Hawkhope Bastle

Description

(NY 71428812) A Pele tower is known to have existed at Hawkhope and the farmhouse has been formed from the existing portions of the building which had undoubtedly been a very strong and well built edifice (F1 FC 06-JUL-1956).
NY 71458813. Remains of a Pele tower incorporated into the structure of Hawkhope farmhouse. The tenant's wife, Mrs Laidler showed the Investigator the extant portions. The ground measurement of the tower is 12.7m east-west and 7.4m north-south. The walls vary in thickness from 1.4m to 1.6m, and are constructed of very large stones with massive corner quoins. Formerly a three-storey structure, the top storey has been cut away except for about 1.5m of wall above third floor level, and upon this has been erected a steep pitched gable roof, which, from the gable-end ornament, appears to be of 18th/19th century construction.
The probably original doorway is in the west side of the basement. A small original window exists in the centre of the south wall on the first floor. The present height of the Pele walls is approx 10m.
There are no architectural features by which the tower can be dated. The interior has been stripped and modernised. Similar Pele towers in the region have been dated to the 16th/17th century.
Additions to the west and north sides are of later construction; the period cannot be ascertained from lack of architectural features. An extension on the east side is quite modern.
The Pele stands on a south slope in a strategic position, at the entrance to the Hawkhope valley, which it commands to the north. The Hawkhope Burn provides a strong natural defence to the east (Clarke 1956).
NY 714881 Original bastle enlarged and now forming two dwellings (Ramm et al 1970).
The house is special in that it had 2.5 floors from the outset against the more usual two. Moulded stones in the south face bear evidence of an original entrance at first floor level. Fine range of Georgian farm buildings to the west (Long 1988).
Hawkhope Farmhouse and Hawkhope Lodge incorporate a bastle house. The bastle measures c.12.7m by 7.6m externally. Its walls are 1.4m-1.5m thick and constructed of heavy roughly coursed rubble, with galleting; the quoins are large and roughly shaped. The house is of two storeys and attics; the bastle masonry appears to extend to the full height of the walls, although the gable copings and moulded kneelers appear to be of 18th century date, as may the stepped and corniced chimney stack on the west gable. There is an 18th century outshut at the rear, and a later extension of both house and outshut to the west; the 19th century Hawkhope Lodge adjoins the east end.
The front (south) elevation is of three irregular bays; the doorway, set a little east of centre, has a surround with a narrow chamfer, of 18th century character; the window openings may be contemporary with it, except for the central one at first floor level which is set within the opening of the original first floor doorway; it has chamfered jambs (with knife sharpening grooves) although both sill and lintel are later. The attic dormers replace earlier windows set just beneath them (directly below the eaves line). Heavy pointing may well obscure earlier features. Internally a few bastle period features survive; at first floor level there is a blocked wall cupboard in the west wall, and at attic level a blocked window set roughly in the centre of the original rear wall (and best seen from within the outshut); this is a simple rectangular loop. The ground and first floor fireplaces, against the west wall, are of 18th century character, although that at first floor level cuts into an earlier and more massive lintel, suggesting that the stone internal stack may be an earlier feature. At ground floor level there is a blocked recess in the south wall, to the east of the doorway, with a timber lintel. In the attic there is an internal set back on the west wall, 0.8m above the present floor, and three roof trusses; these are of pegged construction, with two pairs of collars, one set high and one inserted after the tie beams have been cut away. These trusses are of some antiquity, although more probably 18th century than coeval with the original bastle. The eastern third of the bastle is now part of Hawkhope Lodge; all wall faces are obscured by plaster. The present doorway between the remainder of the Lodge and the ground floor room within the bastle is set at the north end of the east wall; there is said to have been an earlier doorway at the south end of the same wall. It is not clear whether either of these openings represents the original byre door; there has also been a doorway (now reduced to a window) in the north wall of this section, although this is probably an insertion.
This is an unusually substantial bastle, both in its wall thicknesses and in its height; unfortunately few original features are exposed, although pointing and plaster may obscure some. The farmhouse has been empty and derelict for some years; whilst there is a major crack in the north wall, this does not appear recent and the overall structural condition does not seem too bad. The house merits repair and a measured survey (Ryder 1994-5). (Northumberland HER)