Fairnley Tower, Rothley

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

There are no visible remains

NameFairnley Tower, Rothley
Alternative NamesHigh Fairnley; High Farneylaw
Historic CountryNorthumberland
Modern AuthorityNorthumberland
1974 AuthorityNorthumberland
Civil ParishRothley

A good-sized tower once stood in the yard behind the farmhouse. It is said to have been a strong building with a vault and a long view both north and south. Its site is bare now; nothing remains to provide a hint of its building date. (Dodds 1999)

Gatehouse Comments

The source or evidence for this 'tower' is obscure. It is possible this is actually a confused reference to Low Fairnley Bastle (Which is called a 'peel-house' in Hodgson's History of Northumerland_). If it was a separate building then on location grounds it is perhaps more likely to have been another bastle rather than a pele tower.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNZ004889
Latitude55.194881439209
Longitude-1.99357998371124
Eastings400400
Northings588900
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. 257
  • Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p. 156
  • Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 102