Loweswater Pele

Has been described as a Questionable Pele Tower, and also as a Questionable Bastle

There are masonry footings remains

NameLoweswater Pele
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishLoweswater

The Ordnance Survey maps, however, locate a 'peel' some 120m further west on the opposite side of the hillock where a ruined farmbuilding considered to be a successor to the earlier structure now stands. Adjoining this ruin are a number of other ruined structures and terraces cut into the hillslope which are interpreted as the site of outbuildings associated with the ruined farm. (Scheduling Report for Crummock Water)

Gatehouse Comments

To differentiate between the certain Crummock Water Manor House, usually called Loweswater Pele and this possible pele house Gatehouse has called this Loweswater Pele. The possibility for confusion is obvious and care needs to be taken in regard to these sites and their associated records. The Crummock Water site is large and this possible pele is within the larger defensive circuit. It could, therefore, be contemporary with the manor house and represent ancillary accommodation. Although called a possible tower in Perriam and Robinson it was, most probably, a pele-house type bastle held by a tenant and representing a later subdivision of demense land for a money rent.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY149202
Latitude54.570728302002
Longitude-3.3162899017334
Eastings314980
Northings520290
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 97 (slight)
  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 99

Journals

  • Fair, M.C., 1936, 'Loweswater Pele and Parks' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 36 p. 126 online copy
  • Ward, J.C., 1878, 'Notes on Archaeological Remains in the Lake District' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 3 p. 247 online copy