Old Bewick Tower

Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower

There are no visible remains

NameOld Bewick Tower
Alternative NamesOld Berwick; Bewyk; Beawick; Bewike; Bewicke; New Bewick
Historic CountryNorthumberland
Modern AuthorityNorthumberland
1974 AuthorityNorthumberland
Civil ParishBewick

The tower at Old Bewick is first mentioned in 1509 when it belonged to the Prior of Tynemouth. In 1542 part was covered with lead but the rest was out of repair, while in 1548 it was entirely a ruin although recommended by the Border Commissioners for repair. It is mentioned in 1608 and 1614, but in 1676 and 1678 is referred to as being ruinous. A survey of c.1715 mentions a large ruinous tower in the village (Bates 1891; Hodgson 1928; Hodgson 1916).

In 1866 some old people could remember the ruins of the tower but the Eglingham to Chillingham road has been constructed over its foundations (Dodds 1935).

The foundations are situated about 60 yards north of the entrance to Mr Langland's house and in the centre of the public road (MacLauchlan 1864)

Mr Langland lived at the farmhouse of Old Bewick, (farmhouse at NU 06852137. Entrance at NU 0674-2143). There is a slight 'bump' in the modern road at NU 06692147 which is 60m north-west of the entrance to the farmhouse. There are no visible indications in the field to the south-west but the siting agrees with the textual description (F1 EG 10-MAR-1955). (Northumberland HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Confusingly called New Bewick by Mackenzie, presumably to differentiate it from the Old Bewick Hill Fort, although it is much closer to Old Bewick settlement rather than the New Bewick settlement to the south.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNU066214
Latitude55.4869918823242
Longitude-1.89567005634308
Eastings406690
Northings621470
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

Calculate Print

Books

  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 105-7
  • Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles and Tower Houses of Northumberland (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 90
  • 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. 328
  • Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p. 290
  • Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 144
  • Dodds, Madeleine Hope (ed), 1935, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol. 14 p. 425-6
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 403 online copy
  • Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p. 23, 42, 310 (Also published as the whole of volume 14 (series 2) of Archaeologia Aeliana view online)
  • MacLauchlan, H. 1864, The Memoir to the Survey of the Eastern Branch of the Watling Street (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 28n2 online copy
  • Hodgson, J., 1828, History of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Part 3 Vol. 2 p. 209 online copy

Journals

  • Hodgson, J.C., 1916, 'List of Ruined Towers, Chapels, etc., in Northumberland; compiled about 1715 by John Warburton, Somerset Herald, aided by John Horsley' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser3) Vol. 13 p. 7 abridged transcription
  • Bates, C.J., 1891, 'Border Holds of Northumberland' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser2) Vol. 14 p. 23, 42, 310 online copy

Primary Sources