Greystead; The Bower

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

There are no visible remains

NameGreystead; The Bower
Alternative NamesThe Bowre; Boure; "A peel on Chirdon Burn'
Historic CountryNorthumberland
Modern AuthorityNorthumberland
1974 AuthorityNorthumberland
Civil ParishGreystead

In a survey of about 1715 the Bower is referred to together with an 'ancient pile'. The Bower is recorded as early as 1524 when it belonged to Hector Charlton, but the buildings there today are much more recent. There are no traces of a medieval tower in or around the present buildings. (Keys to the Past)

A survey of c.1715 refers to: "The Bowre and ancient pile on ye north side ye River Cherdon" (Hodgson 1916).

There are still fragments of a rude pele tower (Dodds 1940).

The Border Survey of 1604 lists a house and outhouse at the Bower (NT 75678325) (Sanderson 1891).

The 'Boure' or 'Bower' in 1524 was in the possession of Hector Charlton. In 1715 it belonged to William Charlton (Tomlinson 1902).

Bower is a modern farmhouse with outbuildings, situated upon a grassy rise, between the Eals Cleugh to the N, and the Chirdon Burn to the S, and a little W of their confluence. The site is an excellent one for a Pele, being placed centrally in the valley, commanding it to the east and west, and the slopes to high ground to the north and south.

There are no traces of a pele to be seen in or around the present buildings.

The farmhouse is the property of the Forestry Commission. Mr J G Straughan, Forester, has no knowledge of a Pele formerly at Bower (F1 ASP 20-JUL-56).

The 'Bowrie Charltons' were a scion of the Charlton family, and infamous for their reiving from the late 15th century until the mid 18th century. This pele or bastle was their major strongplace from which they raided their neighbours. Although they moved to Redesdale in the early 18th century, they retained The Bower for 'business purposes'. The tower was pulled down in the late 18th century (Dodds 1999). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

This was almost certainly a pele-house (i.e. Bastle) rather than a pele tower. This is certainly what is shown in Hodgson's sketch of 1835 of 'A peel on Chirdon Burn' where cattle are shown exiting the ground floor of the building. Like most such farmhouses it is situated near to a water supply and in the middle of a agricultural estate.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY756832
Latitude55.1430892944336
Longitude-2.3828399181366
Eastings375670
Northings583250
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 308
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 346
  • Graham, Frank, 1976, The Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Frank Graham) p. 82
  • Long, B., 1967, Castles of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) p. 73
  • Dodds, Madeleine Hope (ed), 1940, Northumberland County History (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Vol. 15 p. 278n9
  • Tomlinson, W.W., 1902, Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland (London) p. 220
  • Hodgson, J., 1835, History of Northumberland (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) Part 3 Vol. 3 plate at end online copy

Antiquarian

  • Sanderson, R.P. (ed), 1891, Survey of the Debateable and Border Lands adjoining the Realm of Scotland and belonging to the Crown of England taken A.D. 1604 p. 58, 61

Journals

  • Hodgson, J.C., 1916, 'List of Ruined Towers, Chapels, etc., in Northumberland; compiled about 1715 by John Warburton, Somerset Herald, aided by John Horsley' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser3) Vol. 13 p. 14 abridged transcription