Brackenthwaite

Has been described as a Possible Bastle

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameBrackenthwaite
Alternative NamesBrakenthweyt in Gillesland; Longwhaythughill
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishCumrew

Barns adjoining Manor House, with core of original Manor House. Earliest part is probably late C16 bastle type house; date of 1632 with initials I.A. over entrance may be contemporary with adjoining buildings to right; extensively altered and extended to left in late C18, with inscription over entrance James & Margaret Atkinson and date, which could be 1793, but now partly erased. Mixed sandstone rubble walls, common graduated green slate roof. 2 storeys and numerous bays, built on slope, so appears as single storey to rear. Central bays are original house with extremely thick walls. Late C16 entrance has chamfered red sandstone surround, chamfered and shaped lintel stone, with later irregularly incised date and initials; slightly splayed jambs on inside, have 2 sets of drawbar holes. Walls appear to have been refaced in the late C18, so all other original features are now hidden and replaced by slit vents. (Listed Building Report)

A barn at Brackenthwaite is defined as a bastle derivative based upon the lintel, drawbar and also the holes for the upper floor windows. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

The barn is described in Perriam and Robinson an altered bastle and not, as suggested in the PastScape summary of their work, a bastle derivative (a term which, arguably, should refer to later houses built in a tradition of 1st floor accommodation).

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY546531
Latitude54.8709602355957
Longitude-2.70752000808716
Eastings354600
Northings553100
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 102 (slight)
  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 137 (plan)

Primary Sources

  • Graham, T. H. B. (ed.), 1934, The barony of Gilsland. Lord William Howard's survey, taken in 1603 (Feild-Booke yt explaines all the Map Booke for Gilsland taken in 1603) (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 16) p. 87