Hirst Castle, Ashington
Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower
There are no visible remains
| Name | Hirst Castle, Ashington |
| Alternative Names | Hirst in Woodhorn; Low Hirst; North Hurst |
| Historic Country | Northumberland |
| Modern Authority | Northumberland |
| 1974 Authority | Northumberland |
| Civil Parish | Ashington |
The 'Castle' of Hirst still stood in Hodgson's time (circa 1916) and was incorporated in a farmhouse. There were two buildings of which very little is known, one may have been a tower or a pele and the other a castle. Tomlinson states that the tower was probably built by Ralph, 3rd Lord Ogle, who died in 1513 and the adjoining farm house may have been built by Thomas Errington, who died in 1629. The E wall of the farm house was surmounted by a narrow oblong turret and this was believed to be the only part with battlements. The S front was mainly Jacobean (Long 1967; Tomlinson 1899).
No remains; site covered by modern development (F1 JHO 01-FEB-54).
According to Dodds, a tower was built for George Ogle, documented in a contract of 1536, and in 1549 he was charged to light a beacon on it when reivers were about. The tower was demolished in 1910. He also refers to the second tower which Warburton attributed to one Johnson. Nothing is known of any Johnson owning or leasing property in this area. (Cathcart King 1983; Dodds 1999). (PastScape)
Tower stood at Hirst in medieval times. Old documents suggest that it was built by Ralph, the third Lord Ogle in the late C15 or early C16. A manor house next to it is thought to have been built by Thomas Errington in C17. However, the tower was demolished in 1916 and the site has been built over. (Keys to the Past)
Not scheduled
Not Listed
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | NZ281878 |
| Latitude | 55.1848411560059 |
| Longitude | -1.55914998054504 |
| Eastings | 428140 |
| Northings | 587880 |
