Gale Hall

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

There are no visible remains

NameGale Hall
Alternative NamesTowerwise
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishOusby

Gale Hall, the site of which is occupied by a modern farmhouse, was formerly the capital messuage of the manor of Gale, and contained a tower, demolished since 1677. (PastScape ref. Perriam and Robinson)

'the house of Anthony Hutton Esqr built Towerwise and that not long since either by Sir Wm Hutton this gentleman's great grandfather or else by the said Sir William his father Anthony...' He goes on to illustrat a coat-of-arms in the best chamber window. (Perriam and Robinson citing Singleton 1677)

Gale is another small manor, partly in this parish {Melmerby} and partly in Ousby, which formerly belonged to the Huttons, of Hutton Hall, but is now possessed by the lord of the manor of Melmerby. Gale Hall, the ancient manorial residence, was rebuilt in 1866, and is occupied as a farmstead. (Bulmer)

Gatehouse Comments

Possibility that something may be built into present house. A C16/C17 building of gentry status built 'towerwise'. Was this a chamber block attached to a hall or a superior bastle with chambers over storage space? The former (a pele tower) was usual for gentry status houses in this area for the C14-C16 but the later comes in the C16.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY629364
Latitude54.7219085693359
Longitude-2.57698011398315
Eastings362900
Northings536400
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 99 (slight)
  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 122
  • Bulmer, T.F., 1901, History, Topography, and Directory Of Cumberland p. 426 online transcription

Journals

  • Graham, T.H.B., 1917, 'The Manor of Melmerby' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 17 p. 25 online copy

Other

  • Richard Singleton manuscript of 1677 in the Machell manuscripts Collections for the history of Westmoreland and Cumberland