bring on the field a force of 120 horse, and did good service against the Scots during the disturbances in the early part of the reign of Henry VIII. But evil times fell upon the Blenkinsops. They were Papists and Royalists, and suffered much from pains and penalties, and were ruined in the Civil War. (Taylor 1892)

Gatehouse Comments

The actual form of the medieval house is not known but is entirely likely to have had a fortified element most probably as a strong solar tower attached to a hall. The modern Hall is a centre for country pursuits and it is entirely probably the medieval house served a similar function as a hunting retreat.

- 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 ReferenceNY792157
Latitude54.5367813110352
Longitude-2.32279992103577
Eastings379210
Northings515780
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 282
  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 97 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 495 (possible)
  • Curwen, J.F., 1932, 'Parishes (East Ward): St Michael, Brough' The Later Records relating to North Westmorland: or the Barony of Appleby p. 94-109 online transcription
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Taylor, M.W., 1892, Old Manorial Halls of Westmorland and Cumberland (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 8) p. 157 online copy

Antiquarian

  • Manuscripts of the Reverend Thomas Machell, vicar of Kirkby Thore (d 1698) Vol. 1 (preserved at the Cumberland Record Office) p. 111

Journals

  • Collingwood, W.G., 1926, 'An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Westmorland and Lancashire North-of-the-Sands' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 26 p. 2 online copy