Castlefacts³

Hepple village bastle-houses

Has been described as a Possible Bastle

There are no visible remains

Name	Hepple village bastle-houses
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Northumberland
Modern Authority	Northumberland
1974 Authority	Northumberland
Civil Parish	Hepple

At that period {1724} the village of Hepple consisted of several "bastle-houses," and cottages that stood back from the highway, north of the present row of houses. (Dixon 1903)

Gatehouse Comments

Dixon also writes the township consisted of seven farms, and the Demense, whereof one is freehold. Although Hepple village lies north of the River Coquet much of the medieval parish lay to the south of the river, an area of higher land and rougher pasture. The modern Civil Parish is of even larger extent, and includes a number of peel-houses which were in the previous Woodside parish. However Dixon's 'several "bastle-houses" were in the village, not the parish. These probably did not included Hepple Tower, which maintained a gentry status.The 1st edition OS map of 1863 shows the current row of houses. Ridge and furrow delimits the area which could have been occupied by the 'pele-house' to just north of the road which is still mainly open; East Hepple Farm House and a row of mid C19 buildings occupy some of the area and may even lie on the footstep of one or more of the possible pele-houses but a notably 'bumpy' field lies east of these so it may be archaeological investigation could give further detail at some future time.Although this is potential a large grouping of pele-houses there is no suggestion these form a defensible circuit or that the village as a whole was defensible. The village had a reputation as a home of Border Reivers.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record

www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning/Conservation/Archaeology.aspx

OS Map Grid Reference	NT984006
Latitude	55.2998504638672
Longitude	-2.02699995040894
Eastings	398400
Northings	600600