England - Northern England - Cumberland - Birdoswald Bastles

In the 13th century a tower house was built by the porta princpalis sinistra. In the 16th century a bastle house replaced the tower house, which in its turn was replaced by a farmhouse in the 17th century. (PastScape ref. Wilmott 1997)

Former farmhouse, now (1988) HQ of the archaeological unit excavating the adjacent Roman site. Substantially the house built by Henry Norman in 1858, but incorporating extensive remnants of an earlier building, possibly C15 or early C16 and perhaps erected by the de Vaux family. Coursed rubble masonry, rendered on all but the rear (N) elevation; Welsh slate roofs. Plan and development: The building consists of a principal range aligned E-W, 2-rooms deep (main living rooms to the S, scullery and other service rooms to the N), entered from the S by a central porch; attached to this range to the W is a 2-storey tower which appears to be an almost entirely C19 construction in the form of a tower-house. A now internal dated lintel in the principal range between the service rooms and the entrance hall (AQMB1745, commemorating Anthony and Margaret Bowman) and a blocked window, strongly suggests that this range was originally only a single room in depth, and extended in 1858. The rear wall of the SE room, and that to the W of the room and dividing it from the entrance hall are extremely thick and contain features that confirm an early date: a four-centred stone doorway arch, partially blocked but visible in the entrance hall; the remains of a newel stair in the SW corner of the room; and an early (but undateable) window in the rear wall, 1st floor, and now blocked. These features together suggest the possibility that the SW room was once a tower-house, but the presence of a high quality doorway at ground level militates against this (although it is possible that the ground level may have been altered)

A C19 engraving shows that there was no tower to the W before 1858; however the external stack visible on the E wall of the tower evidently pre- dates the 1858 work for its extensive corbel table survives and is visible in the roof space. (It may have served as a corbelled fireplace, but this seems unlikely in this position). Exterior: S elevation: symmetrical 4-window range with castellated gabled porch containing datestone HN 1858 under small single-light window. Square-headed doorway with chamfered surround. 2-light windows to 1st floor with chamfered and vermiculated mullions and surrounds, and 2-pane hornless sash windows. 3-light window to either side of porch, otherwise treated identically to those above. Stone coping and internal end stack (with 3 brick shafts) to E wall, with one C20 window. Rear (N) elevation of principal range with C19 fenestration; 3-window range, the right-hand (W) windows set well to the W; 8-pane harnless sash windows throughout (altered to ground floor, left). Stone plain surrounds. One doorway to left, another blocked right of centre. Tower: rendered, except for N elevation and battlements, the render out back at the angles to resemble quoining. 2 stages, the upper stage slight recessed. Battlements corbelled out with external stacks to E and W. S side with one window to each floor, 2 lights to 1st floor, 3 to ground, with plain chamfered mullions and surrounds. W side with 2 2-pane hornless sash windows to 1st floor and a narrow slit to external stack at the same level, all with stone surrounds. Centrally placed shield to battlements. N: 2 pane harnless sash window to 1st floor; lean to with stone coping, the door, C19 and studded. Interior: many early features probably remain under the plaster. 4-centred doorway, remains of newel, and old window (with wooden lintel) mentioned above. Otherwise standard c19 furnishings; one stone fireplace, Cl9 but in C16 style. Roof: standard tie, ridge-piece, side purlin roof, difficult to date but pre-1858. The corbelling in the W gable indicates an ancient well at this point, date not known (see above). Note: The C19 owner (Henry Norman) was an antiquerian and conducted his own excavation of the adjacent Roman site. This 'tower house' (to the W) is an interesting example of 'medieval reconstruction', although it is possible that some archaeological evidence indicated the presence of a tower here, and that the surviving C16 work represents the remains of a hall range. Birdoswald Farmhouse also indicates the long-established and continuous occupation of this site from Roman times. (Listed Building Report)

In C16 a bastle house (some sources write two bastles) replaced the tower house, which in its turn was replaced by a farmhouse in C17 The farmhouse may, in fact date to the C15 or early C16 and thus be the second bastle. A family called the Tweddles lived in Birdoswald's Bastle House in the 1580's. Raided twice by the Elliots and the Nicksons in 1588 and again in 1590 by the Armstrongs. Having their door burnt' down and their cattle and household goods stolen.

Castlefacts

England - Northern England - Cumberland - Birdoswald Bastles