Glasson Barracks, Bowness

Has been described as a Certain Bastle

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameGlasson Barracks, Bowness
Alternative NamesBarracks House
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishBowness

Fortified house. Early or mid C16 with C18 and C20 alterations. Walls a metre thick of red and yellow coursed sandstone (from the nearby Roman Wall); C20 tile roof with coped gables and kneelers, gables raised in height incorporating 1760s datestone with initials T.M.; C20 brick chimney stack. 2 storeys, 3 bays. C20 door in C18 opening. Original slit vents at 2 levels now blocked; water outlet at first floor level to left of entrance. C20 windows in C20 openings. End wall left, has original blocked attic window. Rear wall had C16 ground floor entrance with drawbar tunnel, now enlarged and the lintel used as a mantelpiece inside. Blocked C18 entrance and windows. C20 windows in C20 openings. Interior has remains of stone spiral staircase in the thickness of the wall left. Photographic record of the building before alteration in the RCHM files. Although very much altered this is an extremely rare building in this area, there being only one other example at Brackenrigg, south of Bowness. (Listed Building Report)

A 16th century fortified house with 18th and 20th century alterations. It is two storeyed with walls one metre thick and built of sandstone from Hadrian's Wall. Although much altered, this is an extremely rare building in this area (Listed Building Report).

Identified as a bastle with loopholed walls (Perriam and Robinson). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Called a 'bastile house' by Hodgson in 1833.

- 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 ReferenceNY253605
Latitude54.933910369873
Longitude-3.16732001304626
Eastings325310
Northings560550
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. 97 (slight)
  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 58-9 (plan)
  • Hodgson, J., 1840, History of Northumberland (Newcastle) Part 2 Vol. 3 p. 302-3 online copy

Journals

  • Perriam, D.R., 1988, 'Bowness Rectory tower (documents relating to ?late 14th/early 15th century bastle)' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 88 p. 197-9 online copy