Castlefacts³

Catcleugh Bastle

Has been described as a Possible Bastle

There are no visible remains

Name	Catcleugh Bastle
Alternative Names	Spithope
Historic Country	Northumberland
Modern Authority	Northumberland
1974 Authority	Northumberland
Civil Parish	Rochester

atcleugh. Sir Charles Howard, knight, and his trustees Charles lord Viscount Morpeth, and others, May 26, 1658, sold to Henry Widdrington, of Black Heddon, for £130, "All those sommerings called Catcleugh, of the antient rent of 3s. 4d.and also "the highlands called Spithope and a deed respecting the same transaction mentions "the Peel of the highland summer lands." (Hodgson 1827)

Bastle on upland pasture, somewhere near NT74-03-. Mentioned 1658. (King 1983)

a 'peel' mentioned in a deed of 1658 ... there is no trace of it now and it is impossible to pinpoint its exact site. The popular belief is that it stood on the valley floor and is covered by the water of Catcleugh reservoir, which was constructed between 1894 and 1905. (Dodds 1999)

Gatehouse Comments

The general location and social status of this house make it clear the 'Peel' was a pelehouse bastle. The six-inch OS map for the given map reference, surveyed in 1863 before the reservoir was built, does not show any buildings in the area under water (the building shown are above water and still survive). However the map references given by King, Dodds etc. are estimates and could be wrong.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)

1388956

County Historic Environment Record

www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning/Conservation/Archaeology.aspx

OS Map Grid Reference	NT745032
Latitude	55.3221893310547
Longitude	-2.40335988998413
Eastings	374500
Northings	603200