Houghton le Spring Rectory

Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameHoughton le Spring Rectory
Alternative Names
Historic CountryDurham
Modern AuthoritySunderland
1974 AuthorityTyne and Wear
Civil ParishHoughton Le Spring

Former rectory now council offices, incorporating the remains of a 15th century tower house. Altered in 1560-70, considerably rebuilt circa 1664 and further altered in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The east elevation was rebuilt circa 1950. The medieval tower was built without licence in or before 1483. (PastScape)

This building is first mentioned in 1483 when John Kelinge began to enclose, fortify and embattle a house within his rectory with a wall of lime and stone, and to make a fortress of it without licence. Bishop Dudley pardoned the offence and granted a licence. In the second half of the 17th century the building was demolished, except for its tower and flanking rectory which were finally lost in the early 19th century. It is possible, however, that some parts of the medieval structure survived these bouts of demolition and rebuilding. (Tyne and Wear HER)

Gatehouse Comments

A pardon was granted by the Bishop of Durham to John Kelyng, rector, probably in 1483. It was entirely usual for such buildings to be built without licence and this pardon, to Kelyng who was no mere rector but Chancellor of Durham, keeper of the Great Seal, and Receiver-General of the Bishopric of Durham is clearly something to do with political power plays and infighting and has nothing to do with controlling 'fortifications'.

- 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 ReferenceNZ340498
Latitude54.8421592712402
Longitude-1.47086000442505
Eastings434090
Northings549830
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All rights reserved View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 54° 50' 31.58" Longitude -1° 28' 15.56"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 54° 50' 31.58" Longitude -1° 28' 15.56"

View full Sized Image

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles and Tower Houses of County Durham (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 35
  • Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 1 Northern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 139n3, 159 (slight)
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 33 (slight)
  • Jackson, M.J.,1992, Castles of Northumbria (Carlisle) p. 143
  • Corfe, Tom (ed), 1992, 'The Visible Middle Ages' in An Historical Atlas of County Durham p. 28-9
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 138
  • Pevsner, N., 1983 (Revised by Williamson, Elizabeth), Buildings of England: Durham (London, Penguin) p. 332
  • Pevsner, N., 1953, Buildings of England: Durham (London, Penguin) p. 172
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England Vol. 2 p. 343 online copy
  • Bates, C.J., 1891, Border Holds of Northumberland (London and Newcastle: Andrew Reid) p. xv (Also published as the whole of volume 14 (series 2) of Archaeologia Aeliana view online)
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 206 online copy
  • Gibson, W., 1848, Northumbrian Castles, Churches and Antiquities part 1 p. 111-2 online copy
  • Surtees, R., 1816 (1910 Reprint), The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham Vol. 1 p. 160
  • Brayley, E. and Britton, J., 1803, Beauties of England and Wales; Durham Vol. 5 p. 133-4
  • Hutchinson, Wm, 1785-94, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham Vol. 2 p. 691 online copy

Journals

  • 1911-12, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (ser3) Vol. 5 p. 45-62 online copy
  • 1897-8, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (ser2) Vol. 8 p. 203 online copy
  • Bates, C.J., 1891, 'Border Holds of Northumberland' Archaeologia Aeliana (ser2) Vol. 14 p. xv online copy

Primary Sources

  • 1874 The Thirty-fifth Annual Report of Deputy Keeper of the Public Record Ap. 140 (membrane 20 of Calendar of Rolls of Bishop Dudley)

Other

  • A view in ink of an old house at Houghton-le-Spring in Durham, drawn by S.H. Grimm. (British Library MS 15539) View online