Green Knowe

Has been described as a Questionable Bastle

There are no visible remains

NameGreen Knowe
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishBewcastle

Alleged fortified house at Green Knowe, the remains of which are represented by an oval mound.

The site occurs on the near-level top of a slight knoll, which has now been deep-furrow ploughed and tree-planted. At the published position many undressed stones are visible in the furrows, but no other significant features were noted. From the rectangular form, 14.0 m x 6.0 m depicted on OS 25", together with Maughan's statement that the stones were carted away, suggests that a building had formerly stood on the site (Field Investigators Comments F1 DS 10-JUL-72).

All that remained in 1970 was an oval mound 20 feet by 12 feet, thought to mark the house site. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Maughan, who thought the site might be a Roman fortress, records 'the stones were dug out and carted away' from the site a few years before 1854. In Ramm et aL but as a farmstead not a bastle. In Perriam and Robinson's gazetteer of 'fortified' buildings but the evidence this was a peel-house appears slight to Gatehouse. The location, which does not seem to be near a water source, appears more that of a summer shieling than a year round peel-house.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY564786
Latitude55.1007118225098
Longitude-2.68386006355286
Eastings356460
Northings578690
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

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 50
  • Ramm, H.G., McDowall, R.W. and Mercer, E., 1970, Shielings and Bastles (London: HMSO) p. 51 no. 201

Journals

  • Collingwood, W.G., 1923, 'An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Cumberland' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 23 online copy
  • Maughan, J., 1854, 'Survey of the Maiden Way, from the Roman Wall into Scotland' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 11 p. 223-5 online copy