Castlefacts³

Woodside

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

There are no visible remains

Name	Woodside
Alternative Names
Historic Country	Cumberland
Modern Authority	Cumbria
1974 Authority	Cumbria
Civil Parish	St Cuthbert Without

Plan of Woodside made in 1878 revealed an pele tower prior to the alterations then being undertaken. The plan now appears to be lost. (PastScape–ref. Perriam and Robinson)

Woodside, the seat and property of Miss Losh, is a large and handsome mansion, situate in a beautiful and well-wooded lawn. The Woodside estate has been for many generations held by this family; the present proprietress is daughter of the late John Losh, Esq., and the largest land-owner in the township. Messrs. Thomas and John Lowthian, Joseph Sewell, and colonel Martin, have estates here also. (Mannix & Whellan)

Situated on the extreme northern verge of the Forest of Inglewood, the estate received the fitting name "Woodside." The mansion has reached its present stately form through a series of additions and improvements. The north front dates from the time of Queen Anne; and the south front was added by the late Miss Sarah Losh, some seventy years since. From discoveries made during the complete restoration which took place some years ago, we may safely conclude that the more ancient house was a small Peel, of the form usually found on the Scottish border. The close vicinity of another Peel, that of the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle. now called Newbiggin Hall, does not contradict this conclusion but rather confirms it; for small Peels within a stone's throw of each other may still be seen at Malkridge, near Haltwhistle. (Bulmer)

Gatehouse Comments

PastScape locate this at NY433499, the location of modern Woodside Farm, but called Wood House on the C19 OS maps. This was not the location of Woodside House.It appears the rebuilt house of 1878 has now been demolished and that not only is the plan of this possible 'pele' lost but the last remains are also gone. In 1878 the bastle house (or pele-house) was a less well known building form (Clark, who was not a north country man, was probably unaware of it) and it may be that it was a pele-house rather than the higher status pele-tower that was seen on the house survey. However the report in Bulmer might suggest that a pele-house was what was meant for the 'peles' around Melkridge are pele-house type bastles and Newbiggin is an ambiguous building but of a rectangular rather than square footprint.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)

1389975

County Historic Environment Record

www.cumbria.gov.uk/planning-environment/countryside/historic-environment/HER.asp

OS Map Grid Reference	NY428505
Latitude	54.8465385437012
Longitude	-2.89229011535645
Eastings	342800
Northings	550550