The Stonehouse Naworth East Park

Description

The remains of a medieval bastle known as The Stonehouse. It is constructed of thick calciferous sandstone squared and coursed rubble walls, probably partly from the nearby Roman Wall. Despite being roofless, it largely survives to its original two storey height. North front right, has ground floor entrance with chamfered surround. Small square window to left; larger chamfered-surround windows to upper floor; some windows retain their original iron bars. Left of entrance is upper floor corbelled fireplace projection. End wall right has been rebuilt. End wall left has ground floor entrance and small window with iron bars. Rear wall has small ground floor windows/vents; upper floor window of 2 lights and chamfered surround; evidence of filled upper floor door to left. Principal fireplace inside has recently collapsed. (mainly derived from Listed Building report)

The Stonehouse medieval bastle is one of a number of bastles located in northern Cumbria close to the Scottish border. As such it will contribute greatly to our knowledge and understanding of the wider border settlement and economy during the medieval period.
The monument includes the upstanding and buried remains of a medieval bastle known as The Stonehouse located in an elevated position at the head of Pott's Cleugh, 240m north of Denton Foot. It is constructed of squared and coursed rubble and measures approximately 16.5m by 7.6m and, despite being roofless, largely survives to its original two-storey height. There are two entrances to the ground floor, one doorway in the south east wall and another in the south west wall. On the ground floor there are narrow windows in the south east, south west and the north west walls. The upper floor was the main living area and fragmentary remains of the principal fireplace which projected externally on corbels still survive on the south east wall; also along this wall are three windows. There is a single window in the south west wall adjacent to an area of partial collapse where a first floor doorway is thought to have been located. In the north west wall there is a window and a fireplace. (Scheduling Report)

On the ground Naworth Stonehouse is a wonderful ruin with walls 1.2m thick, a drawbar hole, first floor fireplace and iron bars at the windows. (Site report from Catherine Bancroft Jan 2009)