High Bowershield Bastle (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Elsdon.
In the historic county of Northumberland.
Modern Authority of Northumberland.
1974 county of Northumberland.
Medieval County of Northumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY94059484
Latitude 55.24771° Longitude -2.09513°

High Bowershield Bastle has been described as a probable Bastle.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

Description

Ruins of farmhouse include one cross-wall, 1.2m thick, of massive roughly-coursed rubble, which is probably a remnant of a bastle. Other buildings, all in ruins, seem largely 18th century. Recommend survey of whole complex (Ryder, P F 06-AUG-90 Field investigation).
The present farm was formerly Low Bowershield; the buildings of High Bowershield, largely in ruins and now serving as a complex of stock pens, stand at a slightly higher level c.100m to the north. The cross wall in the east part of the main range is 1.2m thick and stands c.1.5m high. It appears to have formed the west end of a building, the other walls of which have been rebuilt, perhaps in 18th century. Roughly 8.5m x 6.9m in later form, not certain what original bastle dimensions were. Apart from bastle fragment, remainder seems to be 18th century (Ryder 1990). (Northumberland HER)

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 1387751.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) N9756.

Books
- Dodds, John F., 1999, Bastions and Belligerents (Newcastle upon Tyne: Keepdate Publishing) p. 330-1
Periodical Articles
- Christopherson, R., 2011, 'Northumberland bastles: origin and distribution' Medieval Settlement Research Vol. 26 p. 21-33 (listed in appendix)
Other sources: Theses; 'grey' literature; in-house reports; unpublished works; etc.
- Ryder, P.F., 1990, Bastles and Towers in the Northumberland National Park (Report for Northumberland National Park Authority) p. 15
  Grundy, J., 1987, The Historic Buildings of the Northumberland National Park

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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